Wednesday, June 29, 2016

WEDNESDAVE!

Today is Hug Holiday, Camera Day, International Mud Day and Waffle Iron Day.

THIS DAY IN ROCK!
1957: The government of Iran bans rock and roll after declaring rock dancing "as harmful to health."
1959: Dick Clark announces his first series of four "Caravan of Stars" concerts.
1967: While on tour with the Hollies, Graham Nash writes "Marrakesh Express." which will later become a hit with his new band, Crosby Stills & Nash.
1969: The Jimi Hendrix Experience play their last gig at the Denver Pop Festival.
1974: Neil Peart replaces John Rutsey as the drummer for Rush.
1976: The Memphis City Council changes Highway 51 South, to "Elvis Presley Boulevard."
1978: Peter Frampton severely injures himself in a car crash in the Bahamas.
1998: George Harrison announces that he is undergoing chemotherapy for throat cancer.
2000: Ronnie Van Zandt's casket is stolen from its mausoleum in Jacksonville, FL.

PURPOSE OF THE COMB! You may think that the common comb was invented for grooming purposes only. But it turns out there was another important use for it. Can you guess what it was? Comb here for the answer.

MOST PLAYED WEDDING SONGS! My how times have changed. Back in the day it was Wind Beneath My Wings." But today, the most popular song played at weddings is toally different. Click here to get the most common wedding playlist!

DEAD CELEB! Guitar legend Scotty Moore, who accompanied Elvis on his original Sun and early RCA recordings, died Tuesday at 84. Moore played guitar on hits like  "Heartbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog," "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Jailhouse Rock." Get the obit.

PAUL SIMON RETIRING? Paul Simon recently told The New York Times that he's thinking about retiring from songwriting and touring. But will he actually retire after his European tour this fall? He's not saying definitively yes or no, but says he doesn't have any fear of it. Get the details.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

TUESDAVE!

Today is Insurance Awareness Day and Paul Bunyan Day.

THIS DAY IN ROCK!
1957: Jerry Lee Lewis makes his US TV debut on the Steve Allen Show.
1965: Where The Action Is premieres on ABC-TV.
1968: Elvis tapes the "gospel medley" portion of what would later be known as his "'68 Comeback Special." 1968: Aretha Franklin is featured on the cover of Time magazine.
1973: Helen Reddy begins her "summer replacement" TV series, The Helen Reddy Show.
1988: Berry Gordy sells Motown to MCA for $61 million.
1990: At today's concert in Liverpool, Paul McCartney plays John Lennon-written Beatles songs for the first time: "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Help!" and Lennon's solo "Give Peace A Chance."

DAVID BOWIE'S HAIR! A blond lock of David Bowie's hair fetched nearly $19,000 at a memorabilia auction over the weekend. The expected sale price was $4,000. Among the other morbid items that were sold at the auction was a shirt stained with John Lennon's blood that was worn by an employee of the Dakota Hotel the night Lennon star was shot to death. The winning bid was $42,500. Get the details.

BURNING QUESTION! And now for another answer to a question nobody asked: How did Big Ben get its name? Click here for the fascinating answer.

BEATLES DRUMS GO TO AUCTION! The drum kit used in the recording of The Beatles' first single, "Love Me Do," in September 1962 will go to the auction block this Thursday. The Ludwig kit belonged to session drummer Andy White, who was called in to rerecord the track with the Fab Four while Ringo played tambourine. How deep will you have to dig to start bidding? Click here to find out.

Monday, June 27, 2016

MONDAY RECOVERY!

Welcome back to another week of randomness on the Dave Page.

Today is Sunglasses Day. I'll be wearing my Photograys all day today. Even tonight....indoors!! Bwahahaha!

