Wax Museum Radio
Next broadcast December 6th, Friday Night at midnight and Saturday night at 10pm on WRGG.
Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History December 2nd
Daily Rock and Roll History, Birthday and short music clips.
A year long, day by day look back at this date in Rock History in 3-5 minute segments. Now airing WRGG in Greencastle, PA, weekday mornings on KSRQ in Three River Falls, Minnesota, KIYU in Galena, Alaska
Craig Maher / Exo-X-Xeno Wax Museum Interview
Craig Maher from Exo-X-Xeno talking about the 2025 album "Luminous Voyage"
- Click picture to listen to the interview with Craig talking about the Exo-X-Xeno project with Yes members Billy Sherwood, Jay Shellen and Patrick Moraz.
Rock and Roll Birthdays
December 2nd
- December 2nd Birthday, Guitarist Tom McGuinness from Manfred Mann and McGuinness Flint, born in 1941 in Wimbledon, South London, England.
- December 2nd Birthday, Ted Bluechel Jr., drummer, guitarist and singer with The Association, born in 1942 in San Pedro, California.
- December 2nd Birthday, Dave Munden, the drummer and singer for The Tremeloes, born in Dagenham, London, England in 1943.
- December 2nd Birthday, Hanoi Rocks drummer Razzle, born Nicholas Charles Dingley in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England in 1960. He died in a car wreck on December 8th, 1984 at the age of 24.
- December 2ndBirthday, Bass guitarist Rick Savage from Def Leppard, born in 1960 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.
- December 2nd Birthday, Bassist Nate Mendel from Foo Fighters, born in 1968 in Richland, Washington.
- December 2nd Birthday, Singer Nelly Furtado, born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada in 1978.
- December 2nd Birthday, Bassist, guitarist, songwriter and solo artist Tal Wilkenfeld, born in 1986 in Bondi, New South Wales.
Nektar Wax Museum interview 4/11/25
Nektar interviewed on the second night of the 2025 "Mission To Mars" Tour
- Click image to hear the exclusive the Wax Museum interview with Nektar discussiing the current tour, future plans and group history.
Today In Rock and Roll History
December 2nd
- December 2nd, 1957 Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me” hits No. 1 for the first of three weeks one day after singing the song live on The Ed Sullivan Show.
- December 2nd, 1957 Epic Records release “Don’t Let Go” by Leesburg, Georgia R&B singer Roy Hamilton on 45. Written by Jesse Stone and produced by Otis Blackwell, the single peaked at No. 13 on March 3rd, 1958, No. 2 R&B.
- December 2nd, 1964 The Miracles’ “Come On Do The Jerk” enters the singles charts. Co-produced by William Robinson, Jr. and Robert Rogers, “Come Do The Jerk” was co-written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson, Robert Rogers, Warren Moore and Don Whited. A single-only release, not included on any Miracles album, the song went to No. 50 on January 30th, 1965.
- December 2nd, 1964 Shirley Ellis “The Name Game” enters the singles charts. Co-written by Shirley Ellis and Lincoln Chase, who is name checked in the song’s lyrics. Produced by Charles Calello, Ellis performed “The Name Game” on several major television programs, including Hullabaloo, American Bandstand and The Merv Griffin Show. The song became a popular children’s singalong. “The Name Game” went to No. 3 on January 30th, 1965.
- December 2nd, 1964 Chuck Berry “Promised Land” enters the singles charts. It was Berry’s first single issued after his release from prison for violating the Mann Act. Co-produced by Leonard and Phil Chess in February the lyrics are a travelogue of cities from Norfolk, Virginia, to the “Promised Land,” Los Angeles, California. Covered by a number of artists, Elvis Presley, Johnny Rivers, The Grateful Dead and Dave Edmunds among others, the Chuck Berry original peaked at No. 41 on January 9th, 1965.
- December 2nd, 1966 Deram Records in Britain release “Rubber Band” backed with “The London Boys” by David Bowie. After Bowie's third PYE single failed the label dropped Bowie from the roster. Signing with Decca Records, the label placed him in the studio with producer Mike Vernon. The first new song from that association became this single “Rubber Band.” Both sides of the single were written by Bowie, his first single for Deram and the first Bowie record to be produced by Mike Vernon. The label reissued “London Boys” backed with “Love You Till Tuesday” on May 2nd, 1975.
