Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 3rd February!
Pearl Jam (1992)
On the 3rd February 1992, Pearl Jam played their very first gig in Europe in Southend, England!
The show took place at The Esplanade Club and the concert was unannounced and unadvertised. Here’s the setlist of this legendary and secret warm up gig:
Wash
Once
Even Flow
State of Love and Trust
Alive
Black
Why Go
Jeremy
Outshined (Soundgarden)/Leash
Jam (Dirty Frank)
Porch
Release
Breath
300 lucky people witnessed this very special and historic moment in Rock history!
Pearl Jam’s first Europe tour was scheduled from 3rd February until 13th March 1992, by playing in eleven differerent countries (England, Scotland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Germany).
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The concert was recorded and released under the moniker „At Folsom Prison“ by Columbia Records in May 1968. The LP became one of Johnny Cash’s most famous and successful albums and it reached number one the country chart and the top 15 on the regular album chart.
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Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 23rd December!
Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam)
Happy birthday to Mr. Edward Louis Severson III, who is better known as Eddie Vedder! Eddie was born on the 23th December 1964 in Evanston (close to Chicago – Illinois) and he became and is still the frontman of the legendary Grunge band Pearl Jam. Beside that, he is doing also some solo stuff and various projects like his fantastic recording of the amazing soundtrack „Into the Wild“ (2007).
In the seventies he moved with his family to San Diego (California) and on his 12th birthday (1976) he received a guitar from his mother. So beside surfing, Eddie started to play music. Dropped out of high school, he moved to Chicago and changed his name into Vedder (his mother’s maiden name). In the eighties Eddie Vedder earned his high school GED and moved back to San Diego (1984). Beside his day jobs he started to record demo tapes. Four years later Eddie became the vocalist of the band Bad Radio. In 1990 Vedder left the band and crossed the paths of drummer Jack Irons, who became a close friend over the years. Irons handed him a demo tape from a group located in Seattle, which was looking for a singer. While listening to the music, Vedder wrote the lyrics for three new songs, recorded his singing and sent the tape back to Seattle. These tracks became later the Pearl Jam classics „Alive„, „Once“ and „Footsteps„.
Eddie Vedder get invited by Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, who were very impressed by his singing. At that time both were working with Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell on the band project Temple of the Dog. During the recording sessions for the self-titled album, Eddie and Chris did a duet for the song „Hunger Strike„. After that, the band Mookie Blaylock (featuring Eddie Vedder on vocals, Stone Gossard on guitar, bassist Jeff Ament, Mike McCready on second guitar and drummer Dave Krusen) was founded. On the 22nd October 1990 the first concert happened in Seattle at the Off Romp Café.
Shortly after this, the band changed the name into Pearl Jam and the quintet was signed to Epic Records. In March 1991 the Grunge Rockers started to record the epic debut album “Ten“. This LP was released on the 27th August 1991 and sold over 13 million times in the USA until today and marks the most successful album in Pearl Jam’s history.
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Welcomt to my Music Diary – today for the 7th December!
Tom Watis by Jesse Dylan
Happy birthday to Mr. Thomas Alan „Tom“ Waits, who was born on the 7th December 1949 in Pamona, California!
The American singer-songwriter, composer and actor is one of the most outstanding artitsts, who recorded 16 studio albums so far and acted in many movies. So he was „Zack“ beside John Lurie and Roberto Benigni in Jim Jarmusch’s masterpiece „Down by Law“ (1986). Tom Waits‚ trademark is his very distinctive voice, which was described by critic Daniel Durchholz as „like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car.“ Also his music sound has became very unique and idiosyncratic: From the classic bar piano sound it developed in a very special style which includes beside Rock also Blues, Jazz and Vaudeville.
In the sixties Waits played in a band called „The Systems“ and at the age of 21 he signed for Frank Zappa’s and Herb Cohen’s label Bizarre/Straight. His first demo recordings of that time became available on the two compilations „The Early Years, Volume One“ and „The Early Years, Volume Two„. Shortly after that, he signed to „Asylum Records“ for which he recorded his jazzy-folky debut „Closing Time“ (1973). The LP received very good reviews and other artists covered some songs: Tim Buckley recorded „Martha“ in the same year and The Eagles did their version of „Ol‘ ’55“ for the album „On the Border“ (1974). Tom Waits described his second album „The Heart of Saturday Night“ (1974) appropriately as „a comprehensive study of a number of aspects of this search for the center of Saturday night, which Jack Kerouac relentlessly chased from one end of this country to the other, and I’ve attempted to scoop up a few diamonds of this magic that I see.“
In August 1980 Tom Waits married the screenwriter Kathleen Brennan, who became a major influence on his songwriting and „Swordfishtrombones“ (1983) proved that. This new sound was refined for the next two albums, which became real milestones: „Rain Dogs“ (1985) and „Frank’s Wild Years“ (1987).
Five years after Waits‘ last studio album he recorded another masterpiece: „Bone Machine„. Critic Steve Huey (Allmusic) calls it „perhaps Tom Waits’s most cohesive album… a morbid, sinister nightmare, one that applied the quirks of his experimental ’80s classics to stunningly evocative – and often harrowing – effect. Waits‘ most affecting and powerful recording, even if it isn’t his most accessible.“ The LP received a Grammy in the „Best Alternative Album“ category.
