On This Day

Rag mama rag, a great song by the Band. It was the B-side of a single we had at home in Raheny, I cannot for the life of me remember the A-side (might have been "The Weight)...

May 26th: On this Day

1964, Marianne Faithful recorded the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards song 'As Tears Go By', accompanied by future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass.

1966, The Rolling Stones were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Paint It, Black', their sixth UK No.1 single. It was originally titled 'Paint It Black' without a comma. Keith Richards has stated that the comma was added by the record label, Decca. It was the first No.1 single to feature a sitar on the recording.

1966, The Beatles recorded 'Yellow Submarine' at Abbey Road studios in London. Recovering from a case of food poisoning, producer George Martin missed this recording, EMI engineer Geoff Emerick worked on the session. The track features John Lennon blowing bubbles in a bucket of water, shouting "Full speed ahead Mister Captain!"

1968, US blues artist Little Willie John died in prison after being convicted of manslaughter. Co-wrote and was the first to record a 'Fever' (covered by Peggy Lee in 1958), and 'Need Your Love So Bad' covered by Fleetwood Mac. James Brown recorded a tribute album 'Thinking Of Little Willie John... And A Few Other Nice Things'.

1968, Pink Floyd, Blonde On Blonde and The Pretty Things all appeared at the OZ magazine benefit at the Middle Earth Club, Covent Garden, London, England. OZ was a satirical humour magazine, founded by Richard Neville and based in Sydney, Australia from 1963. In its second and better-known incarnation it became a counter-culture magazine, based in London from 1967 to 1973.

1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono began an eight-day 'bed in', in room 1742 of The Hotel La Reine Elizabeth, Montreal, Canada, to promote world peace. They recorded 'Give Peace a Chance' in the hotel room (Petula Clark can be heard on the chorus). The song was credited to Lennon & McCartney, even though Paul had nothing to do with the record.

1972, At the point of the band splitting up David Bowie offered Mott The Hoople two of his new songs, 'Suffragette City', which they turned down and 'All The Young Dudes', which they recorded. The song gave the group a No.3 UK and US Top 40 hit.

1972, The first day of the four day UK festival 'The Great Western Express' near Lincoln featuring; The Faces, Joe Cocker, Humble Pie, Slade, The Groundhogs, Ry Cooder, Don McLean, Brewers Droop plus a special appearance by Monty Python.

1973, The Edgar Winter Group went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Frankenstein', the bands only US No.1, it reached No.18 in the UK. The group featured ex McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. In live performances of the song, Edgar Winter further pioneered the advancement of the synthesizer as a lead instrument by becoming the first person ever to strap a keyboard instrument around his neck.

1974, Tragedy struck at a David Cassidy concert at London's White City when over 1,000 fans had to be treated by first aid workers due to the frenzied excitement. One fan Bernadette Whelan died from heart failure four days later.

1977, Billy Powell singer with The O'Jays died of cancer. (1972, hit 'Back Stabbers', 1973 US No.1 & UK No.9 single 'Love Train'). Originally known as The Triumphs, and then The Mascots, they took the name "The O'Jays", in tribute to radio disc jockey Eddie O'Jay.

1979, 'Sunday Girl' gave Blondie their second UK No.1 hit single. The track was taken from the group's 'Parallel Lines', which went on to become the biggest selling album of 1979.

1984, Former backing singer with Stevie Wonder, Deniece Williams started a 2 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Let's Hear It For The Boy', taken from the film 'Footlose', a No.2 hit in the UK.

1990, For the first time ever the Top five positions on the US singles chart were held by female artists; Madonna was at No.1 with 'Vogue', Heart were at No.2, Sinead O'Connor No.3, Wilson Phillips at No.4 and Janet Jackson was at No.5.

1994, Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley. The couple divorced in 1995. They had first met when the seven-year-old Presley attended several of Jackson's concerts in Las Vegas.

1995, The Rolling Stones played two semi-acoustic concerts at the Paradiso Amsterdam over two days. Keith Richards later said that the Paradiso concerts were the best live shows the Stones ever did. The venue is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century, subsequently squatted in 1967 by hippies who wanted to convert the church into an entertainment club. Artists who have recorded concerts at the Paradiso include Joy Division, Willie Nelson, Phish, Nirvana, The Cure, Lenny Kravitz, Nick Cave, Dave Matthews and Amy Winehouse.

