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Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History October 1st
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 1st
- October 1st Birthday, Blues guitarist Albert Collins, born in Albert Gene Drewey in 1932 in Leona, Texas. He passed away on November 24th, 1993 at the age of 61.
- October 1st Birthday, Songwriter and record producer Geoff Stephens of The New Vaudeville Band, born in New Southgate, North London, England in 1934.
- October 1st Birthday, saxophonist Jerry Martini from Sly & The Family Stone, born in Denver, Colorado in 1942.
- October 1st Birthday, R&B singer and songwriter Donny Hathaway, born in 1945 in Chicago, Illinois.
- October 1st Birthday, Wishbone Ash bassist and singer Martin Turner, born in Torquay, England in 1947.
- October 1st Birthday, Shocking Blue singer Mariska Veres born Maria Elisabeth Ender in The Hague, Netherlands in 1947. She passed away on December 2nd, 2006 at the age of 59.
- October 1st Birthday, Brownsville Station guitarist and rock journalist Cub Koda born Michael Uszniewicz in 1948 in Detroit, Michigan. He passed away on July 1st, 2000 at the age of 51.
- October 1st Birthday, April Wine and Mashmakan guitarist Brian Greenway, born in Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada in 1951.
- October 1st Birthday, David Bowie and Phantom, Rocker and Slick guitarist Earl Slick, born Frank Mandeloni in Brooklyn, New York in 1952.
Today In Rock and Roll History
October 1st
- October 1st, 1962 Capitol Records release “Surfin’ Safari,” the debut album by The Beach Boys. The official producer credit was listed as Nick Venet, but both Brian Wilson and his father Murray contributed. Recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, Hite Morgan and Western Studios in Los Angeles, the LP featured the hits “409” and the album’s title track. The record peaked at No. 47 on August 31st, 1963, ten months after its release.
- October 1st, 1963 RCA Victor Records release “Bossa Nova Baby” backed with “Witchcraft” by Elvis Presley and The Jordanaires on 45. Co-written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the track was recorded on January 22nd at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California with producer Joseph Lilley as part of the soundtrack of the 1963 motion picture “Fun in Acapulco.” The record went to No. 13 in Britain, No. 8 in the US on November 16th.
- October 1st, 1964 Vee Jay Records release The Beatles / Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons’ album “The Beatles Vs. The Four Seasons.”
- October 1st, 1965 At Carnegie Hall, Bob Dylan presents his new band, formerly Ronnie Hawkins backup group, then known as the Hawks.
- October 1st, 1966 Jimi Hendrix makes his UK stage debut when he jumps onstage to jam with Cream at London Polytechnic.
- October 1st, 1966 A&M Records release “It’s A Happening” by The Magic Mushroom. Five students from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, the band named themselves The Magic Mushrooms after Allen Ginsberg suggested that name during an on-campus lecture in the fall of 1965. The single entered the charts in November and the record peaked at No. 93 on November 12th.
- October 1st, 1966 The Troggs release “I Can’t Control Myself” on 45 in the US. Written by singer Reg Presley and produced by Page One Records label owner Larry Page, the single was a No. 1 record in Britain and peaked at No. 43 in America on November 12th.
- October 1st, 1967 Traffic makes its stage debut at London’s Saville Theatre, three weeks after the release of the single “Hole In My Shoe.”
- October 1st, 1967 Pink Floyd arrived in New York to begin their initial tour of the US in support of their first album and their new single “Apples and Oranges.”
- October 1st, 1968 The Beatles record the backing track of “Honey Pie” in one take at Trident Studios in London with producer George Martin with Paul McCartney on piano and George Harrison on bass. Overdubs were added at Trident on October 2nd and 4th, adding lead vocals, a John Lennon lead guitar part and a George Martin score for five saxophones and two clarinets.
- October 1st, 1968 John Sebastian leaves the Lovin’ Spoonful following the release of the single “Money.”
- October 1st, 1968 The Temptations record “Cloud Nine” at Hitsville USA, Studio B in Detroit with producer Norman Whitfield, who co-wrote the song with Barrett Strong. It was the first of their singles to feature Dennis Edwards, who replaced David Ruffin in the lineup. Issued by Gordy Records as a single on October 25th, the 45 peaked at No. 6 on January 4th, 1969.
- October 1st, 1969 Bluesway Records release “Yer Album,” the first by The James Gang. It is the first album to feature Joe Walsh on guitar and the only James Gang LP with the group’s original bassist Tom Kriss. Original pressings of “Yer Album” featured the spoken words of Joe Walsh saying “Turn me over” and “Play me again” in the locked run-off grooves of either side of the vinyl record repeating in a loop if listeners did not have automatic return turntables. Produced by Bill Szymczk at The Hit Factory in New York City in January the album was picked up by ABC Records the following January and peaked at No. 83 on February 7th, 1970.
- October 1st, 1969 Colgems Records release “Monkees Present,” the eighth studio album by The Monkees. Like the previous album “Instant Replay,” the LP had a mix of newly recorded tracks and songs from early Monkees sessions that dated as far back as August 1966. “Monkees Present” peaked at No. 100 on December 6th.
- October 1st, 1969 The Byrds’ “Ballad Of Easy Rider” is released by Columbia Records. Written by Roger McGuinn with input from Bob Dylan, the track was initially issued in August 1969 on the “Easy Rider” soundtrack album as a Roger McGuinn solo performance. The single version was a band effort that was recorded in February. The record entered the charts on November 1st and peaked at No. 36 on January 17th.
