Wax Museum Radio
Next broadcast February 21st Friday Night at midnight and Saturday night at 10pm on WRGG.
Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History February 17th
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
February 17th
- February 17th Birthday, Singer, songwriter Gene Pitney, born in 1941 in Hartford, Connecticut. Pitney died April 5th, 2006, found dead at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, Wales. He was 65.
- February 17th Birthday, Blues singer, guitarist and drummer Doyle Bramhall, born in 1949. He worked with Jimmy and Stevie Ray Vaughn and formed The Nightcrawlers with Marc Benno. He passed away on November 12th, 2011 at the age of 62.
- February 17th Birthday, Art-rock guitarist Fred Frith, a founding member of Henry Cow, The Art Bears and a solo artist, born Jeremy Webster Frith in Heathfield, Sussex, England in 1949.
- February 17th Birthday, Solo artist guitarist and singer Stevie Ray Vaughn, born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1954.
- February 17th Birthday, Solo singer, record producer, composer, pianist, Loreena McKennitt, born Loreena Isobel Irene in 1957 in Morden, Manitoba, Canada.
- February 17th Birthday, Guitarist and vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day, born in 1972 in Oakland, California.
- February 17th Birthday, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins in Fort Worth, Texas in 1972. He died on March 25th, 2022 while on tour with the band in Bogota, Columbia.
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
February 17th
- February 17th, 1958 Sun Records release “Breathless” backed with “Down The Line” by Jerry Lee Lewis And His Pumping Piano on 45. “Breathless” was written by Otis Blackwell, while “Down The Line,” sometimes known as “Go Go Go (Down The Line),” was penned by Roy Orbison. It was Lewis’ third single release. “Down The Line” reached No. 51 in America. “Breathless” was a true crossover hit. Recorded in January at Sun Studios in Memphis with Billy Lee Riley on guitar, J.W. Brown on bass and Jimmy Van Eaton on drums. The track reached No. 7 on the Pop Singles charts, No. 3 R&B, No. 4 on the Country charts and No. 8 in Britain.
- February 17th, 1959 Chuck Berry records “Almost Grown” and “Back In The USA” at Chess Studios in Chicago, Illinois with Johnny Johnson on piano, Willie Dixon on bass and Fred Below on drums. On the session were Etta James and The Marquees, featuring a young Marvin Gaye on backing vocals. “Almost Grown” was released as a double A-sided single coupled with “Little Queenie” in March on Chess Records. “Almost Grown” peaked at No. 32 on May 9th. “Little Queenie” charted as well, reaching No. 80 on May 16th. Chess Records released “Back In The USA” backed with “Memphis, Tennessee” on 45 on June 1st. “Back In The USA” peaked at No. 37 on July 18th.
- February 17th, 1960 Elvis Presley received his first Gold Record for his second studio album “Elvis.” It spent four weeks at No. 1 on the US Albums charts.
- February 17th, 1960 After more than fifteen million records sold with Cadence Records, The Everly Brothers sign a ten-year, one-million-dollar contract with Warner Brothers Records. The duo would have eight more US Top Forty hits over the next seven years.
- February 17th, 1962 Cameo Records release “Mashed Potato Time” by Dee Dee Sharp on 45. Some copies of the single credit the song as a co-write by Harry Land and Jon Sheldon. Other copies credit Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann. Either way, the song was written by Kal Mann and Dave Appell. Backing vocals on the track were performed by The Orlons. The lyrics reference James Brown’s “Mashed Potatoes U.S.A., The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman,” The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and “Dear Lady Twist” by Gary U.S. Bonds. “Mashed Potato Time” peaked at No. 2 on May 5th.
- February 17th, 1962 The Beach Boys first recording, “Surfin,’” enters the singles charts. Released on the independent LA based Candis Records in November the song was co-written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, inspired by drummer Dennis Wilson’s challenge to write about the early ‘60’s surfing craze in California. The single peaked at No. 75 on March 24th.
- February 17th, 1966 Bob Dylan records “Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again” for his next LP, “Blonde on Blonde” at Columbia Studio B, Nashville, Tennessee. Released by Columbia Records on March 20th, the single was heavily edited from the “Blonde On Blonde” album track but didn’t chart.
- February 17th, 1966 Percy Sledge records “When A Man Loves A Woman” at Norala Studios, Sheffield, Alabama with producers Marlin Greene and Quin Ivy. The song was co-written by Andrew Wright and Calvin Lewis. Released in March the track would reach No. 1 on the Pop Charts on May 28th and R&B singles charts, earning a Gold Record for a million copies sold.
- February 17th, 1967 London Records release “A Hard Road” by John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers. The album featured Peter Green on guitar, John McVie on bass and Aynsley Dunbar on drums. Recorded at Decca Studios in London, England during sessions from October 11th through the 11th of November with producer Mike Vernon, the LP reached No. 8 in Britain.
