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Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History August 25th
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.
Rock and Roll Birthdays
August 25th
- August 25th Birthday, Jazz and rock pianist Keith Tippett, born in 1947 in Bristol, England. He died on June 14th, 2020 at the age of 72.
- August 25th Birthday, Outlaws guitarist, singer and songwriter Henry Paul, born in Kingston, New York in 1949.
- August 25th Birthday, Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, born Chaim Witz in 1949 in Tirat Carmel, Israel.
- August 25th Birthday, Mink DeVille’s Willy Deville, born William Paul Borsey Jr. in 1950 in Stamford, Connecticut.
- August 25th Birthday, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford, born in 1951 in Sutton Coldfield, England.
- August 25th Birthday, Keyboardist Geoff Downes, a founding member of The Buggles, Asia and longtime Yes member, born in Stockport, Cheshire, England in 1952.
- August 25th Birthday, Singer, songwriter and guitarist Elvis Costello, born Declan Patrick MacManus in 1955 in Paddington, England.
- August 25th Birthday, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake and Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell, born in 1962 in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.
- August 25th Birthday, Dream Theater keyboardist and veteran sideman Derek Sherinian, born in Laguna Beach, California in 1966.
- August 25th Birthday, Songwriter, musician and record producer Jeff Tweedy from Wilco, Golden Smog and Uncle Tupelo, born in 1967 in Belleville, Illinois.
Today In Rock and Roll History
August 25th
- August 25th, 1956 Crest Records release “Let’s Coast Awhile” by Advance, Missouri singer and guitarist Bo Davis on 45. Davis wrote the song. Eddie Cochran played lead guitar on the track.
- August 25th, 1962 “The Loco-Motion” by Little Eva hits #1 on the singles charts in the US.
- August 25th, 1966 Motown Records release “Supremes A Go-Go” by The Supremes. The album featured “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart.” The LP peaked at No. 1 on October 22nd.
- August 25th, 1967 Island Records in Britain release Traffic’s “Hole In My Shoe” on 45, written by Dave Mason and backed with “Smiling Phases,” co-written by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood. The record was produced by Jimmy Miller. The single peaked at No. 2 in Britain and features a spoken word midsection by Island Record’s owner Chris Blackwell’s stepdaughter Francine Helmann.
- August 25th, 1967 Brian Wilson makes a rare appearance with The Beach Boys on stage in Hawaii.
- August 25th, 1969 Capitol Records release “On Time,” the debut LP by Grand Funk Railroad. The album featured the two singles “Time Machine” and “Heartbreaker.” Produced by the band’s manager Terry Knight from April through June, the LP peaked at No. 27 on December 6th.
- August 25th, 1970 Elton John performed in the US for the first time at LA’s Troubadour Club. It was the launch of a six-date residency at the venue and a seventeen-date tour.
- August 25th, 1970 Emerson, Lake And Palmer made their debut at Plymouth Guild Hall in Plymouth, England. During their career, the trio would sell over forty million records.
- August 25th, 1972 B&C Records in Britain release “Hang On To Yourself” backed with “Man In The Middle,” the second and final single by David Bowie’s side project The Arnold Korns. Bowie wrote and produced both songs.
- August 25th, 1972 RCA Victor Records release “Everybody’s In Show-Biz,” the tenth album by The Kinks. The record was a two-disc set, one half studio, the other a live recording from a two-night stand at Carnegie Hall in New York City on March 2nd and 3rd, 1972. The record peaked at No. 70 on November 11th.
- August 25th, 1972 Shelter Records release “Tight Rope” by Leon Russell on 45. Written by Leon Russell, who co-produced the recording session for the song with Denny Cordell. “Tight Rope” went to No. 11 on October 21st.
- August 25th, 1972 Polydor Records in the UK release “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” by Slade on 45. Co-written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea and produced by Chas Chandler, the single became Slade’s third No. 1 record in Britain. In the United States, the song reached No. 76 on January 13th, 1973.
- August 25th, 1973 Sovereign Records release “Ashes Are Burning,” the fourth studio album by Renaissance. The record was recorded at De Lane Lea Studios in Wembley, England with the band co-producing with Dick Plant. The LP peaked at No. 171 on September 29th.
- August 25th, 1973 The Allman Brothers Band’s “Ramblin’ Man” enters the Pop Singles charts. Written and sung by guitarist Dickey Betts, inspiration for “Ramblin’ Man” came from a 1951 song of the same name by Hank Williams. Guitarist Les Dudek provides guitar harmonies and it was one of bassist Berry Oakley’s last contributions to the band before his fatal biking accident. The single became The Allman’s only US Top Ten hit, peaking at No. 2 on October 13th.