1996, A fire at the home of Eric Clapton caused over one and a half million pounds worth of damage; Firemen arrived on the scene to find Clapton braving the blaze to save his collection of guitars.

2000, Drummer Tommy Lee was jailed for five days for drinking alcohol. Lee appeared in front of a LA court charged with violating his probation by consuming alcohol, an act that directly contravenes the terms of his parole.

2002, The first episode of At Home With The Osbournes was shown on MTV in the UK. Already becoming a hit in the the US, the show focused on the madman and his family (his wife Sharon, and two of their three children). Oblivious to the camera, they bicker, squabble, curse and hang out backstage at Ozzy shows.

2009, A US judge ended a bitter two-year battle over the late soul singer James Brown's estate. Judge Jack Early ruled half of his assets will go to a charitable trust, a quarter to his wife and young son, and the rest to his six adult children. Brown's family and wife Tomi Rae Hynie Brown, had fought over his fortune since he died of heart failure in 2006.

2015, US authorities were investigating the death of blues legend B.B. King after two of his daughters claimed he was poisoned. Karen Williams and Patty King said the musician had been given "foreign substances to induce his premature death" by his business manager Laverne Toney. King died in his sleep at his Las Vegas home on 14 May of this year, aged 89.

2016, A set of stamps celebrating 50 years of Pink Floyd were unveiled by the Royal Mail. The ten stamps which would be available the following month marked five decades since the band turned professional. The collection included the band's most famous album covers as well as live performance shots.

Yes, all good Frank (lol, Lead Zeppelin).

Couple of people I knew back in the day insisted on pronouncing it Led Zeffelin !!!???
I don't see them any more !!!

May 25th: On this Day

1961, The Temperance Seven were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'You're Driving Me Crazy', their only UK No.1 single. The song gave producer George Martin his first No.1.

1965, Blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, Sonny Boy Williamson died in his sleep. Van Morrison, Aerosmith, The Who, The Animals, Yardbirds and Moody Blues all covered his songs. According to the Led Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods, touring the UK in the 60s, Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator.

1967, Procol Harum's 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' entered the UK chart for the first time, where it went on to become a No.1 hit. 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' became the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK (as of 2009). The first video for the song was shot in the ruins of Witley Court in Worcestershire, England. Directed by Peter Clifton whose insertion of Vietnam War newsreel footage caused it to be banned from airplay on the Top Of The Pops TV show. The band subsequently made another video.

1967, Pink Floyd appeared at the Gwent Constabulary ('A' Division) Spring Holiday Barn Dance, held at The Barn, Grosmont Wood Farm in Cross Ash, Wales, UK.

1968, Simon and Garfunkel scored their second US No.1 album with 'Bookends'. The album featured four US singles: 'A Hazy Shade of Winter', 'At the Zoo', 'Fakin' It' and 'Mrs Robinson'.

1969, A benefit concert was held for Fairport Convention at The Roundhouse, London to raise money for the families of the band's drummer Martin Lamble, Richard Thompson's girlfriend and clothes designer Jeannie Franklyn who were all killed in an accident driving back from a gig. Also on the bill, Family, Pretty Things, Soft Machine and John Peel.

1969, The Who and Led Zeppelin appeared at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland, USA. This was the only time the two group's ever appeared together, with Zeppelin opening the show. On the tickets Led Zeppelin was spelt Lead Zeppelin.



1973, Carole King played a concert in New York's Central Park, which attracted an audience of 100,000.

1974, Rick Wakeman became the first member of the group Yes to have a No.1 UK album when 'Journey To The Centre Of The Earth' went to the top of the charts.

1978, After seeing The Hype (soon to become U2) appearing at the Project Arts Centre, in Dublin, Paul McGuinness became their manager.

1985, Dire Straits scored their second UK No.1 album with 'Brothers In Arms', also No.1 in the US and 24 other countries. 'Brothers In Arms' was one of the first albums to be directed at the CD market, and was a full digital recording (DDD) at a time when most popular music was recorded on analog equipment. The album won two Grammy Awards at the 28th Grammy Awards, and also won Best British Album at the 1987 Brit Awards, and has gone on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide.

