Brought to you by ThisDayinMusic.com.

Born on this day:

1942, Lee Greenwood, singer
1949, Gary Tallent, bass, E Street Band
1951, K.K. Downing, guitar, Judas Priest
1958, Simon Le Bon, vocals, Duran Duran
1967, Scott Weiland, vocals, Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver

1957, After a show at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, local police told Elvis Presley that he was not allowed to wiggle his hips onstage and the local press ran headlines saying Elvis would have to clean up his act. The next night, the Los Angeles Vice Squad filmed his entire concert, to study his performance.

1957, The Crickets started a three-week run at #1 on the U.K. singles chart with “That’ll be the Day.” It was a #3 hit in the U.S. where it went on to sell more than a million.

1970, Black Sabbath played their first-ever live show in the U.S. when they kicked off a 16-date tour at Glassboro State College.

1973, Gladys Knight and the Pips started a two-week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Midnight Train to Georgia.” It was the group’s 18th Top 40 hit and first #1.

1973, Mott the Hoople supported by Aerosmith appeared at The Orpheum Theatre, Boston. For more on Mott the Hoople, see This Day in Music Spotlight.

1975, The relatively unknown Bruce Springsteen had the rare honour of simultaneous covers on both Timeand Newsweek magazines in the U.S.

1980, Former T. Rex member Steve Took choked to death on a cherry stone, after some magic mushrooms he had eaten numbed all sensation in his throat.

1984, Big Country went to #1 on the U.K. album chart with Steel Town, the bands only #1 album.

1984, During a U.S. tour, The Grateful Dead allocated a specific recording area for fans to bootleg the show. This day’s gig was in Berkeley, California.

1988, U2’s film Rattle and Hum, received its worldwide premiere in the group’s hometown, Dublin.

2007, Former Moloko singer Roisin Murphy was recovering in hospital after damaging her eye socket during a show in Russia. The singer hit her head on a chair during the show at Moscow’s Ikra Club and was rushed to hospital for surgery. A spokesman said she lost “a lot of blood” and had severe concussion, but her vision was unaffected and she was “recovering well.”

2009, Eric Clapton pulled out of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert in New York City after he underwent an operation to remove gallstones. His place at the Madison Square Garden gig was taken by Jeff Beck.

By Michael Leonard

During a new interview with Attention Deficit Delirium, Sammy Hagar (Van Halen, Chickenfoot) offered his thoughts on a reunion of the classic lineup of Guns N’ Roses.

“The amount of money they could make if they got it all back together, made a great record and toured the world would probably be as much as The Rolling Stones, and for them not to do it, it obviously ain’t about the money. Because they could do it. I would manage them.

“I’d be their manager and make sure they got the right deal from all the promoters. They could be the biggest band in the world if they wanted to.”

After The Bee’s Vic Contreras pointed out that, for the 49ers, this season feels a little like 1981..  how can you not get excited?  30 years ago, the Niners had come off a 6-10 season… after missing the playoffs for the eighth consecutive time.  This year, the 49ers are coming off a 6-10 season… after missing the playoffs for, uh… the eighth consecutive time.  We all know what happened in 1981.  The Bill Walsh-led Cinderella team went all the way to the Super Bowl… and won it.  I know, it’s way too early to think about anything beyond the next game.  But no one expected Jim Harbaugh’s guys to be 5-1 at this point.  Most of the “experts” picked the Rams to win the West.  And no, we don’t have Joe Montana.  But 1981 was long before Jerry Rice.  Their running back that year was Lenvil Elliott… and the tight end was Charle Young.  They were underdogs to the very end.  That’s the way we like it.  So whatever happens….at least 49er football is fun again.  I know we didn’t say that very much last year.

xoque photo

By Michael Leonard

The Metallica and Lou Reed album Lulu is not even released yet, but Metallica are already writing and recording their next album.

