Introduction
So, here we are again, good people. Like the immortal rose‑tinted glasses of the ‘Summer of ‘69’, 50 years on, the summer 2019 is beginning to degrade and enter the memory banks while the evenings are inexorably drawing in again. Perhaps it is poignant to recount the past and reflect a little on how we got to where we are now.
If you would like to (re)visit any or all of the first five parts (and over 300 years) of the story to‑date, you can do so here (each link opens a new browser tab):
In the last article, the world of music transformed seemingly overnight with the rise of rock ‘n’ roll acting as a significant catalyst for American and British youth culture in the 1950s. Of course, it wasn’t quite like that in reality – so many different ingredients came together to create an irresistible phenomenon. If the 1950s wasn’t enough to challenge the traditionalists, things were about to get a whole lot more liberal and lively in the 1960s. Even greater social change compounded the consternation of the older, and typically more old-fashioned, conservative generation.
The Story of Modern Music Part VI 1960-1969
While rock ‘n’ roll now seems to be a permanent fixture in the minds of modern music lovers, in its purest form, it didn’t last that long before it became diluted and music evolution moved on rapidly. However, the influence of rock ‘n’ roll was pervasive, acting as a major stimulus to all other sorts of genre developments. The 1960s stood alone from previous and subsequent decades in terms of political, cultural, economic, technological climate and this was reflected in the distinctive music emerging over the same period. For many readers, the 1960s is now within ‘living memory’ – it is, just about, for me. Up to now, much of the chronology will be history, picked up second hand from written or pictorial records. From here on in, readers may well have some experience of these events for real. For a younger audience, be patient, we’ll get to your era soon. There is a lot to get through this month, so it focuses only on one decade with a few photos again.
Historical Context 1960-1969
Although fundamental human equality was still a pipedream for many in the west, freedom of expression and individual liberties probably characterised the ‘Swinging Sixties’ more than anything else, including the Sexual Revolution and civil rights movements. People felt able to say and do things that were unthinkable in previous decades. People were also able to protest against what they felt were moral injustices. Many families experienced benefits from improving economic prosperity and technological advancement. The Cold War and the space race dominated international relations, particularly between the capitalist ‘west’ and communist ‘east’. The latter part of the 1960s saw symbols of the peace & love movement, gaudy fashion and hippie ‘flower power’, all kaleidoscopically prevalent. If there was a decade that could live up to the description of ‘sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll’, the 1960s would be it.
|
Year |
Global Events |
|
1960 |
America launched the first satellite navigation geo‑positioning system into space, called Transit for use by the U.S. Navy, entering operational service in 1964.
The oral contraceptive pill was approved for use by married women in America followed by Britain in 1961.
The classic great American novel, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, written by author Harper Lee was published.
The classic and ground breaking psychological horror film, ‘Psycho’, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Anthony Perkins was released. |
|
1961 |
Democrat politician John F. Kennedy became the 35th President of the U.S.A. JFK’s election heralded a new wave of hope and optimism set against the background of the Cold War.
The American‑backed military invasion of the Bay of Pigs in Cuba intended to topple Fidel Castro failed, thereby escalating political tensions.
The infamous Berlin wall separating east and west Germany was constructed. It remained until 1989 when it was symbolically destroyed by the German people.
Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space aboard the Soviet Vostok 1 capsule.
Astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American to go into space aboard a Mercury spacecraft. |
|
1962 |
The Cuban Missile Crisis between United States and the Soviet Union narrowly avoided escalation into a full‑scale nuclear world war.
American actress and cultural icon Marilyn Monroe died of a drug overdose at the age of 36. Her death was ruled controversially as probable suicide.
Marvel’s fictional super hero Spider‑Man made his first comic book appearance.
The first satellite television transmission and telephone calls took place over the Atlantic ocean from Europe to North America, relayed by the American Telstar communication satellite. |
|
1963 |
American president John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Former U.S. Marine, Lee Harvey Oswald was accused of the murder only to be killed while in police custody by local night club owner, Jack Ruby, fuelling many conspiracy theories.
Democrat politician Lyndon B. Johnson became 36th President of the U.S.A. following the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
The infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco Bay was closed as a prison. The island is now a museum and tourist attraction run by the U.S. National Park Service. |
|
1964 |
Sidney Poitier became the first African American actor to win an Academy Award (Oscar) for his role in the film ‘Lilies of the Field’.
South African anti‑apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela was jailed, having been charged with sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. |
|
1965 |
America joined the Vietnam War by sending U.S. Marines into battle supporting the South Vietnamese against the Chinese‑backed North Vietnamese National Liberation Front (the Viet Cong).
American space missions took a significant step forward with the launch of manned Gemini low Earth orbiting capsules. The successful programme ended in 1966.
Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov became the first person to make a spacewalk, lasting 12 minutes after exiting the Voskhod 2 spacecraft.
Renowned British Fashion designer Mary Quant launched the iconic mini skirt in London, encouraging young women to dress to please themselves. |
|
1966 |
The Chinese Cultural Revolution began, led by Chairman Mao Zedong, intended to preserve Chinese Communism and purge capitalism from its society. The oppressive campaign lasted until Mao’s death in 1976.
The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was founded in Oakland, California in 1966, intended to patrol African American neighbourhoods and protect residents from acts of police brutality. It ceased operation in 1982.
The classic, ground breaking science fiction TV series Star Trek was first broadcast, created by American producer and screenwriter, Gene Rodenberry. |
|
1967 |
British sailor Sir Francis Chichester became the first person to circumnavigate single‑handedly around the globe in his yacht the Gypsy Moth IV.
Argentinian Marxist revolutionary and guerrilla leader Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, a major figure in the Cuban Revolution, was executed while in military detention in Bolivia at the age of 39. His death secured his status as a political martyr and counter‑culture rebel icon.
The first successful human heart transplant took place, carried out by Dr Christiaan Barnard in South Africa.
The first American Football Super Bowl took place between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay won.
|
|
1968 |
Russia brutally crushed the Prague Spring uprising in Czechoslovakia, forcing the country to subordinate its national interests to those of the ‘Eastern Bloc’.
The classic science fiction film, ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ was released, directed by Stanley Kubrick.
American civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by lifelong criminal James Earl Ray in Memphis, Tennessee.
The ambitious American Apollo space program got underway with the first manned flight aboard Apollo 7. The program ended in 1972 with Apollo 17. |
|
1969 |
Supersonic passenger flight became possible with the introduction of the Anglo‑French Concorde airliner.
The cult classic counter-culture movie ‘Easy Rider’ was released, starring Dennis Hopper (also directing) and Peter Fonda.
American Senator Ted Kennedy drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts, killing 28‑year old Mary Jo Kopechne, a former aide to Senator Bobby Kennedy.
