Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for February 14th

Best live album ever? Probably... -- Best TV co-hosts ever? Likely... -- Best guest appearance on a TV cop show? We'll say "Yes"...

2/14/1970 (47 years ago today) - Arguably the hands-down all-time-best live rock album ever!!!: The Who appear at Leeds University, England, and the set is recorded for the forthcoming "Live At Leeds". All four members are (apparently) in the greatest musical shape of their career, and pulling off an in-synch set that places them light years ahead of their peers; no one else has ever sounded like this. No one else ever will. 

2/14/1972 (45 years ago today) - Ahh, the days before cable could get weird, too...: John Lennon and Yoko Ono start a week-long run as co-hosts on "The Mike Douglas Show". Highlight: John brings out Chuck Berry for a version of "Memphis, Tennessee" that features Yoko's...er, dolphin-like "IIIIIEEEEAAAAY!" squealing. The look on Chuck's face is priceless, and he duck-walks anyway. Other guests that J & Y picked out for chit-chat included Ralph Nader, Black Panther Bobby Seale and George Carlin! Historically convoluted stuff, yet an interesting era worth looking into, when there were no "alternative facts"...

2/14/1986 (31 years ago today) - At least it wasn't "The Love Boat": Frank Zappa appeared on an episode of "Miami Vice", playing the role of "weasel dust" dealer Mario Fuente. Say what you will about the series, they paid uncommon attention to cultural detail: no less of a legend than jazz great Miles Davis made an appearance as a pimp, and the shows soundtracks would feature the likes of Devo, The Tubes and Depeche Mode while the sunny crime fightin' action was goin' on. Another example of pre-streaming weirdness for your living room pleasure...

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

"...I know who placed the call/'Cause my Uncle took the message/And he wrote it on the wall...", xoxo!