NOVEMBER 25 – December 1 – WEEK IN ROCK
November 25 – December 1 – BORN THIS WEEK
Bev Bevan – November 25, 1944 (Drummer- Electric Light Orchestra)
Bob Babbitt- November 26, 1937 (bassist, a member of the Funk Brothers)
John McVie – November 26, 1945 (bass guitar – Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers)
Tina Turner – November 26, 1939 (singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress)
Al Jackson – Nov. 27, 1934 (drummer, founding member of Booker T. & the M.G.’s)
Jimi Hendrix – Nov. 27, 1942 (guitarist, singer, and songwriter. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Band of Gypsy’s)
Dave Winthrop- Nov. 27, 1948 (flute, saxophone – Supertramp)
Charlie Benante – Nov. 27, 1962 (Anthrax)
Randy Brecker – Nov. 27, 1945 (flugelhornist, composer, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Zappa, Parliament)
Randy Newman – Nov. 28, 1943 (singer-songwriter, composer, and pianist)
Matt Cameron – November 28, 1962 (Drummer- Soundgarden, Pearl Jam)
Merle Travis – Nov. 29, 1917 (guitarist, country and western singer)
John Mayall – Nov. 29, 1933 (singer, guitarist, songwriter, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers)
Barry Goudreau – Nov. 29, 1951 (guitarists, Boston)
Ronnie Montrose – Nov. 29, 1947 (rock guitarist, Montrose)
Bob Moore – Nov. 30, 1932 (Moby Grape)
Robb Grill – Nov. 30, 1944 (The Grass Roots)
Roger Glover – Nov. 30, 1945 (Deep Purple)
Eric Bloom – Dec. 1, 1944 (Blue Oyster Cult)
John Densmore – Dec. 1, 1944 (The Doors)
Jaco Pastorius – Dec. 1, 1951 (jazz bassist, Weather Report, Blood Sweat & Tears, Jaco Pastorius Big Band)
DIED THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY:
Nick Drake – November 25, 1974 (English singer-songwriter)
Keith ‘Keef’ Hartley – November 26, 2011 (drummer and bandleader, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
John Rostill – November 26, 1973 (musician, bassist and composer, The Shadows)
Robert ‘Pops’ Popwell – November 27, 2017 (jazz-funk bass guitarist- The Crusaders, The Rascals)
Barbara Acklin – November 27, 1998 (soul singer and songwriter, The Chi-Lites)
Tony Meehan – November 28, 2005 (drummer, The Shadows, The Drifters)
Jerry Edmonton – November 28, 1993 (drummer, Steppenwolf)
George Harrison – November 29, 2001 (musician, singer-songwriter, music-film lead guitarist of the Beatles)
Tiny Tim – November 30, 1996 (singer, ukulele player, and musical archivist)
Ray Gillen – December 1, 1993 (singer-songwriter, Badlands, Black Sabbath)
MUSIC RELEASES AND TOP OF THE CHARTS…
November 25, 1967 “Incense And Peppermints” by Strawberry Alarm Clock hits #1 in America. The song is co-written by the band’s guitarist, Ed King, who later joins Lynyrd Skynyrd.
November 25, 1995 Exhale (Shoop Shoop) By Whitney Houston hits #1 on the Hot 100. The song appears on the “Waiting To Exhale” soundtrack. Furthermore, 3 days later “I Will Always Love You, ” Hits #1 three days later after the movie’s release.
Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang Sally” enters the pop charts on November 26, 1966.
Louis Armstrong records “You Made Me Love You.” on November 27, 1926.
The Association’s “Never My Love” is certified gold on November 27, 1967.
November 27, 1968 Steppenwolf’s self-titled debut album is certified gold.
November 28, 1960 Elvis Presley’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” hits #1 for the first of six weeks.
The Kinks’ first hit, “You Really Got Me,” peaks at #7 in America on November 28, 1964.
Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” a cover of a Dolly Parton song from 1974, goes to #1 in America on November 28, 1992.
Joni James’ “Why Don’t You Believe Me” hits #1 on November 29, 1952
The Beatles’ “Come Together” hits #1 on the Hot 100 on November 29, 1969.
November 29, 1975 Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” hits #1 in the UK and stays for a record nine weeks. In America, it becomes the group’s first Top 10 hit when it peaks at #9 on April 24, 1976.
November 29, 1975 Silver Convention’s “Fly, Robin, Fly” hits #1 in America for the first of three weeks. The disco tune has very few lyrics, since the German group couldn’t speak English.
Kansas’ Point of Know Return album is certified Platinum on November 29, 1977.
“Love Child” by The Supremes hits #1 in America on November 30, 1968.
The Crests release “16 Candles.”