Police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York City, sparking demonstrations and the start of the gay civil rights movement in the United States.
Followers of the cult leader Charles Manson carried out a series of 9 brutal murders including that of actress Sharon Tate.
American manned space mission Apollo 11 successfully landed on the Moon. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon’s surface, with Armstrong proclaiming, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.
Republican politician Richard Nixon was elected as the 37th U.S. president. Infamously, he remains the only American President to have resigned from office, following the Watergate scandal.
The United Kingdom abolished the death penalty substituting it with a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. |
Musical Genre Development 1960-1969
The ‘Swinging Sixties’ were particularly important and memorable for music in America and Europe. The musical revolution that began with rock ‘n’ roll in the previous decade rapidly morphed and diversified on both sides of the Atlantic. By the end of the decade, rock and pop were firmly established as major commercial genres that continue to flourish and adapt to the current day. The 1960s was also a time in which large outdoor music festivals flourished, especially towards the end of the decade, with major events like Newport, Monterey and Woodstock in America and Hyde Park and the Isle of Wight in the UK. In addition, the 1960s saw the introduction of the music compact cassette, which made music not only cheaper but also more portable. As the famous quote, probably attributed to American comedian Charles Fleischer (1950-) goes, ‘if you remember the ‘60s, you weren’t really there’. If that is the case, this article might just serve as a timely reminder.
R&B, gospel, and jazz started to evolve into urban African American soul music, made popular by record companies specialising in the genre. One of these labels was Motown in Detroit, Michigan featuring artists such as Diana Ross & the Supremes, The Four Tops, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. Another record label that was hugely influential at the time was Stax Records based in Memphis, Tennessee which was significant for its racially integrated production of southern soul and blues music, including house band Booker T & the M.G.’s and artists like Otis Redding. Atlantic Records which began in New York also promoted soul artists such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Wilson Pickett. Some other popular soul and R&B artists of the 1960s include The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers and the Jackson Five. Racial segregation was a major hurdle for aspiring black musicians and soul is often seen as being closely associated with the American civil rights movement.
Surf music originated in the early 1960s on the west coast of America, particularly around the surfing culture of Orange County in southern California. It was influenced by instrumental rock ‘n’ roll artists like Link Wray, The Ventures and Duane Eddy. Surf is, however, distinct from rock ‘n’ roll and was important in the formation of modern rock music. Surf music tended to fall either into instrumental tunes performed by the likes of Dick Dale & The Deltones or harmonised vocal songs characterised by The Beach Boys. The musical style is heavily based around reverb‑drenched electric guitar sounds often making use of a guitar’s vibrato and the amplifier’s tremolo effect. Lyrics focused on, unsurprisingly, surfing, girls, cars and sunny west coast beach culture. Surf was relatively short‑lived and was taken over by many other American and European genres from the mid‑1960s onwards.
Up to the early 1960s, British artists were in the shadow of American acts and were often playing catch‑up. While not a genre in its own right, the so‑called ‘British Invasion’ began around 1963 with many artists from Britain becoming massively popular in the United States. UK artists sometimes took American songs and gave them a British sound. Perhaps the most significant phenomenon was coined ‘Beatlemania’, when Merseybeat pop group The Beatles broke onto the American music scene circa 1963 and spearheaded the export of UK music to the USA. Other British artists included The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Cream, The Hollies and The Who. By the end of the decade American artists had largely regained their homeland audiences. Various attempts to recreate the phenomenon have only been partially successful, for instance Britpop in the 1990s with artists like Oasis, the Spice Girls and Robbie Williams.
By the mid‑1960s, there was a strong revival of folk music, notable especially for songs with a social and moral conscience, widely articulating the feelings and messages of the various turbulent protest movements of the time. Songs encompassed issues such as poverty, class, the Vietnam War, social injustice and racial segregation. Songs also began to exhibit a stronger leaning towards the emerging rock oriented music scene. Perhaps the most significant artist of the period was Bob Dylan who controversially and ultimately successfully fused acoustic folk and electric rock genres.
Pop music is a diverse genre that attracts a lot of debate. It developed not from the broader traditional popular music of previous decades but from rock ‘n’ roll in the late 1950s and ‘pop’ became a commonly used term since the 1960s to describe non‑classical highly commercial and easily accessible youth‑oriented music. From about 1967, there was a clear divergence between rock music and pop music. Rock became harder edged and played by ‘real’ musicians recording albums while pop was refined into short catchy radio friendly ‘singles’ that were largely industry driven, highly produced, easily packaged, widely marketable and hugely profitable. Musically and lyrically, pop songs are generally uncontroversial and tended not to challenge the listener to any significant degree. Pop artists would sometimes appear and disappear overnight, as it was the songs, sales and chart position that mattered more to the record companies, rather than the performer. The term ‘one‑hit‑wonder’ is often associated with the throwaway appeal of pop music consumption. Conversely, the corporations assert that profits enable investment in new artists. Successful pop artists from the 1960s included The Monkees, The Shadows, Herman’s Hermits, The Dave Clark Five, The Everly Brothers, The Bee Gees and The Lovin’ Spoonful. Pop music continues to evolve and has had a number of peaks since the 1960s including in the early 1980s with artists like Michael Jackson and Madonna and late 2000s including the likes of P!nk, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Pop therefore represents considerable mainstream economic business to the industry.
Experimental psychedelic rock was popular during the late 1960s and is often associated with the hippie/flower power counterculture. It is also associated with the widespread use of cannabis and manufactured hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD (acid). Song lyrics frequently referenced drugs and altered/elevated states of consciousness. Songs were often long and comprised extended instrumental extemporisation and improvisation (often called jamming). Musicians regularly used esoteric instruments like the sitar, tabla vibraphone and organ, much of it influenced by Asian, Indian and oriental music. Psychedelic rock and folk rock became closely associated with simple messages of peace and love that began with 1967’s ‘Summer of Love’ phenomenon and reached a climax at the Woodstock festival in 1969. Many rock bands of the period stretched the boundaries of the genre, including the Grateful Dead, The Velvet Underground, Janis Joplin, The Beatles, The Doors, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, The Moody Blues, Gong, Hawkwind and early Pink Floyd.
Ska is a genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and came to popular prominence in the early 1960s. Ska was influenced by Caribbean calypso and Latin music combined with American jazz and R&B. Ska developed heavy basslines and offbeat accents producing a distinctive up‑tempo dance rhythm. Jamaican producers began recording ska on their own labels which were then played on DJ sound systems. Ska became popular not only in Jamaica but also in Britain, being associated with the decade’s mod and skinhead sub‑cultures. Importantly, ska was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Key players in the genre were Prince Buster, Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd and Duke Reid. Ska experienced a major revival in Britain in the late 1970s and early 1980s on the back of the punk rock boom through Two Tone Records and artists like The Specials, Madness, Bad Manners, The Selecter, and The Beat.
