JULY 16
IN 1966, WHILE TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS WERE #1 ON THE AMERICAN CHARTS WITH “HANKY PANKY,” A NEW GROUP WAS BEING FORMED IN BRITAIN. THAT GROUP WAS CREAM. CREAM WAS ONE AMONG A HANDFUL OF TRULY INFLUENTIAL BANDS IN THE ’60’S WITH ERIC CLAPTON’S GUITAR AT ITS CORE. CREAM HIT ITS STRIDE IN 1967 WITH THEIR MONSTER HIT RECORD, “SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE.”
IN 1982, PETER GABRIEL HOSTED THE W.O.M.A.D. FESTIVAL . . . A DAY-LONG CONCERT EVENT WHOSE PURPOSE WAS TO FOCUS WIDER PUBLIC ATTENTION ON MUSIC OF NON-WESTERN CULTURES. AMONG THE MORE FAMOUS PARTICIPANTS THERE WERE PETE TOWNSHEND AND DAVID BYRNE OF TALKING HEADS.
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO STEWART COPELAND OF THE POLICE, BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1952.