November 30, 1974 Elton John’s Greatest Hits album hits #1.
The Teddy Bears’ “To Know Him Is To Love Him” hits #1 for the first of three weeks on December 1, 1958.
The Mamas and The Papas’ Cass, John, Michelle and Denny album are certified gold December 1, 1966.
John Lennon releases “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” in the US December 1, 1971.
THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY:
November 26,1958, Johnny Cash made his debut on the US country chart when ‘Cry! Cry! Cry!’ made it to number 14. His next seven singles would all make the country top 10, with ‘I Walk the Line’ and ‘There You Go’ both hitting number 1.
November 26, 1962, The Beatles recorded their second single ‘Please Please Me’ in 18 takes and ‘Ask Me Why’ for the flip side at EMI studio’s London. When released in the US on the Vee-Jay label, the first pressings featured a typographical error: The band’s name was spelled “The Beatles”.
November 26, 1968, Cream played their farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Also, on the bill were Yes and Taste. The concert was filmed and released as Cream’s Farewell Concert which has often been criticized for both its mediocre sound and visual effects: during Ginger Baker’s drum solo, he seems to change clothes at lightning speed due to careless post-editing.
November 27, 1961, Neil Christian and the Crusaders, featuring a young Jimmy Page on guitar, played a concert at Holloway Women’s Prison in London, England. The inmates were all dressed in washed out yellow, green, blue and red faded floral print dresses and wore homemade mascara, using the charcoal from burnt matches.
November 27, 1970, Black Sabbath, Cactus and Steel Mill, (featuring Bruce Springsteen) all appeared at the Sunshine In, Asbury Park in New Jersey. All three acts played two shows, tickets cost $5.00.
November 27, 1991, Freddie Mercury’s funeral service was conducted by a Zoroastrian priest, for 35 of his close friends and family, with Elton John and the remaining members of Queen among those in attendance. Mercury was cremated at Kensal Green Cemetery, West London, England.
November 28, 1954, Winifred Atwell was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Let’s Have Another Party.’ Atwell was the first black artist to reach No.1 in the UK and the first black artist to sell a million records.
November 28, 1962, The Beatles performed two evening shows: the first at The Cavern Club in Liverpool and the second at the 527 Club in Liverpool. The 527 Club show was a dance for the staff of Lewis Department Store in Liverpool, held on the top floor of the store.
November 29, 1980, ABBA scored their ninth and last UK No.1 single with ‘Super Trouper’, the group’s 25th Top 40 hit in the UK. The name “Super Trouper” referred to the gigantic spotlights used in stadium concerts.
November 30, 1968, Glen Campbell started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Wichita Lineman.’ Jimmy Webb’s inspiration for the lyrics came while driving through Washita County in northern Oklahoma. Webb was driving through an endless litany of telephone poles, each looking exactly the same as the last. Then, in the distance, he noticed the silhouette of a solitary lineman atop a pole. Webb then “put himself atop that pole and put that phone in his hand” as he considered what the lineman was saying into the receiver.
November 30,1969, The Rolling Stones played the final night on a 17 date North American tour at the International Raceway Festival, West Palm Beach, Florida. Also appearing, The Moody Blues, Ten Years After, King Crimson, Janis Joplin, The Band, Steppenwolf and Iron Butterfly.
November 30, 1982, Michael Jackson’s Thriller album was released. It spent 190 weeks on the UK album chart became the biggest selling pop album of all time, with sales over 66 million copies. Seven singles were released from the album, including ‘Beat It’, which featured guitarists Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather and ‘Billie Jean’.
December 1, 1966, Tom Jones was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of ‘Green Green Grass Of Home.’ It stayed at No.1 for seven weeks giving Decca records its first million selling single by a British artist. Also, a No.11 hit in the US.
December 1, 1973, The Carpenters went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Top Of The World’, becoming the duo’s second of three No.1 singles, following ‘(They Long to Be) Close to You’ and preceding ‘Please Mr. Postman.’ Country singer Lynn Anderson covered the song and her version became her first hit when it reached No.2 on the US country singles charts in mid-1973.
December 1, 1983, Neil Young was sued by Geffen Records because his new music for the label was ‘not commercial in nature and musically uncharacteristic of his previous albums’. His latest album Everybody’s Rockin’ featured a selection of rockabilly songs (both covers and original material) which ran for just 25 minutes, Young’s shortest album.
December 1, 1957, Al Priddy a DJ on US radio station KEX in Portland was fired after playing Elvis Presley’s version of ‘White Christmas’ The station management said, ‘it’s not in the spirit we associate with Christmas’.
That’s all for This Week in Rock History! Furthermore, be sure to check back next week for the latest Rock history tidbits!