With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

OK peeps it’s Thursday, it’s the 5th of March and it’s ……….. well it’s a big build up, but just another blog. Before I forget I should warn those of you that read this thing regularly that there may not be a post at all this weekend.

Are any of you a member in any Yahoo Groups? I’m a member of quite a few and I’d like to recommend a couple of those to you (click on the group name to go to the group home page). Both are very well run and full of news updates on a fantastically eclectic mix of artists. So give them a try and tell Tracy I sent you 🙂 So the groups in question are FAMOUS_WOMEN_OF_ROCK and ROCK-AROUND-THE-CLOCK I hope you enjoy them.

Before we get into the usual stuff thanks to Nick H for this link from the BBC. How many of you have degrees? If you answered yes is it a good one like maybe Engineering or Languages say, or is it a cop out subject like Media Studies or Travel & Tourism? Well fear not because help is at hand from Hope University in Liverpool. They are now offering a Beatles Degree!
Click here to get to the story. It doesn’t say but I wonder if there is an easier option like a Westlife NVQ or Boyzone BTEC. Im getting soft in my old age, a golden opportunity to dig at Robbie and I chose not to!

And now let’s get into the birthdays. First up today are twins Craig and Charlie Reid, who you probably know much better as the Proclaimers. Born in 1962 in Auchtermucty, Fife, Scotland the guys are 47 today. At school they were in a number of punk bands one of which was called ‘Eight Eyes’ which railed against the constant taunts of ”four eyes’ made to kids who wear glasses. Does that still happen? is it just a UK thing? Many of you will have heard of them from the reissue of their excellent “(I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles” in 2007. This version was in aid of Comic Relief and featured Little Britain characters Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin and an excellent video led by Peter Kay, but that one has been seen so often I’m not going to include it here. Incidentally click on Comic Relief and you can see what great work they do and make a donation, go on, you know that you want to! I am going to give you the link to my favourite Proclaimers song though, that is “Letter From America” Sing along and enjoy! Don’t forget Red Nose Day is on Friday 13th March wear yours with pride!

They certainly looked like identical twins but they were very different in size!

The second and last of todays birthdays is that of John Frusciante of that excellent band the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he is 39 today. The band was originally formed in 1983 but Frusciante didn’t join until 1988 he then left during a Japanese tour in 1992. In a real case of revolving doors he rejoined the band in 1998! Outside of the Chili’s John has had a successful solo career and has also often collaborated with the Mars Volta. So to celebrate Mr F’s birthday here is “Californication”

Springfieldfornication doesn't really work does it? RHCP on the Simpsons

On 5th March 1963 the late great (hey those l’s and g’s are still with us!) country singer Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash in Dyersburg, Virginia along with the lesser known performers Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins (sorry but they sound like western action figures or porn star names to me, what do you think?)They were travelling to Nashville for a benefit concert for DJ “Cactus” Jack who had died in a car crash. Two days later in a most unfortunate twist of fate country singer Jack Anglin was killed in a car crash while on his way to Patsy’s funeral. Here is Patsy with “Crazy” which is one of my Mum’s favourite songs

Patsy had tried to live a 'no frills' life but found that she just didn't enjoy it, so the frills were back out front again!

On this day in 1965 “I Pity The Fool” the first single from a promising UK band, the Mannish Boys was released. It wasn’t a hit but the band did feature an 18 year old by the name of David Robert Jones. You may know him better as David Bowie. Oh man I got another Bowie reference in! I won’t say much about him, because there has been so much already since this blog started, so here is Muddy Waters with the song “Mannish Boy” which is where the band took their name from

David's hair always afforded him special treatment when the nit inspector (in this case 'Nitty Norman') visited his school!

And finally on this day in 1975 Rod Stewart met Britt Ekland ,in my opinion that is the moment that Rod started to go downhill. Especially with crud like “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” and “Baby Jane”. I’ll forgive him “Ole Ola” as that was to support Scotland in the 1978 World Cup, but it was a crap song nonetheless. So I guess the relationship advanced Britt’s career more than it did Rod’s. She had previously been married to Peter Sellers, they seem very different don’t they Pete n Rod. Incidentally Rod is NOT Scottish although my Dad who was always insisted that Rod was, that was the only lifelong disagreement I ever had with my Dad. In case it helps I’m half Scots! By the way, Rod’s Dad was also Scottish! I’ll end with a reminder of just how good Rod once was, here he is with the Faces in 1974 with “You Wear It Well” and “Maggie May”

Rod and Britt really hoped that the old saying of 'two heads are better than one' was true as they had used so much hair spray that their heads were indeed stuck together!