This Date in Rock Music History: June 28

1959:  Bobby Darin topped all others on the U.K. Singles chart with "Dream Lover".
1962:  The Drifters recorded the song "Up On The Roof".



1965:  Herman's Hermits released the single "I'm Henry VIII, I Am".
1966:  Small Faces were in concert at the Marquee Club in London.










1968:  Aretha Franklin was on the cover of Time magazine.
1969:  Crosby, Stills & Nash did not release their great self-titled debut album on this date as some web sites report who aren't familiar with how the music business works.  Thankfully, you follow this blog and learned the album was actually released May 29.
1969:  Neil Diamond didn't release "Sweet Caroline" on this date either (a Saturday) as some web sites report.  That actually happened on Monday, June 23, 1969 (as Inside the Rock Era told you about), since Billboard magazine goes to print each Wednesday.  That's kind of like the other web sites showing up at a party five days too late!
1969:  What "Sweet Caroline" did do on this date was debut on the chart (quite different from being released today).  It was the highest debut at #59.
1969:  A great show was lined up at the Bath Festival of Blues in England--Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall, Chicken Shack, Savoy Brown, Nice, Ten Years After--They were all there.


1969:  Zager & Evans had one of the hottest songs on the chart on this date as "In The Year 2525" moved from 72 to 35.
1969:  The Who's album Tommy reached the Top 10 on this date, four weeks after its release.












                                                  CCR had the #2 song...

1969:  It was an excellent Top 10 as Henry Mancini moved to #1 with "Love Theme From 'Romeo & Juliet'".  CCR challenged with "Bad Moon Rising" while the former #1 "Get Back" from the Beatles fell to 3.  Marvin Gaye was "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" and Three Dog Night's classic "One" was at #5.  The rest of the Top 10:  Blood, Sweat & Tears reached #6 with their second hit "Spinning Wheel" while Elvis Presley was at #7 with his 109th hit "In The Ghetto", Oliver remained at 8 with "Good Morning Starshine", Desmond Dekker & the Aces moved into the Top 10 with "Israelites" and the Friends of Distinction had a great song at #10--"Grazing In The Grass".
1970:  Led Zeppelin, the Moody Blues, Santana, the Byrds, Jefferson Airiplane, Dr. John, Country Joe, Hot Tuna and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention performed at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music in Bath, England.









1971:  Rod Stewart released the single "Maggie May".
1973:  Herman's Hermits, the Searchers, Gerry & the Pacemakers and Wayne Fontana appeared in concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
1973:  Helen Reddy's summer television series premiered on NBC.










                                                     "You're So Static" ...

1974:  Elton John released the great album Caribou.
1975:  Roger Waters, annoyed that the fans were screaming during a Pink Floyd song, spat on the audience.  Guess he thinks Pink Floyd is "better" than their fans, and above everyone else. 
1975:  Venus & Mars by Wings was the #1 album in the U.K. 
1977:  Elton John became the Chairman of the Watford Football Club in England.
1978:  The Clash were at Friars in Aylesbury, England.











1978:  UNICEF named members of the group Kansas as Deputy Ambassadors of Goodwill.
1980:  Roxy Music's Flesh and Blood was the top album in the U.K.
1980:  The #1 R&B song was "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" by the S.O.S. Band.











1980:  Pure Prairie League had a pure song at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Let Me Love You Tonight".













                        All those years paying dues were paying off for Seger...

1980:  Paul McCartney & Wings wrestled the top spot away from Lipps, Inc. as "Coming Up" beat out "Funkytown".  Bette Midler climbed to #3 with "The Rose" and Billy Joel moved up with "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me".  The competition was fierce so Bob Seger had to remain at 5 with "Against The Wind".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Little Jeannie" from Elton John, Robbie Dupree's "Steal Away" at #7, Ambrosia fell to #8 with their great song "Biggest Part Of Me", the Spinners entered the Top 10 with their medley of "Cupid" and "I've Loved You For A Long Time" and Michael Jackson didn't budge from #10 with "She's Out Of My Life".
1986:  Wham! appeared in concert for the final time at Wembley Stadium in London.
1986:  Wham! reached #1 in the U.K. with "The Edge Of Heaven".
1986:  Madonna debuted with her single "Papa Don't Preach" at #42.
1986:  Billy Ocean took over at #1 on the R&B chart with "There'll Be Sad Songs".
1986:  Howard Jones reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "No One Is To Blame".

