Blog of the Blues

This day in Music August 7

2011-08-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

1954,
Johnny Cash married Vivian Liberto at St Ann’s Catholic Church in Memphis. Cash had plans of becoming a Memphis appliance salesman, he instead formed a band with Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant, and was signed to Sun Records a year later.

2007
Pete Doherty was warned by a judge that he could face jail or a community order over drugs offences. In July, the 28-year-old Babyshambles frontman pleaded guilty to driving illegally while in possession of cocaine, heroin, ketamine and cannabis. The judge said: "What I have in mind is a community order or prison... if he does not show his motivation, it's prison - it's as simple as that." The singer volunteered to show the position of an implant in his stomach designed to help him give up drugs.

2008
Elvis Presley's peacock jumpsuit, was sold at auction for $300,000, making it the most expensive piece of Elvis memorabilia ever sold at auction. The white outfit with a plunging V-neck and high collar featured a blue-and-gold peacock design, hand-embroidered on the front and back and along the pant legs.

Guitar Justice

2011-08-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

Hey friends....

Check out my interview in the August issue of Guitar Justice Magazine!

http://www.guitarjustice.com/500.html

Album Review - The Boxer Rebellion

2011-06-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

The Boxer Rebellion - The Cold Still

Producer: Ethan Johns
eOne Music Canada

The new album from UK band The Boxer Rebellion finds this dynamic group
stepping into the studio for their first major major label debut album
with veteran British producer Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams,
Emmylou Harris, Crowded House, etc.). The result is a very British and
polished, yet highly consistent sound.

As this album makes the rounds, the critics seem to be calling it one
of the best "alternative" albums of the year. I'm not so sure I would
go that far... Its not a bad album by any means, what I'm getting at is
that I think that after 10 years of trials and tribulations in "the
industry", this band is only now coming into its own. Also, I was not
aware that "alternative" was still a viable musical genre label!

The atmospheric sound palette served up on this mostly mellow disc
reminds me of the last couple Radiohead albums, with the last track,
"Doubt" coming closest. Speaking of, I think this band would benefit
from letting a few more of their influences into their songwriting and
delivery. I feel as though this album could have used a little less
keys/strings and more loud guitars, in some parts anyways. These guys
are clearly influenced by rock and roll, and should not be afraid to show it.

"The Runner" is my favorite track, rocking slightly more than most, and
showcasing the band's loud/quiet dynamic quite well.

"The Cold Still" is definitely
consistent, and a good statement of what the band is capable of. I do feel as though
some of the emotion of these songs is lost to the thick production. Seeing this band live
is where this set of songs will shine the best, and truly display the group interacting
as an organic element, as is somewhat, but not totally apparent enough on this disc.

All in all a good listen, for mellow, relaxing occasions. I hope these guys can bring out
their rocking side, which is very much present when they perform live, on their next disc.

Album Review - Claire Daly Quintet

2011-05-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

Claire Daly Quintet - Mary Joyce Project: Nothing to Lose
Daly Bread Records - Produced By: Claire Daly

Personnel:
Claire Daly: baritone/alto saxes, flute, vocals
Steve Hudson: piano
Mary Anne McSweeney: bass
Peter Grant: drums
Napoleon Maddox: human beat box

The new album from New York journey-woman musician Claire Daly, finds us
with a collection of 11 lovingly crafted songs, dedicated to the life of
her great aunt Mary Joice, an amazing woman, who in the 1930s was the
first white woman to go from Fairbanks, Alaska to Juneau, Alaska, by
dogsled, before the construction of any major highways or even roads
in the state. Her extreme perseverance, improvisational and survival
abilities are well documented, and represented by the 11
swinging tracks on this disc.

The slower tracks, such as "Lonely Wilderness", evoke visions of staring
up at the star filled night sky, on a cold Alaska night, no city lights
blaring, brutally low temperatures, no other human beings for miles. On
"Kluane" Claire's horn vividly replicates the sound of a far north Moose,
yet not in a comedic way,and as a result, swings brilliantly.
"Complicated Love", my favorite track on the album, could have easily
come from the song book of Dexter Gordon, or Coleman Hawkins, yet is a uniquely
Claire Daly composition.

Speaking of composition, one should not mention this album without
mentioning the contributions of pianist Steve Hudson. Some might say
he is Claire's musical soul-mate, and contributed as much to the writing of
this dramatic and emotional set of tunes as she did. His playing is subtle, swings
hard when it needs to, and all the while seamlessly dancing
through, and around the melodies and riffs from Claire's horns.

