MUSICAL LOCATION STOP-OVERS' - 2017
As part of my 'Musical Mystery Tour' radio shows, I often 'park up' and have a brief 'Musical Location Stop-Over', focusing upon some musical relationship to a particular place or location. This has included:
FIRST EPISODE OF 'THE TUBE' – Friday 5th November 1982:
On Friday 5th November 1982, the often controversial live music television show, 'The Tube', produced by 'Tyne Tees Television' for 'Channel 4', which ran for five series, from November 1982 to the 26th April 1987, being broadcast live from studios in Newcastle, was launched.
The show was often controversial and particularly became well-known for its often unpredictable and irreverent presentation style, becoming a launching pad for a number of presenters, including 'Jools Holland', 'Paula Yates', 'Leslie Ash', and 'Muriel Gray'.
At the Press Launch, one of the London-based reporters asked: “Who on earth is going to go to Newcastle to play?” Well, the answer proved to be pretty much every band you could ever care to mention, with 'The Tube' becoming a major showcase for many emerging bands & performers of the 1980s, including: 'The Boomtown Rats', 'The Damned', 'Elvis Costello', 'Frankie Goes to Hollywood', 'Iggy Pop', 'Madonna', 'Queen', 'Siouxsie and the Banshees', and 'The Smiths'.
On the first show in February 1982, 'The Jam' performed 'Beat Surrender', and were interviewed by Muriel Gray, with it being their last live TV appearance together before they split up at the end of that year.
'DEATH OF KAREN CARPENTER' - 4th February 1983:
In California, USA, on 4th February 1983, Karen Carpenter, the American singer & drummer with the hugely successful duo, 'The Carpenters', sadly died.
She and her brother, Richard, formed the duo in the 1970s, with them becoming the biggest-selling group of the 1970s, with no fewer than ten of their singles becoming million-sellers, and by 2005 having combined worldwide sales of albums & singles well exceeding 100 million.
Although notable as a drummer, it was particularly her stunning vocal performances that were especially significant, being described by many as one of the best female vocalists of all time, and being an influence on many other artists.
At an early age, her brother, Richard, developed an interest in music, becoming a piano prodigy, and Karen particularly enjoyed dancing. By the age of 4, she was enrolled in tap dancing & ballet classes, and then she joined a band as a drummer at High School, with her brother & herself making their first recordings together in 1965 & 1966.
But then, the following year, she began dieting, which over the years led to severe difficulties & health problems related to 'anorexia nervosa' & 'bulimia', two particular eating disorders that were little known about at the time. But less than a month before her 33rd Birthday, on the 4th February 1983, Karen Carpenter collapsed in her bedroom at her parents' home shortly after waking up.
After being taken to a nearby Hospital for treatment following a full cardiac arrest, she was pronounced dead 20 minutes later at 9:51am, dying at the age 32 from heart failure caused by complications related to her illness. Following her death, there was increased media attention to both 'anorexia nervosa' and also to 'bulimia'. which thankfully (out of such tragedy) led to an increased visibility & awareness of eating disorders.
'DEATH OF MARVIN GAYE' - 1st April 1984:
The year 1984, saw the death of American singer, songwriter & music producer, Marvin Gaye, who helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s. On the 1st April 1984, while Marvin Gaye was in his bedroom (and supposedly not in a very good place psychologically), his father, 'Marvin Gay Senior', shot his son in the heart and then in his left shoulder, with a gun that Marvin Gaye gave his father on the previous Christmas Day to protect himself from any intruders, with the first shot proving fatal, with Marvin Gaye dying on the day before his 45th birthday.
Minutes earlier, the two men had been involved in a physical & violent altercation when 'Marvin Gaye' intervened in a fight between his parents.
After Marvin Gaye's funeral attended by over 10,000 mourners, his body was cremated & his ashes were later scattered near the Pacific Ocean.
Initially charged with first-degree murder, his father's charges were dropped to voluntary manslaughter following a diagnosis of a brain tumor and Marvin Gaye's autopsy revealing the singer had drugs in his system. He was given a six-year suspended sentence & five years probation, later dying at a nursing home in 1998.
Marvin Gaye was a hugely successful & influential musician….and has been called: "The number-one purveyor of soul music….who transcended the boundaries of rhythm and blues as no other performer had done before". Following his death, 'The New York Times' described 'Marvin Gaye' as someone who "blended the soul music of the urban scene with the beat of the old-time gospel singer, and became an influential force in pop music"
“LIVE AID” CONCERTS - 13th July 1985:
On 13th July 1985, two 'Live Aid' concerts were held simultaneously at 'Wembley Stadium' in London (attended by 72,000 people) and also at the 'John F. Kennedy Stadium' in Philadelphia, USA (attended by about 100,000 people), featuring a wide range of performers, including 'Status Quo', 'Queen', 'David Bowie', 'U2', 'Tom Petty', 'Bob Dylan' & 'Duran Duran', with 'Phil Collins' performing at both the 'London' and 'Philadelphia' concerts, using 'Concorde' to get him 'supersonically' from the UK to the USA.
On the same day, concerts inspired by the initiative also took place in other countries, such as the Soviet Union, Japan, Austria, Australia & West Germany, with an estimated global TV audience of 1.9 billion, across 150 nations.
Despite attracting some criticism at the time and particularly in retrospect, 'Live Aid' became a huge fund-raising & awareness-raising event, organised particularly by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure as a follow-on to the successful charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", to help raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine.
Each of the two main parts of the concert ended with 'Band Aid's' "Do They Know It's Christmas?" closing the UK concert, and 'USA for Africa's' charity single, "We Are the World" closing the US concert, a song written by Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie, produced by Quincy Jones, and recorded by a 'super-group' of artists in 1985.
FIRST INDUCTION CEREMONY OF 'THE ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME' - 30th January 1986:
The first induction ceremony took place on 30th January 1986 of 'The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame', an organisation created in 1983 by Atlantic Records founder & chairman, Ahmet Ertegun, dedicated to recording the history of some of the best-known & most influential musicians, bands, producers, and others that have in some major way influenced the music industry, particularly in the area of rock and roll.
Initially the 'Hall of Fame' had nowhere to call home, with many cities being considered, including New York & Detroit, but in the end Cleveland, Ohio, in the USA, lobbied for the museum and won.
Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record, with a nomination committee selecting anywhere from nine to a dozen candidates, with ballots sent to around 600 so-called "rock experts" who then evaluate the candidates and vote on who should be inducted, with the performers who receive the highest number of votes and more than 50% of the vote being inducted.
But the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame' has received criticism for allegedly allowing the nomination process to be controlled by just a small number of individuals; nominating too many artists in too many genres that are not entirely rock; ignoring entire rock genres; and also using technicalities to induct groups who may not have been among the top vote getters.
At the First Annual 'Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame' Induction Ceremony on 30th January 1986 in New York City, more than 1,000 people saw the first musicians become inducted: Chuck Berry; James Brown; Ray Charles; Sam Cooke; Fats Domino; The Everly Brothers; Jerry Lee Lewis; Little Richard; and posthumously to Buddy Holly & Elvis Presley.
Little Richard was unable to attend the actual event, having been in a car accident, sending a video clip from his hospital room, after being inducted by Roberta Flack, who decried the lack of female inductees, saying: “Maybe next year will be the year of women” (with Aretha Franklin becoming the first and only female inductee the following year).
The very first musician to be inducted was 'Chuck Berry', with Keith Richards, who made the presentation, saying: “It’s very difficult for me to talk about Chuck Berry...because I lifted every lick he played”, to which a leering Chuck Berry replied, “dynamite!”.
“THE SIMPSONS” - 19th April 1987:
On 19th April 1987, 'The Simpsons' first appeared in the USA as short sketches as part of 'The Tracey Ullman Show', when after three-seasons it was then developed into a half-hour prime time TV show, becoming a big hit.
'The Simpsons' is an American animated sitcom, created by Matt Groening for the 'Fox Broadcasting Company', generally a satirical depiction of American working-class life epitomized by 'The Simpson' family, of father Homer; mother Marge; and children Bart, Lisa, and baby Maggie. Set in the fictional town of 'Springfield', it cleverly & quite intelligently parodies & comments upon American culture, society, television & the human condition.
Since its full-length début on 17th December 1989, 613 episodes of 'The Simpsons' have been broadcast, with the 28th season starting towards the end of last year, making it the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program.
"ROY ORBISON” - 6th December 1988:
On 6th December 1988, American singer-songwriter & musician, 'Roy Orbison', sadly died. Born on 23rd April 1936, growing up in Texas, and being nicknamed the 'Big O', he was known for his distinctive, impassioned voice, complex compositions & often dark emotional ballads.
He began singing in a Rockabilly and Country & Western band in High School, getting a record contract in 1956, with his greatest success coming in the early 1960s, until his career began to stagnate a bit in the 1970s. But it was revived in the 1980s by several cover versions of his songs and the use of his song, "In Dreams", in the David Lynch film 'Blue Velvet' in 1986; as well as becoming a member in 1988 of the 'Traveling Wilburys' supergroup, alongside George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne.