                                                       Billy Ocean had arrived...

1986:  Another great Top 10 on this date as Michael McDonald and Patti LaBelle were #1 for the third week with "On My Own".  Billy Ocean's "There'll Be Sad Songs" remained at 2 and the Jets came in third with "Crush On You".  Simply Red's great song "Holding Back The Years" moved from 8 to 4, leapfrogging Howard Jones, who nonetheless moved up with "No One Is To Blame".  The rest of the Top 10:  El DeBarge with "Who's Johnny", George Michael's "A Different Corner" stuck at 7, Genesis roared from 17 to 8 with "Invisible Touch", "Nasty" by Janet Jackson entered the Top 10 as did Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer".

1988:  Stryper reeased the album In God We Trust.
1990:  Paul McCartney performed the John Lennon songs "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Help!" and "Give Peace A Chance" for the first time in public at a concert at King's Dock in Liverpool, England.
1991:  Paul McCartney debuted his "Liverpool Oratorio" at the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool.
1993:  Wilson Pickett pleaded guilty to drunk driving.
1994:  David Lee Roth began a solo tour in Los Angeles.
1996:  Burt Bacharach was at the Royal Albert Hall in London.  He was joined onstage by Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher for the song "This Guy's In Love With You".
1996:  Def Leppard was in concert at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
1997:  Radiohead, the Chemical Brothers and Neneh Cherry performed on day two of the Glastonbury Festival in England.
1997:  LeeAnn Rimes moved from 89 to 49 with "How Do I Live".


1997:  The Backstreet Boys debuted at #24 with their single "Quit Playing Games With My Heart".
2003:  In this edition of "Inmates Run Rap Music", we see that DMX was arrested yet again, this time at a concert on the island of St. Kitts for obscenity charges.







2003:  Metallica performed at the Rock Werchter Festival in Belgium.  (Note:  some websites claim Metallica performed at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark on this date.  The group performed June 26 at the Roskilde Festival and on June 28 in Werchter, Belgium, according to the group's official website.)  
2005:  Kanye West won Best Male Hip-Hop Artist and Video of the Year for "Jesus Walks" at the BET Awards.  Neither Taylor Swift nor Beck stormed the stage in protest.
2005:  Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 and Avril Lavigne announced their engagement.
2007:  Jimmie Rodgers had successful brain surgery in Hot Springs, Arkansas to remove the steel plate that had been inserted 40 years previous. Doctors reported that his skull had completely regenerated.
2008:  Jay-Z, Crowded House, Amy Winehouse, James Blunt and the Raconteurs performed on the second day of the Glastonbury Festival in England.
2009:  Three days following his death, the Michael Jackson album Number Ones topped the U.K. Album chart.

Born This Day:
1936:  Cathy Carr ("Ivory Tower") was born in the Bronx, New York; died November 22, 1988 in Fayetteville, New York.
1945:  David Knights of Procol Harum was born in Islington, London, England.
1963:  Andy Cousin, bass guitarist for All About Eve, was born in Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.  (Note:  some websites naively say Cousin was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire and some simply list the county as Yorkshire.  Huddersfield was located in the county called West Riding of Yorkshire until 1974, when the Local Government Act of 1972 took effect and its county became West Yorkshire.  Cousin was born 11 years before, and you will never see West Yorkshire listed as his County of Birth on his official birth certificate.)
1963:  Charles Clouser, one-time keyboardist and drummer with Nine Inch Nails who has also worked with the Deftones, was born in Hanover, New Hampshire.

The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*: #130-121

For the special occasion of the 60th birthday of the Rock Era, Inside The Rock Era has brought back our signature music special, The Top 500 Songs*.  The special was first produced in 1979, updated special times, and now front and center as we approach the 60th birthday on July 9.

Hear the next 10 songs and read the stories behind them in today's segment by clicking on "Read More":

This Date in Rock Music History: June 27

1960:  Paul Anka, Pat Boone, Bobby Darin and Frankie Avalon appeared on the Coke Time television special on ABC.
1960:  Connie Francis scored a #1 with "Everybody's Somebody's Fool".
1963:  Billy Kramer recorded "Bad To Me".
1964:  The Rolling Stones served as panelists on the BBC-TV show Juke Box Jury.  (Note:  numerous websites incorrectly state that the group appeared on 'Juke Box Jury' on January 27, 1964.  They made only one appearance on the show, and it was on June 27, according to the official Rolling Stones website.)
1964:  "People" by Barbra Streisand topped the Easy Listening chart.
1964:  The 4 Seasons were tearing up the charts, moving from 53 to 18 with "Rag Doll".
  