A very interesting and unique addition to this studio lineup, was that of
the "Human Beatbox" Napoleon Maddox. There are many deep musical moments
where were you not listening attentively, you might not notice
Napoleon's grooves melding seamlessly with the rest of the band, indispensable
from the groove. Mary Anne McSweeney's jovial bass has a few very
interesting and groovy jams with just her four strings and the beatboxing. An excellent
addition to this disc, they, along with Peter grant on the drums, bring Claire
and Steve's ideas, melodies, and ultimate goals of their concept to life.

I listen to very few new artists these days. But this disc, is a rare
and sparkling gem, shining a light on the past, present, and future of Jazz.
I highly recommend this album for any mild to serious jazz fans, as I'm sure
it will go down as one of the best albums of 2011.

For more information of the artist and the album please visit:

www.clairedaly.com

May 11

2011-05-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

May 11 1981
Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley died of lung cancer and a brain tumor, only 36 years old. He had a major hit with the 1981 single 'No Woman No Cry', plus over ten other UK Top 40 singles. In 1990, the 6th of February was proclaimed a national holiday in Jamaica to commemorate his birthday.

Marley's music was heavily influenced by the social issues of his home, and he is considered to have given voice to the specific political and cultural nexus of Jamaica.

The compilation album, "Legend", released in 1984, is the best-selling reggae album ever, with sales of more than 20 million copies worldwide. Time magazine chose Bob Marley & The Wailers' "Exodus" as the greatest album of the 20th century.

Could you be loved

April 4 - Today in music history

2011-04-04T04:59:00.000-07:00

April 4 1960
RCA Victor Records announced that it would be release all Pop singles in mono and stereo simultaneously, the first record company to do so. Elvis Presley's single, ‘Stuck on You’ was RCA's first mono / stereo release.

April 4 1967
Jimi Hendrix was the special guest on the first edition of the UK BBC-TV's 'Dee Time', along with Kiki Dee and Cat Stevens.

April 4 1968
Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Joni Mitchell, Al Kooper and Ted Nugent (really?) met up for an all night blues, folk and rock jam at The New Generation Club, New York, NY after hearing the news of Martin Luther King's assassination. What a night of music that must have been!...

Album Review - The Ken McDonald Quartet

2011-04-03T06:25:00.001-07:00

The Ken McDonald Quartet - "Pay what you can"
rating: 4/5

Personnel:
Ken McDonald - upright bass and Fender 5 string
Paul Metcalfe - tenor and soprano saxes
Demetri Petsalakis - guitar
Lowell Whitty - drums, percussion

"Detroit" is a stand out track that kicks off the aptly titled second full length album from Toronto based bassist and composer Ken McDonald. That first track is one of the standouts of this exciting new album. Every time I listen to it, the catchy, swinging melody stays in my head for days. The soulful swing (of this entire disc!) takes my mind to a smoky little club somewhere in the big city, in the heart of the sixties.... these cats have clearly done their homework, but also arent afraid to push the stylistic boundaries of their craft.

Sounding classic, and the same time modern, "Pay what you can" is a solid disc, well worth repeated listens.

Each track has amazing harmonically textured bass solos and really shows Ken's agility and intuitiveness as a leader. Unlike a lot of modern jazz albums where the leader is prominently showcased on each track, Ken gives his crew plenty of room to breath. As opposed to sounding like a backing track for the leader, the group comes across as cohesive and competent, sounding like an actual band that has four minds operating simultaneously, as opposed to just one.

For more information on the artist and the album:

http://www.myspace.com/kenmcdonaldjazz

http://ken.halfbeatmishap.com/News.html

March 12 - The Death of Charlie Parker

2011-03-12T07:05:00.000-08:00

This day in Beatles March 12

2011-03-12T05:47:00.000-08:00

1963
The Beatles played at the Granada Cinema in Bedford. Also on the bill, Chris Montez and Tommy Roe. John Lennon, suffering from a heavy cold, was unable to perform, so The Beatles set was rearranged so that George and Paul could sing the parts that John usually sang.

1969
Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman at Marylebone Register Office. They then held a reception lunch at The Ritz Hotel, Paul then went to Abbey Road studios in the evening to work. George Harrison and his wife Patti were arrested on the same day and charged with possession of 120 joints of marijuana.

