July 31st, 1966

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

7/31/66 – The first official Cream concert takes place in Windsor, England, at the Sixth Annual Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival

Also on 7/31, Actor Dean Cain is born

 

July 30th, 1966

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

7/30/66 – The Beatles have another US #1 Album as “Yesterday … And Today” moves in and occupies the top spot for the next five weeks.  Released in the US and Canada only at the time, it offered up the chance to catch up on the last three Beatles’ singles in LP form … a couple of leftover tracks from the British “Rubber Soul” album and three new tracks that were advance-released from their upcoming “Revolver” album, which will hit the stores next month.

Regardless, a ban on all Beatles music takes a foothold in the South after John Lennon’s comments about The Beatles being more popular than Jesus are circulated.  Soon “Stamp Out The Beatles” bon fires will be common, just as the band is about to arrive for their new (and final) US tour. 

(You can read all about the controversial photo that originally graced this LP release in our post dated March 25th)

July 29th, 1966

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

7/29/66 – Bob Dylan crashes his motorcycle near his home in Woodstock, New York, breaking his neck in the process.  He will be sidelined for several months  (Karma for plugging in that electric guitar???)

Also on 7/29, Cream make their debut live performance at The Twisted Wheel in Manchester, England.  Their first official concert will happen two days later at the Sixth Annual Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival

Also on 7/29, “Datebook,” a popular magazine for teenagers, publishes portions of the interview that John Lennon did with British journalist Maureen Cleave back in March during which he states that The Beatles are “bigger than Jesus right now.”  Radio bans Beatles music throughout the south and Beatles bonfires are right around the corner.  (You can chalk this up as Definitive Reason #2 as to why The Beatles decided to give up touring for good a couple of months later)

Ironically, when the article originally ran several months ago in Great Britain, there was no controversy or reaction at all.  In fact, even here in The States, after The New York Times Magazine picked up excerpts from this same interview and ran them in July, nobody seemed to notice …

But for whatever reason, the Datebook publication lit the torch that put their very lives in danger the moment they set foot on American soil.  And an American tour was scheduled to take off next month.

Also on 7/29, Country Singer Martina McBride is born