40,000 Headmen

Today in rock history, in 1968, Traffic makes their US debut at the Fillmore East. They probably did this song…enjoy, thanks to http://rockhall.com/story-of-rock/today-in-rock/ for the info, and keep on rockin’!

Bounce Back

If you are a fan of NBC's “The Office,” then you are probably aware of Dunder Mifflin's resident curmudgeon, Creed Bratton, who has been known to play the occaisional hot guitar solo, in between his sarcastic gibes. Where does that come from, you wonder? What you may not know is that, back in the turbulent '60's, Creed was a member of the Grass Roots, that seminal LA pop-rock band created by P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri. What you may also not know is that Creed, at age 69, is still a performing and recording musician, most recently releasing an album in 2006 called “Bounce Back.” Let's take a look at Creed yesterday and today - keep on rockin' Creed!

I've Got a Black Magic Woman...

Today in rock history, in 1970, Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green leaves the group to do “what God will have me to do,’ after joining a commune in Munich and taking one too many LSD trips. Green, one of the founding members of the Mac and 38th on Rolling Stone magazine’s top 100 guitarists, came to the Mac from replacing Eric Clapton in the Bluesbreakers. This was said about Green by the recording engineer right prior to his first recording session with the Bluesbreakers: “As the band walked in the studio I noticed an amplifier which I never saw before, so I said to John Mayall, ‘Where's Eric Clapton?’ Mayall answered, ‘He's not with us anymore, he left us a few weeks ago.’ I was in a shock of state (sic) but Mayall said, ‘Don't worry, we got someone better.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute, hang on a second, this is ridiculous. You've got someone better??? Than Eric Clapton???’ John said, ‘He might not be better now, but you wait, in a couple of years he's going to be the best.’ Then he introduced me to Peter Green.” Well, maybe not better than Clapton (but who knows what would have happened if fate had not intervened?), but a blues guitar giant in his own right. Let’s check out some of his best work (along with co-guitarist Danny Kirwan), thanks to http://www.rockintown.com/today-in-rock.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Green_(musician) for the info, and keep on rockin’

A Whiter Shade of Fail…

Today in rock history, in 2008, a London Court of Appeal reverses an ‘06 ruling that gave Procol Harum keyboardist Matthew Fisher a 40 percent stake in the royalties on the group's signature hit, the ‘67 single "A Whiter Shade Of Pale." Frontman Gary Brooker retains all of the song's commercial rights. The ruling is based on Fisher's "excessive and inexcusable delay (38 years) in his claim to assert joint title to a joint interest in the work." An update, though, according to his website www.matthewfisher.com, is that he has made a publishing agreement with the publisher of the song, so apparently he is getting some piece of the pie. It’s still a great tune, and one that I continue to work on, on and off, on my Hammond – maybe someday I’ll get it!. Thanks to http://www.rockintown.com/ for the info, and keep on rockin’!