Marianne Faithfull’s Tears Gone By

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"I slept with three of them and then decided the lead singer was the best bet." That was burgeoning pop singer Marianne Faithfull in 1964, telling "New Musical Express" magazine that the quickest route to success would be to snag a Rolling Stone -- most strategically, Mick Jagger. What a cocky thing to say, I thought when I first heard this quote as a kid. I'd always wanted to use the British term strumpet, and now was my chance. Why all the fuss about Marianne Faithfull, anyway? Sure, she was blonde, sexy and had a hit song. Big deal. So, it was with much skepticism that I decided to read her 1994 memoir "Faithfull." And by the time I finished it, I found her to be one of the most intelligent and independent women in rock -- a talented singer, songwriter, muse, actress, diarist, and survivor. Today is her 68th birthday.

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The Sex Pistols: Cocked, Loaded, and Firing F Bombs on British Telly

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It all started because Queen frontman Freddie Mercury had to go to the dentist, and his band was forced to cancel a scheduled TV appearance at the last minute. That bit of serendipity gave the U.K. public its first taste of the menace known as the Sex Pistols. On December 1, 1976, the punk rock band was summoned to the studios of Thames Television's "Today" program, an early evening live talk show hosted by Bill Grundy. The program's producers offered its substitute guests the customary assortment of alcoholic treats as they waited in the green room prior to air time. Big mistake. The drunk punks unleashed a torrent of expletives - infuriating scores of TV viewers. The 3-minute interview from hell ended Grundy’s career and catapulted the band to international notoriety overnight.

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Robert Plant: In the House of the Holy with The King

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Rock blaster Robert Plant, like his Led Zeppelin bandmates, was known to have "entertained" thousands of groupies in hotel rooms all across the land, back in the day when cocksure male rock gods reigned supreme. But when Elvis came to town, the tables were turned, and Mr. Plant found himself playing the part of adoring groupie. Just what went on behind closed door between those two? (It's safe to say it didn't involve a mud shark.) Actually, the story goes like this...

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When Frampton Came Alive

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In 1976 the U.S.A. was having a big birthday - its 200th. In the Land of the Free, American rock fans could have their cake and eat it, too. New flavors were popping out of the oven daily, from Punk Pecan to Disco Devil's Food to bland ol' Styx-Style White Cake. But the all-time favorite, Arena Deluxe, was still in big demand. Yes, The Ramones, Kansas, and The Bee Gees were poised to explode, but the electric guitar titans weren't going away any time soon. And Peter Frampton was living proof of that. By the middle of that festive bicentennial summer, nearly every rock fan I knew had a copy of "Frampton Comes Alive," the two-record set released by the very pretty British singer/guitarist/songwriter. It reached the #1 spot on the U.S. charts on April 10, 1976, and ended up being the biggest LP of the year, selling over 6 million copies and remaining on the American charts for 97 weeks!

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Mick Ronson: The Glam Guitarist Who Rocked Ziggy and the Spiders From Mars

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One of the most unusual and innovative new performers of the day chooses you for his band, insists you wear eyeliner, satin, and 6-inch platform boots, and then proceeds to engage in deviate sexual activity with your guitar while you stand on stage churning out searing licks. Sound demanding? Well, it's all in a day's work when your name is…

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