- February 17th, 1967 Polydor Records in Britain release “Love Makes Sweet Music” backed with “Feelin’ Reelin’ Squeelin’,” the first single by The Soft Machine. The A-side was written by Kevin Ayers and sung by Robert Wyatt, produced by Chas Chandler. The B-side was sung by Ayers but written by Wyatt under his given name, Roy Ellidge, produced by Kim Fowley. “Feelin’ Reelin’ Squeelin’” featured an uncredited Daevid Allen from Gong on guitar. The song is considered an early example of British psychedelia.
- February 17th, 1968 Mala Records release “Cry Like A Baby” by The Box Tops on 45. Co-written by Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham and recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee with producer Chips Moman. “Cry Like a Baby” features an electric sitar, played by session guitarist Reggie Young. The single went to No. 2 on April 27th and was awarded a Gold Record for a million copies sold on May 2nd.
- February 17th, 1968 “The Good The Bad And The Ugly” by Hugo Montenegro, His Orchestra And Chorus enters the singles charts. There were a few versions of the movie theme released around the same time, but it was this version that was the biggest hit, spending twenty-two weeks on the charts and peaking at No. 2 on June 1st.
- February 17th, 1968 Acta Records release “Green Light” by The American Breed on 45. Co-written by Nancie Mantz and Annette Tucker, the single was issued as the follow-up to the band’s big hit “Bend Me Shape Me.” The record peaked at No. 39 on March 16th.
- February 17th, 1968 Gordy Records release the “Cloud Nine” LP by The Temptations. It was the first Temptations album recorded with vocalist Dennis Edwards. It was a conscious stylistic change as well. The group and producer Norman Whitfield moved the band in funkier direction, dubbed psychedelic soul. The song “Cloud Nine” won a Grammy for the band in 1969 for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental. The LP peaked at No. 4 on May 3rd.
- February 17th, 1971 James Taylor made his prime-time television debut on The Johnny Cash Show.
- February 17th, 1972 Motown Records release “Rockin’ Robin,” the second solo single by Michael Jackson on 45. The song was written originally by Leon René under the pseudonym Jimmie Thomas and recorded by Bobby Day in 1958. Co-produced by Mel Larson and Jerry Marcellino, the Michael Jackson version record went to No. 1 on March 11th.
- February 17th, 1973 Free play their final live gig at Florida’s Hollywood Sportatorium.
- February 17th, 1973 Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck In The Middle With You” is released on A&M Records. The song was recorded at Apple Studios in London. Co-produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, “Stuck In The Middle With You” was co-written by band members Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty. Egan and Rafferty formed the band in Paisley, Scotland in 1972. The single went to No. 6 in the US on May 12th, No. 8 UK and sold over a million copies.
- On the same day, A&M Records released the self-titled first album by Stealers Wheel. The LP entered the charts a week later and peaked at No. 50 on May 26th.
- February 17th, 1973 Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock” is the No. 1 record in the US.
- February 17th, 1973 “Walk On The Wild Side” by Lou Reed enters the singles charts. The record became the biggest hit of Reed’s career. Written by Reed and produced by David Bowie, the single peaked at No. 16 on April 28th.
- February 17th, 1973 Sire Records release “Hocus Pocus” by Dutch band Focus on 45. Co-written by keyboardist, flutist and vocalist Thijs van Leer and guitarist Jan Akkerman, two different versions by Focus were released. In America, the slightly faster re-recording was released as the B-side and titled “Hocus Pocus II.” The record went to No. 9 on June 2nd. The single earned a Gold Record Award for a million copies sold in America on September 26th.
- February 17th, 1973 Elektra Records release “The Right Thing To Do” by Carly Simon. The song was recorded at Trident Studios in London’s Soho district with producer Richard Perry during sessions for the “No Secrets” album. Written by Carly Simon, the record peaked at No. 17 on May 26th.
- February 17th, 1973 Island Records release “Catch A Fire” by Bob Marley and The Wailers. The album would come out in Britain in April and see a US re-release with a new front cover in November 1974. Marley co-produced the LP with Chris Blackwell at three Kingston, Jamaica studios and Island Studio in London from May through October 1972. Augmenting the Wailers in the studio were John “Rabbit” Bundrick, Wayne Perkins, Robbie Shakespeare, Jean Roussel and others. “Catch A Fire” peaked at No. 171 on December 6th.
- February 17th, 1975 Apple Records release the “Rock ‘N’ Roll” album by John Lennon. The origins of the sessions that produced the record date to 1969 when lyrics to Lennon’s “Come Together” bore resemblance to Chuck Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me.” The Berry song’s copyright was owned by Morris Levy. When a lawsuit was threatened, Levy pressured Lennon into recording three songs that he owned copyright’s to and Lennon agreed. The LP came out in Britain four days later. “Rock ‘N’ Roll” peaked at No. 6 on April 19th.
- February 17th, 1975 Chrysalis Records release “Skating Away (On The Thin Ice Of a New Day)” by Jethro Tull on 45. Written by Ian Anderson from Tull’s War Child” LP, the song dates back to sessions the band recorded and abandoned in 1972.