1974,
John Lennon made the headlines after an incident at the Troubadour Club, LA. Out on a drinking binge with Harry Nilsson, Lennon hurled insults at the performing Smothers Brothers and punched their manager before being forcibly removed.

The "Use you Illusions" debate...

2011-03-11T06:11:00.000-08:00

So, like many of my fellow Guns N Roses fans, the issue of the "Use your Illusions" double album is a hotly debated topic amongst fans for a variety of reasons....is it just an over bloated self aggrandizing pretentious pile? Or is it an epic work of art, to be held up along side "The White Album" and "Physical Graffiti", that was undeniably great, and a reflection of the times? Whatever you think, the hits found scattered throughout this beast of a double album are indisputable works of rock and roll genius.

Like many of you, i feel as though if they had trimmed some of the fat on this one, and kept it a single disc, it would have gone down as one of the greatest rock records of all time. Here is what I would have chosen for a track listing:

1. Dont Cry (orig)
2. Perfect Crime
3. Civil War
4. Garden of Eden
5. November Rain
6. 14 years
7. Dead Horse
8. Yesterdays
9. You Could be Mine
10. The Garden
11. So fine
12. Pretty tied up
13. Shotgun blues
14. Estranged

Had they left "Knockin on Heavens door" and "Live and Let Die" off the album, and added those to the "Spaghetti Incident" album, I think both would have been much more successful in the long run.

But thats just me

This day in Beatles - March 3

2011-03-03T04:36:00.000-08:00

1962
Performance at the Cavern, with Jim McHarg's Jazzmen.

1963
The Beatles played the last show on a UK tour supporting Helen Shapiro at The Gaumont Cinema, Hanley, Stoke.

1964
Shooting of early scenes for 'A Hard Day's Night', on board a train leaving from Paddington Station. The train carrying the Beatles from Minehead to Paddington stops unannounced at West Ealing Station, to avoid the fans waiting at Paddington. The Beatles are taken into the booking office and sign autographs. Within minutes the group are taken away in a car.

1967
Recording of brasses and guitar solo for 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
John takes home a tape of conversation of musicians, Paul and Martin, for his private collection.

1990
During a world tour Paul McCartney played the first of 6 sold-out nights at the Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan. The final night was broadcast live to venues in 10 other Japanese cities; Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kumamoto, Matsuyama, Nagoya, Niigata, Osaka, Sapporp, Sendai and Takamatsu.

2008
The Beatles' engineer Norman Smith died at the age of 85. Smith who worked on every studio recording the band made between 1962 and 1965 was nicknamed "Normal Norman" by John Lennon. As a producer in 1966, he signed Pink Floyd and produced their early albums including Saucerful of Secrets and as Hurricane Smith had the 1971 UK No.2 hit ‘Don't Let It Die’

Jeff Healey

2011-03-01T16:01:00.000-08:00

March 2, 2008

Canadian guitarist, singer, and all around great guy, Jeff Healey, died of cancer. Healey had lost his sight to retinoblastoma, a cancer of the eyes when he was only eight months old, resulting in his eyes being surgically removed. After living cancer free for 38 years, he developed sarcoma in his legs. Despite surgery, the sarcoma spread to his lungs, and ultimately, was the cause of his premature death.

Healey released over 12 albums of varying genres, presented a long running radio show, which today can still be heard weekly on JazzFM91 from Toronto, and worked with many artists including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, BB King, ZZ Top, Steve Lukather, Eric Clapton and Ian Gillan, to name a few.

I met Jeff in Thunder Bay at the Blues Festival in 2002. Super nice dude. Chatted with him and had a smoke on the patio, then he went inside and sat in with the Down-child Blues Band. Amazing night.....

New Album?.....

2011-02-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody

As I am a chronically unemployed musician and student,I haven't been able to raise the money needed to hit the studio and lay down my new tunes....a couple afternoons in the studio, and a quick turnaround on the pressing in Toronto would make all the difference people...... Everyone who donates gets a free copy of course!

Anything Helps! Secure PayPal donation!

www.camdenblues.webs.com

2011-02-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

This Day In Beatles - Feb 21

2011-02-20T23:32:00.000-08:00

February 21, 1961
The Beatles played three gigs in one day....one of the reasons they got so great was all that jamming... The first was a lunchtime show at the famous Cavern Club, then at night they appeared at the Cassanova Club, Liverpool, England, and at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool.

February 21, 1964
US single release: 'My Bonnie'.