1992, Khalil Roundtree, tour manager of Boyz II Men, was killed by gunfire after a scuffle in an elevator on the 26th floor of a hotel in Chicago; their assistant tour manager was also injured.

1995, The earliest known recording of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, from 1961, was sold at Christies in London for £50,250 ($85,425).

1997, A report showed that Elvis Presley was now the world's bestselling posthumous entertainer with worldwide sales of over one billion, over 480 active fan clubs and an estimated 250,000 UK fans who still buy his records. Ironically he had died owing $3 million (£1.76 million).

1997, Bob Dylan was diagnosed as suffering from histoplasmosis pericarditis, a fungal infection of the lung, and was admitted to hospital he stayed until June 2nd. Having just turned 56, Dylan later admitted: 'I really thought I'd be seeing Elvis soon'. Treated by drugs and rest, Bob was back on the road only 10 weeks later, for 22 American and Canadian shows.

1998, Coldplay released their first ever record, an EP called Safety, which featured 3 tracks; 'Bigger Stronger', 'No More Keeping My Feet on the Ground', and 'Such a Rush'. The EP was intended as a demo for record companies and is now such a rarity that it is known to fetch in excess of £2000 on eBay.

2001, Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher won a damages settlement from The Daily Mirror after they claimed he lied in court during divorce proceedings with Meg Matthews.



2003, Jemini, the UK entry for this year's Eurovision Song Contest, failed to get a single point, the first time a UK entry had ended up with nul points. The first nul pointers came in 1962, six years after the contest started, when four countries Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain all failed to register.

2004, Madonna cancelled three shows in Israel after terrorists threatened to kill her and her kids. A spokesperson said she was targeted because she symbolises the West and not because she practises the Jewish faith Kabbalah.

2005, The Alameda County Sheriff's Office in California announced that it was officially closing the stabbing case of Meredith Hunter, the 18-year-old American who was killed at the 1969 Rolling Stones Altamont Free Concert. Investigators, concluding a renewed two-year investigation, dismissed the theory that a second Hell's Angel took part in the stabbing.

2006, Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter Desmond Dekker died of a heart attack at his home in London, England. Had one of the first international Jamaican hits in 1968, with the 'Israelites'.

2007, Sixties pop star Wayne Fontana was remanded in custody after admitting pouring petrol over a bailiff's car and setting fire to it. The judge criticised the former lead singer of the Mindbenders, for arriving at Derby Crown court dressed as the Lady of Justice. He had to hand a sword and scales to guards but still wore a crown, cape and dark glasses, claiming "justice is blind".

2009, A former member of Wilco, who was suing the band over a royalties claim, died at his home in Illinois at the age of 45. Jay Bennett worked as a sound engineer and played instruments for the band between 1994 and 2001. Bennett filed his legal action against Wilco lead singer Jeff Tweedy at the beginning of May, claiming $50,000 (£33,160) for five albums he made with the group.

2013, American rock and roll bassist Marshall Lytle, died aged 79. He was best known for his work with the groups Bill Haley & His Comets and The Jodimars in the 1950s. He played upright slap bass on the iconic 1950s rock and roll records 'Crazy Man, Crazy', 'Shake, Rattle and Roll', and 'Rock Around the Clock'.

May 24th: Born on this day

1938, Born on this day, Jamaican singer, songwriter and producer, Prince Buster. The records he released in the 1960s influenced and shaped the course of Jamaican contemporary music and created a legacy of work that later reggae and ska artists would draw upon. Buster died on 8 September 2016, in a hospital in Miami, Florida, after suffering heart problems.

1941, Born on this day, Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman), American singer-songwriter, author, and painter. Dylan has released over 40 albums since 1964, and was a major influence on The Beatles. His biggest hits are the 1965 US No.2 single 'Like A Rolling Stone', the 1969 UK No.5 single 'Lay Lady Lay', and his 1964 UK No.1 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. He has won many awards throughout his career including the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature, and twelve Grammy Awards. Dylan was also a member of The Traveling Wilburys.

1942, Born on this day, Derek Quinn, from the 1960s pop band Freddie and the Dreamers. They scored the 1963 UK No.3 single 'You Were made For Me', and the 1965 US No.1 single 'I'm Telling You Now'.

