Today in Rock n' Roll History

[Koala]

1941 Bob Dylan was born.

1956 The first Eurovision Song Contest was held in Lugano, Switzerland. The event was the brainchild of Marcel Baisoncon of the European Broadcasting Union. Seven countries participated and they were each allowed two songs. Both Luxembourg and the winner Switzerland used the same singer for both. Switzerland won with ‘Refrain’ by Lys Assia.

1963 Elmore James US blues guitarist, singer, died of a heart attack aged 45. Wrote 'Shake Your Money Maker', Covered by Fleetwood Mac in 1968. Known as "The King of the Slide Guitar", James influenced Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Keith Richards.

1969 The Beatles with Billy Preston started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Get Back', the group's 17th US No.1.

1970 Peter Green played his last gig with Fleetwood Mac when they appeared at the Bath Festival, Somerset, England.

1980 Genesis fans turning up at the Roxy Club box office in Los Angeles to buy tickets for a forthcoming gig were surprised to find the band members Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford selling the tickets themselves.

1986 Peter Gabriel releases "Sledgehammer" with an acclaimed and innovative claymation video. The single hits #4 in the UK and #2 in the US.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMIdyBSSlpo[/ame]

1991 Founder member of The Byrds Gene Clark died of a heart attack aged 49. Wrote The Byrds hits 'I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better', and 'Eight Miles High', member of McGuinn, Clark and Hillman and solo.

1997 Hanson started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'MMMBop', the brothers first US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK.

1999 Freddie Mercury was featured on a new set of millennium stamps issued by the Royal Mail. The Queen front man who died in 1991, was featured on the 19p stamp. The singer was a keen stamp collector, and his collection was bought by the Post Office in 1993. The stamp marked his contribution to the Live Aid charity concert in 1985.

[Koala]

1948 Klaus Meine, The Scorpions is born.

1963 The Beach Boys score their first Top Ten hit with "Surfin' USA," Brian Wilson's reworking of Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen."

1968 Simon and Garfunkel scored their second US No.1 album with 'Bookends'

1974 Sweet hits #27 in the UK with 'Sweet Fanny Adams'.

1975 Rick Wakeman of Yes releases solo effort 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth'. It peaks at #3 in the US

1985 Dire Straits scored their second UK No.1 album with 'Brothers In Arms', also No.1 in the US and 24 other countries. It went on to sell over 20 million copies worldwide.

1995 The earliest known recording of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, from 1961, was sold at Christies in London for £50,250 ($85,425).

[TimothyBFan]

1948 Klaus Meine, The Scorpions is born.

See the birthday thread! LOVE him!!!

1974 Sweet hits #27 in the UK with 'Sweet Fanny Adams'.

Oh Yeah!!!! One of the best!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hle-gRxI3nQ[/ame]

[Koala]

1948 Stevie Nicks is born.

1964 Lenny Kravitz is born.

1964 Marianne Faithful recorded the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards song ‘As Tears Go By’, accompanied by future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass.

1968 Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) was a hit.

1969 John and Yoko began an eight-day 'bed in', in room 1742 of The Hotel La Reine Elizabeth, Montreal, Canada, to promote world peace. They recorded ‘Give Peace a Chance’ in the hotel room (Petula Clark can be heard on the chorus). The song was credited to Lennon & McCartney, even though Paul had nothing to do with the record.

1973 The Edgar Winter Group went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Frankenstein', the bands only US No.1, it reached No.18 in the UK. The group featured ex McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer.

1974 Tragedy struck at a David Cassidy concert at London's White City when over 1,000 fans had to be treated by first aid workers due to the frenzied excitement. One fan Bernadette Whelan died from heart failure four days later.

1990 for the first time ever the Top five positions on the US singles chart were held by female artists; Madonna was at No.1 with 'Vogue', Heart were at No.2, Sinead O'Connor No.3, Wilson Phillips at No.4 and Janet Jackson was at No.5

1994 Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley. The couple divorced in 1995.

1996 A fire at the home of Eric Clapton caused over one and a half million pounds worth of damage; Firemen arrived on the scene to find Clapton braving the blaze to save his collection of guitars.

[TimothyBFan]

1969 John and Yoko began an eight-day 'bed in', in room 1742 of The Hotel La Reine Elizabeth, Montreal, Canada, to promote world peace.

Still say I want to have a 'bed in' with a rock n roll star. Not picky about which one, really!

1974 Tragedy struck at a David Cassidy concert at London's White City when over 1,000 fans had to be treated by first aid workers due to the frenzied excitement. One fan Bernadette Whelan died from heart failure four days later.

