"Rod the Mod"

Today in Music History: November 13, 1976

Recording artists enter the music arena each with their own 'signatures'. Natural talent follows some with their destiny of rising to the top being set as early as pre-school. Others work their way to the top developing their special uniqueness, which could be exceptional vocalization or totally bizarre stage persona.

Welcome to the spotlight...

 Once In A Blue Moon — The Lost Album
finds Stewart tackling songs by Tom Waits, Bob Dylan,
The Rolling Stones, Stevie Nicks, and others.

 Rod Stewart pop/rock singer/songwriter known for his signature raspy voice

Roderick David Stewart, better known as Rod Stewart in the music world, is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold over 100 million records worldwide. Rod (the Mod) Stewart got his lucky break at 19 years old.

He came to prominence in the late 60s and early 70s. From the late 70s through the 90s, Stewart's music often took on a new wave or soft rock/middle-of-the-road quality, and in the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook. Since his residency debut in 2011, the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has taken Las Vegas audiences by storm with high-energy performances of his iconic hits.

Songfacts: In a 2008 Esquire interview, Steven Van Zandt said: "I remember a kid running into band rehearsal one day, in '68 or so, and saying, "You're not gonna believe this, but Rod Stewart is white!" We said, "Get outta here." We didn't believe him. There was just not that many places you could see pictures of people. There wasn't MTV and we never heard any white person sing like that. We knew he was black."

 

1976 Rod Stewart started an 8 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Tonight's The Night'. It was Rod's second US No.1; it made No.5 in the UK after being banned by many radio stations due to song being about the seduction of a virgin. The song features whispers from actress Britt Ekland who was Stewart's girlfriend at the time.

Today's Trivia Teasers...

• 1965 The Castiles, which featured a young singer called Bruce Springsteen appeared at The Fire House, Hazlet, New Jersey. The night was billed as a Teenage Go, Go Dance.
• 1999 A report showed that The Spice Girls were the highest earners in pop during the 90's with their debut album 'Spice' selling over 20 million copies. Elton John was second with 14 million sales from 'The Lion King'.
• 1999 It was announced that Cliff Richard had signed up with Internet company Remotemusic.com, making him the first major artist to sign a deal with an online company.

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...

  

Music Echoes

Today in Music History: November 15

Some great albums found their place on the charts on this day in music history. The year: 1971. Each album is a tribute echoing the music collectively of the recording artist or group. Whereas a single could result as a one hit wonder, a truly great album produces multiple hit singles, as well as the album itself reaching the top.

 In this week's Disc and Music Echo's Progressive album chart: No.5 Cat Stevens - 'Teaser and the Firecat', No.4 Hawkwind - 'In Search Of Space', No.3 Santana - 'III'; No.2 Rod Stewart - 'Every Picture Tells A Story' and No.1 John Lennon - 'Imagine'.

The album, Teaser and the Firecat, contains 10 songs including the hits "Morning Has Broken," "Moonshadow," and "Peace Train." It is also the title of a children's book written and illustrated by Stevens.

The groundbreaking sound which Hawkwind achieved on In Search of Space helped to open up a whole new avenue of progressive rock. This album would lead to their most successful release in Space Ritual, coming two years after In Search of Space, with their interplanetary groove already set for takeoff.

Santana goes back deep into the roots of today's music, not only just to the time when the Family Dog was at the Avalon, but back further into the heavy dosages of Latin and African rhythms that have been part of American music for a long time. Read MORE...

Roderick David Stewart, better known as Rod Stewart in the music world, is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold over 100 million records worldwide. "Rod the Mod" Stewart got his lucky break at 19 years old.

John Lennon followed his first post Beatles solo release John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band with perhaps his best known album Imagine. Best known largely because of the strength of the single taken from it that has become something of a John Lennon anthem.

Today's Tidbits of Trivia...

