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This Day in Music - 20th May

Mudbug — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:03:00 +0100

1998, Tommy Lee from Motley Crue was sentenced to six months jail after being found guilty of spousal abuse.

1998, The funeral of Frank Sinatra was held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. Mourners in attendance included, Tony Bennett, Faye Dunaway, Tony Curtis, Liza Minnelli, Kirk Douglas, Angie Dickinson, Sophia Loren, Bob Newhart, Mia Farrow and Jack Nicholson.

1998, Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward was taken to hospital in London after suffering a heart attack during a band rehearsal.

1997, U2 caused traffic chaos in Kansas City, Missouri after they paid for traffic control to close down five lanes so they could shoot the video for 'Last Night On Earth'. Apart form major traffic jams a passing Cadillac crashed into a plate glass window trying to avoid a cameraman.

1977, Television kicked off a 10 date UK tour at the Village Bowl, Bournemouth, support act was Blondie who were making their UK live debut.

1967, The Beatles new album 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' had a special preview on the Kenny Everett BBC Light program, 'Where It's At', playing every track from the album, (except 'A Day In The Life' which the BBC had banned saying it could promote drug taking).

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at This Day in Music

This Day in Music - 19th May

Mudbug — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:47:00 +0100

2007, Lawyers for Michael Jackson dropped an effort to block an auction of the star's personal belongings and other Jackson family items. An agreement was reached with representatives of an auctioneer, who was the current owner of the materials, and a New Jersey man who claimed to own a warehouse full of Jackson memorabilia after a failed business venture wound up in bankruptcy court.

1988, James Brown was arrested for the fifth time in 12 months, following a car Chase near his home, he was charged with assault, resisting arrest and being in charge of illegal weapons, he was given a 6 year jail sentence.

1979, Eric Clapton held a party at his Surrey house celebrating his recent marriage to Patti Boyd. Clapton had set-up a small stage in the garden and as the evening progressed Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr ended up jamming together along with Clapton, Ginger Baker and Mick Jagger. The all-star band ran through old Little Richard and Eddie Cochran songs.

1967, The Beatles held a press party at manager's Brian Epstein's house in London for the launch of the 'Sgt Pepper's' album. Linda Eastman was hired as the press photographer.

1964, a riot broke out in Hamilton, Scotland during a Rolling Stones UK tour when over 4,000 fans with forged tickets gatecrashed the bands gig at the Chantingall Hotel.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at This Day in Music

This Day in Music May 18th

Mudbug — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:01:00 +0100

2000, Madonna's boyfriend Guy Ritchie was arrested after attacking a fan outside the superstar's London home. Ritchie was said to have kicked and punched a male fan after the couple returned home from a night out.

1993, appearing in Glasgow, Scotland, Sister Lovers, 18 Wheeler, Boyfriend and Oasis. Creation Records boss Alan McGee was in the audience who declared after seeing Oasis, 'I've found the greatest rock 'n' roll band since The Beatles.'

1980, Joy Division singer and guitarist Ian Curtis hanged himself in the kitchen of his house in Macclesfield, England at the age of 23. Curtis had the Iggy Pop album 'The Idiot', playing on his stereo and left a note that said, 'At this very moment, I wish I were dead. I Just can't cope anymore.'

1967, John Lennon and Paul McCartney sang backing vocals on The Rolling Stones track 'We Love You' during a session at Olympic Studios, London.

1966, The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals), made their first recordings at Mr Music Inc in Brick Town, New Jersey. They cut two Springsteen songs, ‘Baby I’ and ‘That’s What You Get’. The songs were cut directly to disc, of which seven or eight test pressings of the studio takes were made.

This Day in Music - 17th May

Mudbug — Sun, 17 May 2009 08:15:00 +0100

2008, Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty posted a two-minute clip of themselves playing with newborn mice on Youtube. The video showed Doherty and Winehouse in a bare room, making rambling comments, picking up the mice and talking to them.

2008, Madonna was at No.1 on the US album chart with her eleventh studio album ‘Hard Candy.’ The album reached number one in thirty-seven other countries.

2003, singer with Stone Temple Pilots Scott Weiland, was arrested on suspicion of drug possession after being stopped during a routine traffic search in Los Angeles, He was released on $10,000 (£6,125) bail.

