Music Diary – 28th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 28th February!

Brian Jones (28th February 1942 – 3rd July 1969)

 

Happy birthday to Mr. Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones, who was born on the 28th February 1942 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (UK)!

At the age of 17, Brian received his first acoustic guitar from his parents as a birthday present. After quitting school, Jones moved to London, where he he crossed paths with people like Alexis Korner, Paul Jones and Jack Bruce. In 1962, Brian Jones was searching for musicians to found his own band. First, pianist Ian „Stu“ Stewart came along and shortly after that, singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards joined. And the group was called after the Muddy Waters song „Rollin‘ Stone“. On the 12th July 1962, the first live performance took place at the Marquee Club in London. Beside Jones, Jagger, Richards and Stewart, the line-up was completed by bassist Dick Taylor and drummer Tony Chapman. On the 7th December 1962, Bill Wyman replaced Taylor and in January 1963 Charlie Watts took over the place from Chapman behind the drums.

Bill Wyman about Brian Jones and The Rolling Stones: „He formed the band. He chose the members. He named the band. He chose the music we played. He got us gigs. Very influential, very important, and then slowly lost it – highly intelligent – and just kind of wasted it and blew it all away.“

Brian Jones lost more and more the control of the band, because Jagger and Richards became the songwriting team of the Stones. Brian slipped into heavy drug problems over the years and in June 1969 he left the band and Mick Taylor became his substitute. Only one month later, Brian Jones was found dead in his swimming pool. On the 3rd July 1969 he passed away at the age of 27.

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Music Diary – 22nd February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 22nd February!

Jethro Tull – Dave Pegg, Doane Perry, Ian Anderson, Martin Barre and Don Airey (1987)

On the 22nd February 1989, a huge surprise happened at the „Grammy Awards„: The new category „Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal Or Instrumental“ was included and the big favorite were Metallica (with the album „…And Justice For All„), who also performed live on stage. The other nominees were Iggy Pop with the song „Cold Metal„, Jane’s Addiction’s album „Nothing’s Shocking„, „Blow Up Your Video“ by AC/DC and the Jethro Tull album „Crest of a Knave“ (1987).

But when Alice Cooper, who was accompanied by Lita Ford, said: „And the Grammy goes to …. ‚Crest of a Knave‘ – Jethro Tull“, everybody at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles was completely surprised – and some booing filled the room.

As Metallica were expected to win the award, Jethro Tull’s record label Chrysalis Records decided, that nobody is going to attend the ceremony. Singer Ian Anderson later said, the he was „lucky“ for not attending the ceremony, admitting that there was „no way [he] could have accepted [the award] under those circumstances.“ After thiscontroversy, this advert was issued in some music magazines.

And the Grammy award was renamed after this event and splitted into the new two categories „Best Hard Rock Performance“ and „Best Metal Performance“ to avoid further discussions.

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Music Diary – 20th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 20th February!

Happy birthday to Kurt Donald Cobain, who was born on the 20th February 1967 in Aberdeen, Washington (USA)!

Kurt already started playing the piano and singing when he was two years old. At the age of seven, his parents divorced – and this was very defining, as he said in an interview:
„I remember feeling ashamed, for some reason. I was ashamed of my parents. I couldn’t face some of my friends at school anymore, because I desperately wanted to have the classic, you know, typical family. Mother, father. I wanted that security, so I resented my parents for quite a few years because of that.“

On his 14th birthday, Kurt received from his uncle a guitar – and the young boy started to play over and over again. And he also crossed paths with bassist Krist Novoselic and the duo rehearsed together and formed the band Fecal Matter – which became very soon Nirvana.

During his second year at Aberdeen High School, Kurt was dropped out. And as he had no job, he was also kicked out of his mother’s home. In 1986, Cobain worked at „The Polynesian Resort“ and lived in an apartment. He spent his money mainly for travelling to Olympia (Washington) attending several Rock concerts. At the end of 1987, Cobain and Novoselic recruited drummer Aaron Burckhard. Due to the fact, that Kurt and Krist moved to Olympia, they lost contact to Aaron and so they had to look for a replacement. Finally Chad Channing became the new drummer in the band, which was now called Nirvana. In May 1988, the first concert took place and in November the single debut „Love Buzz“ was released, followed by the debut album „Bleach„, which hit the stores in June 1989. The LP had initial sales of 40,000 copies.

