Monday, November 21, 2011

Nov 21 - Today in Rock-n-Roll History...

1955, RCA Records purchased Elvis Presley's recording contract from Sam Phillips at Sun Records for an unprecedented sum of $35,000.


1960, The Beatles played at the Kaiserkeller Club in Hamburg, Germany without George Harrison. Harrison had been deported on this day for being underage (he was 17) and not legally allowed to remain in a nightclub after midnight.

1969, The Doors played the first of two nights at the Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden, New York City.

1970, The Partridge Family started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Think I Love You'. The song was featured in the first episode of the Partridge Family TV series, made by the same company that made The Monkees.

1970, Two months after his death Jimi Hendrix was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Voodoo Chile' the guitarist's only UK No.1 single.

1975, At the start of Elton John week in Los Angeles, the singer received a Star on Hollywood's Walk Of Fame.

1981, Olivia Newton John started a ten week run at No.1 in the US singles chart with 'Physical', the singers fourth US No.1 went on to sell over 2 million copies.

1981, Queen and David Bowie were at No.1 in the UK with 'Under Pressure. They recorded the song together when both acts were working in a German recording studio. It was David Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist.

1983, Michael Jackson's 14-minute video for 'Thriller', was premiered in Los Angeles.

1988, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page set out on his first ever-solo tour at The Hummingbird, Birmingham, appearing with John Miles and the son of Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, Jason Bonham.

1990, Mick Jagger married Jerry Hall in Bali. The marriage was declared 'null and void' on 13th August 1999 after a judge ruled that the six- hour ceremony in Bali was never registered.

1991, Aerosmith made a guest appearance in the Simpson's TV animated comedy.

1995, Matthew Ashman, former Adam And The Ants and Bow Wow Wow guitarist died aged 35 from complications caused by diabetes. Bow Wow Wow had the 1982 hit ‘I Want Candy’.

1995, Legendary manager of Led Zeppelin Peter Grant died from a heart attack aged 60. Known as being one of the shrewdest and most ruthless managers in rock history, Grant secured 90% of concert gate money and intimidated record store owners who dealt in bootlegs. The former wrestler, also worked as a film extra and bodyguard. During the early 60’s Grant worked as a tour manager for Bo Diddley, The Everly Brothers, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and The Animals.

1995, The Beatles Anthology 1 was released in the US, featuring 60 tracks including the single 'Free As A Bird.' 

1995, Bruce Springsteen kicked off his Ghost of Tom Joad Tour at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the first of 128 shows.

2003, An acoustic guitar on which the late Beatle George Harrison learned to play fetched £276,000 at a London auction. His father originally bought the Egmond guitar for Harrison for £3.50. Another item auctioned was a signed invitation to the post-premiere celebrations for The Beatles Hard Days Night film, which went for £17,250.

2003, Record producer Phil Spector appeared before a California court and was formally charged with murder. B-movie actress Lana Clarkson had been found at his mansion in February of this year with a fatal gunshot wound to her face. Spector pleaded not guilty to her murder during a brief hearing in Alhambra, near Los Angeles and was released on $1m bail.

2007, The Red Hot Chili Peppers were suing a US network over the name of its TV show, Californication saying the title was "immediately associated in the mind of the consumer" with its 1999 album and single release. The band filed a lawsuit against Showtime Network - the makers of the TV show, which featured David Duchovny as a writer going through a mid-life crisis. "For some TV show to come along and steal our identity is not right," said the band's singer, Anthony Kiedis. He described Californication as "the signature CD, video and song of the band's career".

Happy Rock-n-Roll Birthdays to...
1940, Dr John, (Malcolm John Rebennack)
1948, Lonnie Jordan, War
1965, Bjork Gudmundsdottir
1967, Margret Ornolfsdottir, The Sugarcubes
1968, Alex James, Blur
1970, Francis Macdonald, drummer, Teenage Fanclub, The Pastels

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