16 August 2023
Controversial superstar MADONNA (the word was first attested in the
16th century as a respectful form of address to an Italian woman) was
born named Madonna Louise Ciccone on 16 August 1958. Happy 65 to
one of the most flamboyant, exuberant, and innovating artists in music
history.
KEVIN AYERS was born on 16 August 1944 in Herne Bay, Kent, England. Happy 78 to the alt singer-songwriter who started his career with psych-prog-rock band Soft Machine in 1966 which also featured the great Robert Wyatt. Ayers left the group after 3 years and went on a long solo journey until his death in 2013, aged 68.
BARRY HAY was born on 16 August 1948. Happy 75 to the charismatic voice/face/lyricist, who used to have really big hair in the early days, of Dutch rock heroes Golden Earring.
After 50 years the band called it a day in 2021, due to severe illness of their guitarist/co-vocalist George Kooymans. The band scored a mass of hits and several top albums but struggled to make it outside of Europe. Although they scored an international hit with
their smashing, 1973 classic Radar Love (almost 140 million streams on Spotify)