During the recording sessions for the follow-up „Nevermind„, Channing left the band and Dave Grohl completed the new line up. And they also changed the label and left Sub Pop for signing the major record company DGC Records in 1990. And with producer Butch Vig (who was also a member of Garbage), they put twelve songs togehter for the new release. DGC was hoping to sell 250,000 copies, but it was not like that. The single outtake „Smells Like Teen Spirit“ (released two weeks before the album on 10th September 1991) became a huge hit and so in the first week of the release, 400,000 copies of „Nevermind“ were sold in the US. Until today, over 30 million copies have been sold worldwide. The other singles „Come as you are„, „Lithium“ and „In Bloom“ ensured, that „Nevermind“ was still a megaseller in 1992.

In December 1992, the compilation album (with some rarities from the Sub Pop era) „Incesticide“ hit the market. The long anticipated follow up „In Utero“ was finally released in September 1993. Christopher John Farley from „Time Magazine“ wrote in his review:
„Despite the fears of some alternative-music fans, Nirvana hasn’t gone mainstream, though this potent new album may once again force the mainstream to go Nirvana.“ And two months later, on the 18th November 1993, the legendary MTV Unplugged Session happened in New York.

On 1st March 1994, Nirvana played their last concert in Munich. Three days later, Kurt’s wife Courtney Love, found Cobain unconscious in their hotel suite. The singer and guitarist had reacted to a combination of Rohynol and alcohol and so the rest of the tour has to be canceled. And also Cobain’s heroin addiction resurfaced during that period. Kurt started a rehab, but he broke off. He climbed over the wall of the rehabilitation facility and flew to his home in Seattle. One week later, on the 8th April 1994, Kurt Cobain was found dead. He comitted suicide by shooting himself. The body had been lying there for days – the coroner’s report said, that Kurt’s died on 5th April 1994. He was only 27 years old.

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Music Diary – 19th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 19th February!

On the 19th February 1980, one of the most outstanding frontman in Rock passed away: AC/DC singer Ronald Belford „Bon“ Scott died after a heavy night’s drinking. He was found dead in the car of his friend Alistair Kinnear in East Dulwich, 67 Overhill Road, London (UK). Bon was 33 years old.

Alistair about this very sad and tragic night:
„The day before, we cruised in my car, a blue Renault 5, through London and attended several bars and discos. When we entered the club ‚Music Machine‘ it was appr. 1.30 a.m. and Bon was in a very good mood and had already some drinks. After two hours, he was completeley drunk and I took him to my car and we drove home. When we arrived at my place, it was 4 a.m. and I tried to wake him up. But he was in a very deep sleep. So I decided to leave him in the car sleeping. And I left him a note, that I am upstairs in my flat. When I woke up on the 19th February, Bon was not around. I watched outside my window and saw him still sleeping in my car. I walked downstairs and when I opened the car, Bon was lifeless and vomit was all around. I called the emergency doctor, who could not do anything for him anymore. Bon’s body was brought into the Kings Collage Hospital for an autopsy. It was too much boose for his body, it was out, it was finished.“

Bon Scott was – like Angus and Malcolm Young – born in Scotland (9th July 1946) and moved with his family to Australia in 1952. He started his music career in 1964 as the drummer and singer of The Spektors. In 1966, Bon founded the pop band The Valentines. After the break up in 1970, Scott started his new group Fraternity, a Progressive Rock formation. And in 1974, Bon replaced Dave Evans as the lead singer of AC/DC. „Highway to Hell“ (1979) is the last LP featuring Bon’s unique singing. After the tragic death, the Young brothers decided to go on and with new singer Brian Johnson the comeback album „Back in Black“ was recorded and released in July 1980. This LP is still the second best-selling album of all time, only behind Michael Jackson’s megaseller „Thriller„.

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Music Diary – 18th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 18th February!

On the 18th February 1990, singer Freddie Mercury made his final public appearance. With his band Queen, he collected the „Brit Award“ in the category for „Outstanding Contribution to Music“. The ceremony took place at the Dominion Theatre in London (UK). You can watch this historic moment here:

Freddie died only 21 months later – on the 24th November 1991. The most charismatic frontman of all time passed away at the age of 45 years. Just the day before, the Queen singer admitted he was HIV positive.

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Music Diary – 17th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 17th February!

