December 9th

 

Musical birthdays today include country singer-songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler (91), ex-Charlatans drummer Mike Hicks (82), Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band frontman Neil Innes (79), Joan Armatrading (73), Donny Osmond (66), former Christian Death guitarist Rikk Agnew (65), ex-Crowded House bassist Rick Seymour (65), Rammstein guitarist Paul Landers (59), Weezer guitarist Brian Bell (55), Jakob Dylan (54), songwriter & producer Kara DioGuardi (53), Green Day drummer Tré Cool (51), and Imogen Heap (46). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for operatic soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, born on this day in 1915... for jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd, born in 1932... for blues harmonica virtuoso Junior Wells, who would have been 89... for ska and reggae singer Clancy Eccles, who would have been 83... for Hanoi Rocks drummer Nick 'Razzle' Dingley, killed in a road accident at the age of 24 today in 1984... for former Waitresses lead singer Patty Donahue, who died in 1996... and for classical pianist György Sándor, who left us in 2005. 

Also on December 9th: Richard Strauss' opera Salome premieres in Dresden (1905)... John Coltrane's quartet goes into the Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ to record A Love Supreme (1964)... Cream release their debut studio album Fresh Cream. The trio of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker also release their second single 'I Feel Free' today (1966)... The Doors appear at the New Haven Arena, New Haven, CT. Before the show a policeman finds Jim Morrison making out with an 18 year-old girl in a backstage shower, and after an argument, the policeman sprays mace in Morrison’s face. Once on stage Morrison tells the story of the backstage episode and starts taunting the police, who drag him off the stage and arrest him. The crowd riots, leaving the venue in disarray, and many arrests are made. Later, over 100 protesters gather outside the police station to stage a demonstration and more are taken into custody (1967)... Chic start a seven week run at № 1 on the US singles chart with 'Le Freak.' Nile Rodgers later recounts that the song was devised on New Years Eve, 1977, as a result of him and bassist Bernard Edwards being refused entrance to NYC's Studio 54, where they had been invited by Grace Jones, who had neglected to notify the nightclub's staff. He says the lyrics of the refrain were originally 'Fuck off!' rather than 'Freak out!' (1978)... According to a poll published in the US tabloid The National Enquirer, the music of Neil Diamond was favoured as the best background music for sex; Beethoven was the second choice, and Luther Vandross was voted third (1988)... Billy Joel hits № 1 on the US singles chart with 'We Didn't Start the Fire' (1989)... U2 make their first ever appearance on Saturday Night Live, performing 'Beautiful Day' and 'Elevation' (2000)... Channel 4 apologises to viewers after Madonna says 'motherfucker' during live UK TV coverage at the Tate Gallery, London. Madonna was presenting a prize to artist Martin Creed. A TV spokesman says they do have a bleeper system but that they missed the offending word (2001)... Joss Stone, Lemar and Ms. Dynamite backed by the African Children's Choir and 1,200 school children set a new world record for the most children singing simultaneously. The ‘Big Sing’ is held at the Royal Albert Hall, as the singers lead a performance of ‘Lean On Me’ which is broadcast to more than half a million people (2005).