1996, US blues guitarist Johnny Guitar Watson died of a heart attack while on tour in Yokohama, Japan. According to eyewitness reports, he collapsed mid guitar solo. His last words were "ain't that a bitch."

1987, A fire destroyed Tom Petty's house in Los Angeles, the cost was estimated at $800,000.

1986, Spitting Image started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Chicken Song.' Spitting Image had become the 'must see' Sunday night TV show, which mocked politicians and public figures.

1969, it was reported that for the first time ever album sales had overtaken single sales in the UK. 49,184,000 albums were produced during 1968 compared with 49,161,000 singles.

1966, During a UK tour, Bob Dylan appeared at The Free Trade Hall in Manchester. This was the concert where a member of the audience shouted out ‘Judas’ at Dylan unhappy with the singers move from acoustic to rock. Dylan replied with ‘You’re a liar’, the entire concert was eventually officially released in The Bootleg Series by Sony Music in 1999.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at This Day in Music

This Day in Music - 16th May

Mudbug — Sat, 16 May 2009 08:34:00 +0100

1998, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards fell while reaching for a book of nude art in his Connecticut home. The fall broke his ribs, causing the Stones to postpone many dates on their Bridges To Babylon tour.

1984, Ozzy Osbourne was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee for ‘staggering drunk’ down Beale Street.

1974, Brian May collapsed in New York while Queen were on a US tour and was flown back to England suffering from hepatitis.

1969, Pete Townshend spent the night in a US jail for assaulting a man during a Who gig at The Fillmore East. What Townshend didn't know was the man who jumped onto the stage was a plainclothes policeman trying to warn the audience that a fire had broken out. The Who guitarist was later fined $30 for the offence.

1966, The Beach Boys released the album 'Pet Sounds' in the US. The album is now regarded as the masterpiece of composer-producer Brian Wilson, and is often hailed as one of the best and most influential albums in popular music.

1965, Driving away from a gig at the Civic Hall, Long Beach, California, the limo taking the Rolling Stones back to their hotel was besieged by fans who caved in the roof by standing on it. The band attempted to hold the roof up while their chauffeur drove off with bodies falling onto the road.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

This Day in Music - 15th May

Mudbug — Fri, 15 May 2009 08:19:00 +0100

2008, Neil Diamond reached the top of the US Billboard album chart for the first time in his career with ‘Home Before Dark’ the 67-year-old's 29th studio album. At the age of 67, Diamond became the oldest artist to have a US number one, the record was previously held by Bob Dylan in 2006 with ‘Modern Times’ released when he was 65.

2003, Country singer June Carter Cash, the second wife of Johnny Cash died in Nashville, Tennessee, of complications following heart valve replacement surgery, aged 73. Member of the Carter Family, had hits with Johnny Cash, including Grammy Award winning song, 'Jackson', 'Ring Of Fire', (which she co-wrote about their courtship), and 'If I Were A Carpenter.'

2000, It was reported that Britney Spears had been crowned the queen of America's fastest growing youth movement, the teenage celibates. Spears told a German magazine that she intended to abstain from sex until her wedding night.

1998, American singer and actor Frank Sinatra died at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles aged 82, after suffering a heart attack.

1981, Former Sex Pistol John Lydon's band Public Image Ltd performed a show at New York's Ritz Club posing behind a video screen while the music was played from tapes. They were showered with missiles and eventually booed off stage.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at This Day in Music

This Day in Music - 14th May

Mudbug — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:47:00 +0100

2005, a judge in Springfield, Massachusetts, ordered rapper 50 Cent to stay clean of drugs and take an anger management course to avoid spending time in jail. The rapper appeared in court charged with assaulting three women at a concert in 2004 after leaping into the crowd.

2004, Phil Spector was arrested after getting into a scuffle with his chauffeur at his California mansion. The 64 year old record producer was taken into custody and later released after a court date was set.

1998, George Michael was fined £500 after being convicted of a "lewd act" in a Los Angeles lavatory. The Los Angeles court also ordered him to undergo psychological counselling and carry out 80 hours community service.

