Cilla Black. Pt 1.

  Cilla Black. Pt 1.

Priscilla Maria Veronica White,
                                                   Born on the 27 of may 1943 was known by her performance name
Cilla Black,  firstly an english pop singer, then actress and entertainer.
Championed by her good friends The Beatles, and signed to NEMS Enterprises under the wing of
the Beatles manager  Brian Epstein.
Her professional singing career started in 1963. Brian Epstein introduced Cilla Black to  George Martin who signed her to  Parlophone Records and produced her first single, a track written by
Lennon and McCartney "Love of the Loved" which was released only three weeks after she joined
Brian Epstein. Reaching a modest No. 35 in the UK.

Cilla Black's second single, released at the beginning of 1964, was a cover of the Burt Bacharach–Hal David composition "Anyone Who Had a Heart", which had been written for Dionne Warwick. The single beat Warwick's recording into the UK charts and rose to No. 1 in Britain in February 1964 (spending three weeks there), selling 800,000 UK copies in the process. Her second UK No. 1 success, "You're My World", was an English-language rendition of the Italian popular song "Il Mio Mondo" by composer Umberto Bindi. She also enjoyed chart success with the song in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South Africa and Canada. Both songs sold over one million copies worldwide, and were awarded gold discs.
Cilla Black's two No. 1 successes were followed by the release of another Lennon–McCartney composition, "It's for You", as her fourth UK single. Paul McCartney played piano at the recording session and the song proved to be another success for Black, peaking at No. 7 on the UK charts.

Cilla Black belonged to a generation of British female singers which included Dusty Springfield, Helen Shapiro, Petula Clark, Sandie Shaw and Lulu. These artists (other than Petula Clark) were not singer-songwriters but interpreters of 1960s contemporary popular music by song writers and producers.Cilla Black recorded much material during this time, including songs written by Phil Spector, Randy Newman, Tim Hardin and Burt Bacharach. All were produced by George Martin at Abbey Road Studios.

              Brian Epstein and Cilla Black.

              The Single Alfie by Cilla Black.

                                            Cilla Black

                                 Cilla Black.

                                                  Cilla Black.

      Paul McCartney and John Lennon.                            Cilla Black.

                                               

Manfred Man.

                                                                     Manfred Man.

The Mann-Hugg Blues Brothers were formed in London  by keyboard player Manfred Mann and drummer/vibes/piano player Mike Hugg,  who formed a house band in Clacton-on-Sea that also featured Graham Bond.   Bringing a shared love of jazz to the British blues boom, then sweeping London's clubs (which also spawned Alexis Korner, the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds), the band was completed by Mike Vickers on guitar, alto saxophone and flute, bassist Dave Richmond and Paul Jones as lead vocalist andharmonicist.  By this time they had changed their name to Manfred Mann & the Manfreds. Gigging throughout late 1962 and early 1963 the band soon attracted attention for their distinctive sound.

After changing their name to Manfred Mann at the behest of their label's producer John Burgess, the group signed with His Master's Voice in March 1963 and began their recorded output that July with the slow, bluesy instrumental single "Why Should We Not?", which they performed on their first appearance on television on a New Year's Eve show.   It failed to chart, as did its follow-up (with vocals), "Cock-a-Hoop."  The overdubbed instrumental soloing on woodwinds, vibes, harmonica and second keyboard lent considerable weight to the group's sound and demonstrated the jazz-inspired technical prowess in which they took pride.  

Early success (1964–1965)

In 1964 the group was asked to provide a new theme tune for the ITV pop music television programme Ready Steady Go!.  They responded with "5-4-3-2-1" which, with the help of weekly television exposure, rose to No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart.  Shortly after "5-4-3-2-1" was recorded, Richmond left the band,   though he would record with them occasionally later. He was replaced by Jones' friendTom McGuinness—the first of many changes. After a further self-penned hit, "Hubble Bubble (Toil And Trouble)," the band struck gold with "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", a cover of the Exciters' minor hit earlier that year.  The track reached the top of each of the UK, Canadian and U.S. charts (The Exciters' version had only charted No. 78 in the US).

