Happy Birthday this week to:

Dec 20
1944 ● Bobby Colomby → Blood Sweat & Tears
1945 ● Peter Criss (Crisscoula) → KISS
1948 ● Stephen Wright → The Easybeats
1949 ● Alan Parsons → Alan Parsons Project
1957 ● Stephen William “Billy” Bragg → “She’s Leaving Home” (1988)
1966 ● Chris Robinson → Black Crowes

Dec 21
1940 ● Frank Zappa → Solo, Mothers Of Invention
1940 ● Ray Hildebrand → Paul & Paula
1942 ● Carla Thomas → “B-A-B-Y” (1966)
1943 ● Albert Lee → Thunderbirds, sessions, solo
1946 ● Carl Wilson → Beach Boys
1953 ● Betty Wright → “Clean Up Woman” (1972)
1965 ● Gabrielle “Gabby” Glaser → Luscious Jackson
1971 ● Brett Scallions → Fuel

Dec 22
1939 ● James Gurley → Big Brother & the Holding Company
1944 ● Barry Jenkins → The Animals
1946 ● Rick Nielsen → Cheap Trick
1949 ● Maurice Gibb → Bee-Gees
1949 ● Robin Gibb → Bee Gees
1957 ● Ricky Ross → Deacon Blue

Dec 23
1932 ● Reverend James Cleveland → Gospel singer
1935 ● Johnny Kidd (Frederick Heath) → Pirates, “Shakin’ All Over” (1960)
1935 ● Little Esther Phillips (Esther Mae Jones) → “Release Me” (1963)
1940 ● Eugene Record → Chi-Lites
1940 ● Jorma Kaukonen → Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna
1940 ● Tim Hardin → “How Can We Hang On To A Dream” (1966)
1943 ● Harry Shearer → Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap
1945 ● Ron Bushy → Iron Butterfly
1946 ● Luther Grosvenor (aka Ariel Bender) → Spooky Tooth, Mott the Hoople
1946 ● Robbie Dupree (Robert Dupuis) → “Steal Away” (1980)
1949 ● Robert Steven “Adrian” Belew → Talking Heads, King Crimson, solo
1951 ● Johnny Contardo → Sha Na Na
1958 ● Dave Murray → Iron Maiden
1958 ● Victoria Williams → Folk singer/songwriter
1964 ● Eddie Vedder → Pearl Jam

Dec 24
1920 ● Dave Bartholomew → New Orleans producer
1924 ● Lee Dorsey → “Working In The Cole Mine” (1966)
1944 ● Mike Curb → MGM Records head, producer
1945 ● Lemmy (Ian Frasier Kilminster) → Hawkwind, Motorhead
1946 ● Jan Akkerman → Focus
1957 ● Ian Burden → Human League
1963 ● Mary Ramsey → 10,000 Maniacs
1971 ● Ricky Martin → “Livin’ La Vida Loca” (1999)

Dec 25
1907 ● Cab Calloway → “Minnie The Moocher” (1931)
1929 ● Billy Horton → Silhouettes
1929 ● Chris Kenner → “I Like It Like That” (1961)
1937 ● O’Kelly Isley → Isley Brothers
1939 ● Bob James → Jazz-pop composer, bandleader
1943 ● Trevor Lucas → Fairport Convention
1944 ● Henry “The Sunflower” Vestine → Canned Heat, Mothers of Invention
1944 ● Kenny Everett (Maurice James Cole) → BBC Radio DJ
1945 ● Noel Redding → Jimi Hendrix Experience
1946 ● Jimmy Buffett → “Margaritaville” (1977)
1948 ● Barbara Mandrell → Country singer/songwriter
1948 ● Merry Clayton → Backup/session singer, solo
1954 ● Annie Lennox → Eurythmics
1954 ● Robin Campbell → UB40
1957 ● Shane MacGowan → Pogues
1971 ● Noel Hogan → The Cranberries
1972 ● Dido (Armstrong) → “Thank You” (2001)

Dec 26
1935 ● Abdul “Duke” Fakir → The Four Tops
1940 ● Phil Spector → Record producer
1946 ● Bob Carpenter → Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
1951 ● Paul Quinn → Saxon
1953 ● Steve Witherington → Ace
1963 ● Lars Ulrich → Metallica
1967 ● J. Yuenger → White Zombie
1969 ● Peter Klett → Candlebox
1979 ● Chris Daughtry → “It’s Not Over” (2006)

The Rascals were the quintessential 60s blue-eyed soul band, a blend of hard R&B with gospel influences, pounding rhythms and tight harmonies in the Motown and Memphis veins. In their peak years from 1966 through 1969, they released six Top 20 albums and thirteen self-composed Top 40 hits, including two #1’s (for a Rascals playlist, click here). But the internal desire to expand their music and the external pressure to retain relevance in the days of psychedelic rock caused the group to stray from their core competency – pop/soul singles – as the decade came to a close. Two experimental, near “concept” albums (1968’s Once Upon A Dream and March 1969’s Freedom Suite) delved into broader genres and were thus less focused on what the band did best. But they sold well anyway and each included a big single (“It’s Wonderful” and “People Got To Be Free,” respectively). With the release of their seventh LP, See, on December 15, 1969, the Rascals returned to their roots as a singles band, but it was too late. See was the beginning of the end and was the last Rascals’ album to have any measurable impact.