Wholeheartedly pursuing this second chance at stardom, he worked incredibly hard, with excessive interviews, touring, and many new demands. He once confided in 'Johnny Cash' that he was having chest pains and said he would have to do something about his health, but he never did, continuing to travel to Europe, win awards, playing many more shows, giving numerous interviews a day in a hectic schedule.
A manager at a club in Boston becoming concerned that he looked ill, but Roy Orbison played the show anyway, to another standing ovation, and then performed another show on 4th December, returning home for a brief rest for several days, before flying again to London to film more videos for 'The Travelling Wilbury's', and spending the 6th December 1988 flying model aeroplanes with his sons, and eating dinner at his Mother's house. But, later that day, he sadly died of a heart attack, at the age of 52, with the tabloid paper, 'The National Enquirer' suggesting on its cover that Orbison had worked himself to death.
In 1987, he was inducted into the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame', the 'Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame' in the same year, and the 'Songwriters Hall of Fame' in 1989. 'Rolling Stone' magazine placed him at No.37 on their list of the "Greatest Artists of All Time"; and No.13 on their list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time'; and in 2002, 'Billboard' magazine listed Orbison at No.74 in the Top 600 recording artists.
'HILLSBOROUGH FOOTBALL STADIUM' DISASTER - 15th April 1989:
The song “Ferry Cross The Mersey”, originally written & released by Gerry Marsden with 'Gerry & The Pacemakers' in 1964, became a special charity version released in May 1989 by Liverpool artists 'The Christians', 'Holly Johnson', 'Paul McCartney', 'Gerry Marsden' and Producers, 'Stock, Aitken & Waterman', getting to No.1 in the UK for 3 weeks.
It was released in support of those affected by the 'Hillsborough Football Stadium' disaster in Sheffield on 15th April 1989 during the FA Cup semi-final game between Liverpool & Nottingham Forest, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans, injured over 760 others, and had long-term effects on many, becoming the worst disaster in British sporting history, which sent shock waves through the Country; throughout football; and particularly through Liverpool.
After around 27 years of tireless campaigning by the families affected & many others against the original “accidental death verdicts” and the allegations & false stories that blamed the Liverpool supporters for the tragedy, the campaigners were vindicated after a second coroner's inquest recently gave the verdict that the supporters were “unlawfully killed due to grossly negligent failures by police and ambulance services to fulfil their duty of care to the supporters”; that the “design of the stadium contributed to the crush”; and that “supporters were not to blame for the dangerous conditions”.
Upon receiving that 2016 verdict, the 'Hillsborough Family Support Group' chairperson, whose 18-year-old son was killed, said: "Let's be honest about this – people were against us. We had the media against us, as well as the establishment. Everything was against us. The only people that weren't against us was our own city. That's why I am so grateful to my city and so proud of my city. They always believed in us”.
In 2016, the Liverpool band 'The Christians' released the song “Big Red Sky”, to mark the end of the 'Hillsborough Inquests' and to donate 100% of any revenue from the song direct to the families, with band member, Garry Christian saying: “Being Liverpool boys, the tragedy has remained very close to our hearts…we wrote 'Big Red Sky' last year as a tribute to the 96 and their families….Respect, admiration and love goes out to the families who’s strength and devotion has been unfaltering for so many years”.
“WINGATE FIELD”, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, USA - 13th August 1990:
A very very stormy 'Wingate Field', Brooklyn, New York City, on 13th August 1990 was the sad day that influential soul singer, 'Curtis Mayfield', was paralyzed from the neck down after being hit by a lighting scaffold blown down by a gust of wind during a very bad storm at an outdoor concert, which his son said struck him from behind and broke his neck, crushing several vertebrae, with him becoming paralyzed from the neck down, and being told he would never walk or play the guitar again. He was 48 years old.
He first achieved success & recognition with the “Impressions” during the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1950s & 1960s, and later worked as a very respected solo artist. But following the tragic event, his life initially crashed to a halt. No more performing, no more travelling, no more writing, but his son said: ”Dad never succumbed to self-pity, though he suffered mightily”.
Despite this, and unable to play guitar, he continued to compose & sing, and released his final album, “New World Order” in 1996; as well as receiving a 'Grammy Legend Award' in 1994; and a 'Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award' a year later; and being a double inductee into the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame', as a member of the 'Impressions' in 1991, and again in 1999 as a solo artist; and was also a two-time 'Grammy Hall of Fame' inductee. But, sadly, in 1999, he died from complications of type-2 diabetes, at the age of 57.
“WEMBLEY STADIUM” - 16th April 1990:
'Wembley Stadium', on 16th April 1990, saw the “Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa” concert, following Nelson Mandella's release from a Prison, near Cape Town, South Africa, on 11th February 1990, after 27 years behind bars.
But it was back in June 1964, when anti-apartheid activist, Nelson Mandella, was convicted along with several other 'African National Congress' leaders and sentenced to life in prison. But in 1989, after 'F.W. de Klerk' became South African president, he set about dismantling apartheid, lifted the ban on the 'African National Congress', suspended executions, and in February 1990 ordered the release of Nelson Mandela, who went on to lead the 'ANC' in its negotiations with the minority government for an end to apartheid and the establishment of a multi-racial government.
In 1993, 'Mandela' and 'De Klerk' were jointly awarded the 'Nobel Peace Prize', and one year later, the 'ANC' won a majority in the country’s first free elections, with Nelson Mandela being elected South Africa’s president. But after Mandella's release from prison in 1990, on 16th April in the same year, a massive tribute concert was held at 'Wembley Stadium', with Nelson Mandela appearing at the event, which was broadcast to 61 countries around the world.
Nelson Mandela retired from politics in 1999, but remained a global advocate for peace and social justice until his death in December 2013, but currently South Africa seems to be facing some difficult political & social challenges.
'NEW YORK CITY' - 20th March 1991:
A tragic event happened on 20th March 1991, that was to inspire a song. After Conor, the four-year-old son of musician, Eric Clapton, accidentally fell from an open window, opened by a janitor for cleaning, from the 53rd floor of the New York City high-rise building he was living in at the time with his mother.
Eric Clapton, who didn’t live with with the boy, was actually in New York at the time, having taken his son to the circus the day before, and was due to take him to the zoo on the day of his son's death. He arrived to pick him up, and was absolutely devastated at the scene of the accident.
In the following years, Eric Clapton went on to help raise awareness about childproofing windows & staircases, and he also wrote the song "Tears in Heaven", about the pain & loss he felt following the death of his 4-year-old son, Conor.
'FREDDIE MERCURY TRIBUTE CINCERT' - 20th April 1992:
On Easter Monday, 20th April 1992, the 'Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert' was held at Wembley Stadium, for an audience of 72,000, and broadcast live on television & radio to 76 countries around the world, with a total audience of up to one billion.
The concert was held as a tribute to the life of Queen lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury, who died in November the previous year, with profits from the concert used to launch 'The Mercury Phoenix Trust' to support research & awareness regarding AIDS.
'ELTON JOHN CONCERT' - 19th February 1993:
It was on 19th February 1993, at his concert in Melbourne, Australia, that Elton John was forced to end the concert half-an-hour hour early. But for what reason? Was he ill? Did they lose electricity? Did the local authority pull the plug because he rang over time? No, none of these. It was cut short because a swarm of grasshoppers invaded the stage!
171 LAKE WASHINGTON BLVD EAST, SEATTLE, USA - 8th April 1994:
American musician, artist, songwriter, guitarist & poet, “Kurt Cobain”, was found dead, at the age of just 27, at his home at 171 Lake Washington Boulevard East in Seattle, Washington, USA, in what was officially ruled a 'suicide' by a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head, which the coroner estimated to have happened 3 days earlier, on 5th April 1994. But over the years since then, the circumstances of his death have become a much talked about topic of public fascination, debate, allegations that he was actually murdered & also other 'conspiracy theories', which I won't go into here, but it's chronicled in various places throughout the Internet (of course) and in a number of books, whether totally true or not.
Musically though, in 1987, 'Kurt Cobain' helped to form the band, 'Nirvana', that went on to have great success, particularly following their second album, 'Nevermind' in 1991 (the one with the swimming baby on the cover), and the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit", with Cobain often being hailed as "the spokesman of a generation".
But during the last years of his life, he had many struggles with drug problems, chronic health issues & depression, having also had a troubled childhood, and supposedly finding it difficult coping with his fame & public image, as well as the professional & personal pressures with his wife, musician 'Courtney Love'. But putting all that to one side, 'Kurt Cobain' will always be remembered by many as one of the most iconic, talented & influential songwriters & musicians in the history of music.
“KENNY EVERETT” - 4th April 1995:
It was on 4th April 1995 that British comedian, radio DJ & television entertainer, “Maurice James Christopher Cole” - better known as “Kenny Everett” - who was born in Liverpool on Christmas Day in 1944, sadly died, at the age of 50.
