February 6, 1990 - BILLY IDOL smashed and broke several bones in a serious motorcycle accident, 22 years ago today, when he failed to pull up at a stop sign at the corner of Gordon Avenue and Fountain Avenue in Hollywood, crashing his Harley-Davidson motorbike into a car. The accident meant a steel rod had to be placed in his leg. Shortly prior to this, film director James Cameron had chosen Idol to play the T-1000 character in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and had drawn storyboards to resemble him, but the accident prevented Idol from accepting. He also had a small part in the movie The Doors, directed by Oliver Stone. Idol played Jim Morrison's drinking buddy, Cat. Here's a couple of clips from the former Generation X singer, the first, this absolute teasing killer video. The second, Shock to The System, from his ground-breaking Cyberpunk album.
1971 - LED ZEPPELIN announced a small UK club tour, today, which would see the group playing Universities and small venues with ticket prices at GBP12 shillings, around $1.20 at the time. Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant said, "We decided to do the clubs and forget about the bread and the big concert halls". This may well have been the case in the UK in 1971, but a year later it was big stadiums across USA, and outdoor concerts in Australia, such as this one at the Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. This was filmed in 8mm film, by an unknown fan. Great stuff.
1981 - HUGO MONTENEGRO died in California today, from complications pertaining to emphysema. The composer was aged just 56 years old. Montenegro's electronic works were decisive and influential for future generations of electronic musicians, giving a retro/futuristic edge by the use of the Moog synthesizer, and helped to push its popularity. But his biggest claim to fame was with his versions of classics such as the main theme to Sergio Leone's spaghetti western film The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, originally composed by Ennio Morricone, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, an 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. This was Montenegro's biggest pop hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, selling more than one and a quarter million copies. His version of the theme from clint Eastwood's Hang 'em High reached #59 in Canada. In 1968, his hit Aces High placed at #11 on the Billboard Year End Chart of the Top Hits. Hugo worked for RCA records, producing a series of albums and soundtracks and television themes, including two volumes of Music From The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Here is the theme from the aforementioned movie The Good, The Bad & the Ugly, followed by the fabulous final scene of the movie. Go Clint.
1982 - KRAFTWORK became the first German act in history to reach top of UK charts today, with their iconic piece of electronic music, The Model backed with Computer Love. The single spent a little more than five months on UK charts, and subsequently became a global hit for the Düsseldorf foursome. The electronic music band's name means power plant or power station. Formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, Kraftworl remained that way until the latter's departure in 2008. The signature Kraftwerk sound combines driving, repetitive rhythms with catchy melodies, mainly following a Western Classical style of harmony, with a minimalistic and strictly electronic instrumentation. The group's simplified lyrics are at times sung through a vocoder or generated by computer-speech software. Kraftwerk were one of the first groups to popularize electronic music and are absolute pioneers in the field. The band's sound was revolutionary in the 70s and early 1980s, and its lasting influence across many music genres remains intact. Following are Kraftwork's best known three songs.
1982 - THE J GEILS BAND today started a six week run on top of American charts - at first - then world charts, with their timely piece, Centrefold. The song came from the band's album, Freeze- Frame, which began a four-week run on top of charts, simultaneously. Freeze-Frame was the 12th album by the American rock band, which reached number one on the Billboard 200 album chart 30 years ago today. The album featured the hit singles Centerfold and Freeze Frame. This was in the era of video, and I thinkit fair to say that videos by the J Geils band certainly did them no harm. Remember? Love those nighties, girls.
1987 - JOAN JETT made her acting debut in Light Of Day, 25 years ago today, the movie starring Michael J. Fox, Jason Miller, and Gena Rowlands. It was written and directed by Paul Schrader. The original music score was composed by Thomas Newman and the cinematography is by John Bailey. Fox and Jett play a brother and sister who are lead performers in a rock band, The Barbusters, in Cleveland, Ohio. The sister, Patti Rasnick, is an unmarried mother. I've seen the flick, and i reckon Jett does herself proud, and clearly Fox gave her much support and encouragement.
1998 - CARL WILSON from The Beach Boys died today, aged 51 after a long battle with lung and brain cancer, which had been diagnosed a year earlier. The American singer and guitarist sang lead vocal on some of the band's greatest hits, including God Only Knows and Good Vibrations. Almost 30 years before his death, his angelic voice was singing lead on this 43 year-old song. I Can Hear Music. Surely one of the most beautiful voices in pop music history.
