Oct 12 - Today's Rock History Report

1955, The Chrysler Corporation launched high fidelity record players for their 1956 line-up of cars. The unit measured about four inches high and less than a foot wide and mounted under the instrument panel. The seven inch discs spun at 16 2/3 rpm and required almost three times the number of grooves per inch as an LP. The players were discontinued in 1961.

1957, During an Australian tour Little Richard publicly renounced rock 'n' roll and embraced God, telling a story of dreaming of his own damnation after praying to God when one of the engines on a plane he was on caught fire. The singer threw four diamond rings, valued at $8,000, into Sydney's Hunter River and soon after launched a Gospel career. Five years later, he would switch back to Rock. 

1957, Buddy Holly & The Crickets, The Drifters and Chuck Berry all appeared at the Mission Beach Ballroom, San Diego, California.

1962, Little Richard, The Beatles, Billy J. Kramer and other local group's all appeared at The Tower Ballroom, Wallasey, Merseyside, England.

1963, Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Sugar Shack'.

1963, Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Sugar Shack'.

1965, Working on their next album Rubber Soul at Abbey Road Studio’s London, The Beatles recorded ‘Run For Your Life’ in its entirety, in five takes. (Lennon later admits to lifting two lines from Elvis Presley's 1955 hit ‘Baby Let's Play House’). And another new Lennon song ‘This Bird Has Flown’, later known as ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’. The track included George Harrison's double-tracked sitar part, the first appearance of that Indian instrument on a pop record.

1967, The Doors appeared at The Surf Club, Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, supported by Ultimate Spinach. 

1968, Big Brother And The Holding Company went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Cheap Thrills'.

 1969, A DJ on Detroit's WKNR radio station received a phone call telling him that if you play The Beatles 'Strawberry Fields Forever' backwards, you hear John Lennon say the words "I buried Paul." This started a worldwide rumour that Paul McCartney was dead.

1971, Gene Vincent (Vincent Eugene Craddock), died from a perforated ulcer, aged 36. Had the 1956 US No.7 & UK No.16 single 'Be Bop A Lula'. Appeared in the film, The Girl Can't Help It with Jayne Mansfield. In 1960, while on tour in the UK, Vincent and songwriter Sharon Sheeley were seriously injured the car crash that killed Eddie Cochran. 

1974, Olivia Newton-John went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'If You Love Me, Let Me Know.'

1974, The Bay City Rollers went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their debut album 'Rollin.' 

1975, Rod Stewart and The Faces made their final live appearance when they played at Nassau Coliseum, Long Island.

1978, Whilst living at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City, Sex Pistol Sid Vicious called the police to say that someone had stabbed his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. He was arrested and charged with murder and placed in the detox unit of a New York prison. 

1982, The Who supported by The Clash appeared at Shea Stadium, New York City.

1985, Ricky Wilson of the B-52's died of complications from aids.

1991, Mariah Carey had her fifth No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Emotions.'

1994, Pink Floyd played the first of a 15-night run at Earls Court, London, England. Less than a minute after the band had started playing 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond', a scaffolding stand holding 1200 fans, collapsed, throwing hundreds of people 20 feet to the ground. It took over an hour to free everyone from the twisted wreckage, ninety-six people were injured, with 36 needing hospital treatment. Six were detained overnight with back, neck and rib injuries. Pink Floyd sent a free T-shirt and a note of apology to all the fans who had been seated in the stand that collapsed. The show was immediately cancelled and re-scheduled. 

1995, R.E.M. played the first of 3 nights at the Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania supported by Grant Lee Buffalo.

1997, US singer songwriter John Denver was killed when the light aircraft he was piloting crashed into Monterey Bay, California. Denver was aged 53. 

Happy Rock-n-Roll Birthdays to...

1935, Luciano Pavarotti

1935, Sam Moore, Sam & Dave

1942, Melvin Franklin, The Temptations

1956, David Letts, (Dave Vanian), The Damned

1960, Bob Mould, Husker Du

1969, Martie Erwin, Dixie Chicks