Wax Museum Radio
Next broadcast April 25th Friday Night at midnight and Saturday night at 10pm on WRGG.
Hear Today In Rock and Roll History
Today In R&R History April 25th
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
April 25th
- April 25th Birthday, Blues guitarist Albert King born in 1923 in Indianola, Mississippi. He died of a heart attack on December 21st, 1992, aged 69.
- April 25th Birthday, Born in Baltimore Maryland in 1933, Songwriter Jerry Leiber. Leiber co-wrote “Hound Dog,” “Stand By Me,” “Charlie Brown” and many other big rock and roll hits.
- April 25th Birthday, Los Bravos singer Michael Kogel, born in Berlin, Germany in 1944.
- April 25th Birthday, Abba singer, songwriter Bjorn Ulvaeus, born in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1945.
- April 25th Birthday, Born in 1945 in Stanton, California Creedence Clearwater Revival bassist Stu Cook.
- April 25th Birthday, Blues Magoos bassist Ronnie Gilbert, born in 1946.
- April 25th Birthday, Left Banke and Stories keyboardist and songwriter Michael Brown, born Michael David Lookofsky in 1949 in Brooklyn, New York City. He died of heart failure on March 19th, 2015, aged 65.
- April 25th Birthday, Average White Band and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers drummer Steve Ferrone, born in Brighton, England in 1950.
- April 25th Birthday, Singer, songwriter and the original singer for Marillion, Fish, born Derek William Dick in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland.
- April 25th Birthday, Erasure singer Andy Bell, born in 1964 in Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, England.
Today In Rock and Roll History
April 25th
- April 25th, 1953 Bill Haley With Haley’s Comets release “Crazy Man, Crazy” on Essex Records. The song was co-written by Comets bassist Marshall Lytle, but Haley requested to receive solo credit. It is recognized as the first rock and roll song to become a hit on the Pop Singles charts. The song was recorded at Coastal Studios in New York City. The record would enter the charts a month later and peak at No. 12 on June 13th.
- April 25th, 1955 Sun Records release the fourth Elvis Presley single “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone” backed with “Baby Let’s Play House.” Credited to Elvis, Scotty and Bill, “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone” was written by Bill Taylor and Stan Kessler, who were members of the Sun Records band Snearly Ranch Boys. “Baby Let’s Play House” was originally written and recorded by Arthur Gunter in 1954 on the Excello Records label. With Elvis on vocals and acoustic rhythm guitar, Scotty Moore on electric lead guitar and Bill Black on double bass, Elvis’ version took several liberties with the original arrangement and lyrics. The record became his first chart hit, peaking at No. 5 on the Country And Western chart on July 6th.
- April 25th, 1956 Elvis Presley has his first bona fide hit when “Heartbreak Hotel” hits No. 1 in the US.
- April 25th, 1964 The Beatles have the top three records in the US, “Can’t Buy Me Love” at No. 1, “Twist And Shout” at No. 2 and “Do You Want To Know A Secret” at No. 3.
- April 25th, 1964 Imperial Records release “Good Golly Miss Molly” by Liverpool, England band The Swinging Blue Jeans on 45. Co-written by John Marascalco and producer Robert “Bumps” Blackwell for Little Richard in 1958, the Swinging Blue Jeans’ version peaked at No. 43 on June 13th.
- April 25th, 1964 Colpix Records release “I’m Into Somethin’ Good” backed with “We Love And Learn” by The Cookies’ singer Earl-Jean. Both songs were produced by Gerry Goffin, arranged by Carole King and co-written by the two. The record peaked at No. 38 on August 8th. A version by Herman’s Hermits went to No. 12 in December 1964.
- April 25th, 1965 Capitol Records release the second single by The Outsiders, “Girl In Love.” Co-written by the record’s producer Tom King with Chet Kelley, the record entered the charts in May and peaked at No. 21 on July 2nd.
