Today in Rock History – 8th MARCH:

BIRTHDAYS
1892: “Mississippi” John Hurt
1944: Keef Hartley (The Artwoods / John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers / Keef Hartley Band)
1946: Randy Meisner (Eagles)
1947: Carole Bayer Sager
1948: Mel Galley (Trapeze / Whitesnake)
1949: Dave Lambert (Strawbs)
1957: Clive Burr (Iron Maiden)
1958: Gary Numan (Tubeway Army)
1962: Steve Grantley (Stiff Little Fingers / The Alarm)
1976: Gareth “Gaz” Coombes (Supergrass)

EVENTS
1973: Death of singer / harmonica & keyboard player, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan of The Grateful Dead [aged 27].
1974: Queen released their second album, ‘Queen II‘.
1988: The Angels played a concert at Logan Campbell Centre, Auckland – I was there.
1993: Death of jazz singer / band leader, Billy Eckstine [aged 79].
2016: Death of legendary producer, George Martin [aged 90].
2024: Death of singer / songwriter / musician, Eric Carmen [aged 74].

Guitarist, Mel Galley would have been 76 today. Mel was such a great player, known mostly for his superb work with Trapeze, alongside bassist / singer, Glenn Hughes (who went on to join Deep Purple). In 1982, David Coverdale recruited Mel as guitar player in Whitesnake for a couple of years. Check out the very fine song “Seafull” from the Trapeze album, ‘Medusa’.