Wax Museum Radio
Next broadcast December 13th, Friday Night at midnight and Saturday night at 10pm on WRGG.
Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History December 12th
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 12th
- December 12th Birthday, Music publisher Dick James, who managed the songwriting catalogs of Lennon and McCartney, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Born in 1920 in London, England. He died of a heart attack on February 1st, 1986 at the age of 65.
- December 12th Birthday, Guitarist Reggie Young, lead guitarist for the American Sound Studio house band, born in 1936 in Caruthersville, Missouri. He died January 19th, 2019 at the age of 82. Young played on a lot of hit records, including songs by Elvis Presley, B. J. Thomas, Billy Swan, Merrilee Rush, The Box Tops, Neil Diamond and others.
- December 12th Birthday, Terry Kirkman, the keyboardist and vocalist for The Association, born in Salina, Kansas in 1939. Kirkman died on September 23rd, 2023 at the age of 83.
- December 12th Birthday, Pop singer and actress Dionne Warwick, born in 1940 in East Orange, New Jersey.
- December 12th Birthday, Allman Brothers guitarist and singer Dickie Betts, born in 1943 in West Palm Beach, Florida. He passed away on April 18th, 2024 at the age of 80.
- December 12th Birthday, MC5 vocalist Rob Tyner, born Robert W. Derminer in 1944. On September 17th, 1991, Tyner suffered a heart attack in his hometown of Berkley, Michigan and passed at the age of 46.
- December 12th Birthday, Keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter Paul Harris from Manassas, born in 1944 in Forrest Hills, Queens, New York City. He passed away on October 24th, 2023 at the age of 78.
- December 12th Birthday, The Honeycombs guitarist Alan Ward, born in Nottingham, England in 1945.
- December 12th Birthday, Miles Davis drummer and solo artist Tony Williams, born in 1945 in Chicago, Illinois.
- December 12th Birthday, Rainbow vocalist and solo artist Graham Bonnet is born in 1947 in Skegness, England.
- December 12th Birthday, The Blues Magoos keyboardist Ralph Scala, born in 1947.
- December 12th Birthday, Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick, born in Brooklyn, New York in 1953.
- December 12th Birthday, Singer, songwriter, guitarist Dan Baird of the Georgia Satellites, born in San Diego, California in 1953. in 1953.
- December 12th Birthday, Singer, guitarist and keyboard player Cy Curnin from The Fixx, born Cyril John Curnin in Wimbledon, London, England in 1957.
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 12th
- December 12th, 1955 Bill Haley And His Comets record their version of the Bobby Charles tune “See You Later Alligator.” Written and released by Bobby Charles in December 1955 by Chess Records under the title “Later, Alligator,” The Bill Haley version was released February 1st, 1956 on Decca Records and reached No. 6 on February 18th, becoming Haley's third and final million-selling single.
- December 12th, 1964 The Beau Brummels first single “Laugh Laugh” is released on 45 by Autumn Records. Recorded November 3rd at Golden State Recorders in San Francisco, the song was written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone, under the name Cougar Productions. The Beau Brummels promoted the single by appearing on several television shows, including a 1965 episode of The Flintstones in which the band gave an animated performance as the Beau Brummelstones. The record reached No.15 on February 20th, 1965.
- December 12th, 1964 Red Bird Records release “Boy From New York City,” the debut single by The Ad Libs. Co-written by George Davis and John T. Taylor, the track was co-produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller at A&R Studios in New York in three separate sessions. The first session was to lay down the rhythm section, then the vocals and the last for the horn overdubs. The record peaked at No. 8 on February 27th.
- December 12th, 1964 The “St. Louis To Liverpool” album by Chuck Berry enters the album charts following a November release on Chess Records. Co-produced by Leonard and Phil Chess at Chess Studios in Chicago. The LP brought together songs from sessions that stretched from December 1957 through August 1964. The album peaked at No. 124 on January 9th, 1965.
- December 12th, 1965 Reprise Records release “You Really Got Me,” the debut US album by The Kinks. The record peaked at No. 29 on March 6th, 1965.
- December 12th, 1966 Pink Floyd performs their first concert, for the Oxfam Benefit at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
- December 12th, 1968 Tamla Records release “Baby Baby Don’t Cry” by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Co-written by Smokey Robinson and Motown staff writers Al Cleveland and Terry Johnson, who was a former member of The Flamingos. Robinson, Johnson and Miracles member Warren “Pete” Moore produced the track at Hitsville Studio A in Detroit. “Baby Baby Don’t Cry” peaked at No. 8 on March 1st, 1969 and sold over a million copies.