The album „Mule Variations“ (1999) is another masterpiece. „Billboard“ described it as „backwoods blues, skewed gospel, and unruly art stomp into a sublime piece of junkyard sound sculpture.“ It won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album and sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide. In 2002 the two LPs „Alice„and „Blood Money“ hit the stores. All songs of these collections had been written almost ten years previously and were based on another theatrical collaborations with Robert Wilson.
„Real Gone“ followed in 2004 and it’s the first album by Tom Waits which features no piano. Two years later the rarities set „Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards“ was released. This 3-CD-set features unreleased and new compositions. In 2008 Tom Waits started his „Glitter and Doom Tour„, which lead him through the USA and Europe (see here some pictures, videos and reviews of his performance in Paris). In November 2009 the live album „Glitter And Doom Live„, which features a fine song selection of the tour, was released.
In October 2011 his new studio album „Bad As Me“ hit the stores. After „Real Gone“ this is the first LP which is consisting completely of brandnew material by Tom Waits. Also in 2011, Tom Waits was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 22nd November!
On the 22nd November 1993 the third studio album by Pearl Jam was released. „Vitalogy“ hit the stores only as a vinyl edition on this day and the album became the first LP to appear on the US chart since the CD relieved the old music format. The comapct disc edition (and also the MC release) of the new Pearl Jam album was available on the 6th December 1993. The 14 songs were recorded at different studios and finally produced by Brendan O’Brien. With 34,000 sold copies in its first week of release, „Vitalogy“ held the record until Jack White’s LP „Lazaretto“ (2014) for most vinyl sales in one week.
The „Rolling Stone“ gave „Vitalogy“ four of five stars. Writer Al Weisel described the LP as „a wildly uneven and difficult record, sometimes maddening, sometimes ridiculous, often powerful.“ In „The New York Times“ the album was praised for the diversity compared to the band’s previous records. Editor Jon Pareles judged: „Fast but brutal punk, fuzz-toned psychedelia and judicious folk-rock, all of it sounding more spontaneous than before“.
In 2011 the remasterd version of „Vitalogy“ (including the second Pearl Jam studio album „Vs.„) was released. The expanded version includes three bonus tracks and a copy of the concert „Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, April 12, 1994“ on DVD.
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 1st November!
Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Happy bday to Red Hot Chili Peppers singer and founding member Anthony Kiedis, who was born on the 1st November 1962 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In 1983 he founded the Funk Rock group with bass player Michael Balzary (named Flea), Hillel Slovak (guitar) and Jack Irons (drums). In Decmeber 1983 Slovak and Irons quit the band for concentrating on their other project called „What Is This?„. Cliff Martinez took over the drummer place while Jack Sherman was the new guitar player. On the 10th August 1984 the self titled debut was released which sold over 300,000 copies. After touring, the guitar player was exchanged again and Hillel Slovak celebrated his comeback. In 1985 the second studio album „Freaky Styley“ followed. With the third LP „The Uplift Mofo Party Plan“ (1987) the band has its first chart entry (Number 148). On the 25th June 1988 Slovak died of a heroin overdose and drummer Jack Irons left the band. Former Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers and new guitarist became DeWayne McKnight, who was quickly replaced by John Frusciante. Also the place behind the drums was took over by another new member – Mr. Chad Smith.
With „Mother’s Milk„, which was released on the 16ht August 1989, the breakthrough happened for the group. The album reached No. 52 in the USA. And two years later, the Red Hot Chili Peppers became with „Blood Sugar Sex Magik“ (produced by Rick Rubin) one of the most popular Rock bands of that time. Especially the two hit singles „Give it away“ and „Under the Bridge“ were big hits all around the world. And also with the following releases „One Hot Minute“ (1995), „Californication“ (1999), „By the Way“ (2002), „Stadium Arcadium“ (2006) and „I’m with You“ (2011) the group became more and more superstars.
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The young quintet shared the stage that night with the bands Bathtub Gin and Inspector Luv & The Ride Me Babies (who later became Green Apple Quickstep).
When you read Mookie Blaylock’s setlist of that show you will recognise some songs, I do guess:
Shortly after this, the band renamed into Pearl Jam and signed to Epic Records. In March 1991 the Grunge Rockers started to record the epic debut album „Ten„. This LP was released on the 27th August 1991 and sold over 13 million times in the USA until today and marks the most successful album in Pearl Jam’s history.
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 7th October!
On the 7th October 1995 the album „Jagged Little Pill“ by Alanis Morissette topped the US charts. This LP became a huge success for Alanis and the best sellig album every by a female artist – over 30 millions were sold worldwide.
Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 12th September!
Johnny Cash (26th February 1932 – 12th September 2003)
The 12th September 2003 is one of the saddest days in music history: The Man in Black, John R. „Johnny“ Cash, died at the age of 71 years in Nashville, Tennessee.
Cash was well known as the outstanding Country musician, but he was quite more than this. He knew no borders and especially his last albums, the legendary „American Recordings„, which were produced by Rick Rubin, prove that.
On the 22nd November 1993 the third studio album by 
Melomane Blog 