1944, Born on this day, American singer, songwriter, Patti Labelle who scored the 1975 US No.1 & UK No.17 single 'Lady Marmalade', (with Labelle), and the 1986 US No.1 & UK No.2 single with Michael McDonald, 'On My Own'. Labelle became the the first African-American vocal group to land the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

1945, Born on this day, English musician and bass guitarist Dave Peacock, who with Chas & Dave had the 1982 UK No.2 single 'Ain't No Pleasing You'. Earlier in his career, Peacock played guitar as part of Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers.

1946, Born on this day, Steve Upton from British rock band Wishbone Ash who scored the 1972 UK No.3 album Argus and eight other Top 40 albums. Wishbone Ash are noted for their extensive use of the harmony twin lead guitar.

1947, Born on this day, Albert Bouchard, drummer, guitarist, songwriter, from American hard rock band Blue Oyster Cult who scored the 1976 US No.12 & 1978 UK No.16 single '(Don't Fear) The Reaper'. Blue Oyster Cult have sold over 24 million records worldwide.

1947, Born on this day, Cynthia ‘Plaster’ Caster, a groupie who became famous for making plaster cast’s of rock star’s penises and breasts. Clients included Jimi Hendrix and members from MC5, Television, The Kinks and various road managers.

1955, Born on this day in Memphis, Tennessee, was American singer-songwriter and author, Rosanne Cash, the eldest daughter of country music icon Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin. She won a Grammy in 1985 for 'I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me', and has received twelve other Grammy nominations. She has had 11 No.1 country hit singles, 21 Top 40 country singles and two gold records.

1956, Born on this day, Larry Blackmon, lead singer with American soul-influenced funk group Cameo who scored the 1986 UK No.3 single 'Word Up'.

1960, Born on this day, Guy Fletcher, multi-instrumentalist, who has worked with Roxy Music, (joined in 1981 for their Avalon world tour) and is best known for his position as the keyboard player in Dire Straits from 1984 until the group's dissolution.

1962, Born on this day in 1962, Gene Anthony Ray, ‘Leroy’ in TV’s ‘Fame’. Axed from the show in 1984, after his mother was jailed for running a drug ring. He danced with The Weather Girls in their video of ‘It's Raining Men.’ Leroy died on November 19th 2003.

1967, Born on this day, Jamaican-born American rapper Heavy D, who scored the 1991 UK No.2 single 'Now That We Found Love' and the former leader of Heavy D & the Boyz. He died on November 8, 2011, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 44.

1969, Born on this day, Rich Robinson, guitarist with The Black Crowes (along with older brother Chris Robinson), who had the 1991 hit single 'Hard To Handle' and the 1992 US No.1 & UK No.2 album The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion. The band have sold more than 30 million albums.

1976, Born on this day, Italian musician Alessandro Cortini best known for touring and recording with the American band Nine Inch Nails from 2004 to 2008.

May 23rd: Born on this day

1928, Born on this day, Rosemary Clooney, American singer who came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit 'Come On-a My House', which was followed by other pop numbers such as 'Botch-a-Me', 'Mambo Italiano' and 'This Ole House'. She died on 29th June 2002.

1934, Born on this day, Robert Moog, inventor of the synthesiser. He built his first electronic instrument, a theremin - aged 14 and made the MiniMoog, "the first compact, easy-to-use synthesiser" in 1970. He died on 21st Aug 2005 at his North Carolina home aged 71, four months after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

1943, Born on this day, Norman Johnson, (General Johnson), Chairmen Of The Board who had the 1970 UK & US No.3 single, 'Give Me Just A Little More Time'). He also wrote the Grammy Award winning 'Patches' for Clarence Carter (Jerry Reed also recorded a country music cover version). Johnson died on October 13, 2010, in suburban Atlanta, Georgia.

1944, Born on this day, American musician Tiki Fulwood who was the drummer for the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic. Fulwood died of stomach cancer on 29 October 1979.

1946, Born on this day, Daniel Klein, bassist with American rock band The J Geils Band, who had the 1982 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Centerfold' which was taken from their US No.1 1981 album Freeze Frame.

1953, Born on this day, English rock guitarist Rick Fenn, best known for being a member of 10cc since 1976. He has also collaborated with Mike Oldfield, Rick Wakeman and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason.

