February the 17th saw the hugely sucsessful Dean Martin with surprisingly, his only ever UK number one. With “Memories Are Made Of This”, Written by Terry Gilkyson, Richard Dehr and Frank Miller, Dean enjoyed one month in the UK top spot.
Terry Gilkyson’s daughter Eliza spoke of her dad, “He always hated people finding hidden meanings an metaphors in his songs, because he just did it as a job. He went to the office everyday and just wrote songs. But “Memories Are Made Of This” was an exception, its about us: its about him meeting my mother and having three kids. He’s left us a wonderful legacy. At the time everything dad was writing was turning to gold”.
On the other hand Dean Martin was going through hell in 1956. His marriage was on the rocks and his hugely successful comedy duo with Jerry Lewis was just about over. He told Gilkyson that “Memories Are Made Of This” was awful as far as he was concerned so they recorded it anyway. He recorded it with “The Easy Riders”, a group containing Gilkyson co-writers, Richard Dehr and Fran Miller.
The single topped the US chart for 6 weeks, with a cover version of the song, Gale Storm, reaching number 5 simultaneously. The only whiff of a snip of any real competition in the UK came from television comedian Dave King, whose own version of the song also only reached number 5. The song again made the top 20 in the UK when it was revived by Val Doonican in 1967.
Dr Conrad Murray has returned to work after facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter relating to the death Michael Jackson.
Murray was bailed for $75,000 (£48,000) at a Los Angeles court on Monday (8th – Feb) after pleading not guilty to “unlawfully” killing Jackson.
“The cause of death was established as acute Propofol intoxication,” a statement from the coroner said, adding that the drug was “normally administered to patients having surgery in hospital”.
A cocktail of drugs – also including sedatives Midazolam and Diazepam, the painkiller Lidocaine and the stimulant Ephedrine – were detected in his body. Finally resulting in the decision that Jackson’s death was Homicide.
Originally from Grenada, Dr Murray was hired by promoters AEG Live, at Jackson’s request, as the star’s personal physician ahead of his 50-date residency in London, for the enormously anticipated “This Is It” tour.
During the one of the closest and most worthwhile races of Christmas No.1 the nation has seen for a long time, Tom Morello and Co promised that if the British nation did in fact manage to get them to the No.1 slot for Christmas they would play a free gig for all the fans that helped, somewhere in London.
So here’s the info should you decide to join the flock of deserving party goers. The one-off will be held in Finsbury Park, London on the 6th of June. Registration for tickets is now open at TheRageFactor.co.uk and closes at midnight (GMT) on Sunday (February 14). Once the Registration process is all complete, the tickets will distributed by a lottery system for the lucky tickets winners with a maximum if two tickets per Person. Good Luck
The eighties are back, not for real don’t worry, for another annual weekend over August. Leg warmers and Flock-of seagulls at the ready! With the current fad for all things retro slowly turning into what seems to be a sub-culture the 80’s rewind festival 2010 opens its doors announcing unto the UK the latest batch of acts.
“Europe’s Best Act Ever”, Sir Rick of Astley will be there, Propped up by all the usual 80’s elite in the form of Culture Club’s Boy George, T’Pau, Tony Hadley, Midge Ure, Modern Romance, 10cc, Odyssey, Chesney Hawkes, Hazel O’Connor and The Beat, Johnny Hates Jazz and more.
The music is over three days between Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd of August. Temple Island Meadows in Henley-on-Thames is the venue and tickets went on sale last Friday (29th January) ranging from £45 for an adult day ticket (£22.50 for kids – 12 yrs and under – free for 3 yrs and under) to £85 for the weekend or £100 for an adult camping ticket.
Nominees for the 2010 Brit Awards are out an it looks like another year for the ladies.
Amongst others, Lady Ga-Ga and Lilly Allen have both been nominated for three awards each. Lilly has been nominated for the Best British Album and Best Single Awards. As well as Best female act up against Florence (and the machine), Bat for Lashes, Pixie Lot, Leona Lewis and Lady Ga-Ga. Lady Ga-Ga is a favourite for both best international breakthrough artist and best debut album.
Whilst, Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal, Mika, Paolo Nutini and Robbie Williams were all nominated for Best British Male. Florence And The Machine, Friendly Fires, JLS, La Roux and Pixie Lott are all up for British Breakthrough Act. And the nominees for Best British Group are Doves, Friendly Fires, JLS, Kasabian and Muse.
Metal Hammer magazine have decided to start a campaign in the form of having Heavy-Metal recognised as a religion ahead of the 2011 ’sensus’ report much in the same way that Jedi has been.
At the last sensus, which occurs every 10 years, 390,127 people in England & Wales and a further 14,052 in Scotland stated ‘Jedi’ as their religion thanks to an enormous internet campaign. Which as a result eventually saw it as the forth biggest religion in the survey, behind Christianity, Islam and Hinduism.
Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas said: “Ever since Black Sabbath made their debut 40 years ago heavy metal has grown to become one of the UK’s most significant cultural institutions, and a global phenomenon. Hell, if the Jedi can do it, why can’t metalheads? The force is strong in us.”
Biff Byford, lead singer of Saxon and veteran metaler has official agreed to become ambassador of the movement and more than qualifies for the role. Metal Hammer are encouraging fans to email them and make public which bands and musicians you think are worthy of prestigious positions within the Church Of Heavy Metal. Which towns, cities or other places do you think should have the honour as integral parts of the “Metal Britannia” Religion over the coming months? Let them know emailing them at metalbritannia@metalhammer.co.uk. RouteNote have gone for Ozzy Obsorne, Lemmy as men of the cloth, with Bruce Dickinson as Pope!
