News, Views and Music Issue 39 (Intro)

August 7^th:

♫ Welcome everybody to the 39^th step towards our completed AAA project. Since last week we’ve finished posting our lists on Amazon and are already getting 20-odd views for each of our five lists, so welcome to all of you who have joined us in the last couple of issues from there. Like last week, things have been very quiet on the AAA front so, without any new issues to tell you about, its on with our Anniversary section...

                             

♫ (August 7-13^th): Many happy returns to you if your birthday is this week – you share it with AAA artists Ian Anderson (lead singer, flautist and one-legged dancer with Jethro Tull 1968-present) who turns 62 on August 10^th and Mark Knopfler (lead singer and guitarist with Dire Straits 1978-93) who turns 60 on August 12^th. Anniversaries of events include: first ‘proper’ Beatles spin-off single is released, the rather curious ‘Ringo For President’ single by the Young World Singers (the drummer’s response: ‘I wouldn’t mind having a go but I haven’t got time just at present’, August 8^th 1964); the classic UK TV series ‘Ready Steady Go!’ debuts on August 9^th 1963 – about half of the AAA groups on this list appear on it at one time or another; The Small Faces release classic single ‘Itchycoo Park’ (August 9^th 1967); The Beatles’ Apple Label is officially born on August 11^th 1968; The Beatles start their last ever tour, one of the United States starting on August 12^th 1966; The Kinks release their third and arguably most important single, ‘You Really Got Me’ (August 13^th 1964) and the Jefferson Airplane appear on stage for the first time for a show at San Francisco’s Matrix Club – the band get the gig because vocalist Marty Balin is one of the club’s owners (August 13^th 1965).