February 13: The News in Brief

Hey, readers!

After a nasty bout with the flu, I am now back with another list. Nothing new today, but there are a couple of interesting anniversaries. Check them out below!

The Monkees Announce Decision to Drop Session Musicians (1967)
Source: Keystone Features/Getty Images

Rather than using session musicians, The Monkees decided they would use their own recordings from this point forward. They had been wanting a chance to record their own written material for some time, but were not initially given a chance.

The Beatles Release Double A-Side Single "Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane" (1967)

The Beatles released the John Lennon-penned "Strawberry Fields Forever" and the Paul McCartney-penned "Penny Lane", which served as a turning point from their usual poppy sound to a more psychedelic sound, as well as a sort of ode to both members' childhoods. "Strawberry Fields Forever" is also my all-time favorite Beatles song.

Electric Light Orchestra Conductor Louis Clark Dies Age 73 (2021)

Although no cause of death was officially revealed, Clark had struggled with his health for several months beforehand. He died just two weeks short of his 74th birthday. As an arranger and conductor for ELO, most of his work can be found on the albums Eldorado, Face the Music, A New World Record, Out of the Blue, Discovery, and Xanadu. He later played synths and keyboards for the band on various occasions. 

Birthdays:

Peter Tork (1942-2019)

Peter Halsten Thorkelson, known professionally as Peter Tork, is best known as the bassist of the Monkees. Due to already having been an established musician, he was allowed to play his own instrument before the others.

Bill Szymczyk (1943-)

William Frank Szymczyk is a music producer best known for his work with The Eagles. He has, however, also produced singles by the Edgar Winter Group, Joe Walsh, Elvin Bishop, and The Who.

Judy Dyble (1949-2020)

Judith Aileen Dyble was a singer-songwriter known for her work with Fairport Convention and Trader Horne. However, she also worked with Giles, Giles and Fripp and shared stages with artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd.

Peter Gabriel (1950-)

Peter Brian Gabriel, known mainly for his work with Genesis from 1967-1975 as well as his solo career, has become a household name in the progressive rock scene. 

That concludes the news and anniversaries for today. Happy listening!
Hey there! I'm Olive, and I'm a part-time blog writer hoping to share my love of older music and countercultural history. I started this blog during my freshman year of college as a means to get a head start doing what I love most - writing. I've always loved writing and music, and wanted to do something that would involve doing both. Now, I've got this cool (totally not biased) blog page!

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