Episodios

  • Phil Collins Plays London and New York Same Day

    Phil Collins Plays London and New York Same Day
    Jan 29 2026
    # January 29, 1991: The Day Phil Collins Conquered Both Sides of the Atlantic (Literally)

    On January 29, 1991, Phil Collins achieved something so audaciously rock-and-roll that it seems almost impossible in the pre-internet age: he performed at two separate concerts on two different continents *on the same day*.

    This wasn't just any pair of shows. We're talking about performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London for the Prince's Trust charity concert in the afternoon, then hopping on the Concorde supersonic jet to cross the Atlantic Ocean at twice the speed of sound, arriving in time (thanks to time zones) to perform that same evening at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

    Let that sink in for a moment. Before smartphones, before streaming, before you could watch a concert on your phone while sitting on your couch – Phil Collins pulled off a feat that required split-second timing, military precision, and access to the world's fastest commercial aircraft.

    The Atlantic Records concert was a monster event celebrating four decades of legendary music, featuring an absolutely stacked lineup including Led Zeppelin (in a rare reunion!), Genesis, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Aretha Franklin, and many others. Collins actually pulled double duty at this show too – performing both as a solo artist AND with Genesis, since both acts were signed to Atlantic.

    The logistics were insane. After his London performance, Collins was whisked away to Heathrow Airport, boarded the Concorde (which could make the journey in under three hours), and thanks to the five-hour time difference between London and New York, he actually arrived earlier than he left in local time. It was like musical time travel.

    This stunt was so perfectly "Phil Collins" – the drummer-turned-superstar who by 1991 was at the absolute peak of his commercial powers, having dominated the 1980s with massive hits like "In the Air Tonight," "Against All Odds," and "Another Day in Paradise." He was everywhere: solo career, Genesis, movie soundtracks, producing other artists. The man was unstoppable.

    The story became instant legend, cementing Collins' reputation not just as a hitmaker but as someone willing to go to extraordinary lengths for his craft (and perhaps enjoying the rock star excess of it all). It's the kind of rock-and-roll tale that perfectly captures a specific moment in time – when supersonic jets were still flying commercial routes, when charity concerts brought together musical royalty, and when being a rock star meant occasionally doing something completely, wonderfully absurd.

    Sadly, you can't recreate this feat today – the Concorde was retired in 2003, and no supersonic commercial aircraft currently operates. Phil Collins' transatlantic dash remains frozen in time, a delightfully bonkers achievement that reminds us that sometimes the most memorable moments in music history happen *between* the notes.


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  • We Are the World Wins Big at AMAs

    We Are the World Wins Big at AMAs
    Jan 28 2026
    # January 28, 1986: The Day "We Are the World" Won Big at the American Music Awards

    Forty years ago today, one of the most ambitious charitable musical projects in history took center stage at the 13th Annual American Music Awards. "We Are the World," the superstar-studded anthem created to fight African famine, swept the ceremony with multiple wins, cementing its place as not just a commercial juggernaut but a cultural phenomenon that redefined what popular music could accomplish.

    The song itself had been recorded almost exactly one year earlier, on January 28, 1985 (spooky coincidence!), in a legendary all-night session at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood. That night, 46 of America's biggest music stars gathered after the American Music Awards ceremony to record what would become the fastest-selling pop single in American history. The lineup read like a "who's who" of 1980s music royalty: Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, and so many more.

    Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, with production by Quincy Jones, the song was conceived as America's answer to Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Jones famously posted a sign at the studio entrance that read: "Check your egos at the door." And somehow, miraculously, it worked. These massive superstars queued up in designated order, each taking their solo lines with humility and purpose.

    By January 28, 1986, "We Are the World" had already raised over $50 million for USA for Africa (United Support of Artists for Africa), providing food, medicine, and relief supplies to famine-stricken regions, particularly Ethiopia. The song had topped charts in virtually every country where it was released, sold over 20 million copies, and become the first single ever certified multi-platinum.

    The American Music Awards recognition was particularly meaningful because these awards are determined by public polling rather than industry votes—representing genuine popular approval. The wins validated that audiences understood the song's mission extended beyond mere celebrity spectacle.

