On October 25th, in 1968, Jimi Hendrix, with his band The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Noel Redding-Bass, Mitch Mitchell-Drums) released their 3rd LP-Electric Ladyland. The LP was produced by Jimi Hendrix as a default of sorts…between July of 1967 and January of 1968-Jimi recorded a lot of the songs that would wind up on the LP at various UK and US studios. When recording resumed in April of 1968 at NYC’s infamous Record Plant Studios, Chas Chandler was on the boards (producer)…however, Jimi was a perfectionist and insisted on a lot of takes, and he wanted people around, so the Studio became crowded.
All of this frustrated Chandler to the degree that he quit. Jimi’s Bassist Noel Redding had started his own band Fat Mattress in 1968 and he wasn’t able to play most of his bass parts, so Jimi played em or had Jack Cassidy of Jefferson Airplane play em. Now the boards and the bass are being ran by Jimi…Mitch played drums, but he was no stranger to Jimi’s perfectionist ways, making note that he did over 50 takes in three sessions to record Gypsy Eyes. Jimi used a lot of effects on this LP which brings out his psychedelic Rock & Pop roots, but also adds that Funk and Soul music he grew up playing.
The LP has effects like chorus, flange, reverb, backmasking (backwards playing) and echo. Steve Winwood made a guest appearance, while the gatefold double LP got mad complaints for having risqué cover art. Women who posed for the LP got $10 or so, they got $10 more if they got completely nude. The label released the LP with two covers, for those more conservative fans. Electric Ladyland was the final LP released by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was their most commercially successful LP as well, going number 1 in the US & Number 6 in the UK. Its 55th on the list of 500 Greatest LPs of all time by Rolling Stones Magazine.
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On October 25th, two things happened that are directly related to Johnny Cash. First off, in 1997, the star was performing at a gig in Flint, Michigan. He was addressing the crowd and dropped his guitar pick. When he bent down to grab it, he fell over…After the gasps, tears and sideways snickers ceased, he made an apology and announced that he’d been suffering from Parkinson’s disease. One of the caterers for the concert said she was watching backstage and was: ‘in tears as he nearly fell off of the stage.’ Marie Macaulay said she & her friend were about three rows from the front and: ‘as Johnny began to stagger at some point, we, as nurses, instinctively started to stand up to go to his aid as he looked like he could fall forward.
We knew somehow that something was very wrong physically." Six years later, on the same day, in 2003, Johnny Cash’s step-daughter Rosie Nix-Adams (Rozanna Rosie Nix-Adams) was found dead on her tour bus with Bluegrass musician Todd Birchall and her fiddle player Jimmy Campbell. The were found near Clarksville, Tennessee in Montgomery county. When police arrived, they thought that the scene seemed ‘suspicious’, as if some poisoning or foul play had went on. However, autopsy reports showed that they all died from carbon monoxide poisoning that was due to their propane heater being used without proper ventilation.
On October 25th, in 2001, Jerry Garcia was screaming like the guy in Spike Lee’s film X when he is attempting to assassinate Malcolm at the Audubon Ballroom: Get your hand outta my pocket! Apparently, Garcia’s surviving girlfriends and former wives couldn’t quite agree on who gets what portion of his estate, nor when or how. I say this because there were thirteen separate law firms, yes, 13, that were trying to divide up Jerry’s $10 million estate. The Grateful Dead guitarist and visual frontman had been dead for 6 years (died August 9th, 1995), and these women still couldn’t come to an agreement. Shameful. Garcia’s exs and widows also had the trouble of splitting up his annual income which is valued at $4.6 million.
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The lawyers had their work cut out for em, the judge too. Garcia has splinter groups and his side businesses that bring in a lot of money posthumously. I understand his immediate wife when he died getting loot, any kids he may have fathered, but that’s it. I can’t see the women who had his kids, legitimate or illegitimate hitting him up for loot beyond the grave. Like Richard Pryor says describing his exs’ that wanted ‘half’: You ain’t told no jokes!’ If they helped write songs, inspired songs, nurtured his creativity and supported his musical career, sure, break em off a lil something…but I’m pretty sure a lot of these ladies did none of the above. Get a job.