Whilst working in various jobs, he put together carefully crafted cassette tapes that were an early showcase for his wacky sense of humour, exchanging them with the editor of a magazine, who suggested sending them to the BBC, but his eyes were set on becoming a pirate radio disc jockey, so he sent them to 'Radio London' and was taken on, particularly creating his partnership with Dave Cash. From there, he worked with 'Radio Luxembourg', and then with the new BBC Radio 1 in 1967. He later joined the new commercial radio station for London, 'Capital Radio', in 1973. But throughout his broadcasting career, he had some ups-and-downs, often losing one job, then starting another; often coming back again later; including joining 'BBC Radio 2', 'BBC Radio Bristol', and 'Capital Gold', as well as having success with his own television comedy show.
I particularly remember him from 'Capital Radio'...and had the pleasure to speak with him a few times and also be in the studio with him at 'Capital Radio' where I did a junior journalist spot, and inspired me at around the age of 13/14 to have a go at creating my own stories, and carefully editing onto cassettes with scissors & tape. Some of these, together with various radio shows & other stuff, can be heard on 'mixcloud' on the internet at: www.mixcloud.com/gordonwarren.
For me, Kenny Everett was a one-off & totally unique, a broadcasting & creative genius, and a natural communicator & broadcaster, who was actually quite shy, who grew up in the heyday of radio comedy which influenced him in many ways. But he was often irreverent, with a zany & risqué sense of humour, that got him into trouble more than once.
He had particular friendships with many musicians, including 'The Beatles', and particularly with Freddie Mercury, thankfully playing a major role in 1975 to get Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" released as a single.
But in 1989, he was diagnosed as HIV positive, and made his condition known to the public in 1993, sadly dying from an AIDS-related illness on 4 April 1995, aged 50.
“THE HILTON HOTEL”, Manchester - 13th February 1996:
At a press conference at ‘The Hilton Hotel’ in Manchester on 13th February 1996, the hugely successful boy-band, ‘Take That’, formally announced that they were disbanding, with ‘Gary Barlow’ uttering those famous words, "Take That' is no more" - on the very day that was also the birthday of ex-member, ‘Robbie Williams’, who quit the band at the height of their fame the previous summer.
Following the band's announcement, millions of their fans all around the world and in the UK were distraught, with teenage girls threatening suicide and lining the streets in tears, to the point that telephone helplines were set up to counsel devastated fans. But it wasn’t just fans that had difficulty with the split. The band members did too, especially Gary Barlow, who spoke of his difficulty in adjusting; unable to sing or write; disguising himself in public; and of depression.
After the band broke up, various musical figures said that ‘Take That’ were different from any other boy band before & after them, especially writing their own material through Gary Barlow, the only boy band member to win an ‘Ivor Novello’ award during his time in a boy band, although George Michael won it while in Wham! ’Take That’ have also been credited with being immaculate performers, with a very high work ethic, with many claiming them to be the greatest boy-band of all time.
But since that split on 13th February 1996, ‘Take That’ did get back together – in different guises over the years – producing some very good material and going on from strength to strength, with even ‘Robbie Williams’ returning to the band on and off.
‘RITZ-CARLTON HOTEL', Double Bay, Sydney, Australia - 22nd November 1997:
On the morning of 22nd November 1997, the Australian musician, actor & founding member, lead singer & songwriter of rock band, ‘INXS’, ‘Michael Hutchence’, was found dead, at the age of 37, in Room 524 of the ‘Ritz-Carlton Hotel'; in ‘Double Bay’, Sydney, Australia.
On 6th February 1998, after an autopsy & inquest, the ‘New South Wales State Coroner’ said that the death of ‘Michael Hutchence’ was a suicide while depressed & under the influence of alcohol & other drugs, but despite this, many have argued it was accidental.
At the time of his death, he was in a relationship with Paula Yates, that began while she was married to Bob Geldof, with them divorcing in 1996, and during his tour in Australia, Paula Yates had supposedly planned to visit Hutchence with his daughter & Yates's three children, but Bob Geldof was seeking legal action to prevent the visit, with supposedly many difficulties, tensions & arguments because of it. But whatever the background & circumstances, the early death of ‘Michael Hutchence’ was a loss to music.
'GERI HALLIWELL' LEAVES 'THE SPICE GIRLS' - 31st May 1998:
It was at the offices of solicitors, “Lee & Thompson”, in central London on 31st May 1998, that many gathered journalists were eagerly awaiting an announcement about ‘Geri Halliwell’ (‘Ginger Spice’), and whether she had actually left the “Spice Girls”….following days of speculation, after Geri missed the BBC National Lottery Show & two concerts in Norway.
Eventually, Geri Halliwell's solicitor and a spokesperson for the remaining four members of the band, emerged….with a statement, said to have been written by Geri, that said: "Sadly I would like to confirm that I have left the Spice Girls. This is because of differences between us. I'm sure the group will continue to be successful, and I wish them all the best... PS, I'll be back."
This was followed by the announcement on behalf of the remaining four members of the group, which said they were "upset and saddened" but would carry on and fulfil their commitments including the forthcoming American tour….saying they were supportive of Geri in whatever she wanted to do, and added, "The Spice Girls are here to stay.... Friendship never ends".
Following the ending of the original line-up of ‘The Spice Girls’, they continued to perform as a foursome. But by the end of 2001, they basically fizzled out as a band to concentrate more fully on solo careers, particularly the two ‘Melanies’ - 'Melanie B’ (Scary Spice) & ‘Melanie C’ (Sporty Spice), as well as ‘Emma Bunton' (Baby Spice').
Before the end of 1998, ‘The Spice Girls’ released their first song without ‘Geri Halliwell’, called "Goodbye", written originally about a relationship ending, but it sort of became about ‘Geri Halliwell’, and it also became 'The Spice Girls' third consecutive Christmas No.1.
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – Thursday 1st July 1999:
Edinburgh, Scotland, on Thursday 1st July 1999, saw the official opening of the ‘Scottish Parliament’, with celebrations beginning on the eve of the event with a Gala Dinner; Beacons being lit; a bonfire & barbecue, together with live music.
On the morning of the 1st July, ‘Her Majesty the Queen’ opened the Parliament in an official ceremony, viewed on giant screens; together with a parade of 1500 young children representing all constituencies in Scotland, followed by a picnic & live pop music. In the evening, the hugely successful Scottish-American band, “Garbage”, direct from their European tour, played a one-off open air concert in the gardens below the ‘Edinburgh Castle’, fronted by Edinburgh’s own ‘Shirley Manson’, together with her American band-mates, in their first-ever Edinburgh performance, which ‘Shirley Manson’ said was “the proudest moment of her career”.
The band were introduced that night by Scottish First Minister, ‘Donald Dewar’, who sadly died the next year from a brain haemorrhage, which ‘Shirley Manson’ said was one of the few politicians that she had a lot of respect and love for, adding: “It was a great honour that he described hearing ‘Stupid Girl’ on ‘Desert Island Discs’ as the last song he heard on the best day of his life.”
As part of their set-list that night, ‘Garbage’ covered ‘The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down”, as a plea to the country’s new MSPs.
'SOHO SQUARE', London – Kirsty MacColl:
Whilst on holiday in Mexico, on 18th December 2000, English singer-songwriter, Kirsty MacColl, sadly died. As she and her sons were diving in a designated diving area, a powerboat at high-speed entered the restricted area. Although one of her sons was not in its way, whilst pushing her other son out of its path, she was struck by the boat & tragically died, at the age of just 41. A controversial court case followed the incident, and a 'Justice for Kirsty' campaign was set-up, particularly to establish whether the case had been investigated thoroughly enough to feel justice had been done.
Kirsty MacColl was the daughter of folk singer, Ewan MacColl & dancer, Jean Newlove, and grew up with her mother in Croydon. She became a singer-songwriter, who wrote and recorded several pop hits during the 1980s and 90s, including the 'Billy Bragg' song, 'A New England'. She also influenced a number of other artists, and her collaboration with 'The Pogues' on "Fairytale of New York" continues to be a huge favourite, especially at Christmas.
Sadly in May 2017, her mother, passed away, bringing to an end her tireless campaign for Kirsty. Her own autobiography & books about Kirsty are available, together with a fan website at: www.kirstymacoll.com
Although a great loss to music, at such a young age, her lives on, including a song called ‘Soho Square’, which is a particular place in Central London that has a park and garden area at its centre, that was originally built in the late 1670s, and at the time was one of the most fashionable places to live. But it also has a special link with Kirsty MacColl, because following her death, with the support and blessing of her family & management, a bench was erected in the square in her memory, inspired by a lyric from the song 'Soho Square': "One day I'll be waiting there / No empty bench in Soho Square", she sang. These words were also reproduced on a plaque attached to the bench, which was unveiled in 2001, and every year on the Sunday nearest to her birthday, the 10th of October, fans tend to gather there to pay tribute to her.
