Tag: George Harrison

It’s a Day of Rest, But Not Here in The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/20/2020

Good Morning, Students! It’s Sunday here in the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge, and we’ve got a great day lined up. But first, your lesson.

Jethro Tull was formed on this day in 1967.

Here’s all the news that’s fit to print:

December 20, 1956: Elvis Presley was making musical chart history with ten songs on Billboard’s Top 100.

December 20, 1958: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison appear as The Quarrymen at the wedding reception of George’s older brother, Harry.

December 20, 1965: Wicked Wilson Pickett records the fucking great song, 634-5789, with Booker T & The MG’s. Booker was missing on that day, but his keyboards were handled nicely for him by none other than Isaac Hayes.

Also on this day in 1965, The Beach Boys released the single Barbara Ann.

December 20, 1966: The Big O, Otis Redding, played the Fillmore West in San Francisco.

December 20, 1967: Vocalist and master flute player Ian Anderson and bassist Glenn Cornick leave The John Evans Blues Band to form Jethro Tull, naming the band after an inventor of farm implements. John Evans would later join Tull himself as the keyboardist.

December 20, 1969: The Beatles’ masterpiece, Abbey Road, remained at the top of the charts for an eighth week on this day.

December 20, 1971: The album from George Harrison’s Concert For Bangladesh (the very first musical event of its kind in history) was released. It would win the Grammy Award for Best Album.

December 20, 1972: The O’Jays recorded the great song Love Train.

December 20, 1975: Joe Walsh officially replaced Bernie Leadon in The Eagles, moving them into a harder rock frame. He had previously been with The James Gang, a great band, by the way. However, on this day, my love affair with The Eagles ended, as much as I love Joe Walsh. I continued to listen, and their catalogue is in our rotation, but I prefer their earlier feel.

December 20, 1980: Twelve days after being shot dead by a fucking psychopath who just wanted his time in the spotlight, John Lennon had his first #1 solo hit with Just Like Starting Over.

Born On This Day

December 20, 1939: R & B singer Kim Weston was born in Detroit, Michigan.

December 20, 1944: Bobby Columby, drummer for Blood, Sweat & Tears, was born in New York.

December 20, 1947: Little Stevie Wright, lead singer of The Easybeats (Friday On My Mind) was born in Leeds, England. He would, however, be raised in Australia. During their six-year career, The Easybeats had 15 Top 10 hits in Australia, no slight feat regardless of where you were raised. The Easybeats are in our daily standard rotation.

December 20, 1948: Alan Parsons of The Alan Parson’s Project (Games People Play, I Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You), was born in London. He began his musical career as an engineer at Abbey Road Studios, working on Abbey Road and Let It Be for The Beatles, Dark Side of The Moon for Pink Floyd, and Wild Life by Paul McCartney & Wings (their actual first album as a band). The Alan Parsons Project is in our daily standard rotation.

And that is it from The College for this morning. Our line-up will be posted soon!

It’s Snowing Like a Mother Outside The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/17/2020

Here we are on a snowy day bringing you all the news you need to know to impress friends and family alike!

Carroll James, the first DJ to play a Beatles record on the airwaves in the U.S. You will get all the details below!

December 17, 1954: Bill Haley & The Comets’ Rock Around The Clock becomes the first rock n’ roll song to enter the UK singles charts. I was ten months old.

December 17, 1955: With their hit Only You still at #2, the Platters’ The Great Pretender enters the charts at #13.

December 17, 1963: Carroll James a disc jockey at WWDC in Washington, D.C., becomes the first DJ to play a Beatles’ song on American airwaves. The song is I Want To Hold Your Hand, which he got from his airline stewardess girlfriend who bought a copy when she was in the UK. Because of high listener demand, James helps out the Beatles by playing the song every day, every hour. Because it had not yet been released in the US, Capitol Records initially considered legal action against the station but, instead, thought better of it and simply released the song in the US earlier than they planned. The rest, as they say, is history, my friends. Thank you, Carroll James. Forever.

December 17, 1966: Standing In The Shadows of Love by the Four Tops enters the Billboard Hot 100. On it’s ten-week stay on the charts, it will peak at #6. It reaches #2 on the R & B charts.

December 17, 1967: John Lennon and George Harrison throw a party in London for the area secretaries of their official fan club. The film Magical Mystery Tour is screened for the very first time for them.

December 17, 1971: John Lennon appears at a benefit at the Apollo Theater in Harlem for the families of the victims of the Attica State Prison riots.

December 17, 1977: Linda Ronstadt’s career continues to roll along through the seventies as her album, Simple Dreams, remains #1 on the Album charts for a third week.