THIS DAY IN ROCK!
1959: West Side Story closes on Broadway after a record 732 performances.
1963: Brenda Lee signs a million-dollar contract with Decca Records.
1968: As a part of his "'68 Comeback" TV special, Elvis tapes an informal jam session on center stage at NBC's Studio 4, a performance many consider his best of all time.
1970: Queen performs for the first time at a concert in England.
1970: The Jackson 5 becomes the first rock-era group to score #1 hits with its first three songs after "The Love You Save" tops the chart.. They'd soon make it four with "I'll Be There."
1971: Bill Graham closes the Fillmore East
1976: John Lennon finally gets his "green card" allowing him to stay in the United States.
1989: Tom Jones is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1989: The Who performs their rock opera Tommy in its entirety for the first time since 1972.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE! In the battle of fish vs. aliens at the box office this weekend, fish won. Finding Dory topped Independence Day: Resurgence for the second weekend in a row. Central Intelligence finished the weekend in third place while The Shallows debuted at #4 and Free State of Jones came in at #5. Click here for the rest of the rankings.

JACKSON DEATH ANNIVERSARY! It's hard to believe that Saturday marked seven years since the "King of Pop" died at age 50. But recently, a new crop of salacious rumors have plagued his legacy. Click here for the dirt. Meanwhile, Michael's daughter Paris paid tribute to her dad on Instagram with a Photoshopped picture of what the pair might look like if they posed together today. Yawn.....

CELEBRITY WEDDING BELLS! Voice season nine winner Jordan Smith married his longtime girlfriend over the weekend. People magazine reports that Jordan proposed to Kristen on New Year's Day. Awweee. Click here for the wedded bliss.

WHACKY ONE-WHEELED BIKE! But it's not a unicycle. Check out the Strandbeest bike that has mechanical legs instead of a rear tire. This is one of the most bizarre things I've every seen. Click here to watch a video demonstration of this weird contraption.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

THURSDAVE!

Today is National Columnists Day and National Pink Day.

THIS DAY IN ROCK!

1960: Paul Anka becomes the youngest act to open at New York's Copacabana nightclub.
1963: Del Shannon's cover of "From Me To You" hits the Billboard Hot 100, thus becoming the first Lennon-McCartney composition to ever make the US charts.
1972: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles perform for the last time together at a Washington, DC. concert.
1975: Alice Cooper falls off the stage in Vancouver, breaking six ribs in the process.
1976: Paul McCartney wraps up the Wings Over America tour at the Forum in Los Angeles.
1990: Gary Busey purchases one of Buddy's guitars at auction for approximately $240,000.
1994:The Barry Manilow tribute musical Copacabana opens in London.

NEW MOVIES IN THEATERS! Stuff hitting the big screen tomorrow includes Accidental Exorcist, Les Cowboys (R), Independence Day: Resurgence (R) and Septembers of Shiraz (PG-13). Click here for the rest of the new stuff opening nationwide tomorrow.

LED ZEPPELIN VERDICT! A Los Angeles jury has found that Robert Plant and Jimmy Page did not steal the opening of the Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven" from the 1968 Spirit song "Taurus." Attorneys representing the estate of late Spirit frontman Randy California had sought to prove that a guitar riff featured in "Taurus" was plagiarized and used as the basis for the opening of "Stairway to Heaven," but the jury decided that there was no "extrinsic similarity" between the two songs. Get the verdict.

CELEBRITY GUN CONTROL! More than 150 entertainers have signed a special "Open Letter to Congress" urging tighter gun laws. Among the John Hancocks includes Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Billy Joel, Stevie Nicks, Carole King, Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp and Cher. The letter urges Congress to require a background check for every gun sale and block suspected terrorists from buying guns. Get more.

FLYING CARS! Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! But it's not a flying car. Yet. Why haven't flying cars taken flight yet? Probably because only rich people will be able to afford them. Click here for some of the most promising designs.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

WEDNESDAVE!

Today is National Chocolate Eclair Day.

THIS DAY IN ROCK!
1957: The Quarrymen play their first major gig on the back of a coal truck.
1961: Elvis' Wild In The Country, opens nationwide.
1968: The Jeff Beck Group makes its US stage debut at the Fillmore East.
1981: Mark David Chapman pleads guilty to killing John Lennon and is sentenced to 20 Years to Life.
1990: Billy Joel becomes the first rocker to perform a concert at Yankee Stadium.

BOWIE'S HAIR! A lock of David Bowie's hair is on the auction block. The current bid is $2,000 but it's expected to sell for at least twice that by this weekend. The lock of hair is about was taken by the Wig Mistress at Madame Tussaud's to use for his likeness at the museum. Get the hairy details.