    The recording session itself had become the stuff of legend: Stevie Wonder improvising in Swahili, Bob Dylan struggling endearingly with his lines until Stevie Wonder coached him through, Cyndi Lauper removing her jewelry because it jangled during her parts, and Prince's notable absence (though he contributed a song to the album). Kenny Rogers later recalled how humbling it was to stand between legends, united by purpose rather than ego.

    "We Are the World" represented a turning point in celebrity activism and charitable fundraising. It established the template for future benefit singles and demonstrated that pop music could mobilize massive humanitarian relief while maintaining artistic credibility. The project inspired countless similar initiatives worldwide, from "Hear 'n Aid" for African famine relief to later efforts for various causes.

    Today, the song remains a touchstone of 1980s pop culture and continues to be revived during times of crisis—remade for Haiti earthquake relief in 2010, covered for COVID-19 relief, and referenced whenever artists unite for causes greater than themselves.

    So on this January 28th, we remember not just an awards show victory, but the moment when music proved it could change the world—one voice, one song, and millions of hearts at a time.


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  • Michael Jackson's Hair Catches Fire During Pepsi Commercial

    Michael Jackson's Hair Catches Fire During Pepsi Commercial
    Jan 27 2026
    # January 27, 1984: Michael Jackson's Hair Catches Fire During Pepsi Commercial Filming

    On January 27, 1984, one of the most shocking and consequential accidents in pop music history occurred at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Michael Jackson, at the absolute peak of his "Thriller" era fame, was filming a multimillion-dollar Pepsi commercial when a pyrotechnic mishap turned him into a human torch before 3,000 horrified fans serving as extras.

    The commercial was part of a record-breaking $5 million endorsement deal with Pepsi – the largest celebrity sponsorship agreement ever signed at that time. Jackson was at the top of the world: "Thriller" was demolishing every sales record imaginable, and he'd just dominated the Grammy nominations. The shoot was designed to recreate the energy of a Michael Jackson concert, complete with elaborate special effects and the iconic Pepsi jingle sung to the tune of "Billie Jean."

    During the sixth take, as Jackson descended a staircase lined with pyrotechnic effects, a magnesium flash bomb detonated too close to his head. The sparks ignited his hair, which had been heavily lacquered with styling products. For several terrifying seconds, flames engulfed the back of Jackson's head while he continued dancing, apparently unaware he was on fire. His brothers from the Jacksons, who were also in the commercial, and crew members rushed to extinguish the flames.

    Jackson suffered second and third-degree burns to his scalp, leaving a patch about the size of his hand permanently scarred. He was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he underwent treatment and would eventually require scalp surgery. The pain was reportedly excruciating.

    This incident had profound ripple effects on Jackson's life. He was prescribed powerful painkillers to manage the chronic pain from his burns, which many biographers and associates later identified as the beginning of his dependency on prescription medications – a struggle that would shadow him for the rest of his life. The scalp injury also necessitated multiple reconstructive surgeries over the years.

    Remarkably, Jackson demonstrated extraordinary grace under fire (literally). He accepted a $1.5 million settlement from Pepsi but donated the entire amount to establish the Michael Jackson Burn Center at Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, where he'd initially been treated.

    The footage of the accident was locked away for years, though it eventually leaked decades later, confirming the horrifying accounts. Despite the trauma, Jackson continued his relationship with Pepsi and completed the commercial campaign. The incident didn't slow his momentum – he went on to win a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards just one month later.

    This frightening moment remains a pivotal, tragic turning point in Michael Jackson's life story – a day when the King of Pop's seemingly invincible superstardom collided with vulnerable human reality, with consequences that would echo through the remainder of his complicated, brilliant, and ultimately tragic life.


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  • Buddy Holly's First Decca Session Flops Beautifully

    Buddy Holly's First Decca Session Flops Beautifully
    Jan 26 2026
    # January 26, 1956: Buddy Holly's First Recording Session at Decca Records

    On January 26, 1956, a skinny 19-year-old kid from Lubbock, Texas, with thick-rimmed glasses and an unmistakable hiccupping vocal style walked into the Pythian Temple in New York City for his first official recording session with Decca Records. His name was Charles Hardin Holley—though the world would come to know him as Buddy Holly.