Classic rock music, or simply just rock, really came into its own as a separate broad genre during the 1960s deriving from America and the UK. Rock’s origins stem from rock ‘n’ roll, blues, folk, country and R&B. Experimentation with sound and composition mean that there are many, many sub‑genres and crossover styles of rock music. Rock is predominantly performed by a band with vocals, one or more electric guitars, bass and drums played in an un‑syncopated 4/4 rhythm and comprising a verse and chorus structure. Rock became distinct for increasing use of volume and distorted electric guitar sounds. Classic rock was the starting point for the various offshoots that followed including hard rock, psychedelic rock, blues rock, folk rock, progressive/contemporary rock, heavy metal, glam rock, soft rock, AOR, roots rock, jazz rock, punk rock, new wave, post‑punk, grunge, alternative rock and indie. Many of these styles of rock music remain popular to the current day. Culturally, rock music has often been connected with political activism as well as changes in social attitudes to race, sex, crime and drug use, and is often seen as an expression of young people’s rebellious rejection of adult uniformity and conformity. Artists associated with classic rock include The Kinks, Small Faces, Free, Bad Company and Jeff Beck.
Hard rock split from pop and rock during the latter half of the 1960s. As rock music was beginning to define itself throughout the 1960s, an offshoot rapidly developed that had its own distinctive sound. Hard rock took commercial rock and gave it a heavier and more aggressive style. Hard rock vocals tended to be in the higher registers and were often raspy and guttural. The hard-edged, loud, distorted guitar‑heavy music was influenced by blues, rock and garage. Hard rock could often be identified by catchy ‘power chord’ riffs and impressive lead guitar solos. Hard rock quickly became associated with excluded and defiant young people and the lyrics frequently had a distinctly anti‑authoritarian slant. This sometimes hostile approach to the mainstream was characterised by some acts destroying their instruments on stage, for instance by Pete Townsend of The Who and Jimi Hendrix. The hedonistic rock lifestyle went hand in hand with the music, resulting in musicians reportedly partying as hard as they played, regularly destroying property. Many rock artists developed drug and alcohol dependencies, which resulted in some high profile deaths, including Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. Notable hard rock bands from the 1960s include The Who, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Steppenwolf and The Rolling Stones and later in the early 1970s by bands like Rainbow, Whitesnake, Aerosmith, Kiss, Queen, AC/DC, Alice Cooper and Van Halen.
Musical Facts 1960-1969
Michael Stipe (REM)
|
Day |
Month |
Year |
Music Fact |
|
4 |
January |
1960 |
American singer, songwriter, producer, artist and former frontman of indie rock band R.E.M. Michael Stipe was born in Decatur, Georgia. |
|
22 |
January |
1960 |
Australian singer, songwriter and co-founder of rock band INXS, Michael Hutchence was born in Sydney, New South Wales. |
|
9 |
February |
1960 |
Legendary American singer Elvis Presley received his first star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6777 Hollywood Boulevard. |
|
3 |
March |
1960 |
American rock ‘n’ roll singer and now soldier, Sargent Elvis Presley set foot in the UK for the first and only (confirmed) time while his forces plane was refuelled at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire, Scotland. |
|
13 |
March |
1960 |
British/Irish bass guitarist, best known as a member of rock band U2, Adam Clayton was born in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, England. |
|
31 |
March |
1960 |
American blues rock guitarist, Popa Chubby (a.k.a. Theodore ‘Ted’ Horowitz) was born in The Bronx, New York City. |
|
4 |
April |
1960 |
Legendary American rock ‘n’ roll singer Elvis Presley recorded his classic hit single, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’ at RCA studios in Nashville, Tennessee. |
|
6 |
April |
1960 |
American guitarist and member of blues/rock groups The Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule and The Dead, Warren Haynes was born in Asheville, North Carolina. |
|
17 |
April |
1960 |
American rock ‘n’ roll singer and guitarist Eddie Cochran died tragically following a car accident in Wiltshire, UK, at the age of just 21. |
|
23 |
April |
1960 |
English guitarist, singer, songwriter and key member of heavy rock band Def Leppard, Steve Clark (1960-1991, 30) was born in Hillsborough, Sheffield. |
|
10 |
May |
1960 |
Irish singer and songwriter Paul Hewson, a.k.a. Bono, front man of massive rock band U2 was born in Dublin. |
|
1 |
June |
1960 |
Great English bass guitarist with indie rock icons The Cure, Simon Gallup was born in Duxhurst, Surrey. |
|
6 |
June |
1960 |
American virtuoso rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer, Steve Vai was born in New York. |
|
20 |
June |
1960 |
English bass guitarist and co-founder of new romantic band Duran Duran, John Taylor was born in Solihull, Warwickshire. |
|
27 |
October |
1960 |
American soul singer Ben E. King recorded his first songs as a solo artist after leaving The Drifters, the classics, ‘Spanish Harlem’ and ‘Stand By Me’. |
|
7 |
November |
1960 |
American guitarist and songwriter with rock band KISS from 2002, Tommy Thayer, nicknamed ‘The Spaceman’ was born in Portland, Oregon. |
|
8 |
February |
1961 |
After changing their name from The Quarrymen, English pop band The Beatles made their debut appearance at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, their first of 292 performances at the venue. |
|
7 |
May |
1961 |
Welsh guitarist and long-term member of hard rock band Motörhead, Phil Campbell was born in Pontypridd. |
|
12 |
May |
1961 |
English guitarist, songwriter and member of post-punk band, The Cult, Billy Duffy was born in Manchester. |
|
29 |
May |
1961 |
Award-winning American singer, songwriter and guitarist, Melissa Etheridge was born in Leavenworth, Kansas. |
|
3 |
June |
1961 |
English guitarist and founding member of psychedelic rock bands Ozric Tentacles and Nodens Ictus, Ed Wynne was born in London. |
|
10 |
June |
1961 |
American bass guitarist, singer and songwriter, former member of alternative rock band Pixies and currently fronting The Breeders with her twin sister, Kim Deal was born in Dayton, Ohio. |
|
10 |
June |
1961 |
American guitarist and member of The Breeders with her twin sister, Kelley Deal was born in Dayton, Ohio. |
|
23 |
July |
1961 |
Multi-talented award-winning English singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, DJ and co-founder of Depeche Mode, Martin Gore was born in Dagenham, Essex. |
|
8 |
August |
1961 |
Irish guitarist and songwriter with rock band U2, The Edge (a.k.a. David Evans) was born in Barking, Essex, England to Welsh parents. |
|
13 |
September |
1961 |
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and co-founder of thrash metal rock band Megadeth, Dave Mustaine was born in La Mesa, California. |
|
16 |
September |
1961 |
English guitarist, singer and songwriter with indie rock band My Bloody Valentine, Bilinda Butcher was born in London. |
|
3 |
October |
1961 |