- October 1st, 1969 Columbia Records release “Jingo,” the first single by Santana on 45. The song was a cover version of a song by Michael Babatunde Olatun, a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist and recording artist, although early copies of the record credited the song to Carlos Santana. The record peaked at No. 56 on December 6th.
- October 1st, 1970 Curtis Mayfield quits The Impressions to launch his solo career and to found his own record label, Curtom Records.
- October 1st, 1971 Harvest Records in Britain release “Chinatown” backed with “Down On The Bay” on 45 by The Move. The A-side was a Roy Wood song. The B-side was written by Jeff Lynne. Wood and Lynne co-produced the 45. The record peaked at No. 23 in Britain. In America, MGM Records released the single in December 1971. United Artists Records rereleased the record in January 1972.
- October 1st, 1971 Asylum Records release “Jesus Was A Cross Maker” by Judee Sill on 45. The record was produced by Graham Nash and orchestrated by Don Bagly and Bob Harris. Sill was the first artist signed by David Geffen to his new Asylum Records label. The song was written as a cathartic release from a failed relationship Sill had with singer-songwriter J.D. Souther.
- October 1st, 1974 Elektra Records release Harry Chapin’s “Cats In The Cradle.” Co-written by Harry and his wife Sandra Chapin, the song was recorded a year earlier and produced by Paul Leka. “Cats In The Cradle” hit No. 1 on December 21st. Chapin’s recording of the song was nominated for the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011.
- October 1st, 1977 MCA Records release “Rough Mix” by Who guitarist Pete Townshend and Faces bassist Ronnie Lane. Lane had asked Townshend to produce his next solo project. The sessions for the LP began November 1st, 1976 at Olympic Studios and turned into a collaboration between the two. John Entwistle, Ian Stewart, Charlie Watts, Mel Collins, Boz Burrell and Eric Clapton all made guest appearances on the sessions. Produced and engineered by Glyn Johns, the record peaked at No. 45 on November 5th.
- October 1st, 1977 Sire Records release “Young, Loud and Snotty,” the debut album by The Dead Boys. Singer Stiv Bators would later become a member of the Lords Of The New Church. Produced by Genya Raven, the record peaked at No. 189 on November 5th.
- October 1st, 1978 Chrysalis Records in Britain release “Photo-Finish” by Rory Gallagher. The record was co-produced by Gallagher and Alan O’Duffy at Dierks Studios in Cologne, Germany. Issued in America, the LP peaked at No. 116 on January 27th, 1979.
- October 1st, 1979 Mushroom Records in Australia release a Split Enz stand-alone single “Things” backed with “Semi Datached.” “Things” was written by Neil Finn and taped at Richmond Recorders in Melbourne, Australia, co-produced by Split Enz and Tony Cohen. The B-side was written by Tim Finn and recorded in Luton, Bedfordshire, England with Split Enz co-producing with Dave Cook.
- October 1st, 1980 Paul Simon’s semi-autobiographical film One Trick Pony in which he starred is released in the US. The film followed Simon’s fifth studio album of the same name, his first for Warner Brothers Records and his first new studio album since 1975’s “Still Crazy After All These Years.”
- October 1st, 1980 Sire Records release “Too Tough To Die” by the Ramones. Ex-member Tommy Ramone co-produced the LP, credited as T. Erdelyi with Ed Stasium in July at Media Sound Studios in New York City. The record peaked at No. 171 on December 1st.
- October 1st, 1988 “Talkin’ Bout A Revolution” by Tracey Chapman enters the Pop Singles charts following a September release on Elektra Records. Written by Tracey Chapman, the record peaked at No. 75 on October 8th, produced by David Kershenbaum.
- October 1st, 1996 DGC Records release “From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah” by Nirvana. The LP is a collection of live songs recorded by the band between 1989 and 1994. The album peaked at No. 1 on October 19th.
- October 1st, 2001 Rocket Records in England release the “Songs From The West Coast” LP by Elton John. Recorded from September 2000 through April 2001 at Townhouse Studios in London and five Los Angeles studios, Cello, Sony Music, Johnny Yuma, Wonderland and Ocean Way, produced by Patrick Leonard. Drummer Nigel Olsson, a member of the Elton John Band in the 1970’s and 80’s, returned to play on the sessions. Stevie Wonder, Billy Preston, Davey Johnstone, Rusty Anderson, Paul Buckmaster, Rufus Wainwright and others played on the record. Released in America the same month, the record peaked at No. 15 on October 20th.
- October 1st, 2002 Island Records release “Cruel Smile” by Elvis Costello and The Imposters. The record was a compilation of live cuts, single B-sides, and material that was unreleased from the “When I Was Cruel” sessions in 2001 and 2002.
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 September 27th
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 9/27 The Isley Brothers
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Craig Maher / Exo-X-Xeno Wax Museum Interview
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Nektar Wax Museum interview 4/11/25
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The Paul Bielatowicz Band Wax Museum interview 4/11/25
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Wax Museum interview May 2024
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Jonas Reingold in The Wax Museum
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Annie Haslam 2019 Wax Museum interview
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Tommy James Wax Museum Interview January 2019
Tommy James
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Firesign Theatre interview 1980
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Woody Lissauer Wax Museum Interview 2/22/20
Baltimore based Woody Lissauer steps up to the Wax Museum microphones for this in depth interview!
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