In 2009, the new variety show „Osbournes Reloaded“ for the Fox network happened. This series debuted on 31st March 2009, but it was canceled after the first episode. Now there are rumours, that eight new episodes will be filmed in 2015.
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.
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.
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 29th December!
Happy birthday to Marianne Evelyn Faithfull, who was born on the 29th December 1946 in Hampstead, London (UK). Marianne is working as a singer, songwriter and actress over six decades now. She became very well known during her relationship with Mick Jagger from The Rolling Stones (1966 until 1970).
In 1964 Marianne Faithfull startet her singing career and became quickly part of the Swinging London scene. At a party she met the Stones manager and producer Andrew Loog Oldham, who produced Marianne’s first single „As Tears Go By“ (released in June 1964), which was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The song became a hit and cracked the top ten UK chart.
Shortly after that, not only her relationship with the Stones frontman began – she also started taking drugs. Faithfull had a huge influence to Jagger’s songwriting – like the tracks „Wild Horses“ and „I Got the Blues“ from the masterpiece LP „Sticky Fingers“ (released in 1971). On this album is also the song „Sister Morphine„, which she co-wrote with Jagger. In May 1970 the relationship came to an end and Marianne Faithfull vanished more and more from the scene. Five years later her solo album „Dreamin‘ My Dreams“ was released and it peaked the Irish album chart. With the follow-up „Broken English“ (1979) she had a great comeback.
In the eighties, the albums „Dangerous Acquaintances“ (1981), „A Child’s Adventure“ (1983) and „Strange Weather“ (1987) hit the market. In 1990 the live recording „Blazing Away“ was released. Alanna Nash from the „Stereo Review“ wrote about it: „Faithfull’s gritty alto is a cracked and halting rasp, the voice of a woman who’s been to hell and back on the excursion fare which, of course, she has.“
Seven years later, her unique voice was featured on the Metallica song „The Memory Remains“ from their album „ReLoad „. And in 1998, the compilation „A Perfect Stranger: The Island Anthology“, featuring songs all over the last decades and some unreleased tracks, was released. Also in the 2000s the British singer recorded several albums – like „Before the Poison“ (2005), for which she coloborated with other artitst like PJ Harvey, Nick Cave and Damon Albarn.
Marianne Faithfull worked also as a successful actress: So she was nominated as „Best Actress“ (European Film Awards) for her role in „Irina Palm“ (2007).
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 3rd December!
Happy birthday to John Michael Osbourne, who is better known as „Ozzy„! The also called „Prince of Darkness“ was born on the 3rd December 1948 in Birmingham, UK. In the seventies the singer joined Black Sabbath, whose unique and very dark, heavy sound has been considered as one of the developers of the Heavy Metal genre. Until his leaving in 1979 he recorded many milestones with Black Sabbath, like „Paranoid„, „War Pigs“ (both 1970) and „Iron Man“ (1971).
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 21st November!
Aerosmtih
On the 21st November 1991 the tenth episode (3rd season) of “The Simpsons” was aired on the Fox Network in the USA. In this episode called „Flaming Moe’s„, Homer tells barkeeper Moe Szyslak of a very special cocktail that includes cough medicine. The drink has to beflamed – so he calls his new creation „Flaming Homer“. Typically for Moe, he steals the secret recipe from Homer and renames his new invention „Flaming Moe“. The drink becomes very fast a big seller at his tavern „Moe’s“ and Homer gets very angry at Moe for his betrayal – and he is seeking for revenge.
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 27th October!
Lou Reed (2nd March 1942 – 27th October 2013)
On the 27th October 2013, Lou Reed passed at the age of 71. In May of the same year he underwent a liver transplantation and it seems that Lou should recover. But five months later he died from liver disease.
Lewis Allan „Lou“ Reed was born on 2nd March 1942 in Brooklyn, New York. He was an autodidact and learned playing the guitar from the radio. In early years he was already interested in Rock’n’Roll, Ryhthm and Blues and also Jazz. In 1960 he started to study journalism, film directing and creative writing at Syracuse University (New York). Four years later he graduated with honors with a B.A.
In the same year he met the musicians John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison and drummer Maureen Tucker and they formed the band The Velvet Underground. Artist Andy Warhol crossed their paths shortly after the group has been founded and he suggested to add the female singer Nico into the line up. Warhol also helped Velvet Underground to get a record contract with MGM’s Verve Records.
On the 12th March 1967 the legendary debut album „The Velvet Underground & Nico“ featuring the banana artwork by Andy Warhol was released. The LP reached only No. 171 on the US charts but is still considered as one of the most important albums of all time. Almost all eleven songs became rock classics like „I’m waiting for the Man„, „Venus in Furs„, „All Tomorrow’s Parties“ or „Heroin„.
After the recording sessions Nico left the band and concentrated on her solo career. In 1968 the second Velvet Underground LP „White Light/White Heat“ (with the classic tracks „Sweet Jane“ and „Rock & Roll„) hit the shops. In March 1969 the self-titled album followed and after „Loaded“ (1970) Lou Reed left the band and started working as a solo artist. His biggest commercial success followed in 1972 with the album „Transformer“ and the hit „Walk on the Wild Side„.
