Wax Museum Radio

Rock and Roll Birthdays

Today's Rock and Roll Birthdays

September 5th

September 5th Birthday, Avant-garde composer John Cage, born in Los Angeles, California in 1912. He died on August 12th, 1992 at the age of 79.

September 5th Birthday, Music executive, record producer and founder of Specialty Records, Art Rupe. Born Arthur Newton Goldberg in 1917 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Rupe formed Specialty Records and helped to launch the careers of Little Richard, Sam Cooke and others. Rupe died April 15th, 2022 at the age of 104.

September 5th Birthday, Singer, songwriter John Stewart, born in 1939 in San Diego, California. Stewart joined The Kingston Trio in 1961. The group disbanded in 1967. Stewart went solo and wrote hits for The Monkees, Anne Murray and The Lovin’ Spoonful. He died on January 19th, 2008 at the age of 68.

September 5th Birthday, Drummer Mick Underwood, who played with many English bands, The Herd, Episode Six, Quatermass and Gillan among others, born in Middlesex, England in 1945.

September 5th Birthday, Singer, songwriter and solo artist Al Stewart, born in 1945 in Greenock, Scotland.

September 5th Birthday, Singer and songwriter Dean Ford from the band Marmalade, born Thomas McAleese in 1946 in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.

September 5th Birthday, Queen singer, songwriter and keyboardist Freddie Mercury, born Farokh Bulsara in 1946 in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Freddie passed away on November 24th, 1991 from complications from the AIDS virus at the age of 45.

September 5th Birthday, Singer, songwriter, actor Loudon Wainwright III, born in 1946 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

September 5th Birthday, Buddy Miles, drummer in Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys, founder and leader of the Buddy Miles Express and the Buddy Miles Band, born in 1947 in Omaha, Nebraska. In the 1980’s, Miles sang lead vocals on the California Raisins claymation TV commercials, recording two California Raisins R&B albums. He died of congestive heart disease on January 26th, 2008 at the age of 60.

September 5th Birthday, Colosseum and Humble Pie guitarist Dave “Clem” Clempson, born in 1949 in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England.

September 5th Birthday, Bob Seger, Leon Russell and Eric Clapton Band drummer Jamie Oldaker, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1951. He passed away on July 16th, 2020 at the age of 68.

September 5th Birthday, Guitarist, singer and songwriter and oldest son of Frank Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, born in 1969 in Los Angeles, California.

Today In Rock and Roll History

September 5th

September 5th, 1957 Elvis Presley records “Treat Me Nice” and “Blue Christmas” at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. “Treat Me Nice” was issued as the B-side of “Jailhouse Rock” on September 27th. Co-written, like “Jailhouse Rock,” by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the song peaked at No. 27 on November 4th.

September 5th, 1959 New Orleans record label Rex Records release the instrumental “Storm Warning,” the first single by Mac Rebennac. The song was written by Rebennack, released when he was seventeen years old. He would gain notoriety and fame nearly ten years later as Dr. John.

September 5th, 1964 The Animals have their biggest US hit when “House of the Rising Sun” reaches No. 1.

September 5th, 1967 The Beatles begin recording “I Am The Walrus” at EMI Studios in London with producer George Martin.

September 5th, 1968 With lyrics inspired by the Chinese Book of Change, the I-Ching, The Beatles begin recording a second band version of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at EMI Studios in London. Demo’d at George’s Esher home in May, the initial studio tracks were abandoned in favor of a new basic track, taped with Eric Clapton on lead guitar the following day on Take Twenty-Five, chosen to add overdubs to the following day.

September 5th, 1970 Windfall Records release “For Yasgur’s Farm” by Mountain on 45. Inspired by The Woodstock Music and Art Fair a year earlier at Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, New York, the song was produced by Felix Pappalardi, co-written by Corky Laing, David Rea, Pappalardi, Gail Collins and Gary Ship, from the Mountain LP “Climbing.”

September 5th, 1970 Columbia Records release Laura Nyro’s “Up On The Roof” on 45. Originally a hit for The Drifters in 1962, the song was co-written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King during their tenure as staff songwriters in New York City’s Brill Building. Nyro’s version came from her 1970 album “Christmas And The Beads Of Sweat.” The record reached No. 92 on October 10th.

September 5th, 1970 One of the great rock live albums, Joe Cocker’s “Mad Dogs And Englishmen” is released by A&M Records. The album featuring Leon Russell and The Grease Band recorded March 27th and 28th at The Fillmore East in New York City. Co-produced by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell, the LP peaked at No. 2 on October 10th.

September 5th, 1970 Traffic’s “Empty Pages” enters the singles charts. The song was co-written by Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi. “Empty Pages” was recorded during sessions for the “John Barleycorn Must Die” LP at Island Studios and Olympic Studios in London from February through April with Chris Blackwell, Steve Winwood and Guy Stevens producing various sessions. “Empty Pages” peaked at No. 74 on November 14th.

September 5th, 1970 “Somebody’s Been Sleeping” by 100 Proof Aged In Soul enters the singles charts on Hot Wax Records. The band were put together around former Contours singer Joe Stubbs and vocalist Steve Mancha by Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland, who had set up Hot Wax and the Invictus Records labels. Co-written by Chairmen Of The Board singer General Johnson, Angelo Bond and the record’s producer Greg Perry, “Somebody’s Been Sleeping” went to No. 8 on November 14th.

September 5th, 1970 Curtom Records release “Curtis,” the debut solo album by former Impressions singer and guitarist Curtis Mayfield. Mayfield began to write lyrics that reflected a more socially conscious view of the world and became one of the most important songwriters of his generation. The record topped the R&B album charts and peaked at No. 19 on the Pop LP charts on November 28th.

