On January 30, 1969, The Beatles held the rooftop concert on the roof of Apple headquarters at “3 Savile Row”, in London. This was the band’s final public performance. In the 42 minutes set, the four Beatles were accompanied by the keyboardist Billy Preston. Footage from the performance was used in the 1970 documentary film “Let It Be”.
Tag Archives: London
Led Zeppelin: Same
On January 12, 1969, “Atlantic” label released the self-titled, debut Led Zeppelin album. It was recorded October 1968 at “Olympic Studios” in London in only 36 hours, and was produced by Jimmy Page. The album art was coordinated by George Hardie; the back cover photography of the band was taken by former Yardbirds member Chris Dreja. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 29 on its of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”; in 2004 it was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”.
Personnel:
- Jimmy Page– acoustic, electric and pedal steel guitars, backing vocals
- Robert Plant– lead vocals, harmonica
- John Bonham– drums, timpani, backing vocals
- John Paul Jones– bass guitar, Hammond organ, backing vocals
- Viram Jasani– tabla
- Glyn Johns – engineer
- Peter Grant– executive production
Track listing:
- Good Times Bad Times – Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, Robert Plant
- Babe I’m Gonna Leave You – Anne Bredon, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
- You Shook Me – Willie Dixon, B. Lenoir
- Dazed and Confused – Jimmy Page, inspired by Jake Holmes
- Your Time Is Gonna Come – Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant
- Black Mountain Side – Jimmy Page
- Communication Breakdown – Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, Robert Plant
- I Can’t Quit You Babe – Willie Dixon
- How Many More Times – Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, John Bonham
Michael Kamen
On November 18, 2003, Michael Kamen died aged 55. He was composer and orchestral arranger, has worked with many famous musicians and bands including Pink Floyd, Roger Daltrey, Tom Petty, David Bowie, Eurythmics, Eric Clapton, Rush, Metallica, Herbie Hancock, The Cranberries, Bryan Adams, Jim Croce, Aerosmith, Sting, Queen and Kate Bush.
Jimi Hendrix
On September 18, 1970, at St. Mary Abbot’s Hospital in London, at 12: 45 p.m., Dr. John Bannister pronounced Jimi Hendrix dead. He was 27.
Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham
On August 12, 1968, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham rehearsed for first time together at the studio in Gerrard Street in London’s West End. They played a version of “The Train Kept A-Rollin”, “Smokestack Lightning” and “I’m Confused” which later became “Dazed And Confused”. The first live dates they performed were by the name of “The Yardbirds”; it was the following month they changed the name to “Led Zeppelin”.
David Bowie: Same
On June 1, 1967, “Deram” label released the self-titled, debut David Bowie album. It was recorded November 1966 – February 1967, at “Decca Studios” in London,and was produced by Mike Vernon.
Personnel:
- David Bowie– vocals, guitar, saxophone, arrangement
- Derek Boyes –organ
- Dek Fearnley –bass guitar, Orchestral arrangement
- John Eager –drums
- Gus Dudgeon– engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by David Bowie.
- Uncle Arthur
- Sell Me a Coat
- Rubber Band
- Love You Till Tuesday
- There Is a Happy Land
- We Are Hungry Men
- When I Leave My Dream
- Little Bombardier
- Silly Boy Blue
- Come and Buy My Toys
- Join the Gang
- She’s Got Medals
- Maid of Bond Street
- Please Mr. Gravedigger
The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
On May 26, 1967, “Parlaphone” label released “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, the eighth Beatles (The) studio album. It was recorded 24 November 1966 – 21 April 1967, at “EMI Studios” and “Regent Sound Studio” in London, and was produced by George Martin. The album is regarded as the first concept and art album in popular music. “Time” magazine described it as “a historic departure in the progress of music” It was an immediate commercial and critical success, winning four “Grammy Awards” in 1968, including “Album of the Year”, becoming the first rock album to receive this award. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” at number one in its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. “Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature” (Professor Kevin J. Dettmar) described it as “the most important and influential rock and roll album ever recorded”.
Personnel:
- John Lennon– lead, harmony and background vocals; rhythm, acoustic and lead guitars; Hammond organ and final piano E chord; harmonica, tape loops, sound effects, and comb and tissue paper; hand claps, tambourine, maracas
- Paul McCartney– lead, harmony and background vocals; bass and lead guitars; electric and acoustic pianos, Lowrey and Hammond organs; hand claps; vocalisations, tape loops, sound effects, comb, tissue paper
- George Harrison– lead, harmony and background vocals, lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars, sitar; tambourine, harmonica, kazoo, hand claps, maracas
- Ringo Starr– lead vocals, drums, congas, tambourine, maracas, handclaps and tubular bells, harmonica; final piano E chord
- Sounds Incorporated– the saxophone sextet on “Good morning, good morning”
- Neil Aspinall– tamboura, harmonica
- Geoff Emerick– audio engineering; tape loops and sound effects
- Mal Evans– counting, harmonica, alarm clock, final piano E chord
- George Martin– tape loops, sound effects, harpsichord , harmonium, Lowrey organ, glockenspiel, Hammond organ , piano , final harmonium chord
- Four French horns on “Sgt. Pep per’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”: Neill Sanders, James W. Buck, John Burden, Tony Randall, arranged and conducted by George Martin and Paul McCartney,
- String section and harp on “She’s leaving home”, arranged by Mike Leander and conducted by George Martin
- Tabla, dilrubas, tamboura and swarmandalon “Within you without you”, played by members of the Asian Music Circle, with eight violins and four cellos arranged and conducted by George Harrison and George Martin
- Clarinet trio on “When I’m Sixty-Four”: Robert Burns, Henry MacKenzie, Frank Reidy, arranged and conducted by George Martin and Paul McCartney
- Saxophones on “Good morning, good morning”, arranged and conducted by George Martin and John Lennon
- Forty-piece orchestra, including strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion; arranged by George Martin, John Lennon and Paul McCartney and conducted by George Martin and Paul McCartney.
Track listing
All tracks by John Lennon and Paul McCartney except where noted.
- Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
- With a Little Help From My Friends
- Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
- Getting Better
- Fixing a Hole
- She’s Leaving Home
- Being for the Benefit of Kite
- Within You Without You – George Harrison
- When I’m Sixty Four
- Lovely Rita
- Good Morning Good Morning
- Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – reprise
- A Day in the Life
musicalphabet 