Dr. Rock's Blog & Roll

Here's a sampling of the BEST music ever made! - great albums from the 60s, 70s and 80s rock and pop which were released this week (and some related albums of note):


May 20
● Climax Blues Band ------ Sense Of Direction ► Blues-Rock >> 1974
● David Bowie ------ Changesonebowie ► Glam Rock >> 1976
● The Jam ------ In The City ► Punk-Rock >> 1977
● Kiss ------ Unmasked ► Hard Rock >> 1980
● Elton John ------ The Fox ► Pop-Rock >> 1981
● Savatage ------ Power Of The Night ► Heavy Metal/Speed Metal >> 1985
● Various Artists ------ Beverly Hills Cop II [Sndtrk] ► Album Rock >> 1987
● Manic Street Preachers ------ Everything Must Go ► Hard Rock >> 1996
● Soilwork ------ Steelbath Suicide ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal >> 1996
● Blues Brothers ------ Blues Brothers & Friends: Live From The House Of Blues ► Blues-Rock >> 1997
● Peter Cetera ------ You're The Inspiration: A Collection ► Pop-Rock >> 1997
● Michael Jackson ------ Blood On The Dance Floor: HIStory In The Mix ► Dance-Pop >> 1997
● Millencolin ------ For Monkeys ► Euro-punk >> 1997
● James Taylor ------ Hourglass ► Folk-Rock >> 1997
● Bracket ------ When All Else Fails ► Punk Rock >> 2000
● Earth, Wind & Fire ------ The Promise ► Soul-Funk >> 2003


May 21
● Stevie Wonder ------ Recorded Live! The 12-Year Old Genius ► Soul - Pop >> 1963
● Marvin Gaye ------ What's Going On ► Soul - Motown >> 1971
● Paul & Linda McCartney ------ Ram [UK] ► Pop-Rock >> 1971
● Blue Öyster Cult ------ Agents Of Fortune ► Metal >> 1976
● Saxon ------ Saxon ► Heavy Metal >> 1979
● Paul McCartney ------ McCartney II ► Pop-Rock >> 1980
● John Waite ------ Ignition ► Power Pop >> 1982
● Joe Walsh ------ You Bought It - You Name It ► Blues-Rock >> 1983
● Cinderella ------ Long Cold Winter ► Heavy Metal >> 1988
● Poison ------ Open Up And Say…Ahh! ► Heavy Metal/Hair Metal >> 1988
● Soul II Soul ------ Vol. II: 1990 - A New Beginning ► Dance-Pop/Electronic >> 1990
● Helloween ------ Pink Bubbles Go Ape ► Heavy Metal/Power Metal >> 1991
● Jason Becker ------ Perspective ► Hard Rock >> 1996
● The Cure ------ Wild Mood Swings ► Post-Punk >> 1996
● Everything But The Girl ------ Walking Wounded ► Electro-Pop >> 1996
● Scorpions ------ Pure Instinct ► Heavy Metal >> 1996
● Soundgarden ------ The Great Lost Kinks Album ► Grunge >> 1996
● The Wallflowers ------ Bringing Down The Horse ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1996
● Arch Enemy ------ Burning Bridges ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal >> 1999
● Bad Company ------ In Concert: Merchants Of Cool ► Hard Rock >> 2002
● Poison ------ Hollyweird ► Heavy Metal/Hair Metal >> 2002
● Three Dog Night ------ Three Dog Night With The London Symphony Orchestra ► Blue-Eyed Soul >> 2002
● Soundgarden ------ Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did On Our Summer Vacation) ► Grunge >> 2012


May 22
● The Monkees ------ Headquarters ► Pop-Rock >> 1967
● Minnie Riperton ------ Adventures In Paradise ► Soul-Pop >> 1975
● Smokey Robinson ------ Where There's Smoke… ► Soul - Motown >> 1979
● Diana Ross ------ Diana ► Soul - Motown >> 1980
● Toyah ------ Anthem ► Punk Rock >> 1981
● David Bowie & Tin Machine ------ Tin Machine ► Hard Rock >> 1989
● Madonna ------ I'm Breathless [Sndtrk] ► Dance-Pop >> 1990
● The Pretenders ------ Packed! ► Post-Punk >> 1990
● Andrew Ridgeley ------ Son Of Albert ► Dance-Pop >> 1990
● Spiritualized ------ Lazer Guided Melodies ► Space Rock/Shoegaze >> 1992
● Stabbing Westward ------ Stabbing Westward ► Industrial Rock >> 2001
● The Tubes ------ Hoods From Outer Space ► Alt. Rock >> 2002
● Ozzy Osbourne ------ Black Rain ► Hard Rock >> 2007


May 23
● Marvin Gaye ------ Moods Of Marvin Gaye ► Soul - Motown >> 1966
● Brenda Lee ------ Ten Golden Years ► Country-Pop >> 1966
● Cilla Black ------ Surround Yourself With Cilla ► Pop/Merseybeat >> 1969
● The Who ------ Tommy ► British Rock >> 1969
● Rory Gallagher ------ Rory Gallagher ► Blues-Rock >> 1971
● The Jackson 5 ------ Lookin' Through The Windows ► Soul - Motown >> 1972
● Elton John ------ Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy ► Pop-Rock >> 1975
● Kiss ------ Dynasty ► Hard Rock >> 1979
● Diana Ross ------ The Boss ► Disco >> 1979
● Graham Parker ------ The Up Escalator ► Pub Rock >> 1980
● Bob Marley & The Wailers ------ Confrontation ► Roots Reggae >> 1983
● Joan Jett & The Blackhearts ------ Up Your Alley ► Hard Rock >> 1988
● Rod Stewart ------ Out Of Order ► Blues-Rock >> 1988
● The Ramones ------ Brain Drain ► Punk-Rock >> 1989
● Wang Chung ------ The Warmer Side Of Cool ► New Wave/Dance-Pop >> 1989
● Stevie Nicks ------ Street Angel ► Pop-Rock >> 1994
● Bad Brains ------ God Of Love ► Post-Punk/Hardcore >> 1995
● Chicago ------ Night & Day ► Big Band >> 1995
● Chris Isaak ------ Forever Blue ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1995
● Jerry Lee Lewis ------ Young Blood ► Rock n Roll >> 1995
● Squirrel Nut Zippers ------ The Inevitable ► Swing Revival >> 1995
● Eminem ------ The Marshall Mathers LP ► Hip-Hop >> 2000
● Don Henley ------ Inside Job ► Pop-Rock >> 2000
● Matchbox Twenty ------ Mad Season ► Alt. Rock >> 2000
● Rae & Christian ------ Blazing The Crop ► Electronic Dance Mix >> 2000
● Charlie Watts ------ Charlie Watts/Jim Keltner Project ► Jazz-Rock Fusion >> 2000
● XTC ------ Wasp Star: Apple Venus, Vol. 2 ► New Wave Pop-Rock >> 2000
● Jeff Beck ------ Official Bootleg USA '06 ► Instrumental Rock >> 2007


May 24
● The Small Faces ------ Ogden's Nut Gone Flake ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1968
● Robert Hunter ------ Tales Of The Great Rum Runners ► Country-Rock >> 1974
● Harry Nilsson ------ Son Of Dracula [Sndtrk] [UK] ► Folk-Rock >> 1974
● AC/DC ------ Who Made Who ► Hard Rock >> 1986
● Neil Diamond ------ Headed For The Future ► Pop-Rock >> 1986
● Camper Van Beethoven ------ Our Beloved ► Punk-Folk-Ska Fusion >> 1988
● Van Halen ------ OU812 ► Hard Rock >> 1988
● ABBA ------ More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits ► Euro-Pop >> 1993
● The Beastie Boys ------ Ill Communication ► Rap >> 1994
● Jimmy Buffett ------ Fruitcakes ► Folk-Rock >> 1994
● Jeru The Damaja ------ The Sun Rises In The East ► East Coast Rap >> 1994
● Dark Tranquility ------ Exposures - In Retrospect And Denial ► Heavy Metal/Melodic Death Metal >> 2004


May 25
● Young-Holt Unlimited ------ Oh, Girl ► Pop-Soul >> 1972
● Mike Oldfield ------ Tubular Bells ► Instrumental >> 1973
● AC/DC ------ Powerage ► Hard Rock >> 1978
● David Gilmour ------ David Gilmour [UK] ► Prog Rock >> 1978
● Queen ------ Hot Space ► Glam Rock >> 1982
● Spandau Ballet ------ Diamond ► New Wave Synht-Pop >> 1982
● Dio ------ Holy Diver ► Heavy Metal >> 1983
● Spandau Ballet ------ Parade ► New Wave Synht-Pop >> 1984
● Death ------ Scream Bloody Gore ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal >> 1987
● Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam ------ Straight To The Sky ► Dance-Pop >> 1989
● Jeff Healey Band ------ Hell To Pay ► Blues-Rock >> 1990
● Mellow Man Ace ------ The Brother With Two Tongues ► Latin Rap/House >> 1992
● Anthrax ------ The Sound Of White Noise ► Heavy Metal/Thrash Metal >> 1993
● Marc Cohn ------ The Rainy Season ► Adult Contemporary >> 1993
● Donald Fagen ------ Kamakiriad ► Jazz-Rock >> 1993
● Talisman ------ Humanimal (Part 1) ► Hard Rock >> 1994
● The Pietasters ------ Ooloodoo ► Ska/Soul >> 1995
● Tricky ------ Angels With Dirty Faces ► Electronic Trip-Hop >> 1998
● Anti-Flag ------ A New Kind Of Army ► Punk Rock >> 1999
● Kylie Minogue ------ Confide In Me ► Dance-Pop >> 2002


May 26
● The Mothers Of Invention ------ Absolutely Free ► Art Rock >> 1967
● George Harrison ------ Electronic Sound ► Art-Rock >> 1969
● John Lennon & Yoko Ono ------ Unfinished Music, No. 2: Life With The Lions ► Pop-Rock >> 1969
● Diana Ross & The Supremes ------ Let The Sunshine In ► Soul - Motown >> 1969
● Journey ------ Raised On Radio ► Prog/Art Rock >> 1986
● The Cure ------ Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me ► Post-Punk >> 1987
● Los Lobos ------ Kiko ► Roots Rock >> 1992
● The Jam ------ Direction Reaction Creation ► Punk-Rock >> 1997
● The B-52's ------ Time Capsule ► New Wave Pop-Rock >> 1998
● Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ------ The Best Of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ► Alt Rock >> 1998