September 5th, 1970 Westbound Records release “God, Love and Rock and Roll” by Tulsa, Oklahoma duo Teegarden and Van Winkle. The song was co-written by David Teegarden and Skip Knape (Van Winkle) and co-produced by the two with Jim Cassily. The single was picked up for national distribution after an earlier release on the independent Plumm Records label. The record peaked at No. 22 on October 31st.

September 5th, 1972 A Gold Record is awarded to Emerson, Lake and Palmer for their LP “Trilogy.”

September 5th, 1973 Polydor Records release the self-titled “Buckingham Nicks” album by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, produced by Keith Olsen. Waddy Wachtell played sessions on the record.

September 5th, 1975 Paul McCartney and Wings’ single “Listen To What The Man Said” is awarded a Gold Record for a million copies sold.

September 5th, 1975 Decca Records in Britain release “Stuck In A Hole” by Caravan on 45. The song was written by the group’s Pye Hastings. The track was released from the David Hitchcock produced “Cunning Stunts” LP.

September 5th, 1975 Capitol Records release “Letting Go” by Paul McCartney and Wings on 45 in Britain, out fifteen days later in the US. McCartney wrote and produced the song, recorded late in 1974 at Abbey Road Studios in London, one of three songs Wings recorded with short-term drummer Geoff Britton. Remixed from the album version, the single peaked at No. 41 in Britain and No. 39 in the US, on October 25th.

September 5th, 1978 MCA Records release “Skynyrd’s First --- And Last,” a collection of previously unreleased tracks by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Material on the record was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama in 1971 and 1972 before the first Skynyrd LP was recorded. The material was repackaged as “Skynyrd’s First: The Complete Muscle Shoals Album” in 1998 with additional material not released on the original 1978 album. “Skynyrd’s First --- And Last” peaked at No. 15 on October 28th, 1978.

September 5th, 1979 Arista Records release “Catch Me Now, I’m Falling” by The Kinks on 45. Written and produced by Ray Davies, the song was the second single released from the band’s “Low Budget” LP.

September 5th, 1981 Stevie Nicks solo LP “Bella Donna” reaches No. 1 on the US album charts.

September 5th, 1987 Island Records release “Where The Streets Have No Name” by U2 on 45. The song was written collectively by the band. Singer Bono wrote the lyrics while on a humanitarian visit to Ethiopia with his wife Ali Hewson. The track was co-produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, Ireland. The record peaked at No. 13 on November 7th.

Miscellaneous September

September 1965 Muriel Records release “Lookie There” backed with “Wail Baby Wail” by Tommy Louis with Marshall and The Versatiles on 45. Ike Turner plays guitar on the tracks.

September 1967 CBS Records in Britain release “Love Chronicles,” the second album by Al Stewart. “Love Chronicles” was issued in the US in September. The album was issued in America in January 1969 on Epic Records. The LP was co-produced by Roy Guest, John Wood and Al Stewart. Session musicians included Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and four members of Fairport Convention, Simon Nicol, Richard Thompson, Martin Lamble and Ashley Hutchings. Songs on the record were orchestrated by Alexander Faris.

September 1970 Liberty Records release “Love Is A Game” backed with “Takin’ Back My Name” by a solo Ike Turner on 45. “Love Is A Game” was written by Tina Turner’s sister Ailllene Bullock. “Takin’ Back My Name” was credited to Leah Graham, an alias for Ike Turner, who produced and arranged the tracks as well.

September 1973, RCA Records in Britain release “The Tra La La Days Are Over” by Neil Sedaka. Recorded at Strawberry Studios in the Spring with Eric Stewart producing and 10cc as the backing band, the LP produced “Love Will Keep Us Together.” The song, co-written by Sedaka with Howard Greenfield, would become a huge hit for The Captain And Tennille in 1976.

September 1975 A&M Records release “White Punks On Dope” by the Tubes on 45. The song was co-written by Bill Spooner, Roger Steen and Michael Evans and produced by Al Kooper from the band’s eponymous first album. The single was edited to omit the curse word in the lyrics.

September 1977 DEVO release their second single on their own Booji Boy label. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” was a cover version of The Rolling Stones song. “(I Saw My Baby Getting) Sloppy” was co-written by DEVO. The 45 was produced by the group. “Satisfaction” was rerecorded by DEVO and released as their major label debut for Warner Brothers Records a year later.

September 1979 Reprise Records release “Rust Never Sleeps (Hey Hey, My My [Out Of The Blue])” by Neil Young on 45. The A-side was the acoustic version of the song. The flip side was the full band version, recorded with the band Crazy Horse and both from the “Rust Never Sleeps” LP.

September 1979 CBS Records in Ireland issue the seven-inch EP “Out Of Control” backed with “Stories For Boys” & “Boy/Girl,” the first release by U2. All three songs were written collectively by the band and co-produced by U2 and Chas De Whalley.

September 1981 David Bowie records the five songs written for Bertolt Brecht’s Baal. Bowie appeared in the BBC television production of Baal. The play was transmitted in Britain on March 2nd, 1982. The tracks were co-produced by David Bowie and Tony Visconti, who also played bass on the recordings. The EP was released in September 1982, reaching No. 29 in Britain.

September 1981 Island Records in Britain release “Gloria” by U2 on 45. The second single released from the group’s second album “October,” the song was written collectively by U2. “Gloria” was recorded during July and August sessions with producer Steve Lillywhite at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, Ireland. The record peaked at No. 55 in Britain.

September 1986 Warner Brothers Records release “Summer Of Love” by The B-52’s on 45. The song was co-written Keith Strickland, Rocky Wilson, Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, produced by Tony Mansfield from the LP “Bouncing Off The Satellites.” The single had a unique remix with additional production by Shep Pettibone.