- August 25th, 1975 Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run” is released on 45 one day after the “Born To Run” LP is issued. Recording sessions for the track were completed August 6th, 1974 at 914 Sound Studios in Blauvelt, New York. Produced by Springsteen and his manager Mike Appel, the single went to No. 23 on November 1st. In Springsteen’s live set long before it came out, the song was one of the first completed for the “Born To Run” album and was released nearly a year after it was recorded.
- August 25th, 1976 Boston release their self-titled first album. The LP became the best-selling debut Rock album of all time. Co-produced by Tom Scholz and John Boylan, the LP featured the hits “More Than A Feeling,” “Long Time” and “Peace Of Mind” and peaked at No. 3 on December 4th.
- August 25th, 1977 Atlantic Records release “Wings” by Ringo Starr on 45. Co-written by Starr and Vini Poncia, the track came from Ringo’s Arif Mardin produced LP, “Rotogravure.”
- August 25th, 1977 Cleveland International Records release “Night Out,” by actress and singer Ellen Foley. Sessions for the album were co-produced by Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson at Mediasound Studios in New York City. The LP was a collection of two Foley originals and covers of some of her favorite songs.
- August 25th, 1979 Nine weeks after being released, The Knack’s “My Sharona” reaches No. 1 in the US, the first of a six-week run at the top of the charts.
- August 25th, 1980 Elektra Records release “Touch And Go” as the first single issued from The Cars “Panorama” LP. The song was written by Ric Ocasek and produced by Roy Thomas Baker. For the guitar solo, Elliot Easton recorded himself in his hotel room, brought the recording in and laid it over the prerecorded track. After several attempts to produce a better solo in the studio, the band decided to use Easton’s demo, and that’s the take you hear on the released record. “Touch And Go” peaked at No. 37 on October 18th.
- August 25th, 1986 Warner Brothers Records release “Graceland,” the seventh solo album by Paul Simon. The LP features the hits “You Can Call Me Al,” “Boy In A Bubble” and the title track. Guesting on the sessions for “Graceland” were Linda Ronstadt, The Everly Brothers, the vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and a number of South African musicians. Most of the record was recorded in South Africa. As a result, Simon faced accusations that he had violated the cultural boycott of the South African regime which itself faced near unanimous worldwide condemnation for its apartheid policies. The album reached No. 3 on the charts on April 4th, 1987. The album won the 1986 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, while the title song won the 1987 Grammy for Record of the Year.
- August 25th, 1987 Geffen Records release “Permanent Vacation” by Aerosmith. Sessions for the LP were recorded at Little Mountain Sound in Vancouver, British Columbia and Unique Recording in New York City with producer Bruce Fairbairn. The album featured the hits “Angel,” Janie’s Got A Gun,” “Rag Doll” and “Love (In An Elevator).” The record peaked at No. 11 on November 21st.
Miscellaneous August
- August 1957 Ace Records release “Rockin’ Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu” by Huey “Piano” Smith on 45. The song was co-written by Smith and Johnny Vincent. The session for the track included Sidney Rayfield and “Scarface” John Williams on vocals, Lee Allen on tenor sax, Earl King on guitar, Frank Fields on bass and Charles “Hungry” Williams on drums. The record peaked at No. 52 on the Pop singles charts.
- August 1958 Dot Records release “Scratchin’” backed with the novelty song “I Hates Rabbits” by Jerry Neal on 45. Neal was a stage name of Jerry Capehart. He co-wrote both songs with Eddie Cochran. Cochran is rumored to play all the instruments on “Scratchin’,” while Cochran plays lead guitar on “I Hates Rabbits.”
- August 1958 Tune Town Records release “Boxtop” by Ike Turner, Carson Oliver and Little Ann, the first record release to feature the future Tina Turner on vocals. The song was written by Ike Turner, who heard the seventeen-year-old sing during the intermission of a Kings Of Rhythm set at the Manhattan Club in East St. Louis. Carson Oliver was one of the vocalists in Turner’s group, the Kings Of Rhythm band. The track was recorded at Turner’s house on Virginia Place, in East St. Louis.
- August 1963 Original Sound Records release “Heavies” backed with “The Cruncher” by The Rotations on 45. The Rotations were an alias for Paul Buff and Dave Aerni. Both songs were co-written by Aerni and Buff, produced by Frank Zappa at PAL Studio in Cucamonga, California in June. A few seconds of “Heavies” is heard in the opening moments of “Nasal Retentive Caliope Music” on The Mothers Of Invention LP “We’re Only In It For The Money.”
- August 1963 Original Sound Records release “Tijuana” backed with “Grunion Run” by The Hollywood Persuaders on 45. Paul Buff wrote the A-side. “Grunion Run” was performed by Paul Buff and Frank Zappa, recording at PAL Studios in Cucamonga, California in June. Zappa played guitars, bass and drums with Paul Buff on saxophone.