Ernie Ford and the Jack Fascinato Orchestra’s “Sixteen Tonnes” was the first number one of 1956, and went gold in the US and the UK inside just one month. In just nine weeks the song sold over two million singles and stayed at the top for four weeks and also the first time that the then Soviet Union, had ever heard Country and Western music.
“Tennessee Ernie Ford” was possibly the busiest man in the 50’s . With a five days a week prime-time television show that started to fall behind thanks to his commitments with Capitol Records. Ernie started to get strongly worded letters from Capitol Records telling him that he would be in breach of his contract if he didn’t start to work in the studio soon to get things done, but Ernie was holding out for a chance to work on a song form a man he really admired as a songwriter named Merle Travis. Merle had already proved his weight with some clean wholesome clean-cut American songs like “Dark As A Dungeon and ‘John Henry’. Ernie said “I liked the songbook Merle sent me, he lived in an old Coal mining town, similar to where my Father and Grandfather mined coal. I showed ‘16 Tonnes’ to the conductor an we liked it very much, I told Capitol I’d chosen a song but they didn’t even listen to it, they were just inpatient an told us to get on with it”.
The song was a sort of Punk song of its day in the way that it argued against the unfair practices and conditions of a coalminers day to day job before the coalminers unions were created. Mine owners also owned the local stores, and seeing as most of the miners were paid in tokens they were cheated at almost every turn. With lyrics that were considered more aggressive than anything else at the time in its blatant poke at poor working conditions, the song is now seen as one of the first ”rebellious” main stream songs and supposedly gave birth so the trend of kids buying record as a form of protest against establishment. Tame compared to today’s ”Rage Against The Machine” standards of course, the song has still been seen to have contributed enormously to the movement we now know as “Rock And Roll”. Good work Merle.
RouteNote has decided to bring a week-by-week account of the UK Top Forty on this day 55 years ago. The only two actual solid functions of this probably being that either you could maybe win yourself a Budweiser T-Shirt in a pub quiz with the new and interesting trivia you’ve just filled yourself up on, or maybe actually find something “new” that you like! So, Until we get stuck in the 90’s, which isn’t going to happen any time soon, where Brian Adams reigns supreme, here is the first instalment, with links to hear the songs made available when possible of course. RouteNote is firmly aware, (before I get ripped apart by angry geeky music historians) that the UK Charts actually began in 1952, I just felt that 55 was a nice round number!
Number one 55 years ago today was ”Christmas Alphabet” by Dickie Valentine backed by the Johnny Douglas Orchestra, a Christmas number one that wasn’t knocked off the top until 20th January in the new year.
In 1949 Buddy Kaye wrote a successful hit for Perry Como named “A-You’re Adorable”. A song in which Perry sang about his lover whilst progressing through the alphabet matching a perfect quality of hers with next letter. Assuming he had a winning formula Buddy rewrote the song as a “Christmas Alphabet” early 1954 for the McGuire Sisters in the US. Only to be covered later by Dickie the following year for the UK audience. Before Cliff Richard, Dickie was the one to watch for the Christmas top spot with “Christmas Alphabet” his first of three consecutive festive number ones.
The Audio Can has a single mini-jack input to accommodate portable music sources, and several cans can be daisy-chained together for the ultimate in surround technology. Imagine the shopping cart theater! Presently only available form ebay for around $44, you can order the Audio Can with a fashionable gray, yellow, or green label. Why not collect all three?
The Audio Can from designer Dean Brown is not a headphone; it’s an actual can that used to house normal things like cat food. Brown was apparently inspired by the old can and string telephone (a device long known for its excellent fidelity) and he decided to replace the beans with a 9V battery powered amplifier and a top-firing speaker.
It been thirty years since the original members of Band Company performed together in the UK.
Plans to play eight dates in the UK during April next year have just been set in stone, and with all the original band members no less. Singer Paul Rodgers, drummer Simon Kirke, guitarist Mick Ralph and new bassist Lynn Sorensen. The last time the founding members reunited on stage was back in August of 2008 when they performed at the Seminole Hard Rock & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Original and current singer Paul Rodgers, in his stint away from Bad Company, enjoyed some success with the remaining members of Queen. A tour that managed some success and eventually climaxed in an album together, The Cosmos Rocks.
Although there is no news of any further plans for Bad Company yet beyond their short tour next year, the band are releasing a DVD/CD box set in February. Ticket are on sale from 20th November (tomorrow). Tour dates are as follows:
April 1 – Birmingham LG Arena.
April 2 – Manchester Arena.
April 4 – Sheffield City Hall.
April 5 – Cardiff CIA.
April 7 – Newcastle Arena.
April 8 – Glasgow Clyde.
April 10 – Brighton Center.
April 11 – Wembley Arena.
seagulls at the ready! With the current fad for all things retro slowly turning into what seems to be a sub-culture the 80’s rewind festival 2010 opens its doors announcing unto the UK the latest batch of acts.
Metal Hammer magazine have decided to start a campaign in the form of having Heavy-Metal recognised as a religion ahead of the 2011 ’sensus’ report much in the same way that Jedi has been.
RouteNote has decided to bring a week-by-week account of the UK Top Forty on this day 55 years ago. The only two actual solid functions of this probably being that either you could maybe win yourself a Budweiser T-Shirt in a pub quiz with the new and interesting trivia you’ve just filled yourself up on, or maybe actually find something “new” that you like! So, Until we get stuck in the 90’s, which isn’t going to happen any time soon, where Brian Adams reigns supreme, here is the first instalment, with links to hear the songs made available when possible of course. RouteNote is firmly aware, (before I get ripped apart by angry geeky music historians) that the UK Charts actually began in 1952, I just felt that 55 was a nice round number!
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