This is the week that was in matters musical …
1966, the cops bust The Psychedelic Shop in Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco … they’re looking for The Love Book, a collection of poetry said to be obscene … the Monkees’ eponymous first album becomes the number one LP in the land … it will spend 12 weeks there until reinforcements arrive in the form of More of the Monkees …
1967, this is the week a real magical mystery tour took to the road: The Jimi Hendrix Experience (letting his freak flag fly), Pink Floyd (with Syd Barrett still leading the madness), The Move (known for smashing TVs and old cars onstage), and The Nice (with Keith Emerson knifing his organ) begin a series of concert dates in England … from the One Hit Wonders Department is a tune with a catchy beat and off-the-wall lyrics that befit the times … The Hombres, who had all gone to high school together in Memphis, are touring the USA as Ronny and the Daytonas when they hear Bob Dylan’s "Subterranean Homesick Blues" on the radio and figure they can do the same … they take the popular phrase "let it all hang out," string together some nonsensical lyrics recited over a simple three chord background and then "Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)" … sample lyric: "It’s rainin’ inside a big brown moon, how does that mess you baby up leg, eatin’ a Reuben sandwich with sauerkraut, don’t stop now baby, let it all hang out" … the record reaches #12 this week on the pop chart … the follow-ups flop and The Hombres go their separate ways …
1969, in Los Angeles, The Rolling Stones are videotaped miming with their instruments while Mick Jagger sings live to backing tracks of "Gimme Shelter," "Love In Vain," and "Honky Tonk Women" … the Stones’ tunes are broadcast a week later on the CBS-TV program The Ed Sullivan Show … no word that Ed had them clean up any lyrics as he did in 1967 when Mick had to sing (while rolling his eyes to signal his disdain) "let’s spend some time together" while performing their then-current hit "Let’s Spend The Night Together" …
1977, the Ramones release their third album Rocket To Russia … it contains the hit "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker," as well as "Teenage Lobotomy," and two covers: Bobby Freeman’s "Do You Wanna Dance" and "Surfin’ Bird" by the Trashmen … the album is co-produced by Tommy Ramone (Erdelyi) and Tony Bongiovi (pronounced Bon Jovi) …
1978, the debut album by the Police, Outlandos D’Amour, hits the record racks … the lead-off single is "Roxanne" …
1980, Bob Marley visits a New York hospital that specializes in cancer treatment … but the Marley camp claims he’s being treated for exhaustion … how about a song built around the phrase "crack that whip"? … Akron, Ohio’s very own New Wave weirdos Devo—two sets of brothers and a drummer—don flowerpot hats and crack the charts with "Whip It" – going to #14 on the pop charts … let’s have a synthesizer flourish and hit the key that plays the whip sound as we honor their One Hit Wonder-ness … in 2007, a re-done "Whip It" with new lyrics can be heard in TV commercials for Swiffer cleaning spray and for Taco Bell … now that’s de-volution …
1982, the all-girl group The Bangs from L.A. have to change their name … The Bangs from Philadelphia say they had the name first and get a court to issue an injunction … the L.A. group considers Forever Bangs and Shebangs before going with The Bangles … an already famous all-girl rock group The Go-Gos have a new album out— Vacation …
1986, The Bangles have a #3 hit in England with "Walk Like An Egyptian" … the song was rejected by Toni Basil, who could have added another hit to 1982’s #1 "Mickey" to move out of the One Hit Wonders clubhouse …
1990, Mick Jagger marries model Jerry Hall in Bali, Indonesia … they split in 1999 after Mick’s alleged extracurricular fatherhood …
1993, Nirvana videotapes an MTV Unplugged … it’s shot live in one take, mistakes included, and aired one month later …
1999, Doug Sahm dies in Taos, New Mexico, at age 58 … in 1965 he was lead singer-guitarist in Sir Douglas Quintet, a successful attempt to cash-in on the British Invasion … their big hit was "She’s About A Mover" … despite the British-sounding name, the group was comprised strictly of American lads from San Antonio, including several of Hispanic descent, a fact that was disguised on their album cover showing the band in silhouette … they didn’t look quite so English when they appeared on TV shows like Shindig and Hullabaloo … by then, nobody really cared, they were just digging the Tex-Mex sound … Doug also achieved some fame in the ’90s as the leader of the Texas Tornadoes including organist Augie Meyers from Sir Douglas as well as Freddie Fender and renowned Tex-Mex acordeonista Flaco Jimenez …
2003, legendary record producer Phil Spector is charged with the murder of Hollywood starlet Lana Clarkson … on September 26, 2007, a mistrial is declared in the case after the jury can’t reach a verdict … the Los Angeles County DA’s office says it will move to retry Spector …
2005, CBS airs the TV special I Walk the Line – A Night with Johnny Cash … the show features artists such as Kris Kistofferson, U2, Sheryl Crow, and Foo Fighters performing songs from the Man in Black’s repertoire …
2006, Robert Lockwood, Jr., dies from a brain aneurysm … as an 11-year-old, he was taught blues guitar by his "stepfather," the legendary Robert Johnson … Lockwood was adept at many styles including Delta blues, jump blues, jazz, and funk … in the ’50s he recorded as backup guitarist for Little Walter, Rice Miller (Sonny Boy II), Sunnyland Slim, and Roosevelt Sykes … in the 1960s he switched to playing blues on the 12-string guitar—something of a novelty … Fritz Richmond, best known for his washtub bass and jug work with the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, dies of lung cancer in Portland, Oregon … Richmond also recorded with Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, and the Grateful Dead … he also worked as a recording engineer for many artists including Warren Zevon and Bonnie Raitt …
And that was the week that was.
