Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for August 28th

A Dylan gig, a Beatles session, and overdue props for a classic rock dude you really oughtta know about...

8/28/1965 (55 years ago today) - ...and what a freakin' tremendous band he had: Bob Dylan played the first night of a 40 city tour at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, N.Y.C. -- The opening set is solo-acoustic; the second set is electric with a group made up of Robbie Robertson on guitar, Levon Helm on drums, legendary session bassist Harvey Brooks, and the fantastic Al Kooper on keyboards. Ticket price? $4.50! Bob's most recent album at this point was the unbelievable "Bringing It All Back Home" which came out in March. 'Nuff said.

8/28/1968 (52 years ago today) - Reasons to be a 'Fly On The Wall', #123: At London's ultra-modern/ultra-cool Trident Studios, The Beatles began working on a new John Lennon song, "Dear Prudence" -- Utilizing what was then top-of-the-line/state-of-the-art 8-track recording equipment, the boys built the song...slowly...layer by layer...John and George played guitars while Paul played drums(!) to cover for Ringo who had notoriously walked out on the band just one week earlier...

8/28/1981 (39 years ago today) - Remembering those who also served...: British rock and roll record producer Guy Stevens passed away on this date at age 38, having overdosed on the prescription med's he was taking to combat alcohol dependency -- While not quite as famous in America as in Europe, Guy was a revered figure on the British music scene, having most notably worked with Free and Mott The Hoople (their first five albums), along with Traffic (the classic "John Barleycorn Must Die") and The Clash (for that most essential-of-essentials, "London Calling"). Cool side-notes: it was Guy who gave both Procol Harum and Mott The Hoople their distinctive names, and as President of The Chuck Berry Appreciation Society in the U.K., Guy was in charge of bringing Chuck Berry to England for his first tour of Britain. A real rock fan who really got stuff done!

Share your footnotes with the Calendar here on our web site and on the WBLM Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #TommysCoffeeBreak. 

"Won't you come out to play?...", xoxo!