                                 The Bacharach/David/Warwick combination was golden...

1964:  Peter & Gordon enjoyed their only #1 song with "A World Without Love".  The Beach Boys edged up to 2 with "I Get Around" while previous #1 "Chapel Of Love" from the Dixie Cups was third.  Millie Small owned #4 with "My Boy Lollipop" and newcomer Barbra Streisand moved from 8-5 with "People".  The rest of the Top 10:  Johnny Rivers was on the move (15-6) with "Memphis", Gerry & the Pacemakers with "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", the Ray Charles Singers dropped with "Love Me With All Your Heart", Billy J. Kramer was up to #9 with "Bad To Me" and Dionne Warwick hung in there with "Walk On By".
1967:  Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones began trial for illegal possession of drugs at Keith Richard's party.  Jagger was kept at Lewes jail in England overnight until the verdict was handed down June 29.  Jagger was sentenced to three months in prison.  (Note:  some websites falsely say Jagger was convicted on this date.  His trial was on June 27 with Richards in court on June 28, and the verdicts were given June 29, according to the newspaper 'The Guardian'.)
1968:  Elvis Presley finished filming the television special that launched his comeback after serving in the military--Elvis at NBC Studios in Burbank, California.  (Note:  some websites report Elvis began filming on this date.  Filming had already been done on four separate dates at Western Recorders in Burbank prior to filming at NBC Studios.)

1969:  The Moody Blues were in concert at the Exeter University Summer Ball in Exeter, England.
1969:  Jimi Hendrix appeared at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
1969:  The Doors performed at the Gran Forum in Mexico City, Mexico.
1970:  The group Smile changed their name to Queen and performed under that name in Cornwall, England.

1970:  Pink Floyd, Steppenwolf, Canned Heat, Its A Beautiful Day, Johnny Winter, John Mayall and Fairport Convention appeared on opening day of the three-day Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music in Bath, England.
1970:  Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, the Band and the Flying Burrito Brothers traveled together on a transcontinental train to perform in Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Calgary, Canada.

                   The Temptations told it like it was...

1970:  The Jackson 5 made it three in a row as "The Love You Save" took over at #1 on this date.  Three Dog Night was one step away with their great one, "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)".  The Temptations scored the #3 song with "Ball Of Confusion" while the Beatles' former #1 was now ranked fourth--"The Long And Winding Road".  There were two new debuts in the Top 10:  "Ride Captain Ride" from Blues Image, which moved strongly from 11 to 6 and Elvis Presley moved in with "The Wonder Of You".






   
                              "Don't Let Me Down", the final act from the Beatles...

1970:  Let It Be, the final studio album from the Beatles, was #1 for a third week on this date.  McCartney, Paul's solo effort, was #2 followed by the Soundtrack to "Woodstock".  Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's great album Deja Vu was #4 with The 5th Dimension's Greatest Hits at #5.  The rest of the Top 10:  Live At Leeds from the Who, Chicago II at #7, ABC from the Jackson 5 moving into the Top 10 at #8, Band of Gypsys from Jimi Hendrix dropping to #9 in its ninth week and The Isaac Hayes Movement at #10.
1971:  The Fillmore East in New York City was closed.  The Beach Boys and the Allman Brothers gave the final concert.
1973:  Chicago and Al Green appeared on the ABC-TV special Chicago in the Rockies.
1980:  John Bonham, drummer of Led Zeppelin, collapsed onstage in Nuremberg, West Germany after just three songs.  John wasn't too long for this world.
1981:  Michael Jackson reached #1 in the U.K. with "One Day In Your Life".









                                       It was awesome to have the Moody Blues back...

1981:  Mistaken Identity gave Kim Carnes a #1 album, taking over from Hi Infidelity by REO Speedwagon, which was finally toppled after 15 weeks.  AC/DC came in third with Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap and another former #1--Paradise Theater from Styx was #4.  The rest of the Top 10:  Fair Warning from Van Halen, Hard Promises by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers at #6, the Moody Blues moved from 16-7 with their comeback Long Distance Voyager, Phil Collins remained at #8 with Face Value, Santana had Zebop! at #9 and Rush remained at 10 with Moving Pictures.
1981:  "America" by Neil Diamond was #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart for a third week.





