2021

It is another day in the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge, and we’re getting a jump on all things musical today. It’s a fairly active day on the trivia front.

***Jesse Winchester left the U.S. for Canada to avoid the draft. But when he left the planet, the world lost one of its best songwriters ever.***

Here’s today’s lesson:

January 5, 1954: Elvis Presley recorded a 10-minute demo tape at Memphis Recording Studios.

January 5, 1959: Buddy Holly released It Doesn’t Matter Anymore, his final release before his death.

January 5, 1961: The Beatles played at Literton Town Hall in Liverpool. Two members of Rory Storm & The Hurricanes were on hand to watch — Johnny Guitar, and drummer Ringo Starr. Paul McCartney played bass for the first time with the band as Stu Sutcliffe remained at home.

January 5, 1965: The Supremes recorded Stop! In The Name of Love at Motown Studios in Detroit. Soon after, they depart on the first Motown revue tour in Europe.

January 5, 1967: Jesse Winchester, one of the finest singer-songwriters ever to grace this planet, moves from the U.S. to Canada to avoid the draft and serving in Viet Nam.

Also on this day, Paul McCartney recorded his vocal for Penny Lane which was planned (but actually never included) on the upcoming Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band album.

Tommy James & The Shondells released their single, I Think We’re Alone Now.

Pink Floyed played in concert at The Marquee Club.

January 5, 1968: Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits album is certified Gold.

January 5, 1969: Creedence Clearwater Revival releases the album Bayou Country.

January 5, 1973: Bruce Springsteen released his debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.

January 5, 1974: Jim Croce remained at #1 with the song Time In A Bottle, rated one of the Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era.

Bruce Springsteen plays the song Rosalita for the first time in concert at Joe’s Place in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It becomes a fan favorite and is often played as his encore.

January 5, 2004: John Guerin, one of the most respected and prolific session drummers who worked with Joni Mitchell, Elvis Presley, Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds, Willie Nelson, and many more, died from pneumonia on this date in West Hills, California. He was 64.

Born On This Day

January 5, 1923: Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records, who discovered Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash, was born near Florence, Alabama.

January 5, 1929: Wilbert Harrison, who wrote and recorded the great classic Kansas City in 1959, was born in Charlotte, North Carolina.

January 5, 1934: Phil Ramone, songwriter, violinist, recording engineer, and legendary producer who made albums with Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, and many others, was born in South Africa.

And that just about sums it up from The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge!

The Association Live at The Salt Palace, The Lovin’ Spoonful In the Spotlight, and a New Episode of “The Shadow” Await You, on Monday, January 4, 2021

Good Morning, Music Maestros! Here we are kicking off another week from The Mermaid Lounge at #BecomeUngovernable Radio! We’ve got some great programming today mixed in with all that Open Stream!

***One of my favorites here, The Lovin’ Spoonful, led by John Sebastian (right).***

Here’s today’s musical line-up:

11:00 a.m. The Association Live at The Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah, April 3, 1970 NEW!

Here we are with one of the more underrated bands of the sixties. I think The Association is one of the most intriguing bands of sixties, hard to pin down, and with a really nice sound. I wasn’t intending on a Haiku. Sorry.

3:00 p.m. The Shadow: 06 House of Horror NEW!

Okay, here’s the deal: A mad scientist steals a gorilla from the zoo. (How is that possible?) There’s also a brain transplant involved, but I’m not giving you the details. By now, you are so on the edge of your seat that you just have to tune this one in. While I won’t reveal the details, I will say that I think The Three Stooges also did this episode.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Lovin’ Spoonful

“In a coffee house Sebastian sat, and after every number they’d pass the hat…” Those are the lyrics from The Mamas & The Papas song, Creeque Alley, the story of the Laurel Canyon days. They also talk about McGuinn (The Byrds) and McGuire (Eve of Destruction), but Sebastian is John of The Lovin’ Spoonful, a great little sixties jug band. Those were the days.

Well, you have a lovely day in spite of the fact that it is Monday. You could always improve your attitude by tuning us in. We’re free. We don’t ask for your info or your credit card number. And we certainly don’t want your personal details. We’ve got nothing to sell you.

www.tinyurl.com/Ungovernable-Radio

Greetings and Salutations From The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 1/4/2021

Good Morning, Students! It’s another happy Monday here in The College, and we’re delivering all the musical news that’s fit to print:

***One year before her explosion on the music world, Linda Ronstadt opened for Neil Young on tour and stole the shows. Literally.***

Here’s today’s lesson:

January 4, 1936: The first pop music chart based on national sales was introduced by Billboard.

January 4, 1950: RCA Victor announces that they will manufacture long playing (LP) records.

January 4, 1954: (Just about one month before I was born.) A young truck driver named Elvis Presley pays to record two songs at the Memphis Recording Service (MRS). It’s his second visit, and this time MRS head Sam Phillips gets his name and number. Later, he phones Elvis and asks him to record for his Sun label.

January 4, 1957: Solomon Burke makes his debut on The Steve Allen Show.

January 4, 1967: The Doors release their self-titled debut album.

Also on this day, the Jimi Hendrix Experience played the first of what would be over 240 gigs when they appeared at the Bromel Club in Bromley.

January 4, 1969: Marvin Gaye extended his stay at #1 to four weeks with I Heard It Through The Grapevine. Again, I reiterate, Marvin Gaye remade the song, not Gladys Knight & The Pips. She released it a year earlier than Marvin Gaye did, and it went to #1 then as well. They don’t mention that. They call hers the remake.

January 4, 1970: George Harrison recorded the second guitar solo and McCartney, Harrison and Starr re-recorded vocals for Let It Be. This is the final recording session for The Beatles. John Lennon isn’t even present for the session. The last time all four Beatles were together in a studio was August of 1969.

January 4, 1973: Lamar Williams joined The Allman Brothers Band, replacing the late Berry Oakley.

Also on this day, Neil Young kicked off his Time Fades Away tour in Madison, Wisconsin, with Linda Ronstadt as the opening act. Ronstadt is used to playing the club scene and has never performed in an arena setting. Nevertheless, she wows the audiences througout the tour with that fucking amazing voice, literally stealing the show along the way. The following year, she releases Heart Like A Wheel and begins her meteoric rock n’ roll rise.

January 4, 1974: Bruce Springsteen played the first of three nights at Joe’s Place in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Born On This Day

January 4, 1942: John McLaughlin (The Mahavishnu Orchestra) was born in Doncaster, England. In 2010, Jeff Beck called him ‘the best guitarist alive.’

January 4, 1946: R & B singer Arthur Conley, best known for his 1967 hit Sweet Soul Music, was born in Atlanta, Georgia.

And that is the end of today’s lesson! Back with the line-up soon.