December 17, 1979: Paul McCartney & Wings play the Glasgow Appollo and record a live version of the great song Coming Up. The song would reach #2 in the UK and will top the charts in the US, selling 4 million copies.

Born On This Day

December 17, 1937: Art Neville, keyboardist for the Neville Brothers (you can hear them here, people), was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

December 17, 1939: Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations was born in Union Springs, Alabama. His falsetto voice is heard on the great Temptations hits The Way You Do The Things You Do and Just My Imagination.

December 17, 1942: Paul Butterfield (the Paul Butterfield Blues Band) was born in Chicago.

December 17, 1949: Paul Rogers, lead singer and lyricist for both Free and Bad Company, was born in Middlesbrough, England.

December 17, 1950: Carlton “Carlie” Barrett, drummer for The Wailers, was born in Kingston, Jamaica.

And there you have it for today because we don’t give a shit about Britney Spears, and Miley Cyrus. You’ll never hear them here.

We’re Getting Ahead of The Game Here at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/15/2020

Yeah, we are. We’re back in the mines tomorrow, and we need to get a jump on our week here in The Mermaid Lounge. This is a pretty brutal day here in rock history. I got writer’s cramp just putting this thing together.

Dusty gets deported from South Africa after a concert near Cape Town. Apparently she crossed the line and sang to a multiracial audience. Bad Dusty.

Here’s today’s lesson in useless information:

December 15, 1956: Fats Domino had one of the biggest R & B songs of all time with Blueberry Hill. On this day it remained at #1 for a ninth week. There is no denying that this guy was a rock n’ roll pioneer.

December 15, 1958: A new soul artist named James Brown made his debut on the R & B charts with a song called Try Me.

And in the meantime, Jackie Wilson’s Lonely Teardrops took over the #1 spot on the R & B charts this day.

December 15, 1962: The Beatles played two shows at the Majestic Ballroom in Brkenhead, Merseyside, England. At midnight, the first ever Mersey Beat poll awards show took place. As the winners of the poll, The Beatles then closed the festivities at 4:00 a.m.

December 15, 1964: The Beatles release the album Beatles ’65.

Also on this day, Dusty Springfield is deported from South Africa after performing in front of a multiracial audience at a show near Cape Town.

December 15, 1966: The trumpets and cellos are recorded for the song Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles at Abbey Road Studios in London.

December 15, 1967: The Beach Boys met the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Paris where they were taught Transcendental Meditation.

Also on this day, just a few days after its release, The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour album went Gold. It will hold the top spot on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart for eight weeks and will receive a Grammy Award nomination for Best Album.

The Who released the album, The Who Sell Out.

December 15, 1969: John Lennon gave his last live performance in England at a UNICEF Benefit in London. Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Delaney & Bonnie, Billy Preston, and Who drummer Keith Moon also took part.

December 15, 1970: Creedence Clearwater Revival released another winning album in Pendulum.

December 15, 1975: Paul Simon released the single, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.

The Eagles remained on a roll, releasing the single Take It To The Limit on this day in 1975.

December 15, 1979: The Long Run by The Eagles held on to the #1 position on the Album charts for the seventh week.

Born On This Day

December 15, 1919: Max Yasgur, owner of the farm in New York where Woodstock was held in 1969, was born in New York City.

December 15, 1939: Cindy Birdsong, a member of the Supremes beginning in 1967, was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

December 15, 1942: Dave Clark, drummer for The Dave Clark Five, was born in Tottenham, England.

December 15, 1946: Carmine Appice, drummer with the Vanilla Fudge and Jeff Beck, was born in Staten Island, New York.

And thankfully, we are at the end of today’s lesson! Back with the line-up later.

Harrison & Clapton Live From Japan, It’s Mudcrutch Monday and They’re Live From Hollywood, and Episode 3 of The Shadow, Monday, December 14, 2020

Good Morning, Music Addicts! We’ve got some great stuff planned for today, including two live events. This is Mudcrutch Monday, by the way, and we’ve got live music from their 2016 tour!

Eric Clapton persuaded George Harrison to tour with he and his band in Japan after a 17-year hiatus. We have the music.

Here’s today’s line-up!

11:00 a.m. George Harrison & Eric Clapton Live in Nagoya, Japan 1991

George Harrison was persuaded by Eric Clapton to return to touring after 17 years away from the road. This music is from their 12-date Japan tour in 1991. All of the songs were recorded on December 2 and 5.

