"Rock Around the Clock" with Bill Haley & His Comets
For many this is where rock 'n roll first began. Recorded in New York City in April of '54, "Rock Around the Clock" was originally designed as a B-side and was not an instant hit. In the 1950's though the DJs ruled the airwaves and "Rock Around the Clock" soon became the "official" A-side. The song really took off a year later when it was featured blaring under the opening credits to Richard Brook's powerful film "Blackboard Jungle". The record shot to #1 on the charts and the rock 'n roll era had officially begun.
There are so many great stories surrounding this landmark recording and no one knows them better than author, music historian and record collector Jim Dawson. His book, "Rock Around the Clock: The Record That Started the Rock Revolution" is a fascinating an in-depth look at the history of the record and the group that recorded it, Bill Haley & His Comets.
Use the audio player below to hear an exclusive 20 minute interview with author Jim Dawson and enjoy!
Thanks to Jim for taking the time to talk with us all. We look forward to hearing from him again soon. In the meantime you might want to check out "Rock Around the Clock" and the other great books that Jim has written. CLICK HERE to check out his web site and learn more about this cool cat.
Speaking of cool cats, our own Johnny Dark has a number of great Bill Haley stories and here he shares a couple of fond memories with us:
There are some things that, for some reason, you never forget. It was the spring of 1953, shortly before I landed my first radio job, I was listening to a disc-jockey named Stan Richards on WORL, a Boston radio station. He said he had a recording that he was going to debut very soon that was unlike anything he had ever played before. He kept teasing the listeners after every other song. This went on for about an hour. When the time finally came that he played this new record that he was so excited about, I shared his enthusiasm. His phone lines must have heated up as I remember him playing the song two more times the next hour. The record was "Crazy Man, Crazy" by Bill Haley and His Comets. It became an overnight smash and peaked at #12 on the Billboard music chart becoming the first Rock and Roll record to do so.
A little over a year later, I was witness to an incredibly exciting performance when Bill Haley and His Comets were booked into, of all places, the storied Symphony Hall in Boston. By that time, the group had another hit under their belt, a top 10 goodie called "Shake, Rattle And Roll." They rocked Symphony Hall and, for the first time, I saw people dancing in the aisles. These are two Bill Haley memories that I wanted to share with you. Keep in mind that all of this happened before the success of the rock 'n' roll anthem called "Rock Around The Clock."