With the success of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" the sound of the group's singles moved away from the jazzy, blues-based music of their early years to a pop hybrid that continued to make hit singles from cover material. They hit No. 3 in the UK with another girl-group cover "Sha La La",  (originally by the Shirelles) which also reached No. 12 in the U.S. and Canada and followed with the sentimental "Come Tomorrow" but both were of a noticeably lighter texture than their earliest output. Meanwhile "B" sides and four-song EPs showcased original material and instrumental solos. The group also returned to jazz and R&B themes on their albums: their first, 1964's The Five Faces of Manfred Mann, included standards such as "Smokestack Lightning"  while the second and last with this line-up, Mann Made, offered several self-composed instrumentals and a version of "Stormy Monday Blues" alongside novelties and pop ballads. With a cover of Maxine Brown's "Oh No Not My Baby" began a phase of new depth and sophistication in the arrangements of their singles. The group began its string of successes with Bob Dylan songs with a track on the best-selling EP The One in the Middle, "With God on Our Side", next reaching No. 2 in the UK with "If You Gotta Go, Go Now". The EP's title track reached the British top ten singles, the last self-written song (by Jones) and the band's last R'n'B workout to do so. The run climaxed with a second UK No. 1 single, "Pretty Flamingo".

The group had managed an initial jazz/rhythm-and-blues fusion, then taken chart music in its stride but could not hope to cope with Paul Jones' projected solo career as singer and actor, and with Mike Vickers' orchestral and instrumental ambitions. Jones intended to go solo once a replacement could be found but stayed with the band for another year, during which Mike Vickers left. McGuinness moved to guitar, his original instrument, contributing the distinctive National Steel Guitar to "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" and "Pretty Flamingo", and was replaced on bass by Jack Bruce, who had been playing for the Graham Bond Organisation  for some time before a recent brief stint with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. In his brief tenure before leaving to form Cream Bruce played on "Pretty Flamingo" and on the EPInstrumental Asylum,(on which Jack Bruce and brass players Henry Lowther & Lyn Dobson were included in the group on the cover photo) which began the group's experiments with instrumental versions of chart songs. He was replaced by Klaus Voormann.  The band changed record companies just after, although EMI quickly released an EP of earlier unissued 1963-66 era songs titled 'As Was' (a pun on their current 1966 new studio album title), a hits compilation; 'Mann Made Hits' (1966) which included one unissued instrumental track, an instrumental compilation LP; 'Soul of Mann' (1967) and most controversially used session players to complete the unfinished track; 'You Gave Me Somebody To Love' c/w 'Poison Ivy' (both sung by Paul Jones) which made No.36 in the UK singles chart upsetting the group, hence Tom McGuinness wry comment; 'Manfreds disown new single' on the sleeve of their next studio album for their new record label.

The Beatles and Vox!

                                                              The Beatles and Vox!
Back in early 1962 the band were little more than local heroes, returning back from honing their live performance skills playing night after night in Hamburg for over two years. Soon after they were dazzling punters in Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club with their new songs and incendiary live shows. Up until that point, Paul McCartney and the rest of the group used any gear they could scrape together. It was not until The Beatles were taken under the wing of manager Brian Epstein that they truly begin to hone not just their image but also their live sound. Unheard of in those times, the maverick Epstein quickly managed to strike up an endorsement deal with a small amp company out of Dartford that would come to define the sound of the British Invasion.
In a time when highly desired American brands were rarely imported to the UK, local manufacturers recognised a demand to create their own line of instruments and amplifiers to supply the burgeoning Rock and Pop explosion on the British side of the pond. Back in the early 1960’s VOX was a relatively fresh brand and new to the scene, though known and desired in the UK amongst aspiring guitarists due to emerging guitar hero Hank Marvin of The Shadows. Around the time The Beatles were signed by George Martin’s Parlophone label in 1962, Brian Epstein signed an endorsement deal with VOX for the band to exclusively use VOX gear in their backline. Soon the band started using a combination of VOX AC15 and AC30 amps. Throughout their live career and the majority of their time in the studio, VOX would go on to supply a variety of different amps and equipment to the band. The group pushed VOX engineers to expand the boundaries of their designs with their ever-increasing requirements for more volume and headroom. If you ever had the opportunity to see the Beatles, chances are you were hearing Paul McCartney and the rest of the lads play through VOX gear. From the sweaty gigs in the clubs of the North of England to the Ed Sullivan Show & defining Shea Stadium gig, when you heard The Beatles, you heard VOX. The timeless British VOX tone is there in all of its grandeur in those classic early recordings.