Labels: Albums Released This Week, rock album history, rock album release history, rock albums by date

Happy Birthday this week to:

May 19
1932 ● Alma Cogan (Cohen) → 50s and early 60s rising star Brit traditional pop female vocalist, "Dreamboat" (UK #1, 1955) plus 20 other UK Top 40 hits, died of stomach cancer on 10/26/1966
1940 ● Milton "Mickey" Newbury, Jr. → Prolific country music songwriter with dozens of hit songs performed by others, including Top 20 songs on four charts simultaneously, "Here Comes the Rain, Baby" (Eddy Arnold, Country #4, 1968), "Sweet Memories" (Andy Williams, Easy Listening #4, 1968), "Time Is A Thief" (Solomon Burke, R&B #15, 1968) and "Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition Was In)" (Kenny Rogers & The First Edition, Pop #5, 1968), plus a solo hit single "An American Trilogy" (#26, 1972), died 9/29/2002
1945 ● Pete Townshend → Guitarist, songwriter, rock opera composer and vocalist for Brit rock 'n' roll The Who, "I Can See For Miles" (#9, 1967) and 14 other US Top 40 singles, rock opera albums Tommy (1969) and Quadrophenia (1973), Grammy-winning solo career, "Face The Face" (#26, Mainstream Rock #3, 1985)
1947 ● Gregory Herbert → Alto saxophone for jazz-rock/pop-rock fusion band Blood, Sweat & Tears, "Spinning Wheel" (#2, 1969), died of a drug overdose on 1/31/1978
1947 ● Jerry Hyman → Trombonist for jazz-rock/pop-rock horn band Blood, Sweat & Tears, "Spinning Wheel" (#2, 1969)
1947 ● Paul Brady → Irish folk-pop singer/songwriter and guitarist with The Johnstons and Planxty, then long solo career, "Nobody Knows" (1990)
1947 ● Steve Currie → Bassist for proto-glam-rock T. Rex, "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" (#10, 1971), sessions, died in a car crash on 4/28/1981
1948 ● Paul Williams → Music journalist and writer, founder and editor of college-rag turned national publication Crawdaddy, the first journal to be entirely devoted to in-depth commentary about rock music and which started the careers of a generation of rock writers and critics, died on 3/27/2013 from complications of a brain injury suffered in a bicycle accident in 1995
1948 ● Tom Scott → Grammy-winning jazz-pop-rock multi-reedist, composer, bandleader for The L. A. Express, which backed Joni Mitchell, Carole King, George Harrison and others, solo "Tom Cat" (R&B #93, 1975), composer of film soundtracks and TV shows
1949 ● Joe Michael "Dusty" Hill → Bass, vocals and keyboards for venerable Texas blues/boogie rock trio ZZ Top, "Legs" (#8, 1984)
1950 ● Mike Wedgewood → Bassist for Brit prog/avant garde rock Curved Air, "Back Street Luv" (UK #4, 1974)
1950 ● Romeo Challenger → Drummer for Brit rock 'n' roll revival Showaddywaddy, "Under The Moon Of Love" (UK #1, 1976) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles
1951 ● Joey Ramone (Jeffrey Hyman) → Cultural icon, lead vocals and songwriter for seminal punk rock band The Ramones, "Rockaway Beach" (#66, 1978), died from lymphatic cancer on 4/15/2001
1952 ● Barbara Joyce Lomas → Vocals for 70s R&B/soul-funk-disco B.T. Express, "Do It ('Til Your Satisfied)" (#2, R&B #1, 1974)
1952 ● Grace Jones (Mendoza) → Severely androgynous "Queen of the Gay Discos" and R&B/dance-pop-disco diva, "Pull Up To The Bumper" (R&B #5, Dance/Club #2, 1981), actress
1954 ● Phillip Rudd → Drummer for Aussie power chord hard rockers AC/DC, "For Those About To Rock" (Mainstream Rock #4, 1982), left in 1983
1956 ● Martyn "Teddy Bear" Ware → Founding member of late-70s synth-pop pioneers The Human League, "Don't You Want Me" (#1, 1981), left to form 80s synth-pop Heaven 17, "Temptation" (UK #2, 1983) and "Contenders" (Dance/Club #6, 1987)
1962 ● Iain Harvie → Founder, guitarist and songwriter for pop and country-rock Del Amitri, "Roll To Me" (#10, 1995)
1963 ● Yazz (Yasmin Evans) → Brit dance-pop singer often credited as Yazz And The Plastic Population, "The Only Way Is Up" (#96, Dance/Club #2, 1988)
1968 ● Paul Hartnoll → With brother Phil, Brit electronic dance music duo Orbital, "The Box" (UK #11, 1996)
1970 ● Stuart Cable → Original drummer for Welsh alt rock/trad rock Stereophonics, "Have A Nice Day" (Modern Rock #26, UK #5, 2001), left in 2003 and hosted cable TV show in Wales and BBC Radio Wales, choked to death on 6/7/2010
1972 ● Jenny Berggren → Singer and songwriter for Swedish pop-rockers Ace Of Base, "All That She Wants" (#2, 1993)

May 20
1925 ● Vic Ames (Urick) → Vocals for sibling quartet Ames Brothers, "Rag Mop" (#1, 1950), starred in The Ames Brothers Show on TV, died in a car accident 1/23/1978
1940 ● Frederick Earl "Shorty" Long → Overlooked Motown R&B/pop singer, "Here Comes The Judge" (#8, R&B #4, 1968), producer and song craftsman, drowned in a Detroit River boating accident on 6/29/1969
1942 ● Jill Jackson → Vocals in pop duo Paul & Paula, "Hey Paula" (#1, 1963)
1944 ● John Robert "Joe" Cocker → Pub-rock/blues-pop-rock vocalist, "A Little Help From My Friends" (#68, UK #1, 1968), "The Letter" (#7, 1970) and duet with Jennifer Warnes, "Up Where We Belong" (#1, 1982)
1946 ● Cher (Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre) → Vocals with husband Sonny Bono in pop-rock duo Sonny & Cher, "I Got You Babe" (#1, 1965), solo, "Believe" (#1, 1999)
1950 ● Stephen Alex Broughton → Drummer for Brit blues-rock then prog rock Edgar Broughton Band, "Apache Dropout" (UK #33, 1970)
1952 ● Warren Cann → Drummer for New Wave electro-synth-pop pioneers Ultravox, "Vienna" (UK #2, 1980) and 15 other UK Top 40 singles
1954 ● Guy Edward Hoffman → Drummer for roots rock The BoDeans, "Closer To Free" (#16, 1993)
1954 ● Jimmy Henderson → Guitarist for Southern raunch-rock Black Oak Arkansas, "Jim Dandy To The Rescue" (Top 30, 1973)
1955 ● Steve George → Keyboardist for 80s atmospheric pop-rock quartet Mr. Mister, "Kyrie" (#1, 1985)
1958 ● Jane Wiedlin → Guitar, songwriting and vocals for top New Wave pop-rock all-girl group The Go-Go’s, "We Got The Beat (#2, 1982) and solo, "Rush Hour" (#9, 1988)
1959 ● Susan Cowsill → Sub-teen vocalist for family pop band The Cowsills, "The Rain, The Park And Other Things" (#2, 1967) and theme song from Broadway musical Hair, (#2, 1969), inspiration for the TV show The Partridge Family, backing vocalist for various artists in the 80s, then formed alt country-rock supergroup Continental Drifters in 1991, solo
1961 ● Dan Wilson → Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for post-grunge alt rock Semisonic, wrote "Closing Time" (Modern Rock #4, 1998), producer
1961 ● Nick Heyward → Guitar and vocals for New Wave funk-pop Haircut 100, "Love Plus One" (#37, 1982)
1963 ● Brian "Nasher" Nash → Backing vocals and guitarist for Brit New Wave pop/rock Frankie Goes To Hollywood, "Relax" (#10, 1984)
1964 ● Patti Russo → Singer/songwriter and actress best known as the female lead vocalist with Meat Loaf's touring band, Neverland Express
1966 ● Tom Gorman → Guitarist for alt pop-rock Belly, "Feed The Tree" (#1, Modern Rock, 1993)
1967 ● Kit Clark → With brother Gary Clark, founding member and vocals for Scottish pop-rock Danny Wilson, "Mary's Prayer" (#23, Adult Contemporary #6, 1987)
1972 ● Busta Rhymes (Trevor Smith, Jr.) → Grammy-nominated, idiosyncratic speed rapper, first with Leaders Of The New School, "What's Next" (Rap #1, 1993), then solo, "Woo-Hah!! Got You All In Check " (#8, Rap #1, 1996)
1981 ● Sean Conlon → Vocals for Brit dance-pop boy band 5ive (aka Five), "When The Lights Go Out" (#10, 1998)
1984 ● Naturi Naughton → Vocals for R&B/dance-teen-pop 3LW (aka 3 Little Women), "No More (Baby I'ma Do Right)" (#23, 2001)

