October 4, 1943 - RISING above music genres, Louis Thomas Jordan was a musician of high repute, whose pioneering of American jazz, blues and rhythm & blues during the 20s, 30, and 40s, gave him a maximum of popularity with both black and white audiences. He was also a successful song writer and band leader, especially during the 40s swing era. One of Jordan's biggest hits was this little doozy, Is You Is Or Is You Aint My Baby, released 68 years ago today.
1962 - WHERE were you on this day in '62, when Brit group, the Tornadoes, became the very first English group to reach #1 on American charts, and with the very first 'space age' song, an instrumental titled Telstar. The record was named after the British AT&T communications satellite, Telstar, which had been launched into orbit in July. The launch was five years after the Soviet Union, who launched the very first satellite to be put into Earth's orbit, known as Sputnik. The Tornadoes' Telstar, was written and produced by famed London producer, Joe Meek, and featured a clavioline; a keyboard instrument with a distinctive electronic sound, which no doubt helped Telstar win an Ivor Novello Award. The song is estimated to have sold at least five million copies worldwide. First up here is the original newsreel regarding the satellite, followed by the original version by the original band, The Tornadoes, 20 years after the song was a hit.
1963 - THIS was the night 48 years ago when Dusty Springfield was the guest presenter of one of the world's hippest television rock shows at the time - indeed, one of the very few TV shows anywhere in the world. The show was called Ready Steady Go, on London's ITV, and Dusty's special guests that night were the Beatles. When you get a moment, check out this vintage, rarely seen 10-minute-gem of a video, guaranteed to make you smile.
1963 - ALMOST half a century down the road, British electric blues group The Yardbirds remain a seminal band in the evolution of rock'n'roll music. They straddled the pop fence, too, with hits like For Your Love, Over Under Sideways Down, and Heart Full of Soul. But the group is also notable for having started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page, all of whom are in the top fifteen of Rolling Stone's 100 Top Guitarists list (Clapton as #4, Page as #9, and Beck as #14). As a consequence, the band pioneered guitar innovations of the '60s, including fuzz tone, feedback, distortion, backwards echo, improved amplification. this is the day in 1963 that Eric Clapton was asked to join the Yardbirds to replace Anthony 'Top' Topham. The Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. This is an early Yardbirds song, Louise, with an 18-year-old Eric Clapton already showing signs as takes the guitar solo.
1969 - ARE you old enough for a flashback to Woodstock, 1969, when Crosby, Stills & Nash first let the world hear the lilting refrains of Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, but this was the day the song was released, in the same year. Here, though is another riveting version, just five years later at London's Wembley Stadium…and beautiful Joni Mitchell throws in a harmony or two…and wait, isn't that Neil Young, sitting down, playing guitar? Thanks to youtuber, gerden238.
1970 - THIS is the sad, sad day Janis Joplin was found dead of a heroin overdose at the age of 27, after having just completed recording her second solo album, Pearl. During her early days at Thomas Jefferson High School, she pained and danced, and said she was mostly shunned: "I was a misfit. I read, I painted, I didn't hate niggers."As a teen, she became overweight and her skin broke out so badly she was left with deep scars which required dermabrasion. She said that kids at high school routinely taunted her and call her names like pig, freak or creep. But Joplin rose above it all and became one of the most dynamic rock performers of all time - male or female. some critics say she had the power of audience participation that was equalled by none - except, perhaps, Elvis. this live performance certainly shows why Janis Joplin will always be one of the true rock legends. A beautiful soul, gone way too soon. RIP. This Janis so smoking', and thanks to youtuber coverdalina for this gem.;)
1982 - ONE of the clever UK groups was Squeeze, the group named as a facetious tribute to The Velvet Underground's much-criticised 1973 album, Squeeze. The band's founding members in March 1974 were Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook, Jools Holland, and Paul Gunn. The group played under several names, most frequently Captain Trundlow's Sky Company or Skyco, before selecting the band name Squeeze. The group's single, Up the Junction, was the third single released from Squeeze's second album, Cool for Cats, and one of the band's most popular and well-remembered songs. This is the day the band split, all members moving forward to greater careers, especially Jools Holland who has become the musical maestro of big band music and host with the most on the world's best music TV show, Later With Jools Holland.