Arrivals:
November 15: elevator-music maestro Mantovani (1905), Ike Turner’s pianist Clayton Love (1927), Clyde McPhatter (1932), Petula Clark (1932), Little Willie John born William J. Woods (1937), Frida of ABBA (1945), bassist Steve Fossen of Heart (1949), Michael Cooper of Con Funk Shun (1952), Alexander O’Neal (1953), Tony Thompson of Chic (1954), Tonight Show bandleader Kevin Eubanks (1957), Joe Leeway of Thompson Twins (1957), Ol’ Dirty Bastard AKA Russell Jones of Wu-Tang Clan (1968)
November 16: W.C. Handy (1873), Atlantic Records veteran Jesse Stone (1901), Toni Brown of Joy of Cooking (1928), folksinger Bob Gibson (1931), long-time Howlin’ Wolf guitarist Hubert Sumlin (1931), Nashville producer Felton Jarvis (1934), Garnett Mimms (1937), John Ryanes of The Monotones (1940), George “Smitty” Smith of The Manhattans (1943), Winfred “Blue” Lovett of The Manhattans (1943), Will Ackerman (1949), Patti Santos of It’s a Beautiful Day (1949), Mani of The Stone Roses (1962), Diana Krall (1964), Bryan Abrams of Color Me Badd (1969), Trevor Penick of O-Town (1979)
November 17: Gordon Lightfoot (1938), Bob Gaudio of The Four Seasons (1942), Gene Clark of The Byrds (1944), Martin Barre of Jethro Tull (1946), Jim Babjak of The Smithereens (1957), Harry Rushakoff of Concrete Blonde (1959), RuPaul (1960), Jeff Buckley (1966), Ben Wilson of Blues Traveler (1967), Ronnie DeVoe of Bell Biv DeVoe (1967), Isaac Hanson of Hanson (1980)
November 18: Sir William Gilbert of the Gilbert and Sullivan writing team (1836), Eugene Ormandy (1899), Imogene Coca (1908), Hank Ballard (1927), Bob Sanderson of The Royaltones (1935), Herman Rarebell of The Scorpions (1949), Graham Parker (1950), John McFee of The Doobie Brothers (1953), John Parr (1954), Michael Ramos of The BoDeans (1958), Kim Wilde (1960), Kirk Hammett (1962), Duncan Sheik (1969), Fabolous (1979)
November 19: Tommy Dorsey (1905), gospel singer J.D. Sumner (1914), singer Ray Collins of The Mothers of Invention (1937), Pete Moore of The Miracles (1939), Graham Parker (1950), Matt Sorum of Guns N’ Roses (1960), Travis McNabb of Better Than Ezra (1969), Tamika Scott of Xscape (1975)
November 20: Dick Smothers (1939), Tony Butala of The Lettermen (1940), Norman Greenbaum (1942), Duane Allman (1946), Joe Walsh (1947), George Grantham of Poco (1947), Steve Ferguson of NRBQ (1949), Jim Brown of UB40 (1957), Todd Nance of Widespread Panic (1962), Mike “D” Diamond of The Beastie Boys (1965), Sen Dog of Cypress Hill (1965), songwriter Kevin Gilbert (1966), Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest (1970)
November 21: Coleman Hawkins (1904), R&B producer-manager Buck Ram (1907), blues and jazz pianist Lloyd Glenn (1909), vocalist-saxophonist “Big” John Greer (1923), Malcolm John Rebennack AKA Dr. John (1941), Lonnie Jordan of War (1948), Steve Ferguson of NRBQ (1949), Livingston Taylor (1950), Peter Koppes of The Church (1955), Stacy Guess of Squirrel Nut Zippers (1964), Bjork (1965), Blur’s Alex James (1968), Pretty Lou of Lost Boyz (1974), Kelsi Osborn of SHeDAISY (1984)
Departures:
November 15: composer-arranger Saul Chaplin (1997), disco producer Jacques Morali (1991)
November 16: British pop pianist Russ Conway (2000), Kid Rock sideman Joe C. AKA Joseph Calleja (2000), Gospel Music Hall of Fame member J.D. Sumner (1998), Dino Valenti of Quicksilver Messenger Service (1994), Francis Donia of Tavares (1984), raw-voiced soulman O.V. Wright (1980), music journalist Mike Leadbitter (1974)
November 17: singer Ruth Brown (2006), Stax soul singer Arthur Conley (2003), Terry Stafford (1996), blues scholar, producer, and label owner Pete Welding (1995), co-founder of RPM Records Jules Bihari (1984), bassist John Glascock of Jethro Tull (1979)
November 18: jazz pianist Cy Coleman (2004), Doug Sahm (1999), Alan Hull of Lindisfarne (1995), bandleader Cab Calloway (1994), prolific session drummer Freddie Waites (1989), Tom Evans of Badfinger (1983), Doug Roberts, drummer for Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs (1981), jazz singer Teddi King (1977), Danny Whitten of Crazy Horse (1972), Memphis bluesman “Little” Junior Parker (1971)
November 19: producer Terry Melcher (2004), songwriter Bobby Russell (1992), songwriter Carolyn Leigh (1983), Claude Feaster of The Chords (1975)
November 20: washtub bassist and jug player Fritz Richmond (2006), singer-songwriter Chris Whitley (2005), album cover artist Gene Greif (2004), Roland Alphonso of the Skatalites (1998), rock critic and blues producer Robert Palmer (1997), Chess and Vee-Jay Records session drummer Earl Phillips (1990)
November 21: Robert Lockwood Jr. (2006), Alvin Cash (1999), Matthew Ashman of Adam & the Ants and Bow Wow Wow (1995), Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant (1995)