The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee welcomed its first inductees, Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams. |
|
10 |
October |
1961 |
English bass guitarist and actor best known as member of new wave/pop group Spandau Ballet, Martin Kemp was born in London. |
|
10 |
February |
1962 |
American bass guitarist and songwriter, best known as a member of heavy rock band Metallica, Cliff Burton (1962-1986, 24) was born in California. |
|
11 |
February |
1962 |
Talented American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, including guitar, bass and drums, Sheryl Crow was born in Kennett, Missouri. |
|
2 |
March |
1962 |
American singer, songwriter, founder and front man of the rock band that bears his name, Jon Bon Jovi was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. |
|
8 |
April |
1962 |
American guitarist, co-founder and ex-member of rock band Guns N’ Roses, Izzy Stradlin (a.k.a. Jeffrey Dean Isbell) was born in Lafayette, Indiana. |
|
2 |
August |
1962 |
American folk singer, songwriter and guitarist Robert Allen Zimmerman formally changed his name to… the one and only Bob Dylan. |
|
25 |
August |
1962 |
Northern Irish guitarist who has been a member of hard rock bands Def Leppard, Dio and Whitesnake, Vivian Campbell was born in Belfast, County Antrim. |
|
11 |
October |
1962 |
English pop group The Beatles had their song ‘Love Me Do’ reach no. 4 in the UK singles chart, their first record to do so. |
|
16 |
October |
1962 |
Australian/American bass guitarist and co-founder of rock band, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael Balzary (a.k.a. Flea) was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. |
|
17 |
October |
1962 |
English newcomers, The Beatles made their first regional television appearance playing 2 songs live on Granada’s ‘People And Places’ show. |
|
18 |
November |
1962 |
Great American guitarist, songwriter and long-time member of metal rock band Metallica, Kirk Hammett was born in San Francisco, California. |
|
24 |
November |
1962 |
English guitarist and songwriter with the Stone Roses and The Seahorses, John Squire was born in Altrincham, Cheshire. |
|
8 |
December |
1962 |
American guitarist, well known for his 10-year stint with heavy metal band Megadeth, Marty Friedman was born in Washington D.C. |
|
9 |
January |
1963 |
English drummer, Charlie Watts joined the rock band The Rolling Stones, starting a long-term membership of the group. |
|
19 |
January |
1963 |
English pop/rock band, The Beatles made their first recorded UK TV appearance on the ITV/ABC show, ‘Thank Your Lucky Stars’. |
|
2 |
February |
1963 |
American singer, songwriter and guitarist, the ‘songbird’, Eva Cassidy (1963-1996, 33) was born in Washington D.C. |
|
22 |
March |
1963 |
Emerging English pop group The Beatles released their debut studio album ‘Please Please Me’ in the UK. Merseybeat had well and truly arrived. |
|
27 |
May |
1963 |
American folk singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bob Dylan released his classic 2nd studio album, ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’. |
|
30 |
June |
1963 |
Impressive, prolific Swedish virtuoso neoclassical heavy rock guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen was born in Stockholm. |
|
3 |
August |
1963 |
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and co-founder of heavy metal rock band Metallica, James Hetfield was born in Downey, California. |
|
9 |
August |
1963 |
Popular British weekly pop music television show, ‘Ready Steady Go!’ was first broadcast by ITV. The show ran until December 1966. |
|
9 |
August |
1963 |
Multi-award-winning American soul/R&B singer and actress, Whitney Houston was born in Newark, New Jersey. |
|
30 |
August |
1963 |
Dutch technology company Philips introduced the Compact Cassette to Europe at the Berlin Radio Show, followed by an American launch in November the same year. |
|
13 |
October |
1963 |
Emerging English pop band The Beatles made their first major TV appearance on ITV’s famous variety show, ‘Sunday Night At The London Palladium’. |
|
31 |
October |
1963 |
English guitarist, singer, songwriter, ex-member of post‑punk rock band The Smiths, as well as a successful solo artist and collaborator, Johnny Marr was born in Manchester. |
|
31 |
December |
1963 |
American guitarist, singer and founding member of thrash metal rock band Anthrax, Scott Ian was born in Queens, New York. |
|
1 |
January |
1964 |
The BBC’s popular chart music television programme ‘Top Of The Pops’ (TOTP) was first broadcast in the UK. The show ran for over 42 years until July 2006. |
|
13 |
January |
1964 |
American folk singer Bob Dylan released his 3rd studio album ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’’, which became a political anthem for social change in 1960s America. |
|
5 |
February |
1964 |
American bass player and ex-member of rock bands, Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Loaded and Jane’s Addiction, Duff McKagan was born in Seattle, Washington state. |
|
7 |
February |
1964 |
‘Beatlemania’ struck America when The Beatles landed at New York’s JFK Airport on their first visit to the USA. |
|
9 |
February |
1964 |
‘Beatlemania’ struck again when English pop band The Beatles made their American TV debut on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’. |
|
11 |
February |
1964 |
English pop band The Beatles made their debut live performance in America at the Washington Coliseum in front of 8,000 screaming fans. |
|
26 |
May |
1964 |
American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actor, Lenny Kravitz was born in New York City. |
|
30 |
May |
1964 |
Great American guitarist with rock bands Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave, as well as several solo projects, Tom Morello was born in New York. |
|
3 |
June |
1964 |
Great American guitarist with thrash metal rock band Slayer, the formidable Kerry King was born in Los Angeles, California. |
|
19 |
June |
1964 |
English rock band, The Animals, released their seminal hit single, ‘House Of The Rising Sun’. |
|
10 |
July |
1964 |
English pop/rock group The Beatles released their 6th studio album ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ in the UK. |
|
24 |
July |
1964 |
The Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, U.S.A. descended into controversy when Bob Dylan performed an electric rather than acoustic set. |
|
13 |
November |
1964 |
English rock band The Rolling Stones released their cover of the classic Willie Dixon blues song, ‘Little Red Rooster’ as a single in the UK. |
|
23 |
December |
1964 |
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and long-time member of rock band Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder was born in Evanston, Illinois. |
|
20 |
January |
1965 |
The self-proclaimed ‘father of rock ‘n’ roll’, legendary American DJ Alan Freed died from uraemia and cirrhosis in hospital in Palm Springs, California at the age of 43. |
|
28 |
January |
1965 |
Emerging English rock band, The Who made their debut television appearance in the UK on the ITV music show ‘Ready Steady Go!’ |
|
14 |
February |
1965 |
Australian/French multi-instrumentalist, including guitar, known for working with alternative rock bands Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Grinderman, Warren Ellis was born in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. |