AALIYAH - 25th August 2001:
American singer, actress & model, known as “Aaliyah”. was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show, “Star Search”, and performed in concert alongside ‘Gladys Knight’.
At the of age 12, she got a record contract, and was introduced to performer & producer, ‘R. Kelly’, who became her mentor, as well as lead songwriter & producer of her successful début album.
She then worked with record producers, ‘Timbaland’ and ‘Missy Elliott’ for her second successful album, and then in the year 2000 she appeared in her first film, also contributing to the film's soundtrack and the single, "Try Again", which topped the ‘Billboard’ chart solely on airplay, making ‘Aaliyah’ the first artist in Billboard history to achieve that particular goal, with the song also winning a ‘Grammy’ Award nomination for ‘Best Female R&B Vocalist’.
After more acting, and a third album, tragedy struck on 25th August 2001 in the Bahamas, when ‘Aaliyah’ & eight others were killed in a plane accident, after filming the music video for a new single, crashing shortly after take-off, about 200 feet from the end of the runway, where the plane exploded.
Although her music career was cut short, she received much praise, and has been credited with helping redefine contemporary R&B; pop & hip-hop; influencing many other artists; and gaining the nicknames "Princess of R&B" and "Queen of Urban Pop". But despite her sad & early death at just the age of 22, her music continued after her death and lives on today.
“THE CONCERT FOR GEORGE HARRISON” - 29th November 2002:
"The Concert For George Harrison” took place on 29th November 2002 at 'The Royal Albert Hall' in London, held as a memorial to 'George Harrison' on the first anniversary of his death. It was organised by Harrison's widow, 'Olivia' & their son, 'Dhani', and arranged under the musical direction of 'Eric Clapton' & 'Jeff Lynne', with the profits from the event going to the 'Material World Charitable Foundation', set up by 'George Harrison'.
The concert included traditional Sanskrit invocation & Indian music from 'Anoushka Shankar', daughter of 'Ravi Shankar',as well as comedy & song from members of 'Monty Python'. Following this, a concert featured music from Paul McCartney; Ringo Starr; Eric Clapton; Jeff Lynne; Tom Petty; Billy Preston; Jools Holland, and many others, particularly playing songs by 'George Harrison’.
One of the songs played was “My Sweet Lord”, originally released in 1970 that topped the charts worldwide & became the biggest-selling single of 1971 in the UK, which ‘George Harrison’ also performed at the 'Concert for Bangladesh' in August of that year....and 31 years alter, the song got to No.1 in the UK for a second time, when it was re-released in January 2002, two months after his death.
‘THE DIXIE CHICKS” - 10th March 2003:
American group, “The Dixie Chicks” were originally formed in 1989 in Dallas, Texas, made up of four women performing bluegrass & country, busking & touring for around 6 years, before reforming with the two founding member sisters (Martie Maguire & Emily Robison), together with new lead singer, Natalie Maines. They soon went on to achieve commercial success, beginning in 1998 with the hit songs "There's Your Trouble" and "Wide Open Spaces".
But during the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, the ‘Dixie Chicks’ performed a London concert on 10th March 2003, and during an introduction to their song, “Travelling Soldier”, ‘Natalie Maines’, who along with 2 other band members, is a native of Texas, casually said the following: "...We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."
Whilst they had a positive reaction from the British audience, all hell ensued for the band in the USA, with denouncements; calls for bans; radio stations refusing to play their music; public protests destroying their albums in the street; damage to their houses; and even death threats, which can be seen in their film “Shut Up And Sing”. It became a frightening and worrying time & totally rocked their world.
Although the end of their careers were predicted, by 2014, the ‘Dixie Chicks’ had won 13 Grammy Awards, including five in 2007 for ‘Taking the Long Way’ for ‘Album of the Year’; and "Not Ready to Make Nice", a single from that album….With over 30million albums sold, they have become one of the top selling bands and biggest selling female bands in the USA.
As a response to what they went through after that casual remark about ‘George W Bush’ was made, the song “Not Ready To Make Nice’ was written that directly addressed the political controversy & personal consequences that had surrounded the group for the previous three years, and went on to win 3 ‘Grammy’ awards and become a big hit in the USA.
‘DEATH OF JOHN PEEL” - 25th October 2004:
It was on 25th October 2004, that “John Robert Parker Ravenscroft”, known professionally though as English DJ, Radio Presenter, Record Producer & Journalist, “John Peel”, who died suddenly at the age of 65 from a heart attack whilst on a working holiday in Peru.
He was the longest serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004, and he was one of the first broadcasters to play ‘psychedelic rock’ and ‘progressive rock’ records on British radio, becoming widely acknowledged for promoting new artists working in a wide range of genres, with fellow DJ, ‘Paul Gambaccini’ describing him as "the most important man in music for about a dozen years".
On the day of his funeral, over a thousand people attended, including many of the artists he championed...ending with clips of him talking about his life with his coffin being carried out to his favourite song, ”Teenage Kicks” by “The Undertones', with his gravestone engraved with the words, "Teenage Dreams, so hard to beat", from the lyrics of that very song.
‘CREAM’ RE-UNION CONCERTS – May 2005;
During May 2005, the legendary blues-rock group, “Cream”, set aside nearly 40 years of acrimony and reunited for four shows at London's Royal Albert Hall, the venue of their final concerts in 1968, with tickets for all four shows selling out in under an hour. Following those initial London shows, saw a few shows at ‘Madison Square Garden’, ‘New York City’, USA, about a month after a double-CD set and a double-DVD set of the London shows were released.
Although the three musicians chose not to speak publicly about the shows, Eric Clapton was later reported as saying that he had become more "generous" in regard to his past, and that the physical health of both Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker was a major factor, with Jack Bruce having recently had a liver transplant for liver cancer, and had almost lost his life; while Ginger Baker had severe arthritis.
But, as is usual, there were mixed opinions about the reunion. Whilst many reports said the chemistry was still there between guitarist & vocalist, ‘Eric Clapton’, aged 60; bassist & vocalist, ‘Jack Bruce’, aged 61; and drummer, ‘Ginger Baker’, aged 65, others were a bit more critical, with, for example, ‘Alex Petridis’ in ‘The Guardian’ saying that: “The atmosphere is less like a rock concert than a corporate hospitality tent at Wimbledon. Paunchy men in sports jackets clink ice in gin & tonics, and mumsy ladies fan themselves with pricey souvenir programmes”…..but then added that “Ginger Baker turns out to be the evening's surprise star. His drumming is fantastic”.
“LEONA LEWIS” - 'X Factor' - 16th December 2006:
On 16th December 2006, British singer, songwriter & animal welfare campaigner, “Leona Lewis”, became the winner of the 3rd series of “The X Factor’, mentored by “Simon Cowel”, with “Ray Quinn” as the runner-up.
The prize for ‘Leona Lewis’ was a £1million recording contract with Simon Cowell's record label, and in February 2007, she signed a five-album contract in the USA.
Since her career started in 2006, she became the second best-selling act, behind ‘One Direction,’ to have emerged from ‘The X Factor’ franchise, and she’s had continued success since winning, with her debut album becoming 10x Platinum in the UK & the 4th best-selling album of the 2000s, and her lead single, "Bleeding Love", spending 7 weeks at No.1. She's also won 2 ‘MOBO’ Awards; an ‘MTV Europe Music’ Award; and 2 ‘World Music’ Awards; and been nominated 6 times for a ‘Brit’ Award; and 3 times for a ‘Grammy’.
Although initially training in opera before moving into jazz & blues, and eventually into popular & contemporary music, in 2014, she made her film debut in a supporting role in the romantic comedy musical, ‘Walking on Sunshine’, and then in 2016, she made her Broadway debut as ‘Grizabella’ in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, ‘Cats’.
Her “X Factor” winner’s single, a cover of Kelly Clarkson's song, "A Moment Like This", broke a world record being digitally downloaded more than 50,000 times in less than 30 minutes, became the Christmas No.1, and also the 2nd best-selling single in the UK in 2006.
48th GRAMMY AWARDS - 11th February 2007:
On 11th February 2007, the 49th Grammy Awards were held at the 'Staples Center' in 'Los Angeles', California, USA, with ‘The Police’ reuniting and performing for the first time in the 21st century, starting off with the song “Roxanne”; ‘Christina Aguilera’ performed "It's Man's World", as a tribute to the Godfather of Soul, 'James Brown'; ‘Mary J. Blige’ received the most nominations, with eight; ‘The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ won 4 awards for their 2006 rock hit, 'Dani California' and the album, 'Stadium Arcadium'; ‘Shakira’ performed for the first time ever at the 'Grammys', with the biggest hit of 2006, “Hips Don't Lie”, featuring 'Wyclef Jean'; and also the 'Best New Artist' & 'Best Female Country Vocal Performance' went to 'Carrie Underwood'.
But it was 'The Dixie Chicks' that became the biggest winners of the night with five awards, including the big three: 'Record of the Year'; 'Album of the Year'; and 'Song of the Year'.
