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Rock and Roll Birthdays

Today's Rock and Roll Birthdays

September 27th

September 27th Birthday, Mar Keys singer, solo artist and record producer Don Nix, born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1941.

September 27th Birthday, The Guess Who and BTO singer, songwriter and guitarist Randy Bachman, born in 1943 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

September 27th Birthday, Singer Meatloaf, born Marvin Lee Aday in 1947 in Dallas, Texas. Aday died January 20th, 2022 at the age of 72 from complications after contracting Covid-19.

September 27th Birthday, Singer, songwriter, musician Linda Lewis, born Linda Ann Fredericks in West Ham, Essex, England. Lewis had solo hits and sang backups with David Bowie, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart and others. She passed away on May 3rd, 2023 at the age of 72.

September 27th Birthday, Reggae bassist Robbie Shakespeare, born in 1953 in Kingston, Jamaica. Shakespeare died on December 8th, 2021 at the age of 68.

September 27th Birthday, Men at Work flutist and saxophonist Greg Ham, born in 1953 in Melbourne, Australia. Ham passed away on April 19th, 2012 at his home in Melbourne, Australia. He was 58 years old.

September 27th Birthday, Singer, actor Shaun Cassidy, born in Los Angeles, California in 1958.

September 27th Birthday, Singer, songwriter and solo artist Avril Lavingne, born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada in 1984.

Today In Rock and Roll History

September 27th

September 27th, 1969 Roulette Records release “Ball Of Fire” on 45 by Tommy James and The Shondells. Produced by Tommy James and arranged by the band, the song was co-written by James, Mike Vale, Bruce Sudano, Woody Wilson and Paul Naumann. The single reached No. 19 on November 8th.

September 27th, 1969 Elektra Records release “Voodoo Woman” by the Los Angeles, California band Simon Stokes and The Nighthawks on 45. The song was co-written by Nicholas Stokes and Randall Keith and produced by Linda Perry with engineer John Haeny. The record entered the charts in November and peaked at No. 90 on December 27th.

September 27th, 1970 Cotillion Records release “Loaded,” the fourth album by The Velvet Underground. Though credited on the record, drummer Maureen Tucker did not play on the album, due to her pregnancy. Drums on the record were played by guitarist Doug Yule, recording engineer Adrian Barber and Doug Yule’s brother Billy. It was the last original Velvet Underground album to include Lou Reed, who wrote the songs on the LP.

September 27th, 1971 Columbia Records release “Everybody’s Everything” by Santana on 45. The tune was based on the 1967 song “Karate” by The Emperor’s, co-written by Milton Brown and Tyrone Moss. Carlos Santana is credited as a co-writer on “Everybody’s Everything.” The song was sung by keyboard player Gregg Rolie, with a solo by his future Journey member and Santana band guitarist Neil Schon. The band were augmented in the studio by The Tower Of Power horn section. The single entered the charts in America in October and peaked at No. 12 on December 4th.

September 27th, 1973 Warner Brothers Records in Britain release “I’ve Got My Own Album To Do” the first solo album by Ron Wood. Out the same month in America, the LP was recorded at Wood’s home studio, The Wick, in Richmond, London, England. Guest musicians on the album include Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Wood’s Faces band mates Rod Stewart and Ian McLagan, Mick Taylor and George Harrison.

September 27th, 1975 “Dear Prudence” by Lewiston, Maine band Katfish enters the singles charts following an August release on Big Tree Records. Co-written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and produced by Bob Herne, the record peaked at No. 62 on October 25th.

September 27th, 1987 Atlantic Records release “Kick,” the sixth studio album by INXS. The LP featured the hits “New Sensation,” “Never Tear Us Apart,” “Devil Inside” and “Need You Tonight.” The record peaked at No. 3 on February 27th, 1988.

September 27th, 1999 A&M Records release “Brand New Day,” the seventh solo album by Sting. The LP peaked at No. 9 on September 2nd, 2000.

September 27th, 2005 Capitol Records release the five-disc retrospective “A Musical History” by The Band. The set covered the years 1961 through May 1977, included songs from their studio albums, live material and previously unreleased archival recordings.

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.