1993, During an auction at Christies in London the acoustic guitar that Elvis Presley used to make his first recordings in 1954, ‘That's All Right Mama’ and ‘Blue Moon of Kentucky’ sold for £130,285, ($152,000). And four 'Super Hero', Costumes worn by the group Kiss sold for £20,000, ($35,385).

1988, Led Zeppelin reunited for the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary party at Madison Square Garden, New York, appearing with Jason Bonham the son of John Bonham on drums. Other acts performing included Foreigner, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Wilson Pickett and Ben E. King.

1976, 33 year old Keith Relf, former lead singer for The Yardbirds, was electrocuted while tuning a guitar which was not properly earthed. The accident happened in his West London home where he was found by his eight year old son, still holding the plugged-in electric guitar. The Yardbirds had the hits 'For Your Love', 'Heart Full of Soul', and 'Shapes of Things'.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at This Day in Music

This Day in Music - 13th May

Mudbug — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:05:00 +0100

2007, Brian May was under 24-hour security watch after a deranged man announced he was setting off to murder him - then disappeared. Police were hunting for a schizophrenic who left a letter behind at his home blaming the Queen guitarist for his illness. In it the man - said May was an "impostor" and that HE was the real rock star. He signed the letter "Brian May."

2003, Michael Jackson launched a court case suing Motown Records. Jacko filed the lawsuit in LA, saying he hadn't been paid royalties due for the music he did with the Jackson Five in the 60s and 70s. The singer also claimed his music has been used in TV ads without his permission.

2002, Dionne Warwick was arrested at Miami International Airport for possession of marijuana after authorities found 11 joints in a lipstick case in the singer's hand luggage. The charges were dropped after she completed a drug program and made a contribution to charity.

2000, Shaun Ryder's Volkswagen Corrado was found abandoned after being used as the getaway car. The former Happy Mondays singer's car was used in an armed robbery on Harry Ramsden's fish and chip restaurant in Manchester. £7,000 cash was taken in the robbery.

1974, Forty-three people were arrested and more than fifty were injured after youths started throwing bottles outside a Jackson Five concert at RFK stadium in Washington DC.

1971, On his twenty- first birthday Stevie Wonder received all his childhood earnings. Despite having earned $30 million so far, he received only $1 million.

http://www.thisdayinmusic.com More music trivia than you can shake a stick at

This Day in Music - 12th May

Mudbug — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:03:00 +0100

2008, Singer-songwriter Neil Young had a spider named after him. US university biologist Jason Bond discovered a new species of trapdoor spider and decided to name it after his favourite musician. Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi was found in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 2007.

2004, Barry and Robin Gibb were both presented with honorary degrees from Manchester University. They also picked up a posthumous award for their brother Barry. The brothers had once lived in Manchester, England.

2000, thieves stole the gates to Strawberry Fields the Merseyside landmark immortalised by The Beatles song. The 10' high iron gates were later found at local scrap metal dealers.

1977, after being dropped by EMI and A&M records in less than 6 months, Virgin records announced they had signed The Sex Pistols.

1977, Led Zeppelin received the outstanding contribution to British music at the second Ivor Novello Awards held at the Grosvenor Hotel, London.

1965, The Rolling Stones recorded '(I Can't Get No), Satisfaction' at RCA Hollywood studios. Keith Richards had come up with the guitar riff in the middle of the night a week earlier. It gave the band their first number 1 single in the US.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

This Day in Music - 11th May

Mudbug — Mon, 11 May 2009 07:46:00 +0100

2006, George Michael was involved in his second minor car crash in a month after a tabloid photographer found Michael asleep in his parked car in central London. The singer crashed into a bollard after he woke up and was driving away.

2002, over 500 Michael Jackson fans held a demonstration outside the Sony records building in Berlin complaining that the label hadn’t promoted the singers latest album ‘Invincible.’

1981, Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley died of lung cancer and a brain tumour aged 36. Had the 1981 single 'No Woman No Cry', plus over ten other UK Top 40 singles. In 1990, the 6th February was proclaimed a national holiday in Jamaica to commemorate his birth. The compilation album, Legend, released in 1984, is the best-selling reggae album ever with sales of more than 20 million copies. Time magazine chose Bob Marley & The Wailers' Exodus as the greatest album of the 20th century.