- April 25th, 1965 The American release date of “The Who Sing My Generation,” the first album by The Who. The LP was recorded at IBC Studios in London with Shel Talmy producing from April through November 1965. Nicky Hopkins played piano on the sessions. Issued in December 1965 in Britain, where it went to No. 5, the album did not chart in America.
- April 25th, 1966 Capitol Records release “There’s No Living Without Your Loving” by Peter and Gordon on 45. The song was co-written by Jerry Harris and Paul Kaufman. The record was produced by John Burgess. The single peaked at No. 50 on June 11th, 1966.
- April 25th, 1967 Just days after completing their “Sgt. Pepper’s” album, The Beatles laid down tracks for “Magical Mystery Tour” at EMI Studios in London. The song was a Paul McCartney tune with John Lennon helping to complete the lyrics. McCartney’s spoken word intro replaced one that Lennon recorded, but Lennon’s was retained for the opening scene of the subsequent Magical Mystery Tour film. Further overdubbing for the song was completed in November in time for release on the 27th.
- April 25th, 1969 The fourth studio album by The Moody Blues, “On The Threshold Of A Dream” is released in Britain. Produced by Tony Clarke at Decca Studios in West Hempstead, London in January the five members of the band played all the instruments on the album. Released in America in May the album peaked at No. 20 on July 6th.
- April 25th, 1970 R.B. Greaves’ version of the James Taylor song “Fire And Rain” enters the singles charts. Recorded at Muscle Sholes Sound Studio, produced by Ahmet Ertegun and arranged by Arif Mardin, the record peaked at No. 82 on May 9th.
- April 25th, 1970 Pacific, Gas and Electric are forced offstage in Raleigh, North Carolina when audience members pelt the band with beer cans, then fire shots at their rented car when the group drives away.
- April 25th, 1970 The Jimi Hendrix Experience play the L.A. Forum, the opening night of Jimi’s final US concert tour.
- April 25th, 1970 Dunhill Records release “Baby Hold On” by The Grass Roots on 45. The song was co-written by Los Angeles based songwriters Mike ‘Harvey’ Price and Dan Walsh. The studio session was produced by Steve Barri and arranged by Jimmy Haskell. The record entered the singles charts in May and peaked at No. 35 on June 27th.
- April 25th, 1970 Reprise Records mark the return of Little Richard to rock and roll with the release of “Freedom Blues” on 45. The song was co-written by Little Richard and Eskew Reeder, Jr, known as Esquerita. Co-produced by Richard and Bumps Blackwell, the record entered the singles charts in May and peaked at No. 47 on July 11th.
- April 25th, 1970 RCA Victor Records release “Darkness, Darkness” by The Youngbloods on 45. It was the second time the track was issued on single. The first time, the singled peaked out of the Top 100 following a March 1969 release. Its enduring legacy is that it was covered many times by a diverse group of recording artists. The Youngbloods original entered the singles charts for the second time in May and peaked at No. 86 on May 16th.
- April 25th, 1972 Tamla Records release “Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)” by Stevie Wonder on 45. Written and produced by Wonder, the record entered the charts in May and peaked at No. 33 on July 22nd.
- April 25th, 1972 Tamla Records release “We’ve Come Too Far To End It Now” by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles on 45. Co-written by David Henry Jones, Jr, Wade Brown, Jr and the record’s producer Johnny Bristol, the record entered the charts in June and charted for ten weeks, peaking at No. 46 on August 5th.
- April 25th, 1975 CBS Records in Britain release “Carol” by Al Stewart on 45. The song was written by Stewart during the “Modern Times” LP sessions with producer Alan Parsons.
- April 25th, 1975 Warner Brothers release “Stampede,” the fifth studio album by The Doobie Brothers. “Stampede” was recorded at five different studios in Hollywood, Burbank, Chicago, Sausalito and Nashville with producer Ted Templeman. Maria Muldaur, Ry Cooder, Curtis Mayfield, Bill Payne and others played sessions for the record. It was also the first Doobies’ album with guitarist Jeff Baxter as a full-fledged member. The record charted for twenty-five weeks and peaked at No. 4 on June 28th. “Stampede” featured the hit single “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While).”
