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Next broadcast October 31st Friday Night at midnight and Saturday night at 10pm on WRGG.
Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History October 30th
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
October 30th
- October 30th Birthday, Baritone singer from The Temptations, Otis Williams, born Otis Miles Jr. in 1939 in Texarkana, Texas.
- October 30th Birthday, Jefferson Airplane/Starship singer and solo artist Grace Slick, born Grace Barnett Wing in 1939 in Highland Park, Illinois.
- October 30th Birthday, Songwriter, singer and solo artist, Eddie Holland, born in 1939 in Detroit, Michigan. Along with Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, he was one third of the legendary Motown songwriting team Holland Dozier Holland.
- October 30th Birthday, Manfred Mann drummer, Chris Slade, born Christopher Rees in 1946 in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, South Wales.
- October 30th Birthday, Singer, songwriter, bass player and member of Poco and the Eagles, Timothy B. Schmit, born in 1947 in Oakland, California.
- October 30th Birthday, Guitarist, vocalist and leader of Bush, Gavin Rossdale, born in 1965 in Marleybone, England.
Today In Rock and Roll History
October 30th
- October 30th, 1961 Crest Records release two instrumentals, “Buzz Saw” backed with “Annie Had A Party” by The Gee Cees on 45. The band were the duo of Glen Campbell and Jerry Kolbrak. Glen Campbell wrote “Buzz Saw” and co-wrote the flip side with Jerry Capehart.
- October 30th, 1961 Roulette Records release “Peppermint Twist” by Joey Dee and the Starliters. Co-written by Joey Dee and Henry Glover, the original recording of the song was considered too long for release on a 45 rpm single, so it was split into two parts. It was the first part, “Peppermint Twist (Part 1),” which became the No. 1 hit, on January 27th, 1962.
- October 30th, 1961 RCA Victor Records release Neil Sedaka’s “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen.” With music by Sedaka and lyrics by Howard Greenfield, longtime Sedaka session drummer Gary Chester plays on the record. Other musicians on the track were Al Casamenti, Art Reyerson and Charles Macey on guitar, Ernie Hayes on piano, George Duviver on bass, Artie Kaplan on sax and a full string and percussion section as well. The song would become Neil Sedaka’s eighth US Top Twenty hit, peaking at No. 6 on January 6th, 1962.
- October 30th, 1963 Completing their Swedish tour the night before, The Beatles play four songs, “She Loves You,” “Twist And Shout,” “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Long Tall Sally” in front of a live audience for the Swedish television program Drop In at Narren-Teaturn in Stockholm, Sweden. The program aired on November 3rd.
- October 30th, 1965 Red Bird Records release “I Can Never Go Home Anymore” by The Shangri-Las on 45. The song was written and produced by George “Shadow” Morton, a melodramatic tune about lost teen love and mother/daughter relationship. The record peaked at No. 6 on December 11th.
- October 30th, 1965 The Turtles “Let Me Be” enters the singles charts in America. The band’s second single, the 45 followed the successful Bob Dylan cover of “It Ain’t Me Babe.” Written by P. F. Sloan and produced by Bones Howe, the record went to No. 29 on November 27th, No. 14 in Canada.
- October 30th, 1967 Atco Records release “Buffalo Springfield Again,” the send LP by Buffalo Springfield. The LP was co-produced by the band with Jack Nitzche, Ahmet Ertegun, Brian Stone and Charles Greene at Columbia, Sunset Sound and Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles and Atlantic Studios in New York City from January through September 1967. During the recording of the LP, Neil Young had quit and rejoined the group several times. The record peaked at No. 44 on January 6th, 1968.
- October 30th, 1968 Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” is released on 45 by Tamla Records. Co-written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, the strings were arranged by Paul Rizer. Earl Van Dyke and Johnny Griffith played keyboards, with Griffith playing the electric piano part. “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” was first recorded by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles in 1966, but Glady Knight’s version came out first. The Marvin Gaye recording was an album only track until DJs began to play it, prompting the record company to release it as a single. The record entered the charts in November and went to No. 1 for seven weeks on December 14th.
- October 30th, 1968 The MC5 record live tracks for their upcoming album at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit. The obscene lyrics of the stage version of the single “Kick Out The Jams” would cause quite a stir among both teens and parents.