1965, Born on this day, Simon Gilbert, drummer from English alternative rock band Suede, who had the 1994 UK No.3 single 'Stay Together'. Following Suede's hiatus in 2003, he was the drummer for a local Bangkok band called Futon.

1967, Born on this day, English drummer Junior Waite, Musical Youth, best remembered for their successful 1982 single 'Pass the Dutchie', which became a No.1 hit around the world. It was a cover version of two songs: 'Gimme the Music' by U Brown, and 'Pass the Kouchie' by Mighty Diamonds, which deals with the recreational use of cannabis (kouchie being slang for a cannabis pipe).

1967, Born on this day, Philip James Selway, drummer with Radiohead. Their 1993 debut single 'Creep' was initially unsuccessful, but it became a worldwide hit several months after the release of their debut album, Pablo Honey. Their 1997 album OK Computer appeared in many 1997 critics' lists and listener polls for best album of the year.

1970, Born on this day, Matt Flynn, drummer of American rock band Maroon 5. Prior to joining Maroon 5, Flynn played drums for The B-52's, Chicago, Gavin DeGraw and Gandhi.

1972, Born on this day, American singer, songwriter, record producer Maxwell, who scored the 2001 US No.1 album, Now. Maxwell has been credited with helping to shape what has been termed the "neo soul" movement that rose to prominence during the late 1990s.

1974, Born on this day, Jewel Kilcher, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress, author and poet. Jewel's debut album, Pieces of You, released in 1995, became one of the best-selling debut albums of all time, going 12 times platinum.

1974, Born on this day, Richard Jones, bassist from Welsh rock band, Stereophonics, who had the 2001 UK No.5 single 'Have A Nice Day'. Their 1999 UK No.1 album, Performance and Cocktails spent 97 weeks on the UK chart.

1983, Born on this day, Heidi Range, singer who was an original member of Atomic Kitten and then joined The Sugababes who had the 2003 UK No.1 single 'Hole In The Head'.

1985, Born on this day, Blaine Harrison, English musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the indie rock band Mystery Jets.

Yes, May 22nd, both downloads, hereby approved. Two things :

- To my knowledge, I have never heard anything by the Dave Mathews Band.

- I have never heard of The Gin Blossoms at all

A closeted life, for sure!

May 22nd: On this Day

1958, Jerry Lee Lewis arrived at London's Heathrow Airport to begin his first British tour, along with his new bride, 14 year old third cousin, Myra. Although advised not to mention it, Lewis answered all questions about his private life. The public's shock over Lewis' marriage marks the start of a controversy leading to his British tour being cancelled after just 3 of the scheduled 37 performances.

1961, Ernie K Doe went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Mother In Law'. The song was written and produced by Allen Toussaint who also played the piano solo. Huey Lewis and the News recorded the song for the 1994 covers album, Four Chords & Several Years Ago.

1965, The Beatles went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Ticket To Ride', the group's eighth US No.1. The American single's label declared that the song was from the United Artists release Eight Arms to Hold You. This was the original title of the Beatles' second movie; the title changed to Help! after the single was initially released.

1968, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Young Girl.' The song which was about under-age sex, was the acts only UK No.1.

1971, The Rolling Stones album 'Sticky Fingers' started a four-week run at No.1 on the US charts, the group's second US No.1 album. The artwork for Sticky Fingers which, on the original vinyl release, featured a working zipper that opened to reveal cotton briefs, was conceived by American pop artist Andy Warhol. The cover, a photo of Joe Dallesandro's crotch clad in tight blue jeans, was assumed by many fans to be an image of Mick Jagger. The album also features the first usage of the "Tongue and Lip Design" designed by John Pasche.

1976, Wings started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Silly Love Songs', McCartney's fifth US No.1 since leaving The Beatles. Paul McCartney had often been teased by music critics as well as former Beatle and friend, John Lennon, for writing lightweight songs and he wrote this number in response.

1980, U2 kicked off their 23 date '11 O'Clock Tick Tock' tour at The Hope & Anchor in London.

1989, Rap group Public Enemy fired one of its members, Professor Griff, after he made anti-Semitic remarks in the Washington Post.