- December 2nd, 1966 Tamla Records release “It Takes Two” by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston. “It Takes Two” was produced by Westons husband, William “Mickey” Stevenson and co-written by Stevenson and Sylvia Moy. The record entered the charts in January 1967 and went to No. 14 in the US on March 4th and became Marvin Gaye’s first big hit in Britain, peaking there at No. 16.
- December 2nd, 1967 London Records released The Rolling Stones “In Another Land” on 45, written and sung by Stones bassist Bill Wyman. Begun by Wyman alone on a night when a Stones session had been canceled, with engineer Glyn Johns, the band liked the track and released it on their “At Their Satanic Majesties Request” LP, although the single was credited solely to Bill Wyman. “In Another Land” peaked at No. 87 on January 6th, 1968.
- December 2nd, 1967 Elektra Records release “Love Me Two Times” by The Doors on 45. Co-written by the four members of The Doors, the track was recorded during sessions in May and August with producer Paul A. Rothchild. The single was edited to a 2:37 length, released as the second 45 from the “Strange Days” LP and reached No. 25 on January 13th, 1968.
- December 2nd, 1967 “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees is the No. 1 record in the US.
- December 2nd, 1967 Dunhill Records release The Mamas & The Papas’ “Dancing Bear” on 45. Written by John Phillips and produced by Lou Adler, the record peaked at No. 51 on January 6th, 1968.
- December 2nd, 1967 Bill Cosby “Hooray For The Salvation Army Band!” enters the singles charts. The song is a parody of the Jimi Hendrix song “Purple Haze,” co-written by Cosby and producer Fred Smith. The record peaked at No. 74 on March 30th, 1968.
- December 2nd, 1968 Columbia Records in Britain release “Point Me At The Sky” backed with “Careful With That Axe Eugene,” the fifth single by Pink Floyd. The song was co-written by bassist Roger Waters and guitarist David Gilmour, an early collaboration between the two. The single was not issued in the US.
- December 2nd, 1968 Verve Records release “Ruben And The Jets” by The Mothers Of Invention. Presented as a fictional doo-wop band playing 1950s styled rock and roll, Frank Zappa wrote and produced the album at Apostolic Studios in New York City from December 1967 through February 1968. The record peaked at No. 110 on February 1st, 1969.
- December 2nd, 1969 In Bristol, England, George Harrison joins Delaney and Bonnie and Friends on tour as a guitarist, making this the first tour of one of The Beatles since 1966.
- December 2nd, 1971 Atlantic Records release “Black Dog” by Led Zeppelin on 45. The song’s title is a reference to a nameless black Labrador Retriever that wandered around the Headley Grange Mansion recording studios during the making of the Led Zeppelin IV album. Credited to John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Jones wrote the main riff in the song. The record entered the charts in January and peaked at No. 15 on February 12th, 1972, No. 11 in Canada.
- December 2nd, 1971 Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey” enters the singles charts. Co-produced by Van Morrison and Ted Templeman, jazz drummer Connie Kay plays on the track, recorded during the spring and summer of 1971 at Wally Heider Studios and Columbia Studios in San Francisco, California. The single peaked at No. 47 on February 12th.
- December 2nd, 1972 “Oh Babe, What Would You Say” by former Beatles recording engineer and Pink Floyd producer Norman Smith, performing under the name Hurricane Smith, enters the singles charts. Written by his wife Eileen Sylvia Smith, “Oh Babe, What Would You Say” would hit No. 3 on February 17th, No. 4 in Britain.
- December 2nd, 1972 “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” by The Temptations is the No. 1 record in the US.
- December 2nd, 1972 James Taylor’s “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” enters the singles charts. The song was written by Taylor and recorded with producer Peter Asher during the “One Man’s Dog” sessions. James Taylor’s Flying Machine guitarist Danny Kortchmar plays on the track with Leland Sklar on bass, Russ Kunkle on drums and Michael Brecker on sax. The record peaked at No. 14 on January 13th, 1973.
- December 2nd, 1972 The Blue Ridge Rangers’ “Jambala (On The Bayou)” enters the singles charts. The song and the self-titled Blue Ridge Rangers album was in reality, the first solo releases by John Fogerty and was made entirely of traditional and country covers, with Fogerty playing all the instruments. EWritten by Hank Williams, “Jambala” peaked at No. 16 on February 24th, 1973.
- December 2nd, 1972 Chuck Berry’s “Reelin’ and Rockin’” enters the singles charts. Originally recorded by Berry as a studio recording in Chicago in 1957, the 45 version was recorded at the Lancaster Arts Festival in Coventry, England on February 3rd, produced by Esmond Edwards. The song was originally released as the B-side of “Sweet Little Sixteen” in 1957. The 1972 live version peaked at No. 27 on February 17th, 1973.