CELEBRITY SPLITSVILLE! Don McLean and his wife have finalized their divorce, less than six months after the singer was arrested in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident.McLean has agreed to a $10 million settlement. His wife filed for divorce in March, citing "adultery, cruel and abusive treatment and irreconcilable differences." Get the dirt.

WINE FOR CATS! Have you ever wished that you could enjoy a glass of wine with your cat? Now you can with a special wine made just for cats! Click here to take a sip.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

TUESDAVE!

Today is Go Skate Day and International Yoga Day.

THIS DAY IN ROCK!
1948: The Columbia label announces its new LP "long-playing" record.
1967: San Francisco's Golden Gate Park celebrates the Summer Solstice with a free concert.
1973: Bread, already having decided to break up, play their last live gig ever in Salt Lake City.
1975: Ritchie Blackmore leaves Deep Purple to form Rainbow.
1981: Steely Dan breaks up.
1988: The Rascals reunite onstage for the first time in eighteen years.
1990: Little Richard is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

MICHAEL JACKSON' S LAST DAYS! The final days of Michael Jackson's life are coming to TV.  The series is based on an upcoming book by Tavis Smiley, Before You Judge Me: The Triumph and Tragedy of Michael Jackson's Last Days. No word on when it will be released or who would play Jackson but the book comes out next week. Get the details.

ROMANTICS ALBUM! The Romantics will soon be returning with Up from the Rubble, their first new album since 2003. The album will be available as a digital download starting next week. In addition, The Romantics have more than 20 concerts lined up this year in support of the album. Get the itinerary.

G.O.T. CONVENTION! Game of Thrones is getting its own fan convention in Nashville set for June 30-July 2, 2017, although no venue has been announced. Organizers promise panels, autograph and photo opportunities, meet-and-greets, concerts and an Ice and Fire Marketplace with merchandise and memorabilia from various exhibitors and vendors. Relax on the throne and get the details.

NEW ON DVD! Some of the new titles arriving today on DVD include My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, The Brothers Grimsby and The Wave as well as season six of Workaholics. Get the complete list.

APOCALYPSE SURVIVAL! What will you eat if you survive the apocalypse? I'm stockpiling Ramen noodles and coffee. Click here to stock up.

Monday, June 20, 2016

MONDAVE!

Welcome back to another interesting week on the Dave Page. Thanks for checking it out.

Today is Summer Solstice. Summer officially rolls in at 5:34pm. It's also Ice Cream Soda Day so celebrate summer with a tasty treat.

THIS DAY IN ROCK!
1954: Elvis, Scotty Moore, and Bill Black perform a concert as The Blue Moon Boys on a flatbed truck outside the grand opening of a Memphis drugstore.
1963: The Beatles nab their first UK Number One LP with Please Please Me.
1965: Frank Sinatra leaves his handprints in cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
1968: Paul McCartney's fiancee, Jane Asher, announces on the BBC TV program Dee Time that she has broken off their engagement.
1970: The Carpenters appear as guest bachelor and bachelorette on the Dating Game TV show.
1975: Steven Van Zandt makes his first appearance with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
1979: ELO dedicates their newest single "Don't Bring Me Down" to Skylab which was about to prematurely re-enter Earth's atmosphere in bits and pieces.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE! Finding Dory made a huge splash at the box office over the weekend weekend. The sequel to Finding Nemo had the largest domestic opening ever for an animated film with a $136.2 million in it's opening weekend. The previous record was set by Shrek the Third, which debuted to $121.6 million in 2007. Get the rest of the rankings.

WESTWORLD REBOOT! HBO released a new trailer for Westworld yesterday. The sci-fi drama starring Anthony Hopkins is loosely based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film of the same time, is set in a futuristic theme park called Westworld. The 10-episode first season premieres in October. Click here to watch the trailer.

DEAD CELEB! Sad news out of Hollywood. Actor Anton Yelchin, who played the role of Chekhov in the recent Star Trek movies, was killed in a freak accident early Sunday. Friends found him found him dead, pinned between his running vehicle and a brick mailbox in the driveway of his L.A. home. He was 27. Get the obit.

SEVEN PERSON TRICYCLE? Check out the world's first and only seven person tricycle. Unfortunately you need to try to find six friends every time you want to go for a ride. Click here to see it in action.