• 1959 Johnny and the Moondogs, (The Beatles) played in the final heat of the 'TV Star Search' competition at The Hippodrome Theatre, Manchester, England. Judging was done by the volume of applause each group received when it is called back onto stage at the end of the night. Since the Moondogs had no money to stay overnight in Manchester, they were forced to head back to Liverpool before they were called back onto stage. 
• 1965 The Rolling Stones made their US TV debut on Hullabaloo, performing ‘Get Off Of My Cloud’. Hullabaloo was an American one-hour musical variety series that ran on NBC from January 1965 through August 1966.
• 1986 Pop history was made when the Top 5 UK singles were all by female vocalists: Corinne Drewery from Swing Out Sister, Mel and Kim, Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles, Kim Wilde and Terri Nunn from Berlin who were at No.1 with 'Take My Breath Away.'

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...

  



Related Articles on Awakenings:

Rod Stewart, "Rod the Mod"

Imagine John Lennon

Studio 54

This Day in History: April 26, 1977

It was the 70s, era of the Disco Craze. Saturday Night Fever had temperatures rising. These were the dancing days.

Studio 54 was located at 254 West 54th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue in New York City. Its doors opened for the first time on April 26, 1977.

Not just anybody was allowed admittance to the most glamorous nightclub of all time. Most never made it past the velvet rope and snooty doormen.

Only the hottest stars and the most beautiful of the beautiful people were permitted entrance. Wannabes would line up along 54th Street hoping to convince doorman Marc Benecke (often aided by Rubell himself) that they made the grade. A lucky few were permitted entrance. As for the rest, Rubell would cut them off at the knees, often with grotesque insults. Fortune Gallo must have been spinning in his grave at the treatment given to potential paying customers in 1979, when they had been so scarce in 1929.
Source: At This Theatre: Studio 54 (Broadway

 Studio 54 remained open for only 33 months.

Some say Studio 54 changed the world. It was a place for escapism. No restrictions - sex, drugs and music...LOTS of extraordinarily loud music and dancing, dancing, dancing. Persons of any walk of life passed through its doors. The wait was long, the lines endless, the experience - priceless.

Women were thriving in terms of their sexuality and it was also a great time to be gay. There was no stigma inside Studio 54.”
          - Myra Scheer, Assistant to owner Steve Rubell

Most would-be clubbers never got past the doormen at Studio 54
who were looking for the right mix of people -
especially those with high energy. Read MORE...

 Rod Stewart, Alana Hamilton, and Elton John at Studio 54, circa 1977

Photo Credit: Robin Platzer

Go Inside Studio 54!

It was not unusual to rub elbows with celebrities,
such as Rod Stewart, Alana Hamilton and Elton John.
Frequenters to the club included Dolly Parton, Cher, Diana Ross,
Liza Minnelli, Michael Jackson, Olivia Newton-John,
Bianca Jagger and oh-so many more!

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...

Theatre Turned Studio Turned Nightclub

Today's History Lesson

It was the 70s, era of the Disco Craze. On top of that, Saturday Night Fever had temperatures rising. These were the dancing days. With dancing came places large enough for a spacious dance floor and lots of patrons. Thus, the beginning of the most legendary nightclub of the disco-era.

This Day in History: April 26, 1977

Studio 54 was originally built as the Gallo Opera House in 1927 and transformed into the New Yorker Theatre in 1930. CBS purchased the space in 1942 and made it the home of renowned television shows like "The Johnny Carson Show." CBS sold the space in the late 1970s, and the new owners transformed the space into the most legendary nightclub of the disco-era, Studio 54. The club closed in 1986 and became a venue for rock concerts until it eventually closed completely in the late 1980s. The space remained vacant until 1998, when Roundabout moved its landmark production of Cabaret into the neglected theatre-turned-studio-turned-nightclub. Today, Studio 54 is a permanent home for Roundabout Theatre Company. [Source: Venues & Theatres]

Studio 54 located at 254 West 54th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue in New York City opened its doors for the first time as an exclusive nightclub on April 26, 1977.

Not just anybody was allowed admittance to the most glamorous nightclub of all time. Most never made it past the velvet rope and snooty doormen.