The metal vets played in Abu Dhabi for the very first time on October 25, and GulfNews was told by Metallica bassist Rob Trujillo: “We’ve been busy writing and recording. We’ve got a couple of new songs we have been working on the past couple of weeks. The writing process for the new Metallica album has begun. We’ve been in the studio with Rick Rubin, working on a couple of things, and we’re going to be recording during the most of next year.

“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. But the great thing is that we have sort of already jumped off the launch pad and we’re swimming. It’s happening. It’s reality. It’s a lot of fun, there are a lot of ideas, and we’re really excited about the new record.”

Trujillo concluded, “For me, personally, Death Magnetic was the launch pad for the next record. This is the beginning of something very, very cool.”

Lulu will be released in North America on November 1 and worldwide on October 31.

More Metallica:

Metallica Bassist on His Metallica Fan Days

Metallica Making a 3D Movie?

Back to ‘Black’: Metallica on Their Game-Changing Album

By Michael Leonard

KISS guitarist Ace Frehley publishes his memoirs, No Regrets, on November 1. Frehley has lived a colorful life, no doubt, and his book publishers have now posted a taster of what is to come in the book.

Here are a few choice quotes:

“When I was a kid I used to carry around this awful image in my head – a picture of three men tangled awkwardly in high-tension wires, fifty feet in the air, their lifeless bodies crisping in the midday sun.”

“There was always a little bit of mystery surrounding my dad, things he never shared; nooks and crannies of his past were always a taboo subject. He married late, started a family late, and settled into a comfortable domestic and professional routine. Every so often, though, there were glimpses of a different man, a different life.”

“In the beginning, I enjoyed school and team sports, but as I got older, my social life and music began taking precedence over my studies. I remember coming home with B’s, C’s, and D’s on my report card and hearing my parents complain… I’d just throw up my hands. Between bands and girlfriends, who had time to study?

“Much later, it was the same sort of ‘I told you so’ attitude that would compel me to challenge the other guys in KISS to an IQ test. Just for the record, I scored highest: 163, which is considered ‘genius.’”

“One day, by chance, I picked up my friend’s new electric guitar and checked it out. I plugged it in, turned the amp up to 10, and strummed a power chord. I immediately fell in love. It was a life-changing event! I was only 12, but I was totally hooked.”

And “…The rock ’n’ roll would soon follow.”

That’s just the first chapter. Read more about Ace Frehley’s No Regrets.

Brought to you by ThisDayinMusic.com.

Born on this day:
1946, Keith Hopwood, guitar, vocals, Herman’s Hermits
1951, Bootsy Collins, bass, James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic
1952, David Was, multiple instruments, Was (Not Was)
1953, Keith Strickland, guitar, The B-52s
1963, Natalie Merchant, singer, 10,000 Maniacs

1961, Bob Dylan signed with Columbia Records.

1962, The Rolling Stones (known as The Rollin’ Stones), consisting of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, pianist Ian Stewart and drummer Tony Chapman, recorded their first demo tape at Curly Clayton Studios in Highbury, London. They recored three songs, Jimmy Reed’s “Close Together,” Bo Diddlley’s “You Cant Judge a Book by the Cover” and Muddy Waters’ “Soon Forgotten.”

1965, Queen Elizabeth II presented The Beatles with their MBEs at Buckingham Palace. According to John Lennon, The Beatles smoked marijuana in one of the palace bathrooms to calm their nerves.

1970, A wake was held at the Lion’s Share in San Anselmo, California to celebrate the life of Janis Joplin. The singer, who died of an accidental drugs overdose, had left $2,500 in her will to throw a wake party in the event of her demise. Joplin was cremated in the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Mortuary in Los Angeles; her ashes were scattered from a plane into the Pacific Ocean and along Stinson Beach.

1974, Barry White scored his only U.S. #1 album with Can’t Get Enough.

1991, Legendary American promoter Bill Graham was killed when the helicopter he was flying in hit a 200-foot utility tower in Sonoma County, California.

1993, Catholic churches in San Juan, Puerto Rico, asked residents to tie black ribbons on trees in protest against Madonna’s first live appearance in the country.

