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Today In Rock and Roll History

March 28th

March 28th, 1958 Eddie Cochran records his only US Top Ten hit, “Summertime Blues,” at Gold Star Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. The song was co-written by Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart. Cochran sang both the vocal and bass vocal, played all the guitar parts and added the hand clapping. “Summertime Blues” was released July 21st, peaked at No. 8 on September 29th and went to No. 18 in Britain.

March 28th, 1964 The Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Do You Want To Know A Secret,” and “All My Loving” all enter the singles charts the same day in America. The Beatles have the top four spots on the US singles charts, “Please Please Me” at No. 4, “Twist And Shout” at No. 3, “I Want To Hold Your Hand” at No. 2 and “She Loves You” at No. 1.

March 28th, 1964 “Stay Awhile” by Dusty Springfield enters the singles charts. Springfield performed “Stay Awhile” on Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand.” The song was co-written by Mike Hawker and Ivor Raymonde. Produced by Johnny Franz, the single peaked at No. 38 on May 9th.

March 28th, 1966 Atlantic Records release the self-titled debut album by New Jersey band The Young Rascals. But for “Do You Feel It,” written by Felix Cavaliere and Gene Cornish, the record was a collection of cover versions. The band self-produced the sessions for the LP from September 1965 through early March. The record reached No. 15 on July 23rd and featured the No. 1 single “Good Lovin’.”

March 28th, 1966 London Records release “Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass),” a greatest hits collection by The Rolling Stones. The LP spent nearly two years on the album charts and peaked at No. 3 on May 14th.

March 28th, 1967 Van Morrison records “Brown Eyed Girl” during a two-day recording session at A&R Studios in New York City. Morrison recorded eight songs, intended to be released as four singles. The final version of “Brown Eyed Girl” was captured on the twenty-second take on the first day with producer and Bang Records label owner Bert Berns, who had produced earlier sessions with Morrison’s group Them. Backing vocalists on the track were The Sweet Inspirations. Released in June the song entered the singles charts in July and reached No. 10 on September 30th.

March 28th, 1968 Tamla Records release Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” on 45. Co-written by Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, who also co-produced and sang backing vocals. Motown house band The Funk Brothers cut the backing track. The record entered the singles charts in April and reached No. 8 in America on May 25th.

March 28th, 1969 Joe Cocker plays his first American concert at The Fillmore East in New York City.

March 28th, 1970 “Vehicle” by The Ides Of March enters the singles charts. The band formed in 1965 in Berwyn, Illinois, their name derived from a line in the Shakespeare play Julius Caesar. They were all teenagers when “Vehicle” was released. Written by vocalist and guitar player Jim Peterik, the track was recorded at CBS Studios in Chicago with producers Bob Destocki and Frank Rand. A studio engineer accidentally erased fourteen seconds of the master take, so a section from an earlier take of the song was edited in from the second “Great God In Heaven” lyric through to the guitar solo. When you hear the abrupt first note of the solo, that’s the edit point. Peterick later founded the band Survivor and sang on their big hit “Eye Of The Tiger” in 1982. “Vehicle” peaked at No. 2 on May 23rd.

March 28th, 1970 “Everybody’s Out Of Town” by B.J. Thomas enters the singles charts. Recorded at A&R Studios in New York City, the track was co-produced, co-arranged and co-written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The single peaked at No. 26 on April 25th.

March 28th, 1972 Elvis Presley records “Burnin’ Love” at RCA Studios in Hollywood with producer Felton Jarvis. Released as a single on August 1st, the record became Elvis’ last No. 1 record released during his lifetime. Written by Dennis Linde who also played electric guitar on the Elvis session, the song was originally recorded by R&B artist Arthur Alexander. “Burnin’ Love” peaked at No. 7 in Britain.

March 28th, 1972 Grand Funk fires manager Terry Knight, claiming Knight owed them a lot of money. Knight served as both their manager and record producer. In return, Knight counter sued the group. Grand Funk would ultimately win the case and gained their separation from his management.

March 28th, 1973 Warner Brothers release The Doobie Brothers’ “Long Train Running,” written by band member Tom Johnston. The tune evolved from an untitled and mostly ad-libbed jam that the Doobies developed onstage years before it was finally recorded. Producer Ted Templeman convinced Johnston to write words to the song. The record peaked at No. 8 on June 30th.

March 28th, 1973 Atlantic Records release the fifth studio album by Led Zeppelin, “Houses Of The Holy.” The record was recorded on The Rolling Stones’ Mobile Unit at both Mick Jagger’s home at Stargroves and The Headley Grange Estate in Hampshire and both Island and Olympic Studios in London with Jimmy Page producing with session engineers Eddie Kramer, George Chkiantz and Keith Harwood. The album charted for thirty-nine weeks in the US and peaked at No. 1 in Britain and in America, on May 12th.

March 28th, 1975 Mercury Records in Britain release “Life Is A Minestrone” by 10cc on 45. The song was co-written by Lol Creme and Eric Stewart and self-produced by the band. Issued from the 10cc’s “The Original Soundtrack” LP, the record peaked at No. 7 in Britain.

March 28th, 1976 Genesis opened its first North American tour with Phil Collins moving from the drum chair to lead vocals in Buffalo, New York.

March 28th, 1980 Virgin Records in Britain release “Wait Til Your Boat Goes Down” backed with “Ten Feet Tall” by XTC on 45. The pairing of the two songs was released in February in the US with “Ten Feet Tall” as the A-side. Guitarist Andy Partridge wrote “Wait Til Your Boat Goes Down” and “Ten Feet Tall” was written by bassist Colin Moulding. Both songs were produced by Phil Wainman.