May 21
1904 ● Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller → Jazz and ragtime pianist, co-wrote "Ain't Misbehavin'" (1929), the oft-covered classic now included in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, died 12/15/1943 from pneumonia
1926 ● Albert Bernard Grossman → Chicago folk club owner and later promoter and manager for Bob Dylan (1962-70), Peter, Paul & Mary, The Band, Paul Butterfield, Janis Joplin and others, built Bearsville Studios near Woodstock, NY and founded Bearsville Records, died of a heart attack on 1/25/86 while flying to London on the Concorde to sign unknown British rock singer
1928 ● Tom Donahue → Rock Hall of Fame-inducted pioneering "free format" FM rock DJ on KSAN (San Francisco) and other stations, night club owner, concert producer/promoter, record label executive, died of a heart attack on 4/28/1975
1941 ● Ronald Isley → Vocals for six-decade, multi-generation R&B/soul family group The Isley Brothers, "That Lady, Pts. 1-2" (#6, 1973)
1943 ● Hilton Valentine → Guitarist for British Invasion hard/blues-rock The Animals, "House Of The Rising Sun" (#1, 1964)
1943 ● John Dalton → Bass guitarist for British Invasion pop-rock The Kinks, "Lola" (#9, 1970), replaced Pete Quaiffe in 1969, left the band in 1976 and periodically appears with the Kast Off Kinks
1943 ● Vincent Crane (Cheesman) → Keyboards and songwriter for Brit psych-rock The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, "Fire" (#12, 1987), left with bandmate Carl Palmer to form prog/art rock Atomic Rooster, "The Devil's Answer" (UK #4, 1971), died from an overdose of painkillers on 2/14/1989
1944 ● Marcie Blaine (Marcia Blank) → One hit wonder pop singer, "Bobby's Girl" (#3, 1962)
1947 ● Bill Champlin → Singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist and frontman for psych-rock Sons Of Champlin, joined pop-rock/horn band Chicago, "You're The Inspiration" (#3, 1984) in 1981 and has played and toured with the band since, also solo and side projects
1948 ● Gerard Hugh "Leo" Sayer → Grammy-winning blue-eyed R&B/pop-disco singer, "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" (#1, 1977)
1954 ● Marc Ribot → Multi-genre guitarist and composer, session work for dozens of artists from Norah Jones to Elvis Costello to Tom Waits, member of New York City avant-garde The Lounge Lizards
1955 ● Stan Lynch → Drummer for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, "Free Fallin'" (#7, 1989)
1958 ● Mike Barson → Keyboards for Brit punk/ska revival Madness, "Our House" (#7, 1982) and over 20 other UK Top 40 singles
1963 ● Kevin Shields → Founding member and guitarist for art-prog-rock, "shoe-gazing" pioneers My Bloody Valentine, "Only Shallow" (Modern Rock #27, 1992)
1963 ● Tim Lever → Keyboards for New Wave dance-pop Hi-NRG group Dead Or Alive, "You Spin Me 'Round (Like A Record)" (#11, 1985)
1964 ● Martin Blunt → Bass for "Madchester" alt rock The Charlatans UK, "The Only One I Know" (Mainstream Rock #37, 1991)
1972 ● The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace) → Street hustler turned East Coast hip hop star, "Mo Money Mo Problems" (#1, 1997), murdered in a drive-by shooting in L.A. on 3/9/1997
1975 ● Lee Gaze → Lead guitarist for Welsh alt hard rock Lostprophets, "Last Train Home" (Mainstream Rock #10, 2004)
1978 ● Adam Wade Gontier → Lead singer and guitarist in Canadian punk/metal Three Days Grace, "Just Like You" (Mainstream Rock #1, 2004)
1985 ● Mutya Buena → Singer in Brit multi-racial pop girl group Sugababes, "Hole In The Head" (Dance/Club #1, 2004), quit the group in 2005 for solo, "Real Girl" (UK #2, 2006)

May 22
1924 ● Charles Aznavour (Shahnour Aznavourian) → The "French Frank Sinatra", world-known French-Armenian music hall singer, songwriter, actor and diplomat, "She" (UK #1, 1974)
1937 ● Kenny Ball → Brit traditional jazz trumpeter and bandleader, Kenny Ball & His Jazzman, "Midnight In Moscow" (#2, 1962)
1941 ● Bruce Rowlands → Drummer in Joe Cocker's backing group The Grease Band, then joined renowned Brit folk-rock Fairport Convention, "Si Tu Dos Partir" (UK #21, 1969)
1942 ● Calvin Simon → Vocals for R&B/doo wop The Parliaments, "(I Wanna) Testify" (#20, R&B #3, 1967), then R&B/soul-funk ("P-Funk") giants Parliament-Funkadelic, "One Nation Under A Groove" (#31, 1978)
1949 ● Chris Butler → Lead guitarist and chief songwriter for New Wave pop-rock The Waitresses, "I Know What Boys Like" (Mainstream Rock #23, 1982), solo and record producer/executive
1950 ● Bernie Taupin → Lyricist and renowned songwriting partner of Elton John with dozens of collaborative hits, also co-wrote Jefferson Starship's "We Built This City" (#1, 1985), Heart's "These Dreams" ( #1, 1986), and songs for Rod Stewart, Cher, The Motels, John Waite, Alice Cooper and multiple others
1954 ● Jerry Dammers → Founding member and keyboard play for ska revival/punk rock The Specials, "Ghost Town" (UK #1, 1981), producer and co-founder of 2 Tone Records
1955 ● Iva Davies → Welsh singer/songwriter, guitarist, producer and film score composer, frontman for Aussie New Wave synth-pop/pub rock Icehouse, "Electric Blue" (#7, 1987)
1955 ● Mary Black → Irish folk and contemporary pop-rock-blues singer and songwriter, "Columbus" (1989)
1959 ● Morrissey (Steven Patrick Morrissey) → Vocalist and lyricist, frontman for definitive Brit indie rock The Smiths, "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (UK #10, 1984), solo, "Suedehead" (UK #5, 1988) and over 15 other UK Top 40 singles
1962 ● Jesse Valenzuela → Vocals and guitar for power-pop Gin Blossoms, "Found Out About You" (Modern Rock #1, 1994), solo
1966 ● Johnny Gill → R&B/hip hop "new jack swing" singer, "Super Love" (#29, 1983), joined New Edition, "If It Isn't Love" (#7, 1988), returned to solo recording, "Rub You The Right Way" (#3, 1990)
1967 ● Dan Roberts → Bassist for Canadian alt pop-rock Crash Test Dummies, "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" (#4, 1993)
1979 ● Russell Pritchard → Bass guitarist for Brit indie rock The Zutons, "Valerie" (UK #9, 2006)
1981 ● Su-Elise Nash → Vocals in "UK urban" R&B/dance-pop trio Mis-Teeq, "One Night Stand" (Dance/Club #4, 2004), now a performing arts school director

May 23
1918 ● Robert "Bumps" Blackwell → Early rock 'n' roll and soul music producer, Specialty Records executive, managed Little Richard and co-wrote several hits, including "Long Tall Sally" (#6, R&B #1, 1956), guided multiple other R&B/soul acts including Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Sly & The Family Stone, died of pneumonia on 1/27/1985
1921 ● Humphrey Lyttleton → Jazz bandleader, trumpeter, composer and BBC Radio 4 host, I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, died of an aortic aneurysm on 4/25/2008
1928 ● Rosemary Clooney → Immensely popular 40s-50s adult pop singer, "Mangos" (#10, 1957), stage and film actress, died of lung cancer on 7/29/2002
1934 ● Robert Moog → Keyboard musician and inventor of the synthesizer, built his first electronic instrument - the Theremin - at age 14 and in 1970 produced the MiniMoog "the first compact, easy-to-use synthesizer," died on 8/21/2005 four months after being diagnosed with brain cancer
1943 ● "General" Norman Johnson → R&B/soul-pop songwriter, producer, frontman for Chairmen Of The Board, "Give Me Just A Little More Time" (#3, 1970)
1944 ● Raymon "Tiki" Fulwood → Drummer for R&B/soul-funk ("P-Funk") giants Parliament-Funkadelic, "One Nation Under A Groove" (#31, 1978), died from stomach cancer on 10/29/1979
1946 ● Danny Klein → Bassist for boogie-blues-rock 'n roll bar band J. Geils Band, wrote "Centerfold" (#1, 1982)
1947 ● Bill Hunt → Horns and keyboards for pop-rock Electric Light Orchestra, "Don't Bring Me Down" (#4, 1979) and 26 other Top 40 hits
1953 ● Rick Fenn → Guitarist and vocals for soft pop-rock 10cc, "I'm Not In Love" (#2, 1975), session work with Mike Oldfield, Rick Wakeman and others
1955 ● Jim Mankey → Guitarist with post-punk alt rock Concrete Blonde, "Joey" (Modern Rock #1, 1990)
1957 ● Jimmy McShane → Irish-born frontman and lead singer for Italian New Wave synth-pop Baltimora, "Tarzan Boy" (#13, UK #6, 1985), died from AIDS-related causes on 3/29/1995
1957 ● Thereza Bazar → Singer for Brit cabaret-pop Guys N' Dolls, "There's A Whole Lot Of Loving" (UK #2, 1975), then formed pop duo Dollar with David Van Day, "Mirror, Mirror" (UK #4, 1981), solo
1965 ● Simon Gilbert → Drummer in Britpop indie rock Suede, "Trash" (UK #3, 1996)
1967 ● Frederick "Junior" Waite → Vocals for ska/reggae band Musical Youth, "Pass The Dutchie" (#10, 1982)
1967 ● Phil Selway → Drummer for alt/indie rock Radiohead, "There There" (Modern Rock #14, 2003)
1973 ● Maxwell (Gerald Maxwell Rivera) → Leading R&B/neo-soul singer, "Fortunate" (#4, R&B #1, 1999)
1974 ● Jewel (Kilcher) → Singer/songwriter and guitarist, "You Were Meant For Me" (#3, 1997)
1974 ● Richard Jones → Bassist for Welsh alt rock/trad rock Stereophonics, "Have A Nice Day" (Modern Rock #26, UK #5, 2001)
1978 ● Scott "Mad Dog" Raynor → Drummer for pop-punk Blink-182, "All The Small Things" (#6, 2000)
1983 ● Heidi Range → Original member and vocalist for Brit dance-pop vocal trio Atomic Kitten, "Whole Again" (UK #1, 2000), then multi-racial pop girl group Sugababes, "Hole In The Head" (Dance/Club #1, 2004)

