Born on this day ...

[Inna Selez]

Canadian singer-songwriter and actress Avril Lavigne was born 27 September 1984. In 2002 she released her debut album Let Go. It made Lavigne the youngest female who reached number 1 in the UK. She has sold more than 40 million albums and over 50 million singles worldwide. Lavigne has scored six number-one singles worldwide, including "Complicated", "Sk8er Boi", "I'm with You", "My Happy Ending", "Nobody's Home", and "Girlfriend". Lavigne took a break from recording music, pursuing careers in feature film acting and designing clothes and perfumes.
[video=youtube;dGR65RWwzg8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGR65RWwzg8[/video]

[Ruby]

Youssou N’Dour was born on this day in 1959, in Dakar, Senegal. He’s a musician and singer/songwriter along with all that encompasses, as well as an actor, businessman and … umm …. politician – uh oh!! Anyway – prejudices against politicians aside, he (and it must be said, fellow Senegalese musician, Ismaël Lô) has done a lot to develop and bring Mbalax (or Mbalakh) which is the national popular dance music of Senegal and the Gambia to the rest of the world. From Wiki – “Mbalax is a fusion of popular Western music and dance such as jazz, soul, Latin, and rock blended with sabar, the traditional drumming and dance music of Senegal. The genre's name derives from the heavy use of accompanying rhythms used in sabar called mbalax.”

N’Dour is probably best known internationally for this –

[video=youtube;wqCpjFMvz-k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqCpjFMvz-k[/video]

[Inna Selez]

Gwen Stefani was born October 3, 1969. She is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and lead vocalist "No Doubt" band. In 2004 Stefani started a solo pop career and released 3 albums. Stefani has won three Grammy Awards. As a solo artist she has received several accolades, including an American Music Award, Brit Award, World Music Award and two Billboard Music Awards. In 2003 she debuted her clothing line L.A.M.B. Mother of 3 sons.

[video=youtube;7vqqPkDsLNA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vqqPkDsLNA[/video]

[Ruby]

Kevin Godley was born on this day in 1945, in Lancashire, England. He was with 10cc up to Deceptive Bends at which point both he and Lol Creme split with the band and formed their own duo. They also directed a large number of music videos for allsorts from Visage and Duran Duran, to Joan Armatrading, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Fine Young Cannibals, etc., etc., ad nauseam, and which Godley continues to do in his own capacity. He's also been involved in developing a music platform for the ipad. Most recently, he teamed up with ex 10cc bandmate Graham Gouldman for a project they call GG/06 which I have yet to investigate - but here's a clip ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIUqt3gV_e0

He is a drummer/percussionist, plays keyboards, the cello, and sings.

Godley & Creme’s “Cry” – video by them … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxtPRF6NG7I

And another slightly weird one (actually, make that plain freaky) – “An Englishman in New York” (nothing remotely resembling Sting’s) … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veLC6gpNsSQ

Godley directed Gabrielle’s “Rise” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na93MI5NFy0

and Katie Melua’s “Nine Million Bicycles” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHQG6-DojVw

From the 10cc days – he co-wrote and sings leads on this one …

[video=youtube;Ff6Pe_t3a6o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff6Pe_t3a6o[/video]

[Inna Selez]

Toni Braxton was born October 7, 1967. American singer–songwriter, pianist, record producer, actress, television personality, and philanthropist. Rising to fame in the early 1990s, Braxton quickly established herself as an R&B icon and became one of the best-selling female artists of the 1990s decade, garnering her honorific titles such as the "Queen of R&B" and being recognized as one of the most outstanding voices of this generation. She released 8 studio albums and has won seven Grammy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, seven American Music Awards and several other awards. On September 18, 2011, Braxton was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
[video=youtube;p2Rch6WvPJE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Rch6WvPJE[/video]

[Ruby]

Dave Arbus was born on this day in 1941, in Leicester, England. He plays the flute, sax, trumpet and most importantly, the violin. He was a core member of the band East of Eden, and despite leaving them to do his own thing many moons ago – he appears to have reunited with them for every release they’ve done since, which begs the question – did he leave at all?! Most confusing, especially since there is scant biographical info on the www.

It’s him doing the solo on The Who’s “Baba O’Reilly” which might have launched him into rockstar violinist orbit, but he chose to stick to his own peculiar fusion of jazz, eastern sounds and prog, appearing solo, doing session work and such.