February 21, 1966
US single release: 'Nowhere Man'/'What Goes On'

February 21, 1970
'Live Peace In Toronto', 7th week in the ranking (Billboard).
'Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)' enters the ranking; 1st week in the Top 20 (Billboard).

February 21, 1975
UK LP release: 'Rock'n'Roll'.

February 21, 1982
American radio disc jokey Murry The K died. Murray is thought to be the first to play a Beatles record on the radio in America. During the early days of Beatlemania, he frequently referred to himself as "the Fifth Beatle".

Murray was married six times, he died of cancer a week after his 60th birthday.

Oasis

2011-02-19T01:21:00.000-08:00

February 19 2008

Two releases by rock and roll band Oasis were voted the best British albums ever recorded, in a poll of 11,000 people. Their 1994 masterpiece "Definitely Maybe" came top, while their 1995 mega selling follow-up "(What's the Story) Morning Glory" was second in the vote for Q magazine, and HMV.

Radiohead's "OK Computer" finished third, followed by The Beatles' "Revolver", and the Stone Roses' self-titled debut. The full list of 50 British albums included five by The Beatles.

This Day In Beatles - Feb 11

2011-02-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

Feb 11 1963
In less than ten hours, The Beatles record ten new songs for their first album plus four other tracks which would be the next two singles. John Lennon's vocal on The Isley Brothers 'Twist & Shout' was recorded in one take to complete the album.

Feb 11 1964
The Beatles made their live concert debut in the USA at the Washington Coliseum. Over 350 police surrounded the stage to keep the 8,000 screaming fans in control. One police officer who found the noise so loud, stuck a bullet in each ear as ear plugs. The Beatles had to stop three times and turn Ringo's drum kit around and re-position their microphones so that they faced a different part of the audience. The set list: ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘From Me to You’, ‘I Saw Her Standing There’, ‘This Boy’, ‘All My Loving’, ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’, ‘Please Please Me’, ‘Till There Was You’, ‘She Loves You’, ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’, ‘Twist and Shout’, and ‘Long Tall Sally’.

Feb 11 1965
Beatles drummer Ringo Starr married his long-time girlfriend Maureen at Caxton Hall Register Office in London. John and George attended, Paul was away on holiday.

Feb 11 2008
Heather Mills and Paul McCartney appeared at High Court in London for a hearing to reach a financial settlement for their divorce. The hearing in the Family Division, which was taking place in private, was expected to last five days. The couple, who had a four-year-old daughter, Beatrice, announced the end of their four-year marriage in 2006. There had been speculation among divorce experts, based on recent cases, that the settlement could reach £60m.

Music Trends in Pop Culture 1950-2000

2011-02-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

Music Trends in Popular Culture 1950-2000

For as long as there has been recorded history, there has been music. It affects the way we feel, it has been essential for communication, and it captures the essence of generations. The years from 1950 to 2000 represent the largest strides in all aspects of music: how it is recorded, sold, produced, distributed, and ultimately enjoyed by the consumer. The rise of country, the jazz and swing age, and payola in the fifties, the protest minded folk, and psychedelic rock of the sixties, the mega-superstars, punk rock, and arena rock of the 70s, new wave, rap, and music videos in the 80s, and finally grunge and metal in the 90s all make the largest expansion and public exploration the world of music has ever seen.

Pre 1950
The first half of the 19C saw many advances in how music was played, and how it was produced. The electrification of instruments (guitar, bass, etc.), better recording technologies, and the invention of the conception of a teenager as consumer with expendable income to consume the product. The way music was being composed was also rapidly changing, with the idea that you could have a building, with employees coming to punch the clock everyday, to churn out hits of all styles. Some of the time when an artist recorded an album, it rarely had original material, they were often drawing from these professional songwriting pools. Tin Pan Alley and eventually the Brill building in NYC pumped out the hits from as early as 1885 to today. By the 1950s jazz had become a cultural phenomenon, country was tearing up the airwaves, and the general wealth of most of North America during the 1950s allowed many families to have enough money to purchase a stereo system for their home. Along comes Elvis Presley, with his girating crotch and dashing good looks. Issuing singles, which were easy to make, and cheap for youth to purchase. Eventually the teenage sons and daughters started buying a new style of music, sometimes called crooning, which took the basics of the black popular music of the day, and giving it much more saccharine and definably “white” style(s) of music. This was the beginning of a huge escalation of the music industry as a whole, influencing generations of people to come….