May 24
1941 ● Bob Dylan (Robert Allen Zimmerman) → Vastly influential and popular folk-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist with 29 Top 20 albums and five Top 20 singles, including "Like A Rolling Stone" (#2, 1965)
1942 ● Derek Quinn → Guitar and harmonica for British Invasion novelty/comedy pop-rock 'n' roll Freddie & The Dreamers, "I'm Telling You Now" (#1, 1965)
1944 ● Patti LaBelle (Patricia Holt) → Soul diva and the "Queen of Rock and Soul", first with R&B/gospel-doo wop The Blue Belles, "Down The Aisle (The Wedding Song)" (#37, R&B #14, 1963), then as frontwoman for LaBelle, "Lady Marmalade" (#1, 1975), then a long solo career, including a duet with Michael McDonald, "On My Own" (#1, 1986) and a comeback single "New Day" (Dance/Club #11, 2004)
1945 ● Dave Peacock → Bass and vocals for Brit pop-"rockney" duo Chas & Dave, "Gertcha" (UK #20, 1979)
1946 ● Steve Upton → Drummer (1970-1989) for Brit prog-rock Wishbone Ash, "Time Was" (1972)
1947 ● Albert Bouchard → Drummer, guitarist and songwriter for hard rock/pop metal Blue Öyster Cult, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (#12, 1976)
1947 ● Cynthia "Plaster" Caster → Rock groupie known for making plaster casts of rock star’s penises and breasts, including Jimi Hendrix and members of MC5, Television, The Kinks, various road managers and other rock stars
1955 ● Rosanne Cash → Country-pop singer/songwriter, "Seven Year Ache" (#22, Country #1, 1981), daughter of country music legend Johnny Cash
1960 ● Guy Fletcher → Multi-instrumentalist with prog rock Roxy Music, "Love Is The Drug" (#30, 1976), session work for Bryan Ferry, Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler and others
1962 ● Gene Anthony Ray → Actor, dancer and choreographer, played "Leroy’ in the movie and TV series Fame, danced on The Weather Girls' video of "It's Raining Men", died on 11/14/2003 from a stroke related to HIV
1967 ● Heavy D (Dwight Myers) → Rapper, singer and MC for R&B/hip hop The Boyz, "Now That We Found Love" (#11, 1991), moved to reggae-rap fusion, died 11/8/2011 after collapsing outside his L.A. condo
1969 ● Rich Robinson → Guitarist for roots/raunch rock The Black Crowes, "Hard To Handle" (Mainstream Rock #1, 1991)
1969 ● Tommy Page → Twelve-album, one hit wonder dance-teen-pop singer, "I'll Be Your Everything" (#1, 1990), producer
1976 ● Alessandro Cortini → Keyboards for industrial rock Nine Inch Nails, "The Day The World Went Away" (#17, 1999)
1988 ● Billy Gilman → Country-pop singer and youngest Country Top 20 artist in history, "One Voice" (#38, Country #20, 2000)

May 25
1921 ● Hal David → Pop/MOR lyricist, co-wrote dozens of hits, often in collaboration with composer Burt Bacharach, including "(They Long To Be) Close To You" for the Carpenters (#1, 1970), "Walk On By" for Dionne Warwick (#6, 1964), won two Oscars for film score to Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969) and for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" from the soundtrack (B. J. Thomas, #1, 1969)
1936 ● Donnie Elbert → R&B/Northern soul singer, "Where Did Our Love Go" (#15, R&B #6, 1971), died of a stroke on 1/26/1989
1936 ● Tom T. Hall → Grammy-winning country storytelling songwriter and singer, wrote "Harper Valley P.T.A." for Jeannie C. Riley (#1, 1968) and as a solo artist recorded 21 Country Top 10 hits, including "I Love" (#12, Country #1, 1973)
1942 ● Brian "Blinky" Davison → Drummer for 60s Brit prog rock The Nice, "America" (1968), prog rock Refugee and space-rock Gong, died 4/15/2008
1943 ● Jessi Colter (Miriam Johnson) → Singer/songwriter and lone female star from the "outlaw" country genre, "I'm Not Lisa" (#4, Country #1, 1975), wife of Waylon Jennings
1943 ● John Michael "Poli" Palmer → Piano and vibraphone for blues/art rock Family, "In My Own Time" (UK #4, 1971)
1945 ● Dave Lee Travis (David Patrick Griffin) → BBC Radio 1 and TV host, with fellow DJ Paul Burnette released "Convoy GB" (UK #4, 1976) as Laurie Lingo & The Dipsticks, a parody of C.W. McCall's "Convoy" (#1, Country #1, 1975)
1947 ● Mitch Margo → Vocals for white doo-wop group The Tokens, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (#1, 1961)
1948 ● Klaus Meine → Lead vocals and frontman for German hard rock/metal Scorpions, "Rock You Like A Hurricane" (#25, 1984)
1950 ● Jean Millington → Vocals and bassist with sister June in pioneering all-girl rock quartet Fanny, "Butter Boy" (#29, 1975), early women-only rock band and first to sign with a major record label, still playing as Slammin' Babes
1950 ● Robby Steinhardt → Co-lead singer and violinist for prog/heartland rock Kansas, "Carry On Wayward Son" (#11, 1977), solo
1955 ● John Grimaldi → Guitarist for hard/art rock Argent, "Hold Your Head Up" (#5, 1972)
1958 ● John William "Paul" Weller → Co-founder, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for punk rock/modcon trio The Jam, "Going Underground" (UK #1, 1980), then co-founded sophisti-pop-soul The Style Council, "My Ever Changing Moods" (#29, UK #5, 1984), then solo "Peacock Suit" (UK #5, 1996) and 28 other UK Top 40 singles
1959 ● Rick Smith → Keyboards for electro/trance/dance-pop Underworld, "Two Months Off" (Dance/Club #2, 2002)
1975 ● Lauryn Hill → Grammy-winning singer, guitarist and songwriter with R&B/jazz-rap The Fugees, "Killing Me Softly" (#1, 1996), solo, "Doo Wop (That Thing" (#1, 1998)
1980 ● Joe King → Co-founder, guitar, backing vocals and songwriter of mainstream/piano rock The Fray, "How To Save A Life" (#3, 2006)

Labels: celebrity birthdays, rock birthday history, rock birthdays this week, rock musician birthdays, rock star birthdays, This Week's Birthdays

Here's a sampling of the BEST music ever made! - great albums from the 60s, 70s and 80s rock and pop which were released this week (and some related albums of note):


May 13
● Frank Zappa ------ Lumpy Gravy ► Art Rock >> 1968
● Roger Daltrey ------ One Of The Boys ► Hard Rock >> 1977
● Donna Summer ------ I Remember Yesterday ► Disco >> 1977
● Elton John ------ 21 At 33 ► Pop-Rock >> 1980
● Rough Trade ------ Avoid Freud ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1980
● Dire Straits ------ Brothers In Arms ► Post-Punk Pop-Rock >> 1985
● Various Artists ------ Top Gun [Sndtrk] ► Pop-Rock >> 1986
● Limp Bizkit ------ Rock Im Park 2001 ► Rap-Metal >> 2008


May 14
● Donovan ------ What's Bin Did And What's Been Hid [UK] ► Folk-Rock >> 1965
● Dionne Warwick ------ On Stage And In The Movies ► Pop-Soul >> 1967
● Neil Young With Crazy Horse ------ Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere ► Folk-Rock >> 1969
● The Carpenters ------ Carpenters ► Soft Rock >> 1971
● Rory Gallagher ------ Live In Europe ► Blues-Rock >> 1972
● AC/DC ------ High Voltage ► Hard Rock >> 1976
● Heart ------ Little Queen ► Album Rock >> 1977
● Peter Frampton ------ Breaking All The Rules ► Arena Rock >> 1981
● The Clash ------ Combat Rock ► Punk >> 1982
● Chicago ------ Chicago 17 ► Jazz-Rock >> 1984
● Sade ------ Stronger Than Pride [UK] ► Quiet Storm >> 1988
● Oleta Adams ------ Circle Of One ► Jazz-Pop Fusion >> 1990
● Paula Abdul ------ Spellbound ► Dance-Pop >> 1991
● The Bee Gees ------ High Civilization ► Pop-Rock >> 1991
● EMF ------ Schubert Dip ► Synth-Pop >> 1991
● Amorphis ------ Elegy ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal >> 1996
● Def Leppard ------ Slang ► Hard Rock >> 1996
● Miss Kitten & The Hacker ------ Intimités ► Electro Pop >> 1999
● Scorpions ------ Acoustica ► Heavy Metal >> 2001
● Bryan Adams ------ Spirit - Stallion Of The Cimarron [Sndtrk] ► Pop-Rock >> 2002
● Van Morrison ------ Down The Road ► Folk-Rock >> 2002
● Rush ------ Vapor Trails ► Prog/Art Rock >> 2002


May 15
● King Crimson ------ In The Wake Of Poseidon ► Prog Rock >> 1970
● The Beach Boys ------ Carl & The Passions - "So Tough" ► Surfer >> 1972
● The Jackson 5 ------ Moving Violation ► Soul - Motown >> 1975
● The Moody Blues ------ Long Distance Voyager ► Prog Rock >> 1981
● Squeeze ------ East Side Story ► Pop-Rock >> 1981
● The Creatures ------ Feast ► Alt Post-Punk/goth rock >> 1983
● Michael Jackson ------ Farewell My Summer Love ► Pop-Soul >> 1984
● Night Ranger ------ Seven Wishes ► Hard Rock >> 1985
● Mötley Crüe ------ Girls, Girls, Girls ► Heavy Metal >> 1987
● Dio ------ Lock Up The Wolves ► Heavy Metal >> 1990
● Opeth ------ Orchid ► Heavy Metal/Doom Metal >> 1995
● Bad Religion ------ No Substance ► Punk Rock >> 1998
● Depeche Mode ------ Exciter ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 2001
● The Go-Go's ------ God Bless The Go-Go's ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 2001
● R.E.M. ------ Reveal ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 2001
● Wilco ------ Sky Blue Sky ► Alt. Country-Rock >> 2007
● Coldplay ------ LeftRightLeftRightLeft ► Alt. Rock/Brit Pop >> 2009


May 16
● The Beach Boys ------ Pet Sounds ► Pop-Rock >> 1966
● Bob Dylan ------ Blonde On Blonde ► Folk-Rock >> 1966
● The Shadows ------ Shadow Music ► Instrumental Rock 'N' Roll >> 1966
● Phil Ochs ------ Rehearsals For Retirement ► Folk-Rock >> 1969
● The Who ------ Live At Leeds ► British Rock >> 1970
● The Carpenters ------ Now & Then ► Soft Rock >> 1973
● Neil Young ------ First Plane Outta Here! ► Country-Rock >> 1974
● The Kinks ------ The Kinks Present A Soap Opera ► British Rock >> 1975
● Hall & Oates ------ Livetime ► Pop-Rock >> 1978
● Joe Walsh ------ But Seriously Folks… ► Blues-Rock >> 1978
● Devo ------ Freedom Of Choice ► Pop-Rock/Post-Punk New Wave >> 1980
● Iron Maiden ------ Piece Of Mind ► Heavy Metal >> 1983
● 10,000 Maniacs ------ Blind Man's Zoo ► Folk-Rock >> 1989
● The A-Teens ------ The ABBA Generation ► Europop/Dance-Pop >> 2000
● Peter Frampton ------ Live In Detroit ► Arena Rock >> 2000
● Pearl Jam ------ Binaural ► Hard Rock >> 2000
● The Raconteurs ------ Broken Boy Soldiers ► Alt. Rock >> 2006


