1863 - French Composer, conductor and organist Henri-Constant-Gabriel Pierne was born in Metz, 148 years ago today, but his family moved to Paris to escape the Franco-Prussian War. Pierne, like many composers in this era, wrote many musical pieces, and this is one of them, Concertstueck Op. 39, performed here by Yul Kim, with the Pasadena Summer Youth Chamber Orchestra (PSYCO) as part of the Artists of Tomorrow Concert series.
1962 - Liverpudlian, Pete Best was drummer for the Beatles for about two and a half years, until he got the phone call telling him he was about to be replaced by Ringo Starr, today, almost 50 years ago today. Look, why don't we let the Beatles tell you what happened - then we have a very rare video of Ringo's first gig with the Beatles at Liverpool's Cavern, plus a bonus video track with Ringo. I think Ringo was hugely underrated as a drummer. His style, like Charlie Watts's, (although two very different drumming styles, of course) was simple but effective and his use of the open high hat unquestionably contributed to the overall Beatles sound.
1966 - The Monkees' first single, Last Train to Clarksville, was released today. They were a phenomenon, like it or not, and this is a near-perfect pop song, written by professional song writers Bobby Hart, Tommy Boyce especially for the Monkees. The song was a #1 hit around the world. Unlike most bands of the time, the Monkees were not formed by its members, but rather by TV producers: they were a fictional band in the TV show of the same name. TV producers, Bert Schneider and Bob Rafelson, formulated an idea for a show about a Beatles-like band, then put ads in newspapers, seeking musicians to star in the series. Mike Nesmith, Mickey Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork were the Moinkees. Last Train to Clarksville was the debut single by The Monkees, and later included on the group's 1966 self-titled album, that was released in October of the same year. Many critics slam the song for being too much like songs from Beatles'on Rubber Soul and Revolver, specifically their three songs,Drive My Car, Paperback Writer and Taxman. What do you think?
1974 - This is the day a rock legend began, when The Ramones played their first show at New York's infamous punk club, CBGB. Well before they became cartoon characters, this was their very first gig at CBGB's, and indeed one of their first ever gigs. The songs they played were very fast and very short; most clocked in at under two minutes. Around this time, a new music scene was emerging in New York centered around two clubs in downtown Manhattan—Max's Kansas City and, more famously, CBGB. RIP Joey, RIP Johnny, RIP Dee Dee, RIP CBGB'c. Gabba Gabba Hey! (for more information and videos on The Ramones, go to our archive search engine).
1975 - Peter Gabriel announced that he was leaving the group Genesis, today, the group he co-founded in 1967 with fellow Charterhouse School pupils Tony Banks, Anthony Phillips, Mike Rutherford, and drummer Chris Stewart. The name of the band was suggested by fellow Charterhouse alumnus, the pop music impresario Jonathan King, who produced their first album, From Genesis to Revelation. King was later jailed for sexual illegalities against children. Gabriel was influenced by many different sources in his way of singing - mainly Otis Redding and other soul singers, as well as Family lead singer Roger Chapman. In 1970, he played the flute on Cat Stevens' album, Mona Bone Jakon. His first solo success came with the single Solsbury Hill, an autobiographical piece expressing his thoughts on leaving Genesis. Unfortunately good old Pete seems to think we don't deserve to see his original video of this song, so here's a version from 1993, recorded live in Italy, that he can't stop you watching.
1977 - This was the day the world stopped dead in its tracks to millions of Elvis fans around the world; Presley died at the age of 42 in Memphis, Tennessee, reputedly while sitting on his toilet. He died of coronary arrhythmia. but, hey, I won't go on about it, here's a full explanation from someone who was right there on the spot.
