Sunday, August 3, 2008

This Date In Music History- Aug 3

Birthdays:

Born on this day in 1966, Shirley Manson, vocals, Garbage.

Tony Bennett ("The Good Life") is 82.

Metallica's James Hetfield was born in L.A. in 1963.

Born on this day in 1941, Beverly Lee, The Shirelles.

History:

In 1971, Paul McCartney unveiled his new band, Wings, comprising Paul McCartney and Linda with Denny Laine (guitar) and Denny Seiwell (drums). Though there will be personnel changes, Paul McCartney and Linda remain loyal to the Wings rubric for the next ten years. Albums released during the Wings era: Wild Life (1971), Red Rose Speedway (1973), Band on the Run (1973), Venus and Mars (1975), Wings at the Speed of Sound (1976), Wings Over America (1976), London Town (1978), Wings Greatest (1978) and Back to the Egg (1979).

The Beatles appeared at The Cavern Club in Liverpool for the very last time on August 3, 1963. They had performed 274 concerts at the dingy, basement club since their debut there 2½ years earlier. Their first gig paid them 5 Pounds ($14) and their last brought in 300 Pounds ($840).

Ringo Starr received a gold record in 1971 for a tune he wrote himself, "It Don't Come Easy.”

Here's a weird gig Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band opened for Canadian songbird Anne Murray in New York in 1974. It's the last gig Bruce played with drummer Ernie "Boom Boom" Carter and keyboardist David Sancious.

"Get The Knack" and their single "My Sharona" topped the charts in 1979. (side note: The record collection of Knack drummer Bruce Gary is being pieced out at eBay- look for the user name "rockrules926" for Knack collectibles and an awesome vinyl record collection!)

In 1963, Allan Sherman released "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadda."

The Beach Boys released "Surfer Girl" in 1963.

Light on material for their third album, “Waiting For The Sun,” The Doors resurrect an early demo called “Hello, I Love You.” The re-recorded version went to #1 in the U.S. in 1968.

Arthur Lee, frontman for the influential late ‘60s group Love (best known for their album “Forever Changes”), died at age 61 in Memphis, TN in 2006, following a bout with leukemia. There had been a New York benefit concert for Lee only weeks earlier.

The Beach Boys released their final studio album of new material in 1992. "Summer in Paradise" did not sell well, partially because it was overshadowed by a Beach Boys box set released the following week.

In 1993, Motown Records was sold to the Dutch recording and entertainment company Polygram for $325 million. That was more than five times the $61 million Motown founder Berry Gordy got for the company when he sold it to an investment group in 1988.

In 1985, Madonna scored her first UK No.1 single with 'Into The Groove'. The track was taken from the movie 'Desperately Seeking Susan' which featured Madonna and Rosanna Arquette.

Bad Company went to No.1 on the US album chart in 1974 with their self-titled debut album.

The Tymes went to No.1 on the US singles chart in 1963 with 'So Much in Love' (it made No.21 on the UK chart).