May 17
● Herbie Hancock ------ Maiden Voyage ► Fusion/Hard Be Bop >> 1965
● Brenda Lee ------ The Versatile Brenda Lee ► Country-Pop >> 1965
● Neil Diamond ------ Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show ► Pop-Rock >> 1969
● Paul & Linda McCartney ------ Ram ► Pop-Rock >> 1971
● Bachman-Turner Overdrive ------ Bachman-Turner Overdrive ► Album Rock >> 1973
● Jethro Tull ------ Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll, Too Young To Die ► Prog Rock >> 1976
● Rainbow ------ Rainbow Rising ► Arena Rock >> 1976
● Paul McCartney ------ Thrillington ► Pop-Rock >> 1977
● Patti Smith ------ Wave ► New Wave Punk-Rock >> 1979
● Frank Zappa ------ Tinseltown Rebellion ► Art Rock >> 1981
● The Fixx ------ Reach The Beach ► Techno-Pop >> 1983
● Megadeth ------ Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good! ► Heavy Metal >> 1985
● Herbie Hancock ------ Perfect Machine ► Electro-Funk >> 1988
● The Doobie Brothers ------ Cycles ► Pop-Rock >> 1989
● Thomas Anders ------ Whispers ► Pop-Rock >> 1991
● Jamiroquai ------ Emergency On Planet Earth [UK] ► Acid Jazz/Funk >> 1993
● America ------ Hourglass ► Folk-Rock >> 1994
● Erasure ------ I Say I Say I Say ► Synth-Pop/Dance >> 1994
● Van Morrison ------ A Night In San Francisco ► Folk-Rock >> 1994
● Oingo Boingo ------ Boingo ► New Wave Ska-Pop >> 1994
● Hanson ------ Boomerang ► Pop-Rock/Teen Pop >> 1995
● Cast ------ Magic Hour ► Britpop >> 1999
● The Melvins ------ The Maggot ► Heavy Metal/Sludge Metal >> 1999
● Van Morrison ------ Magic Time ► Folk-Rock >> 2005


May 18
● Brenda Lee ------ By Request ► Country-Pop >> 1964
● The Byrds ------ History Of The Byrds ► Country-Rock >> 1973
● Angel ------ Helluva Band ► Prog Rock >> 1976
● David Bowie ------ Lodger ► Glam Rock >> 1979
● Ian Dury & The Blockheads ------ Do It Yourself ► Punk-Rock >> 1979
● Concrete Blonde ------ Concrete Blonde ► Alt. Pop-Rock >> 1986
● Steve Earle ------ Exit 0 ► Alt. Country >> 1987
● Various Artists ------ Golden Throats: The Great Celebrity Sing-Off! ► Pop-Rock >> 1988
● Luis Miguel ------ 20 Años ► Latin Pop >> 1990
● Janet Jackson ------ Janet ► Pop-Soul >> 1993
● Kiss ------ Alive III ► Hard Rock >> 1993
● Jerry Lee Lewis ------ The Jerry Lee Lewis Anthology: All Killer, No Filler ► Rock n Roll >> 1993
● Feeder ------ Polythene ► Grunge-Rock >> 1997
● Grave Digger ------ Knights Of The Cross ► Heavy Metal/Kraut Metal >> 1998
● AFI ------ Black Sails In The Sunset ► Hardcore Punk >> 1999
● Jimmy Buffett ------ Beach House On The Moon ► Folk-Rock >> 1999


May 19
● Brenda Lee ------ Johnny One Time ► Country-Pop >> 1969
● Poco ------ Pickin' Up The Pieces ► Country-Rock >> 1969
● Spiral Starecase ------ More Today Than Yesterday ► Psychedelic Pop >> 1969
● Elton John ------ Honky Chateau ► Pop-Rock >> 1972
● Uriah Heep ------ Demons & Wizards ► Prog. Rock >> 1972
● The Kinks ------ Misfits ► British Rock >> 1978
● The Cure ------ Staring At The Sea: The Singles ► Post-Punk >> 1986
● Peter Gabriel ------ So ► Prog Rock >> 1986
● Prince ------ Parade ► R&B-Pop >> 1986
● The Ramones ------ Animal Boy ► Punk-Rock >> 1986
● Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam ------ Spanish Fly ► Dance-Pop >> 1987
● Billy Ray Cyrus ------ Some Gave All ► Country-Pop >> 1992
● Kiss ------ Revenge ► Hard Rock >> 1992
● Calexico ------ The Black Light ► Alt Rock/Americana >> 1998
● Kansas ------ Always Never The Same ► Arena Rock >> 1998
● Spandau Ballet ------ Live At N.E.C. ► New Wave Synht-Pop >> 2005
● Eric Clapton And Steve Winwood ------ Live From Madison Square Garden ► Blues-Rock >> 2009

Labels: albums released by date, albums released by year, Albums Released This Week, rock album history, rock albums by date, rock albums out today

Happy Birthday this week to:

May 12
1928 ● Burt Bacharach → Pianist, arranger, producer and songwriter, wrote 70 Top 40 hits, often in collaboration with lyricist Hal David, including "(They Long To Be) Close To You" for the Carpenters (#1, 1970), "Walk On By" for Dionne Warwick (#6, 1964), won two Oscars for film score to Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969) and for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" from the soundtrack (B. J. Thomas, #1, 1969)
1936 ● Klaus Doldinger → German jazz-rock fusion saxophonist, composer and bandleader (Passport)
1940 ● Norman Whitfield → Songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Motown Records, collaborated with Barrett Strong on "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "Cloud Nine", "War", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "Car Wash"
1942 ● Billy Swan → Country-pop singer/songwriter, touring band member for Kris Kristofferson, producer, solo artist, "I Can Help" (#1, 1974), joined ex-Eagles Randy Meisner in country-rock Black Tie
1942 ● Ian Dury → Cult-favorite singer, songwriter, poet, actor, bandleader (The Blockheads), solo, "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" (1977) and "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" (UK #1, 1978), died of colorectal cancer on 3/27/2000
1943 ● David Walker → Guitarist with pop-rock Gary Lewis & The Playboys "This Diamond Ring" (#1, 1965) plus 11 other US Top 40 hits between 1965 and 1968
1944 ● James Purify → With cousin Robert Lee Dickey, R&B/Southern soul duo James & Bobby Purify, "I'm Your Puppet" (#6, 1966)
1945 ● Ian McLagan → Keyboardist for Brit raunch/psych-pop-rock The Small Faces, "Itchycoo Park" (#16, 1968), after Steve Marriott departed and Rod Stewart and Rod Wood joined, renamed The Faces, "Stay With Me" (#17, 1971), session work for Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and others
1945 ● Jayotis Washington → Vocalist with a cappella The Persuasions, "Chain Gang" (1971), session work for Don McLean, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder and others
1946 ● Bob MacVittie → Rhythm guitar for one hit wonder pop-rock Sugarloaf, "Green-Eyed Lady" (#3, 1970)
1948 ● Steve Winwood → Keyboards, vocals and songwriter, teenaged lead singer for Brit pop-rock Spencer Davis Group, "Gimme Some Lovin"" (#7, 1967), then folk-psych-rock Traffic, "Paper Sun" (#94, UK #5, 1967), then super-trio Blind Faith (US #1 album Blind Faith, 1969), solo, "Higher Love" (#1, 1986)
1950 ● Billy Squier → 80s hard pop-rock anthem and balladeer guitarist and singer, "The Stroke" (Mainstream Rock #3, 1981)
1950 ● John "Jocko" Marcellino → Vocals for rock 'n roll revival "greaser" group Sha Na Na
1954 ● Barry Borden → Brief stint in the 80s as drummer for Southern rock power-guitar band Molly Hatchet, "Flirtin' With Disaster" (#42, 1979)
1955 ● Leon Eric "Kix" Brooks → Singer and songwriter, one-half of astronomically successful country-pop vocal duo Brooks & Dunn, "Ain't Nothing 'Bout You" (#25, Country #1, 2001), solo
1958 ● Eric Singer (Mesinger) → Hard rock journeyman drummer for Lita Ford, Black Sabbath, Badlands, Paul Stanley's touring band, Kiss and Alice Cooper
1961 ● Billy Duffy → Vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for punk-rock Theater Of Hate, then co-founded hard rock/metal revival The Cult, "Fire Woman" (Mainstream Rock #4, 1989)
1962 ● Brett W. Gurewitz → Co-founder, guitarist and songwriter for hardcore punk Bad Religion, "Infected" (Mainstream Rock #33, 1995), owner of Epitaph Records
1972 ● Mark Morrison → German-born electro-dance-pop singer, "Moan And Groan" (#2, 1997)