March 28th, 1980 Charisma Records release “Duke,” the tenth studio album by Genesis. The LP was recorded at Abba’s Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford had each recorded solo albums there the previous year. The songs on the album were a combination of group written material and individual compositions. Collins brought in a number of songs he’d written, some of which later appeared on his first solo album, “Face Value.” Produced by Genesis and David Hentschel, “Duke” reached No. 11 on July 12th and featured the hit single “Misunderstanding.”

March 28th, 1983 Barking Pumpkin Records release two Frank Zappa LP’s, the live album “Baby Snakes” as a picture disc and “The Man From Utopia.” “Baby Snakes” contained highlights from Zappa’s October 1977 Halloween shows at The Palladium in New York City and served as the soundtrack to the “Baby Snakes” film. “The Man From Utopia” featured three tracks originally conceived as part of an unreleased Zappa LP “Chalk Pie.” Both the live record features guitarist Adrian Belew and the studio record, guitarist Steve Vai and were produced by Frank Zappa. “The Man From Utopia” peaked at No. 153 on May 7th.

March 28th, 1996 Phil Collins announced his departure from Genesis after twenty-five years with the band.

Miscellaneous March

March 1957 Flip Records release “Louie Louie” backed with “Rock Rock Rock” by Richard Berry and The Pharaohs on 45 and 78 rpm records. Berry and The Pharaohs were from Los Angeles, California. Berry co-wrote both sides of the record and hired The Pharaohs to back him of the recording. Based on the song “Ewi Loco Cha Cha,” “Louie Louie” became a rock and roll standard when The Kingsmen rerecorded it two years later.

March 1958 Big Records release “True Or False” backed with “Teen Age Fool,” the first single by Paul Simon, credited to True Taylor. The A-side was written by Simon’s father Lou Simon, himself a double bass player and bandleader. Paul Simon wrote “Teen Age Fool.”

March 1964 Jam sessions recorded at Tel Mar Studios in Chicago between Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry form the “Two Great Guitars” LP released by the two on Chess Records in August. Produced by Andy McKaie, the recordings feature Lafayette Leake on piano, Jesse James Hohnson on bass and Billy Downing on drums.

March 1966 Scorpio Records release “Fight Fire” backed with “Fragile Child,” the fifth single by The Golliwogs. 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.

March 1969 Buddy Miles records his second album “Electric Church.” Most of the LP was recorded at Mercury Studios with additional sessions at The Record Plant in New York City. Half of the record was produced by Jimi Hendrix, the songs “69 Freedom Special,” “Miss Lady,” “My Chant” and “Destructive Love.”

March 1970 Atco Records release “Teasin’” by King Curtis With Delaney Bramlett, Eric Clapton and Friends on 45. Co-written by Curtis Owsley and the record’s producer Delaney Bramlett.

March 1973 Mercury Records release “For Real” by Ruben and The Jets. The LP featured Frank Zappa on vocals and lead guitar on the song “Dedicated To The One I Love” and wrote the song “If I Could Only Be Your Love Again.” Former Mothers Of Invention saxophonist Jim “Motorhead” Sherman was a member of the band.

March 1973 The release of “Heart Food,” the second album by Judee Sill. Issued on Asylum Records, Sill had been the first act signed to the label. The record was co-produced by Sill and Henry Lewy.

March 1974 RCA Records release “Sweet Jane” by Lou Reed on 45 from the live album “Rock And Roll Animal,” recorded at New York City’s Academy Of Music. Written by Reed, who co-produced the track with Steve Katz, the record features the twin guitars of Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner.

March 1975 Columbia Records release the “Get Off My Cloud” album by Alexis Korner. The LP features session work with Keith Richard, Steve Marriot, Rick Wills, Barry St. John, Nicky Hopkins, Peter Frampton and others, recorded at CBS Studios in London and overdubs at Ramport Studios.

March 1977 Private Stock Records release “In The Flesh” backed with “Man Overboard,” the second single by Blondie. “In The Flesh” was co-written by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. “Man Overboard” was written by Harry. Both tracks were produced by Richard Gotthehrer.

March 1978 Chrysalis Records release “Denis” by Blondie on 45. The song is a cover version of the Randy And The Rainbows song from, written by Neil Levinson. The record was produced by Richard Gottehrer. The Blondie single went to No. 2 in Britain.

March 1980 Warner Brothers Records release “Planet Claire,” the label’s second single from The B-52’s self-titled first album. The song was co-written by singer Fred Schneider and drummer Keith Strickland.

March 1981 Warner Brothers Records release “Lava,” by The B-52’s on 45. Unusual in that the track was from the group’s first album, issued six months after “Private Idaho,” the only single from the group’s second LP “Wild Planet.” “Lava” was written collectively by The B-52’s and produced by Chris Blackwell.

March 1981 Atlantic Records release “Run Through The Light” by Yes on 45. The track is a rewrite of a song called “Dancing Through The Light” that the band recorded during aborted album sessions in Paris in 1978 with original singer Jon Anderson. It is the only song in the Yes catalog before the death of Chris Squire to feature anyone other than Squire on bass. Squire played piano on the song and the bass part was played by singer Trevor Horn. The 45 version is a completely different mix of the version on the album “Drama.”

March 1987, Columbia Records in Canada release “Moonlight Desire” by Laurence Gowen, professionally known as Gowen. The song was issued as the third single from his LP “Great Dirty World.” Yes singer Jon Anderson, heard the song being played in the studio as he walked by, and walked into the session asking if he could sing a harmony part on it. Thus, Anderson’s appearance on the song.

March 1997 Eric Clapton posing as X-sample, and Simon Climie produce and release a CD as Totally Dysfunctional Family called “Retail Therapy.”