- December 12th, 1969 The Plastic Ono Band “Live Peace In Toronto 1969” is released by Apple Records. Recorded September 13th at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, Canada, the band included John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Alan White. The album reached No. 10 on February 7th, 1970.
- December 12th, 1970 Smokey Robinson and The Miracles’ “Tears Of A Clown” is the No. 1 record in the US.
- December 12th, 1970 Released in November Stephen Stills debut solo single, “Love The One You’re With,” enters the singles charts. David Crosby and Graham Nash sing the backing vocals on the song. The record became his biggest hit, peaking at No. 14 on January 30th, 1971.
- December 12th, 1970 Atco Records release “Ginger Baker’s Air Force 2.” This, the second album by the group, was a studio effort. The first was recorded live with Steve Winwood and Chris Wood. Those key members of Air Force’s original line-up had left by then, with original group keyboardist Graham Bond remaining and Denny Laine from The Moody Blues joining the fold.
- December 12th, 1970 The Grass Roots release “Temptation Eyes” on 45. Co-written by Harvey Price and Daniel Walsh and produced by Steve Barri, two versions of the song exist. The original mono mix had its vocal chorus section double-tracked, while the chorus in the stereo mix uses one single-tracked voice. The record reached the charts two weeks later and went to No. 15 on April 3rd, 1971.
- December 12th, 1970 Tulsa, Oklahoma duo Teegarden and Van Winkle’s “Everything Is Going To Be Alright” enters the singles charts. They were organist, pedal bassist and singer Skip Knape and drummer and singer David Teegarden. Knape later played with The Doors’ guitarist Robbie Krieger and Teegarden joined Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band. The record peaked at No. 84 on December 26th.
- December 12th, 1970 Frijid Pink’s “Heartbreak Hotel” enters the singles charts. The song was co-written by Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durdan. Axton agreed to give Elvis Presley a one-third songwriting credit to record the song as Presley’s first single for RCA Victor Records. Frijid Pink’s version of “Heartbreak Hotel” peaked at No. 72 on January 2nd, 1971.
- December 12th, 1970 “Watt,” the fifth album by Ten Years After enters the album charts on Deram Records. The LP was mostly a studio album except for a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen,” recorded at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. “Watt” reached No. 21 in the US on January 30th, No. 5 in Britain.
- December 12th, 1970 The Doors performed their last show with Jim Morrison at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana, four days after his twenty-seventh birthday. At the end of the show, Morrison began a rant about life and death, smashed the mic stand and walked off. The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek later said he saw Morrison’s spirit flow out of his body and with it, the will to perform.
- December 12th, 1970 Epic Records release “Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus,” the fourth album by Spirit. Recorded between April and October with producer David Briggs, the LP peaked at No. 63 on February 13th, 1971.
- December 12th, 1972 Columbia Records release “Love Music” by The Raiders. The song was co-written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and produced by Mark Lindsey. The record peaked at No. 97 on February 24th, the band’s last charting single.
- December 12th, 1972 Atlantic Records release “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” by The Spinners on 45. Produced and arranged by Thom Bell, the song was co-written by Melvin and Mervin Steals, who were sometimes credited as “Mystro and Lyric,” “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” went to No. 4 on March 3rd, 1973.
- December 12th, 1974 Mick Taylor quits The Rolling Stones the same day the band began recording their “Black and Blue” album in Munich, Germany. One of the session guitarists on the LP, the Faces Ron Wood, would become Taylor’s permanent replacement.
- December 13th, 1974 Warner Brothers Records in Britain release “Are You Ready To Rock” by Wizzard on 45. The song was written and produced by band multi-instrumentalist Roy Wood.
- December 12th, 1975 Apple Records release the first Ringo Starr greatest hits set “Blast From Your Past.” The record featured several tracks previously available only as 45 single releases and peaked at No. 30 on January 17th.
- December 12th, 1975 Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band record their version of “Santa Clause Is Coming To Town” live at C. W. Post College in Brookville, New York. The track was issued as a promotional single in 1981 and again as the B-side to the “My Hometown” 45 in 1985 by Columbia Records.
- December 12th, 1980 CBS Records in Britain release the triple album set “Sandinista” by The Clash. The LP was recorded at various studios in New York City, Kingston, Jamaica and Manchester and London, England from February through August with the band producing. The album is noted for its’ mix of rock, reggae, funk, jazz, dub, R&B, calypso, disco and rap music. The title refers to The Sandinista’s of Nicaragua. Released in January in the US, the LP went to No. 24 on March 7th.
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 December 7th
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 December 7th Evie Sands
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.