|
8 |
March |
1965 |
Legendary American folk guitarist, singer and songwriter Bob Dylan released his first top 40 hit single, ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ in the U.S. |
|
12 |
May |
1965 |
English rock band The Rolling Stones recorded their trademark song ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ at RCA’s studio in Hollywood. |
|
17 |
May |
1965 |
Prolific composer, singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and founder of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania. |
|
16 |
June |
1965 |
Legendary American folk singer and guitarist Bob Dylan recorded his classic song, ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ at Columbia studios in New York. |
|
23 |
June |
1965 |
English guitarist and founding member of rock band Oasis, Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs was born in Manchester. |
|
23 |
July |
1965 |
British/American guitarist, member of hard rock bands Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, as well as a successful solo artist, Saul Hudson (a.k.a. Slash) was born in London. |
|
29 |
July |
1965 |
The full-length film ‘Help!’, featuring a certain English pop quartet, The Beatles, was premiered in London. |
|
6 |
August |
1965 |
English pop group The Beatles released their 5th studio album, ‘Help!’ in the UK, which was also the soundtrack to their film of the same name. |
|
15 |
August |
1965 |
English pop band The Beatles broke the (then) record for an audience of 55,600 at Shea Stadium in New York City. |
|
20 |
August |
1965 |
English rock band The Rolling Stones released their massive hit single, ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’. |
|
28 |
August |
1965 |
Canadian country music singer, songwriter and guitarist, Shania Twain, the ‘Queen of Country Pop’ was born in Windsor, Ontario. |
|
30 |
August |
1965 |
American folk guitarist, singer and songwriter Bob Dylan released his classic 6th studio album, ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ in the UK. |
|
13 |
October |
1965 |
English rock band The Who recorded their classic single ‘My Generation’ at Pye Recording Studios in London, UK. |
|
21 |
October |
1965 |
Pioneering American rock ‘n’ roll bass player, forever associated with singer Elvis Presley, Bill Black died of a brain tumour in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 39. |
|
26 |
October |
1965 |
HM Queen Elizabeth II presented members of the English pop band The Beatles with MBEs at Buckingham Palace in London. |
|
29 |
October |
1965 |
English rock band, The Who released the single ‘My Generation’ in the UK, reaching number 2 in the British singles chart. |
|
12 |
November |
1965 |
Emerging young English singer, songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan performed his first single, ‘The Wizard’ on national UK TV music programme ‘Ready Steady Go!’ |
|
12 |
November |
1965 |
American rock band Velvet Underground performed their debut live performance at Summit High School in New Jersey. |
|
19 |
November |
1965 |
English guitarist, songwriter and lead man for alternative rock band Spiritualized, Jason Pierce was born in Rugby. |
|
21 |
November |
1965 |
Avant-garde Icelandic singer, songwriter, producer and actress, Björk Guðmundsdóttir was born in Reykjavík. |
|
25 |
November |
1965 |
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer, a member of punk rock bands Rancid and Transplants, Tim Armstrong was born in Albany, California. |
|
3 |
December |
1965 |
English pop/rock group The Beatles released their 6th studio album ‘Rubber Soul’ in the UK. |
|
3 |
December |
1965 |
English rock band, The Who, released their classic debut studio album, ‘My Generation’ in the UK. |
|
10 |
December |
1965 |
American singer, songwriter and guitarist, front man of alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., the great J. Mascis was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. |
|
4 |
March |
1966 |
Member of The Beatles, John Lennon, made his infamously controversial statement that the band was “…more popular than Jesus…”. |
|
18 |
March |
1966 |
American guitarist and founder of heavy rock band, Alice In Chains, Jerry Cantrell was born in Tacoma, Washington. |
|
25 |
March |
1966 |
Renowned Canadian blues rock guitarist, Jeff Healey (1966-2008, 41) was born in Toronto. |
|
5 |
April |
1966 |
American guitarist and co-founder of rock band, Pearl Jam, Mike McCready was born in Pensacola, Florida. |
|
22 |
April |
1966 |
English garage rock band The Troggs released their version of the Wild Ones’ song, ‘Wild Thing’, which became a classic hit single of its time. |
|
1 |
May |
1966 |
English pop/rock band, The Beatles performed their final UK live appearance at the NME Poll Winners’ Party, held at the Empire Pool, Wembley in London. |
|
13 |
May |
1966 |
English rock band, The Rolling Stones released their dark and sinister hit single, ‘Paint It, Black’ from the album ‘Aftermath’ (U.S. release). |
|
16 |
May |
1966 |
Original American surf pop/rock band, The Beach Boys released their best-selling classic 11th studio album, ‘Pet Sounds’ in the U.S. |
|
16 |
May |
1966 |
American folk singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bob Dylan originally scheduled the release date of his classic 7th studio double album, ‘Blonde On Blonde’. It didn’t actually become available until early June. |
|
26 |
May |
1966 |
English pop/rock band, The Beatles recorded ‘Yellow Submarine’ at Abbey Road Studios in London. |
|
30 |
May |
1966 |
American singer, songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of alternative rock bands Pavement and the Jicks, Stephen Malkmus was born in Santa Monica, California. |
|
16 |
July |
1966 |
British music icons Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker formed the short-lived blues/rock super group Cream. |
|
5 |
August |
1966 |
English pop/rock group, The Beatles released their classic 7th studio album, ‘Revolver’ in the UK. |
|
20 |
August |
1966 |
American guitarist, songwriter and founder of heavy metal rock bands Pantera and Damageplan, ‘Dimebag’ Darrell Lance Abbott (1966-2004, 38) was born in Arlington, Texas. |
|
12 |
September |
1966 |
Featuring an American/British pop-rock band, The Monkees show premiered on American TV network NBC. |
|
20 |
September |
1966 |
Portuguese/American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and member of rock band Extreme, Nuno Bettencourt was born in Terceira, Azores. |
|
23 |
October |
1966 |
Anglo-American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded ‘Hey Joe’, their debut single, which peaked at number 6 in the UK chart. |
|
2 |
November |
1966 |
American blues guitarist Mississippi John Hurt died of a heart attack in a hospital in Grenada, Mississippi at the age of 73. |
|
6 |
November |
1966 |
American virtuoso rock guitarist, member of rock bands Mr Big and Racer X, as well as successful solo artist, Paul Gilbert was born in Carbondale, Illinois. |
|
17 |
November |
1966 |
American surf band, The Beach Boys had a number one hit in the UK singles chart with the classic song, ‘Good Vibrations’. |
|
17 |
November |
1966 |
Talented American singer, songwriter and guitarist, the graceful Mr Jeff Buckley (1966-1997, 30) was born in Orange, California. |