1981:  Kim Carnes reached #1 with "Bette Davis Eyes"...
1982:  Sting and Virgin Records reached an out-of-court settlement regarding a 1977 contract.
1987:  Madonna was in concert at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, the opening show in the 19-day North American leg of our world tour.
1987:  "Diamonds" by Herb Alpert & Janet Jackson was the new #1 on the R&B chart.
1987:  Genesis owned the top AC song for a third week with "In Too Deep".
1987:  Whitney Houston registered her fourth consecutive #1 song with "I Wanna' Dance With Somebody".

1987:  Whitney Houston debuted at #1 on the Album chart with Whitney.
1988:  MCA Records bought Motown Records for $61 million.
1988:  Cyndi Lauper received an honorary high school diploma from Richmond High in New York City.
1988:  Debbie Gibson earned her actual high school diploma from Calhoun High on Long Island, New York.
1989:  The Who performed Tommy in its entirety for the first time at Radio City Music Hall in New York City to benefit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a charity.





1989:  Tom Jones was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6922 Hollywood Boulevard.
1992:  Michael Jackson kicked off his Dangerous tour at Olympic Stadium in Munich, Germany.  Jackson donated all the money from the 69-concert tour (performing before an audience of nearly four million people) to charities, including his Heal the World charity.  
1995:  Neil Young and Pearl Jam released their collaborative album Mirror Ball.

1996:  The Eagles performed at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto, Canada.
1997:  The Smashing Pumpkins, Beck and Phish were among the performers on the opening day of the three-day Glastonbury Festival.
1998:  The Corrs' album Talk on Corners reached #1 on the U.K. chart.
1998:  Gordon Lightfoot, Bryan Adams and Anne Murray were the first three rock stars to be honored with a granite star on Canada's new Walk of Fame in Toronto, Ontario.
1999:  The Chemical Brothers rose to #1 on the U.K. Album chart with Surrender.
2000:  Turns out the songs "Love In Vain" and "Stop Breakin' Down" by the Rolling Stones didn't belong to them.  A San Francisco appeals court ruled that the Stones used the Robert Johnson songs without permission, thinking they were public domain.

2000:  Marc Anthony played a benefit for the Ronald McDonald House at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
2000:  Nelly released his debut album Country Grammar on Universal Records. 










2002:  John Entwistle was found dead at age 57 in his hotel room at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada of a heart attack brought on by cocaine.  
2006:  Only a guy such as Axl Rose could have trouble with the good people of Sweden.  The Guns N' Roses musician was arrested for brawling with a hotel security guard in Stockholm.
2006:  Mary J. Blige ("Be Without You") and Kanye West and Jamie Foxx ("Gold Digger") won the Video of the Year in a tie at the BET Awards.
2008:  K.T. Tunstall, Panic at the Disco and Ben Folds highlighted the opening day of the U.K. Glastonbury Festival.
2008:  The Black-Eyed Peas topped the Album chart with The E.N.D.

2009:  Gale Storm, who starred in the popular television show My Little Margie, in several movies and was a solo artist ("I Hear You Knocking") died in Danville, California at the age of 87.


Born This Day:
1935:  Doc Pomus, who wrote hits such as "Teenager In Love" and "Save The Last Dance For Me" with songwriting partner Mort Shuman, was born in Brooklyn, New York; died March 14, 1991 of lung cancer in Manhattan, New York.




1944:  Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys was born in Peoria, Illinois.
1951:  Gilson Lavis, drummer for Squeeze ("Tempted") was born in Bedford, Bedforshire, England.
1958:  Lisa Germano, singer, songwriter and musician, who worked with John Mellencamp, Sheryl Crow, Jewel, Neil Finn and David Bowie, was born in Mishawaka, Indiana.
1976:  Leigh Nash, lead singer of Sixpence None the Richer ("Kiss Me"), was born in New Braunfels, Texas.
1983:  Evan David Taubenfeld, guitarist and vocalist with Avril Lavigne, was born in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*: #140-131

The 60th birthday of the Rock Era is fast approaching, and we have timed our updated version of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era* to conclude on July 9, which will mark 60 years to the day that "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley & the Comets reached #1.  "Rock Around The Clock" was the first rock & roll song to reach #1, thereby ushering in the Rock Era.  But we have 140 classics still to present.  Enjoy these 10!

