Music brings with it Moments, Memories, Pain & Happiness with Stories Behind the Music often being just as enjoyable as the tunes themselves. There are 'Copycats' & Fun Facts that keep everything interesting creating the desire for more, more, more. Such is on this day in music history with familiar songs of yesteryear and a bit trivia that just may not be in your memory bank.
1954 The first press interview with 19-year-old Elvis Presley was published in the 'Memphis Press- Scimitar'. The interview was a follow-up to 18 July 1953 when Elvis walked into the Memphis Recording Service to make a record against a small payment. He wanted to hear how he sounded on tape, and gave the record to his mother as a late birthday present. Almost a year later the owner of a small starting label working in the Memphis Recording Studio, Sun Records, called Elvis and wanted him to come to the studio and try recording for him accompanied by Bill Black (bass) and Scotty Moore (guitar) the result of these first recordings was in July 1954 a record That's All Right/Blue Moon Of Kentucky
1956 Gene Vincent made his first appearance on national TV in the US on The Perry Como Show. Vincent had released ‘Woman Love’ the previous month, but it was the B-side, ‘Be-Bop-A-Lula’, that eventually made the top 10. The song had been purchased from a fellow hospital patient when Vincent was recovering from leg injuries. A demo of the song made its way to Capitol Records as part of an Elvis sound-alike contest and a re-recorded version gave Vincent a hit.
1960 Roy Orbison entered the UK chart with 'Only The Lonely', which went on to give Roy his first of 3 UK chart toppers. As an operatic rock ballad, it was a sound unheard of at the time, and is seen as a seminal event in the evolution of Rock and Roll. Released as a 45rpm single by Monument Records in May, 1960, 'Only The Lonely' went to No. 2 on the United States. The song was turned down by The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley, so Orbison decided to record the song himself.
More on Roy Orbison: ...funny to think that various budding English rock musicians were in awe of Orbison, and before they became famous would buy his singles, listening, learning and attempting to copy his singing and writing skills. On such group was The Beatles, who at this time were playing the endless sets in Liverpool, England and Hamburg, Germany, but would later meet their hero, tour with him and George Harrison would end up working alongside Roy Orbison in The Traveling Wilburys where Roy was known as 'Lefty Wilbury' and Harrison 'Nelson Wilbury'.
1966 Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards song 'Out Of Time'.
1969 Police in Moscow reported that thousands of public phone booths had been vandalised after thieves were stealing parts of the phones to convert their acoustic guitars to electric. A feature in a Russian youth magazine had shown details on how to do this.
1979 'I Don't Like Mondays' gave The Boomtown Rats their second UK No.1 single. Bob Geldof wrote the song after reading a report on the shooting spree of 16-year-old Brenda Ann Spencer, who fired at children playing in a school playground across the street from her home in San Diego, California. She killed two adults and injured eight children and one police officer. Spencer showed no remorse for her crime, and her full explanation for her actions was "I don't like Mondays, this livens up the day."
1990 Elton John started a five-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Sleeping With The Past', his fifth No.1 album.
1992 Rapper Ice T announced that Warner Brothers Records would pull the controversial song 'Cop Killer' from all future copies of his "Body Count" album. The song had been the target of protests by law enforcement groups who said it encouraged the killing of police. Ice T said he would give away recordings of 'Cop Killer' at his concerts. In an ironic twist, he would later join the cast of the NBC police drama, Law and Order.
2000 Five and Queen were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'We Will Rock You', the classic Queen song was only a B-side in 1977 and this new version featured boy band Five and Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor.
And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...
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