|
25 |
November |
1966 |
The Jimi Hendrix Experience played their debut live performance in the UK at the Bag O’Nails Club in Soho, London. |
|
7 |
December |
1966 |
English guitarist and songwriter who has worked with bands Oasis, Beady Eye and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Gem Archer was born in Durham. |
|
9 |
December |
1966 |
English blues/rock super group Cream, comprising Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, released their debut studio album, ‘Fresh Cream’ in the UK. |
|
13 |
December |
1966 |
Anglo-American rock band The Jimi Hendrix Experience, made their UK TV debut on popular music programme ‘Ready Steady Go!’. |
|
13 |
December |
1966 |
Anglo-American rock band The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded their classic track, ‘Foxy Lady’ (a.k.a. ‘Foxey Lady’ in the U.S.), released as a single in May 1967. |
|
16 |
December |
1966 |
Anglo-American rock band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their debut single in the UK, ‘Hey Joe’, reaching no. 6. It failed to chart in the U.S. |
|
23 |
December |
1966 |
After 3 years on air, UK TV network channel ITV broadcast the final episode of the popular music programme, ‘Ready Steady Go!’ following a Musicians’ Union ban on miming on television. |
|
29 |
December |
1966 |
Anglo‑American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience made their first UK TV appearance on the BBC’s ‘Top Of The Pops’, performing their single, ‘Hey Joe’. |
|
4 |
January |
1967 |
American rock band, The Doors, released their classic self-titled debut studio album, ‘The Doors’. |
|
11 |
January |
1967 |
Anglo‑American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded their classic song, ‘Purple Haze’ at De Lane Lea Studios in London. It took 3 takes in 4 hours to complete. |
|
14 |
January |
1967 |
American heavy metal guitarist, singer and songwriter, founder of heavy metal band Black Label Society, Zakk Wylde was born in New Jersey. |
|
17 |
January |
1967 |
English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, solo artist and session musician, Richard Hawley was born in Sheffield. |
|
3 |
February |
1967 |
Pioneering English record producer and studio engineer, Joe Meek murdered his landlady and then committed suicide in London at the age of 37. |
|
17 |
February |
1967 |
English Blues rock band John Mayall and the Blues Breakers released their 2nd studio album, ‘A Hard Road’ with Peter Green replacing Eric Clapton as guitarist. |
|
20 |
February |
1967 |
American singer, songwriter and guitarist with grunge rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain (1967-1994, 27) was born in Aberdeen, Washington state. |
|
12 |
March |
1967 |
American rock band, The Velvet Underground released their debut studio album, ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’, with iconic cover art by pop artist Andy Warhol. |
|
17 |
March |
1967 |
American singer, songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan was born in Chicago, Illinois. |
|
12 |
May |
1967 |
Anglo‑American rock band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their debut studio album, ‘Are You Experienced’ in the UK. |
|
29 |
May |
1967 |
English singer, songwriter and guitarist with rock bands Oasis and High Flying Birds, Noel Gallagher was born in Manchester. |
|
1 |
June |
1967 |
English pop/rock band, The Beatles released their classic 8th studio album, ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ in the UK. |
|
1 |
June |
1967 |
Aspiring English singer David Bowie released his eponymous debut studio album, ‘David Bowie’ in the UK. |
|
7 |
June |
1967 |
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of alternative rock band Jane’s Addiction as well as former member of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Navarro was born in Santa Monica, California. |
|
16 |
June |
1967 |
The ‘Summer of Love’ officially arrived with the start of the legendary 3-day Monterey Pop Festival in California. Artists included The Animals, Simon & Garfunkel and Sly & The Family Stone. |
|
16 |
June |
1967 |
English psychedelic/progressive rock band Pink Floyd released their classic single, ‘See Emily Play’, written by Syd Barrett. |
|
17 |
June |
1967 |
The ‘Summer of Love’ continued with the 2nd day of the 3-day Monterey International Pop Festival in California. Artists included Canned Heat, Jefferson Airplane, Otis Redding, Steve Miller Band and The Byrds. |
|
18 |
June |
1967 |
The ‘Summer of Love’ continued with the 3rd and final day of the Monterey International Pop Festival in California. Artists included Buffalo Springfield, Grateful Dead, Ravi Shankar, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Who. |
|
24 |
June |
1967 |
German guitarist with Industrial Metal rock band Rammstein, Richard Z. Kruspe was born in Wittenberge. |
|
12 |
July |
1967 |
Great American guitarist and founding member of heavy rock band Dream Theater, John Petrucci was born in New York. |
|
4 |
August |
1967 |
English psychedelic progressive rock group, Pink Floyd released their debut studio album, ‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn’. |
|
25 |
September |
1967 |
American rock band The Doors released their all-time classic 2nd studio album, ‘Strange Days’. |
|
30 |
September |
1967 |
English broadcaster the BBC aired their pop music channel Radio 1 for the very first time in the UK. The first record played by DJ Tony Blackburn was, ‘Flowers in the Rain’ by The Move. |
|
3 |
October |
1967 |
American singer, songwriter and guitarist Woody Guthrie died from Huntington’s Disease in New York City at the age of 55. |
|
9 |
November |
1967 |
The brainchild of Jann Wenner, the very first issue of Rolling Stone music magazine was published in the USA, featuring a photo of John Lennon on the front cover. |
|
10 |
November |
1967 |
English blues/rock super group Cream released their classic 2nd studio album, ‘Disraeli Gears’ in the UK. |
|
1 |
December |
1967 |
Anglo-American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their sophomore studio album, ‘Axis: Bold as Love’ in the UK. |
|
7 |
December |
1967 |
Shortly before his tragic death, American soul singer Otis Redding recorded his classic single, ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’. |
|
10 |
December |
1967 |
American soul singer, Otis Redding was killed tragically when the plane in which he was travelling crashed into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin, at the age of 26. |
|
16 |
December |
1967 |
English rock band, The Who, released their 3rd studio album, ‘The Who Sell Out’ in the UK. |
|
27 |
December |
1967 |
Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Leonard Cohen released his classic debut studio album, ‘Songs of Leonard Cohen’. |
|
13 |
January |
1968 |
American country music legend Johnny Cash performed two live shows at the notorious Folsom State Prison in California. |
|
21 |
January |
1968 |
Anglo-American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded their cover version of Bob Dylan’s, ‘All Along The Watchtower’ at Olympic Studios in London. |
|
30 |
January |
1968 |
American psychedelic rock band, The Velvet Underground released their classic sophomore studio album, ‘White Light/White Heat’. |
|
8 |
March |
1968 |