1991, Wil Sinnott from The Shamen drowned while swimming off the coast of La Gomera when he was pulled under by strong currents. The Shamen were in Tenerife filming a video for their new single 'Move Any Mountain.'

1993, Swedish group Ace Of Base started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'All That She Wants', a No.2 hit in the US.

2000, Robbie Williams set up a children's charity with the cash he earned from a deal with Pepsi. The trust, 'Give It Sum', boasted £2m seed money. Beneficiaries would include UNICEF and Jeans For Genes.

2000, Travis swept the board at the Ivor Novello awards. Singer Fran Healy won two awards for Best Contemporary Song for the single 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me'' And Songwriter Of The Year for the Travis album 'The Man Who.'

2002, Adam Ant appeared at The Old Bailey in London charged with possession of an imitation firearm. Ant, (Stuart Goddard) had been arrested in January after an altercation at The Prince of Wales pub in London when a bouncer refused to let him in.

2004, Morrissey appeared at the M.E.N. arena Manchester, England on his 45th birthday. It was Morrissey's return to his home city Manchester after an absence of 12 years and the 18000 tickets sold out in only 90 minutes. During the set Morrissey performed five Smiths songs.

2005, Dave Matthews Band were at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Stand Up.' The album entered the chart at No.1 with sales of 465,000. Features the singles 'American Baby,' 'Dreamgirl,' and 'Everybody Wake Up.'

2009, White Stripes drummer Meg White married Jackson Smith at ex-husband and bandmate Jack White's Nashville home. Jack and Meg White were married for four years and divorced in 2000. The event was part of a double wedding, which also saw Jack Lawrence and Jo McCaughey marry. Lawrence plays bass in Jack White's other musical projects, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather.

2010, Alanis Morissette married rapper Mario “Souleye” Treadway in a private ceremony at their Los Angeles home.

2011, Four dead dogs in 'sealed containers' were found in the Tennessee home of former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent during an investigation that led to his arrest on charges of assaulting his wife. Vincent, a member of Kiss from 1982 to 1984, was released after posting $10,000 bond after his arrest by the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department.

2012, British newspaper The Sun, reported that Mick Jagger's lavish Caribbean holiday home on Mustique was available for hire, at £9,500 a week, but added that Mick, demanded full details of applicants’ backgrounds, including professions, before they were even considered. Bandmate Keith Richards' beach-front Caribbean holiday home at Parrot Cay Resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands was also available for rent, at £35,000 a week.

2014, Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie was honoured with a lifetime achievement at this year's Ivor Novello songwriting awards. McVie played with Fleetwood Mac for 28 years and wrote some of their most famous songs, including 'Don't Stop' and 'Little Lies'. Other winners at the ceremony in London included London Grammar, The Chemical Brothers and Nile Rodgers.

2016, A guitar that Elvis Presley was given by his father sold for $334,000 (£230,000) at an auction in New York. It was thought that Vernon Presley changed the finish on the Gibson Dove to black after his son earned a black belt in karate. Presley later gave the guitar to a fan during a concert in North Carolina in 1975. Auctioneers Julien's also sold John Lennon's handwritten lyrics for The Beatles' 'Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite!' for $354,400 (£244,000) and a red neoprene vinyl jacket which Michael Jackson wore for his 1996-97 HIStory world tour which sold for $256,000.

2017, Drake broke Adele's record for the most wins at the Billboard Music Awards after the Canadian rapper picked up 13 prizes, beating Adele by one. The event which was held in Las Vegas also saw Twenty One Pilots pick up top duo/group and top rock artist with Metallica winning in the rock album category.

May 21st: On this Day

1963, The Beatles recorded two BBC radio programs at the Playhouse Theatre in London. They recorded five songs for Saturday Club and six songs for Steppin' Out.

1965, The Four Tops appeared on UK TV show 'Ready Steady Goes Live!'
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1966, The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals) appeared at Freehold Regional High School in New Jersey. They were performing at their own high school for the very first time. All five members of the band were Juniors at Freehold High School.

1967, Jimi Hendrix signed with Reprise Records on the US Warner Brothers label. They released the guitarist's albums Are You Experienced? Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland.

1968, Rolling Stone Brian Jones appeared at Great Marlborough Street Magistrates court, London on a charge of possession of marijuana, Jones was released on £200 bail.

