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 – 25th November

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 25th November!

Nicholas Rodney „Nick“ Drake (19th June 1948 – 25th November 1974)

On the 25th November 1974 the British singer and songwriter Nick Drake died in his sleep at the age of only 26 years. In his very short career he recorded the three albums „Five Leaves Left“ (1969), „Bryter Layter“ and „Pink Moon“ (both 1972). Although all of them didn’t succeed and sold very badly, these recordings became legendary milestones. Nick Drake suffered from depression and on the 25th November 1972 he died from an overdose of amitriptyline. It was never resolved if it was an accident or suicide.

The automobile concern Volkswagen featured Drake’s song „Pink Moon“ in a TV spot in 2000. After that, all recordings by Nick Drake sold more than in the previous thirty years.

Many artists name Nick Drake as a big influence – like Robert Smith (The Cure), Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Paul Weller (The Jam and The Style Council), Beck and also The Black Crowes – just to name a few.

                                              

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Music Diary – 17th November

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

Martin Barre & John Glascock (Jethro Tull – 1978)

On the 17th November two remarkable things happened, which are connected to the British Rock band Jethro Tull:

In 1946 guitarist Martin Lancelot Barre was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Barre joined Jethro Tull in 1969 after the departing of Mick Abrahams and his first recordings with Ian Anderson & Co. can be heard on the second Tull album „Stand Up“ (1969). Martin Barre was the long time member in the line-up beside singer, flute player and acoustic guitarist Ian Anderson. He left Jethro Tull in 2011 and concentrated on his solo works.

Barre’s signature solo on the 1971 Jethro Tull standard „Aqualung“ is still considered as one of the most outstanding guitar solos. It was voted by the readers of „Guitar Player“ magazine as one of the top rock guitar solos of all time.

And on the 17th November 1979, John Glascock, the bass player for Jethro Tull from 1976 until 1979, died at the age of only 28 years. Glascock suffered a congenital heart valve defect, which was worsened by an infection caused by an abscessed tooth. Before joining Jethro Tull to replace Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond on bass, Glascock was a member of the Blues band Chicken Shack and later of the progressive Rock band Carmen. Ritchie Blackmore mentioned John’s fantastic skills in an interview with „Guitar Player“ in September 1978; „John Glascock is a brilliant bass player, the best in the business in rock.“ John Glascock’s playing can be heard on the Tull albums „Too old to Rock’n’Roll: Too young to die!“ (1976), „Songs from the Wood“ (1977), „Heavy Horses„, the live album „Bursting Out“ (both 1978) and some parts on „Stormwatch“ (1979).

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Music Diary – 3rd November

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 3rd November!

BERT JANSCH (3rd November 1943 – 5th October 2011)

On the 3rd November 1943, the Folk singer and guitarist Herbert „Bert“ Jansch was born in Glasgow, Scotland. In the sixties he was very popular in London as an outstanding singer-songwriter and became one of the leading figures of the British Folk revival. In 1968 he was a co-founder of the band Pentangle, which broke up in 1972. Later he worked on different projects and in the eighties Bert Jansch reformed Pentangle but left the group in 1995.

After that and until his death on the 5th October 2011, Bert Jansch continued working as a solo artist. He recorded over 20 albums and his unique musical style influenced a number of other artitsts like Al Stewart, Paul Simon, Johnny Marr, Elton John, Ian Anderson, Bernie Taupin, Bernard Butler, Jimmy Page, Nick Drake, Graham Coxon, Donovan, Neil Young, Fleet Foxes, Devendra Banhart, Neil Halstead and Roy Harper.

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Music Diary – 2nd November

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 2nd November!

Dave Pegg (Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull)

Happy birthday to Mr. Dave „Peggy“ Pegg, who was born on the 2nd November 1947 in Birmingham, UK. The English mulit-instrumentalist is best known for his playing with the legendary Folk band Fairport Convention and his contribution as a bass player for Jethro Tull from 1979 until 1995.

At the age of 14 years he started to play the guitar and he was also member of the school band at Yardley Grammar School. In the sixties he worked with severeal Birmingham groups like „The Crawdaddys“ and „The Roy Everett Blues Band“. In 1966 he failed to become the guitar player for a band called The Uglys (featuring Steve Gibbons), but he took the chance to be a member as the bass player – so he switched the instruments. One year later Pegg formed the Blues trio „The Exception“ with singer Alan Eastwood and Roger Hill on guitar. During that time Dave also played with Robert Plant and John Bonham, with whom he played in the band „The Way of Life“. In 1967 Dave Pegg joined the Ian Campbell Folk Group, where he also learned to play the mandolin. Two years later he began to play with a group called „The Beast“ (featuring Cozy Powell and Dave Clempson).

Exactly on his 22nd birthday he received a telephone call by Dave Swarbrick from Fairport Convention and was asked if he would like to join the band, because of the departing of Ashley Hutchings, who was going to found the Folk-Rock group Steeleye Span (feat. Maddy Prior). And in July 1970 the first Fairport Convention album feat. Dave Pegg on bass was released: „Full House„. Until the break up in 1979 Dave Pegg recorded nine studio albums with Fairport Convention.

In 1979 David Pegg was asked by Ian Anderson to join Jethro Tull and to replace the ailing John Glascock. His live debut was on the 5th October 1979 for the „Stormwatch“ world tour and took place in Toronto, Canada. So for the next fifteen years Peggy was the bass player and recorded the six classic studio albums „A“ (1980), „The Broadsword and the Beast“ (1982), „Under Wraps“ (1984), „Crest of a Knave“ (1987), „Rock Island“ (1989), „Catfish Rising“ (1991) and three tracks for „Roots to Branches“ (1995). His last live performance with Jethro Tull happened on the 29th May 1994 in Basingstoke, UK.

