With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

On This Day Kurt Gets Burned, Gary Does A Video, Creedence Do Albert, The Dame Laughs, And Drug-Oriented Records Are Banned! April 14, 2024

Filed under: On This Day — justwilliam1959 @ 10:12 pm
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On 14th April 1994, Kurt Cobain was cremated at the Bleitz Funeral Home, in Seattle. The death certificate listed Cobain’s occupation as Poet/Musician and his type of business as Punk Rock.

On that same date in 1980 Gary Numan issued ‘The Touring Principle’, which was apparently the first long-form rock video to be made commercially available in the UK.

In 1970, also on April 14th, Creedence Clearwater Revival played their first UK shows. Nothing low key though, just two nights at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Back in 1967 on 14th April David Bowie released one of his best-loved (maybe not) singles, “The Laughing Gnome”!

On 14th April the Illinois Crime Commission (BOO, HISS!!!) issued a list of ‘drug-oriented records’ which included “White Rabbit'” by Jefferson Airplane, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” by Procol Harum, and The Beatles’ “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.” Apparently David Bowie’s “The Laughing Gnome” was not included!

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“I could see no maze to unwind” May 4, 2017

Filed under: Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 5:54 pm
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Procol Harum were allegedly named after their drug dealer’s Burmese cat. So where did the cat get it’s name from then? Well I understand that Procol is the breeder’s prefix. If you know more than that or different then feel free to comment!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW2KN7Tz89s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlZT8vBC7dg

 

“We skipped the light fandango” October 15, 2014

Filed under: Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 5:53 pm
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Photo of PROCOL HARUM

Five years ago in 2009 Procol Harum‘s “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” was still the most played song on UK radio. Queen‘s Β “Bohemian Rhapsody” was at number two in that listing. In a strange coincidence both songs use the word ‘fandango’ in their lyrics. Are their any other songs that use ‘fandango’ in their lyrics?

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“Round the squares, huddled in storms, some laughing, some just shapeless forms” – Advent day 8 December 8, 2013

Filed under: Christmas,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 8:33 am
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advent-day-8_2075493aIt’s the 8thΒ December already. Is time moving faster at the moment? Is there something amiss within the space-timeΒ continuum? On top of that can you believe that it is 23 years to the day that John Lennon was gunned down in New York? Which brings me to the first song choice in todays number themed With Just A Hint Of Mayhem Advent post. I bring you a classic Beatles track, β€œEight Days A Week”.

cartoon_beatle_santasThe song was I believe a first for rock music in that it began with a fade-in intro. It was takenΒ from 1964’s Beatles For Sale’ album. Whilst it was never released as a single in the UK it was in the USA where it went to number one in 1965. It also hit the top spot in Canada and the Netherlands. Back in the 60s there was also an Extended Play (EP) chart and the ‘Beatles For Sale’ EP including “Eight Days A Week” went to number one on that chart in the UK in 1965. It wasn’t a popular song among the Beatles themselves. John Lennon apparently once called it lousy. The band never played it live, although Paul McCartney has played it on his ‘Out There’ tour earlier this year. It has been subject to many cover versions including; ProcolΒ Harum, Libertines, Joan Jett, the Supremes, the Runaways and Alma Cogan.

The+Byrds+The500ByrdsThe second song for today is another 60s smash hit. “Eight Miles High” by the Byrds. It was takenΒ from their 1966 album ‘Fifth Dimension’ which was their third long playerΒ and was written by Gene Clark and Roger McGuinn. It went to number 14 in the USA and number 24 in the UK in 1966. Some American radio stations refused to play the song because they claimed it was laden with drug references. The band strongly denied that at the timeΒ but later suggested that there was some truth in the story. A drug that could get you eight miles high? Wow that might be worth a shot! Don McLean’s classic track “American Pie” refers to the Byrds songΒ in its lyrics with the following line; “The Birds Β flew off with a fall-out shelter/Eight miles high and falling fast”. It has also been covered by a number of acts including; Roxy Music, Husker Du, Ride, Robyn Hitchcock and Golden Earring. The latter recorded a 19 minute version of the song.