This Day in Music
Michael Fitzgibbon
Four album-fact pairings, three doses of Harrison, two non-album singles, and one Elvis magazine article, on this day in music.
Live at Max’s Kansas City
1972: The Velvet Underground release the retrospective live album, “Live at Max’s Kansas City,” recorded at the famous Park Av. South nightclub in New York’s Union Square neighbourhood on August 23, 1970. Bassist Doug Yule’s brother Billy plays drums on this LP as regular drummer Maureen Tucker was on maternity leave.
Peter Gabriel
1980: “Peter Gabriel,” the third studio album from Peter Gabriel and the third consecutive record using only his name as the title, is released. It is often nicknamed Melt for its front cover artwork. He would release one more album titled “Peter Gabriel” before choosing two-letter words for the titles of his next five mainstream studio albums.
Down in the Groove
1988: Bob Dylan releases his 25th studio album, “Down in the Groove.” Critics rated the album very low, but the track “Sylvio” is excellent. Recordings for the LP were made over the course of five years, going back to the sessions for the “Infidels” album in 1983.
Living in the Material World
1973: “Living in the Material World,” the fourth studio record from George Harrison is released. It became Harrison’s second No. 1 album in the United States. The lyrics reflect Harrison’s struggle for spiritual peace among his status as a global Rock and Roll superstar.
Paperback Writer
1966: “Paperback Writer,” with the excellent B-side “Rain,” is released as the 41st A/B single by The Beatles. Both songs also appear on the compilation album “Hey Jude,” which is made up of non-album singles, and is almost like a multi-year Beatles studio LP.
The Ballad of John and Yoko
1969: The Beatles non-album single “The Ballad of John and Yoko” is released. The song is a tale of John and Yoko’s wedding and honeymoon, including their first Bed-in for Peace in Suite 902 of the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel from March 25th to 31st of 1969, as documented by the international press.
The track also appears on the compilations “Hey Jude,” “The Beatles 1967-1970,” and “Past Masters.” John and Paul perform all instruments and vocals on the song, with Paul on drums. The B-side is “Old Brown Shoe,” also a non-album single.
Birthday
1955: Topper Headon, the talented, under-appreciated and creative drummer for English pop-punk band, The Clash, is born in Bromley (Kent), England. Happy 71st Birthday to Topper!
The Daily Elvis
1956: Time magazine publishes an article that attempts to explain the appeal and mystique of Elvis Presley, titled Teener’s Hero. Following a detailed analysis of Presley’s singing style, the author concludes, “...his movements suggest, in a word, sex.”