1996, The Spice Girls had their second U.K. #1 single when “Say You’ll Be There” started a two-week run at the top of the charts. The song included a harmonica solo played by Judd Lander, who also played the harmonica solo on Culture Club’s 1984 hit “Karma Chameleon.”

2004, Apple launched the U2 Special Edition iPod as part of a partnership between Apple, U2 and Universal Music Group. The new U2 iPod held up to 5,000 songs and featured a red Click Wheel and custom engraving of U2 band member signatures. The iPod was being introduced as the band released their new album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

2006, Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor quit the band during the U.S. leg of their world tour. A statement on behalf of the group described the relationship with Andy Taylor as unworkable and one that could not be resolved. For more on this story, see This Day in Music Spotlight.

By Bryan Wawzenek

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler suffered a fall on Tuesday in his hotel in Asuncion, Paraguay. The singer was treated at a hospital for his injuries, according to a Reuters report.

The hard rock legends had a concert scheduled tonight in the Paraguay capital, which has been postponed. Doctors are recommending rest for Tyler, and there’s no word yet on when the concert will take place.

A hotel bellboy reported to local radio that Tyler slipped in the shower and “had a nasty fall.” He said that the frontman’s face was bloody and that he was missing several teeth.

By Bryan Wawzenek

Metallica are ready to take things to the next dimension. The metal legends are planning to make a 3D movie about themselves, according to the NME.

The band members are self-financing the film and have hired producer Charlotte Huggins, who worked on the 3D movie Journey to the Center of the Earth. Metallica are currently looking for a director for the movie.

There’s no word yet on what sort of movie it will be – whether it will be simply a concert film (like U23D) or something with a story (perhaps with a cameo from Lou Reed?). However, it’s probably a good bet that it won’t be Some Kind of Monster 2.

More Metallica:

Metallica Bassist on His Metallica Fan Days

Lou Reed on Metallica: ‘We Were Made for Each Other’

Back to ‘Black’: Metallica on Their Game-Changing Album

The whole game was sort of bizarre… a series of botched moves, misplays and lack of clutch hitting.  At least on the part of the St. Louis Cardinals.  But what everybody’s talking about is Tony La Russa’s failure to bring in closer Jason Motte in a critical moment.  Was this actually because of a miscommunication between the dugout and the bullpen?   The wrong guy comes out to pitch?  I suppose that’s possible, but doesn’t that sound kinda fishy?  Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post thinks there’s something missing from the story, and he explains here.  Maybe the manager is covering for somebody… maybe Motte wasn’t ready.   Perhaps we’ll never know.  But that’s a big loss for the Cards, and they’re up against it now.  The only thing weirder… would have been a call to the bullpen, and out trots…  Charlie Sheen.

Keithallison photo

By Russell Hall

Guitar riffs get all the attention, but strewn through rock and roll’s rich history are spectacular bass riffs that are just as memorable. From Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” to The Rolling Stones’ “Miss You,” the oft-under-appreciated four-string has powered the engine in countless classics. For the purposes of this feature, we’ve steered clear of jazz riffs – which warrant a consideration all their own – and instead focused on rock and roll, with a smattering of funk. Starting from that premise, below are 10 songs that feature unforgettable bass lines.

“Come Together” – The Beatles (Paul McCartney)

This Beatles classic started out as a campaign song written by John Lennon for controversial ’60s figure Timothy Leary, who had thoughts of running for the governorship of California. Lennon’s efforts failed as a campaign song, but during the Abbey Road sessions, Paul McCartney suggested that The Beatles slow the track down and give it a “swampy bass-and-drums vibe.” “I came up with that bass line, and it all flowed from there,” Sir Paul later told Rolling Stone.

“Money” – Pink Floyd (Roger Waters)

Roger Waters came up with the unforgettable bass riff that drives this Pink Floyd classic, which had the unusual characteristic of being composed mainly in a 7/4 time signature. “It’s Roger’s riff,” David Gilmour told Guitar World, in 1993. “Roger came in with the verses and lyrics more or less completed. We just made up middle sections, guitar solos and all that stuff.” Gilmour went on to point out that, while a 4/4 progression was used for his guitar solo, the band “made the poor saxophone player [continue to] play in 7/4.”