1960s
The nineteen sixties are often spoken of .nostalgically, and then re-sold in many forms every decade to a new group of teenagers every ten years of so. The experiment of Woodstock was vainly reattempted, to mixed results in the late 1990s. This was as politically wild and culturally progressive time in history for sure, but it often seems like it was the MOST revolutionary decade ever, part of the sell to counter culture types who buy into it. But there is good reason for all this hype; there were some significant changes in music that heavily influence a variety of communities.

Developments in sound and recording technology, the popularization of drug use, the rise of folk and folk/rock, psychedelic rock, the protest song (which had been around for years and years, but now it was becoming incredibly easy to get and acoustic guitar and start a group), Many amazing artists from the early 1960s are often overlooked for the decade’s post 1965 musical/cultural icons.
One of the hottest politicians ever, increasing the new found teenage frenzy surrounding celebrities, was two time Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. And in the USA, Malcolm X, MLK, and many others would stir the revolutionary tide of the black mentality of the time. This resulted in some of the best music ever put to record being made.

International tensions of the cold war, the “illegal” war in Vietnam, recent memories of the now stale Korean conflict, and the black/women’s rights movements were all lingering in the air when many a young artists decided to express themselves, and tell their stories though song. One the most potent of these young singer/songwriters was Bob Dylan. Still writing songs and recording today, he is generally considered one of the most important artists of the 20th century. His mid to late 60s output especially because of its incendiary protest songs, and original beat poet like lyrical delivery made him a star very early on in his career. Songs like “Blowing in the wind”, “Masters of war”, “Rainy day women # 12 and #35, and of course, the song that changed everything, the top song on Rolling Stones’ 500 greatest songs of all time list: Like a Rolling Stone. At five minutes long, it was the longest single to be played on radio (up to this point, most singles clocked in at 2min 30sec or less), and its popularity coincided with Dylan’s going electric at the 1967 Newport Folk festival. He inspired a countless number of his peers, Jimi Hendrix and The Byrds both re-recorded Dylan tunes early on, to great success. The most covered, and probably most prolific artist of the decade, if not this half on the century.

Black and female artists started to make positive progress with their causes expressed through music by the late 1960s. The jazz of John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, the soothing and soulful records coming out of Motown (Detroit at this time..), the rise of female singer songwriters such as Buffie St Marie, and Joni Mitchell, showed the other that everybody should have the same basic human rights, without regard the race, gender, class, or religion.

1970s

As in the nineteen sixties, the seventies saw many major changes in the industry, and the world. The cold war was looming above the world, living with the constant though that nuclear war could break out at any second. If Woodstock was considered the apex of the sixties hippy/positive love scene, then the Rolling Stones concert at Altamont Speedway in California on December 6, 1969, was the end of that ideological dream world, and the begging of the world’s harsh realities setting in on that generation. Music had become a more and more consumable product, the introduction of the cassette tape, eight track tape, and soaring sales of vinyl would dominate this decade, leading to massive never before seen profits in the record industry. As bands like the Rolling Stones got bigger and bigger, and sound and lighting technologies were being revolutionized, a new breed of concert tour, and expression of consumer demand, led to stadium rock concerts that seemed to just get bigger and bigger as the decade went on. The “stadium rock” is still used today to describe mega selling bands that play huge venues with huge stage shows.

As the general youth were becoming more and more cynical and jaded, music started to pop up everywhere that had so far never been heard. Heavy metal, punk rock, and funk were formed from the ashes of discontent of the previous era’s ideals were burnt to a crisp. Adult contemporary was another new type of music to emerge. As the teens of previous generation who had consumed the sweet sounds of their youth, wanted something the same as they got older. AM radio along with stadium tours prompted a huge rise in record sales for these wuss rock groups. The deaths of some of the world’s greatest musicians in the early half of the decade also left a void that needed to be filled. Led Zeppelin, who had some home grown success in the UK in the late sixties, would rise to be the penultimate rock and roll machine of the 1970s.

1980s

The 1980s saw another development in the cultural phenomenon that was now popular music: the music video. MTV hit the air waves on August 1st 1981, and forever changed the way we hear, and more importantly see, music. The new connection between image and sound would from this day forth be an important part of the business. The giant stadium soft rock and hard rock bands of the seventies all of a sudden had to worry about how they looked. MTV stuck mostly to a small rotation of white artists as the station’s popularity increased. The release of Michael Jackson’s epically hit album “Thriller” in 1982 would quickly change MTV’s tune. The album was a smash success, but they still wouldn’t play it until the record company threatened to pull all its white artists that were getting play on the station. MTV reluctantly agreed, helping to make Thriller and its related videos, some of the best of all time.

