Catch Spenny‘s Blue Plate Special every weekday afternoon at 12PM on 93.7 KLBJ-FM in Austin
7-13-26
In 1985, The Live Aid extravaganza was held, broadcast between Wembley Stadium, London and The JFK Stadium, Philadelphia. The world’s biggest rock stars took part in the worldwide event, raising over $50 million. TV pictures beamed to over 1.5 billion people in 160 countries, making it the biggest live broadcast ever known. Artists who appeared – Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, The Who, U2, David Bowie and Mick Jagger, Queen, Tina Turner, The Cars, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams, Hall and Oates, Lionel Richie, Led Zeppelin and many more. We played Who, REO Speedwagon, and David Bowie today. And we played the actual songs they performed at Live Aid too. How ’bout that!? History, baby!
7-14-26
Speaking of history, it was Bastille Day! An important moment during the French Revolution, which is celebrated annually by the country. We played songs about revolution, liberty, and equality – all things we can get down with here in America! Rush’s “Bastille Day” opened the set, followed by The Beatles “Revolution” and The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
7-15-26
In 1973 Ray Davies notoriously announced he was quitting The Kinks during a live performance at the Great Western Express Festival at White City Stadium in London. This came following a stint of exhaustion and fallout over the collapse of his marriage. He did, however, return a week later after a little rest and relaxation. The band wouldn’t officially break up until ’96 following internal tension among bandmates, specifically the Davies brothers. We played The Kinks, of course, as a result of today’s slice of history.
7-16-26
Rumor has it that the band Cream formed on this day, though most sources simply refer to July 1966 as their date of formation. That’s okay. I don’t care. I needed something to play, so I’ll take it. Cream consisted of Jack Bruce on bass and vocals, Eric Clapton on guitar, and Ginger Baker on the drums. Often considered one of the first supergroups, all of the members came from successful bands of their own. The members were praised for their musical proficiency and their sound, which was a blending of blues, psychedelia, and hard rock. Though the band only existed for 3 short years, they managed to release 4 albums, with their 3rd effort, Wheels of Fire, becoming the first platinum-selling double album in history. Unfortunately some tension between Bruce and Baker eventually led the disbandment of the group but not before they released their final album, aptly named Goodbye. Another fun fact: in 1993 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
7-17-26
National Tattoo Day! The day is held in recognition of the history, culture, and artists dedicated to the form, as well as inked up enthusiasts. The word ‘tattoo’ is derived from the Polynesian word “tatau”, which means “to tap or mark”, which is essentially how early tattoos were designed, by tapping an inked tool into the skin, and, of course, in the process, marking it. There’s evidence that tattoos have existed for thousands of years. Egyptian mummies and ice mummies both show evidence of getting tapped and marked. What is an ice mummy you might be asking, like I was when I first researched this? Just dead bodies preserved by extreme cold. I was thinking maybe they were undead creatures with ice powers like in Game of Thrones. But, no. Not at all. Anyway, tattoos became popular in the USA when sailors who visited other cultures would return and introduce them to the coastal cities stateside. We can thank these maritime individuals for initiating the tattoo culture we know and love here in America. So, yeah, we decided to rock some bands with notable tattoos. Axl Rose. Tommy Lee. Dave Grohl. All three lads have some serious ink. We played their bands too, of course.
~ Spenny