This Date in Rock Music History: June 26

1955:  Decca Records announced that Bill Haley & the Comets had sold three million records in 13 months.
1955:  Elvis Presley played the first of three concerts at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi.  (Note:  several websites claim Presley played at Kessler Air Force Base.  There is no such base in Mississippi--the correct spelling is Keesler.)
1961:  Little did we realize it at the time, but a group that would enjoy tremendous success in the '70s and '80s was first introduced on this date.  The Spinners debuted on the chart with their first single, "That's What Girls Are Made For".

1961:  The Marcels performed on the television show American Bandstand with their #1 smash "Blue Moon".
1961:  "Quarter To Three" by Gary U.S. Bonds hit #1.  
1963:  John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote "She Loves You" at Turk's Hotel in Newcastle, England.
1964:  The Beatles released the album A Hard Day's Night in the United States.
1964:  The Beatles played two concerts at Town Hall in Dunedin, New Zealand.
1965:  The Four Tops held on to #1 for the fourth week on the R&B chart with "I Can't Help Myself".

1965:  "Mr. Tambourine Man" by the Byrds reached #1 in a super Top 10.  The Four Tops fell to 2 after three weeks at #1 with "I Can't Help Myself",  Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs remained at #3 ("Wooly Bully") with the Rolling Stones climbing from 26 to 4 with "Satisfaction".  The rest of the Top 10:  Herman's Hermits at #5 with "Wonderful World", Elvis had song #6--"Crying In The Chapel", the Yardbirds moved up two with "For Your Love", Patti Page had #8 with "Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte", the Beach Boys' former #1 "Help Me Rhonda" was at #9 and Johnny Rivers moved from 15-10 with "Seventh Son".
1966:  The Beatles returned to Hamburg, Germany for two concerts at Ernst Merck Halle, with a press conference in between.  Hamburg was the city whose clubs gave the group their start in the early 1960's.
1969:  Joni Mitchell was a guest on The Mama Cass Television Program on ABC-TV.




1971:  Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds moved from 19-8 with "Don't Pull Your Love".
1971:  Emerson, Lake & Palmer topped the U.K. Album chart with Tarkus.
1971:  Stanley, Idaho's Carole King reached #1 for the first of five weeks on the Easy Listening chart with "It's Too Late".

1973:  Keith Richards' troubles continued as police raided his home in London.  They found guns, ammunition, Mandrax and Chinese heroin and arrested Richards once again.
1975:  Bob Dylan released the album The Basement Tapes on Columbia Records.
1975:  Sonny and Cher divorced.
1976:  Neil Diamond moved from 55 to 24 with "If You Know What I Mean".

1976:  America registered the #1 Adult song on this date with "Today's The Day".
1977:  Elvis Presley performed for the final time at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana.













1980:  The Eagles were in concert in Cedar Falls, Iowa.











1981:  Monday was the usual date of release for singles, but radio stations began receiving Foreigner's new 45 "Urgent" on a Friday so they could play it over the weekend.  I know because I "camped out" at the post office box waiting to receive it so I could take it back to KFXD and be one of the first in the nation to play it (which we were).  (Note:  some websites falsely say the song was released Monday, June 22.  The album '4' was released July 2, while "Urgent" was released Friday the week before.)
1982:  "Eye Of The Tiger" by Survivor moved from 42 to 19 on this date.






1982:  Asia spent a second week at #1 on the Album chart with their self-titled debut.  Tug of War by Paul McCartney held on to 2 and Van Halen remained at #3 with Diver Down.  Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I was #4 followed by Human League's Dare and Willie Nelson's Always on My Mind.  The rest of the Top 10:  Toto IV was #7, Aldo Nova came in eighth, Rick Springfield remained at #9 with Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet and American Fool by John Cougar (Mellencamp) first entered the Top 10 of the Album chart at #10.
1982:  Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder held down #1 for a sixth week with "Ebony And Ivory".
1986:  James Hetfield, guitarist of Metallica, broke his wrist skateboarding.  The group was forced to cancel one date and Hetfield only sang vocals (with John Marshall taking his place on guitar) for the remainder of the tour. 
1993:  Ronald Isley married Angela Winbush.