- August 1965 Autumn Records release “Beau Brummels Volume II.” The record featured the hit “You Tell Me Why” and follow-up single “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” but didn’t chart. Sylvester Stewart, later known professionally as Sly Stone, is listed as the album’s producer, but members of the band didn’t recall him being there for the recording sessions.
- August 1969 Immediate Records in Britain release the self-titled album by “The Nice,” the group’s second album.
- August 1971 A&M Records release “White Light,” the second studio album by The Byrds’ singer, songwriter Gene Clark. The LP was recorded at A&M Studios and Village Recorders in Los Angeles with Jesse Ed Davis producing in the Spring, 1971. Playing on the record were Davis, bassist Chris Ethridge of the Flying Burrito Brothers, organist Michael Utley, pianist Ben Sidran and drummer Gary Mallaber, both of the Steve Miller Band.
- August 1972 Thunderclap Newman pianist Andy Newman releases the solo LP “Rainbows” on Track Records in England. Pete Townshend is the executive producer of the album.
- August 1974 Ardent Records release “September Gurls” by Big Star on 45. The song was written by Alex Chilton with autobiographical lyrics about several women in his life. The record was co-produced by Big Stay and John Fry on a six track recording console at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee during sessions for the band’s second album “Radio City.”
- August 1976 Mushroom Records in Australia release “Second Thoughts,” the second LP by Split Enz. The group’s first LP “Mental Notes” had not been released in America or in Europe, so Chrysalis Records issued “Second Thoughts” in September in Britain and January 1977 in the US – as “Mental Notes” with new cover art. “Second Thoughts” was produced by Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera at Basing Street Studios in London. The LP went to No. 18 in the New Zealand album charts.
- August 1978 Chrysalis Records release “I’m Gonna Love You Too” by Blondie on 45, a cover version of The Crickets’ song from 1957. The song was written by Crickets’ bassist Joe Maudlin, guitarist Niki Sullivan and record producer Norman Petty. Produced by Mike Chapman, it was the first single released from Blondie’s “Parallel Lines” LP.
- August 1980 Virgin Records in Britain release “Generals And Majors” by XTC on 45. Written by Colin Moulding and produced by Steve Lillywhite, it was the first single released from the band’s “Black Sea” album and peaked at No. 32 in England.
- August 1980, Virgin Records release “Doc At The Radar Station” by Captain Beefheart. The album was recorded in June at Sound Castle Recording Studios in Los Angeles with Beefheart producing.
- August 1983 Warner Brothers Records release “Song For A Future Generation” by The B-52’s as the second single from the “Whammy!” LP. The song was written collectively by The B-52’s, produced by Steven Stanley.
- August 1984 EG Records release “The Pearl,” the second album by Harold Budd and Brian Eno. Recorded in Toronto, Canada with Daniel Lanois also producing, the premise of the recordings were established on the pair’s first collaboration “The Plateaux Of Mirror,” with Eno treating Budd’s improvised piano parts with studio effects and later making compositional decisions together to create the released tracks.
- August 1986 IMP Records in Britain release “Tokyo Storm Warning” by Elvis Costello and The Attractions on 45, a song Costello wrote with his wife, The Pogues bassist Cait O’Riordan. The track was Costello’s first single release to give credit to his given name MacManus. “Tokyo Storm Warning” was co-produced by Nick Lowe and Colin Fairley.
- August 1987 Virgin Records in England release “Psonic Psunspot,” the first full-length album by The Dukes Of Stratosphere, actually XTC under a different name with guitarist Dave Gregory’s brother Ian on drums. The record was co-produced by John Leckie and the band at Sawmills Studio in Fowey, Cornwall, England in June.
- August 1987 Columbia Records release the movie soundtrack LP “Back To The Beach,” a various artists collection of songs from the film. Highlights include the Stevie Ray Vaughn/Dick Dale remake of “Pipeline,” songs by Dave Edmunds, Eddie Money, Aimee Mann, M<arti Jones and a Herbie Hancock version of “Wipe Out” featuring Dweezil Zappa on guitar and Terry Bozzio on drums.
- August 1989 Virgin Records release “The Loving” by XTC on 45 in Britain. The track came from the band’s Paul Fox produced “Oranges And Lemons” LP.
- August 1992 Warner Brothers Records in Britain release “Real Cool World” by David Bowie on 45. The song was the theme from Real Cool World movie, written by Bowie and produced by Nile Rodgers. The B-side was an instrumental version of the track.
This Week In Rock and Roll History
This Week In Rock and Roll History week of August 23rd
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.
The Cool Song Of The Week
Cool Song Of The Week of 8/23 Freddy Cannon
Cool songs from the Rock and Roll Era, Closet Classics and more.
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