1970, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released the protest single Ohio, written and composed by Neil Young in reaction to the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970, when unarmed college students were shot by the Ohio National Guard. The guardsmen fired 67 rounds over a period of 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others, one of whom suffered permanent paralysis.

1971, Marvin Gaye released his eleventh studio album What's Going On. The concept album consisting of nine songs tells the story from the point of view of a Vietnam veteran returning to the country he had been fighting for, and seeing only hatred, suffering, and injustice. What's Going On is regarded as one of the landmark recordings in pop music history, and one of the greatest albums of the 20th century.

1972, The Doors, Pink Floyd, The Faces, Family, Curved Air, Atomic Rooster, The Kinks, Rory Gallagher, Uriah Heep, Country Joe McDonald, Buddy Miles, Status Quo, Brinsley Schwarz, Spencer Davis, The Strawbs and Humble Pie all appeared at the 2nd British Rock Meeting, Insel Grun, Germersheim, West Germany. The festival was due to take place in Mannheim, West Germany, but after protests from the locals, the concert actually took place in nearby Germersheim.

1974, Two would-be concert promoters were arrested by police in America on fraud charges in connection with selling mail order tickets for a forthcoming Elten John show. (Elten with an E and not an O). Police took away over $12,000 in cheques.

1977, Rod Stewart was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the double A sided single 'I Don't Want To Talk About It / First Cut Is The Deepest.' The Danny Whitten song 'I Don't Want To Talk About It' was also a UK No.3 hit for Everything But The Girl in 1988.

1977, Stevie Wonder started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with his tribute to Duke Ellington, 'Sir Duke', his sixth US No.1, it made No.2 in the UK.

1979, Elton John started a tour of Russia, when he played the first of eight concerts making him the first Western star ever to do so.

1980, A thief brook into Electric Lady Studios in New York City, the recording studio built by Jimi Hendrix and stole five Hendrix gold records for the albums ‘Are You Experienced’’, ‘Axis: Bold as Love’, ‘Cry of Love’, ‘Rainbow Bridge’ and Live at Monterey.

1980, Joe Strummer of The Clash was arrested at a much-troubled gig in Hamburg, Germany, after smashing his guitar over the head of a member of the audience; he was released after an alcohol test proved negative.

1982, The Hacienda Club was opened in Manchester, England. Madonna made her UK TV debut at the club when C4 music show The Tube was broadcast live. Home to many Manchester acts including Oasis, Happy Mondays, U2, The Smiths, Charlatans, James, M People who all played at the club. (The club closed in 1997).

1983, David Bowie went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Let's Dance', featuring blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was Bowie's first single to reach number one on both sides of the Atlantic. The music video was made by David Mallet on location in Australia including a bar in Carinda in New South Wales, featured Bowie playing with his band while impassively watching an Aboriginal couple’s struggles against metaphors of Western cultural imperialism.

1988, Prince scored his first UK No.1 album with 'Lovesexy.' The cover (based on a photo by Jean Baptiste Mondino) caused some controversy upon release as it depicts Prince in the nude. Some record stores refused to stock it or wrapped the album in black.

1988, Wet Wet Wet and Billy Bragg were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'With A Little Help From My Friends' and 'She's Leaving Home.' The two Beatles songs had been recorded for the childLine charity, sales of the single, which spent four weeks at No.1 on the UK chart, were over £600,000, all of which was donated to ChildLine .

2001, Producer, arranger and keyboardist Tommy Eyre died of cancer aged 51. Worked with George Harrison, Wham! Dusty Springfield, and B.B. King. Played and arranged Joe Cocker's hit 'With A Little Help From My Friends' and Gerry Rafferty's 'Baker Street'.

2003, Mariah Carey hit back at Eminem's threats to sample the slushy voicemail messages she left on his mobile. Carey described the rapper as "a little girl" saying it's "like dealing with a girlfriend in 7th grade, and he shouldn't do it because it'll get him in a bit of trouble with her lawyers."

2005, Former East 17 singer Brian Harvey was rushed to hospital following his second suicide bid in a month. The singer battled with police outside his house after taking an overdose of sleeping pills.

2006, Madonna played the first of three sold out nights at The Los Angeles Forum in California, the first dates on her Confessions Tour. The 60-date tour grossed over $260 million, becoming the highest grossing tour ever for a female artist.