1993:  Janet Jackson monopolized the Singles chart as "That's The Way Love Goes' remained at #1 for the seventh week in a row.
2000:  It's pretty bad when you have your own mother against you.  Eminem gave his deposition in a $10 million civil suit filed by his mother, Deborah Mathers-Briggs.  Ms. Mathers-Briggs claimed that Eminem defamed her character in songs and interviews.  You think?
2005:  Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, Garbage and James Blunt were among the performers on the final day of the Glastonbury Festival in England.
2006:  B.B. King performed for U.S. president George W. Bush at the White House.  (Note:  some websites mistakenly list the date as January 26--it was June 26, according to the official website for George W. Bush as well as 'CBS News'.)




2012:  Maroon 5 released the album Overexposed.  (Note:  several websites report the album was released June 20.  According to 'Rolling Stone', it was released June 26.)








Born This Day:
1910:  Colonel Tom Parker (Andreas van Kuijk), Elvis Presley's manager, was born in Breda, Holland; died of a stroke in Las Vegas, Nevada January 21, 1997. 

1938:  Billy Davis, Jr. of the 5th Dimension was born in St. Louis, Missouri.  (Note:  some websites insist Davis was born in 1940.  Not true, according to Billy himself in the book he co-wrote with wife Marilyn McCoo, 'Up, Up And Away'.  Billy states he was born in 1938.)
1941:  Brenton Wood ("Gimme' Little Sign") was born in Shreveport, Louisiana.
1942:  Larry Taylor, bass guitarist with Canned Heat, was born in Brooklyn, New York.
1943:  Georgie Fame (real name Clive Powell), a keyboard player with Van Morrison and later a solo artist ("The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde" from 1968), was born in Leigh, Lancashire, England.

1946:  Brenda Holloway ("Every Little Bit Hurts" from 1964) was born in Atascadero, California.  (Note:  Several websites report Brenda was born on June 21.  According to the book 'California Soul:  Music of African Americans in the West' by Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje and Eddie S. Meadows, she was born on June 26.)  
1950:  Junior Daye of Sweet Sensation ("Sad Sweet Dreamer" from 1974) was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
1955:  Mick Jones, guitarist of the Clash, was born in Wandsworth, London, England.  (Note:  some websites claim Jones was born in Brixton, London, England.  According to the book 'The Clash:  Strummer, Jones, Simonon, Headon' by the Clash, Jones was born in Wandsworth.)    





1956:  Chris Isaak was born in Stockton, California.
1957:  Patty Smyth of Scandal before going solo ("Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" duet with Don Henley)
1959:  Stef Burns, guitarist of Huey Lewis and the News, was born in Oakland, California.
1960:  Chris Duffy of Waterfront ("Cry" from 1989). 
1961:  Terri Nunn, singer with Berlin, was born in Los Angeles, California.
1969:  Colin Greenwood, bass guitarist for Radiohead, was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.
1969:  Mark Decloedt, drummer of EMF, was born in Gloucester, England.  

Checklist for The Top 500 Songs*: The First 350

The first 350 songs of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era* have now been heard, as we are coming up on the 60th birthday of the Rock Era on July 9.  In case you missed them, here are handy links to previous segments:


#500-491:

#490-481:

#480-471:

#470-461:

#460-451:

#450-441:

#440-431:

#430-421:

#420-411:

#410-401:

#400-391:

#390-381:

#380-371:

#360-351:

#350-341:

#340-331:

#330-321:

#320-311:

#310-301:


#300-291:

#290-281:

#280-271:

#270-261:

#260-251:

#250-241:

#240-231:

#230-221:

#220-211:

#210-201:

#200-191:

#190-181:

#180-171:

#170-161:

#160-151:




The Top 500* is infinitely more enjoyable if you listen to all the songs all the way through and read all of the stories.  But we also know that some people like to see a list, and, for all its blandness, you can read it after the jump...

The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*: #150-141

If you think the last 350 songs have been ultra-special, you should love what Inside The Rock Era has coming up in the next 15 days.  Back-to-back, one classic after another...

This Date in Rock Music History: June 25

1961:  Elvis Presley recorded "(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame)".


1962:  Monday fell on June 25 and of course that meant new releases from rock artists.  Two great songs were both released on this day--"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" from Neil Sedaka. 








1962:  Little Eva released the single "The Loco-Motion".
1964:  Elvis Presley rose to #1 in the U.K. with "It's Over".










1966:  Neil Diamond performed "Solitary Man" on American Bandstand.
1966:  It was a heck of a show at the Hollywood Bowl.  The Beach Boys, Byrds, Lovin' Spoonful and Percy Sledge performed.
1966:  The Temptations had the new #1 R&B song with "Ain't Too Proud To Beg".






