Wax Museum Radio
Next broadcast January 10th Friday Night at midnight and Saturday night at 10pm on WRGG.
Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History January 9th
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
January 9th
- January 9th Birthday, Bass vocalist Tommy Evans of The Drifters, born in 1927 in Wayne County, Michigan.
- January 9th Birthday, Guitarist, banjo player Paul King from Mungo Jerry, born in Dagenham, Essex, England in 1948.
- January 9th Birthday, Folk singer, songwriter Joan Baez, born in 1941 in Staten Island, New York.
- January 9th Birthday, Singer, songwriter and record producer Scott Walker from The Walker Brothers, born Noel Scott Engle in Hamilton, Ohio in 1943. Walker died on March 22nd, 2019, aged 76.
- January 9th Birthday, Led Zeppelin guitarist, songwriter and record producer Jimmy Page, born James Patrick Page in 1944 in Heston, Middlesex, England.
- January 9th Birthday, The Cowsills singer, guitarist and record producer Bill Cowsill, born in Middletown, Rhode Island in 1948. He died on February 18th, 2006 at the age of 58.
- January 9th Birthday, Singer and multi-instrumentalist Tim Hart from Steeleye Span, born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire in 1948. He died on December 24th, 2009 at the age of 61 from lung cancer.
- January 9th Birthday, Lynyrd Skynyrd backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, born in Miami, Oklahoma in 1948. Gaines died in the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash on October 20th, 1977.
- January 9th Birthday, New York Dolls singer and solo artist David Johansen, also known professionally as Buster Poindexter, born in 1950 in Staten Island, New York.
- January 9th Birthday, Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell, born in 1967 in Santa Clara, California. He passed away on September 4th, 2023.
- January 9th Birthday, Singer, songwriter, guitarist and band leader Dave Matthews, born in 1967 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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
January 9th
- January 9th, 1959 Dion And The Belmonts perform their latest single, “Teenager In Love,” on American Bandstand, two months before its release as a single.
- January 9th, 1964 “From St. Louis To Liverpool” by Chuck Berry peaks at No. 124 on the album charts following a November release on Chess Records.
- January 9th, 1964 The Temptations record “The Way You Do The Things You Do” at Hitsville USA (Studio A) in Detroit. Co-written by Robert Rogers with producer Smokey Robinson, Funk Brother “Chank” Williams played guitar on the session. The song was released on Gordy Records two weeks later, on January 23rd. The single entered the charts in February and became The Temps’ first Top Forty hit, peaking at No. 11 on April 11th, No. 1 R&B.
- January 9th, 1965 United Artists Records release “Little Things” by Bobby Goldsboro on 45. Written by Goldsboro, produced by Jack Gold and arranged by Bill Justis, the record spent twelve weeks on the charts and peaked at No. 13 on March 27th.
- January 9th, 1965 Dolton Records release “Diamond Head” by The Ventures. Written by Dan Hamilton, later the lead singer for Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds. Produced by the Dolton Records label General Manager Dick Glasser, “Diamond Head” peaked at No. 70 on February 13th.
- January 9th, 1965 The Beatles went to No. 1 on the album charts with “Beatles ‘65” and stayed there for nine weeks. “Beatles ‘65” includes eight of the fourteen songs from the British “Beatles for Sale” album. It also included “I’ll Be Back,” which was cut from the US version of the Hard Day’s Night album and both sides of the single “I Feel Fine” and “She’s a Woman.”
- January 9th, 1966 The Syndicate of Sound record “Little Girl” with producer Garrie Thompson for the independent Hush Records label. When the song became a regional hit around the band’s hometown of San Jose, California, Bell Records picked it up for national distribution. Following an April release, the record entered the singles charts in June and peaked at No. 8 on July 9th.
- January 9th, 1966 The Walker Brothers record “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore)” at Philips Studios in Stanhope Place, London with producer Johnny Franz with accompaniment directed by Ivor Raymond. Co-written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio for The 4 Seasons, their version was originally credited to Frankie Valli as a solo artist although it was recorded in a 4 Seasons recording session with the other band members. Released by Philips records in Britain on February 11th, The Walker Brothers version became the biggest record of their career. “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore)” went No. 1 in England and No. 13 in the US, on May 21st. The single also hit the Top Ten in Canada, Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway.
- January 9th, 1967 Colgems Records release the second album by The Monkees, “More Of The Monkees.” Recorded from June 25th through November 26th, 1966 with a large cast of producers. Various sessions were recorded with Jeff Barry, Boyce and Hart, Mike Nesmith, Jack Keller, Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Neil Sedaka and Carol Bayer Sager producing. The album went to No. 1 in Britain and, in the US, No. 1 for eighteen weeks beginning February 11th, selling over five million copies.
