May 23rd: The Biggest Music Headlines

2019 – Richard Ashcroft
Richard Ashcroft regained rights to his song ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ after more than two decades. The Verve singer lost the rights to his most recognizable song, which ended up in the possession of The Rolling Stones’ Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Released in 1997 on Urban Hymns, the track sampled The Rolling Stones’ song ‘The Last Time’, using a composition by Andrew Oldham, and became the centre of lawsuits, which saw Ashcroft stripped of rights and royalties.

2014 – Gregg Allman
The parents of a camera assistant who was killed after being hit by a train while shooting footage for a biopic about Gregg Allman were suing the musician and the film’s producers. The case claimed film-makers “selected an unreasonably dangerous site for the filming location” and failed to take actions to adequately protect the crew.

2012 – Music Survey
Erasmus MC University Medical Center in the Netherlands announced they had drawn clear links between listening to loud music, smoking marijuana and having “risky” sex. The study, published in the Official Journal of the American Academy Of Pediatrics, revealed that young people who listened to loud music on their MP3 players were more likely to have sparked up a joint in the last month. The researchers, surveyed 944 students from inner-city vocational schools aged 15 to 25.

2010 – The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones scored their first UK No.1 album for 16 years with the re-release of their classic 1972 double LP Exile On Main Street. The album, which was first released in 1972, had been reissued with previously unheard tracks. Their last No.1 album was 1994’s Voodoo Lounge.

2009 – Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse cancelled her appearance at a concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Island Records. The event, scheduled to take place on 31st May at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, had now been cancelled completely, her management said.

2006 – Led Zeppelin
The King of Sweden presented the surviving members of Led Zeppelin with the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm recognizing them as “great pioneers” of rock music. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were joined by the daughter of drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980. The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, manager of Swedish pop group ABBA who named it after his record label, Polar Records.

2006 – Clifford Antone
Clifford Antone, a blues club owner and independent record label founder who mentored the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Gary Clark Jr., dies at age 56 of a possible heart attack.

2006 – Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks wins Season 6 of American Idol.

2002 – Madonna
‘Up For Grabs’ opened at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre featuring Madonna in the lead role. The first night crowd complained that the singer was lacking in vocal power and strained to hear her lines.

2002 – Dido
Winners at the 47th Ivor Novello awards included, Dido for Songwriter of the year, Best song went to U2, ‘Walk On.’ Kylie Minogue won The Dance Award and Most Performed Work and International Hit for ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.’ Hear’say won Bestselling UK single for ‘Pure And Simple’. Mick Hucknall won Outstanding Song collection and Kate Bush was awarded Outstanding Contribution to British music.

2000 – Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher walked out on his band Oasis during a European tour. The move was put down to a series of burst-ups with his brother Liam. The band drafted in replacement guitarist Matt Deighton for the rest of the European dates.

2000 – Eminem
Eminem released his third studio album the Marshall Mathers LP. It debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200, staying atop for eight consecutive weeks and went on to sell over 25 million copies worldwide. The album is one of the most groundbreaking and controversial albums in the history of American music. The Marshall Mathers LP has been named on several lists of the greatest albums of all time and is widely regarded as Eminem’s best album.

2000 – Coldplay
Coldplay shoot the video for “Yellow” on a beach in Studland Bay, Dorset, England. The 30 or so extras are sent home because it’s too cold and wet to execute the “beach party” vibe envisioned, so lead singer Chris Martin just walks around singing the song in one take. It’s basic, but very effective, becoming a classic video.

1996 – Metallica
The video for Metallica’s “Until It Sleeps” debuts, showing the band with short hair for the first time.

1992 – Freddie Mercury
A statement issued by Freddie Mercury’s attorneys stated that Mercury had bequeathed the majority of his estate (£10 million – $17 million) to his long-time friend Mary Austin.

1991 – Nirvana
Photographer Michael Lavine took what would be the publicity shots for Nirvana’s Nevermind album at Jay Aaron Studios in Los Angeles. The idea for the front cover shot of the baby swimming was taken after Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl saw a TV documentary on water babies and was taken by Kirk Weddle. Several babies were used; five-month old Spencer Eldon’s photo came out best.

1987 – Doobie Brothers
Twelve former members of the Doobie Brothers reunited for a charity concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The show raised $350,000 for Vietnam veterans, about two-thousand of whom attended the show for free.

1982 – UK Musicians Union
The UK Musicians Union moved a resolution to ban synthesizers and drum rhythm machines from sessions and live concerts fearing that their use would put musicians out of work.

1979 – Tom Petty
Due to a record company dispute, Tom Petty was forced to file for bankruptcy owing $575,000 (£338,235). A long-running battle with his record company followed.

1978 – Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off their 117 show Darkness Tour at Shea’s Buffalo, in Buffalo, New York.

1974 – George Harrison
George Harrison announced the launch of his own record label, ‘Dark Horse.’

1973 – Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane were prevented from giving a free concert in Golden Gate Park when San Francisco authorities passed a resolution banning electronic instruments. The group later wrote ‘We Built this City’ about the ban.

1973 – Bob Dylan
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, starring James Coburn and Kris Kristofferson, debuts in theaters. In addition to scoring and writing songs for the film, Bob Dylan makes his acting debut as a knife-wielding stranger named Alias. His acting is derided, but he lands a hit with “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.”

1970 – Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney’s debut solo album, McCartney, started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart. Apart from Linda McCartney’s vocal contributions, McCartney performed and recorded the entire album solo. The album featured ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’, which Rod Stewart and the Faces featured on their 1971 album Long Player.

1970 – The Beatles
The Beatles 12th and final studio album ‘Let It Be’ started a three week run at No.1 on the UK chart, featuring ‘The Long And Winding Road’, ‘Across The Universe’ and the title track.

https://youtu.be/oz3JlMhgfq0

1970 – Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead played their first gig outside the US at ‘The Hollywood Rock Music Festival’, in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffs, England. Also appearing at the festival was Free, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Colosseum, Family, Black Sabbath and Traffic.

1966 – The Doors
After a few months honing their act at the Los Angeles club The London Fog, The Doors play the Whisky a Go Go for the first time, where they become the house band. Their Whisky run gets them lots of exposure and earns them a contract with Elektra Records.

1964 – Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald became the first artist to have a hit with a Beatles cover when her version of ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ entered the UK chart.

1960 – The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Cathy’s Clown’, which also spent seven weeks at No.1 in the UK. It became the Everly Brothers’ biggest hit single and their third and final US chart topper, selling eight million copies worldwide.