Only the hottest stars and the most beautiful of the beautiful people were permitted entrance. Wannabes would line up along 54th Street hoping to convince doorman Marc Benecke (often aided by Rubell himself) that they made the grade. A lucky few were permitted entrance. As for the rest, Rubell would cut them off at the knees, often with grotesque insults. Fortune Gallo must have been spinning in his grave at the treatment given to potential paying customers in 1979, when they had been so scarce in 1929.
[Source: At This Theatre: Studio 54 (Broadway]

 Studio 54 remained open for only 33 months.

Some say Studio 54 changed the world. It was a place for escapism. No restrictions - sex, drugs and music...LOTS of extraordinarily loud music and dancing, dancing, dancing. Persons of any walk of life passed through its doors. The wait was long, the lines endless, the experience - priceless.

Women were thriving in terms of their sexuality and it was also a great time to be gay. There was no stigma inside Studio 54.”
          - Myra Scheer, Assistant to owner Steve Rubell

Most would-be clubbers never got past the doormen at Studio 54
who were looking for the right mix of people -
especially those with high energy. Read MORE...

 Rod Stewart, Alana Hamilton, and Elton John at Studio 54, circa 1977

Photo Credit: Robin Platzer

Go Inside Studio 54!

It was not unusual to rub elbows with celebrities,
such as Rod Stewart, Alana Hamilton and Elton John.
Frequenters to the club included Dolly Parton, Cher, Diana Ross,
Liza Minnelli, Michael Jackson, Olivia Newton-John,
Bianca Jagger and so-o-o many more!

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...

Rare Tidbits of Music Trivia

Today in Music Trivia: April 29

Our yesterdays are filled with bits and tidbits of interesting trivia. Some are perhaps of the norm while others bring on smiles and even side-splitting laughter. There are always those that appear utterly ridiculous. Enjoy tunes of the times along with the humor!

 
1960 - Warner Brothers launched its own record label in Britain with the release of The Everly Brothers 'Cathy's Clown'. The deal was reputed to be the first million-dollar contract in music history

1976 - Bruce Springsteen climbed the wall of Graceland to meet Elvis Presley. Elvis wasn't home. A guard took him to be another crank fan and apprehended him.

1981 - Elton John paid £14,000 ($19,329.80) for 232 'Goon Show' scripts broadcast during the 50's at an auction held at Christies, London.

 1993 - Barry White, an animated version, was a guest on "The Simpsons."

2001 - Rod Stewart asked for a change in wedding vows bringing them up to-date and to be treated like a dog license. Stewart said "a change is needed because they've been in existence for 600 years when people used to live until they were only 35".

In April of 1955, Elvis auditioned for a spot on
Arthur Godfrey's "Talent Scouts" and was turned down.

And, now you know!

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...

♫Melodies & Rhythms♫

The melodies and rhythms of music touch the heart and soul of each listener. The same song may mean something entirely different from one person to another. For one, it may bring on smiles of happiness and memories of joy. For another, those memories may be filled with heartache. For others, it is expressing through music what one cannot put into words alone. Music is pleasure that allows each to cope when all else seems to fail. Music abates loneliness. 

There are songs that are immediate No. 1s while others take time to climb the ladder to the top of the charts. Then, there is that one which comes along totally unexpected...see Music Trivia at the end.

Today in Music History: August 30 

1949 Hank Williams, aka The Drifting Cowboy, went into Herzog Studio in Cincinnati to record one of the most heart-rending songs ever recorded—'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry'. Williams wrote the song originally intending that the words be spoken, rather than sung. The song about loneliness was largely inspired by his tumultuous relationship with wife Audrey Sheppard.