As part of my 'Musical Mystery Tour' radio shows, I often 'park up' and have a brief 'Musical Location Stop-Over', focusing upon some musical relationship to a particular place or location. This has included:
FIRST EPISODE OF 'THE TUBE' – Friday 5th November 1982:
On Friday 5th November 1982, the often controversial live music television show, 'The Tube', produced by 'Tyne Tees Television' for 'Channel 4', which ran for five series, from November 1982 to the 26th April 1987, being broadcast live from studios in Newcastle, was launched.
The show was often controversial and particularly became well-known for its often unpredictable and irreverent presentation style, becoming a launching pad for a number of presenters, including 'Jools Holland', 'Paula Yates', 'Leslie Ash', and 'Muriel Gray'.
At the Press Launch, one of the London-based reporters asked: “Who on earth is going to go to Newcastle to play?” Well, the answer proved to be pretty much every band you could ever care to mention, with 'The Tube' becoming a major showcase for many emerging bands & performers of the 1980s, including: 'The Boomtown Rats', 'The Damned', 'Elvis Costello', 'Frankie Goes to Hollywood', 'Iggy Pop', 'Madonna', 'Queen', 'Siouxsie and the Banshees', and 'The Smiths'.
On the first show in February 1982, 'The Jam' performed 'Beat Surrender', and were interviewed by Muriel Gray, with it being their last live TV appearance together before they split up at the end of that year.
'DEATH OF KAREN CARPENTER' - 4th February 1983:
In California, USA, on 4th February 1983, Karen Carpenter, the American singer & drummer with the hugely successful duo, 'The Carpenters', sadly died.
She and her brother, Richard, formed the duo in the 1970s, with them becoming the biggest-selling group of the 1970s, with no fewer than ten of their singles becoming million-sellers, and by 2005 having combined worldwide sales of albums & singles well exceeding 100 million.
Although notable as a drummer, it was particularly her stunning vocal performances that were especially significant, being described by many as one of the best female vocalists of all time, and being an influence on many other artists.
At an early age, her brother, Richard, developed an interest in music, becoming a piano prodigy, and Karen particularly enjoyed dancing. By the age of 4, she was enrolled in tap dancing & ballet classes, and then she joined a band as a drummer at High School, with her brother & herself making their first recordings together in 1965 & 1966.
But then, the following year, she began dieting, which over the years led to severe difficulties & health problems related to 'anorexia nervosa' & 'bulimia', two particular eating disorders that were little known about at the time. But less than a month before her 33rd Birthday, on the 4th February 1983, Karen Carpenter collapsed in her bedroom at her parents' home shortly after waking up.
After being taken to a nearby Hospital for treatment following a full cardiac arrest, she was pronounced dead 20 minutes later at 9:51am, dying at the age 32 from heart failure caused by complications related to her illness. Following her death, there was increased media attention to both 'anorexia nervosa' and also to 'bulimia'. which thankfully (out of such tragedy) led to an increased visibility & awareness of eating disorders.
'DEATH OF MARVIN GAYE' - 1st April 1984:
The year 1984, saw the death of American singer, songwriter & music producer, Marvin Gaye, who helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s. On the 1st April 1984, while Marvin Gaye was in his bedroom (and supposedly not in a very good place psychologically), his father, 'Marvin Gay Senior', shot his son in the heart and then in his left shoulder, with a gun that Marvin Gaye gave his father on the previous Christmas Day to protect himself from any intruders, with the first shot proving fatal, with Marvin Gaye dying on the day before his 45th birthday.
Minutes earlier, the two men had been involved in a physical & violent altercation when 'Marvin Gaye' intervened in a fight between his parents.
After Marvin Gaye's funeral attended by over 10,000 mourners, his body was cremated & his ashes were later scattered near the Pacific Ocean.
Initially charged with first-degree murder, his father's charges were dropped to voluntary manslaughter following a diagnosis of a brain tumor and Marvin Gaye's autopsy revealing the singer had drugs in his system. He was given a six-year suspended sentence & five years probation, later dying at a nursing home in 1998.
Marvin Gaye was a hugely successful & influential musician….and has been called: "The number-one purveyor of soul music….who transcended the boundaries of rhythm and blues as no other performer had done before". Following his death, 'The New York Times' described 'Marvin Gaye' as someone who "blended the soul music of the urban scene with the beat of the old-time gospel singer, and became an influential force in pop music"
“LIVE AID” CONCERTS - 13th July 1985:
On 13th July 1985, two 'Live Aid' concerts were held simultaneously at 'Wembley Stadium' in London (attended by 72,000 people) and also at the 'John F. Kennedy Stadium' in Philadelphia, USA (attended by about 100,000 people), featuring a wide range of performers, including 'Status Quo', 'Queen', 'David Bowie', 'U2', 'Tom Petty', 'Bob Dylan' & 'Duran Duran', with 'Phil Collins' performing at both the 'London' and 'Philadelphia' concerts, using 'Concorde' to get him 'supersonically' from the UK to the USA.
On the same day, concerts inspired by the initiative also took place in other countries, such as the Soviet Union, Japan, Austria, Australia & West Germany, with an estimated global TV audience of 1.9 billion, across 150 nations.
Despite attracting some criticism at the time and particularly in retrospect, 'Live Aid' became a huge fund-raising & awareness-raising event, organised particularly by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure as a follow-on to the successful charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", to help raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine.
Each of the two main parts of the concert ended with 'Band Aid's' "Do They Know It's Christmas?" closing the UK concert, and 'USA for Africa's' charity single, "We Are the World" closing the US concert, a song written by Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie, produced by Quincy Jones, and recorded by a 'super-group' of artists in 1985.
FIRST INDUCTION CEREMONY OF 'THE ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME' - 30th January 1986:
The first induction ceremony took place on 30th January 1986 of 'The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame', an organisation created in 1983 by Atlantic Records founder & chairman, Ahmet Ertegun, dedicated to recording the history of some of the best-known & most influential musicians, bands, producers, and others that have in some major way influenced the music industry, particularly in the area of rock and roll.
Initially the 'Hall of Fame' had nowhere to call home, with many cities being considered, including New York & Detroit, but in the end Cleveland, Ohio, in the USA, lobbied for the museum and won.
Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record, with a nomination committee selecting anywhere from nine to a dozen candidates, with ballots sent to around 600 so-called "rock experts" who then evaluate the candidates and vote on who should be inducted, with the performers who receive the highest number of votes and more than 50% of the vote being inducted.
But the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame' has received criticism for allegedly allowing the nomination process to be controlled by just a small number of individuals; nominating too many artists in too many genres that are not entirely rock; ignoring entire rock genres; and also using technicalities to induct groups who may not have been among the top vote getters.
At the First Annual 'Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame' Induction Ceremony on 30th January 1986 in New York City, more than 1,000 people saw the first musicians become inducted: Chuck Berry; James Brown; Ray Charles; Sam Cooke; Fats Domino; The Everly Brothers; Jerry Lee Lewis; Little Richard; and posthumously to Buddy Holly & Elvis Presley.
Little Richard was unable to attend the actual event, having been in a car accident, sending a video clip from his hospital room, after being inducted by Roberta Flack, who decried the lack of female inductees, saying: “Maybe next year will be the year of women” (with Aretha Franklin becoming the first and only female inductee the following year).
The very first musician to be inducted was 'Chuck Berry', with Keith Richards, who made the presentation, saying: “It’s very difficult for me to talk about Chuck Berry...because I lifted every lick he played”, to which a leering Chuck Berry replied, “dynamite!”.
“THE SIMPSONS” - 19th April 1987:
On 19th April 1987, 'The Simpsons' first appeared in the USA as short sketches as part of 'The Tracey Ullman Show', when after three-seasons it was then developed into a half-hour prime time TV show, becoming a big hit.
'The Simpsons' is an American animated sitcom, created by Matt Groening for the 'Fox Broadcasting Company', generally a satirical depiction of American working-class life epitomized by 'The Simpson' family, of father Homer; mother Marge; and children Bart, Lisa, and baby Maggie. Set in the fictional town of 'Springfield', it cleverly & quite intelligently parodies & comments upon American culture, society, television & the human condition.
Since its full-length début on 17th December 1989, 613 episodes of 'The Simpsons' have been broadcast, with the 28th season starting towards the end of last year, making it the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program.
"ROY ORBISON” - 6th December 1988:
On 6th December 1988, American singer-songwriter & musician, 'Roy Orbison', sadly died. Born on 23rd April 1936, growing up in Texas, and being nicknamed the 'Big O', he was known for his distinctive, impassioned voice, complex compositions & often dark emotional ballads.
He began singing in a Rockabilly and Country & Western band in High School, getting a record contract in 1956, with his greatest success coming in the early 1960s, until his career began to stagnate a bit in the 1970s. But it was revived in the 1980s by several cover versions of his songs and the use of his song, "In Dreams", in the David Lynch film 'Blue Velvet' in 1986; as well as becoming a member in 1988 of the 'Traveling Wilburys' supergroup, alongside George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne.