2007, Former singer with Creed, Scott Stapp was arrested at his Florida home and charged with assault. The 33-year-old was held without bail following the charges, which related to a domestic assault.

2008, Lou Pearlman, the music mogul who created the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison over a decades-long scam that swindled thousands of investors out of their life savings. Many victims were Pearlman's relatives, friends and retirees in their 70s or 80s who lost everything.

2010, U2's lead singer Bono had emergency spinal surgery after suffering an injury while preparing for tour dates. The 50-year-old singer was treated at a specialist neurosurgery clinic in Munich and was expected to stay there for a number of days.

2011, Adele went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Rolling In The Deep', taken from her second studio album, 21. The video to the song was nominated for seven MTV Video Music Awards nominations, 'Rolling in the Deep' was also the Billboard Year End Hot 100 Number One Single of 2011. And on 12 February 2012, 'Rolling in the Deep' received three Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Short Form Music Video.

2011, Bob Dylan came out on top as both the most inspirational individual for poets and the dream collaborative partner, in a survey carried out by The Foyle Poetry Society. The extensive survey questioned poets asking which musician and which genre of music most inspired their writing. The young people, aged between 11 and 17, from countries throughout the world also voted for artists such as Regina Spektor, David Bowie, Florence and the Machine, Leonard Cohen, Morrissey and Pete Doherty.

2013, Trevor Bolder, the bassist in David Bowie's legendary 1970s backing band Spiders From Mars, died from cancer at the age of 62. Bolder appeared on the studio albums Hunky Dory (1971), The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972), Aladdin Sane (1973), and Pin Ups (1973). He joined Uriah Heep in 1976, replacing John Wetton.

2013, Chris Brown was charged with a misdemeanor hit-and-run and driving without a valid license following an accident in the San Fernando Valley, California. If convicted, the singer could face up to one year in jail with other recent incidents including an outburst at a valet, a parking lot brawl with Frank Ocean and a fight with Drake in a New York nightclub.

2015, Black Sabbath received a lifetime achievement prize at the Ivor Novello songwriting awards. Guitarist Tony Iommi picked up the trophy, confirming the heavy metal band would embark on their "final tour" next year. Ed Sheeran was named songwriter of the year, and Annie Lennox was awarded the fellowship of the British Society of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (Basca) - the society's highest honour.

2015, American bass guitarist Louis Johnson died aged 60. He was a member of Brothers Johnson, (1980 US No.4 & UK No.6 single 'Stomp'). Johnson played on the Michael Jackson albums Off the Wall, Thriller and Dangerous, and hit songs 'Billie Jean' and 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough'.

2016, Nick Menza, a former drummer in heavy metal band Megadeth, died after suffering a "massive heart attack" on stage, while performing with his band, OHM, in Los Angeles.

Lol! Approved by me anyway. Dylan's "best song" an interesting topic. It's only in later years I've come to really appreciate him - the gig he played in Slane 247 tears ago is the only Slane gig I deliberately missed, just wasn't interested enough to go. But I do appreciate his music more now. My favourite song if his is "Lay Lady Lay" - no deep reason for it, I just like the choon !

Keep this stuff coming Frank, if you can. I do read almost every line of it, find it fascinating.

"What happened to your Spotify playlist", I don't hear you ask lol! Well, I did put one together as I had threatened! Decided to check it the other night before I'd attempt to unleash it on a suspecting, and deeply suspicious world, and:

- I had a couple of songs on it that I hadn't intended to include and don't really like (eg, "Black-Leg Miner" by Steeleye Span - I keep getting that mixed up with another S Span song that I love, but I keep thinking it's called "The Black-Leg Miner" ... It's not! Bit of research on my part will sort that; but far worse
- There's a load of ad breaks in it that I certainly didn't intend to include! I assume thus is cos I'm using the el cheapo (free) version of Spotify? Will see can I get around that one, and in time will unleash this fine example of my wide-ranging and clearly superior musical taste on the world ! (Well, on the denizens of this website anyway) !!! I can hear the cries of "it's ok, we can wait, Gerry", loud and clear!!!

Also, I accompanied my daughter to Ed Sheeran last Friday! But more on that anon...

Over and out for the mo ... !!!