See is not a bad album at all, it just lacks a monster single or two to grab the listener and carry the band’s return to the gritty, exuberant white soul of their earlier albums. It’s available as a CD on Amazon (click here) but not on iTunes.

Happy Birthday this week to:
Dec 13
1940 ● Tony Gomez → Foundations
1945 ● Robert Martinez → ? and The Mysterians
1948 ● Andy Peebles → BBC Radio DJ
1948 ● Jeff “Skunk” Baxter → Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers
1948 ● Ted Nugent → Amboy Dukes, solo
1949 ● Randy Owen → Alabama
1949 ● Tom Verlaine → Television
1950 ● Davy O’List → The Nice, Roxy Music
1952 ● Berton Averre → The Knack

Dec 14
1932 ● Charlie Rich → “The Most Beautiful Girl” (1973)
1937 ● Warren Ryanes → Monotones
1943 ● Frank Allen → Searchers
1946 ● Jackie McAuley → Them
1946 ● Joyce Vincent-Wilson → Tony Orlando & Dawn
1947 ● Anna Marie “Patty” Duke → “Don’t Just Stand There” (1965), TV show
1949 ● Cliff Williams → AC/DC
1958 ● Mike Scott → The Waterboys
1958 ● Peter Stacy → Pogues

Dec 15
1915 ● Edith Piaf (Edith Giovanna Gassion) → “Milord” (1959)
1921 ● Alan Freed → Radio DJ, coined term “rock and roll”
1933 ● Jesse Belvin → “Goodnight My Love” (1956)
1939 ● Cindy Birdsong → The Supremes
1942 ● Dave Clark → Dave Clark Five
1946 ● Harry Ray → Moments
1946 ● Carmine Appice → Vanilla Fudge
1955 ● Paul Simonon → The Clash
1958 ● Don Johnson → Actor (Miami Vice), singer

Dec 16
1931 ● Karl Denver (Angus Murdo McKenzie) → “Wimoweh” (1961)
1943 ● Tony Hicks → The Hollies
1946 ● Benny Andersson → ABBA
1949 ● Billy Gibbons → ZZ Top
1972 ● Michael McCary → Boyz II Men

Dec 17
1936 ● Tommy Steele (Thomas William Hicks) → “Rock With The Caveman” (1956)
1937 ● Art Neville → Neville Brothers
1938 ● Carlo Little (Carl O’Neil Little) → First Rolling Stones drummer
1939 ● Eddie Kendricks → Temptations
1942 ● Paul Butterfield → Butterfield Blues Band
1947 ● Simon Bates → BBC Radio DJ
1948 ● Jim Bonfanti → The Raspberries
1949 ● Paul Rodgers → Free, Bad Company, Queen
1950 ● Carlton “Carlie” Barrett → Wailers
1958 ● Mike Mills → R.E.M.

Dec 18
1938 ● Bryan James “Chas” Chandler → The Animals, producer (Jimi Hendrix)
1941 ● Sam Andrew → Big Brother & The Holding Company
1942 ● Les Cauchi → Del Satins, Brooklyn Bridge
1943 ● Keith Richards → Rolling Stones
1953 ● Elliot Easton → The Cars, New Cars
1963 ● Greg D’Angelo → White Lion
1966 ● Steve Dullaghan → Primitives

Dec 19
1918 ● Professor Longhair (Henry Roeland Byrd) → New Orleans blues pianist
1940 ● Phil Ochs → “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” (1965)
1941 ● Maurice White → Earth, Wind & Fire
1944 ● Zalman “Zal” Yanovsky → Lovin’ Spoonful
1944 ● Alvin Lee → Ten Years After
1945 ● John McEuen → Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
1958 ● Limahl (Christopher Hamill) → Kajagoogoo

Happy Birthday this week to:
Dec 06
1920 ● Dave Brubeck →
1943 ● Michael George “Mike” Smith → Dave Clark Five
1944 ● Jonathan King → “Everyone’s Gone To The Moon” (1965)
1947 ● Kim Simmonds → Savoy Brown
1947 ● Miroslav Vitous → Weather Report
1952 ● Randy Rhoads → Quiet Riot
1956 ● Peter Buck → R.E.M.
1961 ● David Lovering → The Pixies
1962 ● Ben Watt → Everything But The Girl
1970 ● Ulf Ekberg → Ace Of Base

Dec 07
1942 ● Harry Chapin →
1942 ● Mike Nolan → Bucks Fizz
1949 ● Tom Waits →
1958 ● Timothy Butler → Psychedelic Furs

Dec 08
1921 ● Johnny Otis (John Veliotes) →
1925 ● Sammy Davis, Jr. →
1925 ● Jimmy Smith → Jazz player
1939 ● Jerry Butler → The Impressions, solo
1942 ● Bobby Elliot → The Hollies
1943 ● Jim Morrison → The Doors
1944 ● Mike Botts → Bread
1946 ● Graham Knight → Marmalade
1947 ● Geoff Daking → Blues Magoos
1947 ● Gregg Allman → Allman Brothers Band, solo
1949 ● Ray Shulman → Gentle Giant
1950 ● Dan Hartman → Edgar Winter Group
1956 ● Warren Cuccurullo → Duran Duran
1957 ● Phil Collen → Def Leppard
1959 ● Paul Rutherford → Frankie Goes To Hollywood
1962 ● Marty Friedman → Megadeath
1966 ● Sinead O’ Connor →