The famous New York live music venue Fillmore East opened its doors at 105 Second Avenue and East 6th Street in Manhattan. It closed 3 years later on 27 June 1971. |
|
6 |
April |
1968 |
English progressive rock band Pink Floyd announced that guitarist and singer Syd Barrett had left the band he helped to found. |
|
15 |
April |
1968 |
English guitarist, singer, songwriter and original member of alternative rock band Radiohead, Ed O’Brien was born in Oxford. |
|
20 |
April |
1968 |
After changing their name from Roundabout, English hard rock band Deep Purple played their first live concert as Deep Purple in Tastrup, Denmark. |
|
24 |
May |
1968 |
English rock band, Small Faces released their classic 4th studio album ‘Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake’. |
|
24 |
May |
1968 |
English rock band, The Rolling Stones released their massive hit single, ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’. |
|
28 |
May |
1968 |
Multi-talented Australian singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and sex symbol, Kylie Minogue was born in Melbourne, Victoria. |
|
5 |
June |
1968 |
Marc Bolan’s band Tyrannosaurus Rex released their debut album, ‘My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair… But Now They’re Content To Wear Stars On Their Brows’ in the UK. |
|
15 |
June |
1968 |
Acclaimed American jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery died of a heart attack at his home in Indianapolis at the age of 45. |
|
28 |
June |
1968 |
English progressive rock group Pink Floyd released their sophomore studio album, ‘A Saucerful Of Secrets’ in the UK. It was the only Pink Floyd album to feature both Syd Barrett and David Gilmour. |
|
29 |
June |
1968 |
The first Hyde Park Free Concert was held in London, UK, featuring Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Roy Harper. |
|
5 |
July |
1968 |
The legendary San Francisco live music venue Fillmore West opened its doors at 10 South Van Ness Avenue. It stayed at this location until 4 July 1971. |
|
10 |
July |
1968 |
English guitarist Eric Clapton announced that the blues/rock super group Cream were splitting up, after just 3 studio albums. |
|
13 |
July |
1968 |
Under their original name, Earth, English heavy metal pioneers, Black Sabbath played their first live concert at The Crown pub in Birmingham. |
|
17 |
July |
1968 |
The unique psychedelic animated film ‘Yellow Submarine’, featuring characters based on The Beatles premiered in London. |
|
5 |
August |
1968 |
Influential American country guitarist and principal sideman for Johnny Cash, Luther Perkins, one of the famed ‘Tennessee Three’, died tragically in a fire accident in Hendersonville, Tennessee at the age of 40. |
|
9 |
August |
1968 |
English blues/rock super group Cream released their 3rd studio album, ‘Wheels Of Fire’. |
|
6 |
September |
1968 |
English blues/rock guitarist Eric Clapton recorded the guitar solo on The Beatles’ song, ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’. |
|
7 |
September |
1968 |
English rock band The New Yardbrids, later to become Led Zeppelin performed their live concert debut at Gladsaxe, near Copenhagen in Denmark. |
|
14 |
September |
1968 |
The animated series based around a fictional pop band, ‘The Archies’, from the original comic strip, premiered on CBS TV in America. |
|
20 |
September |
1968 |
English Heavy rock band, Led Zeppelin started recording their ground-breaking debut album ‘Led Zeppelin (I)’ in London, to be released in 1969. |
|
7 |
October |
1968 |
English singer, songwriter and guitarist with alternative rock band Radiohead, Thom Yorke was born in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. |
|
14 |
October |
1968 |
English psychedelic folk rock duo Tyrannosaurus Rex released their 2nd studio album, ‘Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages’. |
|
25 |
October |
1968 |
Nine days after its American launch, The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their final studio album ‘Electric Ladyland’ in the UK. |
|
9 |
November |
1968 |
English hard rock band Led Zeppelin performed their debut London concert at The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm. Members’ tickets cost 16 shillings. |
|
21 |
November |
1968 |
English bass guitarist and songwriter, principally with Britpop band Blur, Alex James was born in Bournemouth. |
|
22 |
November |
1968 |
English group, The Beatles released their highly regarded 9th studio double album, ‘The Beatles’, a.k.a. the ‘White Album’ in the UK. |
|
26 |
November |
1968 |
Aside from their 2005 reunion gigs, English blues/rock super group, Cream played their final ‘Farewell Concert’ at the Royal Albert Hall in London. |
|
29 |
November |
1968 |
Emerging British/American blues/rock band Fleetwood Mac released their classic instrumental hit single ‘Albatross’. |
|
6 |
December |
1968 |
British rock band, The Rolling Stones released their classic 7th studio album, ‘Beggars Banquet’ in the UK. |
|
24 |
December |
1968 |
American blues/rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, prolific musical collaborator as well as solo artist, Doyle Bramhall II was born in Dallas, Texas. |
|
5 |
January |
1969 |
Controversial American rock singer and songwriter, Brian Warner, better known as the artist Marilyn Manson, was born in Canton, Ohio. |
|
12 |
January |
1969 |
British rock band Led Zeppelin released their self‑titled debut studio album, ‘Led Zeppelin’ on Atlantic Records in the UK. |
|
13 |
January |
1969 |
English band The Beatles released their studio album ‘Yellow Submarine’ as a soundtrack to the psychedelic animated film of the same name featuring the Fab Four. |
|
14 |
January |
1969 |
American singer, songwriter, drummer and guitarist with rock bands Nirvana and Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl was born in Springfield, Virginia. |
|
22 |
January |
1969 |
Legendary Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Neil Young released his eponymous debut album, ‘Neil Young’. |
|
30 |
January |
1969 |
English rock band The Beatles made their final live public performance, filming their famous unannounced rooftop gig atop the Apple Studio building in London for the film ‘Let It Be’. |
|
21 |
February |
1969 |
Welsh singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer with rock band Manic Street Preachers, James Dean Bradfield was born in Pontypool. |
|
22 |
February |
1969 |
Legendary English pop/rock band The Beatles started recording their classic studio album, ‘Abbey Road’ at the famous London recording studio of the same name. |
|
24 |
February |
1969 |
Anglo-American rock trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed their final UK live indoor concert at The Royal Albert Hall in London. |
|
12 |
March |
1969 |
English singer, songwriter, guitarist and founder of indie rock/britpop band Blur, Graham Coxon was born in Rinteln, Germany where his father was stationed with the British Army. |
|
7 |
April |
1969 |
Legendary Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Leonard Cohen released his classic sophomore studio album, ‘Songs From a Room’. |
|
9 |
April |
1969 |
American folk rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Bob Dylan released his change of direction 9th studio album, ‘Nashville Skyline’. |
|
13 |
May |
1969 |
Prolific and inventive American rock guitarist, Buckethead (a.k.a. Brian Carroll) was born in Pomona, California. |