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On October 25th, in 2010, Reggae lost one of its best vocalist to date-Gregory Isaacs. He passed away due to complications with lung cancer at his home in Harrow, London, UK. Isaacs was coined: the Cool Runner, and released his 5th LP under the same pseudonym (1978 on Front Line Records). He released over 40 LPs from 1975 to 2010, totaling more than an LP per year. From 1975 to 1985, he released over 15 LPs! That’s working like the West Indian family on In Living Colour (Hey Mon!). Not to mention, he recorded for over a dozen different labels. Isaacs was a straight up singer.
No matter what genre he chose, his vocals would stand out. He happened to stay Roots Rock Reggae and dabble in some Acid Jazz collaborations while in the UK. The Kingston Tenament Yardie was featured in the Jamaican film-The Rockers, he also sang on the soundtrack (the song Slavemaster). He performed at Reggae Sunsplash from 1981 to 1991. In 1982, at the height of Isaacs’ career, he began using cocaine and was detained in a Jamaican prison for six months. He got back at it, clean this time, when he got out. He was 60 years-old when he passed.
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On October 25th, in 2015, a lesser known Funk, Soul & Pop saxophonist, guitarist, songwriter, arranger, and producer passed away-Marlo Henderson (Leroy Marlo-Mario Henderson). He was a prolific arranger and session musician-having credits on over 50 LPs. He also had music in the DNA being the grandson of the infamous producer/engineer Corwin DeWayne Henderson AKA Swiffy Beats. Henderson was a member of several great bands, starting off in the late 60s and early 70s with Buddy Miles. He moved from Buddy to the Funk Collective Maxayn, which was a really dope band, if you don’t know about them, you need to.
Their lead singer sang some backup on Johnny Guitar Watson’s-Listen LP. Henderson also was a member of Stevie Wonder’s backing band Wonderlove. He wrote music, co-writing Young Willing and Able for Minnie Riperton, and Power in Your Love with Booker T Jones (Booker T & the MGs) and Michael Stokes. His session work is included on Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall LP, Paul McCartney’s Girlfriend (Michael & Paul duet), Evelyn Champagne King, and Buddy Miles-Them Changes. He was 67 when he passed.
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Honorable Mentions: On October 25th, in 1968, Emcee, DJ & Producer-Speech (Todd Thomas) was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Speech grew up in Ripley, Tennessee and Atlanta most of his childhood. He graduated high school in Atlanta and attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. It was in Altanta that Arrested Development formed via Speech & DJ Headliner putting the group together. In 1992 they released their debut LP: 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of… It was a play on how long it took for them to come out.
On October 25th, in 1962, the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers-Chad Smith (Chadwick Gaylord Smith) was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. Aside from the hits he banged out for RHCP-Under the Bridge 1992 UK singles chart number 26 & By the Way 2002 UK LP chart number 1, Smith also worked with others: Blue Oyster Cult, Prestige Worldwide, Meatbats, Chad Smith’s Bombastic, The Process, HSAS and more. He’s been actively recording and performing professionally since 1988. He’s 57 today.
On October 25th, in 2004, music lost a good ear and BBC DJ that broke numerous underground Punk tracks-John Peel (John Robert Parker Ravenscroft). He passed away due to complications with his hear in Cuzco, Peru. He was the BBC veteran DJ (longest tenure) that was well known for his show: Peel Sessions-where he’d break new acts. He’s the first radio DJ to play: The Smiths, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, Rod Stewart, T Rex & Blur. Peel also owned his own label-Dandelion Records (est. 1969). He was 65 when he passed.
On October 25th, in 2012, professional boxing lost a great trainer, manager and mentor-Emanuel ‘Manny’ Steward. He passed away during surgery. Steward owned the famed Kronk Gym (opened 1971 with his step-brother James) in Detroit, Michigan. He was known as the trainer for Tommy Hitman Hearns, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, and Oscar De La Hoya. All of them winning belts in their weight classes while having Manny in their corner. He was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, and World Boxing Hall of Fame. He was 68 when he passed away.
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