- January 9th, 1967 Columbia Records release “So You Want To Be A Rock and Roll Star” by The Byrds on 45. The song was co-written by Byrds Jim McGuinn and Chris Hillman. Hillman stated that he composed the song’s bass part during a recording session for South African musician Hugh Masekela and Masekela’s trumpet playing is featured on the track, representing the first use of a brass section on a Byrds recording. The record reached No. 29 in America on March 4th.
- January 9th, 1967 Atlantic Records release “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long” by The Young Rascals. Co-written by Rascals Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati and self-produced by the band, the record hit No. 16 in America on April 1st, No. 7 in Canada.
- On the same day, Atlantic released The Young Rascals’ second album “Collections.” Featuring the hits “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long” and “Love Is A Beautiful Thing,” the record peaked at No. 14 on April 29th.
- January 9th, 1968 RCA Records release “Guitar Man” by Elvis Presley. Written and released by Jerry Reed a year earlier, Reed was called in to play the signature guitar lines on the Elvis session with producer Felton Jarvis. In addition to Reed, the recording features longtime Presley sidemen Scotty Moore, D. J. Fontana, Floyd Cramer and Buddy Harmon, among others. The record peaked at No. 28 on March 21st.
- January 9th, 1969 Cream record “Politician,” “SWLABR” and “Steppin’ Out” at Aeolian Hall 2 for the BBC radio show Top Gear. The performance aired on January 14th. The songs were issued on April 14th, 2003 on the “BBC Sessions” CD.
- January 9th, 1970 Apple Records in Britain release “Magic Christian Music” by Badfinger. The album came out on the 16th of February in the US. The LP was essentially a reissue of the “Maybe Tomorrow” album by The Iveys, as the band were known when they first signed to the label. The release added the new songs written for the Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers movie The Magic Christianand a few remixes of tracks from “Maybe Tomorrow.” The record featured the Paul McCartney written and produced song “Come And Get It” and peaked at No. 55 on April 25th.
- January 9th, 1970 Bell Records in the UK release “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” by Edison Lighthouse. Co-written by Tony Macaulay and Barry Mason, a studio group with session singer Tony Burrows providing the vocals. When the record became a hit, a group was quickly assembled to feature the song on the British TV show Top Of The Pops. The single was already at No. 1 for five weeks in Britain when it came out stateside on February 14th, reaching No. 4 in the US on March 28th.
- January 9th, 1971 The Allman Brothers’ “Revival (Love Is Everywhere)” enters the singles charts following a November release on Capricorn Records. Written by group guitarist Dickie Betts, the record was produced by Tom Dowd. “Revival” logged three weeks on the charts and peaked at No. 92 on January 9th.
- January 9th, 1971 Mark Lindsey’s “Problem Child” enters the singles charts. Written by Mac Davis, the track was produced by Jerry Fuller and arranged by Bill Justis. “Problem Child” spent four weeks on the charts and peaked at No. 80 on January 30th.
- January 9th, 1971 The Magic Lanterns’ “One Night Stand” enters the singles charts. The band were formed in Warrington, Lancashire, England and at one time or another included Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, later of 10cc and hitmaking singer/songwriter Albert Hammond. “One Night Stand” spent six weeks on the charts and peaked at No. 74 on February 6th.
- January 9th, 1971 Badfinger begin studio sessions for their next LP. The recordings remained unreleased until the 1990’s, although many of the songs resurfaced during later sessions with producers George Harrison and Todd Rundgren, on the groups most successful Apple Records LP, “Straight Up.”
- January 9th, 1976 Graham Parker and The Rumour sign their first record deal with Mercury Records in England.
- January 9th, 1976 Elton John releases the double A-sided single “Grow Some Funk Of Your Own” backed with “I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford)” on 45 in Britain. “Grow Some Funk” was co-written by Elton John, Bernie Taupin and guitarist Davey Johnstone. Kiki Dee sings backing vocals on the track. Taupin’s lyrics for “I Feel Like A Bullet” compares the shooting of outlaw Jesse James by his partner in crime, Robert Ford, to his failed marriage to first wife Maxine Feibelman, the lyrical subject of the song “Tiny Dancer.” The songs were recorded from June through July 1975 with producer Gus Dudgeon during the sessions for the LP “Rock Of The Westies.” In America, the record peaked at No. 14 on February 28th.
