Some great music born in '66
Music notes
by
Scott Iwasaki
Seriously, when I was growing up, I always thought I'd end up in the morgue before I turned 30. (My target age was 27, like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain.)
However, by authority higher than my own, I have lived quite a bit longer. In two years — assuming I'm still alive — I'll be as old as Elvis Presley was when he died in 1977.
And, for you Douglas Adams fans, that means I'll be the answer to "Life, the Universe and Everything."
But I'm jumping ahead of myself.
I was born in Cottonwood Hospital at 10:10 p.m. The year was 1966.
Here's what was happening in the music scene that year:
• The biggest group was the Monkees. The Fabricated Four's self-titled debut album was released to coincide with the TV show of the same name. ("Batman" and "Star Trek" also debuted on television — which may explain why the Dark Knight is my favorite superhero and why I love science fiction. But I digress. ... )
It was a Monkees year because the group's first two singles — "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm a Believer" — were both No. 1 hits, reigning for two and seven weeks, respectively.
• Also, Sgt. Barry Sadler released his hit single "The Ballad of the Green Berets," which stood tall on the No. 1 spot of Billboard's Top 100 singles for five weeks.
• The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" album was released, along with the single "Good Vibrations."
• Bob Dylan released the first double album in rock 'n' roll history, "Blonde on Blonde."
• Simon & Garfunkel released "Sounds of Silence."
• The Kinks released the album "Face to Face."
• Cream unleashed "Fresh Cream."
• The Beatles released "Revolver."
This was also the year when John Lennon made that infamous "more popular than Jesus" statement, which caused an uproar with Christians across America. And which resulted in album burnings, death threats, concert cancellations — the list goes on.
And 1966 was also the last year the Beatles toured or played live concerts in public.
• As for music deaths, Bobby Fuller, who was rumored to be in trouble with the Mafia, was found dead in his car in Hollywood. It was ruled a suicide, despite signs of a struggle.
• When the Grammys aired on March 2, 1967, the awards were given to music released in 1966, including Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night" as Record of the Year, "Sinatra: A Man and His Music" as Album of the Year, and as Song of the Year, "Michelle," by the Beatles.
No one was nominated or awarded Best New Artist that year.
• There were many musicians known today who were born in my year: Rob Zombie, Deana Carter, Rick Astley, the late Jeff Buckley, the Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson (also soon to be the ex-Mr. Kate Hudson), The Offspring's Dexter Holland, Sinead O'Connor, rap mogul Suge Knight, Hootie & the Blowfish's Darius Rucker, Janet Jackson, country singers Martina McBride and LeAnn Womack, and The Beastie Boys' Adam "Adrock" Horovitz.
When I was growing up, 40 seemed so old.
But looking at it from the inside out isn't bad.
And I'd better stop now or I'll be 41 before I end this column.
E-mail: scott@desnews.com
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