May 13
1938 ● John Smith → Bass vocals for one hit wonder R&B/doo wop sextet The Monotones, "(Who Wrote) The Book Of Love" (#5, 1958)
1941 ● Joe Brown → Stage and TV actor, BBC radio host, early Brit rock 'n' roll singer and guitarist, "A Picture Of You" (UK #2, 1962), still performs after nearly 60 years of rocking
1941 ● Ritchie Valens (Ricardo Valenzuela Reyes) → Promising early rock 'n' roller, first Latino pop star, singer/songwriter and guitarist, "La Bamba" (#22, 1959), died at age 17 along with Buddy Holly and J. R. "The Big Bopper" Richardson in an Iowa plane crash on the night of 2/3/1959
1943 ● Mary Wells → Motown R&B/soul-pop singer, "My Guy" (#1, 1964) and 17 other R&B Top 20 singles (five of which made the Pop Top 20), died of cancer on 7/26/1992
1945 ● "Blue Lou" Marini → Jazz, blues and rock saxophonist with Blood, Sweat & Tears, the Saturday Night Live house band, The Blues Brothers, "Soul Man" (#14, 1979), solo
1945 ● Richard "Magic Dick" Salwitz → Harmonica and organ for boogie-blues-rock 'n roll bar band J. Geils Band, "Centerfold" (#1, 1982)
1947 ● Peter Overend Watts → Bassist for early Brit glam-rockers Mott The Hoople, "All The Young Dudes" (#37, 1972), producer
1950 ● Danny Kirwan → Guitarist and songwriter with Fleetwood Mac (1968-72) during the band's transition from blues-rock to pop-rock, left before they achieved superstardom for moderately successful solo career
1950 ● Johnny Logan (Seán Patrick Michael Sherrard) → Aussie-born Irish singer, songwriter, three-time Eurovision winner and guitarist, "What's Another Year" (UK #1, 1980)
1950 ● Stevie Wonder (Stevland Hardaway Judkins) → Teenaged Motown R&B/soul singer ("Fingertips," #1, 1963) turned Grammy-winning soul-pop singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with 15 #1 albums and over 30 Top 40 singles (nine #1 hits) including "Superstition" (#1, 1973)
1951 ● Paul Thompson → Drummer for prog rock Roxy Music, "Love Is The Drug" (#30, 1976) and post-punk alt rock Concrete Blonde, "Joey" (Modern Rock #1, 1990)
1959 ● Kim McAuliffe → Founding member, vocals and rhythm guitar for early all-girl heavy metal group Painted Lady, which became Girlschool, "Hit And Run" (UK #32, 1981)
1963 ● Julian Brookhouse → Guitarist for Brit teen-pop blue-eyed soul Curiosity Killed The Cat, "Down To Earth" (UK #3, 1986)
1964 ● Lorraine McIntosh → Vocalist for Scottish indie pop-rock Deacon Blue, "Real Gone Kid" (UK #8, 1988), married to lead singer Ricky Ross
1966 ● Alison Goldfrapp → Vocals and synthesizer with Will Gregory in Brit electro-dance-pop due Goldfrapp, "Number 1" (Dance/Club #1, 2005)
1966 ● Darius Rucker → Vocals, rhythm guitar and harmonica for 90s pop-rock quartet Hootie & The Blowfish, "Only Wanna Be With You" (#6, 1995), solo
1967 ● Melanie Thornton → African American R&B/gospel and dance-pop singer with very little attention in the U.S. but with a moderately successful and growing career in Europe, particularly in Germany, died in a commercial plane crash in Switzerland on 11/24/2001
1979 ● Michael Madden → Bassist for alt funk-rock Maroon 5, "She Will Be Loved" (#5, 2004)

May 14
1936 ● Bobby Darin (Walden Robert Cassotto) → Film actor (Come September, 1961), musician, adult pop vocalist, "Mack The Knife" (#1, 1959) and 20 other Top 40 singles, husband of actress/singer Sandra Dee, died on 12/20/1973 after open heat surgery to repair damaged valves
1936 ● Charlie Gracie (Charles Graci) → Rockabilly and pop-rock guitarist and songwriter, Philadelphia's first rock 'n roll star and an American Bandstand regular, "Butterfly" (#1, 1957)
1938 ● Mike Preston (Jack Davies) → Boxer turned pop singer, "Mr. Blue" (UK #12, 1959) turned Aussie and US TV/film actor, The A-Team and The Ghost And Mrs. Muir
1943 ● Jack Bruce → Scottish bassist, songwriter and vocalist for John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Manfred Mann, "Pretty Flamingo" (#29, UK #1, 1966), Cream, co-wrote "Sunshine Of Your Love" (#5, 1968), "White Room" (#6, 1968) and "I Feel Free", later with supertrio West Bruce & Laing
1945 ● Derek "Lek" Leckenby → Guitar, banjo and songwriting for British Invasion pop-rock Herman's Hermits, "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" (#1, 1965), died 6/4/1994 from lymphoma
1945 ● Gene Cornish → Guitar and vocals for blue-eyed soul-pop The Rascals, "Groovin'", (#1, 1967), then power pop Fotomaker, "Miles Away" (#63, 1978), solo
1947 ● Al Ciner → Guitarist for pop-rock one hit wonder American Breed, "Bend Me Shape Me" (Top 10, 1968), Three Dog Night, "Joy To The World" (#1, 1971) and R&B/funk-dance Rufus, "Tell Me Something Good" (#3, 1974)
1950 ● Arthur James Grant → Drummer for Brit blues then prog-rock Edgar Broughton Band, "Apache Dropout" (UK #33, 1970)
1952 ● David Byrne → Guitar, vocals, songwriting and de facto frontman for art-pop-rock Talking Heads, "Take Me To The River" (#26, 1978), Grammy-winning solo artist and composer
1953 ● John Rutsey → Drummer and founding member of Canadian arena rock/power trio Rush, "New World Man" (Mainstream Rock #1, 1982) and 24 other Mainstream Rock Top 20 singles, died from complications of diabetes on 5/11/2008
1956 ● H (Steve Hogarth) → Lead vocals for Brit prog-rock revival group Marillion, "Kayleigh" (Mainstream Rock #14, 1985)
1962 ● C.C. DeVille (Bruce Johannesson) → Guitarist for hair metal/power ballad Poison, "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" (#1, 1988)
1962 ● Ian Astbury → Singer and guitarist for punk-rock Southern Death Cult, which evolved into hard rock/metal revival The Cult, "Fire Woman" (Mainstream Rock #4, 1989)
1964 ● Shelley Preston → Joined Brit mixed-gender euro-pop/disco Bucks Fizz as lead vocalist in 1985, "New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)" (UK #8, 1986), left in 1990 for a modeling and backing vocals career
1966 ● Fabrice Morvan → Singer and one half of the scandalous, lip-synching dance-pop vocal duo Milli Vanilli, the pair were stripped of their 1989 Grammy award when in 1990 it was revealed that they never actually sang on their albums or in concert, resurrected a solo career in the early 2000s
1966 ● Mike Inez → Bassist for alterna-metal/hard rock Alice In Chains, "No Excuses" (Mainstream Rock #1, 1994)
1969 ● Danny Wood → Singer, songwriter and choreographer for early 90s teen-pop boy band New Kids On The Block, "Step By Step" (#1, 1990), solo
1969 ● Steve Hellier → Keyboards and vocals for electro-dance-dream pop Dubstar, "Stars" (UK #15, 1996)
1973 ● Natalie Appleton → Canadian singer in Brit dance-pop-rock all-girl quartet All Saints, "Never Ever" (#4, 1998), then dance-pop sister duo Appleton, "Never Ever" (UK #2, 2003)
1973 ● Shanice (Wilson) → Motown R&B/dance-pop singer/songwriter, "I Love Your Smile" (#2, 1991)
1976 ● Martine McCutcheon (Martine Kimberley Sherrie Ponting) → Brit actress who gained stardom after playing Tiffany Mitchell on BBC TV's EastEnders (1995-1998), then pop singer, "Perfect Moment" (UK #1, 1999)

May 15
1918 ● Richard Edward "Eddy" Arnold → Most popular country music entertainer of the 20th century with 14 Country Top 10 albums, 147 charting singles and 28 Country #1 hits, including "Make The World Go Away" (#6, Country #1, 1965), died of natural causes on 5/8/2008
1931 ● James Mitchell → Saxophone for Stax Records' house band The Memphis Horns, played sessions for The Doobie Brothers, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Sam And Dave and many other notables, died from heart failure on 12/18/2000
1932 ● Baba Oje → Spiritual leader for progressive rap, funk-soul-blues-hip-hop Arrested Development, "Mr. Wendal" (#6, 1992)
1937 ● Trinidad "Trini" Lopez → Chicano folk-pop singer and guitarist, "If I Had A Hammer" (#3, 1963)
1938 ● Leon "Lenny" Welch → MOR/pop balladeer, "Since I Fell For You" (#4, 1963)
1942 ● Kay Toinette "K.T." Oslin → Grammy-winning country singer and songwriter with anthemic "80s Ladies" (#7, 1987) plus 6 other Country Top 10 hits
1944 ● Iam Frederick "Tich" Amey → Lead guitar for Brit 60s pop-rock two hit wonder quintet Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, "The Legend Of Xanadu" (UK #1, 1968)
1947 ● Graham Goble → Guitar and vocals for Aussie pop/rockers Little River Band, "Lonesome Loser" (#6, 1979) and 12 other Top 40 singles
1947 ● Jimy Rogers → Vocals for Chicago blue-eyed soul/garage rockers Mauds, "Hold On" (1967), sessions, most recently fronted Blue Road, died 12/4/2010
1948 ● Brian Eno → Synthesizers and keyboards with glam/prog rock Roxy Music, "Love Is The Drug" (#30, 1976), then pub-rock The Winkies and solo, producer for David Bowie, U2, Talking Heads, John Cale and others, ambient and world music pioneer, multimedia artist
1948 ● Gary Thain → Bassist for Brit jazz-pop-rock Keef Hartley Band, then hard rock Uriah Heep, "Easy Livin'" (1972) , died of a drug overdose 12/8/1975
1951 ● Dennis "Fergie" Fredericksen → Lead vocals for pomp-rock MSFunk and Trillion, hard pop-rock Survivor, "American Heartbeat" (#17, 1982), AOR pop-rock Le Roux, "Carrie's Gone" (#79, 1982), then replaced Bobby Kimball in arena rock Toto, "Stranger In Town" (#30, Mainstream Rock #7, 1984), solo, sessions
1952 ● Phil Seymour → Power pop drummer, signer, guitarist, songwriter and partner in pop/rock Dwight Twilley Band, "I'm On Fire" (#16, 1975), session work including backing vocals for Tom Petty, released three solo albums and several singles, including "Precious To Me" (#22, 1981), died from lymphoma on 8/17/1993
1953 ● Mike Oldfield → Multi-instrumentalist, new age electronic prog rock composer and bandleader, "Tubular Bells" (#7, 1974), the title track from the first album issued by Virgin Records
1959 ● Andrew Eldritch → Vocals for goth-metal The Sisters of Mercy, "Temple Of Love" (UK #3, 1992)
1965 ● Jon Sevink → Violin for alt folk-Celtic rock The Levellers, "Just The One" (UK #12, 1995)
1965 ● Mark Colwill → Bass guitar for Brit folk-pop-soul Tindersticks, "Bathtime" (UK #38, 1997)
1966 ● Peter Wiggs → Keyboardist and songwriter for indie dance-pop Saint Etienne, "Nothing Can Stop Us" (Dance/Club #1, 1992)
1970 ● Prince Be (Attrell Cordes) → Vocals in innovative brother hip hop duo P.M. Dawn melding smooth soul, urban R&B and prog rap, "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss" (#3, Dance/Club #6, 1991), stepson of George Brown, founding member of soul/funk Kool & The Gang
1982 ● Jessica Sutta → Dancer, singer, model, actress and vocalist for burlesque dance-pop girl troupe The Pussycat Dolls, "Don't Cha" (#2, 2005), then solo, "Show Me" (Dance #1, 2011)
1983 ● Devin Bronson → Lead guitarist with Avril Lavigne band, Kelly Osbourne band, Black List Club and Canadian rock band Treble Charger