- December 2nd, 1973 The Who and their companions are jailed overnight in Montreal following $6,000 worth of hotel destruction inflicted after their show at the Forum.
- December 2nd, 1978 Gerry Rafferty “Home And Dry” enters the singles charts. The song was written by Gerry Rafferty, who co-produced the track with Hugh Murphy. The record peaked at No. 28 on February 3rd, 1979.
- December 2nd, 1978 Kiss bassist Gene Simmons’ “Radioactive” enters the singles charts. The song was written by Gene Simmons, who co-produced the track with Sean Delaney. The record peaked at No. 47 on January 13th, 1979.
- December 2nd, 1978 Fotomaker’s “Miles Away” enters the singles charts. The song was written by Frankie Vinci. The track was co-produced by Dino Danelli and Gene Cornish. The record peaked at No. 63 on December 23rd.
- December 2nd, 1978 Jimmy Buffett “Manana” enters the singles charts. Written by Jimmy Buffet, the studio track was produced by Robert Putnam. The record peaked at No. 84 on December 9th.
- December 2nd, 1978 Jefferson Starship “Light The Sky On Fire” enters the singles charts. The song was written by guitarist Craig Chaquico and co-produced by the band and Larry Cox. The record peaked at No. 66 on December 23rd.
- December 2nd, 1978 Steve Forbert “Romeo’s Tune” enters the singles charts. Forbert wrote the song, with John Simon producing. The record peaked at No. 11 on February 23rd, 1980.
- December 2nd, 1987 Capitol Records release the “All The Best!” greatest hits collection by Paul McCartney. The album peaked at No. 62 on January 9th, 1988. In Britain, where the track listing was slightly reconfigured, the collection included McCartney’s latest single “Once Upon A Long Ago.”
- December 2nd, 1991 The US Supreme Court rules that The Shirelles, Gene Pitney and B.J. Thomas are owed one million, two hundred thousand dollars in unpaid record royalties.
Miscellaneous December
- December 1951 RPM Records release “3 O’Clock Blues” backed with “That Ain’t The Way To Do It,” the first single by B. B. King. Both songs were written by B.B. King. Johnny Ace played piano on the track.
- December 1953 Specialty Records release “The Things I Used To Do” backed with “Well, I Done Got Over It” by Guitar Slim and His Band on 45. The tracks were recorded at Cosimo Matassa’s J&M Studio in New Orleans with John Vincent producing. The songs were arranged by Ray Charles, who plays piano on the sessions. Both tracks were written by Guitar Slim, credited to his real name, Eddie Jones. Slim was seriously injured in an automobile accident at the time “The Things I Used To Do” was the No. 1 R&B single in the country.
- December 1959 Checker Records release the Bo Diddley album “Have Guitar Will Travel.”
- December 1963 Daytone Records release “Hurricane” backed with “Sweet Love” by Conrad and The Hurricanes on 45. The tracks were taped at PAL Studios in Cucamonga, California. Both songs were written by Ed Sigarlaki and produced by Frank Zappa and Dave Aerni using the aliases Curry, Ivan. The single was reissued on Era Records in June 1964 with the A&B sides reversed.
- December 1964 Fantasy Records release “Don’t Tell Me No Lies” backed with “Little Girl (Does Your Mama Know?),” the first record by The Golliwogs on 45. Both sides were co-written by Tom and John Fogerty, using the names Rann Wild and Toby Green. The Golliwogs renamed themselves Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1967.
- December 1965 Sue Records release “The New Breed (pts. 1&2)” by Ike Turner and His Kings Of Rhythm on 45. The instrumental was written by Ike Turner and co-produced by he and Tinas Turner.
- December 1968 Verve Forecast Records release “Reason To Believe” by Tim Hardin on 45. The song was a No. 62 hit for Rod Stewart when it was released as the first single from Stewarts “Every Picture Tells A Story” LP in 1971.
- December 1968 Island Records in Britain release “What We Did On Our Holidays,” the second album by Fairport Convention, their first to feature singer and songwriter Sandy Denny. Produced by Joe Boyd, the record was released in America with a different cover and a self-titled name.