It should be noted that the drummer on this tour was none other than Steve Ferrone, who would go on to spend 25 years as drummer for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

4:00 p.m. It’s Mudcrutch Monday! Mudcrutch Live at The Fonda Theatre, Hollywood, June 26, 2016

This is a great bootleg of Mudcrutch’s performance at the Fonda Theatre during their 2016 tour. Stephen Stills turned out to be a surprise special guest at this show. This is one of my deepest regrets in life now that Tom Petty is gone: Missing the 2016 show in Boston where Mudcrutch blew the roof off the House of Blues (according to a friend in attendance), and recorded the definitive version of the great song, Hungry No More. I may never recover.

8:00 p.m. The Shadow: 03 Death From The Deep NEW!

Who has been sinking all of these ships of many country origins, of various sizes and with various functions? I’ll be damned if I’m going to tell you. You will have to listen to see what The Shadow knows.

Come on, people. It’s Monday. I don’t know what it’s like where you are, but it’s pretty damned dreary here. I’m already tuned in with my headphones on. What are you doing?

www.tinyurl.com/Ungovernable-Radio

Good Morning From The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/9/2020

Well, here we are again live from The Mermaid Lounge imparting our trivial musical knowledge to enrich your lives. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it?

Tom Petty & George Harrison, friends to the end.

Here’s today’s lesson from The College:

December 9, 1963: Meet The Supremes, their first album, was released by Motown Records. The LP contains the hit When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes.

December 9, 1967: Before a gig in New Haven, Connecticut, Jim Morrison got into an argument with a policeman. The policeman responded by macing Morrison. Later on stage, Morrison told the story of the incident, which prompted the police to turn on the house lights and arrest Morrison for ‘breach of peace’ and ‘resisting arrest.’

December 9, 1972: Three Dog Night’s Pieces of April enters the Billboard chart. The song, written by Dave Loggins, with reach the Top 20.

December 9, 1974: George Harrison released his first album on his Dark Horse record label. The name of the album was Dark Horse.

December 9, 1980: One day after John Lennon was shot and killed, Yoko Ono released this statement: “There is no funeral for John. John loved and prayed for the human race. Please do the same for him. Love, Yoko and Sean.”

December 9, 1992: George Harrison received the first Century Award, presented by friend Tom Petty at the third Billboard Music Awards in Universal City, California.

December 9, 1995: Even though they disbanded 25 years earlier, The Beatles have the #1 album when Anthology hits the top (it remains there for three weeks). It includes Beatles rarities in the form of demos, alternate versions, live versions and previously unreleased material. It will eventually sell 4 million copies.

Born On This Day

December 9, 1969: Singer-songwriter Jakob Dylan (solo; The Wallflowers) was born in New York City.

And that it for today’s lesson from The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge!

It’s Mid-Week at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/2/2020

School is never out here in The Mermaid Lounge. We are here every day giving you all the news that’s fit to print. Of course, you know we post early for Wednesdays as retail slavery starts early.

Taj Mahal 1968, one of our favorites here in The Mermaid Lounge.

Here’s today’s lesson:

December 2, 1957: Sam Cooke proves third time’s a charm when You Send Me becomes his first hit on the Billboard Pop chart.

December 2, 1962: The Beatles are the opening act for a gentleman named Frank Ifield. However, contrary to his calm crooning style, the Fab Four were pounding out blistering rock n’ roll, prompting some in the crowd to tell them to “turn it down.”

December 2, 1963: Roy Orbison released the single “Pretty Paper.”

Also on this day, the Beatles performed This Boy, All My Loving, and I Want To Hold Your Hand for the UK’s Morecambe & Wise Show.

December 2, 1967: Gladys Knight & The Pips hit #1 on the R & B chart with a remake of Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through The Grapevine.

Also on this day, Donovan had one of the hottest songs on the charts with Wear Your Love Like Heaven.

December 2, 1968: The Bee Gees released the song I Started A Joke. They made some fine fucking music before turning disco. After that? Nah.

December 2, 1969: George Harrison joined Delaney & Bonnie on stage at Colston Hall in Bristol, England.

Also on December 2, The Rolling Stones stop by Muscle Shoals Recording Studios in Alabama on their way to their ill-fated Altamont show on December 6. There, they record Wild Horses, You Gotta Move, and Brown Sugar over a three-day session.

December 2, 1971: Taj Mahal plays for death row inmates at North Carolina’s Wilmington State Penetentiary.

December 2, 1972: The Temptations’ version of Papa Was a Rolling Stone gives them their fourth US #1 song.

Steely Dan made The Billboard 200 for the first time with their debut album, Can’t Buy A Thrill. The album’s name is taken from a line in the Bob Dylan song, It Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry.

And Cat Stevens’ album, Catch Bull At Four, continued at #1 for a third week. This would also be Cat’s most commercially successful album.