1974, Led Zeppelin attended Elvis Presley’s show at the Los Angeles Forum in California. After a shaky start to the show, Elvis stopped the band and jokingly said: “Wait a minute…if we can start together fella’s, because we’ve got Led Zeppelin out there, lets try to look like we know what we’re doing.”

1972, John Lennon appeared on the US television 'Dick Cavett Show', claiming he was under surveillance from the FBI.

1964, during a UK tour The Rolling Stones were refused lunch at The Grand Hotel, Bristol, where they were staying because they were not wearing jackets and ties. The following day the Daily Express ran the story with the headline, 'The Rolling Stones gather no lunch.'

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

This Day in Music - 10th May

Mudbug — Sun, 10 May 2009 08:15:00 +0100

2007, US hip-hop artist Akon apologised after footage of him dancing provocatively on stage with a teenage girl was posted on the internet. It led to telecommunications company Verizon pulling out as a sponsor of his US tour with Gwen Stefani. The incident took place on 12 April in Trinidad, where Akon was performing at a nightclub. It was later reported that the girl was just 14. In a statement Akon said he didn't know the girl was underage. He said: "I want to sincerely apologise for the embarrassment and any pain I've caused to the young woman who joined me on stage, her family and the Trinidad community for the events at my concert.”

2000, Bobby Brown was arrested at Newark airport, New Jersey for breaking his probation order. He had been wanted in Florida since 1999 when his probation officer reported that a urine test proved positive for cocaine use.

1999, American singer, songwriter poet, cartoonist, screenwriter, and author of children's books Shel Silverstein died of a heart attack aged 57. Wrote, 'A Boy Named Sue' for Johnny Cash (which Silverstein won a Grammy for in 1970) and many songs for Dr Hook including 'Sylvia's Mother' and 'The Cover of the Rolling Stone.'

1994, Rapper Tupac Shakur began serving a 15-day county jail term for attacking director Allen Hughes on a video set.

1969, Frank Sinatra's version of 'My Way' made the British Top ten for the first time. Over the next three years it re-entered the Top 50 singles chart eight times.

1967, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards appeared at Chichester Crown Court, Sussex to face drug charges relating to a raid on Keith’s home, Redlands in February this year. Both were released on £100 bail.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

This Day in Music - 9th May

Mudbug — Sat, 09 May 2009 07:58:00 +0100

2008, Foxy Brown avoided a further spell in prison after pleading guilty in a New York court to menacing her neighbour with a BlackBerry phone. The 28-year-old rapper admitted hitting Arlene Raymond during an argument over the volume of her car stereo last July. The incident landed the star in prison for violating the terms of her probation on a separate assault charge.

1998, Jimmy Page appeared on US TV's 'Saturday Night Live' with rapper Sean 'Puffy' Combs and performed 'Come With Me' from the 'Godzilla' movie soundtrack. The song sampled the guitar riff from Led Zeppelin's song 'Kashmir'.

1992, Bruce Springsteen made his North American network television debut on Saturday Night Live with host Tom Hanks.

1980, 'I Don't Like Mondays' by The Boomtown Rats won the best pop song and outstanding British lyric categories at the 25th Ivor Novello Awards.

1978, Fee Waybill of The Tubes, broke a leg after falling from the stage at the Hammersmith Odeon, London whilst wielding a chainsaw during the bands set.

1973, Mick Jagger added $150,000 of his own money to the $350,000 by The Rolling Stones January benefit concert for victims of the Nicaraguan earthquake.

1965, During a UK tour Bob Dylan played the first of two sold out nights at London's Royal Albert Hall. All four members of The Beatles were in the audience.

1964, Appearing at The Rhodes Centre, Bishop's Gate, England, Gene Vincent and the Shouts. The poster advertised that the first 50 girls would be admitted free; tickets cost six shillings and six, ($0.94).

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

This Day in Music - 8th May

Mudbug — Fri, 08 May 2009 08:13:00 +0100

2006, The Rolling Stones called off their forthcoming European tour after guitarist Keith Richards underwent emergency brain surgery. The 62 year-old guitarist suffered "mild concussion" when he fell out of a coconut tree on holiday in Fiji.