Dec 09
1934 ● Junior Wells →
1941 ● Sam Strain → The O’Jays
1941 ● Dan Hicks → Hot Licks
1943 ● Kenny Vance (Kenneth Rosenberg) → Jay & The Americans
1943 ● Rick Danko → The Band
1944 ● Neil Innes → Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band
1944 ● Shirley Brickley → The Orlons
1950 ● Joan Armatrading →
1955 ● Randy Murray → Bachman Turner Overdrive
1957 ● Donny Osmond →
1958 ● Nick Seymour → Crowded House
1969 ● Jakob Dylan → The Wallflowers
1972 ● Geoff Barrow → Portishead
1972 ● Tre Cool (Frank Edwin Wright III) → Green Day

Dec 10
1910 ● John Hammond Sr. →
1926 ● Guitar Slim (Eddie Jones) →
1941 ● Chad Stewart → Chad & Jeremy
1946 ● Ace Kefford → The Move, solo
1947 ● Walter Orange → Commodores
1948 ● Ralph Tavares → Tavares
1948 ● Jessica Cleaves → Friends of Distinction
1951 ● Johnny Rodriguez →
1958 ● Paul Hardcastle → “19″ (1985)
1972 ● Scot Alexander → Dishwalla

Dec 11
1926 ● Big Mama Thornton (Willie Mae Thornton) →
1940 ● David Gates → Bread
1944 ● Brenda Lee (Brenda Mae Tarpley) →
1954 ● Jermaine Jackson → Jackson 5
1958 ● Nikki Sixx → Motley Crue

Dec 12
1915 ● Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra →
1932 ● Charlie Rich →
1938 ● Connie Francis (Conetta Rosa Maria Franconera) →
1940 ● Dionne Warwick →
1941 ● Terry Kirkman → The Association
1942 ● Mike Heron → Incredible String Band
1943 ● Dave Munden → The Tremeloes
1943 ● Dickey Betts → Allman Brothers Band
1943 ● Grover Washington Jr. →
1944 ● Rob Tyner → MC5
1945 ● Tony Williams → Jazz drummer
1945 ● Alan Ward → Honeycombs
1946 ● Clive Bunker → Jethro Tull
1947 ● Ralph Scala → Blues Magoos
1947 ● Vin Scelsa → FM radio DJ (WNEW-fm New York)
1948 ● Ray Jackson → Lindisfarne
1949 ● Paul Rodgers → Free
1957 ● Cy Curnin → The Fixx
1957 ● Sheila E. (Sheila Escovedo) →
1959 ● Belouis Some → “Some People” (1985)
1963 ● Claudia Brucken → Propaganda
1963 ● Eric Schenkman → Spin Doctors

Capitol Records released the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour in the U.S. as a full length LP on November 27, 1967, less than six months after their groundbreaking and immensely enjoyable Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The album (a shorter 6 song version was released as an EP in the U.K. by Parlophone) was meant to be a soundtrack for a Paul McCartney-directed TV film of the same name, which turned out to be a total bust, was panned by the British press after it aired on Boxing Day 1967 and didn’t air in the U.S. until the mid-70s. But the album did very well in the U.S., becoming yet another #1 album for the Beatles and selling more copies in its first three weeks out than any other Capitol release to that time. Interestingly, the import version in the U.K. only made #31 on those charts.

Side B of Magical Mystery Tour featured five of the Beatles’ great singles from 1967, “Hello Goodbye,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Penny Lane,” “Baby You’re A Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love,” with the sixth, “I Am The Walrus” the last track on Side A. Also on the front side are McCartney’s sobering “Fool On The Hill” and George Harrison’s sweet “Blue Jay Way.”

Despite what its title may imply, Magical Mystery Tour was not a concept album in the vein of its predecessor Sgt. Pepper’s. But it’s a worthy follow-up with similar psychedelic-pop sounds and a wonderful source of the six single tracks and the other two. Magical Mystery Tour is available as a CD from Amazon (click here).

Badfinger was one of those woulda-coulda bands that had lots of promise but never was able to fully deliver on it. The British power pop group had three gifted songwriters (founder Pete Ham, bassist Tom Evans and guitarist Joey Molland), a potentially powerful record label (Apple Records) behind them, association with and support from label’s founders (the Beatles), a hit single (“Come And Get It,” January 1970) supplied by Paul McCartney, and three straight worldwide Top 10 albums in the early 70s. But by the time Badfinger’s fifth album (including one issued as the Iveys), Ass was released on November 26, 1973, the bottom was falling out. The band had allowed a series of management missteps, they’d gone through one producer after another (including Todd Rundgren) without developing a consistent, sustainable sound, serious friction within the group was developing from frustration with their predicament, and Apple was in financial trouble after the Beatles’ dissolution in 1970. (The pressure eventually proved too much for Ham, who committed suicide less than 18 months after Ass was released).

Ham and his cohorts self-produced Ass, which didn’t help their cause. Plus, it was the last record released by Apple and received little promotional support from the label. But it’s a good early 70s power pop album, slightly harder and faster than the trademark pop-rock harmonies of its predecessor, Straight Up (their best work). Ass is available as a CD from Amazon (click here).

