August Music et al
Quarrymen
In August 1956: named after his school, John Lennon forms The Quarrymen, The band performed what was known in England as “skiffle” music which was originally an early 20th century American style music. (see July 6, 1957)
August Music et al
Ringo Rory Storm
In August 1959: Ringo Starr begins drumming for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. (Ringo would be Rory’s drummer until August 18, 1960). (see Aug 29)
August Music et al
Beat Brothers
In August 1961: Tony Sheridan and the Beatles or Beat Brothers released “My Bonnie/The Saints (Go Marching In) in Germany. (see Oct 28)
August Music et al
Sam Cooke
In August 1963, Sam Cooke released Night Beat album.
August Music et al
Bob Dylan
In August, 1964: “I’m Going to Get My Baby Out of Jail” by Len Chandler & Bernice Johnson Reagon. Dylan “stole” the Len Chandler tune to accompany his “The Death of Emmett Till.” (see March 11, 1962) (see Aug 8)
August Music et al
LSD
In August, 1964: Ken Kesey & his Merry Pranksters arrived with their Bus to visit Timothy Leary & Richard Alpert at Millbrook, NY. (see Dec 1)
August Music et al
John Sebastian
In August 1965: The Lovin’ Spoonful (John Sebastian age 19) released their first single, “Do You Believe in Magic” (see Aug 13)
August Music et al
Pink Floyd
In August 1967: Pink Floyd released their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
August Music et al
Vietnam
In August 1968: WNEW-FM DJ Rosko reads anti-war column on air. (see Aug 1)
James Brown
In August 1968, James Brown released “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” (see Nov 9)
August Music et al
Santana
In August, 1969: Santana (Carlos Santana age 22) released its first album, Santana. In a contemporary review for Rolling Stone, Langdon Winner panned Santana as “a masterpiece of hollow techniques” and “a speed freak’s delight – fast, pounding, frantic music with no real content”. He compared the music’s effect to methedrine, which “gives a high with no meaning”, finding Rollie and Santana’s playing repetitively unimaginative amidst a monotony of incompetent rhythms and inconsequential lyrics.
John & Yoko
In August 1971: John & Yoko rent a loft apartment at 105 Bank Street in Greenwich Village. (NYCGO article) (see Aug 1)
Eric Clapton #1
In August 1974: Eric Clapton’s cover of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff” reached #1 on US singles charts.