Born On This Day

December 2, 1941: Tom McGuinness, bass guitarist with Manfred Mann, was born in Wimbledon, London, England.

December 2, 1942: Ted Bluechel, drummer for The Association, was born in San Pedro, California.

And that’s it for today from The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge!

An Intro to The Dirty Knobs, We Celebrate The Life of George Harrison, and The Stones Live Later, Sunday, November 29, 2020

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We’ve got a damned good line-up today here from The Mermaid Lounge! You ought to be listening to us. Seriously.

Mike Campbell and The Dirty Knobs. You can take the boy out of The Heartbreakers, but you can’t take The Heartbreakers out of the boy.

Here’s today’s line-up:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Wreckless Abandon by The Dirty Knobs NEW!

What was Mike Campbell’s side project is now Mike Campbell’s new band, and they’ve just released their first album. I’ve got to tell you, it’s really good. One review said it’s like listening to old friends, and I agree.

Which proves one thing: You can take the boy out of The Heartbreakers, but you can’t take The Heartbreakers out of the boy. It’s part of his DNA now, and we’re glad here in The Mermaid Lounge.

3:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of George Harrison

From The Beatles to his solo career to The Traveling Wilburys. George Harrison was not only a mega-talent, but he was just a really good human being. But he wasn’t “the quiet Beatle” according to Mr. Petty. He was pretty damned funny.

George Harrison left this planet on this day in 2001. He was only 58 years old and I am sure he had so much more music left in him. Nevertheless, George left us a great musical history to remember him by. We will do so today.

7:00 p.m. The Rolling Stones Live At Palais Royale, Toronto, August 16, 2002

Mick and the boys tear it up on stage in Toronto. It has been my personal experience that they are always a good time on stage.

It’s Sunday. Someone once said it’s a day of rest, so just tune us in and chill. All you’ve got to do is click the link below.

www.tinyurl.com/Ungovernable-Radio

It’s Sunday Morning at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/29/2020

Good Morning, Rock n’ Rollers! There’s never a day off at the College. We’re here as usual with with all the news that matters on this day in music history.

Creedence Clearwater Revival, one of the finest bands ever.

Here’s your message from the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge, and The Beatles continue to dominate:

November 29, 1963: The Beatles release I Want To Hold Your Hand in England. For the first time in music history, there were one million advance orders. It would spend seven weeks at #1.

November 29, 1966: The Beatles continue working on Strawberry Fields Forever by recording two more “takes” at Abbey Road Studios. They later remade the song, but the first minute from the final take on this day was remixed and used in the final version of the song.

November 29, 1966: Bob Dylan finished work on his John Wesley Harding album. He recruited Pete Drake to play some light pedal steel guitar, as he recorded the final two songs, I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight and Down Along The Cove.

November 29, 1968: John Lennon released his first solo album called Unfinished Music.

Also as of this day, The Beatles sold 1.5 million copies of The White Album in the UK during the first week of its release.

November 29, 1969: The Beatles’ domination of music continues when the the double-sided monster hit Come Together/Something goes to #1. This is the band’s 18th number one hit. It is also a first for George Harrison. It is the first time he is the composer of an A-side hit.

Meanwhile, Creedence Clearwater Revival has a two-sided hit of its own climbing the charts with Down On The Corner/Fortunate Son.

Also on November 29, Abbey Road by the Beatles is on its fifth week at the top of the Album charts.

November 29, 1975: Red Octopus became the first #1 album for the Jefferson Starship — and it is their only worthwhile album thanks to the influence of Marty Balin. The fact that this band even used part of Jefferson Airplane’s name is a travesty. What the fuck was Grace Slick thinking?

November 29, 1980: Stevie Wonder spends a fifth week on top of the R & B charts with Master Blaster (Jammin’), his 13th number one hit on the charts.

Also on this day, Bruce Springsteen’s The River remained at #1 on the Album chart for a fourth week.

November 29, 1986: It was another good day for Bruce. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Live 1975/1985 hits #1 on the Album charts.

November 29, 2001: George Harrison, the youngest Beatle, a ground-breaking solo artist, and a proud member of the Traveling Wilburys later in his career, left this earth at a friend’s home in Hollywood Hills, California after a long battle with lung cancer. He was just 58 years old. His wife Olivia and son Dhani were at his side. His final words were reported to be “Love one another.” We will celebrate George Harrison’s life in music today.

November 29, 2013: Dick Dodd, lead singer and drummer for The Standells of Dirty Water fame, died in Fountain Valley, California, also at the age of 58.

