Today in Rock History – 22nd MAY:

BIRTHDAYS
1939: Ian Underwood (Frank Zappa’s Mothers)

1942: Calvin Simon (Funkadelic)
1950: Bernie Taupin
1955: Jerry Dammers (The Specials)
Happy Birthday to Jerry Dammers, who was keyboard player and principal songwriter in The Specials, from 1977–84. Jerry founded 2 Tone Records, wrote the song “Free Nelson Mandela” and helped create Artists Against Apartheid.

1955: Iva Davies (Icehouse)
1955: Mary Black
1959: Steven Morrissey (The Smiths)
1967: Dan Roberts (Crash Test Dummies)

EVENTS
1964: The Beatles 2nd LP went straight to #1 U.S. album charts, displacing their debut LP from top spot.
1966: Bruce Springsteen recorded his first song (“That’s What You Get”) at a studio in New Jersey.
1971: ‘Sticky Fingers’ by The Rolling Stones topped the U.S. album charts (& stayed there for 4 weeks).
1972: The Guess Who recorded their legendary live album at the Paramount Theater, Seattle, Washington.
1975: Peter Gabriel performed his final concert with Genesis, in France.
1980: The Boomtown Rats played a concert at Dunedin Town Hall ~ I was there!
1990: The Sugarcubes (featuring Bjork) played a concert at Auckland Town Hall ~ I was there!

Happy 74th Birthday to fine lyricist, Bernie Taupin! The album ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ is the ultimate combination of his skills with Elton’s. The opening song couplet, “Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding” always reminds me of a friend / Elton John fan, who sadly died in a car accident several years ago. Rest in Peace, Claire.