Chapter 01 — Today in music
On a day like today December 26
1963
“I Want to Hold Your Hand” is released in the US: the conquest of America begins
Capitol Records releases “I Want to Hold Your Hand” in the United States, moving the date up due to runaway radio demand. In three weeks it was number one, and in February the Beatles landed before thousands of fans at the new JFK airport. A country still mourning Kennedy found in four Englishmen the joy it needed.
The Beatles
1926
Earle Brown is born, author of a score with not a single note in it
On December 26, 1926, Earle Brown was born in Massachusetts. He studied engineering and mathematics before turning to composition. In 1952 he wrote a piece titled "December 1952" whose score consists solely of horizontal and vertical lines floating on the page: each performer decides what they mean. It is one of the founding documents of graphic notation.
Earle Brown
John Cage
1930
Jean Ferrat is born, whose father died at Auschwitz and whose songs French radio censored
On December 26, 1930, Jean Ferrat was born in the south of France, son of a Russian Jewish jeweller deported to Auschwitz when he was eleven. He became a songwriter and set the poems of Louis Aragon to music. In 1963 he recorded "Nuit et brouillard", about the deportation trains; French public radio kept him off the air for years because of his political positions.
Jean Ferrat
Louis Aragon
1939
Phil Spector is born, inventor of the wall of sound and convicted of murder
On December 26, 1939, Phil Spector was born in the Bronx. He stacked dozens of musicians playing the same thing at once to achieve what became known as the wall of sound. He produced "Be My Baby" and the Beatles' last records as a group. In 2009 he was convicted of murdering the actress Lana Clarkson at his California home, and died in prison twelve years later.
Phil Spector
The Ronettes
1963
Lars Ulrich is born, the Danish tennis kid who founded Metallica
Lars Ulrich is born in Gentofte, Denmark: son of a professional tennis player, he emigrated to California to pursue that sport and ended up founding Metallica through a newspaper ad. The organizational and commercial engine of the biggest metal band in history, he also starred in its most controversial battle: the Napster lawsuit of 2000.
Lars Ulrich
Metallica
1966
Jay Farrar is born, whose first album gave an entire genre its name
On December 26, 1966, Jay Farrar was born in Illinois. He formed Uncle Tupelo with his schoolmate Jeff Tweedy. In 1990 they released "No Depression", a record crossing punk with traditional Appalachian music; the title ended up naming both the genre and a magazine. The two stopped speaking, and Son Volt and Wilco came out of it.
Jay Farrar
Uncle Tupelo
Jeff Tweedy
1921
Steve Allen is born, who made Elvis sing in a tuxedo to a basset hound
On December 26, 1921, Steve Allen was born in New York, the first host of the most famous late-night show on American television. He composed such an absurd number of songs that he appears in the record books. In 1956 he brought Elvis Presley on his programme but made him sing in a tuxedo, addressing a basset hound, in order to tame the scandal.
Steve Allen
Elvis Presley
1970
James Mercer is born, whose song "would change your life" according to a whole film
On December 26, 1970, James Mercer was born in Hawaii, son of a serviceman who took him halfway around the world as a child. With The Shins he released "New Slang", a song that in 2004 turned up in the film "Garden State", where a character promises it will change the listener's life. The album sold out within weeks.
James Mercer
The Shins
Danger Mouse
1971
Jared Leto is born, whose record label sued him for thirty million dollars
On December 26, 1971, Jared Leto was born in Louisiana, an actor who formed Thirty Seconds to Mars with his brother. In 2008 the label sued them for thirty million dollars alleging breach of contract; they countersued and filmed the whole process. They ended up signing a new deal and releasing a documentary about how the industry works from the inside.
Jared Leto
Thirty Seconds to Mars
1992
Jade Thirlwall is born, from the first group ever to win the British talent show
On December 26, 1992, Jade Thirlwall was born in South Shields. She auditioned twice as a soloist for a British talent show and was eliminated both times; on the third attempt she was put together with three other contestants and Little Mix was born, the first group to win the contest in eight series. They became the most successful British girl group of their decade.
Jade Thirlwall
Little Mix
One ephemeris a day, one editorial a week. Zero spam, pure archive.