I don't remember this. How sad!! I was 11 and knew he was going to wait for me to turn 18 so we could marry and live happily ever after.

1994 Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley. The couple divorced in 1995.

YUCK!!!!

1996 A fire at the home of Eric Clapton caused over one and a half million pounds worth of damage; Firemen arrived on the scene to find Clapton braving the blaze to save his collection of guitars.

Gosh, I remember how horrible this all was. I felt so sorry for him!! I could just picture him trying to save these priceless, collectible guitars.

[luvthelighthouse]

Hard to believe Stevie is 63. That just blows my mind.

Couldn't you just see the firefighters trying to pull Clapton away for his own safety?

[Brooke]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVIE!

The rock n' roll queen! We love ya!

[Koala]

1964 Eleven boys were suspended from a school in Coventry, England for having Mick Jagger haircuts.

1969 Only five months after his debut album, Neil Young releases 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere,' the first of many with Crazy Horse.

1977 The Sex Pistols single 'God Save The Queen' was released in the UK. Banned by TV and radio, high street shops and pressing plant workers refused to handle the record. It sold 200,000 copies in one week and peaked at No.2 on the UK charts.

1983 The Smiths were at No.1 on the UK independent chart with their debut single 'Hand In Glove.'
　
1988 The Rascals re-form, minus Eddie Brigati, for a "Good Lovin' '88" tour and perform at Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.

1989 Cliff Richard released his one hundredth single, 'The Best Of Me', which became his 26th Top 3 UK hit.
　
1996 'Broken Arrow,' which reunites Neil Young with Crazy Horse, is released.

2005 Robbie Williams was voted into first place beating Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie to be named the best live solo artist. A UK nation-wide survey of 5,000 people saw the former Take That star beat music icons including Madonna, Michael Jackson and Bob Dylan. U2 were named best live band, ahead of Queen and Oasis, in a poll by Carling to celebrate the UK's live music scene.

2008 Sir Paul McCartney was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Yale University in the United States. Yale's president, Richard Levin, said; The former Beatle had awakened a generation, giving a fresh sound to rock and roll and to rhythm and blues. A band played Hey Jude as Sir Paul, 65, walked on stage to accept his degree.

2010 Dozens of AC/DC fans needed treatment after complaining of burning eyes during a concert on the runway of Wels Airport, Wels, Austria. Around 150 fans had to be treated. Doctors found that the fans showed allergic reactions to bark mulch spread at the venue – the runway of Wels Airport – to avoid the soil getting too muddy after hours of massive rainfall.
　

[Koala]

1945 John Fogerty is born.

1966 Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'What Now My Love', setting a new American record with four albums in the US Top Ten. The other three were; ‘South of the Border’, ‘Going Places’ and ‘Whipped Cream and Other Delights’.

1966 Percy Sledge started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'When A Man Loves A Woman'. A No.4 hit on the UK chart and No.2 when re-issued in 1987.

1977 Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers played together for the first time when they performed as part of Mike Howletts band, Strontium 90 in Paris France.

1977 Heart, Steve Miller, The Eagles and Foreigner all appeared at the Oakland-Alameda County Stadium in California.

1983 Actress and singer Irene Cara started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Flashdance...What A Feeling'. Taken from the film 'Flashdance', a No.2 hit in the UK. Cara had also appeared in TV's 'Roots' and 'The Next Generation'.

1983 The four day US Festival '83' took place in California, featuring The Clash, U2, David Bowie, The Pretenders, Van Halen, Stray Cats, Men At Work, Judas Priest, Stevie Nicks, Willie Nelson. INXS, Joe Walsh, Motley Crue and Ozzy Osbourne. Over 750,000 fans attended the festival.

[Koala]

1942 Bing Crosby recorded the Irving Berlin song ‘White Christmas’. It went on to become the biggest-selling single of all time with sales of over 30 million. (It was overtaken by the 1997 Elton John version of ‘Candle In The Wind’.)

1965 Bob Dylan's album 'Bringing It All Back Home' was at No.1 on the UK charts, his second UK No.1 album.

1967 The Move, Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, Zoot Money, Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band all appeared at the Tulip Bulb Auction Hall in Spalding, Lincoln, England. Pink Floyd were only a support band and played in a corner of the shed with a white sheet behind them with the coloured oil shining onto it. Tickets cost £1 ($1.70). The poster advertising the show promised a Knockout Atmosphere.

1971 Three dozen Grateful Dead fans were treated for hallucinations caused by LSD after they unwittingly drank spiked apple juice served at a gig at San Francisco's Winterland.

2001 The Eagles made their first ever visit to Russia when they appeared at SC Olymisky in Moscow.