- October 30th, 1970 DJM Records in Britain release “Tumbleweed Connection,” the third studio album by Elton John. Lyricist Bernie Taupin wrote a series of words for the LP based on Americana themes. Sessions for the record were produced by Gus Dudgeon at Trident Studios in London. The album went to No. 5 on February 13th, 1971, No. 2 in Britain.
- October 30th, 1970 MAM Records in Britain release former Love Sculpture guitarist Dave Edmunds’ cover version of the 1955 Smiley Lewis song “I Hear You Knockin’.” Recorded at Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire, Edmunds plays all the instruments and the vocal was piped in through a telephone line. In December 1970, “I Hear You Knocking” became a Christmas No. 1 in the UK, topping the British singles charts for six weeks. Out December 12th in the US, “I Hear You Knockin’” peaked at No. 4 on February 13th, 1971.
- October 30th, 1970 Island Records in Britain release Cat Stevens’ “Father And Son” on 45 from the “Tea For The Tillerman” LP. The song was written by Stevens and produced by Paul Samwell-Smith.
- October 30th, 1970 Track Records release the “Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy” collection of previously unreleased on LP songs by The Who. Compiled by bassist John Entwistle, the album reached No. 11 in America on December 4th, No. 9 in Britain.
- October 30th, 1971 “The Life And Times Of Country Joe & The Fish From Haight-Ashbury To Woodstock” enters the album charts and peaks at No. 197. A double LP compilation of songs by Country Joe And The Fish, it was their final record to chart in the US.
- October 30th, 1972 Capricorn Records release “Sunshine,” the debut single by Jonathan Edwards. Written by Edwards and produced by Peter Casperson, the record entered the charts in November reached No. 4 on January 15th, 1972 and went Gold for a million copies sold.
- October 30th, 1972 John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” is released. Recorded in August the song was co-written by John Denver and former Joni Mitchell lead guitarist Mike Taylor, who joined Denver‘s band in 1969. “Rocky Mountain High” was primarily inspired by John Denver’s move to Aspen, Colorado. When the single was released, some radio stations banned the song for suspected drug references until Denver publicly explained that the “high” was his innocent description of the sense of peace he found in the Rocky Mountains. On March 12th, 2007, the Colorado General Assembly made “Rocky Mountain High” one of two official state songs, sharing the honor with “Where the Columbines Grow.” Produced by Milt Okum, the record entered the charts on November 25thand the record went to No. 9 on March 3rd, 1973.
- October 30th, 1972 Elton John becomes the first rock star since The Beatles to perform for Queen Elizabeth II at her annual Royal Command Variety Performance in London.
- October 30th, 1972 The Raspberries “I Wanna Be With You” is released. Written by group singer Eric Carmen, the track was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London in January 1972. Produced by Jimmy Ienner, the record entered the charts in November and went to No. 16 on January 27th, 1973.
- October 30th, 1976 “Animal Notes,” the second album by Crack The Sky, enters the album charts on Lifesong Records. The band included all the original members from their first LP, John Palumbo, Rick Witkowski, Joe Macre, Jim Griffiths and Joey D’Amico. Co-produced by Terrance P. Minogue, Marty Nelson and William Kirkland, the LP peaked at No. 142 on November 27th.
- October 30th, 1979 Tamla Records release the soundtrack to the film documentary Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants, a double album set by Stevie Wonder. Wonder producer the record at six different studios from February through April. The LP featured the hits “Send One Your Love” and “Outside My Window.” “Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants” peaked at No. 4 on December 8th.
- October 30th, 1981 Queen and David Bowie release “Under Pressure” on 45 in Britain. Recorded at Mountain Studio in Montreux, Switzerland with the band and David Bowie sharing the production duties. Peaking at No. 29 in the US on January 9th, the single made the Top Ten in ten other countries.
- October 30th, 1982 Melbourne, Australia’s Men At Work had the No. 1 song in the US with “Who Can It Be Now?”
- October 30th, 1987 Columbia Records release “Faith,” the first solo album by George Michael. The LP peaked at No. 1 on January 16th, 1988.
