This Day in Music

December 20th

A high bar for fundraising is set, legends get their due, and another legend goes straight. However, it’s still Black Monday on this day in music.

Releases

1971: "The Concert for Bangladesh,” the triple-live album credited to George Harrison and Friends, is released. Recorded from concerts held on August 1, 1971 at Madison Square Garden in New York to benefit the homeless Bengali refugees of the Bangladesh Liberation War, performers included Harrison, Bob Dylan, Ravi Shankar, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, and Eric Clapton.

The concerts would set the standard for charity rock events that followed, such as Live Aid and The Concert for New York City.

Highlights from the album include “Bangla Dhun” by Ravi Shankar, George Harrison’s performances of “My Sweet Lord,” “Something,” and with Eric Clapton on guitar, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” Ringo Starr performing “It Don’t Come Easy,” and the entire Side Five of the album, the Bob Dylan side.

The album was a huge critical and commercial success, receiving the highest ratings from most critics, and won the Grammy award for Album of the Year. Audiences loved the record, sending it to No. 1 on the UK Albums list, No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and Gold certification.

Dec. 1970: Though the specific date is unknown, this is the month and year when Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band released their excellent fourth studio LP, “Lick My Decals Off, Baby.” On previous records, the band was noted as “his” Magic Band, not “the” Magic Band.

Originally released on Straight records, a label formed by Frank Zappa and Herb Cohen to produce acts discovered by Frank Zappa, distribution was handled by Reprise records, also founded by a Frank, in this case, Sinatra! Zappa himself had produced The Magic Band’s previous album, “Trout Mask Replica.” Straight was formed for mainstream acts, while sister label, Bizarre, created at the same time, would focus on avant-garde artists, and several Zappa works.

All songs on the record were composed by Don Van Vliet, which is the legal name of Captain Beefheart, then arranged by Bill Harkleroad, professionally known as Zoot Horn Rollo. Produced by Van Vliet himself, he often referred to “Decals” as his favourite of his own albums, and explained that the title was about removing labels and simply evaluating music on its merits.

Typical of Beefheart compositions, the songs reflected an avant-garde approach to rhythm and blues, blues, and free jazz, though following the Captain’s advice, it won’t be labeled.

Highly-rated by critics, and with good reason, it was graded A- by Robert Christgau writing for The Village Voice, and received a glowing article in Creem magazine by Lester Bangs. Though not appealing to a wide audience, Beefheart’s fans embraced the album, including BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel, who gave it regular airplay, helping it reach the UK Albums chart for 11 weeks.

Events

1975: Bernie Leadon is replaced in the Eagles by guitarist and vocalist Joe Walsh, who would bring a harder rock edge to the country-influenced band.

2011: The Recording Academy of the United States collectively removes their heads from their asses and for a change shows some respect and appreciation for great music and musicians, by announcing that The Allman Brothers Band would receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at The 54th Grammys in February of 2012. Up to that point, the legendary band hadn't won a single contemporary Grammy in any of the Award's 4,000 categories. [Editor’s Note: As you might guess, I'm not a fan of the Grammys.]

The Daily Elvis

1957: Elvis gets drafted! Elvis said of his draft notice, "It's a duty I've got to fill, and I'm going to do it." Elvis was offered the opportunity to join the Special Services and work entertaining the troops, but he declined and served as a regular soldier. He reported to the Memphis Draft Board where he was inducted into the U.S. Army on March 24, 1958, a day described as "Black Monday" by his fans and the press.

He was ranked Private, assigned Serial No. 53310761, and sent to Fort Hood, TX for six months of basic training, and then stationed in West Germany.

Following his third promotion, and now a Sergeant, Presley departed West Germany on March 2, 1960, for Fort Dix, NJ, and on March 5th, he was formally discharged from service with Honours.

Pictured: Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks of The Allman Brothers Band, with guest guitarist Eric Clapton at The Beacon Theatre, New York, on March 19, 2009. [Editor’s Note: I was at that concert!]