Gavin Rossdale Was Born On October 30, 1967

Gavin Rossdale was born on October 30th of 1967 in London, England.

He is known primarily for being the lead singer and guitarist for the British rock band Bush. He is also known for being Gwen Stefani's husband.

Bush's biggest success was their 1994 debut album Sixteen Stone which has sold 6 million copies in the US. All of the songs were written and sung by Rossdale.

Sixteen Stone included hit US singles like "Everything Zen," "Comedown," "Machinehead," and "Glycerine."

Bush's albums with US sales figures to date:

1994: Sixteen Stone - 6 million
1996: Razorblade Suitcase - 3 million
1997: Deconstructed - 1 million
1999: The Science of Things - 2 million
2001: Golden State - 380,000

Despite their success in the US during the mid '90s, Bush never achieved the same success in Britain where they were far overshadowed by Oasis and Blur.

Since Bush broke up (unofficially) in 2002 Rossdale has formed a new band called Institute which has released one album thus far, 2005's Distort Yourself.

Scott Weiland Was Born On October 27, 1967

Scott Weiland was born on October 27th of 1967 in Santa Cruz, California.

He is best known as the lead singer & lyricist for Stone Temple Pilots (STP) who were one of the biggest selling bands of the 1990s with albums like their 1992 debut Core which has sold 8 million copies in America and their 1994 follow up album Purple which has sold over 6 million copies in America.

Stone Temple Pilots broke up in 2003 and Weiland moved on to become singer for Velvet Revolver which is made up of Weiland as singer and former Guns N Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum. Velvet Revolver has released two albums to date.

Weiland has also released one solo album, 1998's 12 Bar Blues.

Among Stone Temple Pilot's most well known songs are "Plush," "Interstate Love Song," "Creep," & "Vasoline."

The Beatles Started Filming Magical Mystery Tour On September 11, 1967

The Beatles began filming the Magical Mystery Tour film on September 11th of 1967. It would premier on UK TV on December 26, 1967.

The accompanying LP would be released on November 27th in the US featuring new songs and some singles that had been released over the last 12 months but which had not yet been featured on an album. In the UK it was initially released just as an EP without the previously released singles (Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, Hello Goodbye, Baby You're A Rich Man, & All You Need Is Love.) Later, in 1976, the LP version was also released in the UK and today the LP version is an "official" Beatles album.

Some clips from the movie:

"Magical Mystery Tour" (intro)


"Your Mother Should Know"


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The Beatles "All You Need Is Love" reaches #1 in the US on August 19, 1967

The Beatles "All You Need Is Love" became their 14th song to hit #1 in the US on August 19th of 1967. 40 years ago today.

The b-side to the single was "Baby You're A Rich Man." Both songs were later included on the Magical Mystery Tour album.

The song was performed by The Beatles on June 25, 1967 on Our World which was the first live global television broadcast. It was broadcast into 26 countries and watched by 350 million people. "All You Need Is Love" was the UK's contribution as The Beatles had been asked to contribute a song for the show.

The song was released as a single shortly thereafter and became a #1 hit in the US, UK, and Canada. It hit #1 on the world charts as well.

The song has many elements of other songs within it including the French anthem "La Marseillaise" and snatches of other songs such as Bach's "2-part invention #8 in F" and the standard "Greensleeves."

John and Paul also sing the Beatles own "She Loves You" over the outro. It's been said this was spontaneous but it's also possible it was planned.

The song has an unusual rhythmic structure with the verses being 2 measures of 7/4 then 1 measure of 8/4 and back with 1 more measure of 7/4. The chorus is 6 measures of 4/4 and ends with 1 6/4 measure. The song is the only one to use the 7/4 structure and hit #1 in the US. "Money" by Pink Floyd is another famous song to use the 7/4 structure.

The Our World performance:



Among those in attendance (and singing backing vocals) were Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Keith Moon, Graham Nash, Marianne Faithful, and Eric Clapton.

The version on the single release (and later on the Magical Mystery Tour album) was mostly from the live recording on June 25th but Lennon was unhappy with his verse vocals so those were re-recorded in the studio.

Download Beatles Classics Like All You Need Is Love In Mp3 Form For Your iPOD

The Beatles pay for and sign a marijuana legalization petition printed in The Times of London on July 24, 1967

40 years ago today the marijuana legalization petition that the Beatles signed was ran as a full page ad (paid for by The Beatles) in the Times of London. All four Beatles signed the petition along with their manager Brian Epstein.

Sir Francis Crick and Francis Huxley also signed the petition.

Related: Very Important Potheads.

Paul McCartney talks about using LSD on June 19, 1967

On June 19th of 1967 Paul McCartney of the Beatles admitted to using LSD during an interview with Life Magazine. Although McCartney was actually the last member of The Beatles to use LSD he was the first to talk about using LSD in public.

The Beatles music of the time (specifically Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour) seems to be influenced by their use of LSD.

Here's an interview of Paul McCartney talking about LSD:


The Beatles iPod Downloads


Various Artists - Beatles Tribute: Number One Again

The Beatles Sgt. Pepper Was Released On June 1, 1967

40 years ago today Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was released by The Beatles. It came out on June 1, 1967 in the UK and the following day in the US.

Sgt. Pepper is often regarded as the most influential rock album of all time.

It's often referred to as the first "Concept Album" although it's only a concept album in the loosest most broad use of the term.