Wholeheartedly pursuing this second chance at stardom, he worked incredibly hard, with excessive interviews, touring, and many new demands. He once confided in 'Johnny Cash' that he was having chest pains and said he would have to do something about his health, but he never did, continuing to travel to Europe, win awards, playing many more shows, giving numerous interviews a day in a hectic schedule.
A manager at a club in Boston becoming concerned that he looked ill, but Roy Orbison played the show anyway, to another standing ovation, and then performed another show on 4th December, returning home for a brief rest for several days, before flying again to London to film more videos for 'The Travelling Wilbury's', and spending the 6th December 1988 flying model aeroplanes with his sons, and eating dinner at his Mother's house. But, later that day, he sadly died of a heart attack, at the age of 52, with the tabloid paper, 'The National Enquirer' suggesting on its cover that Orbison had worked himself to death.
In 1987, he was inducted into the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame', the 'Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame' in the same year, and the 'Songwriters Hall of Fame' in 1989. 'Rolling Stone' magazine placed him at No.37 on their list of the "Greatest Artists of All Time"; and No.13 on their list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time'; and in 2002, 'Billboard' magazine listed Orbison at No.74 in the Top 600 recording artists.
'HILLSBOROUGH FOOTBALL STADIUM' DISASTER - 15th April 1989:
The song “Ferry Cross The Mersey”, originally written & released by Gerry Marsden with 'Gerry & The Pacemakers' in 1964, became a special charity version released in May 1989 by Liverpool artists 'The Christians', 'Holly Johnson', 'Paul McCartney', 'Gerry Marsden' and Producers, 'Stock, Aitken & Waterman', getting to No.1 in the UK for 3 weeks.
It was released in support of those affected by the 'Hillsborough Football Stadium' disaster in Sheffield on 15th April 1989 during the FA Cup semi-final game between Liverpool & Nottingham Forest, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans, injured over 760 others, and had long-term effects on many, becoming the worst disaster in British sporting history, which sent shock waves through the Country; throughout football; and particularly through Liverpool.
After around 27 years of tireless campaigning by the families affected & many others against the original “accidental death verdicts” and the allegations & false stories that blamed the Liverpool supporters for the tragedy, the campaigners were vindicated after a second coroner's inquest recently gave the verdict that the supporters were “unlawfully killed due to grossly negligent failures by police and ambulance services to fulfil their duty of care to the supporters”; that the “design of the stadium contributed to the crush”; and that “supporters were not to blame for the dangerous conditions”.
Upon receiving that 2016 verdict, the 'Hillsborough Family Support Group' chairperson, whose 18-year-old son was killed, said: "Let's be honest about this – people were against us. We had the media against us, as well as the establishment. Everything was against us. The only people that weren't against us was our own city. That's why I am so grateful to my city and so proud of my city. They always believed in us”.
In 2016, the Liverpool band 'The Christians' released the song “Big Red Sky”, to mark the end of the 'Hillsborough Inquests' and to donate 100% of any revenue from the song direct to the families, with band member, Garry Christian saying: “Being Liverpool boys, the tragedy has remained very close to our hearts…we wrote 'Big Red Sky' last year as a tribute to the 96 and their families….Respect, admiration and love goes out to the families who’s strength and devotion has been unfaltering for so many years”.
“WINGATE FIELD”, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, USA - 13th August 1990:
A very very stormy 'Wingate Field', Brooklyn, New York City, on 13th August 1990 was the sad day that influential soul singer, 'Curtis Mayfield', was paralyzed from the neck down after being hit by a lighting scaffold blown down by a gust of wind during a very bad storm at an outdoor concert, which his son said struck him from behind and broke his neck, crushing several vertebrae, with him becoming paralyzed from the neck down, and being told he would never walk or play the guitar again. He was 48 years old.
He first achieved success & recognition with the “Impressions” during the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1950s & 1960s, and later worked as a very respected solo artist. But following the tragic event, his life initially crashed to a halt. No more performing, no more travelling, no more writing, but his son said: ”Dad never succumbed to self-pity, though he suffered mightily”.
Despite this, and unable to play guitar, he continued to compose & sing, and released his final album, “New World Order” in 1996; as well as receiving a 'Grammy Legend Award' in 1994; and a 'Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award' a year later; and being a double inductee into the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame', as a member of the 'Impressions' in 1991, and again in 1999 as a solo artist; and was also a two-time 'Grammy Hall of Fame' inductee. But, sadly, in 1999, he died from complications of type-2 diabetes, at the age of 57.
“WEMBLEY STADIUM” - 16th April 1990:
'Wembley Stadium', on 16th April 1990, saw the “Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa” concert, following Nelson Mandella's release from a Prison, near Cape Town, South Africa, on 11th February 1990, after 27 years behind bars.
But it was back in June 1964, when anti-apartheid activist, Nelson Mandella, was convicted along with several other 'African National Congress' leaders and sentenced to life in prison. But in 1989, after 'F.W. de Klerk' became South African president, he set about dismantling apartheid, lifted the ban on the 'African National Congress', suspended executions, and in February 1990 ordered the release of Nelson Mandela, who went on to lead the 'ANC' in its negotiations with the minority government for an end to apartheid and the establishment of a multi-racial government.
In 1993, 'Mandela' and 'De Klerk' were jointly awarded the 'Nobel Peace Prize', and one year later, the 'ANC' won a majority in the country’s first free elections, with Nelson Mandela being elected South Africa’s president. But after Mandella's release from prison in 1990, on 16th April in the same year, a massive tribute concert was held at 'Wembley Stadium', with Nelson Mandela appearing at the event, which was broadcast to 61 countries around the world.
Nelson Mandela retired from politics in 1999, but remained a global advocate for peace and social justice until his death in December 2013, but currently South Africa seems to be facing some difficult political & social challenges.
'NEW YORK CITY' - 20th March 1991:
A tragic event happened on 20th March 1991, that was to inspire a song. After Conor, the four-year-old son of musician, Eric Clapton, accidentally fell from an open window, opened by a janitor for cleaning, from the 53rd floor of the New York City high-rise building he was living in at the time with his mother.
Eric Clapton, who didn’t live with with the boy, was actually in New York at the time, having taken his son to the circus the day before, and was due to take him to the zoo on the day of his son's death. He arrived to pick him up, and was absolutely devastated at the scene of the accident.
In the following years, Eric Clapton went on to help raise awareness about childproofing windows & staircases, and he also wrote the song "Tears in Heaven", about the pain & loss he felt following the death of his 4-year-old son, Conor.
'FREDDIE MERCURY TRIBUTE CINCERT' - 20th April 1992:
On Easter Monday, 20th April 1992, the 'Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert' was held at Wembley Stadium, for an audience of 72,000, and broadcast live on television & radio to 76 countries around the world, with a total audience of up to one billion.
The concert was held as a tribute to the life of Queen lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury, who died in November the previous year, with profits from the concert used to launch 'The Mercury Phoenix Trust' to support research & awareness regarding AIDS.
'ELTON JOHN CONCERT' - 19th February 1993:
It was on 19th February 1993, at his concert in Melbourne, Australia, that Elton John was forced to end the concert half-an-hour hour early. But for what reason? Was he ill? Did they lose electricity? Did the local authority pull the plug because he rang over time? No, none of these. It was cut short because a swarm of grasshoppers invaded the stage!
171 LAKE WASHINGTON BLVD EAST, SEATTLE, USA - 8th April 1994:
American musician, artist, songwriter, guitarist & poet, “Kurt Cobain”, was found dead, at the age of just 27, at his home at 171 Lake Washington Boulevard East in Seattle, Washington, USA, in what was officially ruled a 'suicide' by a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head, which the coroner estimated to have happened 3 days earlier, on 5th April 1994. But over the years since then, the circumstances of his death have become a much talked about topic of public fascination, debate, allegations that he was actually murdered & also other 'conspiracy theories', which I won't go into here, but it's chronicled in various places throughout the Internet (of course) and in a number of books, whether totally true or not.
Musically though, in 1987, 'Kurt Cobain' helped to form the band, 'Nirvana', that went on to have great success, particularly following their second album, 'Nevermind' in 1991 (the one with the swimming baby on the cover), and the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit", with Cobain often being hailed as "the spokesman of a generation".
But during the last years of his life, he had many struggles with drug problems, chronic health issues & depression, having also had a troubled childhood, and supposedly finding it difficult coping with his fame & public image, as well as the professional & personal pressures with his wife, musician 'Courtney Love'. But putting all that to one side, 'Kurt Cobain' will always be remembered by many as one of the most iconic, talented & influential songwriters & musicians in the history of music.
“KENNY EVERETT” - 4th April 1995:
It was on 4th April 1995 that British comedian, radio DJ & television entertainer, “Maurice James Christopher Cole” - better known as “Kenny Everett” - who was born in Liverpool on Christmas Day in 1944, sadly died, at the age of 50.