East of Eden had a top 10 hit in the UK with this, and it’s a shining example of Mr Arbus’ prowess on the fiddle – “Jig a Jig” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baIMbA7Mcok

Who could resist a song with the title “Bradshaw the Bison Hunter”??! Lots of funkiness from the album New Leaf (instrumental) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUzfvJtNXvk

And I’ve been listening to the whole of Mercator Projected which I chose for a number of reasons – it’s their debut, the title is fantastic, the cover art is great, and I was sold on the sound about a minute in. It’s actually a bit of a mixed bag – not that easy to peg but primarily progressive with odd and interesting leaps in other directions scattered throughout. Prevents boredom at any rate!!

For this song, they’ve drawn inspiration from the mistress of modern dance, Isadora Duncan …

[video=youtube;2TzQuyIZFgU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TzQuyIZFgU[/video]

[Inna Selez]

Yesterday October 9th were two birthdays - John Lennon and his son Sean Lennon.

Sean was born on John`s 35th birthday. As his famous father Sean became a singer and actor.
[video=youtube;JuYKC28H-x0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuYKC28H-x0[/video]

[Ruby]

It is purportedly Damian Wilson’s birthday today. Can’t seem to verify it on any official sites although it does appear on a list or two. Oh well – he has to have one sometime, so it may as well be today! :biggrin1: We can be sure that he was born in 1969 and hails from somewhere in/on the British Isles.

He’s a singer/songwriter with an excellent voice. I first encountered him through his collaboration with Adam Wakeman on Weir Keeper’s Tale which is an acoustic folk/rock album; he’s been involved with a couple of Rick’s projects as well. He’s better known for his association with Arjen Anthony Lucassen of Ayreon and for fronting the prog metal bands Headspace (Adam Wakeman again), Threshold and Landmarq which I confess to never having listened to (other than the odd track from Ayreon) – not being fond of metal - symphonic, prog or otherwise.

He has played the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables – something that came about as the result of tripping over a dog belonging to one of the actors while running along the Thames! As chance would have it, that actor was familiar with his work (he’d just released his debut, Cosmas) and suggested an audition. In his own words … "I didn't know the first thing about Jean Valjean or Les Misérables. I knew more about Iron Maiden than Les Misérables and I thought the most obvious part for me was in Jesus Christ Superstar, but in fact they thought I would be better in the part of Jean Valjean. So I went to see Jesus Christ Superstar and when I'd seen it, basically, I thought I could do that, I could do that tomorrow. Then when I saw Les Misérables, I thought I couldn't do it and I couldn't understand why they thought that I would be able to do it. My acting wasn't very good either and I thought that it was beyond me and there was no way I could do it and I told them I couldn't act.” Turns out he can, after all, and I wonder if that experience has added an extra dimension to his work.

A track from Weir Keeper’s Tale which I’ve probably posted before – would have preferred another, but can’t find it, aargh! -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9zJqQiTnDs

I have heard his most recent solo album, Built for Fighting which is along melodic rock lines – the final track … “Battlelines” … this is a rather fuzzy live clip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrajsqVvp34

And from Cosmas … the last track on that too – great keys from Andrew Holdsworth … not sure what Threshold and Headspace fans make of this one!

[video=youtube;VLVOqS23A7g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLVOqS23A7g[/video]

[Inna Selez]

Usher Raymond IV was born October 14, 1978 in Dallas, Texas. He is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actor. In August 1994 he released his self-titled debut album. He is one of the best-selling artists in American music history. Usher has won eighteen Billboard Music Awards and eight Grammy Awards. He has been inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2008 he started his own record label Raymond-Braun Media Group. The most prominent artist Raymond represents is Justin Bieber.


[video=youtube;GxBSyx85Kp8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxBSyx85Kp8[/video]

[Ruby]

Christopher John Davison, aka Chris de Burgh was born on this day in 1948 in County Wexford, Ireland. He’s a bit of a controversial figure by all accounts, and has in his retinue both committed lovers and dedicated detractors. Never made it big in the USA but has had quite a substantial following elsewhere. I have to confess to losing interest around the time of the very trying “Lady in Red”, but prior to that had had some respect for his ballads which stand up against the best of ‘em, I think; I’ll still happily listen to Crusader and Spanish Train and Other Stories.

He first hit the circuit supporting Supertramp on their Crime of the Century tour, building up a fan base from there. He combines folk with pop/art/soft rock, and is known as a romantic balladeer. He is a bit of a history buff, as most good balladeers are, and a collector of historical bits and pieces, as well as vintage wines (so he can’t be all that bad! Lol!). I see he released an album last month … A Better World … which has totally passed me by. Might have to dip into that.

The epic “Crusader” – think I may have mentioned elsewhere that there were some APP people on this album – Ian Bairnson being one of them - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6SkaFMTihI

And “Spanish Train” –

[video=youtube;Ace7mrRFG6A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ace7mrRFG6A[/video]