On the 17th February 1975, the AC/DC debut “High Voltage” was released in Australia. It’s still a collector’s item because the international version of this album is completely different, which features only the two songs “She’s got Balls” and “Little Lover”. Four more tracks were available later for the fans outside Australia on the EP “’74Jailbreak” in 1984. There you can find the rarities “You ain’t got a hold on me”, “Show Business”, “Soul Stripper” and the cover “Baby, please don’t go“. At least, the last two tunes from the Australian version of „High Voltage, the tunes “Stick around” and “Love Song”,  were finally released on the international compilation „Backtracks“ (2009).

All eight songs were recorded in November 1974 at the Albert Studios in Sydney, Australia. Produced by Vanda & Young (Harry Vanda and the older brother of Angus und Malcolm, George Young). The duo was a member of the successful popband The Easybeats and they were also the main songwriters for their big hit „Friday on My Mind“ (1966).

While recording „High Voltage“, the line up of AC/DC was a different one: Beside the founding members Angus and Malcolm Young and singer Bon Scott, the rhythm section was not really founded yet. Rob Bailey was the bass player and the drums part were played by Tony Currenti, Peter Clack and John Proud.

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Music Diary – 16th Feburary

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 16th February!

On the 16th February 1972, Led Zeppelin played their very first show in Australia. The Australianasian tour (16th – 29th February through Australia and New Zealand) kicked off in Perth at the Subiaco Oval. The local police battled with over 500 fans, who tried to get into the concert. And over 4,000 people were waiting outside with no tickets, hoping to get into the venue in some way.

The setlist featured songs like „Immigrant Song“, „Heartbreaker“, „Black Dog“, „Since I’ve been loving you“, „Stairway to Heaven“, „Going to California“, „That’s the Way, „Tangerine“, „Dazed and Confused“, „What is and what should never be“ and „Whole Lotta Love“.

After this six date tour through Australia and New Zealand, Led Zeppelin never toured again on this side of the world.

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Music Diary – 14th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 14th February!

On the 14th February 1970, The Who recorded their legendary show in Leeds. The band performed at the local University. „Live At Leeds“ was released three months later on the 16th May 1970 and it’s still considered as one of the best live albums ever.

The original tracklist (six songs) on the first LP pressing features the classics „My Generation„, „Magic Bus„, „Substitute“ and also the cover versions of „Young Man Blues„, „Summertime Blues“ and „Shakin‘ All Over„.

Beside the outstanding recording, the packaging was also a real eyecatcher. Issued as a bootleg LP, the gatefold sleeve housed a package with12 facsimiles of various memorabilia. Also two photos, a poster and handwritten notes was enclosed.

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Music Diary – 13th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 13th February!

On the 13th February 1970 – and yes, it was a Friday – the legendaty self-titled debut album by Black Sabbath was released in the UK. The LP reached No. 8 on the British chart and this recording is considered as one of the first Heavy Metal performances ever. „Black Sabbath“ hit the US market a few months later – on the 1st June 1970.

All seven songs were recorded on the 16th October 1969 at the Regent Sound Studios in London and produced by Rodger Bain. The only single outtake was „Evil Woman“ (a cover version of a Crow song) with „Wicked World“ on the b-side, which was released already one month before, on the 9th January 1970. Other classic songs from the Black Sabbath debut album are „Black Sabbath„, „The Wizard“ and „N.I.B.“

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Music Diary – 10th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 10th February!

Happy birthday to Mr. Clifford „Cliff“ Lee Burton, who was born on the 10th February 1962 in Castro Valley, California (USA)!

As a boy, little Clifford was introduced to classical music by his father and he started to take piano lessons. At the age of 13, Cliff began playing the bass like a maniac – six hours at least per day!

As a student, he founded his first band EZ-Street, featuring also guitarist „Big“ Jim Martin and drummer Mike Bordin (these two guys became members of the legendary crossover formation Faith No More). With Martin, Cliff Burton formed later the group Agents of Misfortune. In 1982, another chapter has began for the bassman: He joined his first major act called Trauma. Performing at the Whisky a Go Go, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich from Metallica, which had formed the band the previous year, attended the show. After the concert they ask Cliff to join the band as the new bass player – and Burton agreed. He recorded only the three Metallica albums “Kill ‘Em All” (1983), “Ride the Lightning” (1984) and “Master of Puppets“(1986).

On the 27th September 1986, Cliff Burton was killed in a tragic accident. The tour bus crashed due to black ice during the Scandinavia tour between Stockholm and Copenhagen. Burton was thrown through the window and the bus fell on him. The musician died at the age of only 24 years.

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