Whilst working in various jobs, he put together carefully crafted cassette tapes that were an early showcase for his wacky sense of humour, exchanging them with the editor of a magazine, who suggested sending them to the BBC, but his eyes were set on becoming a pirate radio disc jockey, so he sent them to 'Radio London' and was taken on, particularly creating his partnership with Dave Cash. From there, he worked with 'Radio Luxembourg', and then with the new BBC Radio 1 in 1967. He later joined the new commercial radio station for London, 'Capital Radio', in 1973. But throughout his broadcasting career, he had some ups-and-downs, often losing one job, then starting another; often coming back again later; including joining 'BBC Radio 2', 'BBC Radio Bristol', and 'Capital Gold', as well as having success with his own television comedy show.
I particularly remember him from 'Capital Radio'...and had the pleasure to speak with him a few times and also be in the studio with him at 'Capital Radio' where I did a junior journalist spot, and inspired me at around the age of 13/14 to have a go at creating my own stories, and carefully editing onto cassettes with scissors & tape. Some of these, together with various radio shows & other stuff, can be heard on 'mixcloud' on the internet at: www.mixcloud.com/gordonwarren.
For me, Kenny Everett was a one-off & totally unique, a broadcasting & creative genius, and a natural communicator & broadcaster, who was actually quite shy, who grew up in the heyday of radio comedy which influenced him in many ways. But he was often irreverent, with a zany & risqué sense of humour, that got him into trouble more than once.
He had particular friendships with many musicians, including 'The Beatles', and particularly with Freddie Mercury, thankfully playing a major role in 1975 to get Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" released as a single.
But in 1989, he was diagnosed as HIV positive, and made his condition known to the public in 1993, sadly dying from an AIDS-related illness on 4 April 1995, aged 50.
“THE HILTON HOTEL”, Manchester - 13th February 1996:
At a press conference at ‘The Hilton Hotel’ in Manchester on 13th February 1996, the hugely successful boy-band, ‘Take That’, formally announced that they were disbanding, with ‘Gary Barlow’ uttering those famous words, "Take That' is no more" - on the very day that was also the birthday of ex-member, ‘Robbie Williams’, who quit the band at the height of their fame the previous summer.
Following the band's announcement, millions of their fans all around the world and in the UK were distraught, with teenage girls threatening suicide and lining the streets in tears, to the point that telephone helplines were set up to counsel devastated fans. But it wasn’t just fans that had difficulty with the split. The band members did too, especially Gary Barlow, who spoke of his difficulty in adjusting; unable to sing or write; disguising himself in public; and of depression.
After the band broke up, various musical figures said that ‘Take That’ were different from any other boy band before & after them, especially writing their own material through Gary Barlow, the only boy band member to win an ‘Ivor Novello’ award during his time in a boy band, although George Michael won it while in Wham! ’Take That’ have also been credited with being immaculate performers, with a very high work ethic, with many claiming them to be the greatest boy-band of all time.
But since that split on 13th February 1996, ‘Take That’ did get back together – in different guises over the years – producing some very good material and going on from strength to strength, with even ‘Robbie Williams’ returning to the band on and off.
‘RITZ-CARLTON HOTEL', Double Bay, Sydney, Australia - 22nd November 1997:
On the morning of 22nd November 1997, the Australian musician, actor & founding member, lead singer & songwriter of rock band, ‘INXS’, ‘Michael Hutchence’, was found dead, at the age of 37, in Room 524 of the ‘Ritz-Carlton Hotel'; in ‘Double Bay’, Sydney, Australia.
On 6th February 1998, after an autopsy & inquest, the ‘New South Wales State Coroner’ said that the death of ‘Michael Hutchence’ was a suicide while depressed & under the influence of alcohol & other drugs, but despite this, many have argued it was accidental.
At the time of his death, he was in a relationship with Paula Yates, that began while she was married to Bob Geldof, with them divorcing in 1996, and during his tour in Australia, Paula Yates had supposedly planned to visit Hutchence with his daughter & Yates's three children, but Bob Geldof was seeking legal action to prevent the visit, with supposedly many difficulties, tensions & arguments because of it. But whatever the background & circumstances, the early death of ‘Michael Hutchence’ was a loss to music.
'GERI HALLIWELL' LEAVES 'THE SPICE GIRLS' - 31st May 1998:
It was at the offices of solicitors, “Lee & Thompson”, in central London on 31st May 1998, that many gathered journalists were eagerly awaiting an announcement about ‘Geri Halliwell’ (‘Ginger Spice’), and whether she had actually left the “Spice Girls”….following days of speculation, after Geri missed the BBC National Lottery Show & two concerts in Norway.
Eventually, Geri Halliwell's solicitor and a spokesperson for the remaining four members of the band, emerged….with a statement, said to have been written by Geri, that said: "Sadly I would like to confirm that I have left the Spice Girls. This is because of differences between us. I'm sure the group will continue to be successful, and I wish them all the best... PS, I'll be back."
This was followed by the announcement on behalf of the remaining four members of the group, which said they were "upset and saddened" but would carry on and fulfil their commitments including the forthcoming American tour….saying they were supportive of Geri in whatever she wanted to do, and added, "The Spice Girls are here to stay.... Friendship never ends".
Following the ending of the original line-up of ‘The Spice Girls’, they continued to perform as a foursome. But by the end of 2001, they basically fizzled out as a band to concentrate more fully on solo careers, particularly the two ‘Melanies’ - 'Melanie B’ (Scary Spice) & ‘Melanie C’ (Sporty Spice), as well as ‘Emma Bunton' (Baby Spice').
Before the end of 1998, ‘The Spice Girls’ released their first song without ‘Geri Halliwell’, called "Goodbye", written originally about a relationship ending, but it sort of became about ‘Geri Halliwell’, and it also became 'The Spice Girls' third consecutive Christmas No.1.
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – Thursday 1st July 1999:
Edinburgh, Scotland, on Thursday 1st July 1999, saw the official opening of the ‘Scottish Parliament’, with celebrations beginning on the eve of the event with a Gala Dinner; Beacons being lit; a bonfire & barbecue, together with live music.
On the morning of the 1st July, ‘Her Majesty the Queen’ opened the Parliament in an official ceremony, viewed on giant screens; together with a parade of 1500 young children representing all constituencies in Scotland, followed by a picnic & live pop music. In the evening, the hugely successful Scottish-American band, “Garbage”, direct from their European tour, played a one-off open air concert in the gardens below the ‘Edinburgh Castle’, fronted by Edinburgh’s own ‘Shirley Manson’, together with her American band-mates, in their first-ever Edinburgh performance, which ‘Shirley Manson’ said was “the proudest moment of her career”.
The band were introduced that night by Scottish First Minister, ‘Donald Dewar’, who sadly died the next year from a brain haemorrhage, which ‘Shirley Manson’ said was one of the few politicians that she had a lot of respect and love for, adding: “It was a great honour that he described hearing ‘Stupid Girl’ on ‘Desert Island Discs’ as the last song he heard on the best day of his life.”
As part of their set-list that night, ‘Garbage’ covered ‘The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down”, as a plea to the country’s new MSPs.
'SOHO SQUARE', London – Kirsty MacColl:
Whilst on holiday in Mexico, on 18th December 2000, English singer-songwriter, Kirsty MacColl, sadly died. As she and her sons were diving in a designated diving area, a powerboat at high-speed entered the restricted area. Although one of her sons was not in its way, whilst pushing her other son out of its path, she was struck by the boat & tragically died, at the age of just 41. A controversial court case followed the incident, and a 'Justice for Kirsty' campaign was set-up, particularly to establish whether the case had been investigated thoroughly enough to feel justice had been done.
Kirsty MacColl was the daughter of folk singer, Ewan MacColl & dancer, Jean Newlove, and grew up with her mother in Croydon. She became a singer-songwriter, who wrote and recorded several pop hits during the 1980s and 90s, including the 'Billy Bragg' song, 'A New England'. She also influenced a number of other artists, and her collaboration with 'The Pogues' on "Fairytale of New York" continues to be a huge favourite, especially at Christmas.
Sadly in May 2017, her mother, passed away, bringing to an end her tireless campaign for Kirsty. Her own autobiography & books about Kirsty are available, together with a fan website at: www.kirstymacoll.com
Although a great loss to music, at such a young age, her lives on, including a song called ‘Soho Square’, which is a particular place in Central London that has a park and garden area at its centre, that was originally built in the late 1670s, and at the time was one of the most fashionable places to live. But it also has a special link with Kirsty MacColl, because following her death, with the support and blessing of her family & management, a bench was erected in the square in her memory, inspired by a lyric from the song 'Soho Square': "One day I'll be waiting there / No empty bench in Soho Square", she sang. These words were also reproduced on a plaque attached to the bench, which was unveiled in 2001, and every year on the Sunday nearest to her birthday, the 10th of October, fans tend to gather there to pay tribute to her.