    This session was supposed to be Holly's big break, his chance to prove he had what it took to make it in the rapidly evolving world of rock and roll. Accompanied by his bandmates (including Sonny Curtis on guitar and Don Guess on bass), Holly recorded several tracks that day, including "Blue Days, Black Nights" and "Love Me."

    Here's where it gets interesting: **the session was kind of a disaster.**

    Producer Owen Bradley, who would later become famous for crafting the "Nashville Sound," was tasked with molding this raw Texas teenager into something marketable. But there was a fundamental mismatch. Bradley pushed Holly toward a more country-influenced, pop-oriented sound, complete with backing vocalists and string arrangements. This was not what Holly's rebellious rockabilly heart was about.

    The resulting recordings were stiff and uncomfortable. You can practically hear Holly straining against the production constraints. Decca released a couple of singles from these sessions, but they flopped harder than a belly flop competition. The label, unimpressed with the commercial failure, dropped Holly after less than a year.

    **But here's the beautiful twist:** This failure was possibly the best thing that could have happened to Buddy Holly's career.

    Freed from Decca's conservative Nashville approach, Holly returned to Texas and hooked up with producer Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico. There, Holly would record the way HE wanted—raw, energetic, innovative—and create immortal tracks like "That'll Be the Day," "Peggy Sue," and "Oh Boy!" The Buddy Holly we remember, the one who influenced The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and countless others, emerged from the ashes of this January 26th session.

    That first Decca session represents a fascinating moment in music history: a glimpse of an artist before they found their true voice. It's a reminder that failure and creative constraint can sometimes be the catalyst for greatness. Holly had to fail in the conventional system before he could revolutionize rock and roll on his own terms.

    Tragically, Holly's innovative career would be cut short just three years later in the plane crash immortalized as "The Day the Music Died." But on January 26, 1956, he was just a nervous teenager with big dreams, walking into his first professional session, completely unaware that his initial failure would eventually pave the way for rock and roll immortality.


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  • Manson Sentenced Death Music Twisted Into Murder

    Manson Sentenced Death Music Twisted Into Murder
    Jan 25 2026
    # January 25, 1971: Charles Manson is Sentenced to Death (A Dark Chapter in Music History)

    On January 25, 1971, Charles Manson and three of his followers were sentenced to death in Los Angeles for the brutal Tate-LaBianca murders that had shocked the world in August 1969. While this might seem purely a crime story, it represents one of the most chilling intersections of music and murder in American history.

    Manson was an aspiring musician who became obsessed with The Beatles, particularly their White Album. He believed the album contained hidden messages directed specifically at him, prophesying an apocalyptic race war he called "Helter Skelter" (named after the Beatles song). Manson interpreted innocent lyrics through his deranged worldview: "Blackbird" was about black people rising up, "Piggies" referred to the establishment that needed to be killed, and "Helter Skelter" itself was the coming chaos. The phrase "Helter Skelter" was infamously found written in blood at the LaBianca crime scene.

    What makes this particularly tragic from a music perspective is that Manson had legitimate connections to the music industry. He'd befriended Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys in 1968, actually living at Wilson's mansion for a time. Wilson was genuinely intrigued by Manson's music and even helped him record demos. The Beach Boys recorded Manson's song "Cease to Exist" (reworked as "Never Learn Not to Love") on their 1969 album "20/20," though Manson wasn't credited, creating resentment.

    Manson also auditioned for Terry Melcher, Doris Day's son and a successful record producer who had worked with The Byrds. When Melcher declined to offer Manson a recording contract, it fed into Manson's rage against the establishment. Terrifyingly, the house where actress Sharon Tate was murdered had previously been Melcher's residence—some speculate the location wasn't random.

    The sentencing on this date in 1971 effectively ended one of the most bizarre and horrifying episodes where countercultural music became fatally twisted. The trial itself had been a circus, with Manson carving an X into his forehead and his followers maintaining a vigil outside the courthouse.

    The cultural impact was seismic. The murders effectively killed the innocence of the 1960s counterculture movement. The Beatles were horrified that their music had been so grotesquely misinterpreted. The case made everyone from musicians to the public more aware of obsessive fandom's dark potential.