|
14 |
May |
1969 |
Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter, Neil Young with his band Crazy Horse released their sophomore studio album, ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’. |
|
16 |
May |
1969 |
Before pioneering glam rock, English singer, songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan with Tyrannosaurus Rex released their 3rd studio album, ‘Unicorn’. |
|
23 |
May |
1969 |
English rock band, The Who released their ground breaking epic rock opera double album, ‘Tommy’ in the UK. |
|
26 |
May |
1969 |
John Lennon and Yoko Ono promoted world peace through an 8-day ‘bed-in’ in Canada proclaiming ‘Give Peace a Chance’. |
|
4 |
June |
1969 |
American country artist Johnny Cash released his classic live album, ‘At San Quentin’, recorded at the (in)famous high security prison in California. |
|
20 |
June |
1969 |
Emerging English singer David Bowie recorded his first hit single ‘Space Oddity’ at Trident Studios, London. |
|
3 |
July |
1969 |
English guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and founder of The Rolling Stones, Brian Jones drowned in his swimming pool at his home in Hartfield, East Sussex at the age of 27. |
|
11 |
July |
1969 |
Emerging English rock singer and songwriter David Bowie released his classic debut single, ‘Space Oddity’ in the UK. |
|
1 |
August |
1969 |
The point at which aspiring rock band Earth changed their name to Black Sabbath, announced at a concert held at the Pokey Hole Club in Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK. |
|
5 |
August |
1969 |
American singer and songwriter Iggy Pop launched his long and varied music career, with or without The Stooges, with the release of his/their debut studio album, ‘The Stooges’. |
|
15 |
August |
1969 |
The legendary hippie counter-culture Woodstock Festival ‘Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace and Music’ Arts Fair began at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm near Bethel, New York, attended by over 400,000 people. Tickets were priced at $6 per day. Artists included Melanie, Arlo Guthrie and Joan Baez. |
|
16 |
August |
1969 |
The second day of the legendary Woodstock Festival took place in upstate New York. Artists included Canned Heat, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Sly & the Family Stone, The Who and Jefferson Airplane. |
|
17 |
August |
1969 |
The third and (sort of) final day of the legendary Woodstock Festival took place on Max Yasgur’s 600-acre farm 43 miles south west of the town of Woodstock, New York state. Artists included Ten Years After, The Band, Johnny Winter, Blood, Sweat & Tears and CSN&Y. |
|
18 |
August |
1969 |
As the last of 32 acts, American guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix closed the fabled Woodstock Festival by playing a 2-hour set at 9:00 in the morning with a temporary band. |
|
30 |
August |
1969 |
After changing their name from Earth, English heavy metal pioneers, Black Sabbath played their first live concert as Black Sabbath at a local pub in Workington, Cumbria. |
|
5 |
September |
1969 |
Talented American guitarist, son of Frank and carrying on the formidable family legacy, Dweezil Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California. |
|
7 |
September |
1969 |
English guitarist, best known as a member of Britpop group Cast and his work with alternative rock artist Robert Plant, Liam ‘Skin’ Tyson was born in Liverpool. |
|
22 |
September |
1969 |
Canadian/American roots/folk/country rock artists, The Band released their classic self-titled 2nd studio album, ‘The Band’. |
|
25 |
September |
1969 |
American guitarist, songwriter, producer and one-time member of rock band Guns N’ Roses (2006-2014), Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal was born in Brooklyn, New York. |
|
26 |
September |
1969 |
Legendary English pop/rock band The Beatles released their classic final studio album with the iconic zebra crossing cover photograph, ‘Abbey Road’ in the UK. |
|
3 |
October |
1969 |
Influential American delta blues singer and guitarist Skip James died in Pennsylvania at the age of 67. |
|
10 |
October |
1969 |
American rock guitarist and composer Frank Zappa released his outstanding, classic career-peak studio album, ‘Hot Rats’. |
|
10 |
October |
1969 |
English progressive rock band King Crimson released their classic studio album, ‘In the Court of the Crimson King’ in the UK. |
|
16 |
October |
1969 |
Anglo‑American rock trio the Jimi Hendrix Experience released their 3rd and final studio album, the classic ‘Electric Ladyland’ in the U.S. |
|
18 |
October |
1969 |
American music family, The Jackson 5 made their debut on American TV, appearing on ABC’s ‘Hollywood Palace’. |
|
22 |
October |
1969 |
English hard rock group Led Zeppelin released their classic multi-million-selling 2nd studio album, ‘Led Zeppelin II’ on Atlantic Records in the U.S. |
|
28 |
October |
1969 |
Award-winning multi-genre American guitarist, singer and songwriter Ben Harper was born in Pomona, California. |
|
4 |
November |
1969 |
English singer and songwriter David Bowie released his 2nd studio album, ‘David Bowie’ (also released as ‘Space Oddity’ after the hit single from the album). |
|
7 |
November |
1969 |
English progressive rock group, Pink Floyd released their 4th part live, part studio experimental double album, ‘Ummagumma’, with cover art by Hipgnosis. |
|
14 |
November |
1969 |
Cartoon bubblegum pop group, The Archies began the longest ‘one hit wonder’ UK singles chart-topping streak (8 weeks), with their classic song, ‘Sugar, Sugar’. |
|
27 |
November |
1969 |
American guitarist, singer and songwriter, a member of heavy rock band Alter Bridge, as well as pursuing many side projects, Myles Kennedy was born in Boston, Massachusetts. |
|
29 |
November |
1969 |
English rock band, The Rolling Stones, released their classic 11th studio album, ‘Let It Bleed’ in the UK. |
|
6 |
December |
1969 |
A man was stabbed to death by a member of the Hells Angels during The Rolling Stones set at the infamous Altamont Free Festival in California. |
|
14 |
December |
1969 |
American music family, The Jackson 5 made their American Network TV debut, appearing on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’. |
Tailpiece
Well there you go… that’s the 1960s in a proverbial (and quite sizeable) nutshell. An appreciation of music genre development and music facts from the 1960s catalogues the seemingly sudden eruption of creativity that took place against the background of momentous global events. The vibrancy and liberalism of the 1960s was exploratory, liberating and empowering for many, mostly young people at the time. Much of the optimistic idealism was, perhaps in hindsight, naively transient and disappointingly ephemeral. All good things come to an end and things were about to change quite fundamentally all over again.
How the heck do you follow the decade of decadence? Well, that will be the fascinating story of the 1970s, which will unfold in all its hedonistic, nihilistic grime and glory. Intrigued? Why not come back for the next enthralling episode of the ‘History of Music’. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “I’m glad I’m alive. What else would I do?”
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