Many artists from the previous decades were starting to feel left out. The sudden focus on youth and beauty via the music video didn’t suit some of these (now dubbed) “dinosaur rockers” of the previous decades. A new young breed of music (video) star emerged: Madonna, MJ, etc. would dominate the charts for this decade.

Rap had its roots in 70s funk, poetry, jazz, and protest. Although somewhat visible in the late seventies, by the late 80s rap had exploded onto the mainstream. With the success of artist such as NWA, Sir Mix A lot, MC Hammer, among many others brought mainstream attention to the genre. As in previous decades, and with any new expression of art, there will always be detractors. The violent imagery of street life, drugs, and extremely poor attitudes towards women, cause many an uproar, eventually leading to the formation on the PMRC (parent’s music resource center). This group came up with the now infamous “Explicit Content” stickers on most music.

Punk rock also made a comeback, underground this time. A number of small independent records labels popped up all across the world, to help release music by bands that would normally not have a chance to. Minor Threat, Black Flag, the Dead Kennedys, and their contemporaries taught a whole new generation to rock hard, think for themselves, fight against the horribly right wing politics of the time. Many bands in California, specifically the “Sunset Strip” in LA took the lessons they learned from the blues rock stadium Gods and punk rockers to make what would become “hair metal”. Honest and earnest at first, the genre became watered down and filled with “power ballads” by the early nineties. A couple notable bands of this genre would be: Poison, Motley Crue, GnR, etc.

1990s

By the early nineties, it looked like we were in for another decade of schmaltzy sweet power ballads, and power metal hairdos, until …..Nirvana. Thankfully they came along and saved the day for rock and roll, and completely changed the tide of the industry in the early nineties. This new rock, “grunge” by the media’s definition, was nothing new. Most grunge bands were influenced by the stoner-rock, heavy metal, and punk rock that came before them, therefore lumping the countless sub categories into one, media friendly term.

Rap also surged in popularity among all kinds of youth, black and white youngsters were soaking up the violent message these gangster rappers were often spewing. Although at the same time, mainstream producers were taking the basics of rap into high end studios and producing a newer updated version of R and B that seemed to fill the void of people who wanted a cleaner artist to listen to. Heavy metal also came out of nowhere in the nineties to top various charts and sell huge amounts of records. Without having any regularly played videos, I might add….

The dawn of the internet’s popularity as a household item began around 1995, and exploded over the next decade, leading into the 2000s and the downloading debacle that will dominate this next decade…..

February 10

2011-02-10T05:53:00.000-08:00

1942, February 10

'Chattanooga Choo Choo' by the Glen Miller Orchestra becomes the first recording to be awarded a Gold record. It was actually just a master copy of the disc sprayed with gold lacquer by RCA as a publicity stunt.

The actual award recognized today as a Gold Record would not be initiated for another sixteen years when the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) borrowed the idea and trademarked the Gold Record. The first Gold single was awarded to Perry Como in 1958 for "Catch A Falling Star" and the first Gold album was given to Gordon McRae for the soundtrack to "Oklahoma".

February 9

2011-02-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

1981, February 9

Singer Bill Haley was found dead, fully clothed on his bed at his home in Harlington, Texas, USA, from a heart attack.... Haley had sold over 60 million records during his career. Scored the 1955 UK & US No.1 single 'Rock Around The Clock', and became known as the first Rock 'n' Roll star. Haley was blinded in the left eye as a child due to a botched operation, and later adopted his distinctive spit curl hairstyle to distract attention from the blind eye.

A self-admitted alcoholic, Haley fought a battle with the bottle well into the 1970s. Nonetheless, he and his band continued to be a popular touring draw, enjoying a career resurgence in the late 1960s with the Rock and roll revival movement and the signing of a lucrative record deal with the European label Sonet Records. After performing for Queen Elizabeth II at a command performance in 1979, Haley made his final performances in South Africa in May and June 1980. Prior to the South African tour, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and a proposed tour of Germany in the fall of 1980 was canceled.

There seems to be little information extant about Haley's last days...