- April 25th, 1977 Elvis Presley made what would become his final recordings onstage at a show in Saginaw, Michigan. Three of those songs would appear on “Moody Blue,” the final LP released during his lifetime.
- April 25th, 1977 Mercury Records release “Deceptive Bends,” the fifth album by 10cc and the group’s first as a duo. Drummer Paul Burgess played on the LP and would become a full member of 10cc. Self-produced by the band at Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England, the record featured three hit singles, “The Things We Do For Love,” “People In Love” and “Good Morning Judge.” “Deceptive Bends” peaked at No. 31 on June 25th.
- April 25th, 1977 Swan Song Records release “Burnin’ Sky” by Bad Company on 45. Written by Bad Company’s Paul Rogers, the record entered the charts in May and peaked at No. 78 on June 11th.
- April 25th, 1978 Elektra Records release “It’s Late” by Queen on 45. Written by guitarist Brian May and self-produced by the band, the record entered the charts in May and peaked at No. 74 on May 27th.
- April 25th, 1979 Warner Brothers Records release “Minute By Minute” by The Doobie Brothers on 45. Co-written by Lester Abrams and Michael McDonald and produced by Ted Templeman, the record entered the charts in May and peaked at No. 14 on June 23rd.
- April 25th, 1985 Passport Records release “Willie And The Poor Boys” by Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. The album features guest musicians Jimmy Page on “These Arms of Mine” and “Slippin' and Slidin’,” Chris Rea, Charlie Watts, Paul Rogers, Gary Brooker and others. The project had its origins in a charity concert tour to raise money for Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis (ARMS). Small Faces bassist Ronnie Lane was suffering with the disease and would eventually succumb to it. Wyman kept many of the touring group of players together to record the “Willie And The Poor Boys” LP. The record peaked at No. 133 on July 13th.
- April 25th, 2000 Castle Records release “Summer Day Reflection Songs” by Donovan. The two-disc set was a compilation of all of Donovan’s Pye Records recordings from the 1960’s.
Miscellaneous April
- April 1953 Specialty Records release “Don’t Take It Out On Me” backed with “Lucy Mae Blues,” the third single by Texas electric blues guitarist Frankie Lee Sims. Both songs were written by Frankie Lee Sims, a cousin to musician Lightnin’ Hopkins. “Lucy Mae Blues” became a regional hit in Texas.
- April 1954 Specialty Records release “The Story Of My Life” backed with “A Letter To My Girl Friend,” the third single by electric blues pioneer Guitar Slim and His Band. Both songs were written by Slim, credited to his given name Eddie Jones.
- April 1963 Ron Romans record “Tell Me” and “Love Of My Life.” Daani Records released them as the A and B-side of a single. The A-side was written by Frank Zappa associate Kenny Williams, while “Love Of My Life” was a Zappa/Dave Aerni co-write. The song was recorded at PAL Recording Studio in Cucamonga, California with Zappa playing guitar and drums. Zappa rerecorded “Love Of My Life” with The Mothers Of Invention on the 1968 LP “Cruising With Ruben and The Jets.
- April 1964 Chess records release the “Folk Singer” album, the fourth by Muddy Waters. The album features Waters on acoustic guitar, Willie Dixon on string bass, Clifton James on drums and Buddy Guy on acoustic guitar.
- April 1965 Fantasy Records release “Where You Been” backed with “You Came Walking,” the second single by The Golliwogs on 45. Both sides were co-written by Tom and John Fogerty, using the names Rann Wild and Toby Green. The Golliwogs renamed themselves Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1967.