1983 - Rhymin' Paul Simon married Carrie 'Princess Leah' Fisher, today, and they divorced two years later, while record company RCA Victor released the Elvis Presley single Baby, Let's Play House on the same day, a year later. And speaking of marriage and divorce, in 1985, on August 16, Madonna and Sean Penn were married today in Malibu, California. They were divorced four years later. This was also the day a U.S. postage stamp featuring Henry Mancini was unveiled. The American composer, conductor and arranger, is best remembered for his many, many film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards (20), including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995. His best-known works are the jazz-idiom theme to The Pink Panther film series , the Peter Gunn Theme from the television series, and Moon River. You think of a classic movie of the past 50 years that had memorable theme music, and odds are that it was composed and conducted by this movie soundtrack genius. Here's the often imitated theme from Peter Gunn...and while we're at it, why not kick back and watch this episode of the TV series…they don't make 'em like this anymore. I'm sure your boss won't mind you taking a few moment's break.;)
1962 - Liverpudlian, Pete Best was drummer for the Beatles for about two and a half years, until he got the phone call telling him he was about to be replaced by Ringo Starr, today, almost 50 years ago today. Look, why don't we let the Beatles tell you what happened - then we have a very rare video of Ringo's first gig with the Beatles at Liverpool's Cavern, plus a bonus video track with Ringo. I think Ringo was hugely underrated as a drummer. His style, like Charlie Watts's, (although two very different drumming styles, of course) was simple but effective and his use of the open high hat unquestionably contributed to the overall Beatles sound.
1966 - The Monkees' first single, Last Train to Clarksville, was released today. They were a phenomenon, like it or not, and this is a near-perfect pop song, written by professional song writers Bobby Hart, Tommy Boyce especially for the Monkees. The song was a #1 hit around the world. Unlike most bands of the time, the Monkees were not formed by its members, but rather by TV producers: they were a fictional band in the TV show of the same name. TV producers, Bert Schneider and Bob Rafelson, formulated an idea for a show about a Beatles-like band, then put ads in newspapers, seeking musicians to star in the series. Mike Nesmith, Mickey Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork were the Moinkees. Last Train to Clarksville was the debut single by The Monkees, and later included on the group's 1966 self-titled album, that was released in October of the same year. Many critics slam the song for being too much like songs from Beatles'on Rubber Soul and Revolver, specifically their three songs,Drive My Car, Paperback Writer and Taxman. What do you think?
1974 - This is the day a rock legend began, when The Ramones played their first show at New York's infamous punk club, CBGB. Well before they became cartoon characters, this was their very first gig at CBGB's, and indeed one of their first ever gigs. The songs they played were very fast and very short; most clocked in at under two minutes. Around this time, a new music scene was emerging in New York centered around two clubs in downtown Manhattan—Max's Kansas City and, more famously, CBGB. RIP Joey, RIP Johnny, RIP Dee Dee, RIP CBGB'c. Gabba Gabba Hey! (for more information and videos on The Ramones, go to our archive search engine).
1975 - Peter Gabriel announced that he was leaving the group Genesis, today, the group he co-founded in 1967 with fellow Charterhouse School pupils Tony Banks, Anthony Phillips, Mike Rutherford, and drummer Chris Stewart. The name of the band was suggested by fellow Charterhouse alumnus, the pop music impresario Jonathan King, who produced their first album, From Genesis to Revelation. King was later jailed for sexual illegalities against children. Gabriel was influenced by many different sources in his way of singing - mainly Otis Redding and other soul singers, as well as Family lead singer Roger Chapman. In 1970, he played the flute on Cat Stevens' album, Mona Bone Jakon. His first solo success came with the single Solsbury Hill, an autobiographical piece expressing his thoughts on leaving Genesis. Unfortunately good old Pete seems to think we don't deserve to see his original video of this song, so here's a version from 1993, recorded live in Italy, that he can't stop you watching.
1977 - This was the day the world stopped dead in its tracks to millions of Elvis fans around the world; Presley died at the age of 42 in Memphis, Tennessee, reputedly while sitting on his toilet. He died of coronary arrhythmia. but, hey, I won't go on about it, here's a full explanation from someone who was right there on the spot.
1983 - Rhymin' Paul Simon married Carrie 'Princess Leah' Fisher, today, and they divorced two years later, while record company RCA Victor released the Elvis Presley single Baby, Let's Play House on the same day, a year later. And speaking of marriage and divorce, in 1985, on August 16, Madonna and Sean Penn were married today in Malibu, California. They were divorced four years later. This was also the day a U.S. postage stamp featuring Henry Mancini was unveiled. The American composer, conductor and arranger, is best remembered for his many, many film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards (20), including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995. His best-known works are the jazz-idiom theme to The Pink Panther film series , the Peter Gunn Theme from the television series, and Moon River. You think of a classic movie of the past 50 years that had memorable theme music, and odds are that it was composed and conducted by this movie soundtrack genius. Here's the often imitated theme from Peter Gunn...and while we're at it, why not kick back and watch this episode of the TV series…they don't make 'em like this anymore. I'm sure your boss won't mind you taking a few moment's break.;)