- December 1969 Mercury Records release “Earth” backed with “Step On Me” by Smile at 45. The A-side was written by singer and bassist Tim Staffell. “Step On Me” was co-written by Staffell and guitarist Brian May. Drummer Roger Taylor and May changed the name of the band to Queen when Staffell quit the group and they hired singer Freddie Mercury.
- December 1969 Island Records in Britain release the Joe Boyd produced “Liege And Lief” album by Fairport Convention. The record was issued in America on A&M Records the following July. A No. 17 hit in England, it was Fairport’s third album of 1969 and their first following the road accident that killed drummer Martin Lamble.
- December 1970 The Famous Charisma Label in Britain release “H To He Who Am The Only One,” the third album by Van der Graaf Generator. The LP was recorded at Trident Studios in London with John Anthony producing. Dunhill Records in the US issued the album in February 1971. Robert Fripp of King Crimson played guitar on the track “The Emperor And His War Room.”
- December 1972 Epic records release “R.E.O. T.W.O.,” the second studio LP by REO Speedwagon. Initial sessions for the LP were recorded in Nashville, then moved to The Record Plant in Los Angeles. The album was co-produced by Paul Leka and Billy Rose II.
- December 1972 United Artists Records release The Move compilation “Splits Ends.” The tracks drew mostly from the band’s previous album “Message From The Country” as well as earlier group singles.
- December 1974 Atlantic Records release “Can’t Stop The Music (He Played It Much Too Long)” by Hall and Oates on 45. Written by John Oates, the record was produced by Todd Rundgren at Secret Sound Studios in New York City.
- December 1987 Barking Pumpkin Records release Frank Zappa “Old Masters Box Three.” The set completed a trio of archival reissues of the original albums Zappa recorded with The Mothers Of Invention. The release featured the albums “Waka/Jawaka,” “The Grand Wazoo,” “Over-Nite Sensation,” “Apostrophe (‘),” “Roxy And Elsewhere,” “One Size Fits All,” “Bongo Fury” and “Zoot Allures”.
The Paul Bielatowicz Band Wax Museum interview 4/11/25
The Paul Bielatowicz Band interviewed on their 2025 Spring Tour
- Click image to hear the exclusive the Wax Museum interview with The Paul Bielatowicz Band discussiing the current tour and future plans.
Music and conversation with Andy Tillison of The Tangent
Wax Museum interview May 2024
- Click image to hear The Wax Museum's Andy Tillison interview
This Week In Rock and Roll History
This Week In Rock and Roll History week of November 30th
This Week In Rock and Roll History is a weekly one hour look back at the songs, the artists, and the stories behind the music of the rock and roll era.
Jonas Reingold Interview
Jonas Reingold in The Wax Museum
Click image to hear Chris Palladino's Wax Museum Interview with Jonas Reingold
Carl Giammarese interview with Chris Palladino
The Buckinghams Radio Show
Click image to hear Chris Palladino's interviews on WRGG with Carl Giammarese from The Buckinghams in 2022 and 2024
The Cool Song Of The Week
Cool Song Of The Week November 30th Manfred Mann
Cool songs from the Rock and Roll Era, Closet Classics and more.
Robert Fripp Radio Oz interview 7/25/85
King Crimson guitarist Radio Oz interview
- Click Fripp's image to hear the King Crimson guitarist, record producer, solo artist in this 1985 interview for the WARX Sunday night Radio Oz program. Fripp discusses his then current Guitar Craft courses, King Crimson stories, his start in the music business, and more.
Annie Haslam 2019 Wax Museum interview
Annie Haslam "In Words and Music"
- Click picture to hear Annie Haslam "In Words and Music". The iconic Renaissance singer talks at length about music, her life, and artwork for an exclusive interview in The Wax Museum.
Tommy James Wax Museum Interview January 2019
Tommy James with Chris Palladino
- Click picture to hear Tommy promoting all his planned 2019 activities; new album, Sirius XM radio show, touring, new movie, etc.
From the Radio Oz interview archives
Firesign Theatre interview 1980
- Click picture to listen to this archival interview with The Firesign Theatre recorded during their 1980 Fighting Clowns tour of the US for Chris Palladino's Radio Oz program, now available for purchase in the Firesign Theatre's "Fighting Clowns" of Hollywood" collection!
Woody Lissauer Wax Museum Interview 2/22/20
Baltimore based Woody Lissauer steps up to the Wax Museum microphones for this in depth interview!
- Click picture to listen to the Wax Museum interview with Woody Lissauer and his latest album "Trouble The Water" with Barbara Ireland and Steve Caplan.