Happy Birthday this week to:
Nov 22
1941 ● Jessie Colin Young (Perry Miller) → The Youngbloods, solo
1942 ● Floyd Sneed → Three Dog Night
1946 ● Aston “Family Man” Barrett → The Wailers
1947 ● Rod Price → Foghat
1950 ● Little Steven Van Zandt → E Street Band
1950 ● Tina Weymouth → Talking Heads
1957 ● Sharon Bailey → Amazulu
1968 ● “Rasha Don” Norris → Arrested Development

Nov 23
1940 ● Freddie Marsden → Gerry & The Pacemakers
1954 ● Bruce Hornsby →

Nov 24
1898 ● Scott Joplin → Ragtime pianist/composer
1928 ● Michael Holliday (Michael Milne) → “The Story of My Life” (1957)
1939 ● Jim Yester → The Association
1941 ● Donald “Duck” Dunn → Booker T & the MGs
1941 ● Pete Best → “The 5th Beatle”
1942 ● Billy Connolly → Cover of “D.I.V.O.R.C.E.” (1975)
1943 ● Robin Williamson → Incredible String Band
1955 ● Clem Burke (Clement Bozewski) → Blondie, The Plimsouls, The Ramones
1957 ● Chris Hayes → Huey Lewis & The News
1958 ● Carmel McCourt → “Bad Day” (1983)
1962 ● John Squire → Stone Roses

Nov 25
1941 ● Percy Sledge → “When A Man Loves A Woman” (1966)
1943 ● Roy Lynes → Status Quo
1944 ● Bev Bevan → Black Sabbath, Electric Light Orchestra
1947 ● Val Fuentes → It’s A Beautiful Day
1959 ● Steve Rotheram → Marillion
1960 ● Amy Grant →
1966 ● Stacey Lattishaw → “Jump to the Beat” (1980)

Nov 26
1939 ● Tina Turner →
1944 ● Alan Henderson → Them
1945 ● John McVie → Fleetwood Mac
1946 ● Burt Ruiter → Focus

Nov 27
1935 ● Al Jackson → Booker T. & The MGs
1942 ● James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix →
1944 ● Eddie Rabbitt (Edward Thomas) → “I Love a Rainy Night” (1980)
1945 ● Randy Brecker → Blood, Sweat & Tears, Brecker Brothers
1948 ● Dave Winthrop → Supertramp
1959 ● Charlie Burchill → Simple Minds
1960 ● Ashley Ingram → Chairmen Of The Board, Imagination
1961 ● Princess (Desiree Heslop) → “Say I’m You Number One” (1985)
1962 ● Charlie Benante → Anthrax
1962 ● Mike Bordin → Faith No More
1965 ● Fiachna O’Braonian → Hothouse Flowers

Nov 28
1929 ● Berry Gordy, Jr. → Motown Records founder
1936 ● Roy McCurdy → Blood, Sweat & Tears
1940 ● Bruce Channel → “Hey Baby” (1962)
1940 ● Glen Curtis → Fortunes
1943 ● Randy Newman → “Sail Away” (1972)
1944 ● R.B. Greaves → “Take a Letter Maria” (1969)
1947 ● Gary Taylor → The Herd
1948 ● Beeb Birtles → Little River Band
1949 ● Paul Shaffer → Band leader
1962 ● Matt Cameron → Soundgarden
1968 ● Dawn Robinson → En Vogue

Happy Birthday this week to:
Nov 15
1932 ● Petula Clark → “Downtown” (1964)
1933 ● Clyde McPhatter → The Drifters, solo
1945 ● Annafried Andersson → ABBA
1949 ● Steve Fossen → Heart, Alias
1954 ● Tony Thompson → Chic
1957 ● Joe Leeway → Thompson Twins

Nov 16
1916 ● Herb Abramson → Atlantic Records co-founder
1933 ● Garnett Mimms → “Cry Baby” (1963)
1938 ● Toni Brown → The Joy of Cooking
1938 ● Troy Seals → Country songwriter
1943 ● Blue Lovett → Manhattans
1949 ● Patti Santos → It’s A Beautiful Day
1962 ● Mani (Gary Mounfield) → The Stone Roses

Nov 17
1937 ● Gerry McGee → The Ventures
1938 ● Gordon Lightfoot →
1942 ● Bob Gaudio → The Four Seasons
1944 ● Gene Clark → The Byrds
1946 ● Martin Barre → Jethro Tull
1947 ● Robert “Stewkey” Antoni → The Nazz, Utopia
1947 ● Rod Clements → Lindisfarne
1956 ● Peter Cox → Go West
1960 ● RuPaul (RuPaul Andre Charles) →
1967 ● Ronnie DeVoe → Bell Biv DeVoe
1980 ● Isaac Hanson → Hanson

Nov 18
1927 ● Hank Ballard → The Midnighters
1949 ● Herman Rarebell → Scorpions
1950 ● Rudy Sarzo → Quiet Riot, Whitesnake
1960 ● Kim Wilde → “Kids In America” (1982)
1962 ● Kirk Hammett → Metallica