THE EARLY DAYS

In the early days the band plugged straight into AC30s and as a result it is the amplifier most identified with the British invasion and early Beatles sound. In late 1962 Paul transitioned to the all-new VOX T-60 bass amp, which was one of the world’s first musical transistor amplifiers (did not need valves/tubes). George and Johns AC30s were soon modified to sport the new 'top-boost' unit, which enabled the band to drive the amps harder for a more cutting and saturated tone. Pushing his T-60 harder and harder night after night, Paul eventually replaced it in favour of an AC30 head and a new vertical bass cabinet loaded with combo of 12 & 15 inch Celestion speakers. As the Beatles started acclimating themselves to the recording studio, much of the character of those early records came from George Martin’s approach to capturing the band playing live in the room through their VOX amps with minimal overdubs, The opening riff of 'Day Tripper', the jangly intro to 'I Feel Fine' and the raucous rhythm to 'All My Loving' all provide great examples of the classic 1960’s VOX tone, not to mention the genius of Lennon and McCartney’s songwriting.

THE BEATLES RISE TO STARDOM

As The Beatles rose to stardom it was clear that they were going to need even more power to be heard over the deafening screams of crazed teenage fans going to their shows in even greater numbers. In the days before the modern multi channel high-powered PA systems taken for granted today, VOX would again have to answer the band’s call for more volume with more powerful amps. VOX’s answer was to construct a single channel 50 watt head which would be paired with a 'closed back' 2 x 12" speaker cabinet. These cabinets also uniquely featured an additional Midax Horn to accentuate the high frequencies. In development since late 1963, VOX further beefed up the head design to 80 watts with the AC80/100. This powerful new head, coupled with larger speaker cabinets provided more power and projection onstage. The increase in power proved to be a revelation for Paul who quickly upgraded to the AC100 head and had VOX construct a vertical 2 x 15" closed back bass cabinet. Paul’s bass lines would now have more presence and was a great partner for his Hofner 'Violin' Bass. As demand for the band increased it saw their performances move away from medium sized gigs to concert halls, outdoor shows and eventually stadiums. From late 1964 the entire band would all eventually adopt AC100’s for maximum headroom and power on stage. The band found however that the weak PA systems of the time simply could not match the increasingly deafening screams directed at them by thousands of adoring fans. Tired of the incessant touring and frequently complaining of the inability to hear themselves on stage they eventually made the decision to stop touring and focus on work in the studio after their final public show at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park in 1966.

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Abbey Road Recording Studio's!!!! PT 1...

                                  Abbey Road Recording Studio' PT 1....

Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music companyEMI, its present owner. Abbey Road Studios is most notable as being the venue in the 1960s for innovative recording techniques adopted by the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Hollies, Badfinger and others.Towards the end of 2009, the studio came under threat of sale to property developers. However, the British Government protected the site, granting itEnglish Heritage Grade II listed status in 2010, thereby preventing the building from any major alterations. Originally a nine-bedroom Georgian townhouse built in the 1830s on the footpath leading to Kilburn Abbey, the building was later converted to apartments where the most flamboyant resident was Maundy Gregory. The premises were acquired by theGramophone Company in 1931 and converted into studios. Pathé filmed the opening of the studios, when Sir Edward Elgar conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in recording sessions of his music. The neighbouring house is also owned by the studio and used to house musicians. During the mid-20th century the studio was extensively used by leading British conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent, whose house was just around the corner from the studio building.

It was not until 1970 that the name Abbey Road Studios became official. The Gramophone Company amalgamated with Columbia Graphophone Company to formEMI, which took over the studios and dubbed them EMI Studios. It was under this name that in 1936 cellist Pablo Casals became the first to record Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suites No. 1 & 2 at the behest of EMI head Fred Gaisberg. The recordings went on to spur a revolution amongst Bach aficionados and cellists alike.

Studio Two at Abbey Road became a centre of rock music in 1958 when Cliff Richard and the Drifters (later Cliff Richard and The Shadows) recorded "Move It" there.

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http://youtu.be/9RlIXIuJbCU

http://youtu.be/fX4Unxsa_HA

http://youtu.be/WvPhAIBeNNk

http://youtu.be/2M_Vwx-G7MA

http://youtu.be/gB7MYNsMZ18

http://youtu.be/J4sC_0kmHxs

http://youtu.be/IAJP9ux9Gnc