    Manson's death sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment when California abolished the death penalty in 1972. He died in prison in 2017, but his case remains a cautionary tale about the dangerous intersection of mental illness, charisma, manipulation, and popular music. It's a reminder that art, however innocent in intent, can be twisted by troubled minds into justification for unspeakable acts.


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  • Mac Launch Revolutionized Music Production Forever

    Mac Launch Revolutionized Music Production Forever
    Jan 24 2026
    # January 24, 1984: The Day Apple Changed Music Forever with the Macintosh

    On January 24, 1984, Apple Computer Inc. launched the Macintosh personal computer during a now-legendary event at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California. While this might seem like a tech story rather than a music story, the Mac's introduction fundamentally revolutionized music production, composition, and the entire recording industry in ways that still resonate today.

    The original Macintosh, with its graphical user interface and mouse-driven design, seems quaint by modern standards—it had just 128KB of RAM and a 9-inch black-and-white screen. But what made it transformative for musicians was its user-friendly approach to computing. Unlike command-line interfaces that required technical expertise, the Mac made digital technology accessible to artists who thought in sound, not code.

    Within a few years of the Mac's debut, the music world experienced a technological earthquake. In 1985, Opcode Systems released the first MIDI sequencer for Mac. Then came Digidesign's Sound Designer in 1985, followed by their groundbreaking Pro Tools software in 1989 (initially called Sound Tools). These applications turned the Macintosh into a digital recording studio, democratizing music production in unprecedented ways.

    Before the Mac, recording an album required booking expensive studio time, working with complex tape machines, and employing teams of engineers. The costs ran into thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. After the Mac? Musicians could compose, record, edit, and mix multi-track recordings in their bedrooms. This democratization birthed entire genres—electronic music, bedroom pop, and modern hip-hop production all owe their existence to accessible digital audio workstations (DAWs) running on Macs.

    The visual interface proved perfect for music. Musicians could literally *see* sound waves, cut and paste audio like text, and manipulate recordings with pixel-perfect precision. The Mac's MIDI capabilities allowed one person to control dozens of synthesizers and sound modules, creating orchestral arrangements without an orchestra.

    By the 1990s, artists like Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails were recording entire albums on Macs, while electronic pioneers like Aphex Twin used them to create impossibly complex soundscapes. The Mac became the backbone of professional studios worldwide—a position it still holds today with modern DAWs like Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and yes, still Pro Tools.

    The ripple effects continue into our present day. Every podcast, streaming service, and home recording you hear likely passed through a Mac at some point. The laptop performer—DJs, electronic musicians, even modern pop producers working on stage with their computers—traces directly back to that January day in 1984.

    Perhaps most tellingly, when you think of music software today, you probably picture it running on a Mac. That mental association between creative software and Apple computers? It started with that beige box Steve Jobs pulled from a bag forty-two years ago today, telling the world "hello."

    So while January 24, 1984 wasn't marked by a legendary concert or a chart-topping single, it quietly set the stage for every digitally-produced song of the last four decades. Not bad for a computer announcement!


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  • Django Reinhardt Born: The Two-Fingered Guitar Genius

    Django Reinhardt Born: The Two-Fingered Guitar Genius
    Jan 23 2026
    # The Day Django Reinhardt Was Born: January 23, 1910

    On January 23, 1910, in a Romani caravan in Liberchies, Belgium, a baby boy was born who would revolutionize jazz guitar forever—Jean "Django" Reinhardt.

    What makes Django's story so remarkable isn't just his extraordinary talent, but how he overcame what should have been a career-ending catastrophe to become one of the most influential guitarists in history. Django grew up in a Romani camp near Paris, learning banjo and guitar by ear—he never learned to read music. By his teens, he was already a professional musician, playing popular musette waltzes in Parisian dance halls.

    Then came November 2, 1928. An eighteen-year-old Django was returning to his caravan when he knocked over a candle, igniting the celluloid flowers his wife sold for a living. The caravan became an inferno. Django suffered severe burns over half his body, and his left hand was badly damaged—his fourth and fifth fingers were partially paralyzed, practically useless.