Nov 19
1937 ● Ray Collins → Mothers of Invention
1943 ● Fred Lipsius → Blood Sweat & Tears
1946 ● Joe Correro, Jr. → Paul Revere & The Raiders

Nov 20
1942 ● Norman Greenbaum → “Spirit In The Sky” (1970)
1944 ● Mike Vernon → Blue Horizon
1946 ● Duane Allman →
1946 ● Ray Stiles → The Hollies
1947 ● Joe Walsh → James Gang, solo, Eagles
1950 ● Gary Green → Gentle Giant
1954 ● Frank Marino → Mahogany Rush
1961 ● Paul King → “Love & Pride” (1984)
1965 ● Mike D (Michael Louis Diamond) → Beastie Boys
1965 ● Sen Dog (Senen Reyes) → Cypress Hill

Nov 21
1940 ● Dr. John (Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr.) →”In The Right Place” (1973)
1941 ● David Porter → Stax writing partner with Isaac Hayes
1948 ● John “Rabbit” Bundrick → Sessions, solo, Free, The Who
1948 ● Lonnie Jordan → War
1950 ● Gary Pihl → Boston
1950 ● Livingston Taylor → “I Will Be In Love With You” (1978)
1957 ● Jim Brown → UB40
1965 ● Bjork Gundmundsdottir → The Sugarcubes, solo
1965 ● Peter Koppes → The Church
1967 ● Margret Ornolfsdottir → The Sugarcubes
1968 ● Alex James → Blur

The Monkees’ fourth album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., was released on November 14, 1967. It’s one of the best pop-rock albums of the 60s. But mention the Monkees and most people think of the wacky TV show, the “band” manufactured specifically to star in the show, and the string of mid-60s upbeat, pop-rock tunes that were credited to the Monkees but on which none of the band’s members supposedly played any instruments. That’s only partially true, but the depth of the contributions by Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones and Peter Tork is always lost amidst the derision from many critics and purists to the “Pre-Fab Four.” Yes, they had little artistic control and musical effort in their first two albums, but they demanded and one freedom for their third release, Headquarters, in May 1967, writing half the songs and playing all the music themselves. And on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. they were so confident that they featured mostly covers on the album’s 13 original cuts and actually invited studio musicians to supplement their own musicianship.

Never sell the Monkees short. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. is a great album with a mix of styles (reflecting the disparate musical interests of the individuals). It was the fourth #1 album in less than 14 months for the band, and represents the only time in music history that all of any band’s first four albums went #1. Not even the real Fab Four can say that. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. is available as download tracks from iTunes (click here) and as a CD from Amazon (click here).

Prince found national prominence with his October 27, 1982 release, 1999, which set the table for his blockbuster 1984 LP, Purple Rain (check my Prince playlist at www.DrRock.com).

A double album, 1999 was Prince’s first Top 10 release (it peaked at #9) and the fifth best-selling album in all of 1983. And rightly so. 1999 is great electro-pop-R&B-soul as only Prince (or Michael Jackson) could deliver. Prince beat Michael’s Thriller LP into the record stores by all of five weeks, giving him a leg up of sorts in the race for supremacy atop the Top 80s R&B charts. Of course, Jacko ultimately won that contest, but not before Prince and 1999 delivered three big, enduring hits: the title track, “Little Red Corvette” and “Delirious,” plus the lesser hit “Let’s Pretend We’re Married.” The album benefited from heavy airplay on the-fledgling MTV, which was barely 15 months old when 1999 came out. Rolling Stone Magazine lists 1999 as #163 on its Top 500 Albums. Jacko’s Thriller is #20.

1999 is available as download tracks from iTunes (click here) and as a CD from Amazon (click here).

The Beach Boys (and Capitol Records) issued three separate albums in a seven month period in 1963, Surfin’ U.S.A. in March, Surfer Girl in September and Little Deuce Coupe on October 21. That’s a lot of surf oriented vinyl on the market in such a short period, all the more so considering the band’s debut album, Surfin’ Safari came out in October 1962 (making it four albums in 12 months!). But the rebirth of rock ‘n roll and Beatlemania were in full swing in the summer of ’63. America’s youth craved anything with a beat and harmonies with young studs to sing them. Capitalizing on the Beach Boys’ growing popularity was a smart decision with generally positive results; Little Deuce Coupe spent 49 weeks on the Billboard pop music chart, peaking at #4. Interestingly, the three best songs on the album, the title track, “409” and “Shut Down” all appeared on the previous albums, but the public didn’t seem to mind.

To view and download my Beach Boys playlist from the Playlist Vault at DrRock.com, click here.

Little Deuce Coupe is available as download tracks from iTunes (click here) and as a CD from Amazon (click here).

I was lucky enough to be chattting to a great singer about a year ago.

I was sitting in a karaoke bar in Cologne. Yes I freely admit that I enjoy going to these places of false  super stardom. And up stood this very dark skinned man. He was smiling happily and seemed to be clearly not aware that he was about to destroy a song sung by some old great legend.  The destroying the song was not the surprise but the confidence with which he was about to do it was the unusual part.

He began. ” long tones that were clear and charismatic in their expression knocked me and everyone into the room almost literally, to the floor. This was no “karaoke singer”. This was not just a professional bu a world class singer. Even more shocking was that he was in a karaoke bar in Cologne and had waited humbly for his turn to join the happy club of people who like to get to know each other through the medium of musical impersonation, only this was no impersonator.