- April 1966 Are You Kidding Me? Records issue “The Ballad Of The Yellow Beret” backed with “Florida Time” by The Beach Bums, actually Bob Seger’s first released record. Done as an answer record to Sgt. Barry Sandler’s “The Ballad Of The Green Beret,” “The Ballad Of The Yellow Beret” is executed in a humorous manner but the lyrics are a sharp criticism of men who dodged the draft in the US. The song is credited to D. Dodger. “Florida Time” is closer to the style of The Beach Boys, written by long-time Seger producer “Punch,” with both sides produced and arranged by The Omens.
- April 1966 Paradise Records out of Texas release “Splash Day” backed with “Life’s A Misery” by The Warlocks on 45. The band featured brothers Rocky and Dusty Hill. The band would change their name to American Blues when drummer Frank Beard joined. Beard and Dusty Hill would later join Billy Gibbons in ZZ Top.
- April 1969 Liberty Records in Britain release “Folkjoke Opus,” the third album by Roy Harper. Produced by Shel Talmy, the LP sessions included Nicky Hopkins on piano and Clem Cattini on drums. Ron Geesin scored the arrangements on the record.
- April 1970 CBS Records in Britain release “Zero She Flies,” the third album by Al Stewart. The LP was produced by Roy Guest at Sound Technics Studios in London. Gerry Conway and Trevor Lucas from Fairport Convention played sessions on the record.
- April 1971 Harvest Records release “Stormcock,” the fifth studio album by Roy Harper. Produced by Peter Jenner at EMI Studios in London, David Bedford played keyboards and did the arrangements and Jimmy Page played guitar on “The Same Old Rock,” credited as S. Favius Mercurius.
- April 1973 Chrysalis Record in England release “Parcel Of Rogues,” the fifth studio album by Steeleye Span. The LP was co-produced by Steeleye Span and Jerry Boys at Sound Techniques Studios in Chelsea, London. The band toured the album in the US opening for Jethro Tull.
- April 1975 Asylum Records release “Fountain Of Sorrow” by Jackson Browne on 45. Written by Browne, it was the second single issued from his “Late For The Sky” LP. The 45 version was two minutes shorter than the nearly seven-minute-long album version.
- April 1975 Bob Seger releases “Beautiful Loser,” his first single for Capitol Records. The 45 peaked at No. 103 on the Pop Singles charts.
- April 1978 DB Records in Georgia release “Rock Lobster” backed with “52 Girls,” the debut single by The B-52’s. The A-side was co-written by Fred Schneider and Ricky Wilson. “52 Girls” was co-written by Jeremy Ayers and Ricky Wilson.
- April 1978 Virgin Records release “This Is Pop” backed with “Heatwave,” the third single by XTC. “This Is Pop” was written by Andy Partridge and “Heatwave” was written by Colin Moulding. Both songs were produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange. The A-side was an album track, re-recorded for its’ single release.
- April 1979 Asylum Records release “Alison,” Linda Ronstadt’s cover version of the Elvis Costello song on 45, produced by Peter Asher.
- April 1980 Harvest Records release “The Unknown Soldier,” the tenth studio album by Roy Harper. Co-produced by Harper and Peter Jenner at Abbey Road Studios in London, David Gilmour Andy Roberts, Andy Newmark, Kate Bush, B.J. Cole, Pete Wingfield and others play on the record. David Bedford did the orchestral arrangements.
- April 1981 RCA Records release the soundtrack to the movie Christiane F., Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo. The record was a collection of previously released songs by David Bowie that spanned the years 1976-1978. Bowie appears in an in-concert sequence of the movie during the Isolar Tour of 1976.
- April 1982 Warner Brothers Records release “Deep Sleep” by The B-52’s on 45. The track came from the David Byne produced “Mesopotamia” EP, recorded at Blank Tape Studios in New York City. The song was co-written by Keith Strickland, Kate Pierson and Robert Waldrop.
- April 1982 Woody Records in Britain release “O.T.T.” backed with “Mystery Song” by Roy Wood on 45. Both songs were written and produced by Roy Wood.
This Week In Rock and Roll History
This Week In Rock and Roll History week of April 19th
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 4/19
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