Lou Reed recorded 21 studio albums until 2007. On 12th April he married Laurie Anderson and in 2011 he worked with Metallica for his last work „Lulu„.
Get your Lou Reed gear here (for Austrian customer):
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 27th September!
Clifford Lee Burton (10th February 1962 – 27th September 1986)
On the 27th September 1986 Metallica’s bass player 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.
Burton joined Metallica in 1982 and he contributed his bass lines for the first three studio albums „Kill ‚Em All“ (1983), „Ride the Lightning“ (1984) and „Master of Puppets„(1986). And for the song „To live is to die“, which is on the fourth album „…And Justice For All“ (1986), he received the poshumous writing credits. On the 4th April 2009 Burton was also inducted posthumously with Metallica into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Also he was selected as the 9th greatest bass player of all time in an online poll by the Rolling Stone magazine in 2001.
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 19th March!
On the 19th March 1982, guitarist and former Quiet Riot member Randy Rhoads died. The musician was killed in a plane crash.
Randy played that time in Ozzy Osbourne’s band and the whole entourage was touring through the USA. On the way to the next show in Orlando (Florida), they stopped on a property where on an airstrip some small helicopters and planes were parked. Andrew Aycock, the bus driver, took a test flight with keyboarder Don Airey and tour manager Jake Duncan. After a safe landing, Andrew took another flight – this time with guitarist Randy Rhoads and makeup artist Rachel Youngblood. During that flight the tragic happened: The plane buzzed over the tourbus, where Ozzy and the other band members were sleeping. After a second close pass the third didn’t succeed and one of the wings clipped the bus, broke and the plane was out of control and crashed into a near garage and bursted into flames. All three people were killed instantly and the bodies were burned beyond recognition. Randy Rhoads died at the age of only 26 years.
When I worked for the Austrian independent radio station B138 I invited several musicians for special radio performances – here you can stream some of the wonderful shows – enjoy!
In November 2009 Andrea Schroeder was our live guest for the radio show „Unerhört Spezial“ – stream it here:
The Songs:
„Blackbird“ (Studio)
„Blackbird“ (live)
„Rainlight“ (live)
„Farmen“ (from the Farmen album „Farmen“)
„Ghost Ship“ (live)
„Bebop Blues“ (Studio)
„Dark Nightingales“ (live)
„My Heart is just a Song“ (live)
„Then“ (live)
„Fly me to the Sky“ (Studio)
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In February 2010 Austrian musician Manuel Normal was our live guest – stream this very special unplugged show here:
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In 2010 Jazz singer Marina Zettl was our live guest – stream this very special unplugged show here:
The Songs:
1. Wonderful Day (live)
2. Too close (from „Fikus„)
3. Almost written (live)
4. Ride the Tide (from „Fikus„)
5. Fikus (live)
6. Love on a Landline (live)
7. Goodbye (from „Fikus„)
Line Up: Marina Zettl – Vocals
Thomas Mauerhofer – Guitar
Christian Bakanic – Accordion
ACHTUNG: The interview is in German!
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Also in 2010 the Austrian band Dealer performed in the studio of the radio b138 – stream this unplugged session here:
The Songs:
1. Dig a Hole (Studio Version)
2. Dig a Hole (live Unplugged at Radio B138)
3. Ain’t getting better (Studio Version)
4. Ain’t getting better (live Unplugged at Radio B138)
5. Desperately united (Studio Version)
6. Cocain Woman (live Unplugged at Radio B138)
7. Remedy (THE BLACK CROWES)
8. This is not California (live Unplugged at Radio B138)
9. The Weight (The Band Cover) (live Unplugged at Radio B138)
10. Coming ‚round again (live)
ACHTUNG: The interview is in German!
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In August 2010 Austrian musician Agnès Milewski was our live guest – stream this very special unplugged show here:
The Songs:
1. Ready steady go (Studio Version)
2. Chasing the Wind (live)
3. One God for me (Studio Version)
4. Learn to swim (live)
5. Falling from Grace (live)
6. Ugly duckling (live)
7. Not Andrea (Studio Version)
8. For Lucifer, the fallen (live)
Shortly after this show singer Medina Rekic was our guest and we did an interview, Medina played some of her favorite songs and also did a very fine unplugged solo performance!
For the Austrian independent radio station B138 I hosted the programme called „Unerhört„. It was a weekly feature and broadcasted 72 times. Here is a small selection of my personal favorites and for your streaming pleasure – enjoy 😉
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Follow this link to stream/download my radio show called “Die musikalische Buchstabensupe eines Melomanen”, which I hosted also for the Austrian independent radio station B138. It’s a series through my private music collection from A (like AC/DC) until Z (like ZZ Top). Also I recorded some other broadcasts, like a special about the release of Johnny Cash’s album “American Recordings VI – Ain’t No Grave” (ed. 2010) which features also some speeches of John Carter Cash, the son of the Man in Black. Also I did two broadcasts which features my personal favorites of the year 2010 – like Woven Hand, Munly & The Lupercalians, Clan Edison or Murder By Death. Tune in and enjoy!