February 9

2011-02-08T21:10:00.000-08:00

2009, February 9

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant took home five prizes for his collaboration with singer Alison Krauss at this years Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles. The duo won album of the year for Raising Sand and record of the year for ‘Please Read The Letter.’ Coldplay, Adele, Duffy, Radiohead, and Peter Gabriel were among other acts to be honoured. John Mayer won Best solo rock vocal performance for ‘Gravity’, Kings of Leon won Best rock performance by a group with ‘Sex on Fire’, Best rock song went to Bruce Springsteen for ‘Girls In Their Summer Clothes’ and Lil' Wayne won Best rap solo performance and Best rap album for Tha Carter III.

Nirvana's In Utero and the Face of New Rock

2011-02-08T06:21:00.001-08:00

September of 1993 saw Nirvana at the height of their success, and ready to release their highly anticipated third studio album. Kurt Cobain had been, albeit unwontedly, dubbed the spokesperson of his generation and the entire “grunge” movement, and Nirvana, fundamentally declared the biggest band in the world. No one knew how deep of an impact that album, and the events surrounding it, would shape the course of popular music to this day. The album would go on to chart all over the world, even though the controversies that beleaguered the band from their earliest successes would continue (even after Kurt’s death). On the outside (the artwork) and inside (the lyrics) would be notoriously deemed offensive by many. Cobain would soon no longer be on this earth, but the people closest to him would continue to feel and be affected by “In Utero” for decades to come.

Nirvana planned the record’s sound to depart significantly from the polished production of its previous album, “Nevermind” (released in 1991). To capture a more rough and organic sound, the group hired producer Steve Albini to record “In Utero” during a two-week period in February 1993. The music was recorded quickly with few studio superfluities, and the song lyrics and album packaging included medical imagery that conveyed front man Kurt Cobain’s outlook on his exposed personal life, and his band's new found celebrity.

Albini felt that the sounds captured on “Nevermind” were too controlled and radio friendly, and wanted to record the band with as few double takes and over dubs as possible. Despite the quick recording and mixing, once the label suits heard it, they thought it was too raw to be released, and ordered a remix. The record had been dubbed “un-listenable”. Albini did not want to remix it because he felt is was already the best it could be. After much debate, Scott Litt eventually remixed “All Apologies” and “Heart Shaped Box”, which would be the two main singles off the album. The story that the label had pressured Nirvana was exploding in the press, and the controversy that seemed to dog the band since they signed a major label deal continued.

After much argument, the album was finally released on September 21, 1993 (US release date) and debuted at number one Billboard 200. Despite its initial success, the album would not sell as many units as “Nevermind” did. “In Utero” sales were hampered by the fact that two major US chains (Wal-Mart and Kmart, unsurprisingly) did not want to sell the album due to “lack of consumer interest”. It was later revealed that the chains objected to the album’s artwork, of which Kurt had had a role in designing. The back cover especially, which depicted foetuses lying on orchids, was deemed offensive by many. The chains also objected to the song title of “Rape Me”. The artwork was eventually tweaked to bathe everything in an orange glow as to not be as obvious, and the title of “Rape Me” was changed to “Waif Me”

The revised edition of the album was released March 29, 1994, and was finally picked by the major US chains. This of course reignited the exasperating “selling-out” debate that had followed the band since signing with a major label. Cobain would later explain that were he was from (Aberdeen, Washington, USA), the only way anybody could purchase music was from large retail chains, as there was no real demand for any kinds of independent music stores in smaller towns.

Not long after the release, on April 5, 1994, Kurt Cobain would take his own life (allegedly, but that’s a whole other essay..). The weight of his fame and drug addiction finally wore him out. He left behind a child, and his newly obtained wife, Courtney Love. Just four days after her husband’s death, her grunge rock group Hole released its second studio album “Live Through This”. It was a perfect storm of events causing Courtney Love to take the place of her husband in the general atmosphere of mid 1990s alternative music. Rumours persist the Cobain basically wrote the entire album for her. Only one fact is certain pertaining to this, that he recorded baking vocals on a number of tracks on the album. Courtney’s thirst for fame, and to have her relationship with Kurt viewed of that as a modern day Sid and Nancy, made many wonder about her true intentions of marrying him in the first place. “Live Through This” is generally regarded as one of the best albums of the 1990s, although it never did enter the American top 40. These accolades would be embarrassingly revoked it was ever proved that she did murder him, or he was the one responsible for the bulk of the songs on “Live Through This”.