- October 30th, 1992 The King Crimson box set “The Great Deceiver (Live 1970-74)” is released.
- October 30th, 1992 Composed entirely of traditional folk songs and cover versions, Bob Dylan’s twenty-eighth studio album “Good As I Been To You” is released by Columbia Records. The LP is a collection of cover versions and traditional folk songs with only Dylan on guitar, vocals and harmonica. The record peaked at No. 51 on November 21st.
- October 30th, 2020 Concord Records release “Hey Clockface” by Elvis Costello. Steve Nieve plays piano on the record with woodwinds and a drummer at Helsinki and Paris sessions, and Bill Frisell and other on New York recordings in 2020. Co-produced by Costello and Sebastian Krys.
Miscellaneous October
- Mid-October 1960, The Silver Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe) minus drummer Pete Best, play on a recording session arranged by manager Allan Williams for Lu Walters, bassist and vocalist from Rory Storm and The Hurricanes at Akustik Studios in Hamburg, Germany. Drumming on the session was Hurricane’s drummer Ringo Starr. Four copies of a 78rpm demo disc were pressed. Recorded that day were ‘Fever”co-written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, “Summertime” co-written by George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward and “September Song” co-written by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson.
- October 1961, Chess Records release “The Red Rooster” backed with “Shake With Me” by Howlin’ Wolf on 45, credited to blues writer and arranger Willie Dixon.
- October 1961, Canadian American Records release “I Wish I Weren’t In Love” backed with “I’m Lonely” by Jerry Landis on 45. Both songs were written by Landis, an early stage name used by Paul Simon.
- October 1961, Ray Charles releases “The Genius Sings The Blues,” his final album for Atlantic Records. The record peaked at No. 73.
- October 1964, Ringo Starr records “In America” with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes at EMI Studios, 3 Abbey Road, St. John’s Wood, London with Brian Epstein, his only record production. Co-written by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Soundheim, the track was released as a single on November 16thby Parlophone Records with “Since You Broke My Heart” as the single’s B-side. Ringo sang backing vocals with Rory Storm’s brother-in-law Shane Fenton, later known as Alvin Stardust and added miscellaneous percussion.
- October 1967, Scorpio Records release “Porterville” backed with “Call It Pretending,” the seventh and final single by pre-Creedence Clearwater Revival band The Golliwogs. Written by John Fogerty using the name T. Spicebush Swallowtail, “Porterville” would be rerecorded for CCR’s first LP.
- October 1967, Verve Records release “Chelsea Girl,” the debut solo album by Nico. After recording the first Velvet Underground LP and touring with Andy Warhol’s Exploding Plastic Inevitable multimedia show, Nico recorded the LP at Mayfair Recording in Manhattan, New York City with Tom Wilson producing. Jackson Browne played guitar and wrote songs for the record and VU members Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison and John Cale were backing musicians on many of the tracks.
- October 1968, Reprise/Bizarre Records release “The Circle” backed with “Merry-Go-Round” by Wild Man Fischer on 45. Both songs were written by Larry Fischer, credited as L. Fischer. The tracks were produced and arranged by Frank Zappa. Zappa plays all the instruments on “The Circle.”
- October 1968, Parlophone Records in Britain release “Blues Helping” the debut LP by Welsh trio Love Sculpture featuring Dave Edmunds on guitar.
- October 1969, Island Records release the self-titled second album by Free. Traffic flutist Chris Wood played on the song “Mourning Sad Morning.” Produced by Island label founder Chris Blackwell, the LP peaked at No. 22 in Britain but didn’t chart in the US.
- October 1969, Island Records in Britain release “Rock And Roll Queen,” the first single by Mott The Hoople. Written by guitarist Mick Ralphs, the record was issued in America on Atlantic Records the following July.
- October 1970, Reprise Records release the self-titled debut album by guitarist Ry Cooder. The LP was co-produced by Van Dyke Parks and Lenny Waronker. Cooder was part of the Los Angeles folk music scene in the mid-1960’s, playing in a band called The Rising Sons with Taj Mahal and future Spirit drummer Ed Cassidy.