1966:  The Beatles recorded the second biggest jump to #1 in the Rock Era (15-1) when "Paperback Writer leaped to #1 on this date.  Frank Sinatra moved up to #2 with "Strangers in the Night" while the former #1 "Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones fell to 3.  Lovin' Spoonful dropped after peaking at #2 with "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?".  The rest of the Top 10:  Simon & Garfunkel with "I Am a Rock", the Cyrkle with "Red Rubber Ball", Robert Parker had "Barefootin'" up to 7, the Capitols were at #8 with "Cool Jerk", Dusty Springfield hit the Top 10 with "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" while "Sweet Talkin' Guy" by the Chiffons edged up to #10.





1967:  The Beatles premiered the single "All You Need Is Love" on a television program before a worldwide audience of 400 million.
1967:  The Jimi Hendrix Experience gave a free concert at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, then played two more shows at the Fillmore West that night.
1969:  The Hollies began recording "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" with Elton John playing piano, at Abbey Road Studios in London.  (Note:  some websites report that the group recorded the song on May 25.  They started recording June 25, and finished with the song on August 7, according to the newspaper 'The Manchester Beat'.)
1969:  Sly & the Family Stone recorded "Hot Fun in the Summertime".
1969:  The Guess Who received their first Gold record with the song "These Eyes".  (Note:  some say the group earned their Gold record on August 16, but it was on June 25, according to the official website for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
1970:  Daryl Hall & John Oates recorded together for the first time under the name Whole Oats.







1973:  It was a Monday, and that meant new releases.  The Charlie Daniels Band released "Uneasy Rider" on this date.










       "Can't Find the Judge" from The Dream Weaver

1975:  Gary Wright, keyboardist with Spooky Tooth, released the great solo album The Dream Weaver.
1977:  The Muppet Show was the #1 album in the U.K.

 

A radio station that does not play the prelude "Threshold" is cheating you...

1977:  The Steve Miller Band landed in the Top 10 with "Jet Airliner".








 

1977:  England Dan & John Ford Coley took over at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "It's Sad To Belong".










1979:  The Cars released the single "Let's Go" to radio stations--Monday, June 25, 1979.
1982:  The Rolling Stones performed in England for the first time in six years at Wembley Stadium in London.
1983:  The Police scored a #1 album in their native England.







        We reacquainted ourselves with Sergio Mendes...


1983:  Irene Cara made it five weeks in a row for one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era* with "Flashdance...What a Feeling".  Culture Club had to settle for #2 with "Time (Clock of the Heart)" while Eddy Grant slid up one with "Electric Avenue".  The Police were hot (14-4) with "Every Breath You Take".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Let's Dance" fell to #5 for David Bowie, Hall & Oates saw "Family Man" go up to 6, Styx was stuck at 7 with "Don't Let It End", Sergio Mendes had his first Top 10 hit in 15 years with "Never Gonna' Let You Go", Rick Springfield remained at 9 with "Affair of the Heart" and One Hit Wonder Kajagoogoo made it with "Too Shy".
1984:  Patti Scialfa joined Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.  She would later become Springsteen's wife.
1984:  The Soundtrack to "Purple Rain" was released.  It would soon rule the airwaves and be the album that took over the #1 spot from Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A.

1987:  Highly successful songwriter Boudleux Bryant died at the age of 67.  Together with his wife Felice, Bryant wrote "Bye Bye Love", "All I Have To Do Is Dream" and "Wake Up Little Susie" for the Everly Brothers.  Buddy Holly, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett, Simon and Garfunkel, Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys, Cher and Ray Charles all recorded songs by the songwriting duo.
1988:  "Make It Real" by the Jets was the new #1 Adult Contemporary song.


               Def Leppard from their masterpiece...


1988:  Debbie Gibson moved into the #1 slot with "Foolish Beat".  Michael Jackson moved up to challenge with "Dirty Diana", Rick Astley fell from the top spot to #3 with "Together Forever".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Make It Real" from the Jets, Cheap Trick at #5 with "The Flame", Bruce Hornsby & the Range were up to 6 with "The Valley Road", George Michael's former #1 "One More Try" was at #7, Prince with "Alphabet Street", Pebbles entered the Top 10 with "Mercedes Boy" while Def Leppard scored one of four Top 10's from the album Hysteria--"Pour Some Sugar On Me", which rose from 18-10.
1988:  Hillel Slovak of the Red Hot Chili Peppers died from drugs at the age of 26.

