Sept 18 - Today in Rock-n-Roll History...

1954, Elvis Presley appeared at The Eagles Nest, Memphis Tennessee.

1960, On his twenty-first birthday, Frankie Avalon was given $600,000 that he earned as a minor from such hits as his 1959 US No.1 single 'Venus').

1961, Bobby Vee started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Take Good Care Of My Baby'.

1964, The Beatles, on tour in the USA, performed at Dallas Memorial Auditorium, Dallas, Texas.

1966, The Doors appeared at Bido Lito's, Hollywood, California. Also on the bill The Seeds.

1968, Working at Abbey Road studios on new songs for their forthcoming ‘White Album’, The Beatles recorded 20 takes of ‘Birthday.’ Roadie Mal Evans added handclaps, and Yoko Ono and Pattie Harrison contributed backing vocals on the track.

1969, Police arrested Graham Bond when he was rehearsing in London on a contempt of court charge from 1967.

1970, Jimi Hendrix was pronounced dead on arrival at St. Mary Abbot's Hospital in London at the age of 27.

1971, The Who scored their first and only UK No.1 album with 'Who's Next', the bands sixth LP release, featuring 'Won't Get Fooled Again'.

1972, The Who, Mott The Hoople, The Faces and Atomic Rooster all appeared at The Oval, London.

1976, One hit wonders Wild Cherry started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Play That Funky Music'. The song started life as a B-side. It was the group's only hit in the UK which peaked at No.7.

1978, Neil Young and Crazy Horse kicked off a 23 date US tour at The Cobo in Detroit promoting the album ‘Comes A Time.’

1980, Gang Of Four, Toyah, Au Pairs, Chelsea, XTC and The Police all appeared at The Rainbow Theatre in London, England.

1981, Gary Numan took off on a round the world trip in a single engine Cessna plane. The attempt ended after he was forced to land in India, where local police arrested him.

1982, The seven-minute epic by Dire Straits 'Private Investigations' went to No.2 on the UK singles chart, held off No.1 by survivors 'Eye Of The Tiger'.

1983, Kiss appeared without their 'make-up' for the first time during an interview on MTV.

1984, David Bowie won Video of the year for 'China Girl' at the first MTV Video awards.

1993, Meat Loaf went to No.1 on the UK album chart for the first of five times with 'Bat Out Of Hell II'.

1996, At Sotheby's in London, Julian Lennon successfully bid just over $39,000 (£21,000), for the recording notes for the song Paul McCartney wrote for him, ‘Hey Jude’. At the same event, John Lennon's scribbled lyrics to ‘Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite’ sold for $103,500, (£57,500).

2006, 73 year old country singer Willie Nelson and four members from his band were charged with drug possession after marijuana and magic mushrooms were found by police on his tour bus. Police had stopped the tour bus near Lafayette, Louisiana.

2006, Echo And The Bunnymen singer Ian McCulloch was convicted of committing a breach of the peace by shouting, swearing and threatening Gary Duncan and his girlfriend Juliet Sebley backstage at Glasgow Barrowlands in Scotland. A court was told that McCulloch had lost his temper when he discovered the two fans in a toilet cubicle inside his private dressing room.

2009, Leonard Cohen collapsed on stage during a concert in Valencia in Spain and was taken to hospital. He was later discharged after doctors told him he had food poisoning. Cohen was in the middle of singing his song Bird On The Wire when he fainted, prompting the band to stop playing and rush to help him.

September 18th: Happy Birthdays to...

1933, Jimmie Rodgers

1939, Frankie Avalon

1946, Alan King, Ace,

1950, Mike Hossack, Drums, The Doobie Brothers

1952, Dee Dee Ramone, (Douglas Colvin), bass, The Ramones

1961, Martin Beedle, drummer, Cutting Crew

1962, Joanne Catherall, vocals, The Human League

1962, Richard Walmsley, Beatmasters

1966, Ian Spice, Breathe

1966, Nigel Clarke, Dodgy

1966, Mike Heaton, drummer, Embrace

1967, Ricky Bell, New Edition