Another important person formerly in Kurt’s life was Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. After joining the band in 1990 and being swept into the whirlwind of major label music making, he never really had a chance to let his inner singer/songwriter out and let it grow to its full potential. The only evidence we see of what was to come was the song “Marigold” (which Dave composed, played guitar, and sang on) which was released as a B-side to the UK only release of the “Heart Shaped Box” CD single.

Grohl received endless offers to play drums for a number of popular and unknown groups. He played drums with Tom Petty during his Saturday Night Live performance in November of 1994, and was asked to join the band on a full time basis, but politely declined to peruse his yet unnamed solo project. In late 1994, he went into the studio to record what would ultimately become the first Foo Fighters album. Grohl wrote, and recorded the entire album himself. And after a few copies had been passed around the music community, a record deal soon followed. Not interested in being a “solo star” of sorts, he then formed an all-star group of musicians (including former member of The Germs, and Sunny Day Real Estate) to take his music to the stage. The Foo Fighters quickly gained immense commercial success and gained many fans. Album after album, and tour after tour, the Foos became one of the most important bans of the 2000s. A number of line up changes, and some well received side projects (including Grohl’s contributions to Queens of the Stone Ages’s hit 2002 album “Songs For The Deaf”, and his heavy metal project Probot, which featured many of his musical heroes guesting) didn’t slow the band’s productivity in the new millennium. Wining a total of six Grammys (so far!), and releasing an album packed with hits approximately every 3 years, I think its safe to say that Dave Grohl would have never gone on to greatness had he not joined the band in 1990 and had had the music industry experience he gained while he pounded the lit with Nirvana.

“In Utero” may not be the band best know work, but it is one of the most potent. Critics, for the most part, gave the album glowingly positive reviews. It is the album most recommended to people who have never been exposed to the band, and often cited as an influence by many young bands coming up or that have made their way up through the industry in the last 16 years. It was ranked 493 by Rolling Stone magazine in the “Top 500 albums of all time” list. In 2004 Blender magazine placed it 94 in its “100 greatest American albums of all time” list, and was recently certified fives times platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America.

In conclusion, despite the fact that “In Utero” is not necessarily the band’s most recognized work, it is quickly coming across to be the most influential of Nirvana’s three studio albums. The other members of the band have achieved various levels of success and moved on, leaving the past behind them instead of comfortably resting on their laurels as would have been so easy for them to do after the fact. Courtney Love’s celebrity remains controversial at best because some of us consider her to be the one who helped the band self-destruct. The album will never be far away from my stereo, and I will always go back to it when I need to remember were I come from, and, I suspect, so will a lot of others.

Wardrobe Malfunction!

2011-02-05T09:45:00.001-08:00

February 5th 2004

Janet Jackson's right breast became the most searched-for image in net history, Jackson's breast was seen by millions on TV after Justin Timberlake pulled at her bodice during a duet. Search engines reported a big jump in searches for Janet Jackson and Super Bowl, as people turned to the web for images of the event.

February 5th 1976

2011-02-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

American saxophonist Rudy Pompilli died of lung cancer aged 52. Although not a smoker himself, it is believed he contracted the disease through second hand smoke. With Bill Haley and his Comets, he had the 1955 UK & US No.1 single with ‘Rock Around The Clock’, Pompilli released one solo album, Rudy's Rock: The Sax That Changed the World.

The King of the Jukebox....

2011-02-04T08:31:00.000-08:00

February 4 1975

American jazz, blues, songwriter and saxophonist Louis Jordon died aged 66. Known as "The King of the Jukebox", between 1942-1950 he scored eighteen No.1 singles and fifty-four Top Ten hits on the US R&B chart.
After Ellington and Basie, Louis Jordan was probably the most popular and successful black band leader of his day. But in contrast to almost all of his colleagues of all races, he was a major personality in his own right, an all-round entertainer of enormous and diverse accomplishments.

Jordan is believed to have been married five times....As well as singing in many films, and appearing in "Meet Miss Bobby Sox" (1944) and "Follow the Boys" (1944), Jordan starred in several race films: Beware (1946), and Reet, Petite, and Gone and Look Out Sister (both 1947, when the race films ended).
Louis Jordan is described by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as “the Father of Rhythm & Blues” and “the Grandfather of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
On June 23, 2008 the US house of Representatives passed a resolution introduced by Arkansas Representative Vic Snyder honoring Jordan on the centenary of his birth.

Here is arguably his most popular track:

Caledonia!