1969 One hit wonders Zager and Evans started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'In The Year 2525', a very unusual song in a very unusual year. The song stayed at #1 for 6 weeks on the US chart, which was longer than any other song that year and earned it the distinction of #1 Record of the Year 1969. The song reflected the apprehension of the times and also the wonder of technology: it started its chart run the week before the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Here is the timeline of why this science fiction-themed song was the #1 hit of 1969:
March 1969 - two futuristic sci-fi movies receive Oscars: Planet Of The Apes and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
July 11, 1969 - David Bowie's "Space Oddity" (the tale of Major Tom) is released in the UK. It doesn't become a chart topper until September.
Week ending July 12, 1969 - "In the Year 2525" hits #1 on Billboard's Top 40 chart.
July 16, 1969 - Apollo 11 Moon Mission lifts off from Florida.
July 20, 1969 - Apollo 11 astronauts make history when they set foot on the moon.

 1975 KC and the Sunshine Band went to No.1 on the US singles chart with, 'Get Down Tonight', the group's first of five No.1's peaked at No.21 in the UK. This was the first of 5 US #1 hits for KC & The Sunshine Band. It also went to #1 on the R&B charts, not surprising since Disco was really a funky form of R&B. The song features a distinctive introduction, in which a recorded guitar solo is rendered at double speed over a normal-speed guitar line in the background. 

1975 Rod Stewart had his fifth UK No.1 album when Atlantic Crossing started a five-week run at the top of the charts and No.9 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. The title indicated Stewart's new commercial and artistic direction, referring to both his crossing over to Warner Brothers and on his departure to escape the 83 per cent top rate of income tax introduced by British Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson for the jet-set lifestyle in Los Angeles (where he had applied for American citizenship at this time).

1986 Steve Winwood went to No.1 on the US singles chart with, 'Higher Love', a No.13 hit in the UK. This Track was Winwood's first #1 single as a solo artist. It also won 2 Grammys in 1987: Record Of The Year (beating Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" and Robert Palmer's "Addicted To Love"), and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Winwood played many of the instruments on a number of hits in the '60s and '70s as a session musician and as a member of Traffic, The Spencer Davis Group and Blind Faith. In the '80s, he established himself as a solo artist with songs he wrote with Will Jennings (writer of "My Heart Will Go On" with James Horner for the movie Titanic), who put lyrics to Winwood's music.

1995 Carly Simon and James Taylor performed live together in front of 10,000 fans on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. It was the first time they appeared live on the same stage since 1979. The former couple played their own solo sets before combining their efforts in raising money for the local agricultural society.

2003 Blu Cantrell Feat Sean Paul were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Breathe’, Beyoncé was at No.1 on the US charts with ‘Crazy In Love’ and R. Kelly had the Australian No.1 single with ‘Ignition (Remix).’ 

2013 Cinema's across the UK were handing out earplugs to parents taking their children to see One Direction’s British-American 3-D concert film. Billed as an intimate all-access look at life on the road for the global music phenomenon, This Is Us follows the lives of the five members of the boy band, One Direction. Accompanying chaperones could enjoy One Direction: This Is Us 3D without being worried by the high-levels of expected screaming and shouting in the auditoriums. Humans are capable of screaming as loud as 120 decibels, which is the same as standing next to a running chainsaw. The film was rolled out internationally on 30 August 2013 with a majority of markets being reached by the end of September 2013.

2013 A 96-year-old who wrote a song for his late wife made the US iTunes Top 10, alongside Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Fred Stobaugh, whose wife Lorraine had died in April, had no previous musical experience and wrote the song on a whim for a competition. He submitted his handwritten lyrics by post and, although the contest was online-only, the organizers were so moved they put the words to music. 'Oh Sweet Lorraine' was No.7 on US iTunes and had seen over 1.9m YouTube views.

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...  

Melodies & Rhythms

Today in Music History: August 30

The melodies and rhythms of music touch the heart and soul of each listener. The same song may mean something entirely different from one person to another. For one, it may bring on smiles of happiness and memories of joy. For another, those memories may be filled with heartache. For others, it is expressing through music what one cannot put into words alone. Music is pleasure that allows each to cope when all else seems to fail. Music abates loneliness. 

There are songs that are immediate No. 1s while others take time to climb the ladder to the top of the charts. Then, there is that one which comes along totally unexpected...see Music Trivia at the end. 

