2020

Well, children, here we are again in The Mermaid Lounge, home of The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge where we work hard to impart our special brand of education.

***Antoine “Fats” Domino, a musical monster. There is no denying his contribution to rock n’ roll.***

Here is your curriculum for today:

December 10, 1927: The Grand Ole Opry made its first radio broadcast ever from Nashville, Tennessee.

December 10, 1949: Fats Domino recorded eight tracks during his first recording session at Cosimo Matassa’s J & M Studios, including his first single, Detroit City Blues backed by The Fat Man. The B-side became the hit, and it was one of many for Fats Domino.

December 10, 1965: The Grateful Dead played their first concert, and only their second overall, at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco.

December 10, 1966: The Rolling Stones released the album Got Live If You Want It in the US.

And also on this day, Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys hits #1.

December 10, 1967: Otis Redding, just 26 years old, is killed when the plane he is touring in crashes into a Wisconsin lake. His touring band, The Bar-Kays, also perish except for trumpet player Ben Cauley, the sole survivor. One month later, (Sittin’ On) The Dock of The Bay is released, becoming the first #1 song released after the artist’s death.

Also on this day, The Steve Miller Blues Band signs its first contract with Capitol Records for $759,000. The band immediately dropped “Blues” from their name.

December 10, 1976: The album Wings Over America was released on this day.

Also on December 10, Queen released A Day At The Races in the UK (it is released in the US on December 18). LIke their previous album, A Night at The Opera, the title is taken from a Marx Brothers movie. The Queen single Somebody To Love is also released on this day.

December 10, 2016: Bob Dylan accepts The Nobel Prize for Literature.

Born On This Day

December 10, 1941: Chad Stuart of Chad & Jeremy, was born David Stewart Chadwick in Windermere, Cumbria, England.

December 10, 1946: Ace Kefford, bass guitarist for The Move, was born in Moseley, Birmingham, England. The lead singer of the Move? That was Jeff Lynne, before ELO and The Traveling Wilburys.

December 10, 1948: Jessica Cleaves, lead singer for Friends of Distinction (great, little-known band), was born in Los Angeles.

There you have today’s lesson, my friends! Use your knowledge wisely!

It’s Monday Morning Back at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/23/2020

And so begins another week. Here at the Mermaid Lounge, we’re trying to accomplish the impossible: Programming a week in advance. It’s a valiant effort, but the jury is OUT. Nevertheless, we have a lot of info here for you.

***The very first juke box at the Palais Royal Hotel in San Francisco***

November 23, 1899: The first jukebox was placed at The Palais Royale Hotel in San Francisco (see photo).

November 23, 1962: The Beatles auditioned at St. James’ Church Hall in London for The BBC, which was looking for people with potential to be on TV. The Beatles failed. I wonder if the guy who made that decision kept his job.

November 23, 1963: Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs have the top R & B song with Sugar Shack.

November 23, 1964: /The Beatles release the single, I Feel Fine. The B-side is She’s A Woman.

The Rolling Stones are late for the radio shows Top Gear and Saturday Club, and were banned by The BBC.

November 23, 1965: The Beatles film promos for I Feel Fine, Ticket To Ride, Help!, Day Tripper and We Can Work It Out at Twickenham Studios in London. The BBC paid 1,750 pounds for the broadcast rights, and then deals were made with other broadcasters around the world.

November 23, 1967: The Who played the New Barn at The Lions Delaware County Fairgrounds in Muncie, Indiana.

November 23, 1968: Little known fact, here: After Dusty Springfield had recommended Jimmy Page to Ahmet Ertegun, head of Atlantic Records, Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant finalized their recording contract.

Steve Miller debuted on the charts after his first single, Living in The USA.

The Beatles tied the existing rock era record (held by Bobby Darin’s Mack The Knife) with a ninth week at #1 for Hey Jude.

Judy Collins’ version of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now enters the Top 40, where it will peak at #8. It will also win The Best Folk Performance of the year.

November 23, 1970: George Harrison released his first solo single, My Sweet Lord, in the US.

