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Today in rock history: on this date in 1977, Australian punk rock band The Saints released its debut album, (I’m) Stranded. Getting its start in the mid-1970’s in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, the band was known for their short, energetic rock and roll songs and shared the same penchant for revved up tempos and loud, noisy guitars much like their contemporaries, legendary New York City punk pioneers, The Ramones. Releasing the title track of the album as an independent single first, the record caught fire around the band’s home country and, in no time, major labels were courting the band in hopes of capitalizing on the raw energy of the now-classic “(I’m) Stranded”. The full-length album of the same name was released via EMI Records in Australia and, in the U.S., groundbreaking label Sire Records (also home to The Ramones) released this fine, raucous record for American rock and roll fans to enjoy. Often cited as one of the absolute best debut albums by any punk band, this first record by The Saints has often been referred to as a highly-influential and important album, proving that the spirit and swagger of punk rock was not exclusive to certain parts of the world, and that this noisy bunch of Australians could rock as hard as any of their New York or London equals could.
TODAY IN ROCK HISTORY
Happy Birthday to the King of Pop
Today in rock history: on this date in 1970, up and coming singing group of brothers, The Jackson 5, made its debut on the popular, weekly syndicated music program, American Bandstand. Having recently sold over two million copies of its first two singles, “I Want You Back” and “ABC,” the group was already widely recognized as dynamic hit makers and enormously talented singers, dancers and musicians. Led by the group’s youngest brother Michael, the group’s appeal and success was owed in great part to the talents of the pre-teen who’d eventually go on to become the most recognized pop star of all time. The group performed its first two hits on the program and were exposed to millions of viewers who tuned into the program which was hosted by radio and television personality, Dick Clark. The Jackson 5 would become the very first singing group to have its first four singles all reach the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s pop singles chart.
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Today in rock history: on this date in 1990, German singing duo Milli Vanilli was honored with the Grammy award for the Best New Artist of the year. While it’s long been believed that winning this particular trophy could wind up being more of a curse than a blessing, nothing prepared the slick, dance-pop duo for the bad luck it would soon encounter. After scoring several hits including “Blame it on the Rain,” “Baby Don’t Forget My Number,” and “Girl You Know it’s True,” the pair had several songs on regular rotation on radio playlists as well as a debut album that went on to sell over six million copies. After it was revealed that neither Fab or Rob, the pair of singers who appeared on the album’s cover, music videos and concert tours were the actual voices behind the songs that had become successful all around the world, all hell broke loose. After a lip-sync mishap occurred at one of the pair’s concerts where its backing tapes began to skip mid-song, it was revealed that the voices heard on the popular records did not truly belong to the two singers believed to be Milli Vanilli. Class action lawsuits started materializing, and the group’s record label, Arista Records, was forced to issue refunds to those who’d bought the group’s records while been led to believe that the two men thought to be Milli Vanilli truly were not who they portrayed to be. In an unprecedented move, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences revoked Milli Vanilli's 1989 Grammy for best new artist in November of 1990, marking the first time a drastic action like this would take place in the 33-year history of the Grammy awards.
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Today in rock history: on this date in 1933, Eunice Kathleen Waymon was born in Tryon, North Carolina. Developing an early interest in music and beginning to play the piano at age three, the young artist would soon change her name to Nina Simone and pursue a career in music. The name change was in part to disguise herself from her family who she feared would condemn her for performing what they regarded as the “devil’s music.” A victim of constant racial discrimination prompted Simone to work tirelessly to become a renowned, respected musician and singer, and her hard work paid off. Simone recorded more than 40 albums during her lifetime and became known as one of the most daring, original and risk-taking musical artists of all time. Primarily known as a jazz artist, Nina Simone crossed genre lines and delved into pop, folk, R&B, soul, blues and pop throughout her long career. A staunch civil rights activist, Simone was a highly politically motivated artist and wasn’t afraid to make her beliefs known. Her distinctive contralto voice fueled career-defining songs like “To Be Young, Gifted and Black,” “Mississippi Goddam,” “I Put A Spell on You” and “I Loves You, Porgy,” and set her apart from all her contemporaries in style, approach and technique. The admired artist who’s been a major influence on countless musicians and artists passed away at the age of 70 in 2003 but left behind a wealth of great music that continues to inspire and enthrall listeners to this date.
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This article appears in Feb 15-22, 2018.