July 3:
♫ Sorry we’ve been off the air
for the last few weeks but it’s been a rotten month for computers – first the
library shuts so I have to go to Mike’s to upload the site, then Mike’s
computer falls apart in such a way that the pen drive just won’t quite work despite
copious encouragement and finally my beloved home computer packs up, taking
with it a rather nifty review of the Human league’s ‘Romantic?’ album which I
am trying to revive for you. Anyway, fear not – the missing weeks we had ready
to post will be posted just as soon as the library’s back in mid-July and in
the mean-time say hello to our special new friend Mr Dell Laptop (helloooo people!) Rest assured
everybody’s favourite anniversary section (the, err, ‘anniversary section’)
will be expanded this issue to show you what birthday’s you’re missing.
♫ Anniversaries:
Seeing as we’ve missed the last couple of weeks, this is an extended column
this issue and it’s a particularly busy week (we know there’s still a week
missing but this issue was all prepared for going to press at the time the
computer failed – hopefully we’ll retrieve it at some point in the future, so
apologies if your birthday is missing): Happy Doo-dah birthdays (June 20-26) to
Brian Wilson (bassist, vocalist, composer and all-round genius with the Beach
Boys 1962-85) turned 67 on June 20th, Ray Davies (guitarist,
vocalist, composer and all-round genius with The Kinks 1963-95) turned 65 on
June 21st, Clint Warwick (bassist with the first line-up of the
Moody Blues 1964-66) would have been 60 on June 25th and John Illsey
(bassist with Dire Straits 1978-93) was also 60 on June 26th.
Anniversaries of events include: the Rolling Stones releasing their cover of
Buddy Holly’s ‘Not Fade Away’ seven years to the day after the original (June
20th 1964); the first ever Glastonbury, held in 1971 (June 20th);
the ex-Beatles have a good week as George’s ‘Living in the Material World’
replaces Paul’s ‘Red Rose Speedway’ at the top of the American album charts
(June 23rd 1973); John, meanwhile, released his second book of prose
‘A Spaniard In The Works’ on June 24th 1965; Jefferson Airplane
record their second – and last – hit with the release of the perennial psych
single ‘White Rabbit’ (June 24th 1967); the Beatles are shown on the
‘one World’ global satellite link-up programme on June 25th 1967,
representing Great Britain as they perform their new single ‘All You Need Is Love’;
Mick Taylor plays his first gig with the Rolling Stones, less than a fortnight
before the death of his predecessor Brian Jones (June 25th 1969);
and finally the world’s best selling EP, The Beatles’ ‘Twist and Shout’ is
released in the UK on June 26th 1963.
And
doo-wah diddy birthdays (June 27-July 3rd) go to Bruce Johnston
(pianist, bassist, vocalist and composer with the Beach Boys 1965-71,
1979-present) who turns 65 on June 27th; Stanley Clarke (Paul
McCartney collaborator in the 1980s) turns 68 on June 30th and
Adrian Wright (keyboardist with the Human League 1981-84) turns 53 on June 30th.
Anniversaries of events this week include: the gramophone turns 124 years old
on June 27th, after the patent for it was officially passed in 1885;
Crosby, Stills and Nash play one of their earliest – possibly the earliest –
concerts 40 years ago at the Denver Pop Festival on June 27th 1969;
the Fillmore East – beloved ‘home’ theatre of the Grateful Dead and Jefferson
Airplane – closed on June 27th 1971; the first Beatles song to make
the American charts, ‘From Me To You’ is released on June 29th 1964
– but amazingly it’s not the fab four’s version but a cover by 1950s star Del
Shannon; Mick Jagger and Keith Richards spend an uncomfortable night in Brixton
prison, facing drugs charges that could have seen them spend up to a year
inside (June 29th 1967); Forty years ago this week Rolling Stone
Brian Jones dies in mysterious circumstances after taking a swim in his home
swimming pool (previous owner: AA Milne) on July 3rd 1969, just a
few months after leaving the band and finally Brian Wilson joins the Beach Boys
on-stage after an amazing 11 year absence (July 3rd 1976).
