SOMETHING IN THE AIR – THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN
“SOMETHING IN THE AIR” IS A SONG RECORDED BY THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN, A BAND CREATED BY PETE TOWNSHEND FOR THE WHO‘S FORMER ROADIE JOHN ‘SPEEDY’ KEEN WHO WROTE AND SANG THE SONG, FROM THEIR ONLY ALBUM HOLLYWOOD DREAM..
TOWNSHEND PRODUCED THE SINGLE,ARRANGED THE STRINGS, AND PLAYED BASS UNDER THE PSEUDONYM BIJOU DRAINS. ORIGINALLY TITLED REVOLUTION BUT LATER RENAMED TO AVOID CONFUSION WITH THE BEATLES’ 1968 SONG OF THAT NAME, “SOMETHING IN THE AIR” CAPTURED POST-FLOWER POWER REBELLION,
1958, THE MANAGER OF THE DRIFTERS, GEORGE TREADWELL, SACKED THE ENTIRE GROUP AND HIRED THE UNKNOWN BEN E KING AND THE FIVE CROWNS AS THEIR REPLACEMENTS.
1976, DEEP PURPLE SPLIT UP AT THE END OF AN UK TOUR. DAVID COVERDALE WENT ON TO FORM WHITESNAKE, JON LORD AND IAN PAICE FORMED A BAND WITH TONY ASHTON. THE CLASSIC LINE UP OF BLACKMORE, GILLAN, GLOVER, LORD & PAICE REFORMED IN 1984. GLENN HUGHES RETURNED TO TRAPEZE AND TOMMY BOLIN PUT TOGETHER HIS OWN BAND, (BUT WOULD DIE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR).
1981, IT WAS ROY ORBISON DAY IN ODESSA, TEXAS. ORBISON WAS GIVEN THE KEYS TO THE CITY, AND PERFORMED FOR THE CROWD, THE FIRST TIME IN ODESSA IN 15 YEARS.
1987, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN PLAYED HIS FIRST EVER SHOW BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN WHEN HE APPEARED IN EAST BERLIN IN FRONT OF 180,000 PEOPLE. THE SHOW WAS BROADCAST ON EAST GERMAN TV.
1989, JAMES BROWN CHANGED ACCOMMODATIONS BEHIND BARS AFTER $40000 IN CASH AND CHEQUES WAS DISCOVERED IN HIS MINIMUM SECURITY CELL. THE GODFATHER OF SOUL HAD BEEN GIVEN A SIX YEAR SENTENCE THE PREVIOUS DECEMBER AFTER SEVERAL RUN-INS WITH THE LAW, INCLUDING ILLEGAL GUN POSSESSION, RESISTING ARREST, ASSAULT AND LEADING THE AUTHORITIES ON A NUMBER OF CAR CHASES.
1989, RESIDENTS OF WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT FORMED A ‘ROLL THE STONES OUT OF TOWN’, ACTION GROUP AFTER THEY WERE UNHAPPY WITH THE ROLLING STONES AND THEIR ENTOURAGE SETTING UP IN THE TOWN FOR REHEARSALS FOR THEIR FORTHCOMING TOUR. RESIDENTS SAID IT WAS LIKE THE ARMY HAD MOVED IN AND TAKEN OVER, WITH SECURITY GUARDS STOPPING LOCALS AND ASKING THEM WHAT THEY WERE DOING THERE.
BORN TODAY
1947 – BRIAN MAY, GUITAR, QUEEN,
1979 – MICHELLE HEATON, SINGER, LIBERTY X
1960 – KEVIN HASKINS, BAUHAUS
1946, – ALLAN GORRIE, BASS, VOCALS, AVERAGE WHITE BAND
1947 – BERNIE LEADON, GUITAR, THE EAGLES, QUIT THE BAND IN JAN 1976
1952 – ALLEN COLLINS, GUITAR, LYNYRD SKYNYRD – COLLINS WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN 1986 THAT KILLED HIS GIRLFRIEND AND LEFT HIM PARALYZED FROM THE WAIST DOWN. HE DIED ON 23RD JANUARY 1990 AGED 37.