August 23 Music et al
Keith Moon
August 23, 1946: Keith Moon born.
August 23 Music et al
John & Cynthia marry
August 23, 1962: John Lennon married Cynthia Powell at the Mount Pleasant register office in Liverpool. Brian Epstein was the best man, and George Harrison and Paul McCartney were also in attendance. Absent was John’s aunt Mimi, who disapproved of the union, although Cynthia’s half brother and his wife were there.
As soon as the ceremony began, a pneumatic drill outside the building opposite drowned out all that was said; when the registrar asked for the groom to step forward, Harrison did, which only added to the farce.
At Epstein’s expense, they celebrated afterwards at Reece’s restaurant in Clayton Square, eating a set menu of soup, chicken and trifle. Reece’s was where John’s parents Alf and Julia had celebrated their own wedding in 1938.
John and Cynthia met in 1957 while both were students at Liverpool Art College, and began a relationship the following year.
In mid-1962 she discovered she was pregnant – the pair had never used contraception. John’s reaction when she told him was: “There’s only one thing for it Cyn – we’ll have to get married”.
Brian Epstein thought fans of The Beatles might feel alienated to know one of them was married, and so the Lennons kept the wedding a secret.
Epstein allowed John and Cynthia to live at his flat at 36 Falkner Street free of charge, where they stayed until the birth of Julian Lennon in April 1963. Thereafter they effectively moved into Mendips with John’s aunt Mimi, although by that time John was spending much of his time in London with the band.
On their wedding night John played a show with The Beatles at the Riverpark Ballroom in Chester. (see Sept 11)
August 23 Music et al
Second Shea concert
August 23, 1966: on John and Cynthia’s 4th anniversary and a little over a year after their first triumphant appearance at New York’s Shea Stadium, The Beatles returned for a second time.
The concert did not sell out, with 11,000 of the 55,600 tickets still available. Nonetheless, The Beatles made more money from their appearance than they had in 1965, receiving $189,000 – 65 per cent of the gross takings of $292,000.
The lack of a sellout was unsettling and it was against this background that they said, ‘Right, we definitely won’t do any more. We are going to have a break and then we are going into the studio to make a record.’ (George Martin from Anthology)
The support acts were The Remains, Bobby Hebb, The Cyrkle and The Ronettes. The Beatles performed 11 songs: Rock And Roll Music, She’s A Woman, If I Needed Someone, Day Tripper, Baby’s In Black, I Feel Fine, Yesterday, I Wanna Be Your Man, Nowhere Man, Paperback Writer and Long Tall Sally.
During the performance of Day Tripper hundreds of fans broke through barriers and attempted to reach the stage. They were held back by security guards and none managed to get close to The Beatles. (see Aug 28)
August 23 Peace Love Art Activism
Are You Experienced?
August 23, 1967: US release of Hendrix’s debut LP, “Are You Experienced?” (see Sept 16)
August 23 Peace Love Art Activism
Cynthia sues for divorce
August 23, 1968: on their 6th wedding anniversary, Cynthia Lennon sued John Lennon for divorce. [Beatles Bible piece](Beatles, see Aug 28; Lennon, see Nov 8)
August 23 Music et al
Honky Tonk Women
August 23 – September 19, 1969: “Honky Tonk Women” by the Rolling Stones #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
August 23 Music et al
Johnny Cash
August 23 – September 19, 1969: Johnny Cash’s At San Quentin the Billboard #1 album.
I was there!
We were visiting family in the area over Christmas break and my brother and I convinced our grandparents to let us go. They were very reticent to do so. I was in 7th grade,my brother in 9th. We were there a whole day, it was incredible!!!
David Browne (May 8, 2019). “Back to an Even Bigger Garden: Massive Woodstock Box Set Planned for August (Massive 38-disc box includes nearly every note of music played during the festival’s three days in 1969 – but assembling old tapes and having musicians sign off 50 years later was a daunting task)” .