HelloMavi

behindthegrooves

On this day in music history: December 26, 1967 - “Magical Mystery Tour”, starring The Beatles airs on BBC1 in the UK. An hour long film directed by the band shows them on charabanc bus trip with numerous friends and other odd characters around the English countryside. The original idea for the film comes from Paul McCartney after a recent trip to the US. He creates an outline for his ideas on a sheet of paper, drawing a circle, and sketching out what should happen during a particular segment. When filming begins in September of 1967, it is largely unscripted, with the group simply driving around, and letting the cameras roll and hoping to capture any spontaneous moments. The band spend two weeks filming, and then eleven weeks in the editing room paring the ten hours of footage shot into the finished film. Though it is shot in color, the initial broadcast by the BBC is in black & white, greatly diminishing the film’s visual impact. When it is aired to a large UK viewing audience on Boxing Day, it is so poorly received by fans and critics, that plans for it to be aired on US TV by NBC are immediately withdrawn. However, the LP and double EP set containing music from the film is highly successful. Over the years, the film takes on cult status among Beatles fans. “Magical Mystery Tour” is fully restored and released on DVD and Blu-ray disc in 2012, nearly forty five years after its original broadcast.

behindthegrooves

On this day in music history: December 27, 1969 - “Led Zeppelin II” by Led Zeppelin hits #1 on the Billboard Top 200 for 7 weeks (non-consecutive). Produced by Jimmy Page, it is recorded at Olympic Studios, Morgan Studios in London, A&R Studios, Juggy Sound, Groove Studios, Mayfair Studios in New York City, Ardent Studios in Memphis, TN, The Hut in Vancouver, BC, Canada, Sunset Sound, A&M Studios, Quantum Studios, Mirror Sound and Mystic Studios in Hollywood, CA from January - August 1969. Following the success of their self-titled debut, Atlantic request that Led Zeppelin quickly record a follow up for release by the end of the year. With their schedule fully booked during this period, the album is largely written and recorded while the band are on the road on their first and second tours of the US and UK. Final recording and mixing takes place at Olympic Studios in London. No singles are issued in the UK, though “Whole Lotta Love” is released in the US (and several other countries) and becomes their highest charting single (#4 Pop). Atlantic Records runs into a problem with the original US pressing of the LP, when many fans return the album to stores complaining that their copies skip when played. The original mastering of the album cut by engineer Bob Ludwig at Sterling Sound in New York captures the albums’ wide sonic dynamics, which unfortunately prove to be too much for many cheaper turntables of the time. The label quickly remasters the LP, this time using engineer George Marino. The newer copies have a significant amount of high end and bass rolled off which caused tracking problems on the first issue copies. The original “loud cut” by Ludwig becomes a heavily sought after collector’s item by fans in later years. “Led Zeppelin II” goes on to be one of the most influential rock albums of all time, and is certified 12x Platinum in the US by the RIAA, earning a Diamond Certification.

behindthegrooves

On this day in music history: December 26, 1964 - “I Feel Fine” by The Beatles hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, it is the bands’ sixth US chart topper in just ten months. Recorded on October 18, 1964 during the sessions for “Beatles For Sale”, John Lennon comes up with the songs’ main riff while the band are also recording “Eight Days A Week” that same day. The distinctive intro on “I Feel Fine” is one of the first notable uses of feedback on a record, which initially is the result of an accident when Lennon leans his Gibson J-160E guitar against his Vox AC-30 amplifier while it is still plugged in. “Fine” is backed with “She’s A Woman” (written mostly by McCartney). The US release of both songs differ from the UK Parlophone single as Capitol Records adds additional reverb to both songs where as the original British 45 features minimal post production processing. Not scheduled to be released in the US until November 23, 1964, somehow radio station KRLA in Los Angeles, CA acquires a copy of “I Feel Fine” on November 6, 1964 and begins airing it immediately. Capitol issues an immediate cease and desist letter to the station, asking them to refrain from further airplay or passing it on to another station before its official release. Five days later on November 11, 1964, KQV in Pittsburgh, PA obtains a copy of the record and passes a tape copy on to its sister station WABC in New York City. After the single is officially released to the public right before Thanksgiving, it ascends the charts rapidly. Entering the Hot 100 at #22 on December 5, 1964, rocketing to the top only three weeks later. The singles B-side “She’s A Woman quickly follows "Fine” into the top 10, peaking at #4 on the same date. The original US versions of both songs differ noticeably from their UK counterpart. Capitol Records’ A&R producer Dave Dexter adds a prodigious amount of reverb and compression to both tracks (on top of what producer George Martin has added to the tapes), in comparison to the “drier” sounding UK mixes. The US versions are also added to the US LP “Beatles ‘65” which is released in early December of 1964. Since both songs are originally mixed into mono only, the stereo LP features them in “Duophonic” re-chaneled fake stereo. “I Feel Fine” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