May 16
1919 ● Wladziu Valentino Liberace → Campy, sequin-suited easy listening/pop pianist, Vegas showman and TV host (with a candelabra on his piano), died on 2/4/1987 from complications of AIDS and emphysema
1944 ● Billy Cobham → Jazz-rock fusion drummer for Miles Davis, founded Mahavishnu Orchestra, backed James Brown and Santana, played with Grateful Dead and offshoot Bobby & The Midnights, solo and bandleader as Spectrum
1946 ● Robert Fripp → Avant-garde and experimental pop-rock composer, guitarist and bandleader, only constant member of prog/space-rock King Crimson, "The Court Of The Crimson King" (#80, 1970), solo albums and multiple side and collaboration projects
1946 ● Roger Earl → Drummer for blues-rock Savoy Brown, then co-founded blues-rock Foghat, "Slow Ride" (#20, 1975) and constant bandmember in the 40-plus year history of the band
1947 ● Barbara Lee Jones → Vocals for top-tier 60s New York girl group The Chiffons, "He's So Fine" (#1, 1963), died from a heart attack on 5/15/1992
1947 ● Darrell Sweet → Co-founder and drummer for Scottish hard rock Nazereth, "Love Hurts" (#8, 1976), died 4/30/1999 from a fatal heart attack before a show in Indiana
1951 ● Jonathan Richman → Guitarist, singer and songwriter, founded and fronted proto-punk The Modern Lovers, "Roadrunner" (UK#11, 1977), solo and collaborations, appeared in the film There's Something About Mary (1998)
1953 ● Richard Page → Bass guitarist and vocals for 80s atmospheric pop-rock quartet Mr. Mister, "Kyrie" (#1, 1985)
1955 ● Hazel O'Connor → Brit singer/songwriter and actress, starred in the film Breaking Glass (1980) which launched her pop singing career, "Will You" (UK #8, 1981),
1958 ● Glenn Gregory → Vocals for 80s synth-pop Heaven 17, "Temptation" (UK #2, 1983) and "Contenders" (Dance/Club #6, 1987)
1964 ● Boyd Tinsley → Violinist for pop-funk-rock jam band Dave Matthews Band, "Don't Drink The Water" (Modern Rock #4, 1998)
1965 ● Krist Anthony "Chris" Novoselic → Croatian-American bass guitarist and co-founder of premier grunge rock Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (#6, 1992), played in variety of bands since Nirvana broke up in 1994, music columnist and founder of JAMPAC
1966 ● Janet Jackson → Youngest of the ten Jackson children, R&B/soul-pop superstar, "Miss You Much" (#1, 1989), TV and film actress
1968 ● Ralph Tresvant → Vocals for R&B/teen pop then hip hop/new jack swing vocal quartet New Edition, "If It Isn't Love" (#7, 1988)
1971 ● Simon Katz → Percussion in Grammy-winning Brit acid jazz-funk-pop Jamiroquai, "Canned Heat" (Dance #1, 1999)
1973 ● Will White → DJ, vocals and mixmaster for techno-dance Propellerheads, "History Repeating" (Dance/Club #10, 1998), remixed 808 State, Luscious Jackson

May 17
1921 ● Bob Merrrill (Henry Merrill Levan) → Pop and Broadway songwriter, wrote multiple hits, including "(How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window" for Patti Page (#1, 1953) and "People" for Barbra Streisand (Adult Contemporary #1, 1964), died 2/17/1998 after a long illness
1938 ● Pervis Jackson → Original member and bass vocals for Motown R&B/soul The Spinners, "Then Came You" (#1, 1974), plus eleven other Top 20 hits, continued touring with the group until his death from cancer on 8/18/2008
1941 ● Malcolm Hale → Guitar, horns and vocals for sunny folk-pop Spanky & Our Gang, "Sunday Will Never Be The Same" (#9, 1967), died from carbon monoxide poisoning on 10/30/1968 due to a faulty home furnace
1942 ● Taj Mahal (Henry St. Clair Fredericks) → Prominent multi-instrumentalist acoustic and electric folk-blues-country-reggae guitarist and songwriter, founded roots folk-rock Rising Sons with Ry Cooder, prolific solo career with over 30 studio and live albums, composer of film soundtracks, Grammy-winning best contemporary blues album Señor Blues (1997)
1944 ● James Ridout "Jesse" Winchester → Draft-dodging American folk-pop singer/songwriter, "Say What" (#2, 1981), moved to Canada in 1967 and received citizenship in 1973
1944 ● Richard Schwartz → Vocals for white R&B/doo wop quartet The Quotations, "Imagination" (Top 40, 1961)
1949 ● Bill Bruford → Inimitable rock drummer, composer, bandleader, producer and record company executive, founding member of prog/art rock Yes, briefly with prog rock Genesis in early 70s, then prog/space-rock King Crimson, "Heartbeat" (Mainstream Rock #57, 1982) for 25 years, solo albums and side projects including UK, ABWH and Earthworks
1950 ● Howard Ashman → With songwriting team partner/composer Alan Menken, Academy Award-winning lyricist and producer for stage and screen, co-wrote "Under The Sea" from Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989), the title song to Beauty And The Beast (1991) and "Friend Like Me" from Aladdin (1992), died of AIDS on 3/14/1991
1952 ● Roy Adams → Drummer for Brit blues-rock Climax Blues Band, "Couldn't Get It Right" (#3, 1977)
1953 ● George "Lightnin' Licks" Johnson → Vocals and guitar for R&B/soul-disco-funk sibling group The Brothers Johnson, "Stomp!" (#7, R&B #1, 1980), solo
1958 ● Alan Rankine → Guitarist for post-punk New Romantic art-glam-dance-pop The Associates, "Party Fears Two" (UK #9, 1982), now college music lecturer
1959 ● Paul Di’Anno (Andrews) → Vocalist for Brit heavy metal Iron Maiden, "Flight Of Icarus" (Mainstream Rock #8, 1983)
1960 ● Simon Fuller → Record and TV producer, manager for the Spice Girls, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia, Will Young, Emma Bunton and others, creator of the Idol TV variety/contest series, first in the U.K. as Pop Idol and now with over 50 other versions including American Idol, Canadian Idol, and World Idol
1961 ● Enya → Vocals for Celtic folk-pop sibling group Clannad, then solo new age dreamy synth-pop, "Orinoco Flow" (#24, 1989) and "Only Time" (#10, 2001)
1962 ● Tracey Bryn → With sister Melissa Belland, frontgal and vocals in college rock/indie pop-rock Voice Of The Beehive, "Scary Kisses" (Mainstream Top 40 #32, 1996), daughter of Bruce Belland of 50s pop vocal quartet The Four Preps
1963 ● Page McConnell → Keyboards, vocals and songwriting for improv-rock jam band Phish, "Free" (Mainstream Rock #11, 1996) plus solo and side projects
1965 ● Homer O’Dell → Guitarist for new jack swing R&B/soul-pop sextet Mint Condition, "What Kind Of Man Would I Be?" (#17, 1996)
1965 ● Trent Reznor → Founder, leader and songwriter for industrial rock Nine Inch Nails, "The Day The World Went Away" (#17, 1999)
1966 ● Jan Kincaid → Founding member, drums and keyboards for acid-jazz/funk The Brand New Heavies, "Sometimes" (UK #11, 1997)
1967 ● Simon Friend → Guitarist for alt folk-Celtic rock The Levellers, "Just The One" (UK #12, 1995)
1968 ● Dave Abbruzzese → Drummer (1991-94) for post-grunge/alt rock kings Pearl Jam, "Even Flow" (Mainstream Rock #3, 1992), solo
1970 ● Darnell Van Rensalier → Vocals for R&B/urban contemporary soul quartet Shai, "If I Ever Fall In Love" (#2, 1992)
1970 ● Jordan Knight → Singer in early 90s teen-pop boy band New Kids On The Block, "Step By Step" (#1, 1990)
1971 ● Vernette "Vernie" Bennett → Vocals for Brit R&B/dance-pop singer for girl-group Eternal, "Stay" (#19, UK #3, 1993)
1973 ● Joshua Homme → Founding member, vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter for stoner metal Queens Of The Stone Age, "No One Knows" (#51, Mainstream Rock #5, 2002), later with supergroup Them Crooked Vultures, "New Fang" (Alt Rock #10, 2009)
1974 ● Andrea Corr → With two sisters and brother, lead vocals in Irish folk-pop-rock sibling act The Corrs, "Breathless" (Adult Top 40 #7, 2000), solo and actress
1976 ● Kandi Burruss → Vocals for female R&B/dance-pop quartet Xscape, "Understanding" (#8, 1993)

