Phil Manzanera, Johnny Rotten, Jeff Hammerman, Slim Harpo

 

                                Phil Manzanera, "6PM", Wembley Arena, 2004 'Strat Pack' 50th Anniversary

Happy 61st Birthday to Philip Geoffrey Targett-Adams, aka PHIL MANZANERA, lead guitarist for ROXY MUSIC (1972-1983). Born in London, he experimented with Spanish guitar in Cuba at age 5, moved to Venezuela at 8 and began electric guitar. As a teen, he was influenced by American 60's Rock & Latin American rhythms of meringue music. Phil replaced Dave O'List as the lead guitarist in Roxy Music just prior to the band's debut LP, Roxy Music (1972). It wasn't until 1982 with the platinum LP, Avalon, that Roxy Music gained popularity in the US. Avalon was the final Roxy Music studio album. Phil has pursued solo projects,  recording his own LP, (Diamond Head, 1975) and producing for others including Steve Winwood, David Gilmour's On an Island project, John Cale and John Wetton. He has co-written with Brian Eno, Tim Finn, Robert Wyatt and Gilmour. Manzanera also co-wrote Pink Floyd's single "One Slip" from A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987). His latest project, Nth Entities is a beautiful collection of nine poems by Anna Le Does with the music composed by Phil. He will return to Cuba for a February 27 show w/ Jack Bruce (Cream) and longtime friend and Cuban singer, Augusto Enriquez. Phil was last in Cuba in 1991 to record a live LP with Enriquez’s band, Moncada. Here is a cut from ‘Manzanera Moncada Live at the Karl Marx'.

        Sex Pistols 1976 TV debut, "Anarachy", So It Goes w/ host, Tony Wilson (RIP, Tony)

Happy 56th Birthday to John Joseph Lydon, aka JOHNNY ROTTEN, lead vocalist and "anti-Christ" of  punk pioneers, the SEX PISTOLS (1975-1978). Born in London to Irish working-class immigrants, lore has it the 'attitude' came from being bullied in school by the Brits. After Lydon left the Pistols in 1978, he began his own band, Public Image Ltd, the experimental first post-punk group. The band released 8 LPs and a number of singles, including "Death Disco", "Rise" and "Disappointed", before they disbanded in 1993. In between reunion tours of both bands, Johnny has hosted a number of TV shows in the UK, US and Belgium. He seems to only get more outrageous and more pissed off with age. He was often quoted saying, "Turn the other cheek too often and you get a razor through it". Power to the "original Punk".  

        

                                  Slayer  Live, "Angel of Death", Big 4 Concert, Sofia, Bulgaria 

Happy 48th birthday to JEFF HAMMERMAN, rhythm guitarist and co-founder, along with Kerry King, of the thrash metal band, SLAYER, formed in Huntington Park, CA in 1981. Born in Oakland to a military family (his father was a WW2 vet and two brothers served in Vietnam), he and Kerry formed the band when Def Jam Records co-founder and legendary producer, Rick Rubin, talked him out of auditioning for a band called "Pap Smear". That was a good move because Slayer rose to fame with Reign of Blood (1986) considered by many critics to be the first "death metal" album. Slayer went on to do 11 studio albums (5 of which were certified gold), two live LPs, two EPs, a box set and being nominated for five Grammys (winning two). Anyone ever hear of Pap Smears outside a doctor's office? Real good move, Jeff. 

"Got Love If You Want It", The Scratch, Slim Harpo

We remember blues harp and guitar legend, James Moore, aka SLIM HARPO, who we lost 42 years ago today following a heart attack at the young age of 46. Born February 11, 1924, in Lobdell, LA, he began performing in Baton Rouge in the late 1930's & early '40's under the moniker of Harmonica Slim with brother-in-law, Lightnin' Slim. In 1957, his debut was "I'm a King Bee" with this video cut the B-side of the record. It became a Grammy Hall of Fame single. He followed with "Rainin' In My Heart" (1961) and hit #1 on the R&B charts with "Baby Scratch My Back" (1966). Slim's tunes have been covered by some of the best inspired by early American blues: The Rolling Stones, Pretty Things, Yardbirds, Pink Floyd, Them with Van Morrison, The Kinks, Grateful Dead, ZZ Top, The Doors and many more. RIP, Slim. You left us far too early.