behindthegrooves

On this day in music history: December 27, 1963 - “Glad All Over” by The Dave Clark Five is released in the US (UK release date is on November 15, 1963). Written by Dave Clark and Mike Smith, it is the first major hit single for the pop/rock band from Tottenham, North London, UK. Going through numerous line up since forming as The Dave Clark Quintet in 1957, by 1961 the bands’ line up is set with Dave Clark (drums), Mike Smith (lead vocals, keyboards), Rick Huxley (bass), Lenny Davidson (lead guitar) and Denis Payton (saxophones, harmonica, guitar). The band change their name to The Dave Clark Five in 1962, becoming a popular attraction at clubs and the ballroom circuit in and around London. They release two non charting singles on the Picadilly label before attracting the attention of EMI Records who sign them to the Columbia Records subsidiary. The DC5’s first chart single is a cover of The Contours’ “Do You Love Me” (#30 UK). Not content with recording covers of the R&B and rock & roll standards they’ve been playing as part of their live act, or recording songs by outside songwriters, Clark and Smith decide they should write original songs for their band. The first song the pair write is the uptempo “Glad All Over”, which also sets the pattern for the DC5’s sound with a foundation of heavy drums, topped by Mike Smith’s power lead vocals and the rest of the band singing call and response vocals and in unison. The track is recorded at Landsowne Studios in London in September of 1963, with recording engineer Adrian Kerridge who also plays a vital role in the trademark sound of The Dave Clark Five’s records. “Glad All Over” is recorded live in the studio on a four-track tape machine, adding any additional overdubs while the track is being mixed to mono. Released in the UK first in mid November of 1963, the song is an immediate sensation, rocketing to the top of the UK singles chart, garnering much attention for having unseated The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” from the number one spot. The DC5’s recordings are licensed to Epic Records in the US, who follow in promoting the band as the closest rivals to The Beatles. Entering the Hot 100 at #77 on February 15, 1964 and peaking at #6 on on April 25, 1964, it becomes the first of eighteen Top 40 singles The Dave Clark Five have in the US over the next three and half years.

behindthegrooves

On this day in music history: December 26, 1970 - “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 4 weeks. Written by George Harrison, it is the first solo chart topper for the former Beatles lead guitarist. Inspired in part by the huge gospel crossover hit “Oh Happy Day” by The Edwin Hawkins Singers (#4 US Pop, #2 UK), “My Sweet Lord” is written while George Harrison is appearing as a guest on friends’ Delaney & Bonnie’s European tour in 1969. Initially, the song is for Harrison’s friend Billy Preston who records it for his second Apple LP “Encouraging Words”. While working on his third solo album “All Things Must Pass”, George decides to record a version of “My Sweet Lord” himself. The track is recorded at Abbey Road Studios in May of 1970 with musicians Klaus Voorman (bass), Jim Gordon (drums), Ringo Starr (drums and percussion), Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland and Mike Gibbons of Badfinger (acoustic guitars) Billy Preston, Gary Wright (keyboards), and Harrison himself on acoustic guitar, slide guitar and lead vocals. The background vocals, credited to the “George O'Hara-Smith Singers”, is actually the former Beatle himself overdubbed several times. The orchestration is recorded at Trident Studios in London during August of 1970. At first he declines to release a single from the album, but is persuaded by producer Phil Spector, US Apple promotion manager Allan Steckler and then Apple business manager Allen Klein of its hit potential. Entering the Hot 100 at #72 on November 28, 1970, it rockets to the top of the chart just four weeks later. A huge hit around the world, “My Sweet Lord” is also the subject of a long and arduous lawsuit. Bright Tunes Publishing claims the song plagiarizes The Chiffons 1963 hit “He’s So Fine”. The matter eventually is settled more than two decades later. In another ironic (or perhaps not so ironic) twist, former Beatles manager Allen Klein purchases the publishing rights to “He’s So Fine” during litigation over the song, further extending and complicating the lawsuit. Harrison eventually purchases the rights to The Chiffons song from Klein’s company for $587,000 in 1998, the original price that ABKCO paid for the copyright twenty years earlier in 1978. “My Sweet Lord” is backed with the song “Isn’t It A Pity” which also features members of the band Badfinger on guitars. The single version differs from the album version of the song, being an alternate take as well as having a longer running time. Two months after George Harrison’s passing in November of 2001, “Lord” is reissued as a single and hits number one on the UK singles chart in January of 2002, thirty one years after its original release. “My Sweet Lord” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

