On this day 20/12/1957 Paul Anka

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On this day, 20 December 1957, American singer Paul Anka played Cardiff’s Gaumont Theatre.

Also part of the package were Bob Cort Skiffle, Billie Anthony, The Gitsom Sisters, John Barry Seven and Dickie Dawson.

Billie Anthony, Paul Anka, Bob Cort and John Barry

Anka's latest single I Love You Baby was at number 3 and his number 1 hit Diana was still in the charts at 15.

Born Ottawa, Canada in 1941, he wrote the English lyrics for My Way which was recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1968.

Paul Anka recorded his first single, "I Confess", when he was 14. In 1956, with $100 given to him by his uncle, he went to New York City where he auditioned for Don Costa at ABC Records, singing what was widely believed to be a lovestruck verse he had written to a former babysitter.

In an interview with NPR's Terry Gross in 2005, he stated that it was to a girl at his church whom he hardly knew. The song "Diana" brought Anka stardom as it went to No. 1 on the music charts.

"Diana" is one of the best selling singles ever by a Canadian recording artist.

He toured Britain, then Australia with Buddy Holly. Anka also wrote "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" – a song written for Holly, which Holly recorded just before he died in 1959. Anka stated shortly afterward:

"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" has a tragic irony about it now, but at least it will help look after Buddy Holly's family. I'm giving my composer's royalty to his widow – it's the least I can do."

On This Day 19/12/1993 Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine

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On this day 19 December 1993, indie punks Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine played Cardiff’s International Arena on their Post Historic Monsters Tour.
Formed in 1987 by singer Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter.
They made their name with a distinctive style of power pop, fusing samples, sequenced basses and drum machines with rock 'n' roll guitars and off-beat wordplay-loaded lyrics.
Post Historic Monsters was the fourth album by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine.
It reached #5 on the UK Charts becoming the band's second highest album after 1992 - The Love Album which reached #1.
The album featured two singles "Lean On Me I Won't Fall Over", which reached number 16 on the UK charts, and "Lenny And Terence," which reached number 40.

Setlist

Glam Rock Cops
Do Re Me, So Far So Good
Cheer Up, It Might Never Happen
Sing Fat Lady Sing
Shoppers' Paradise
The Only Living Boy in New Cross
Sheriff Fatman
After the Watershed (Early Learning the Hard Way)
Bloodsport for All
Lean on Me I Won't Fall Over
Lenny and Terence

On this day 17/12/1972 The Sweet

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On this day 17/12/1972, Glam rock giants The Sweet played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

February 1972 saw the release of "Poppa Joe", which reached number 1 in Finland and peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart.

The next two singles of that year, "Little Willy" and "Wig-Wam Bam", both reached No. 4 in the UK. "Little Willy" peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 after a re-issue in 1973, thus becoming the group's biggest American hit.

Although "Wig-Wam Bam" remained largely true to the style of Sweet's previous recordings, the vocals and guitars had a harder, more rock-oriented sound, largely because it was the first Chinn-Chapman single on which only members of Sweet played the instruments.

In January 1973 "Block Buster!" became Sweet's first single to reach number 1 on the UK chart, remaining there for five consecutive weeks. After their next single "Hell Raiser" was released in May and reached number 2 in the U.K., Sweet's U.S. label, Bell, released the group's first American album The Sweet in July 1973.

The band also capitalised on the glam rock explosion, rivalling Gary Glitter, T. Rex, Queen, Slade, and Wizzard for outrageous stage clothing.

Despite Sweet's success, the relationship with their management was becoming increasingly tense. While they had developed a large fan-base among teenagers, Sweet were not happy with their 'bubblegum' image.

Sweet had always composed their own heavy-rock songs on the B-sides of their singles to contrast with the bubblegum A-sides which were composed by Chinn and Chapman. During this time, Sweet's live performances consisted of B-sides, album tracks, and various medleys of rock and roll classics; they avoided older novelty hits like "Funny Funny" and "Poppa Joe".

A 1973 performance at the Palace Theatre and Grand Hall in Kilmarnock ended in Sweet being bottled off stage; the disorder was attributed by some (including Steve Priest) to Sweet's lipstick and eye-shadow look, and by others to the audience being unfamiliar with the concert set (the 1999 CD release Live at the Rainbow 1973 documents a live show from this period).

