You Know Who... (Didn't Bother With a Title Today)

Ronnie Wood
Photo by Rick Diamond

Happy Pride Month, everybody! I hope everyone is getting ready for this month-long celebration, however you want to do it. It is an interesting bit of synchronicity that not only is it the birthday of the British long-time LGBT rights activist Tom Robinson, but that he was performing stateside on this day in 1979, and we have tape of it to boot!
 
Another birthday boy who will receive our tribute today is Ronnie Wood, who was born on this day in 1947, and it seemed right to focus on him. I think people need to be reminded that his career was more than just being a junior member of the Rolling Stones. Now, calling him a “junior member” may be unkind, but it is true that he did not join the band until the tail end of its glory years, and that his work with that group, particularly writing, is largely overshadowed by the Glimmer Twins (i.e. Jagger and Richards). Long before that, however, he already showed that he could be a reliable side-man with the Jeff Beck Group, and with the Faces he showed that he was more than capable of taking the reins and being a main creative force with a hard-driving, wild rock ‘n roll band. Honesty, I believe that it is his work with that group for which I think he should be remembered for.
 
Click here to check it out:
LIC Radio 6/1/2026
 
 
Jack DeJohnette’s Directions
“Fantastic”
(Jack DeJohnette, John Abercrombie, Alex Foster, Mike Richmond)
From Unititled  (ECM, 1976)
 
 
Spirit
“Nature’s Way”
(Randy California)
From Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus  (Epic, 1970)
 
 

Bill Nelson, 1977
Photo by Gus Stewart

Bill Nelson
“Hope for the Heartbeat”
(Bill Nelson)
From The Love That Whirls (Diary of a Thinking Heart)  (Mercury/PVC, 1982)
 
 
Talking Heads
“Sugar on My Tongue”
(David Byrne)
From The CBS/Columbia Demos  (Rhino, 2026 [recorded 1975])
 
 
James Blood Ulmer
“Show Me Your Love, America”
(James Blood Ulmer)
From America – Do You Remember the Love?  (Blue Note, 1987)
 

Crowded House
“Better Be Home Soon’
(Neil Finn)
From Temple of Low Men  (Capitol, 1988)
 
 

The Fugs advertising their preferred
feminine hygene product
Photo by Fred W. McDarrah

The Fugs
"CCD" (Coca Cola Douche)
(Tuli Kupferberg)
From Golden Filth  (Reprise, 1970)
Recorded at the Fillmore East, New York, NY, 6/1/68
 
 
John Cale
“Heartbreak Hotel”
(Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden)*
From June 1, 1974  by Kevin Ayers – John Cale – Eno – Nico  (Island, 1974)
Recorded at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK
 
*As you will hear Cale say on the recording, Elvis Presley is also a credited writer on this song. However, it has since become known that it was somewhat standard practice at this time that a credit (and a portion of publishing rights) were often given to Presley in return for recording the song (which was to be a sure-fire hit). As Elvis, in actual fact, had nothing to do with the composition of this song, I refuse to credit him here.
 
 
Van Halen
“Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love”
(Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony)
Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK, 6/1/78
Studio version released on Van Halen  (Warner Bros., 1978)
 
 
Greg Kihn Band
“For You”
(Bruce Springsteen)
My Father's Place, Roslyn, NY, 6/1/78
Studio version released on Greg Kihn Again  (Beserkley, 1977)
Originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen; released on Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.  (Columbia, 1973)
 
 

Tom Robinson, 1978
Photo by Gus Stewart

Tom Robinson Band
“(Sing if You're) Glad to Be Gay”
(Tom Robinson)
Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ, 6/1/79
 
 
Peter Tosh
“Bush Doctor”
(Peter Tosh)
Falkoner Teatret, Copenhagen, DK, 6/1/1981
Studio version released on Bush Doctor  (Rolling Stones/EMI, 1978)
 
 
Billy Idol
“Dancing with Myself”
(Billy Idol, Tony James)
Poplar Creek Music Theater, Hoffman Estates, IL, 6/1/84
Originally recorded by Gen X; released on Kiss Me Deadly  (Chrysalis, 1981)
 
 
Jeff Beck - Carlos Santana - Steve Lukather
“Super Boogie”
(Jeff Beck, Steve Lukather, Carlos Santana, Jan Hammer, Simon Phillips, Doug Wimbish)
Suntory Beer Sound Market '86, Karuizawa Prince Hotel, Karuizawa, JP, 6/1/86
 
One-off improvisational performance
 
 

The Jeff Beck Group, 1967
Photo by Ivan Keeman

The Jeff Beck Group
“Morning Dew”
(Bonnie Dobson)
Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, 7/24/68
Studio version released on Truth  (EMI Columbia/Epic, 1968)
Originally recorded by Bonnie Dobson; released on Bonnie Dobson at Folk City (Prestige International, 1962)
 
 
Faces
“Take a Look at the Guy”
(Ronnie Wood)
Tivolis Koncertsal, Copenhagen, DK, 10/18/74
Studio version recorded by Ron Wood; released on I've Got My Own Album to Do  (Warner Music, 1974)
 
 
The Rolling Stones
“Beast of Burden”
(Jagger–Richards)
The Astrodome, Houston, TX, 10/28/81
Studio version released on Some Girls  (Rolling Stones, 1978)
 

Robert Randolph
Photo by Eric Weiss (probably)

 
Robert Randolph & The Family Band
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”
(Jimi Hendrix)
Skippers Smokehouse, Tampa, FL, 4/27/02
Originally recorded by The Jimi Hendrix Experience; released on Electric Ladyland   (Track/Reprise, 1968)