Today in Rock History – 16th NOVEMBER:

BIRTHDAYS
1945: Paul Raymond (UFO / Michael Schenker Group / Chicken Shack / Savoy Brown / Waysted & more)
1962: Gary “Mani” Mounfield (The Stone Roses)
1964: Diana Krall
1965: David Kushner (Velvet Revolver)

EVENTS
1968: The Jimi Hendrix Experience went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Electric Ladyland’.
1974: Brian Eno released his second album, ‘Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)’
1976: Thin Lizzy performed at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. The concert was filmed and released as the ‘Live and Dangerous’ video.
1990: I interviewed Jon Lord of Deep Purple.
1991: AC/DC played a concert at Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland. I was there and met them before the show!
1999: Yngwie Malmsteen played a concert at The Powerstation, Auckland ~ I was there!
2017: Death of electronics / keyboard player, Richard Michael Davies a.k.a. DikMik of Hawkwind [aged 74].

I am immensely proud that Jon Lord’s estate chose a quote from one of my interviews, to use in the official Jon Lord biography, ‘All Those Years Ago’. (See the attached photo). Here are a few more quotes from that particular chat I had with Jon…

“But we’re going to have to do ‘Smoke on the Water’. I mean it’s a classic riff ~ it’s the riff that bought me my house!”

“I got to the point where I decided I’m not a keyboard player, I’m a Hammond organ player. It’s the instrument of my choice for over twenty years and I really, really enjoy playing it. It’s totally unique and it gives that edge to Purple’s sound, which sets it apart from other bands.”

“Paicey, yeah, he’s my brother-in-law. We’re both married to twin sisters. The answer to the obvious question is no, we don’t get them mixed up. Well, not very often anyway!”
– Jon Lord; 16 November, 1990