Before we get into what happened today in Rock History, a brief commentary. Today is a really strange day in Rock and Roll history. It was the day both John Lennon and Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott were killed. Most stories will name their killers (both were very misguided and mentally ill 25-year old men). I will not. It is simply because I do not wish to feed the egos of other misguided people who might turn to violence in order to gain fame. Let's remember the great artists that were tragically lost on this day, not their killers.
1961, The Beach Boys first single 'Surfin' was released on Candix Records, a small label based in Los Angeles.
1963, Frank Sinatra Jr was kidnapped at gunpoint from a hotel in Lake Tahoe. He was released two days later after his father paid out the $240,000 ransom demanded by the kidnappers, who were later captured, and sentenced to long prison terms. In order to communicate with the kidnappers via a payphone the senior Sinatra carried a roll of dimes with him throughout this ordeal, which became a lifetime habit, he is said to have been buried with a roll of dimes.
1965, The Rolling Stones recorded their ninth UK single ‘19th Nervous Breakdown’ at RCA studios in Hollywood, California.
1966, Working at Abbey Road in London, Paul McCartney overdubbed his lead vocal for ‘When I'm Sixty-Four’. Then The Beatles set about remaking a new John Lennon song ‘Strawberry Fields Forever.’
1968, Singer and guitarist Graham Nash left The Hollies and started work with David Crosby and Stephen Stills who went on to form Crosby Stills and Nash.
1971, This weeks Top selling 8-Track cartridges chart: No.5, Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits Vol 2, No.4, Carole King, Tapestry, No.3, Simon and Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water, No.2, Motown Chartbusters Vol 6 and No.1, John Lennon, Imagine.
1975, Gary Thain bass player with Uriah Heep died of a drug overdose aged 28. Had a hit with ‘Easy Livin' from the 1972 album Demons and Wizards.
1977, Four people were arrested after a riot broke out when Blondie didn't arrive for a gig in Brisbane. Over 1,000 Australian fans had waited over an hour for the group to appear on stage, but the gig was cancelled due to singer Debbie Harry being unwell.
1979, Rod Stewart scored his seventh UK No.1 album when his 'Greatest Hits' started a five-week run at the top of the charts.
1979, Styx went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Babe', the group's only US No.1, a No.6 hit in the UK.
1980, John Lennon was shot five times outside the Dakota building in New York City where John and Yoko lived. The killer had been stalking Lennon for days outside the Dakota apartments and asked for an autograph as Lennon walked through the courtyard. As he signed a piece of paper the killer opened fire. Lennon was pronounced dead from a massive loss of blood at 11.30pm.
1982, American country singer, songwriter Marty Robbins died aged 57 of complications following cardiac surgery. Had the first No.1 of the 60's in the US with 'El Paso', (winning him a Grammy Award). Robbins later portrayed a musician in the 1982 Clint Eastwood film Honkytonk Man.
1984, Hall and Oates started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Out Of Touch', the duo's 6th US No.1, it made No.48 in the UK.
1984, One time Coasters manager Patrick Cavanaugh was convicted of first degree murder of group member Buster Wilson whose dismembered body was discovered in Modesto, California, in 1980.
1984, Vince Neil from Motley Crue was involved in a car accident in Redondo Beach, Ca, which killed Nick Dingley from Hanoi Rocks and injured two other passengers. Neil was jailed for 20 days and paid $2.6 million in compensation.
2000, A plaque to commemorate the 20th anniversary of John Lennon's death was unveiled outside his childhood home in Liverpool.
2004, Former Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell was one of five people killed after a man stormed the stage during a Damageplan show at the Alrosa Villa Club in Columbus. The killer began firing at the band and crowd, was then shot and killed by a police officer who arrived shortly after the first shots were fired.
Happy Rock-n-Roll Birthdays to...
1925, Sammy Davis Jr, died May 16, 1990
1939, Jerry Butler, The Impressions
1942, Bobby Elliott, The Hollies
1943, Jim Morrison, The Doors, died July 3, 1971.
1944, Mike Botts, Bread
1946, Graham Knight, Marmalade
1947, Gregg Allman, Allman Brothers Band
1951, Dan Hartman, died on 22nd March 1994.
1956, Warren Cuccurullo, Frank Zappa, Duran Duran and Missing Persons
1957, Phil Collen, Def Leppard
1959, Paul Rutherford, Frankie Goes To Hollywood
1962, Marty Friedman, Megadeth
1966, Sinead O'Connor
1973, Corey Taylor, (number 8), Slipknot
1974, Nick Zinner, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
No comments:
Post a Comment