1996, A Los Angeles judge ruled against Tommy Lee and wife Pamela Anderson in their bid to keep Penthouse magazine from publishing still photos from an X-rated home movie that was stolen from their home.

1974, UK keyboard player Graham Bond committed suicide after throwing himself under a London tube train at Finsbury Park station, aged 36. It took police two days to identify his body which was crushed beyond all recognition. Briefly a member of Blues Incorporated, a group led by Alexis Korner, before forming the Graham Bond Quartet, with a lineup of Bond on vocals and organ, Ginger Baker on drums and Jack Bruce on bass.

1970, The Beatles twelfth and final album, Let It Be was released, (it was recorded before ‘Abbey Road’ and originally to be called Get Back). The album came in a deluxe-boxed edition with a Get Back book.

1965, Shooting of the promotional film for Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues took place at the side of the Savoy Hotel in London. Actors in the background were Allen Ginsberg and Bob Neuwirth. The cards that Dylan held up to the camera were painted by Alan Price and Joan Baez.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

This Day in Music - 7th May

Mudbug — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:31:00 +0100

2004, a planning inquiry hearing Madonna's appeal to ban ramblers from parts of her £9m country estate heard details of the land's make-up. The pop star claimed 100 acres of land at the 1,200-acre Ashcombe House estate had been inaccurately classified as open country. Madonna was appealing against the classification in a hearing. Under the act, people would have the right to access any land registered on the final map as open country-mountain, moor, heath or down.

2003, A US surgeon sued 50 Cent over an unpaid medical bill. The doctor claimed 50 Cent and his friend turned up at a hospital with multiple gunshot wounds in 2000, but said the rapper never paid the $20,000 he owed for treatment despite being asked several times.

1994, Aerosmith played the first of seven nights at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, during their 245 date Get A Grip world tour.

1992, a leather Jacket worn by John Lennon during 1960-1963, was sold at Christies, London, for £24,200.

1991, Wilson Pickett was arrested after running into an 86 year old man and yelling death threats whilst driving his car over the mayor's front lawn in Englewood, New Jersey. Pickett was charged with driving with open bottles of alcohol in his car.

1978, 90,000 tickets were sold in eight hours for Bob Dylan's forthcoming London dates at Earls Court.

1972, Reginald Dwight changed his name by Deed poll to Elton Hercules John.

1967, Jimi Hendrix played two shows at London's Saville Theatre. Ringo Starr, Brian Jones and members of The Beach Boys and The Moody Blues were in the audience.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

This Day in Music - 6th May

Mudbug — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:00:00 +0100

2008, Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty was released from Wormwood Scrubs prison in west London after serving 29 days of a 14-week sentence for breaching the terms of his probation. The singer told reporters that he was glad to be out and was looking forward to having a drink and spending some time with his pet cats.

2006, The Go-Betweens singer, songwriter Grant McLennan died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane, Australia, aged 48. The Australasian Performing Right Association named his 1983 song 'Cattle and Cane' as one of the 30 greatest Australian songs of all time.

2004, a sale at Christie's in London became the most successful pop auction in the company's history after Beatles memorabilia sold for a record £788,643. The auction included a leather collar worn by John Lennon which sold for £117,250. A signed copy of a management deal with The Beatles and manager Brian Epstein sold for £122,850. A Vox Kensington guitar used by Lennon and Harrison went for £100,000. Also sold - a coloured felt-pen drawing by Lennon (£10,000), a letter with his signature (£5,500), and a pen-and-ink drawing called Happy Fish (£9,500).

1982, former manager of The Bay City Rollers Tam Paton, was convicted on a charge of gross indecency with boys and was sentenced to three years in jail.

1972, The Tyrannosaurus Rex double album 'Prophets, Seers And Sages And The Angels Of The Ages / My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair But Now Their Content To Wear Stars On Their Brows' went to No.1 in the UK. The longest title of an album ever at the time!

1965, In their Clearwater, Florida hotel room, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards worked out the opening guitar riff of ‘Satisfaction’, following Richard's purchase of a Gibson fuzz-box earlier that day.

More music trivia than you can shake a stick at http://www.thisdayinmusic.com