After a few songs that evening I began to realise that his face was familiar. I had seen him on television.  Yes he was that guy that came in the top 10 of the 2007/8 show in America “America’s Got Talent”, right there with the biggest smile on his face chatting with anyone who wanted to, no allures joining in to life in Germany’s 4th largest city.

At some point we got taking.  I am normally half “off duty” after midnight and this was well into the early morning. I he asked me what I did and I just told him I had just finished my MBA and was developing a music management business. I expected that usual “Oh how nice!”. I mean, someone like him must be represented by Simon Cowell or Sharon Osborne. I was amazed when he asked me if I could do anything for him.

That was how I came to represent Robert Hatcher in Europe.

Fleetwood Mac scored two chart-topping albums in the late 70s, their self-titled “debut” in 1975 and the massively popular Rumours in 1977. Despite riding a huge wave of rock popularity, any chance of three-in-a-row was largely squelched by the semi-incestuous turmoil tearing at the band in the wake of Rumours, plus the decision to issue a double album with Lindsey Buckingham providing most of the creative direction. The result, Tusk (released on October 19, 1979) was too long, overly ambitious and musically uneven. While it sold handsomely and reached #4 in the US, it could have and should have been released as a single disc. The three hits from the album, Christine McVie’s “Think About Me” (#37), Buckingham’s “Tusk” (#8) and Stevie Nicks’ “Sara” (#7) might have fit nicely with “Angel,” “The Ledge”, “That’s Enough For Me” and another two or three McVie floating ballads to create a neat single disc package. The rest is weird and unnecessary Buckingham experimentation.

A Fleetwood Mac “Best Of…” playlist is in my Playlist Vault at DrRock.com. In addition, Tusk is available as download tracks from iTunes (click here) and as a CD from Amazon (click here).

Happy Birthday this week to:
Oct 18
1926 ● Chuck Berry →
1938 ● Ronnie Bright → The Coasters
1943 ● Russ Gigure → The Association
1947 ● Laura Nyro →
1961 ● Wynton Marsalis →

Oct 19
1934 ● David Guard → Kingston Trio
1944 ● Peter Tosh (Winston Hubert McIntosh) → “(You Gotta Walk) Don’t Look Back” (1978)
1945 ● Jeannie C. Riley → “Harper Valley PTA” (1968)
1946 ● Keith Reid → Procol Harum
1950 ● Patrick Simmons → Doobie Brothers

Oct 20
1945 ● Ric Lee → Ten Years After
1950 ● Tom Petty →
1951 ● Al Greenwood → Foreigner
1964 ● Jim “Soni” Sonefeld → Hootie and The Blowfish

Oct 21
1917 ● John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie →
1940 ● Manfred Mann (Manfred Lubovitz) → Earth Band, solo
1941 ● Steve Cropper → Booker T & the MGs
1942 ● Elvin Bishop → Paul Butterfield Blues Band, solo
1947 ● John “Rabbit” Bundrick → Free, solo, The Who
1952 ● Brent Mydland → Grateful Dead

Oct 22
1942 ● Annette Funicello →
1942 ● Bobby Fuller → Bobby Fuller Four
1945 ● Leslie West → Mountain, West Bruce & Laing
1946 ● Eddie Brigati → The Rascals

Oct 23
1939 ● Charlie Foxx → “Mockingbird” (1963)
1940 ● Fred Marsden → Gerry & The Pacemakers
1943 ● Greg Ridley → Humble Pie, Spooky Tooth
1956 ● Dwight Yoakham →
1959 ● Weird Al Yankovic →

Oct 24
1930 ● The Big Bopper (J. R. Richardson) →
1936 ● Bill Wyman → Rolling Stones
1944 ● Ted Templeman → Producer
1950 ● Dale “Buffin” Griffin → Mott The Hoople

Over the months its always great to see celebrities treated the same as everyone.  Currently our material girl Modonna is being sued over loud music at her apartment.   This might bring some anger to some of her fans, but if you think about it listening to the same song or even the same music can be tiresome.   I know we can all agree having a loud neighbor is sometimes….irksome. 

The amazing Madgesty ~ Madonna!

Guess its time to start renting a different location as your studio.  Besides with the money this girl makes…think she can afford it.

We loves u your Madgesty!

The Tremeloes (click here for today’s Vintage Video) had what it took to give The Beatles a run for their money in the mid-60s. Catchy tunes, good looks, respectably long hair, a supportive record label (Decca) and a growing legion of fans. But the recipe didn’t bake cake, and the Fab Four pasted the Tremeloes in the race to British Invasion superstardom. That left Brian Poole (lead singer and guitarist) and his bandmates to swallow their pride, which wasn’t hard to do with more than a dozen British #1’s and two Top 20 US hits. The Tremeloes broke up in 1970, just a few short years after they recorded this version of their hit cover of Cat Stevens’ “Here Comes My Baby” in 1967 for the BBC.

Dr. Rock’s take on the best 50 tracks from the British Invasion includes another Tremeloes hit song, “Silence Is Golden”, also from 1967.