November 23, 1972: Bob Dylan arrives in Durango, Colorado, to film the movie Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door).

November 23, 1975: Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody goes to #1 on the UK charts, where it will remain for nine weeks.

November 23, 1976: Wings kicked off a 19-date UK tour at The Royal Court in Liverpool.

November 23, 1983: Tom Evans of Badfinger committed suicide after the band decided to break up.

Born On This Day

November 23, 1939: Betty Everett, of The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss) fame, was born in Greenwood, Mississippi.

November 23, 1940: Freddie Marsden, drummer for Gerry & The Pacemakers, was born in Liverpool.

November 23, 1954: Bruce Hornsby, one of the greatest keyboardists ever, leader of Bruce Hornsby & The Range and keyboardist for The Grateful Dead, was born in Williamsburg, Virginia.

And that is it, children. Today’s lesson is over.

Another Day in The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/21/2020

It’s yet another day at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge. Yesterday’s entry was prolific. Today’s, not so much.

***The Zombies, 1964 – Rod Argent, Colin Blunstone, Hugh Grundy, Paul Atkinson and Chris White (seated) ? Chris Walter (Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage)***

Today’s action in rock history:

November 21, 1960: George Harrison, merely 17 years old, is deported back home from Germany because he is too young to play with the band. They are forced to play without him at The Kaiserkeller Club in Hamburg.

November 21, 1964: The Supremes made it four weeks with their #1 R & B song, Baby Love.

The Zombies, one damned fine band, had one of the biggest hits of their career with She’s Not There at #5.

November 21, 1969: T-Rex played at The Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England.

November 21, 1970: Two months after his death, Jimi Hendrix had the #1 song in the UK with Voodoo Chile.

November 21, 1975: Queen releases the album A Night At The Opera in the UK.

November 21, 1980: Steely Dan releases the album Gaucho, which includes appearances by guitarists Rick Derringer and Mark Knopfler.

November 21, 2013: Forty-three years after their break-up, The Beatles had their 31st Top Ten album with On Air–Live at The BBC, debuting at #7 on the Billboard 200.

That’s today’s light lesson. Hey, it’s Saturday, so that’s a good thing. We’ll be back with today’s line-up in just a bit.

The Final Airing of REVOLVER, Traffic Live at Woodstock ’94, Queen in The Spotlight, and Tonight’s Live Dead on Saturday, September 5, 2020

Good Morning, Ungovernables! As usual, it’s a pretty busy Saturday here in The Mermaid Lounge. Today, we wish Freddie Mercury a happy birthday with a special Spotlight edition.

Traffic-Woodstock 94

Here’s today’s line-up:

11:00 a.m. Album of the Week: Revolver by The Beatles FINAL AIRING!

Today, we bid Revolver a fond farewell. Tomorrow, there’ll be a brand new Album of the Week on the blog.

3:00 p.m. Traffic Live at Woodstock ’94

Woodstock ’94 sure wasn’t the original, but anywhere Bob Dylan and Traffic show up to play can’t be all bad.

7:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Queen NEW!

Today, we’ wish Freddie Mercury a Happy Birthday. If he were alive today, he’d be 72 years old, the oldest member of the classic Queen line-up. Although he passed in 1991, Queen’s music lives on.

10:00 p.m. Live Dead! The Grateful Dead Live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, November 7, 1969 NEW!

Another new airing of Live Dead, this one from 1969 at The Fillmore West. I have no idea how many times the band played at The Fillmore, but I promise you no two shows were ever the same. As usual.

I know. Here I go again, like a broken record. It’s time, people, to tune in a station that doesn’t charge you for music. That would be #BecomeUngovernable Radio. Just hit the link below.

www.tinyurl.com/Ungovernable-Radio

It’s Friday and The British Are Coming! The Only British Invasion Worth Remembering Happens Today, September 4, 2020

Good Morning, Ungovernables! Today we have Wide Open Stream until 11:00 a.m. EST, when we begin airing The British Are Coming, more than five uninterrupted hours of British Invasion (and beyond) music.