- January 9th, 1976 Chrysalis Records release the Jethro Tull collection “M.U.” The title stood for “Musician’s Union,” which is a reference to the various musicians from different line-ups of the band appearing throughout the album. The album reached No. 13 on March 6th.
- January 9th, 1984 Warner Brothers Records release the “1984” album by Van Halen. The LP reached No. 2 on March 17thand featured four hit singles, “Jump,” “I’ll Wait,” “Panama” and “Hot for Teacher.”
- January 9th, 1989 Mercury Records release “A Show Of Hands,” a double live album by Rush. Most of the live recordings were made during the band’s 1988 Hold Your Fire tour. Three songs were taped on the 1986 Power Windows tour. There was a simultaneous release of the material on VHS tape and Videodisc.
Miscellaneous January
- January 1959 Del Fi Records release “Fast Freight” backed with Big Baby Blues” by Arvee Allens on 45. Both instrumentals, the name was a pseudonym for Ritchie Valens, who wrote the songs. Rereleased later under his real name, it was Valens’ last single issued in his lifetime.
- January 1967 Verve Folkways Records release “More Than A New Discovery,” the first album by Laura Nyro. The LP was produced by Milton Okun from July through November 1966 at Bell Sound Studios in New York City. Verve reissued the tracks as “The First Songs” in 1969 on their Verve Forecast imprint and Columbia did the same in 1973, reissued with a new cover, when it peaked at No. 97 on March 24th.
- January 1968 CBS Records in Britain release “Come Out Fighting Genghis Smith,” the second album by Roy Harper. The LP was produced by Shel Talmy.
- January 1969 CBS Records in Britain release “Love Chronicles,” the second album by Al Stewart. 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.
- January 1971 Warner Brothers Records release the self-titled debut album by Little Feat. Produced by Russ Titelman, the LP didn’t chart. Little Feat were formed by guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in Los Angeles in 1969.
- January 1972 Reprise Records release “The Spotlight Kid,” the sixth studio album by Captain Beefheart. The album was recorded in the Autumn of 1971 with Beefheart and Phil Schier co-producing.
- January 1972 Buddah Records release “City Of New Orleans” by songwriter Steve Goodman. Although Goodman’s version didn’t chart, two subsequent cover versions did. Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson both had hits with the song. Goodman received a posthumous Grammy award for best Country Song at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985 for Nelson’s cover of the song.
- January 1973 Palladium Records release “Back In ‘72” by Bob Seger. The album contains the original studio version of one of Seger’s signature songs, “Turn the Page.”
- January 1974 Warner Brothers Records release “Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath” by Black Sabbath on 45. The single version of the song was edited to three minutes and thirty-three seconds from the album version that was nearly six minutes long.
- January 1974 Ardent Records release “Radio City,” the second album by Big Star. Down to the three-piece unit of Alex Chilton, Jody Stephens and Andy Hummel, former guitarist Chris Bell did contribute to the writing of a few songs on the LP before departing in late 1972. A few of the songs were completed by Chilton with session players. Sales were hampered by poor distribution of the album when Ardent’s parent company had disagreements with Columbia Records, who otherwise would have placed the album in stores.
- January 1975 Wilco Johnson’s band, Dr. Feelgood, release their first LP “Down The Jetty” on United Artists Records in Britain.
- January 1976 Mercury Records release “Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed” by Thin Lizzy on 45. The song was co-written by Phil Lynott, Scott Gorham and Brian Downey. The track was produced by John Alcock from the band’s “Johnny The Fox” LP.
- January 1977 Private Stock Records release the eponymous first album by Blondie. Produced by Richard Gottehrer, the group bought back their contract with Private Stock and re-signed with Chrysalis Records, wrote re-released the album the following September.
- January 1981 Full Moon/Epic Records release “Outside” by Ambrosia as a single backed with the Eagles song “I Can’t Tell You Why” on the flip side. Both songs were featured in the 1980 Richard Donner film soundtrack Inside Moves. The record peaked at No. 102 in the US.
- January 1981 Sire Records release Talking Heads “Once In A Lifetime” on 45. Co-produced and written by the band and Brian Eno. It was the lead single from Talking Heads’ fourth studio album, “Remain In Light.” The LP went to No. 19 on December 6thbut the single never entered the Top One Hundred despite significant airplay on early MTV broadcasts. A live version released in 1986 peaked at No. 91.
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 January 4th
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 / 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
The Cool Song Of The Week
Cool Song Of The Week January 4th Status Quo
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
- 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.