- February 17th, 1976 Asylum Records release “Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975” by the Eagles. The record peaked at No. 1 on March 6th. The collection has since accrued sales of over twenty-nine million copies.
- February 17th, 1978 RAK Records in Britain release “Every 1’s A Winner” by Hot Chocolate on 45, later peaking at No. 12. From Britain, Hot Chocolate had at least one hit in England every year from 1970 to 1984. When “Every 1’s A Winner” came out in the US, the single went to No. 6 on February 10th, 1979.
- February 17th, 1978 EMI Records in Britain release “The Kick Inside,” the debut album by singer, songwriter Kate Bush. Initial sessions for the album were produced by David Gilmour, who brought them to EMI’s attention and the label agreed to sign Bush to a recording contract. More sessions with producer Andrew Powell included Alan Parsons Project alumni Ian Bairnson, Duncan Mackay and Stuart Elliot, among others. The record peaked at No. 3 in Britain and the single “Wuthering Heights” was a No. 1 record in the UK.
- February 17th, 1979 Blondie had their first British No. 1 when “Parallel Lines” started a four-week run at the top of the UK album charts.
- February 17th, 1981 RSO Records release “Another Ticket” by Eric Clapton and His Band. Produced and engineered by Tom Dowd at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, The Bahamas, guesting on the album were guitarist Albert Lee and pianist Gary Brooker from Procol Harum. The album peaked at No. 7 on April 25th.
- February 17th, 1984 Arista Records in Britain release “Into The Gap,” the fourth album by The Thompson Twins. The LP was co-produced by Akex Sadkin and the band’s Tom Bailey at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas. The record peaked at No. 10 on May 5th.
Miscellaneous February
- February 1957 Gale Records release “Chickee Wah Wah” by Bobby Marchan on 45. The song was co-written by Huey “Piano” Smith and John Vincent. Smith played piano on the track. Marchan was the lead singer in Smith’s band Huey “Piano” Smith and The Clowns, a popular live attraction in New Orleans in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
- February 1964 Polydor Records in Britain release “I Just Wanna Make Love To You” backed with “Let The Good Times Roll,” the first single by Scottish singer Alex Harvey and His Soul Band. Harvey wrote the A-side lyrics, reworking the Willie Dixon song. The flip side was penned by Leonard Lee, a cover version of the Shirley and Lee song from 1961.
- February 1968 Lee Hazelwood’s LHI Records release “Safe As Home” by The International Submarine Band. Led by twenty-one-year-old Gram Parsons, the LP was recorded at Western Sound (Studio B) in Hollywood with producer Suzi Jane Hokom. Parsons had accepted the offer to join The Byrds before the album was released.
- February 1973 Harvest Records release “Lifemask,” the sixth album by Roy Harper. Produced by Peter Jenner at Abbey Road Studios in London, Jimmy Page and Nice drummer Brian Davidson were among the studio musicians on the record.
- February 1973 John Martyn’s “Solid Air” album is released. Recording began in July 1972 at Sound Techniques in Chelsea with producer John Wood. Further sessions took place in September and recording was completed by December 9th, 1972.
- February 1974 A&M Records release “When The Morning Comes” by Hoyt Axton on 45. Written by Axton who co-produced the track with Allan McDougall, the song features Linda Ronstadt on backing vocals.
- February 1975 Warner Brothers Records release “Rock The Nation,” the debut single from Montrose. Co-produced by the band and Ted Templeman, the band included lead vocalist Sammy Hagar, guitarist Ronnie Montrose, Bill Church on bass and Denny Carmassi on drums.
- February 1976 RCA/Equinox Records release “Jamaica Farewell” by California Music on 45. The traditional song was co-credited to Terry Melcher, Curt Boettcher and Gary Usher. Usher and Melcher were in the group along with Beach Boy Bruce Johnston.
- February 1977 DEVO release their first single on their own record label, Booji Boy Records. “Mongoloid” backed with “Jocko Homo” was co-credited and produced by the band. Both songs would be rerecorded for the group’s first LP “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO!” in 1978.
- February 1978 Columbia Records release “Godzilla” by Blue Öyster Cult on 45. The song was written by Cult guitarist Donald Roeser from Blue Öyster Cult’s fifth album “Spectres.” The record was co-produced by the band, Murray Krugman, Sandy Pearlman and David Lucas.
- February 1980 CBS Records in Ireland release “Another Day” backed with “Twilight” by U2 on 45. The group co-wrote the LP collectively and co-produced the disc with Chas De Walley.
- February 1980 Virgin Records in the US release the first stateside single by XTC. “Ten Feet Tall” was written by bassist Colin Moulding and produced by Phil Wainman, While the label copy states the song is from the band’s “Drums And Wires” LP, the version issued on the 45 in not the same as the one on the album.
- February 1987 Legacy Records in Britain release “Staring Up” by Roy Wood. The LP was written produced and arranged by Roy Wood, playing and singing all the instruments and vocals himself.
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 February 15th
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 February 15th - Lyme & Cybelle
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.