Born On This Day

November 29, 1933: John Mayall, the father of British blues, singer, songwrite and multi-instrumentalist for his Bluesbreakers, was born in Macclesfield, England.

November 29, 1940: Denny Doherty of The Mamas & The Papas was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

November 29, 1944: Felix Cavaliere, keyboardist with The Young Rascals and one of the greatest rock n’ roll singers in one of the best rock n’ roll bands on the planet, was born in Pelham, New York.

And that’s it for today. We will be back soon to tell you about today’s programming.

A 50th Anniversary Celebration for ALL THINGS MUST PASS, and Valerie Carter in The Spotlight Later, Friday, November 27, 2020

Good Morning, Music Lovers Everywhere! Here we are with another day of exceptional music in The Mermaid Lounge. We’ve got some great stuff wrapped around all that Open Stream.

Valerie Carter, the little girl with the big voice.

Here’s today’s musical line-up:

11:00 a.m. The 50th Anniversary Celebration: All Things Must Pass by George Harrison NEW!

Today is the 50th anniversary of George Harrison’s triple-album release of All Things Must Pass. It is the first ex-Beatle solo album and the hit, My Sweet Lord, would become the first ex-Beatle solo song to go to #1. Today we celebrate with the expanded version of this album.

Afternoon Open Stream with Three-in-a-Row’s All Afternoon

We had a pretty busy Thanksgiving bit of programming and Saturday is always busy, so today we’re working on an afternoon of open stream.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Valerie Carter

Undoubtedly one of our favorites here in The Mermaid Lounge. Valerie Carter was an extraordinary talent who not only had a successful solo career, but also shared her vocal talent with her friends in the music world. You will enjoy this playlist.

This is a great day to tune us in, people. You will enjoy what you hear, and you will appreciate what you don’t hear: endless D.J. chatter and advertising. Tune us in by clicking the link below.

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It’s Another Day at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/27/2020

Yes, it’s Black Friday, but not here in The Mermaid Lounge. There isn’t a damned thing we want for here that we have to go out among the teeming, greedy masses to get it.

Shit gets real with The Stones at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Here’s November 27th’s rock n’ roll history:

November 27, 1961: Patsy Cline’s version of Willie Nelson’s Crazy peaks at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. It would be the biggest of her four records t cross over to the pop charts from the country charts (where it reached #2).

November 27, 1962: The Beatles recorded songs for the BBC in the UK for the first time ever. They sang Love Me Do, Twist and Shout, and P.S. I Love You at the BBC Paris Studio in London for a program called “Talent Spot.”

November 27, 1964: The Beatles appeared on the British television show called “Ready Steady Go.”

November 27, 1965: Marvin Gaye moved into the #1 slot on the R & B charts with Ain’t That Peculiar.

Also on this day, The Lovin’ Spoonful’s You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice entered the US record charts.

November 27, 1967: The Beatles released the album Magical Mystery Tour in the U.S. and Hello Goodbye as a single in the U.S. on the same day. If that isn’t enough, the B-side of Hello Goodbye, I Am The Walrus, will chart and be a hit as well.

Also on this day, Aretha Franklin released my favorite Aretha song, Chain of Fools.

November 27, 1968: Steppenwolf’s self-titled debut album is certified gold on this day.

November 27, 1969: All kinds of milestones will be reached at Madison Square Garden in New York on this day. The Rolling Stones perform a show that is recorded and later released on Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out. The Ike & Tina Revue opened for the Stones that evening, and Janis Joplin joined Tina on stage for a duet. And in the audience celebrating his 27th, and final, birthday was Jimi Hendrix.

November 27, 1970: George Harrison released his triple album entitled All Things Must Pass. The single release, My Sweet Lord, will be the first ex-Beatle solo effort to hit #1 in both the US and UK.

November 27, 1972: Carly Simon released the single, You’re So Vain.

November 27, 1976: Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key Of Life, which debuted at #1, remained at #1 for a seventh week.

November 27, 1979: The Eagles released the single, The Long Run.

November 27 1995: The Beatles set a rock-era record when Anthology 1 sells more than 1.2 million copies in its first week of release.

Born On This Day

November 27, 1934: Al Jackson of Booker T. & The MG’s is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

November 27, 1942: Jimi Hendrix is born Johnny Allen Hendrix in Seattle, Washington.

November 27, 1945: Randy Brecker, trumpeter and flugelhorn player for Blood, Sweat & Tears, is born in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.

November 27, 1948: Dave Winthrop, sax player and flautist for Supertramp, is born.

And that’s Friday’s lesson from The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge. We are posting a bit early today as I’m on the run this morning, and we will be back with today’s programming shortly.