September 17, 18:
1970 - Jimi Hendrix, aged 27 years old, was pronounced dead on arrival at St. Mary Abbot's Hospital in London, tonight, after choking on his own vomit. It was reported at the time that Hendrix left the following message on his manager's answer phone that night: "I need help bad, man". Rumors and conspiracy theories grew up around Hendrix’s death, as they always seem to do in these instances. Fact is, Jimi Hendrix single-handedly changed the way electric guitars were played, inspiring thousands of new and established guitar players around the world. This is a short clip of Hendrix, in 1967, live at the Ipswich Town Hall, UK. Brilliant quality, lesser-known video.
1991 - It's now two decades since Guns'n'Roses shipped out four million copies of their album, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, but more importantly, Rob Tyner lead singer with seminal American hard rock band MC5, died today, after suffering a heart attack in the seat of his parked car. MC5 - shortened from the Motor City Five - formed in Detroit, in 1965, releasing their debut album, Kick Out the Jams, in 1969. The Detroit protopunkers recorded it live, at Detroit's Grande Ballroom over two nights - Devil's Night and Halloween, 1968. In 2003, the album was ranked #294 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, even though revered reviewer Lester Bangs rubbished it at the time of its release, calling it "ridiculous, overbearing, pretentious". Look at this authentic video gem and you can see the future of rock'n'roll a decade later, and the classic rock stance and antics, adapted and adopted by every single guitar slinging rocker ever since.
1931 - They never became an essential consumer item for two more decades, but 33rpm long-play records were launched today by RCA Victor at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in New York; 30 years later on the same day, Welsh singer Shirley Bassey was top of the charts for the second and final time with her medley, Reach For The Stars & Climb Ev'ry Mountain, and this is she in 1969.
1970 - Jimi Hendrix, aged 27 years old, was pronounced dead on arrival at St. Mary Abbot's Hospital in London, tonight, after choking on his own vomit. It was reported at the time that Hendrix left the following message on his manager's answer phone that night: "I need help bad, man". Rumors and conspiracy theories grew up around Hendrix’s death, as they always seem to do in these instances. Fact is, Jimi Hendrix single-handedly changed the way electric guitars were played, inspiring thousands of new and established guitar players around the world. This is a short clip of Hendrix, in 1967, live at the Ipswich Town Hall, UK. Brilliant quality, lesser-known video.
1991 - It's now two decades since Guns'n'Roses shipped out four million copies of their album, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, but more importantly, Rob Tyner lead singer with seminal American hard rock band MC5, died today, after suffering a heart attack in the seat of his parked car. MC5 - shortened from the Motor City Five - formed in Detroit, in 1965, releasing their debut album, Kick Out the Jams, in 1969. The Detroit protopunkers recorded it live, at Detroit's Grande Ballroom over two nights - Devil's Night and Halloween, 1968. In 2003, the album was ranked #294 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, even though revered reviewer Lester Bangs rubbished it at the time of its release, calling it "ridiculous, overbearing, pretentious". Look at this authentic video gem and you can see the future of rock'n'roll a decade later, and the classic rock stance and antics, adapted and adopted by every single guitar slinging rocker ever since.
1931 - They never became an essential consumer item for two more decades, but 33rpm long-play records were launched today by RCA Victor at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in New York; 30 years later on the same day, Welsh singer Shirley Bassey was top of the charts for the second and final time with her medley, Reach For The Stars & Climb Ev'ry Mountain, and this is she in 1969.
1962 - The Beatles played the final of three Monday night gigs at The Queen’s Hall, Widnes, Cheshire, tonight, and on the bill were Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Sonny Kaye and the Reds, and Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. Ringo left this band a month earlier to join the Beatles. This is Rory Storm. Go to our archiver search engine for details of the Merseybeat.
1967 - September 17, 44 years ago and the Doors were banned from The Ed Sullivan Show after Jim Morrison broke his agreement with the show’s producers, promising he wouldn’t sing the words, “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher,” from their performance of Light My Fire. The Doors were forever banned from the show. Second song in their performance that night was People Are Strange, this clip being one of the first promo videos for rock music.
1967 - Fleetwood Mac, John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, Chicken Shack and Long John Baldry all appeared at the Saville Theatre in London, England, tonight, and rumours swept the world that Paul McCartney was dead - actually he was in Kenya with Jane Asher. And this is the day in 1976 that the Sex Pistols played a gig for the inmates at Chelmsford Prison, Essex in England. This is a short history of Sex Pistols, folks, for those who missed out…short & sweet, just like the Pistols!
1977 - Diana Ross and The Supremes' album, 20 Golden Greats started a seven-week run at #1 on the UK chart, and for all Supreme things go to our archive search engine. On this day in 1983, Paul Young ruled, with his first UK #1 album with his debut release No Parlez, and it became a worldwide hit. The album returned to the top of the charts on four other occasions spending a total of 119 weeks on the chart.
1983 - Same year, same day and Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Eddie Money and Uriah Heep all appeared at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California, and on this day in 1984, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark began their 14-date UK tour at Bristol Colston Hall. This is OMD, with Forever, Live and Die.