Steve Priest

The incident would be immortalised in the hit "The Ballroom Blitz" (September 1973). In the meantime, Sweet's chart success continued, showing particular strength in the UK, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Australia. By the end of 1973, the band's name evolved from "The Sweet" to "Sweet". The change would be reflected in all of their releases from 1974 onward.

On this day 15/12/1979 Young Marble Giants

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On this day, Cardiff-based post-punk band Young Marble Giants played Cardiff’s Grass Roots in Charles Street.

Formed in 1978. Their music was based around the vocals of Alison Statton along with the minimalist instrumentation of brothers Philip and Stuart Moxham. Their early sound was a sharp contrast with the more aggressive punk rock that dominated the underground at the time.

Young Marble Giants released just one studio album, Colossal Youth, in 1980. They also released two EPs and recorded a John Peel session.

Their first vinyl release was on the compilation LP Is The War Over? on Cardiff DIY label, Z Block Records, in October 1979.

While signed to UK independent record label, Rough Trade Records the YMGs released two EPs, Final Day and Testcard, and an album, Colossal Youth (a reference to the Early Greek 'Kouroi' marble statues, from which the YMGs took the inspiration for their name.)

The artwork of the album was inspired by the Beatles album, With the Beatles.

According to critic Richie Unterberger, Colossal Youth is "one of the most highly regarded indie cult post-punk recordings, with a unique hushed and minimal atmosphere."

Nirvana singer-songwriter Kurt Cobain said in a 1992 Melody Maker interview that Colossal Youth was one of the ten most influential records he had ever heard, and he also included it in a personal list of his 50 favourite albums. In the aforementioned interview, he spoke of his admiration for the album:

“This music relaxes you, it's total atmospherics. It's just nice, pleasant music. I love it. The drum machine has to have the cheesiest sound ever. We're going to be on a Young Marble Giants compilation, doing "Credit in the Straight World". I had a crush on the singer for a while—didn't everyone?

I didn't know much about them—the Moxham brothers, right? I heard they might be getting back together again recently. Isn't it weird how, when you hear something like that, you still get excited, even though you know you shouldn't?

I first heard Colossal Youth on the radio, after I started getting into K music when I lived in Olympia. It was a year before I put out the Bleach album.”

Cobain's wife Courtney Love would later record "Credit in the Straight World" with her band Hole on their second album Live Through This, released in 1994.

On this day 14/12/1983 Robert Plant

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On this day, 14 December 1983, Rock God Robert Plant, former Led Zeppelin frontman played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

Plant had earlier in the Summer released The Principle of Moments, his second solo studio album, recorded at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, South Wales;

Like Plant's first solo album, Pictures at Eleven, the songs departed from the hard rock sound of Led Zeppelin. Following the strength of these albums, Plant launched a successful tour in 1983.

Phil Collins was the drummer for Plant's band for the North American portion of the tour. Collins was content to perform in the background, despite his own enormous success as a solo artist and with Genesis at the time. Little Feat's Richie Hayward played drums for the remaining dates.

line-up of Robert Plant’s band for the 1983 tour was Robbie Blunt (guitar), Jezz Woodroffe (keyboards), Bob Mayo (keyboards), Paul Martinez (bass) and Ritchie Hayward (drums).

Those hoping that he would throw in a few Zeppelin classics, would be disappointed. This was made clear in the souvenir programme: “Tonight there will be no Slverhead, Black Sabbath, Foreigner, no Little Feat, Adverts [referring to the bands which each of the members had previously played in] or Led Zeppelin.

Only music from the last two years and maybe…a medley of our hit [referring to Big Log]”.

One of the more memorable occasions on the tour happened two days before the Cardiff gig. During the encore of a concert by Plant at the Hammersmith Odeon in London,

Plant was joined by Zep bandmate guitarist Jimmy Page and they reached back into their pre-Led Zeppelin past – but only for a single song.

"I've got an old friend here who's unused, as he is, to public speaking – Jimmy Page," Plant said to an ovation that interrupted him in mid-sentence. They then launched into an R&B hit that inspired them in their formative years, "Treat Her Right" by Roy Head.

Setlist

In the Mood

Pledge Pin

Messin' With the Mekon

Worse Than Detroit

Thru' With the Two Step

Other Arms

Horizontal Departure / Lively Up Yourself

Moonlight in Samosa

Wreckless Love

Slow Dancer

Like I've Never Been Gone

Burning Down One Side

Big Log

On this day 13/12/1983 Public Image Ltd

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On this day, 13 December 1983, punk legend Johnny Rotten/John Lydon and his band Public Image Ltd, played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

Following his departure from the Sex Pistols in January 1978, Lydon sought a more experimental "anti-rock" project and formed PiL.

