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Noteworthy Then

12/301939 Mountain's Felix Pappalardi born

 

Felix Pappalardi, the energetic bass player and lead vocalist in Mountain, was born on this day in 1939 in The Bronx.

A graduate of New York's High School of Music and Art, Pappalardi added to his classical training while majoring in music at the University of Michigan. Finding no openings available in Big Apple symphonies and orchestras, Felix applied what he'd learned to arranging and producing material for Folk and Rock artists, the Youngbloods, Joan Baez and a band called the Vagrants among them. His production work on Disraeli Gears, the sophomore album by Cream, boosted his profile considerably.

The Vagrants disbanded and the group's guitarist, Leslie West, contacted Pappalardi about joining the new outfit he was putting together. By that time, Pappalardi was already working on Cream's Goodbye album, but he and West hit it off musically and one of the loudest bands in Rock history was born.

Pappalardi met an untimely and violent death in April of 1983 when his wife shot and killed him in the couple's New York apartment using a Derringer Felix had given her as a gift. She faced second degree murder charges but was convicted of criminally negligent homicide.


Other Noteworthy Classic Rock events on December 30 include...

 

1928 Bo Diddley born.

1946 Patti Smith born.

1946 Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker born.

1947 Move, ELO & Traveling Wilburys member Jeff Lynne born.

1965 The Who, Kinks, and Hollies all appear on Shindig. 

1978 Emerson Lake & Palmer announces break-up.

1999 An intruder stabs George Harrison and injures wife Olivia during break-in at Henley home.

2002 Funeral for Joe Strummer of the Clash is held in London, a week after his death.

2009 Canada honors Neil Young by naming him an Officer of the Order of Canada, joining the members of Rush, Bryan Adams and Leonard Cohen as recipients.

2012 Queen guitarist Brian May recognized as PETA Person of the Year in England for his active opposition to the culling of badgers in the UK.

2012 A copy of the Please Please Me album signed by all of the Beatles after they'd used it as a coaster during a card game in 1963 is sold for $15,700.