Musical Diary: August 1967

Van Morrison released “Brown-Eyed Girl” as a USA single on the 5^th. The former lead singer of the Belfast, Northern Ireland group ‘Them’ was embarking on a highly acclaimed solo career. ‘Them’ had a top ten hit in the UK in 1965 with the Big Joe Williams standard, “Baby Please Don’t Go”, coupled with a Van Morrison penned “Gloria”, which was their most renowned number when it became a world-wide garage band standard. Other hits were “Here Comes The Night”; top ten in the UK and top forty in the USA and “Mystic Eyes” another top forty in the USA.

The three day National Jazz and Blues festival started in Windsor, UK on the 11th. Artists included The Small Faces, The Move, Eric Burdon & The New Animals, Marmalade, Paul Jones, The Crazy world of Arthur Brown, Amen Corner, The Nice, Jeff Beck, Donovan, Cream, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Chicken Shack, Fleetwood Mac, P. P. Arnold, Pentangle, Al Stewart, The Denny Laine Strings and The John Slaughter Trio.

On the 15th, The Marine Offences Act came into force in the UK, outlawing any pirate radio stations.     Radio London had ceased the previous day but Radio Caroline continued in defiance of the law. The last record played on Radio London was “A Day In The Life”, by The Beatles which the BBC would not play themselves.

On the 26^th a three day Festival of the Flower Children started at Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire, UK, with artists like The Alan Price Set, Marmalade, The Small Faces, Eric Burdon & The New Animals and The Bee Gees. Attending was the Duchess of Bedford, who was reported as being under the impression that it was a flower show.

On the 26th, after a suggestion by Patti Harrison, The Beatles, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull travel to Bangor in Wales to meet the Maharishi Manesh Yogi, an Indian guru who preached transcendental meditation. But the visit was cut short the following day by news that Brian Epstein had been found dead in bed after an accidental overdose of barbital at his home in Chapel Street, Belgravia, London. Epstein had been responsible for taking The Beatles from their black leather days to the collarless suits they made famous.

In Australia The Groop had just won Hoadley’s Battle of the Sounds and were on their way to England to record. Their line-up was Max Ross, Don Mudie, Brian Cadd and Ronnie Charles and they performed “When I Was Six Years Old”, written by Cadd and Ross. The song became a minor hit in Australia for Ronnie Burns and was covered in the UK by Paul Jones. Go Set reporter Ian “Molly” Meldrum quotes “It was The Groop’s day, their performance was brilliant and they left no doubt in anyone’s mind that they will be great ambassadors overseas, both with their music and their personalities.” They disbanded in 1969 when Cadd and Mudie formed Axiom with Glenn Shorrock of The Twilights and later The Little River Band. Brian Cadd was inducted into the Australian Hall of Fame in 2007 for his work in music both with various bands and a successful solo career.

The top ten in Australia for August 1967

1. All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

2. San Francisco – Scott McKenzie

3. Whiter Shade Of Pale – Procol Harum

4. Up-Up And Away – The Fifth Dimension

5. Theme From “A New Love” – Davy Jones

6. In The Chapel In The Moonlight – Dean Martin

7. Woman You’re Breaking Me Up – The Groop

8. Waterloo Sunset – The Kinks

9. The Monkees Theme – The Monkees

10a. Pretty Girl/Heaven And Hell – The Easybeats

10b.  I Take It Back – Sandy Posey

10c.  To Love Somebody – The Bee Gees

The # ones in the UK for August 1967

5^th – All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

12^th 19^th 26^th – San Francisco – Scott McKenzie

In the USA

5^th 12^th – Light My Fire – The Doors

19^th – All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

26^th – Ode To Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry

In Australia

5^th 12^th – All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

19^th 26^th – Up-Up And Away – The Fifth Dimension

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