This day in music

Things you didn't know

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:53:03 GMT

Donovans song Mellow Yellow is about a vibrator

Things you didn't know

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:43:38 GMT

I Cant Get No) Satisfaction was written after The Rolling Stones paid a visit to Chess Records and saw their hero Muddy Waters painting the office.

Things you didn't know

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:15:58 GMT

The Isle Of Wight festival started in 1968 because the local swimming pool association wanted to raise funds.

Things you didn't know

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:54:10 GMT

During Michael Jacksons tours, his pet chimp Bubbles had his own suite and a wardrobe of 20 designer outfits.

Things you didn't know

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:35:39 GMT

The Who were the only band that asked to be paid in advance at the Woodstock festival, and refused to go on until they got their money.

Things you didn't know

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 05:40:41 GMT

In 1986 Michael Jackson launched Michaels Pets, a line of stuffed pets, based on the animals in his zoo.

Things you didn't know

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 04:22:53 GMT

The lyrics to The Byrds Turn! Turn! Turn! are lifted from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.

Things you didn't know

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:47:34 GMT

The women only Lilith Fair festival was named after Lilith from Cheers, (and later Frasier).

Things you didn't know

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:40:04 GMT

When The Inspiral Carpets headlined Reading Festival in 1990, they brought on a pantomime cow. The bands guitar roadie Noel Gallagher was half that cow, his first headline appearance.

Things you didn't know

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:35:21 GMT

In 1997, a Smiths fan held up a Denver radio station at gunpoint demanding that they played nothing but The Smiths records. They did for five hours until the police arrived.

Things you didn't know

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:59:22 GMT

Sid Vicious name was taken from Johnny Rottens pet hamster.

Things you didn't know

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:53:15 GMT

Chuck Berrys Sweet Little Sixteen caused moral panic in the 50s because the black Berry was clearly singing about a young white girl.

Things you didn't know

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:21:45 GMT

The LP Tusk is named after the Fleetwood Mac drummers nickname for his old man.

Things you didn't know

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:55:38 GMT

Elton John made his first appearances on Top Of The Pops as a backing singer for Brotherhood of Man and Pickettywitch.

Things you didn't know

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:24:44 GMT

Slade were once barred from the Top Of The Pops BBC bar after they became involved in a drunken brawl with The Kinks.

Things you didn't know

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 04:16:55 GMT

R&B singer Eamon earned a listing in the Guinness Book of World Record for "the most expletives in a No.1 song", with 33, from his 2004 hit 'Fuck It, (I Dont Want You Back)'

Things you didn't know

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:50:16 GMT

The Simpsons UK No.1 hit 'Do The Bartman' was co-written by Michael Jackson. The Simpsons became the first cartoon characters to score a No.1 since the Archies hit 'Sugar Sugar' in 1969.

Things you didn't know

Fri, 08 May 2009 14:07:40 GMT

In the late 50s record producer Sam Phillips sold Elvis Presleys recording contract to RCA for $35,000. He invested a large part of the money in an early stake of The Holiday Inn chain of hotels.

Things you didn't know

Fri, 08 May 2009 07:43:08 GMT

When touring with The Who, drummer Keith Moon used to enjoy flushing Cherry bombs down toilets. His repeated practice of blowing up toilets with explosives led him to be banned from several hotel chains around the world for life, including all Holiday Inn, Sheraton, and Hilton hotels.

Things you didn't know

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:25:15 GMT

According to the Led Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods, touring the UK in the 1960's, Sonny Boy Williamson set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator.

Things you didn't know

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:41:01 GMT

American singer, songwriter Roy Orbison endured a great deal of tragedy in his life. His first wife, Claudette, died in a motorcycle accident in 1966 and in 1968 the Orbison family home burned to the ground while Orbison was touring in England. Two of his three sons died in the fire.

Things you didn't know

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:46:02 GMT

US blues guitarist Johnny Guitar Watson died of a heart attack while on tour in Yokohama, Japan in 1996. According to eyewitness reports, he collapsed mid guitar solo. His last words were "ain't that a bitch."

Things you didn't know

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:28:26 GMT

Madonnas 2008 sticky & Sweet tour played to over 2.35m fans in 58 cities and grossed $281.6m.

Things you didn't know

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:43:40 GMT

When in 1972 Paul McCartney took his new band Wings out on an impromptu tour of the United Kingdom's universities, the bands first stop on the tour, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, refused to allow them to play. It wouldve been the first time since 1966 that a Beatle had appeared at a public concert.

Things you didn't know

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:54:07 GMT

About one fifth of Madonnas £300m fortune is in property. The singer owns six houses in London, England and the 18th Century Mayfair pub, The Punchbowl.