The track listing:
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2. With a Little Help from My Friends
3. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
4. Getting Better
5. Fixing a Hole
6. She's Leaving Home
7. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
8. Within You Without You
9. When I'm Sixty-Four
10. Lovely Rita
11. Good Morning Good Morning
12. Sgt. Pepper's (Reprise)
13. A Day in the Life

The Beatles on making Sgt Pepper (from The Beatles Anthology)

Noel Gallagher was born on May 29, 1967

Noel Gallagher was born on May 29th of 1967 in Manchester, England.

Noel Gallagher is the principle songwriter and lead guitarist for the British rock band Oasis. Gallagher also sings lead vocals on some Oasis songs such as "Don't Look Back In Anger," "Talk Tonight," "Sad Song," "Magic Pie," "Sunday Morning Call," "The Importance of Being Idle," and "Part of the Queue."

Noel's brother Liam Gallagher is Oasis' lead singer.

On "Let There Be Love" the final track from Oasis' most recent album 2005's Don't Believe The Truth, Liam & Noel take turns singing. Listen to "Let There Be Love" :

Liz Phair was born on April 17, 1967

Elizabeth Clark Phair was born on April 17th of 1967 in New Haven, Connecticut. She turns 40 years old today.

Phair was adopted and although she was born in Connecticut she grew up in Illinois.

Phair is a singer-songwriter-guitarist who is best known for her 1993 debut album Exile In Guyville. The album has received much critical acclaim including being included on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 best albums of all time (#328.)

Video for "Stratford-On-Guy" from Exile In Guyville.

Jimi Hendrix sets his guitar on fire on stage for the first time on March 31, 1967

On March 31, 1967 Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire on stage for the first time. He was performing that night in London at the London Astoria Club.

Hendrix burned his hands during the stunt and was taken to the hospital.

You can watch & hear Hendrix set his guitar on fire on June 18, 1967 at the Monterey Pop Festival in San Francisco on the Complete Monterery Pop Festival DVD Set (or blu-ray if you've got a blu-ray player.)

This is a three disc set which features many performances from the famous festival (including those by The Who, The Mamas & the Papas, and Otis Redding.) After Woodstock, this is the most famous music festival of the 1960s.

Disc 2 of the set includes Jimi Hendrix's peformances of "Can You See Me?", "Purple Haze", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Monterey", "Killing Floor", Foxy Lady", "Like a Rolling Stone", "Rock Me Baby", "Hey Joe", "The Wind Cries Mary" and "Wild Thing." At the end of the performance he sets his guitar on fire and smashes it.

While it was the second time he performed the "setting his guitar on fire and smashing it" stunt (the first time being on March 31, 1967) It was the first time it was captured on video.



Learn To Play Guitar Like Jimi Hendrix With Jamorama

Billy Corgan was born on March 17th, 1967

Billy Corgan is the lead singer, main songwriter, and lead guitarist for the Smashing Pumpkins.

The Smashing Pumpkins enjoyed much commercial success in the 1990s with many hit songs and albums. Perhaps their best known song is the single "Today" released in 1993.

The Smashing Pumpkins broke up in 2000 but they have now reformed with Corgan stating that their new album Zeitgeist will be released in July of 2007.

See/Hear "Today":



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The Pink Floyd finishes recording of "Arnold Layne" on February 27th, 1967

40 years ago today, February 27th, The Pink Floyd (yes they were The Pink Floyd in those days) finished the recording of the psychedelic pop single "Arnold Layne."

"Arnold Layne" was not included on The Pink Floyd's classic psychedelic album "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" which was released later in 1967.

The Pink Floyd's lineup at that time was Syd Barrett on Guitar and Vocals, Roger Waters on Bass, Richard Wright on Organ, and Nick Mason on Drums. As with almost all of The Pink Floyd songs of this era, Barrett was the principle songwriter of "Arnold Layne."

"Arnold Layne" was released on March 11, 1967 in the UK and went to #20 in the UK charts.

This was also one of the first songs to have a music video recorded for it:



Download The Pink Floyd To Your MP3 Player/Computer/iPod

The Beatles "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" videos on Top of the Pops - February 9, 1967

40 years ago today the videos made for "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" were shown on the Brit music show "Top of the Pops." "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" were at the time on the Beatles latest single release. This incredible combination of two of the best songs ever recorded made this double A-side arguably the greatest single ever released. Fittingly enough it was the first Beatles single not to go to #1 (it only made it to #2) on the UK charts since 1963. #1 on the charts that week? Englebert Humperdink's "Release Me." No Accounting For Taste.

Below you can watch these two videos. Imagine them in black & white because that's how most of the viewers saw them in February 1967!

"Penny Lane" Video



"Strawberry Fields Forever" Video



Also extremely interesting to people really interested in music production and the details of things may want to hear George Martin (the Beatles legendary producer) talking about working on "Strawberry Fields Forever"



Beatles iPod Downloads

Jimi Hendrix - "Purple Haze" on the Top of the Pops - February 2, 1967

How quickly things were changing. My last post the Beatles were invading America with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and only three years later things had gotten quite crazy. The psychedelic era had begun. Jimi Hendrix performing "Purple Haze" on the Top of the Pops. 40 years ago today. It's all very amazing, but it's all exactly as it is. Is it not?

Watch for yourself:



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