Papparazzi

The Rockland County Times newspaper of New York State, reports on the rapid growth of the 'talking machine' industry, noting that the American Graphophone Company factory in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA, turns out one thousand "graphophones" every day.

Adverts for Edison Phonographs Moulded Records, declaring that they are "the best", are appearing in newspapers across the USA.

Apache Indian chief Geronimo is photographed at the wheel of a luxury roadster during a press show at a ranch located southwest of Ponca City, Oklahoma, USA. In 1972, the image will inspire singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey to write Geronimo's Cadillac, because, "the two images together, Geronimo and a Cadillac, just struck me as a song title. It was every irony I could ever think of about our culture in two words. Their attempt to make of him what we would define as a civilized person. That was the reason they put him in a Cadillac in the first place. He was actually in jail at the time." (For the record, the vehicle in the photograph was a Locomobile, not a Cadillac). An entirely different song with the name Geronimo's Cadillac (1986) will be recorded by German rock duo Modern Talking.

Tiptoe Through The Tulips by The Don Voorhees Orchestra is released as the Durium Hit Of The Week on newspaper stands in New York City, USA at a cost of 15c, twenty percent of the price of an ordinary shellac record.

The Peekskill Evening Star newspaper in New York State, USA, runs two unrelated stories on the front page. One is about a man being put to death in the electric chair, while the other is about a wealthy man who had died. By a curious coincidence, both men are named Hamilton Fish. In 2010, the two items will inspire Rachel Mason to create a song cycle, an art installation and a film series entitled The Deaths of Hamilton Fish.

Stephen Friedland is born in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. He will find some success and notoriety as singer and songwriter Brute Force, whose best-known composition The King Of Fuh prominently includes a double entendre, referring repeatedly to the "Fuh King", i.e. a King in the Land of Fuh. George Harrison of The Beatles will acquire the track, produced by The Tokens in New York City, and will overdub 11 strings of the London Phiharmonic Orchestra. However, after learning that neither EMI in the UK or Capitol Records in the USA would distribute the single, Apple Records will press and distribute a limited edition of 1,000 copies in 1969.

Hank Williams appears on the cover of Pathfinder magazine in the USA.

The term "The Beat Generation" is first seen in print in a feature by John Clellon Holmes in the New York Times magazine. The term will come to be the defining phrase by which the hip youth and creative individuals of the 1950s will come to be known.

In UK pop newspaper the NME [New Musical Express], Geoffrey Everitt reviews Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel with the words "... if you appreciate good singing, I don't suppose you'll manage to hear this all the way through."

UK popular music newspaper Melody Maker reports that American bandleader and recording artist Earl Bostic has recovered from his recent heart attack.

TV pop show producer Jack Good sparks off a UK controversy when he is reported in a newspaper feature stating that, "I don't think Cliff Richard would have existed at all as a singer without Elvis Presley."

UK pop paper Melody Maker reveals that the BBC has banned the Mark Dinning song Teen Angel.

UK pop weekly Melody Maker reports that the BBC has banned rock group Nero And The Gladiators from performing their rock'n'roll version of Grieg's classical music melody In The Hall Of The Mountain King on British radio.

Chess Records of Chicago, Illinois, USA, releases a statement to the press declaring that Chuck Berry has been acquitted of all charges, relating to the transportation of a 14-year-old Indian girl from El Paso, Texas, to St. Louis, Missouri, for immoral purposes.

The front page headline story in today's edition of UK music weekly paper Melody Maker features Dave Brubeck lambasting his critics for their narrow-minded attitudes to jazz - his jazz in particular.

UK pop weekly newspaper Disc, reports that Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated is to appear on the BBC radio programme Jazz Club, at The Paris Theatre, London, on July 12. This appearance prevents Korner's band from appearing in their weekly Thursday session at The Marquee Club, London, as a result of which, their place will be taken by a new rhythm and blues group, The Rolling Stones.

As the year approaches its end, Berry Gordy Jr, founder of Motown Records, gives the Detroit Free Press his thoughts on the current state of musical taste in the USA. "Taste is turning a little bit toward softer music," he says. "The hard 'rock' record is changing subtly. But it seems that after a period of buying 'soft' records, a loud record will go big. Basically, it's a cycle type of thing."

Columbia Records hosts a 'Wine And Roses' luncheon party in honour of Andy Williams, who addresses the assembled throng of music executives, deejays, dealers and journalists. Goddard Lieberson, President of Columbia Records is in attendance, and everyone present is given a copy of Williams' LP Days Of Wine And Roses.