    For most guitarists, this would have meant the end. Doctors even considered amputating his leg. But Django spent eighteen months in recovery, stubbornly teaching himself to play again, developing an entirely new technique that relied primarily on his index and middle fingers for his legendary solos, using his damaged fingers only for chord work. This limitation became his signature—he created a completely unique fingering style that no one has ever quite replicated.

    In 1934, Django co-founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France with violinist Stéphane Grappelli, creating "Gypsy jazz" or "hot jazz"—a distinctly European take on American swing. With no drums or brass, just Django's guitar, Grappelli's violin, and a rhythm section of guitars and bass, they crafted an intimate, propulsive sound that was both sophisticated and wild. Songs like "Minor Swing," "Nuages," and "Djangology" became instant classics.

    Django brought a Romani sensibility to jazz—passionate, spontaneous, with lightning-fast runs and unexpected chromatic passages. He could make his guitar laugh, cry, and dance. American jazz musicians were astonished that this self-taught European Gypsy, who'd never been to America, could play with such authentic swing while maintaining his own exotic flavor.

    His influence on guitar cannot be overstated. He proved the guitar could be a lead instrument in jazz when it was still considered mainly rhythmic accompaniment. Players from Les Paul to Carlos Santana, Willie Nelson to Jeff Beck have cited him as an inspiration. The entire genre of Gypsy jazz exists because of him, still thriving today with players like Biréli Lagrène and the Rosenberg Trio keeping the flame alive.

    Django died in 1953 at only 43, but his birthday remains a celebration of triumph over adversity, of innovation born from limitation, and of the universal language of music transcending all boundaries. That a Romani musician who couldn't read music and played with only two fully functional fingers on his fretting hand could become one of history's greatest guitarists is nothing short of miraculous.

    So today, January 23rd, isn't just another day in music history—it's the birthday of the man who proved that genius finds a way, no matter the obstacles.


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  • Stevie Wonder Turns 23 Creating Innervisions Masterpiece

    Stevie Wonder Turns 23 Creating Innervisions Masterpiece
    Jan 22 2026
    # January 22, 1973: The Day Stevie Wonder Turned 22 (and Changed Music Forever)

    On January 22, 1973, something remarkable happened in the world of music, though it wouldn't become fully apparent until later that year. This was the day that marked a pivotal moment in Stevie Wonder's artistic evolution—he turned 23 years old (not 22, despite what would have been a poetic coincidence), and he was in the midst of recording what many consider his magnum opus: **"Innervisions."**

    But let me back up to tell you why this date and this period matter so much.

    By January 1973, Stevie Wonder had already done something unprecedented in the music industry. In 1971, at age 21, he had renegotiated his Motown contract to gain almost complete creative control—a virtually unheard-of achievement for any artist at that label, let alone a Black artist in the early 1970s. He fought for and won the right to own his own publishing and produce his own records.

    Around this January day in '73, Stevie was deep in the throes of an incredible creative period that would later be called his "classic period." He was working with the then-revolutionary **TONTO (The Original New Timbral Orchestra)**, the largest multitimbral polyphonic analog synthesizer in the world. This massive, room-filling beast of an instrument was helping Stevie create sounds nobody had heard before in popular music.

    "Innervisions," which would be released in August 1973, was being crafted during this time. The album would feature the politically charged "Living for the City," the spiritually profound "Higher Ground," and the cautionary tale "Too High"—songs that pushed the boundaries of what soul and pop music could address and accomplish.

    What makes this period so fascinating is that Stevie was essentially working alone for much of it, playing most of the instruments himself, programming synthesizers, and producing everything in his head before bringing it to life in the studio. For a blind artist to have such complete command of the recording technology of the era was extraordinary.

    1973 would prove to be a triumphant year for Wonder—"Innervisions" would win Grammy Album of the Year, making him one of the first Black artists to win the award. But it would also be harrowing; on August 6, 1973, he would suffer a near-fatal car accident that left him in a coma for four days.

    So January 22, 1973, represents a moment of pure creative flow before the storm—a day when one of music's greatest geniuses was in his prime, fearlessly experimental, and creating music that would influence everyone from Prince to D'Angelo to Radiohead.

    The significance of this date reminds us that the greatest art often happens in the quiet moments we don't notice until much later—in studios, in the minds of artists, in the daily grind of creation that precedes cultural earthquakes.


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