1988:  Jimmy Soul ("If You Wanna' Be Happy") died of a heart attack at age 45.
1990:  Janet Jackson released "Come Back To Me" on Monday, June 25, 1990.
1993:  The Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz, Verve and the Lemonheads performed during the first day of the Glastonbury Festival in England.
1993:  Bruce Springsteen was a guest on David Letterman's final show as host of Late Night on NBC-TV.
1994:  Jimmy Jam, producer of numerous albums including Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, married Lisa Padilla.
1994:  The Stone Temple Pilots topped everyone on the album chart with Purple.
1994:  All-4-One remained at #1 for the sixth week with "I Swear".
1995:  Pearl Jam canceled their tour due to an ongoing fight with Ticketmaster.

1997:  A full lineup of Motown stars attended the Detroit funeral of Lawrence Payton, the former member of the great group the Four Tops, who had died of liver cancer.
2002:  The ABBA album Gold--Greatest Hits was certified as selling over six million copies by the RIAA.
2003:  Monica had the top album with After the Storm.
2004:  In today's episode of "Inmates Run Rap Music", DMX (the name on the mug shot reflects his real name Earl Simmons) and another man were arrested for trying to steal a care from New York's Kennedy airport.  
2004:  Elton John booked his first-ever concert in China, set for September.
2004:  Paul McCartney, Morrissey, the Black Eyed Peas, Oasis and Nelly Furtado were among the performers at the Glastonbury Festival in the U.K.
2004:  David Bowie underwent an emergency angioplasty to open up a blocked artery.
2004:  Eric Clapton raised $7.5 million for a drug addiction center in the Caribbean.  He sold a Stratocaster guitar the he played from 1970-1985 for $1 million, a 1964 Gibson for $847,000 and a 1939 Martin acoustic guitar that Clapton played on his "Unplugged" album sold for $800,000.
2006:  The Eagles were in concert at the Cardiff Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

2006:  Nelly Furtado topped the U.K. chart with "Maneater" for a third week.
2006:  Jazz superstar Diana Krall and husband Elvis Costello announced that she was expecting.





2006:  Arif Mardin, producer and arranger who won 11 Grammy Awards, died at the age of 74 from pancreatic cancer.  Mardin worked at Atlantic Records for over 30 years, working with Aretha Franklin, the Bee Gees, Barbra Streisand, Roberta Flack and Norah Jones.
2006:  Longtime television producer and journalist Elkan Allan, who produced the British pop show Ready Steady Go! during the 60's, died at the age of 83.
2009:  A pop memorabilia auction in New York City fetched hefty prices.  A Sgt. Pepper's souvenir poster signed by all four Beatles sold for $52,500, Kurt Cobain's bass guitar sold for $43, 750 and a set of Bob Dylan's handwritten lyrics fetched $25,000.
2009:  Sky Saxon, lead singer of the Seeds ("Pushin' Too Hard"), died from an internal infection at the age of 71.

2009:  Michael Jackson, lead singer of the Jackson 5 and one of the most successful singers the world has ever known, died at the age of 50 after suffering heart failure at his home in Beverly Hills, California.  Jackson had been working hard in rehearsal for 50 sold-out concerts to over one million people in London.
2010:  Rush received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


Born This Day:

1935:  Eddie Floyd ("Knock On Wood") was born in Montgomery, Alabama.


1939:  Harold Melvin, singer and leader of the Blue Notes, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1940:  Clint Warwick (Albert Eccles), the original bass guitarist with the Moody Blues, was born in Aston, Birmingham, England; died of liver disease in 2004 at the age of 63.

1945:  Carly Simon was born in New York City.

1946:  Ian McDonald, keyboardist with King Crimson and Foreigner, was born in London.
1946:  Alan Lanier, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist of Blue Oyster Cult.

1952:  Tim Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House, was born in Te Awamutu, New Zealand.




1954:  David Paich, one of the greatest session musicians of the Rock Era and vocalist, keyboard player, songwriter, arranger and producer with Toto, was born in Los Angeles, California.

1963: George Michael (Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou) was born in East Finchley, North London, England.

1972: Mike Kroeger of Nickelback was born in Hannah, Alberta, Canada.