AALIYAH - 25th August 2001:
American singer, actress & model, known as “Aaliyah”. was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show, “Star Search”, and performed in concert alongside ‘Gladys Knight’.
At the of age 12, she got a record contract, and was introduced to performer & producer, ‘R. Kelly’, who became her mentor, as well as lead songwriter & producer of her successful début album.
She then worked with record producers, ‘Timbaland’ and ‘Missy Elliott’ for her second successful album, and then in the year 2000 she appeared in her first film, also contributing to the film's soundtrack and the single, "Try Again", which topped the ‘Billboard’ chart solely on airplay, making ‘Aaliyah’ the first artist in Billboard history to achieve that particular goal, with the song also winning a ‘Grammy’ Award nomination for ‘Best Female R&B Vocalist’.
After more acting, and a third album, tragedy struck on 25th August 2001 in the Bahamas, when ‘Aaliyah’ & eight others were killed in a plane accident, after filming the music video for a new single, crashing shortly after take-off, about 200 feet from the end of the runway, where the plane exploded.
Although her music career was cut short, she received much praise, and has been credited with helping redefine contemporary R&B; pop & hip-hop; influencing many other artists; and gaining the nicknames "Princess of R&B" and "Queen of Urban Pop". But despite her sad & early death at just the age of 22, her music continued after her death and lives on today.
“THE CONCERT FOR GEORGE HARRISON” - 29th November 2002:
"The Concert For George Harrison” took place on 29th November 2002 at 'The Royal Albert Hall' in London, held as a memorial to 'George Harrison' on the first anniversary of his death. It was organised by Harrison's widow, 'Olivia' & their son, 'Dhani', and arranged under the musical direction of 'Eric Clapton' & 'Jeff Lynne', with the profits from the event going to the 'Material World Charitable Foundation', set up by 'George Harrison'.
The concert included traditional Sanskrit invocation & Indian music from 'Anoushka Shankar', daughter of 'Ravi Shankar',as well as comedy & song from members of 'Monty Python'. Following this, a concert featured music from Paul McCartney; Ringo Starr; Eric Clapton; Jeff Lynne; Tom Petty; Billy Preston; Jools Holland, and many others, particularly playing songs by 'George Harrison’.
One of the songs played was “My Sweet Lord”, originally released in 1970 that topped the charts worldwide & became the biggest-selling single of 1971 in the UK, which ‘George Harrison’ also performed at the 'Concert for Bangladesh' in August of that year....and 31 years alter, the song got to No.1 in the UK for a second time, when it was re-released in January 2002, two months after his death.
‘THE DIXIE CHICKS” - 10th March 2003:
American group, “The Dixie Chicks” were originally formed in 1989 in Dallas, Texas, made up of four women performing bluegrass & country, busking & touring for around 6 years, before reforming with the two founding member sisters (Martie Maguire & Emily Robison), together with new lead singer, Natalie Maines. They soon went on to achieve commercial success, beginning in 1998 with the hit songs "There's Your Trouble" and "Wide Open Spaces".
But during the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, the ‘Dixie Chicks’ performed a London concert on 10th March 2003, and during an introduction to their song, “Travelling Soldier”, ‘Natalie Maines’, who along with 2 other band members, is a native of Texas, casually said the following: "...We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."
Whilst they had a positive reaction from the British audience, all hell ensued for the band in the USA, with denouncements; calls for bans; radio stations refusing to play their music; public protests destroying their albums in the street; damage to their houses; and even death threats, which can be seen in their film “Shut Up And Sing”. It became a frightening and worrying time & totally rocked their world.
Although the end of their careers were predicted, by 2014, the ‘Dixie Chicks’ had won 13 Grammy Awards, including five in 2007 for ‘Taking the Long Way’ for ‘Album of the Year’; and "Not Ready to Make Nice", a single from that album….With over 30million albums sold, they have become one of the top selling bands and biggest selling female bands in the USA.
As a response to what they went through after that casual remark about ‘George W Bush’ was made, the song “Not Ready To Make Nice’ was written that directly addressed the political controversy & personal consequences that had surrounded the group for the previous three years, and went on to win 3 ‘Grammy’ awards and become a big hit in the USA.
‘DEATH OF JOHN PEEL” - 25th October 2004:
It was on 25th October 2004, that “John Robert Parker Ravenscroft”, known professionally though as English DJ, Radio Presenter, Record Producer & Journalist, “John Peel”, who died suddenly at the age of 65 from a heart attack whilst on a working holiday in Peru.
He was the longest serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004, and he was one of the first broadcasters to play ‘psychedelic rock’ and ‘progressive rock’ records on British radio, becoming widely acknowledged for promoting new artists working in a wide range of genres, with fellow DJ, ‘Paul Gambaccini’ describing him as "the most important man in music for about a dozen years".
On the day of his funeral, over a thousand people attended, including many of the artists he championed...ending with clips of him talking about his life with his coffin being carried out to his favourite song, ”Teenage Kicks” by “The Undertones', with his gravestone engraved with the words, "Teenage Dreams, so hard to beat", from the lyrics of that very song.
‘CREAM’ RE-UNION CONCERTS – May 2005;
During May 2005, the legendary blues-rock group, “Cream”, set aside nearly 40 years of acrimony and reunited for four shows at London's Royal Albert Hall, the venue of their final concerts in 1968, with tickets for all four shows selling out in under an hour. Following those initial London shows, saw a few shows at ‘Madison Square Garden’, ‘New York City’, USA, about a month after a double-CD set and a double-DVD set of the London shows were released.
Although the three musicians chose not to speak publicly about the shows, Eric Clapton was later reported as saying that he had become more "generous" in regard to his past, and that the physical health of both Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker was a major factor, with Jack Bruce having recently had a liver transplant for liver cancer, and had almost lost his life; while Ginger Baker had severe arthritis.
But, as is usual, there were mixed opinions about the reunion. Whilst many reports said the chemistry was still there between guitarist & vocalist, ‘Eric Clapton’, aged 60; bassist & vocalist, ‘Jack Bruce’, aged 61; and drummer, ‘Ginger Baker’, aged 65, others were a bit more critical, with, for example, ‘Alex Petridis’ in ‘The Guardian’ saying that: “The atmosphere is less like a rock concert than a corporate hospitality tent at Wimbledon. Paunchy men in sports jackets clink ice in gin & tonics, and mumsy ladies fan themselves with pricey souvenir programmes”…..but then added that “Ginger Baker turns out to be the evening's surprise star. His drumming is fantastic”.
“LEONA LEWIS” - 'X Factor' - 16th December 2006:
On 16th December 2006, British singer, songwriter & animal welfare campaigner, “Leona Lewis”, became the winner of the 3rd series of “The X Factor’, mentored by “Simon Cowel”, with “Ray Quinn” as the runner-up.
The prize for ‘Leona Lewis’ was a £1million recording contract with Simon Cowell's record label, and in February 2007, she signed a five-album contract in the USA.
Since her career started in 2006, she became the second best-selling act, behind ‘One Direction,’ to have emerged from ‘The X Factor’ franchise, and she’s had continued success since winning, with her debut album becoming 10x Platinum in the UK & the 4th best-selling album of the 2000s, and her lead single, "Bleeding Love", spending 7 weeks at No.1. She's also won 2 ‘MOBO’ Awards; an ‘MTV Europe Music’ Award; and 2 ‘World Music’ Awards; and been nominated 6 times for a ‘Brit’ Award; and 3 times for a ‘Grammy’.
Although initially training in opera before moving into jazz & blues, and eventually into popular & contemporary music, in 2014, she made her film debut in a supporting role in the romantic comedy musical, ‘Walking on Sunshine’, and then in 2016, she made her Broadway debut as ‘Grizabella’ in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, ‘Cats’.
Her “X Factor” winner’s single, a cover of Kelly Clarkson's song, "A Moment Like This", broke a world record being digitally downloaded more than 50,000 times in less than 30 minutes, became the Christmas No.1, and also the 2nd best-selling single in the UK in 2006.
48th GRAMMY AWARDS - 11th February 2007:
On 11th February 2007, the 49th Grammy Awards were held at the 'Staples Center' in 'Los Angeles', California, USA, with ‘The Police’ reuniting and performing for the first time in the 21st century, starting off with the song “Roxanne”; ‘Christina Aguilera’ performed "It's Man's World", as a tribute to the Godfather of Soul, 'James Brown'; ‘Mary J. Blige’ received the most nominations, with eight; ‘The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ won 4 awards for their 2006 rock hit, 'Dani California' and the album, 'Stadium Arcadium'; ‘Shakira’ performed for the first time ever at the 'Grammys', with the biggest hit of 2006, “Hips Don't Lie”, featuring 'Wyclef Jean'; and also the 'Best New Artist' & 'Best Female Country Vocal Performance' went to 'Carrie Underwood'.
But it was 'The Dixie Chicks' that became the biggest winners of the night with five awards, including the big three: 'Record of the Year'; 'Album of the Year'; and 'Song of the Year'.