behindthegrooves

On this day in music history: December 27, 1975 - “Love Rollercoaster” by The Ohio Players hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 1 week, also topping the Hot 100 for 1 week on January 31, 1976. Written and produced by James Williams, Clarence Satchell, Leroy Bonner, Marshall Jones, Ralph Middlebrooks, Marvin Pierce and William Beck, it is the second consecutive R&B chart topper and fourth number one single overall for the R&B/Funk septet from Dayton, OH. Written by the entire band during a jam session, the songs’ clever word play uses the amusement park ride as metaphor to describe a wildly unpredictable woman that the protagonist is involved with. “Rollercoaster” becomes controversial when a DJ in Berkeley, CA starts a rumor that a woman was killed in an adjoining recording studio while the band was recording the track, and is audible on the finished record. In truth, what sounds like a muffled scream is actually the voice of keyboardist Billy Beck. When asked about the rumor, the band take a vow of silence amongst themselves, refusing to discuss it publicly. Issued as the second single from their seventh studio album “Honey” in late October of 1975, “Rollercoaster” follows “Sweet Sticky Thing” into the number one spot on the R&B chart, also becoming their second and final number one pop single five weeks later. In 1996, The Red Hot Chili Peppers covers the song for the soundtrack and film “Beavis And Butt-head Do America”. “Love Rollercoaster” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

behindthegrooves

On this day in music history: December 26, 1966 - “Gimme Some Lovin’” by The Spencer Davis Group is released in the US (UK release date is on October 28, 1966). Written by Steve Winwood, it is the first major hit single for the blue eyed soul/rock band from Birmingham, UK. Formed in 1963 and led by guitarist Spencer Davis, the band is actually fronted by musical prodigy Steve Winwood who is only fourteen years old when he joins. The band also includes Steve’s older brother Mervyn “Muff” Winwood on bass. The Spencer Davis Group are signed to Philips Records subsidiary Fontana Records in 1965, making their big breakthrough with “Keep On Running”, becoming their first UK #1 and their first US chart entry (#76 Pop) in early 1966. Idolizing many American R&B musicians, in particular Ray Charles, the then still teen aged Steve Winwood possesses an effortlessly soulful voice that echoes his musical hero, and exhibits a maturity well beyond his tender age. Winwood also displays a natural virtuosity on several instruments, especially on the Hammond B-3 organ and guitar. Looking to break the band in the US, co-producer Chris Blackwell asks them to write something they think will appeal to American audiences. Among the first songs Winwood writes is the uptempo R&B flavored rave up “Gimme Some Lovin’”. Released in the UK at the end of October 1966, it is another smash, peaking at #2 on the UK singles chart. In the interim, the US branch of Philips Records who had declined to release The Spencer Davis Groups’ earlier singles stateside, has the Philadelphia based Jordan Bros cover “Gimme Some Lovin’”, and releases it as a single in mid December of 1966. United Artists Records, the US licensee of The Spencer Davis Groups’ records, rush releases the original version. The Spencer Davis version completely steamrolls The Jordan Bros. record, quickly becoming a hit. Entering the Hot 100 at #100 on December 31, 1966, it peaks at #7 on February 25, 1967. The US hit single version of “Gimme Some Lovin’” differs significantly from its UK counterpart, featuring a different lead vocal, as well as additional instrumentation and background vocals not included on the original UK single. An instant party anthem, “Gimme Some Lovin’” becomes The Spencer Davis Groups’ signature song, and is covered numerous times with versions by The Grateful Dead, Sam & Dave, Booker T. & The MG’s, and The Blues Brothers whose version is featured in the 1980 film. The original version has been featured in many films, including “The Big Chill”, “Days Of Thunder”, “The Boat That Rocked”, “Notting Hill” and “Good Morning Vietnam”. The Spencer Davis Groups’ original version of “Gimme Some Lovin’” is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1999.

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.

More you might like