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| Did You Know |
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December 8th of that year turned out to be a day when the world mourned the loss of a musical genius. John Lennon had just completed what was to be his comeback album "Double Fantasy".
Outside his Dakota apartment he was stopped for an autograph by the cold blooded killer Mark Chapman who shot Lennon 5 times in his upper body. Although he was rushed into New York's Roosevelt Hospital straight away he was pronounced dead on arrival.
John Lennon, a working class hero, paid the price for being a normal down-to-earth pop star who didn't believe in bodyguards.
on a happier note, U2 supported Talking Heads in London's Hammersmith Palais. It may seem strange these days to hear that U2 was once a support act, but then again they had only just started out a few years earlier themselves. How the mighty grow.
Human League split into two as Ian Marsh and Martyn Ware formed a production and writing team called the "British Electric Foundation".
After shortening their name from Generation X to Gen X, Billy Idol and Tony James reformed once more under Generation X and enlisted new members James Stevenson and ex-Clash member Terry Chimes.
Stuart Leslie Goddard or Adam Ant, as he was better known as, made the philosophical statement, "Rock is very squalid, impersonal and degrading, an egocentric circus full of people who aren't really human beings.... there's a new generation of groups who won't take part in it and we're all basing ourselves on something very early.... more realistic."
chart toppers were Kenny Rogers with "Lady" and John Lennon's "(Just Like) Starting Over" in the American singles charts. Both artists topped the U.S. album charts as well, Kenny Rogers with his "Greatest Hits" album and John Lennon with the one already mentioned above, "Double Fantasy".
In England ABBA was on top of the singles and album charts with "Super Trouper". The Christmas number one in those charts though went to Jona Lewie's "Stop The Cavalry".
the egos were forgotten and foes became friends when "the cream of pop music talents, performing free.." (quoted from the actual single) gathered together to record what became known as one of the most popular songs of all time. "Do They Know It's Christmas" was written by Bob Geld and Midge Ure, with all the proceeds from the released song being donated to help the starving millions of people in Ethiopia.
Participants on the record include Paul Young, Sting, Culture Club, Duran Duran, Bananarama, U2, Heaven 17, Status Quo, Style Council, Annie Lennox, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Phil Collins, Paul McCartney, Spandau Ballet, Ultravox, Wham!, The Young Ones, etc.
Chaka Khan was singing "I Feel For You" at the top of the British charts. Despite all her fame she announced that she's actually scared of all the attention and popularity. In saying that, though, she never hired bodyguards and went everywhere unprotected. She confessed that she would rather carry a gun herself.
as the Christmas period approached the British charts became a battle field for record companies with television promoting albums.
CBS and WEA promoted no less than 10 albums each, whilst Stevie Wonder, John Denver and Chris DeBurgh were promoted by Telstar.
Suspicions also grew over the compilation albums, such as "Now That's What I Call Music" and "The Hits Album", because it was feared they'd completely take over the top spots at future Christmasses and have a devastating effect on the sales of singles.
other groups and artists gracing the top of the charts where Wham!'s "Wake Me Up Before You Gogo" and Bruce Springsteen with his album "Born In The U.S.A.". Jim Diamond was singing "I Should Have Known Better", Madonna "Like A Virgin" and Daryl Hall and John Oates were "Out Of Touch".
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| last updated: 9. 12. 99 |