Honey Lantree, drummer of The Honeycombs, is guest of honour at at party in Pye Pecords, London, UK, to celebrate her 21st birthday. She poses for press pictures while cutting a honeycomb-shaped birthday cake decorated with marzipan bees.

An advertisement appears in Melody Maker for the Jimi Hendrix Experience's upcoming Ricki-Tick club gig. Jimi and manager Chas Chandler go to The Cromwellian, London, England, UK, Europe, and see Pretty Things' drummer Viv Prince sitting in with The Shevelles.

The Herd, Status Quo, Simon Dupree And The Big Sound and others play at Disc And Music Echo's Valentine Night Ball in The Empire Rooms, London, England, UK, Europe.

A feature in the influential Life magazine hails Jimi Hendrix as the "most spectacular guitarist in the world".

Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience fly to Hawaii, USA, for a gig and a photo-shoot.

Weekly UK pop paper Top Pops reports that Trevor Burton has left The Move.

Bob Dawbarn of weeky British music paper Melody Maker interviews Jimi Hendrix by telephone.

Peter Green, lead guitarist of Fleetwood Mac, reveals in an interview in UK music weekly the NME, that he intends to give away all of his money to help the starving people of the world.

Sly And The Family Stone appear on the cover of today's edition of Rolling Stone magazine.

Acclaimed rock journalist Lester Bangs is found dead in his apartment in New York City, USA. His heart had stopped after an overdose of stimulants.

UK music weekly the NME (New Musical Express) reports that Joe Strummer of The Clash has gone missing and, as a result, the first two dates of their imminent tour have been cancelled.

It is reported in the UK music press that bassist Simon Gallup has left The Cure.

UK tabloid newspaper The Sun reports that Elton John has cancelled a charity show in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA, because he is seriously ill with glandular fever.

Via satellite from London, England, UK, Europe, Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones appears on tv in New York City, USA, to deny a story printed a few days earlier by The Sun newspaper, which claimed he was no longer on good terms with Mick Jagger.

A news item in today's edition of The New Musical Express (NME) music paper in the UK, notes that a number of concert promoters, including Harvey Goldsmith, Barry Dickins, Rod MacSween and John Giddings have begun announcing major gigs on tv or in mainstream newspapers, rather than using the traditional method of announcing such shows first in the music press. The latest Bruce Springsteen gigs, for example, were announced on BBC-2 tv show The Old Grey Whistle Test. This, according the NME, amounts to "treating us as their servants".

Hit-making British band King is treated to a press reception in London by their record company, CBS, to celebrate the release of the band's new LP, Bitter Sweet. 'Celebrities' attending the event include deejay Mike Read, actress Fiona Fullerton and tv presenter Wincey Willis.

Internationally successful photographer Dezo Hoffman, dies aged 73 in the Harley Street Clinic, London, England, UK, Europe. His ashes will be scattered on the bluebell lawn at Golders Green Crematorium. In his long career, Hoffman shot acclaimed sessions with artists as diverse as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Dusty Springfield, Charlie Chaplin, Sophia Loren, Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier, The Kinks, The Shadows, Tom Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Elton John, Omar Sharif and Pink Floyd.

It is announced in the UK press that pop duo Bros is suing tabloid newspaper the Sunday People over a story which had linked the group to heroin.

The Rolling Stones hold a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, Asia, to announce their upcoming tour. They also continue rehearsing in Tokyo.

It is reported in the UK press that Silvertone Records has placed an injunction on Stone Roses, to prevent the group from recording for another label.

Ronnie Wood, guitarist of The Rolling Stones hosts the press launch of A Major Retrospective Of 50 Years Of Rock and Roll at the Symbolic London pop-up showroom, Bruton Street, London, UK. The exhibition features paintings by Wood and artefacts from the history of The Rolling Stones.

Andy Vella the official photographer for The Cure for over 33 years, publishes his book of rare and unseen photographs of the band complete with a foreword by Robert Smith, via Foruli Codex, in the UK.

Richard Neville, controversial counter-culture editor, writer and broadcaster, dies aged 74 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Oceania. He had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia in his mid sixties.

Michael Putland, one of the most revered of rock photographers, dies aged 72 of prostate cancer.

Much respected music industry PR Eugene Manzi dies aged 76, in hospital in London, England, UK, Europe. He had suffered with breathing problems for many years.