Billy Joel’s first #1 album, 52nd Street, was released on October 13, 1978 (to see my B.J. playlist and albums, click here). Following on the breakout success of 1977’s The Stranger, Joel’s rise to superstardom was complete with 52nd Street. The album sold over two million copies in the first month after its release and won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1979. For those thrilled with Joel’s piano-based pop-rock, 52nd Street was and still is a triumphant album. Three Top 40 hits (#3 “My Life,” #14 “Big Shot” and #24 “Honesty”) drove radio airplay and sales, but the remaining tracks, including the jazzy “Zanzibar”, the staccato “Stiletto” and the ballad “Until The Night” are not filler by any stretch. In fact, those three are among the best of Joel’s recordings from the late 70s. 52nd Street is included at #352 on Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 500 albums of all time. It’s further distinguished by being the first rock album to be issued on CD when the new format entered commercial distribution in 1982. 52nd Street is available on Amazon (as a CD) and iTunes (as track downloads).

Happy Birthday this week to:
Oct 11
1949 ● Daryl Hall → Hall & Oates
1950 ● Andrew Woolfolk → Earth, Wind And Fire
1962 ● Scott Johnson → Gin Blossoms

Oct 12
1935 ● Sam Moore → Sam And Dave
1942 ● Melvin Franklin → The Temptations
1948 ● Rick Parfitt → Status Quo
1955 ● Pat DiNizio → The Smithereens
1960 ● Bob Mould → Husker Du, solo

Oct 13
1940 ● Chris Farlowe (John Henry Deighton) → “Out of Time” (1966)
1941 ● Paul Simon →
1944 ● Robert Lamm → Chicago
1947 ● Sammy Hagar → Montrose, solo, Van Halen
1950 ● Simon Nicol → Fairport Convention

Oct 14
1927 ● Bill Justis → “Raunchy” (1957)
1930 ● Robert Parker → “Barefootin’” (1966)
1940 ● Cliff Richard →
1945 ● Colin Hodgkinson → Whitesnake
1946 ● Justin Hayward → Moody Blues
1958 ● Thomas Dolby → “She Blinded Me With Science” (1982)
1965 ● Karyn White → “Superwoman” (1988)

Oct 15
1935 ● Barry McGuire → “Eve Of Destruction” (1965)
1938 ● Marv Johnson → “I’ll Pick a Rose For My Rose” (1968)
1942 ● Don Stevenson → Moby Grape
1946 ● Richard Carpenter → The Carpenters
1948 ● Chris de Burgh → “Lady in Red” (1986)
1953 ● Tito Jackson → The Jackson 5

Oct 16
1937 ● Emile Ford (Emile Sweetman) → The Checkmates
1942 ● Dave Lovelady → The Fourmost
1943 ● C.F. Turner → Bachman-Turner Overdrive
1947 ● Bob “Ace” Weir → Grateful Dead
1953 ● Tony Carey → Rainbow
1960 ● Gary Kemp → Spandau Ballet
1962 ● Flea (Michael Peter Balzary) → Red Hot Chili Peppers
1969 ● Wendy Wilson → Wilson Phillips

Oct 17
1941 ● Jim Seals → Seals & Crofts
1942 ● Gary Puckett → Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
1946 ● James Tucker → The Turtles
1968 ● Ziggy Marley →
1972 ● Wyclef Jean → The Fugees, solo

Happy Birthday this week to:
Oct 04
1929 ● Leroy Van Dyke → “Walk On By” (1962)
1947 ● Jim Fielder → Blood, Sweat & Tears, sessions
1957 ● Barbara K. MacDonald → Timbuk 3
1962 ● Jon Secada

Oct 05
1936 ● George Jones Jr. → The Edsels
1938 ● Carlo Mastrangelo → The Belmonts
1942 ● Richard Street → The Temptations
1943 ● Steve Miller
1947 ● Brian Johnson → AC/DC
1949 ● Brian Connolly → Sweet
1954 ● Bob Geldof → Boomtown Rats
1957 ● Lee Thompson → Madness

Oct 06
1917 ● Bob Neal → Early Elvis Presley manager
1946 ● Millie Small → “My Boy Lollipop” (1964)
1950 ● Thomas McClary → The Commodores
1951 ● Kevin Cronin → REO Speedwagon
1954 ● David Hidalgo → Los Lobos

Oct 07
1941 ● Tony Sylvester → The Main Ingredient
1945 ● Kevin Godley → 10CC
1949 ● David Hope → Kansas
1951 ● John “Cougar” Mellencamp
1953 ● Tico Torres → Bon Jovi
1968 ● Thom Yorke → Radiohead
1968 ● Toni Braxton

Oct 08
1934 ● Doc Green → The Drifters
1942 ● Reese Francis “Buzz” Clifford → “Babysittin’ Boogie” (1961)
1948 ● Johnny Ramone (John Cummings) → The Ramones
1949 ● Hamish Stuart → Average White Band
1950 ● Robert “Kool” Bell → Kool & The Gang
1965 ● C.J. Ramone (Christopher John Ward) → The Ramones

Oct 09
1937 ● Pat Burke → The Foundations
1939 ● Overton Vertis “O.V.” Wright → “That’s How Strong My Love Is” (1964)
1940 ● John Lennon
1944 ● John Entwistle → The Who
1948 ● Jackson Browne
1969 ● Polly Jean “P.J.” Harvey
1975 ● Sean Ono Lennon
1984 ● Nona Hendryx → Labelle