After his departure from Jethro Tull, David Pegg concentrated more on his work with Fairport Convention again. The reunion of the Folk Rock institution happened already with the album „Gladys‘ Leap“ in 1985.

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Music Diary – 28th September

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

Paul Burgess (2010)

On the 28th September 1950 the drummer Paul Burgess was born in Manchester, England. He worked mainly for the band 10cc in the seventies. Their biggest hit was „I’m not in Love“ – the single went No. 1 in the UK and No. 2 in the US (1975).

Burgess played with 10cc from 1973 until 1980 and joined again in 1983. In the same year the band called it a day. In 1982 Paul Burgess was a briefly member of Jethro Tull. He replaced Gerry Conway for the „Broadsword and the Beast“ tour from August 1982 until October 1982 (UK and USA).

After that Burgess became a member of Camel until the breakup in 1985 and then he worked as a session musician for different groups (Magna Carta, The Icicle Works). In 1985 he returned to Jethro Tull for the orchestral album „A Classic Case„. And his drumming can also be heard on the CD „Spirit Flying Free“ (1997) by John Carter and longtime Tull guitarist Martin Barre. In 2013 Paul Burgess joined the Midnite Johnny Band.

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Music Diary – 11th September

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 11th September!

Gerry Conway (Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, Cat Stevens)

In 1947 drummer Gerald „Gerry“ Conway was born in King’s Lynn, Norfolk (UK). In the seventies Conway played for Cat Stevens‚ backing band for six years. In 1981 he joined Jethro Tull for the recordings of „The Broadsword and the Beast“ and also played the tour in Europe.

In 1987 he did some recording sessions with Tull again for the album „Crest of a Knave„. His drumming can be heard on the tracks „Jump Start“, „Said she was a Dancer“, „Budapest“, „The Waking Edge“ and „Part of the Machine“. In 1998 he became the drummer and percussionist for the legendary Folk-Rock band Fairport Convention.

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Music Diary – 10th September

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

Barrie „Barriemore“ Barlow (Jethro Tull)

On the 10th September 1949 Barrie „Barriemore“ Barlow was born in Birmingham, UK. Barlow joined Jethro Tull in May 1971 and replaced drummer and percussionist Clive Bunker, who decided to leave the band after the successful and legendary LP „Aqualung„.  Some of the best Tull albums were recorded with Barrie Barlow and John Bonham from Led Zeppelin said, that he is „the greatest rock drummer England ever produced“. Jethro Tull recorded with Barlow the outstanding studio albums „Thick as a Brick“ (1972), „A Passion Play“ (1973), „War Child“ (1974), „Minstrel in the Gallery“ (1975), „Too old to Rock’n’Roll: Too young to die!“ (1976), „Songs from the Wood“ (1977), „Heavy Horses“ (1978) and „Stormwatch“ (1979). Also the live album „Bursting Out“ (1978) features Barriemore Barlow.

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Music Diary – 28th March

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

John Evans (Jethro Tull)

Happy birthday to Mr. John Spencer Evans aka John Evan, who was born on the 28th March 1948 in Blackpool (UK)!

Before John became the keyboarder for Jethro Tull, he played for The Blades. Then the band name was changed into The John Evan Band. Bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond (who became a member of Tull in 1971) thought, that this would sound better instead of ‚John Evans Band‘. During that time in the sixties and especially in Blackpool, Evan crossed already paths with people like Jeffrey, Barriemore Barlow and Ian Anderson, who founded Jethro Tull in 1967.

After playing as a session musician for the album „Benefit„, John Evan joined Jethro Tull in April 1970. One year later, he composed the legendary piano intro for Tull’s biggest hit „Locomotive Breath„, which was recorded for the historic rock album „Aqualung„.

Until the big band split in 1980, John’s keyboard playing is featured on the LPs „Thick as a Brick“ (1972), „A Passion Play“ (1973), „WarChild“ (1974) „Minstrel in the Gallery“ (1975), „Too old to Rock’n’Roll: Too young to die!“ (1976) „Songs from the Wood“ (1977), „Heavy Horses“ (1978) and „Stormwatch“ (1979). On the 14th April 1980 the last Jethro Tull show with John Evan, Barriemore Barlow and David Palmer took place at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. After that, Ian Anderson changed the line-up completely – only guitarist Martin Barre remained.

With David Palmer, John Evan started the band project Tallis, which didn’t succeed and so he decided to stop his career as a musician and founded his own construction company.

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Music Diary – 2nd November

Hey music lovers all around the world – welcome to my personal music diary!

Today on the 2nd November I added some very different styles of music to my collection – so you can see properly that my taste has no boundaries at all 😉

Back in 1992 I was very happy to get my copy of the 3-CD-Box-Set „20 Years Of Jethro Tull„! Before that I had this release „only“ on vinyl (5-LP-Box-Set) and this one features unheard rarities, B-Sides and rare live recordings. So it was a kind of „Holy Grail“ for us Tull fans all around the world.

On the 2nd November 2007 I bought the albums of the German bands Die Ärzte and Einstürzende Neubauten. „Jazz ist anders“ which features a bonus EP comes in a pizza box – typically for Bela B,, Farin Urlaub and Rod. „Alles wieder offen“ is another fantastic release by Blixa Bargeld and his backing band.

And in 2012 I received my signed copy of the Woodbox Gang album called „Glorious Scars„.

Well, now you can see that I am into any kind of music 😉

Cheers,

Alex Melomane