1962 - WHERE were you on this day in '62, when Brit group, the Tornadoes, became the very first English group to reach #1 on American charts, and with the very first 'space age' song, an instrumental titled Telstar. The record was named after the British AT&T communications satellite, Telstar, which had been launched into orbit in July. The launch was five years after the Soviet Union, who launched the very first satellite to be put into Earth's orbit, known as Sputnik. The Tornadoes' Telstar, was written and produced by famed London producer, Joe Meek, and featured a clavioline; a keyboard instrument with a distinctive electronic sound, which no doubt helped Telstar win an Ivor Novello Award. The song is estimated to have sold at least five million copies worldwide. First up here is the original newsreel regarding the satellite, followed by the original version by the original band, The Tornadoes, 20 years after the song was a hit.
1963 - THIS was the night 48 years ago when Dusty Springfield was the guest presenter of one of the world's hippest television rock shows at the time - indeed, one of the very few TV shows anywhere in the world. The show was called Ready Steady Go, on London's ITV, and Dusty's special guests that night were the Beatles. When you get a moment, check out this vintage, rarely seen 10-minute-gem of a video, guaranteed to make you smile.
1963 - ALMOST half a century down the road, British electric blues group The Yardbirds remain a seminal band in the evolution of rock'n'roll music. They straddled the pop fence, too, with hits like For Your Love, Over Under Sideways Down, and Heart Full of Soul. But the group is also notable for having started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page, all of whom are in the top fifteen of Rolling Stone's 100 Top Guitarists list (Clapton as #4, Page as #9, and Beck as #14). As a consequence, the band pioneered guitar innovations of the '60s, including fuzz tone, feedback, distortion, backwards echo, improved amplification. this is the day in 1963 that Eric Clapton was asked to join the Yardbirds to replace Anthony 'Top' Topham. The Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. This is an early Yardbirds song, Louise, with an 18-year-old Eric Clapton already showing signs as takes the guitar solo.
1969 - ARE you old enough for a flashback to Woodstock, 1969, when Crosby, Stills & Nash first let the world hear the lilting refrains of Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, but this was the day the song was released, in the same year. Here, though is another riveting version, just five years later at London's Wembley Stadium…and beautiful Joni Mitchell throws in a harmony or two…and wait, isn't that Neil Young, sitting down, playing guitar? Thanks to youtuber, gerden238.
1970 - THIS is the sad, sad day Janis Joplin was found dead of a heroin overdose at the age of 27, after having just completed recording her second solo album, Pearl. During her early days at Thomas Jefferson High School, she pained and danced, and said she was mostly shunned: "I was a misfit. I read, I painted, I didn't hate niggers."As a teen, she became overweight and her skin broke out so badly she was left with deep scars which required dermabrasion. She said that kids at high school routinely taunted her and call her names like pig, freak or creep. But Joplin rose above it all and became one of the most dynamic rock performers of all time - male or female. some critics say she had the power of audience participation that was equalled by none - except, perhaps, Elvis. this live performance certainly shows why Janis Joplin will always be one of the true rock legends. A beautiful soul, gone way too soon. RIP. This Janis so smoking', and thanks to youtuber coverdalina for this gem.;)
1982 - ONE of the clever UK groups was Squeeze, the group named as a facetious tribute to The Velvet Underground's much-criticised 1973 album, Squeeze. The band's founding members in March 1974 were Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook, Jools Holland, and Paul Gunn. The group played under several names, most frequently Captain Trundlow's Sky Company or Skyco, before selecting the band name Squeeze. The group's single, Up the Junction, was the third single released from Squeeze's second album, Cool for Cats, and one of the band's most popular and well-remembered songs. This is the day the band split, all members moving forward to greater careers, especially Jools Holland who has become the musical maestro of big band music and host with the most on the world's best music TV show, Later With Jools Holland.