- October 1971, Charisma Records in Britain release “Pawn Hearts,” the fourth album by Van der Graaf Generator. Robert Fripp guested on the LP sessions at Trident Studios, recorded July through September with producer John Anthony. The album came out the following May in the US.
- October 1971, Capitol Records release “People Let’s Stop The War” backed with “Save The Land” by Grand Funk Railroad on 45. Both songs were Mark Farner compositions with Terry Knight producing.
- October 1973, RCA Records release Lou Reed’s tragic rock opera “Berlin.” Recorded at Morgan Studios in London with producer Bob Ezrin, session players on the record include Steve Wagner, Jack Bruce, Steve Winwood, Aynsley Dunbar and B.J. Wilson. The record peaked at No. 98 in America and No. 7 in Britain.
- October 1974, RCA Records release “Subterranean Homesick Blues” by Nilsson on 45. A cover version of the Bob Dylan song, the track came from the John Lennon produced “Pussycats” LP. The singe’s B-side was a medley of Lennon’s “Mucho Mungo” and Nilsson’s “Mt. Elga.”
- October 1974, Harvest Records in Britain release “See My Baby Jive,” a compilation album by Roy Wood’s band Wizzard.
- October 1975, A&M Records release “Mama Coco” by Gino Vannelli on 45. Written by Vannelli and co-produced by he and his brother Joe Vannelli, the record peaked at No. 115 in America.
- October 1975, Discreet Records release the album “Bongo Fury” by Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention with Captain Beefheart. The LP was recorded mostly live on May 20thand the 21st at Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas with two studio tracks in January 1975.
- October 1976, 20th Century Records release the various artist movie soundtrack “All This And WWII.” The record featured songs by The Beatles recorded by various artists Peter Gabriel, Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne, Ambrosia, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Bryan Ferry and others. The album peaked at No. 48 on December 25th.
- October 1977, John Entwistle produces the self-titled debut LP by The Fabulous Poodles and played on the Lonnie Donegan LP “Puttin’ On The Style.”
- October 1977, Virgin Records in Britain release “Science Friction” backed with “She’s So Square” the first single by XTC. Both songs were written by singer and guitarist Andy Partridge and produced by John Leckie.
- October 1978, Brian Eno’s “Music For Films” is released. Originally issued as a limited edition of five hundred copies sent to filmmakers, the full release of the record added more tracks to the set. The ambient songs on the album were recorded from 1975 through 1978.
- October 1978, Chrysalis Records release “Hanging On The Telephone” by Blondie on 45. The song was a cover version of The Nerves’ song from 1976, written by Jack Lee. Produced by Mike Chapman, the single went to No. 5 in Britain.
- October 1980, Atco Records release “In The Midnight Hour,” a cover version of the Wilson Pickett hit, on 45. Ther record had a brief chart run, peaking at No. 106 on the US singles charts.
- October 1980, Atco Records release “People Who Died” by The Jim Carroll Band on 45. Written by Jim Carroll and produced by Earl McGrath, the record peaked at No. 103.
- October 1980, Virgin Records in Britain release “Towers Of London” by XTC on 45. The song was written by Andy Partridge, taken from the Steve Lillywhite produced LP “Black Sea.” The record peaked at No. 31 in England.
- October 1981, Capitol Records release “Lunatic Fringe” by Red Rider on 45. Written by singer and guitarist Tom Cochran, the record peaked at No. 11 in the US.
- October 1986, Legacy Records release “Raining In The City” by Roy Wood on 45. The song was written and produced by Roy Wood from the LP “Starting Up.”
This Week In Rock and Roll History
This Week In Rock and Roll History week of October 25th
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 10/25 Robert Wyatt
Cool songs from the Rock and Roll Era, Closet Classics and more.
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.
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.
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
Jonas Reingold Interview
Jonas Reingold in The Wax Museum
Click image to hear the Wax Museum Interview with Jonas Reingold
Carl Giammarese / The Buckinghams Interview
The Buckinghams Radio Show
Click image to hear Chris Palladino's interviews on WRGG with Carl Giammarese from The Buckinghams in 2022 and 2024
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
- 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 Radio Oz now available for purchase in the Firesign Theatre's "Fighting Clowns" of Hollywood" collection! Also check out this Tiny Ossman interview from 1995 -
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.