Oct 10
1946 ● John Prine
1946 ● Keith Reid → Procol Harum
1953 ● Midge Ure → Ultravox
1954 ● David Lee Roth → Van Halen
1961 ● Martin Kemp → Spandau Ballet
1967 ● Mike Malinin → Goo Goo Dolls

Alphonse Mucha
Richard MacDonald
Norman Rockwell
edward hopper
Andrew Wyeth
Sean Scully
Jack B
Beardsley
Frank Frazetta
Maxfield Parrish
Michael Pape
Louise Dandurand
Fujio F Fujimoto
boticelli ♥♥♥
John William Waterhouse♥♥♥
Logan hicks
Egon Schiele
Honoré Daumier
Sam Scherer
Banksy
Auguste Rodin
Maya Lin

Shindig. Hulabaloo. Soul Train. Kraft Music Hall. The Midnight Special. Remember them? They’re all iconic 60s and 70s TV music programs that aired on the major U.S. networks and featured the hottest bands of the day lip-synching and fake playing their way through the hits of the day. And the Dave Clark Five’s appearance (click here) on Shindig in 1965 was typical of a mid-60s British Invasion challenge to the Beatles’ dominance. “Catch Us If You Can” was the DC5’s good-time signature song and made it to #4 in the U.S. in the fall of 1965. Shindig aired on ABC for about 18 months until January 1966 when it was replaced by a new series called Batman. Holy cow!

For a time in the early 70s, Cat Stevens was the hottest folk-rock artist on either side of the Atlantic. Born Steven Demetre Georgiou, he took the stage name Cat Stevens in the mid-60s just as he was launching his musical career on the London club scene. His run of five Top 10 albums, Tea For the Tillerman (1970), Teaser And The Firecat (1971), Catch Bull At Four (September 27, 1972), Foreigner (1973) and Buddha And The Chocolate Box (1974) garnered millions of units sold, several Top 40 hits, and awards for songwriting, particularly with the oft-covered single “The First Cut Is The Deepest,” which Stevens wrote in 1967 and received ASCAP awards for songwriter of the year in 2005 and 2006. Catch Bull At Four came at the peak of Steven’s career, following the massively popular Tea For The Tillerman and Teaser And The Firecat, which blended folk, light rock and easy listening sounds and allowed Stevens to find avid listeners on both AM and FM radio. Although it hit #1 in the U.S., Catch Bull At Four was something of a letdown after the previous two albums and signaled the beginning of the end. Stevens seemed to lose the magic and delve deeper into religious themes and harder, non-pop sounds, and the album sold well for only a short time. The last two of the five album run plus a Greatest Hits release in 1975 were all that was left. Two modest sellers, Numbers (1976) and Izitso (1977) preceded Stevens’ announcement of his conversion to Islam, a name change to Yusuf Islam, and an official retirement from public performances. He finally released a retrospective album in 1990 and two studio works in 2006 and 2009, but the glory days were gone. Cat Stevens is in the Playlist Vault on DrRock.com. Catch Bull At Four is available as a CD on Amazon and as download tracks on iTunes.

English pop artist in Miami, America, travelling through America doing murals. Available for commissions.

Happy Birthday this week to:
Sep 20
1946 ● Sylvia Peterson The Chiffons
1949 ● Chuck and John Panozzo Styx
1959 ● Alannah Currie Thompson Twins
1967 ● Matthew and Gunnar Nelson Nelson (sons of Ricky Nelson)

Sep 21
1932 ● Don Preston Mothers of Invention
1934 ● Leonard Cohen
1947 ● Don Felder Eagles

Sep 22
1913 ● Leroy Holmes 50s hitmaker
1930 ● Joni James (Giovanna Carmella Babbo) “You Are My Love” (1954)
1949 ● David Coverdale Whitesnake
1956 ● Debbie Boone “You Light Up My Life” (1977)
1960 ● Joan Jett “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll (1981)

Sep 23
1930 ● Ray Charles
1939 ● Roy Buchanan Underrated blues-rock guitarist
1940 ● Tim Rose “Morning Dew” (1967)
1943 ● John Banks The Merseybeats
1943 ● Julio Iglesias
1946 ● Anthony “Duster” Bennett British blues-rocker
1949 ● Bruce Springsteen
1970 ● Ani DeFranco

Sep 24
1931 ● Anthony Newley Actor, singer, pop songwriter
1940 ● Barbara Allbut The Angels
1941 ● Linda McCartney
1942 ● Gerry Marsden Gerry & The Pacemakers
1942 ● Phyllis Allbut The Angels
1946 ● Jerry Donahue Fairport Convention

Sep 25
1943 ● John Locke Spirit, Nazereth
1945 ● Onnie McIntyre Average White Band
1955 ● Steve Severin Siouxsie and the Banshees, solo
1968 ● Will Smith Rapper aka The Fresh Prince, TV/film star

Sep 26
1889 ● George Gershwin
1925 ● Marty Robbins (Martin David Robertson) “El Paso” (1959)
1945 ● Bryan Ferry Roxy Music
1948 ● Olivia Newton-John
1954 ● Cesar Rosas Los Lobos
1954 ● Craig Chaquico Jefferson Starship