That year PiL released their debut First Issue (1978), creating an abrasive, bass-heavy sound that drew on dub, noise, progressive rock and disco.

PiL's second album Metal Box (1979) pushed their sound further into the avant-garde, and is often regarded as one of the most important albums of the post-punk era.

By 1984, both Levene and Wobble had departed and the group was effectively a solo vehicle for Lydon, who moved toward a more accessible sound with the commercially successful albums This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get (1984) and Album (1986).

This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get was the band's fourth official studio album and includes the single "Bad Life" and a re-recorded version of a "This Is Not a Love Song", which had been a No. 5 UK and international hit when released as a single in 1983.

An early version of the album was released in 1984 by founding PiL guitarist Keith Levene as Commercial Zone. The album was then re-recorded after Levene's departure from the band, with no contributions from either Levene or bassist Pete Jones (who contributed to several tracks on Commercial Zone).

On this day 12/12/1994 Oasis

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On this day 12 December 1994, Brit Pop icons Oasis played Cardiff’s Astoria, formerly The Ritzy and the Top Rank. on the band’s Definitely Maybe Tour in support of their hugely successful debut album Definitely Maybe.

The tour, which spanned the UK, Europe, Japan, the US and Canada, included 143 shows over a period of several months in 1994 and 1995 amidst 10 different tour legs.

The tour started on 6 February 1994 with a short concert at Gleneagles, Scotland, and ended on 22 April 1995 at the Sheffield Arena.

The latter show featured an acoustic debut of the future hit "Don't Look Back in Anger", and was also the last concert to feature original drummer Tony McCarroll.

Nearly a year of constant live performances and recordings, along with a hedonistic lifestyle, were taking their toll on the band. This behaviour culminated during a gig in Los Angeles in September 1994, leading to an inept performance by Liam during which he made offensive remarks about American audiences and hit Noel with a tambourine.

The incident upset Noel to such an extent he temporarily quit the band and flew to San Francisco (it was from this incident the song "Talk Tonight" was written). He was tracked down by Creation's Tim Abbot and they made a trip to Las Vegas. Once there, the elder Gallagher was persuaded to continue with the band. He reconciled with Liam and the tour resumed in Minneapolis.

The group followed up with the fourth single from Definitely Maybe, "Cigarettes & Alcohol", and the Christmas single "Whatever", issued in December 1994 which entered the British charts at number three.

The band’s rider sells for £4,000

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/rider-1994-oasis-gig-requesting-20237686

On this day 11/12/1976 Rod Stewart

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On this day, 11th December 1976, rock legend Rod Stewart played the first of two nights at Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre on his "A Night On The Town" Tour.

Having split from the Faces the previous year, Stewart had moved to LA and released the Atlantic Crossing album and followed this success with the release of A Night on the Town, Rod Stewart's seventh album.

The album is regarded as one of Stewart's finest. "The Killing Of Georgie" is one of Stewart's most hard hitting set of lyrics, a melancholic tale of a gay friend who is cast out by his family and becomes a sensation in the New York nightlife, only to be mugged and beaten to death by a New Jersey gang in New York City.

Controversial "Tonight's the Night" was a No. 1 hit but was banned by some radio stations due to the very obvious lyrics about sex and loss of virginity. A cover of Cat Stevens' "The First Cut Is the Deepest" was also a success and has since become one of Stewart's signature songs.

The Band

Rod Stewart - vocals

• Gary Grainger - guitars

• Jim Cregan - guitars

• Billy Peek - guitars

• Phil Chen - bass

• Carmine Appice - drums

• John Jarvis - piano

Setlist

Three Time Loser

You Wear It Well

Big Bayou

Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)

The Wild Side of Life

(Hank Thompson cover)

This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)

(The Isley Brothers cover)

Sweet Little Rock & Roller

(Chuck Berry cover)

The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II)

I Don't Want to Talk About It

(Crazy Horse cover)

Maggie May

Angel

(Jimi Hendrix cover)

True Blue

You Keep Me Hangin' On

(The Supremes cover)

Get Back

(The Beatles cover)

(I Know) I'm Losing You

(The Temptations cover)

Sailing

(The Sutherland Brothers Band cover)

Encore:

Stay With Me

(Faces song)

Twistin' the Night Away

(Sam Cooke cover)