“Tommy the Cat” – Primus (Les Claypool)

Primus’ style has been variously characterized as thrash-funk, progressive metal and, in the words of MTV, “post-punk Rush spiked with the sensibility and humor of Frank Zappa.” What’s indisputable is that Les Claypool is a mad scientist of slap-bass, and never more so than on this early Primus classic. For a time, the song became so popular among Primus fans that, in concert, Claypool would introduce all the band’s other songs with the words, “This next song is not ‘Tommy the Cat.’”

“The Real Me” – The Who (John Entwistle)

Of all the amazing bass performances turned in by John Entwistle, this Who song from 1973’sQuadrophenia album ranks at the top. Remarkably, in a 1996 interview, Entwistle revealed that his famous bass part was done “first take.” “I was joking when I did that bass part,” he told writer Ken Sharp. “The band said, ‘Wow, that’s great, that’s great!’ I was just messing around. They just loved the song. I was sitting on top of my speaker cabinet playing a silly bass part and that’s the one they liked.”

“Under Pressure” – Queen and David Bowie (John Deacon)

Confusion has reigned regarding who came up with the famous bass line for this Bowie/Queen collaboration. In 1982, bassist John Deacon told a Japanese publication that Bowie had written the riff. Bowie, however, has always maintained that the bass line was written before he became involved. The truth seems to be that Deacon himself came up with the riff during sessions for the Hot Space album, but he subsequently forgot it. Fortunately, drummer Roger Taylor recalled how the figure went, and rest is history.

“The Lemon Song” – Led Zeppelin (John Paul Jones)

Recorded by Led Zeppelin in the midst of their second tour of America, “The Lemon Song” was a “live-in-the-studio” song that dripped with sexual innuendo. Much of its power derived from John Paul Jones’ stunning bass performance, which evidenced a funk influence that had been undetectable in his previous Zeppelin sessions. Remarkably, Jones subsequently revealed that he had improvised the lines as the song was recorded.

“Give It Away” – Red Hot Chili Peppers (Flea)

Hard to believe, but many radio station programmers at first refused to air this colossal Chili Peppers hit, citing “lack of melody” as a reason. Guitarist John Frusciante and bassist Flea created the main riff and the memorable bass line during their tenure in the side project, H.A.T.E. (featuring members of Fishbone). Anthony Kiedis’ hard-hitting vocal was directly inspired by Flea’s bass. “I was so struck by Flea’s bass part, which covered the whole length of the instrument’s neck, that I jumped up and marched over to the microphone, my notebook in tow,” he later said.

“Walk on the Wild Side” – Lou Reed (Herbie Flowers)

The famous bass line in this most famous of Lou Reed songs was played by session bassist Herbie Flowers. Flowers actually came up with the idea of using twin, interlocking bass lines – one played on acoustic bass and the other on electric. Flowers later claimed, probably jokingly, that he suggested the overdubbed second bass part so that he would receive double pay for the session.

“Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” – Sly and The Family Stone (Larry Graham)

This 1969 classic is rightly regarded as one of the greatest and most influential funk songs of all time. The engine that propels the track is Larry Graham’s slap-bass performance. Graham himself pioneered the technique, which has since become a mainstay of modern funk. Everyone from Flea to Bootsy Collins to Les Claypool owes a heavy debt to Graham for perfecting this percussive and rhythmic style.

“Sunshine of Your Love” – Cream (Jack Bruce)

The monster bass riff (doubled on guitar by Eric Clapton) that anchors this Cream classic was sparked by a Jimi Hendrix Experience performance that Jack Bruce and Clapton attended in 1967 in London. Bruce immediately went home and composed the riff, and later he and poet Pete Brown penned the lyrics during an all-night session. Coupled with perhaps the best example of Clapton’s renowned late ’60s “woman tone,” the riff remains a thunderous landmark in rock history.