May 18
1911 ● Joseph Vernon "Big Joe" Turner → Premier blues "shouter" and boogie-woogie, jump blues and early rock 'n' roll vocalist, "Shake, Rattle And Roll" (#22, R&B #1, 1954), died 11/24/1985 from a heart attack
1912 ● Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como → Pre-rock 'n' roll crooner, then Grammy-winning smooth easy listening/pop singer, "Catch A Falling Star" (#1, 1958) and 19 other Pop Top 25 singles plus nine Adult Contemporary Top 10 hits, died in his sleep on 5/12/2001
1942 ● Rodney Dillard → Progressive and influential bluegrass guitar and dobro player with brother Doug in duo country-rock The Dillards
1944 ● Albert Hammond → Brit-Gibraltarian pop singer/songwriter and guitarist, "It Never Rains In Southern California" (#5, 1973)
1946 ● Bruce Gilbert → Guitarist for long-lived post-punk Wire, "Eardrum Buzz" (Modern Rock #2, 1989)
1946 ● George Alexander → Bassist for eclectic rock 'n' roll/proto-punk cult band The Flamin' Groovies, album Shake Some Action reached #142 on the Billboard 200 chart
1949 ● Bill Wallace → Bassist for Canadian rockers The Guess Who, "American Woman" (#1, 1970), now college music instructor
1949 ● Rick Wakeman → Renowned keyboardist and composer, started as sessionman for Black Sabbath, David Bowie and others in the 60s, joined folk-prog-rock The Strawbs in 1970, moved to archetypal prog rock Yes, "Roundabout" (#13, 1971), successful solo career and film score composing
1952 ● George Strait → The "King of Country," traditionalist country, honky tonk and Western swing singer, songwriter and guitarist with more (57) Country #1 hits than any other artist, including "All My Ex's Live In Texas" (Country #1, 1987)
1953 ● Feliciano "Butch" Tavares → Vocals for five brother R&B/funk-disco Tavares, "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel" (#15, 1976)
1954 ● Wreckless Eric (Goulden) → Singer, songwriter and Stiff Records artist, had the punk classic UK airplay hit "I'd Go The Whole Wide World" (1978)
1957 ● Michael Cretu → Romanian-born founder, frontman, composer and creative genius behind new age electronic/world music Enigma, "Return To Innocence" (#4, 1994)
1958 ● Toyah Ann Wilcox → Brit actress and singer, appeared in the punk film Jubilee (1977) and in The Who's mod film Quadrophenia (1979), fronted punk-rock Toyah, "It's A Mystery" (1981)
1961 ● Hugh Whittaker → Drummer for Brit jangle-guitar pop-rock The Housemartins, "Caravan Of Love" (UK #1, 1986)
1961 ● Russell Senior → Guitar and violin for alt rock/Britpop Pulp, "Common People" (UK #2, 1995), left in 1997 to pursue other projects and sell antique glassware
1969 ● Martika (Marta Marrero) → Cuban-American teen-pop/bubblegum singer, "Toy Soldiers" (#1, 1989)
1970 ● Billy Howerdel → Guitar technician for alt rock Tool, "Schism" (Mainstream Rock #2, 2001), then founded alt-metal-fused-with-art rock A Perfect Circle, "Weak And Powerless" (Mainstream Rock #1, 2004)
1975 ● Jack Johnson → Hawaii born professional surfer turned acoustic soft beach rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, "Upside Down" (#38, Adult Top 40 #11, 2006)

Labels: celebrity birthdays, musician birthdays, rock birthday history, rock birthdays today, rock musician birthdays, rock star birthdays, This Week's Birthdays

Here's a sampling of the BEST music ever made! - great albums from the 60s, 70s and 80s rock and pop which were released this week (and some related albums of note):


May 06
● Manfred Mann ------ The Mighty Quinn ► Folk-Rock >> 1968
● Poco ------ Poco ► Country-Rock >> 1970
● Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway ------ Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway ► Pop-Soul >> 1972
● Denny Laine ------ Holly Days ► Rock 'N' Roll >> 1977
● Camel ------ The Single Factor ► Prog Rock >> 1982
● The Cure ------ Standing On A Beach ► Post-Punk >> 1986
● Ash ------ 1977 [UK] ► Punk-Pop >> 1996
● The Bee Gees ------ Still Waters ► Pop-Rock >> 1997
● Hanson ------ Middle Of Nowhere ► Pop-Rock/Teen Pop >> 1997
● Joe Jackson/Graham Maby/Gary Burke ------ Summer In The City ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 2000
● Jack Johnson ------ On And On ► AA Folk-Rock >> 2003
● David Cook ------ Analog Heart ► Post-Grunge Pop-Rock >> 2006


May 07
● Bay City Rollers ------ Once Upon A Star ► Power Pop >> 1975
● Elvis Presley ------ Today ► Pop-Rock >> 1975
● The Human League ------ Hysteria ► Synth-Pop >> 1984
● James Brown ------ Star Time ► Soul >> 1991
● At The Gates ------ With Fear I Kiss The Burning Darkness ► Heavy Metal/Death Metal >> 1993
● Guttermouth ------ Teri Yakimoto ► Punk Rock >> 1996
● Pantera ------ The Great Southern Trendkill ► Heavy Metal/Groove Metal >> 1996
● Westlife ------ Westlife ► Teen Pop/Boy Band >> 2000
● The Black Crowes ------ Lions ► Southern Rock >> 2001


May 08
● The Beatles ------ Let It Be ► Pop-Rock >> 1970
● The Jackson 5 ------ ABC ► Soul - Motown >> 1970
● Wishbone Ash ------ Argus ► Prog Rock >> 1972
● The Kinks ------ Preservation Act 2 ► British Rock >> 1974
● Bob Marley & The Wailers ------ Legend ► Roots Reggae >> 1984
● Paula Abdul ------ Shut Up And Dance ► Dance-Pop >> 1990
● Filter ------ Short Bus ► Industrial Rock >> 1995


May 09
● Paul Revere & The Raiders ------ Midnight Ride ► Pop-Rock >> 1966
● Ambrose Slade ------ Beginnings ► Hard Rock >> 1969
● George Harrison ------ Electronic Sound [UK] ► Art-Rock >> 1969
● Henry Cow ------ In Praise Of Learning ► Prog Rock/Avant-Garde >> 1975
● Linton Kwesi Johnson ------ Bass Culture ► Dub Poetry >> 1980
● The Style Council ------ Internationalists ► Synth-Pop >> 1985
● The Style Council ------ Our Favourite Shop ► Synth-Pop >> 1985
● John (Cougar) Mellencamp ------ Big Daddy ► Roots Rock >> 1989
● 808 State ------ Ex:El ► Acid House >> 1991
● Kenny G ------ The Very Best Of Kenny G ► Jazz-Pop >> 1994
● Babes In Toyland ------ Nemesisters ► Hard Rock/Riot Grrl >> 1995
● Jamiroquai ------ The Return Of The Space Cowboy ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 1995
● Bad Religion ------ The New America ► Punk Rock >> 2000
● Against All Authority ------ The Restoration Of Chaos & Order ► Ska-Punk >> 2006
● Gnarls Barkley ------ St. Elsewhere ► Alt. Rap >> 2006
● Chris Isaak ------ Best Of Chris Isaak ► Adult Contemporary >> 2006
● Korn ------ Live & Rare ► Post-Grunge/Nu Metal >> 2006
● Red Hot Chili Peppers ------ Stadium Arcadium ► Alt. Funk-Rock >> 2006
● Paul Simon ------ Surprise ► Folk-Pop >> 2006


May 10
● Elton John ------ 11-17-70 ► Pop-Rock >> 1971
● Jethro Tull ------ Thick As A Brick ► Prog Rock >> 1972
● Bill Wyman ------ Monkey Grip ► Hard Rock >> 1974
● The Birthday Party ------ Junkyard ► Post-Punk Goth Rock >> 1982
● Duran Duran ------ Rio ► Synth-Pop >> 1982
● Ministry ------ With Sympathy ► Industrial Metal >> 1983
● Twisted Sister ------ Stay Hungry ► Hair Metal >> 1984
● Teddy Pendergrass ------ Joy ► Soul-Pop >> 1988
● Prince ------ Lovesexy ► Pop-Rock >> 1988
● The Pointer Sisters ------ Right Rhythm ► Electro-dance-pop >> 1990
● Steelheart ------ Steelheart ► Hair Metal >> 1990
● Blur ------ Modern Life Is Rubbish ► Alt Pop-Rock/Britpop >> 1993
● Danielle Brisebois ------ Arrive All Over You ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 1994
● Indigo Girls ------ Swamp Ophelia ► Folk-Rock >> 1994
● The Pretenders ------ Last Of The Independents ► Post-Punk >> 1994
● Dave Matthews Band ------ Stand Up ► AA Pop-Rock >> 2005


May 11
● The Small Faces ------ Small Faces ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1966
● Various Artists ------ Woodstock: Music From The Original Soundtrack And More ► Rock n Roll >> 1970
● The Meters ------ Cabbage Alley ► Funk >> 1972
● Hawkwind ------ The Space Ritual Alive In Liverpool And London ► Space Rock >> 1973
● Wishbone Ash ------ Wishbone Four ► Prog Rock >> 1973
● The Cure ------ Three Imaginary Boys ► Post-Punk >> 1979
● Grace Jones ------ Nightclubbing ► Club-Dance/Post-Disco >> 1981
● Eurythmics ------ Be Yourself Tonight ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1985
● Bathory ------ Under The Sign Of The Black Mark ► Heavy Metal/Black Metal >> 1987
● Stevie Nicks ------ The Other Side Of The Mirror ► Pop-Rock >> 1989
● Soundgarden ------ Screaming Life/Fopp ► Grunge >> 1990
● Aimee Mann ------ Whatever ► AA Pop-Rock >> 1993
● New Order ------ Republic ► Alt Pop-Rock >> 1993
● Toto ------ Kingdom Of Desire ► Pop-Rock/Arena Rock >> 1993
● Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ------ The Best Of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds [UK] ► Alt Rock >> 1998
● Ash ------ Nu-Clear Sounds ► Punk-Pop >> 1999
● Ricky Martin ------ Ricky Martin ► Latin Dance-Pop >> 1999


May 12
● Jimi Hendrix Experience ------ Are You Experienced? [UK] ► Psychedelic Rock >> 1967
● The Rolling Stones ------ Exile On Main Street ► Rock n Roll >> 1972
● The Stranglers ------ Black And White ► Punk-Rock >> 1978
● Robert Fripp ------ Exposure ► Art Rock >> 1979
● New Order ------ Low-Life ► New Wave Synth-Pop >> 1985
● The Black Crowes ------ The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion ► Southern Rock >> 1992
● Testament ------ The Ritual ► Heavy Metal/Thrash Metal >> 1992
● Garbage ------ Version 2.0 ► Art Rock >> 1998
● Buzzcocks ------ Inventory ► Punk-Rock >> 2003
● Limp Bizkit ------ Collected ► Rap-Metal >> 2008
● Steve Earle ------ Townes ► Alt. Country >> 2009

Labels: Albums Released This Week, rock album history, rock album releases, rock albums today