2005 - EMINEM was peaking it on charts around the world today, just seven years ago with this piece of reflection on friendship, death & violence, Like Toy Soldiers - the rappers amazing 6th world hit taken from the album Encore. The track featured samples from Toy Soldiers by Martika, and 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon. One of my faces, is Eminem. I love what he does with lyrics, utilising a keen sensibility of realities of life's dramas.
1971 - LED ZEPPELIN announced a small UK club tour, today, which would see the group playing Universities and small venues with ticket prices at GBP12 shillings, around $1.20 at the time. Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant said, "We decided to do the clubs and forget about the bread and the big concert halls". This may well have been the case in the UK in 1971, but a year later it was big stadiums across USA, and outdoor concerts in Australia, such as this one at the Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. This was filmed in 8mm film, by an unknown fan. Great stuff.
1981 - HUGO MONTENEGRO died in California today, from complications pertaining to emphysema. The composer was aged just 56 years old. Montenegro's electronic works were decisive and influential for future generations of electronic musicians, giving a retro/futuristic edge by the use of the Moog synthesizer, and helped to push its popularity. But his biggest claim to fame was with his versions of classics such as the main theme to Sergio Leone's spaghetti western film The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, originally composed by Ennio Morricone, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, an 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles. This was Montenegro's biggest pop hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, selling more than one and a quarter million copies. His version of the theme from clint Eastwood's Hang 'em High reached #59 in Canada. In 1968, his hit Aces High placed at #11 on the Billboard Year End Chart of the Top Hits. Hugo worked for RCA records, producing a series of albums and soundtracks and television themes, including two volumes of Music From The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Here is the theme from the aforementioned movie The Good, The Bad & the Ugly, followed by the fabulous final scene of the movie. Go Clint.
1982 - KRAFTWORK became the first German act in history to reach top of UK charts today, with their iconic piece of electronic music, The Model backed with Computer Love. The single spent a little more than five months on UK charts, and subsequently became a global hit for the Düsseldorf foursome. The electronic music band's name means power plant or power station. Formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, Kraftworl remained that way until the latter's departure in 2008. The signature Kraftwerk sound combines driving, repetitive rhythms with catchy melodies, mainly following a Western Classical style of harmony, with a minimalistic and strictly electronic instrumentation. The group's simplified lyrics are at times sung through a vocoder or generated by computer-speech software. Kraftwerk were one of the first groups to popularize electronic music and are absolute pioneers in the field. The band's sound was revolutionary in the 70s and early 1980s, and its lasting influence across many music genres remains intact. Following are Kraftwork's best known three songs.
1982 - THE J GEILS BAND today started a six week run on top of American charts - at first - then world charts, with their timely piece, Centrefold. The song came from the band's album, Freeze- Frame, which began a four-week run on top of charts, simultaneously. Freeze-Frame was the 12th album by the American rock band, which reached number one on the Billboard 200 album chart 30 years ago today. The album featured the hit singles Centerfold and Freeze Frame. This was in the era of video, and I thinkit fair to say that videos by the J Geils band certainly did them no harm. Remember? Love those nighties, girls.
1987 - JOAN JETT made her acting debut in Light Of Day, 25 years ago today, the movie starring Michael J. Fox, Jason Miller, and Gena Rowlands. It was written and directed by Paul Schrader. The original music score was composed by Thomas Newman and the cinematography is by John Bailey. Fox and Jett play a brother and sister who are lead performers in a rock band, The Barbusters, in Cleveland, Ohio. The sister, Patti Rasnick, is an unmarried mother. I've seen the flick, and i reckon Jett does herself proud, and clearly Fox gave her much support and encouragement.
1998 - CARL WILSON from The Beach Boys died today, aged 51 after a long battle with lung and brain cancer, which had been diagnosed a year earlier. The American singer and guitarist sang lead vocal on some of the band's greatest hits, including God Only Knows and Good Vibrations. Almost 30 years before his death, his angelic voice was singing lead on this 43 year-old song. I Can Hear Music. Surely one of the most beautiful voices in pop music history.
2005 - EMINEM was peaking it on charts around the world today, just seven years ago with this piece of reflection on friendship, death & violence, Like Toy Soldiers - the rappers amazing 6th world hit taken from the album Encore. The track featured samples from Toy Soldiers by Martika, and 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon. One of my faces, is Eminem. I love what he does with lyrics, utilising a keen sensibility of realities of life's dramas.