1949 Hank Williams, aka The Drifting Cowboy, went into Herzog Studio in Cincinnati to record one of the most heart-rending songs ever recorded—'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry'. Williams wrote the song originally intending that the words be spoken, rather than sung. The song about loneliness was largely inspired by his tumultuous relationship with wife Audrey Sheppard.

1969 One hit wonders Zager and Evans started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'In The Year 2525', a very unusual song in a very unusual year. The song stayed at #1 for 6 weeks on the US chart, which was longer than any other song that year and earned it the distinction of #1 Record of the Year 1969. The song reflected the apprehension of the times and also the wonder of technology: it started its chart run the week before the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Here is the timeline of why this science fiction-themed song was the #1 hit of 1969:
March 1969 - two futuristic sci-fi movies receive Oscars: Planet Of The Apes and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
July 11, 1969 - David Bowie's "Space Oddity" (the tale of Major Tom) is released in the UK. It doesn't become a chart topper until September.
Week ending July 12, 1969 - "In the Year 2525" hits #1 on Billboard's Top 40 chart.
July 16, 1969 - Apollo 11 Moon Mission lifts off from Florida.
July 20, 1969 - Apollo 11 astronauts make history when they set foot on the moon.

 1975 KC and the Sunshine Band went to No.1 on the US singles chart with, 'Get Down Tonight', the group's first of five No.1's peaked at No.21 in the UK. This was the first of 5 US #1 hits for KC & The Sunshine Band. It also went to #1 on the R&B charts, not surprising since Disco was really a funky form of R&B. The song features a distinctive introduction, in which a recorded guitar solo is rendered at double speed over a normal-speed guitar line in the background. 

1975 Rod Stewart had his fifth UK No.1 album when Atlantic Crossing started a five-week run at the top of the charts and No.9 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. The title indicated Stewart's new commercial and artistic direction, referring to both his crossing over to Warner Brothers and on his departure to escape the 83 per cent top rate of income tax introduced by British Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson for the jet-set lifestyle in Los Angeles (where he had applied for American citizenship at this time).

1986 Steve Winwood went to No.1 on the US singles chart with, 'Higher Love', a No.13 hit in the UK. This Track was Winwood's first #1 single as a solo artist. It also won 2 Grammys in 1987: Record Of The Year (beating Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" and Robert Palmer's "Addicted To Love"), and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Winwood played many of the instruments on a number of hits in the '60s and '70s as a session musician and as a member of Traffic, The Spencer Davis Group and Blind Faith. In the '80s, he established himself as a solo artist with songs he wrote with Will Jennings (writer of "My Heart Will Go On" with James Horner for the movie Titanic), who put lyrics to Winwood's music.

1995 Carly Simon and James Taylor performed live together in front of 10,000 fans on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. It was the first time they appeared live on the same stage since 1979. The former couple played their own solo sets before combining their efforts in raising money for the local agricultural society.

2003 Blu Cantrell Feat Sean Paul were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Breathe’, Beyoncé was at No.1 on the US charts with ‘Crazy In Love’ and R. Kelly had the Australian No.1 single with ‘Ignition (Remix).’ 

2013 Cinema's across the UK were handing out earplugs to parents taking their children to see One Direction’s British-American 3-D concert film. Billed as an intimate all-access look at life on the road for the global music phenomenon, This Is Us follows the lives of the five members of the boy band, One Direction. Accompanying chaperones could enjoy One Direction: This Is Us 3D without being worried by the high-levels of expected screaming and shouting in the auditoriums. Humans are capable of screaming as loud as 120 decibels, which is the same as standing next to a running chainsaw. The film was rolled out internationally on 30 August 2013 with a majority of markets being reached by the end of September 2013.

2013 A 96-year-old who wrote a song for his late wife made the US iTunes Top 10, alongside Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Fred Stobaugh, whose wife Lorraine had died in April, had no previous musical experience and wrote the song on a whim for a competition. He submitted his handwritten lyrics by post and, although the contest was online-only, the organizers were so moved they put the words to music. 'Oh Sweet Lorraine' was No.7 on US iTunes and had seen over 1.9m YouTube views.

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...