Today in Rock n' Roll History

[Topkat]

Simon & Garfunkel reunited for the 25th Anniversary of the R&R HOF Concert in 2009. They gave a mesmerizing performance of Bridge Over Troubled Waters that blew me away. Wow Garfunkel! Still amazing after all these years. The entire set was just beautiful..

http://youtu.be/mXPEjY3gcC4

[Koala]

1967 Pink Floyd record their first single, "Arnold Layne," at Sound Techniques Studio in London. It reaches #20 on the British singles chart.

1971 1971, Five months after her death, Janis Joplin started a nine-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Pearl.'

1993 After 14 weeks at No.1 on the US singles chart, 'I Will Always Love You', gave Whitney Houston the longest ever US chart topper, taking over from Boyz II Men's hit 'End Of The Road', and became the second biggest selling single in the US.

2004 A worker in a supermarket in Aspen, Colorado alerted the police-after seeing a man shopping with his face covered by a mask. Police arrived on the scene and identified the man as Michael Jackson who was in town on holiday with his children.

[Koala]

1942 Brian Jones was born.

1969 The Band makes its live debut at the Winterland in San Francisco.

1970 In an interview with the New Musical Express, Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green talked about his plans to give all his money away. The following year Green confronted his accountant with a gun after he sent him an unwanted royalty check. The guitarist went to jail briefly before being transferred to an asylum and was committed to a mental hospital in 1973. He re- launched his career in the 90's.

1970 Simon and Garfunkel started a six week run at the top of the US singles chart with 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', also No.1 in the UK in March the same year.

1977 Ray Charles was attacked by a member of his audience who tried to strangle him with a rope.

1984 Michael Jackson won a record seven Grammy awards including: Album of the year for 'Thriller'; Record of the year and Best rock vocal performance for 'Beat It'; Best pop vocal performance, Best R&B performance and Best R&B song for 'Billie Jean', and Best Recording For Children for E.T The Extra Terrestrial.

1994 Eric Clapton played his 100th performance at London's Royal Albert Hall, in aid of the 'Children In Crisis', charity.

[sodascouts]

1970 In an interview with the New Musical Express, Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green talked about his plans to give all his money away. The following year Green confronted his accountant with a gun after he sent him an unwanted royalty check. The guitarist went to jail briefly before being transferred to an asylum and was committed to a mental hospital in 1973. He re- launched his career in the 90's.

Poor Peter Green. He is plagued by mental problems to this day.

[Koala]

1968 The Beatles 'Sgt Pepper' won album of the year, best cover and best-engineered and recorded album at this years Grammy Awards.

1977 Two members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were knocked unconscious after a scuffle broke out- between the band and members of the metropolitan police boxing team, who were holding a dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

1980 The glasses that Buddy Holly had been wearing when he died were discovered in a police file in Mason, Iowa after being there for over 21 years.

1988 Robert Plant released his fourth solo album, Now And Zen. The album peaked at No. 10 on the UK chart. The tracks Heaven Knows and Tall Cool One featured guitarist Jimmy Page.

[Koala]

1944 Roger Daltrey, vocals, The Who, is born.

1944 Mike D'Abo, singer, Manfred Mann, is born.

1958 Nik Kershaw is born.

1958 Buddy Holly played the first of 25 dates on his only UK tour at the Trocadero, Elephant & Castle, London. Also on the bill was Gary Miller, The Tanner Sisters, Des O'Conner, The Montanas, Ronnie Keene & His Orchestra.

1966 Gene Clark of The Byrds announced he was leaving the group due to his fear of flying.

1968 Elton John's first single 'I've Been Loving You To Long' was released on the Phillips label, it didn't chart.

1974 Queen began their first headlining UK tour at The Winter Garden's Blackpool.

1975 The Eagles went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Best Of My Love', the first of five US No.1's for the band. The highest chart position in the UK for the group was No.8 with the 1977 single 'Hotel California.'

1994 Nirvana played their final ever concert when they appeared at The Terminal Einz in Munich, Germany. The 3,000 capacity venue was a small Airport Hanger. The power went off during the show so they played an impromptu acoustic set including a version of The Cars 'My Best Friend's Girl.'

[Windeagle]

1975 The Eagles went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Best Of My Love', the first of five US No.1's for the band. The highest chart position in the UK for the group was No.8 with the 1977 single 'Hotel California.'

Wow. I remember that. It was my favorite song at the time and I remember being excited that it hit #1 on the week of my birthday. I was 11.

[Koala]

1943 Lou Reed is born.

1961 The Everly Brothers had their third UK No.1 single with 'Walk Right Back' a song written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets.


1964 The Beatles began filming what would become their first feature film 'A Hard Days Night' at Marylebone train station in London.

1983 A new digital audio system, a five-inch compact disc containing up to 1 hour of music was launched by Sony, Philips and Polygram.

1985 Phil Collins started a five-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with his third solo LP 'No Jacket Required'.

1985 The Smiths were at No.1 on the UK indie charts with 'How Soon Is Now.' Soho had a No.8 UK hit with 'Hippy Chick.' a song based on a guitar sample from the song.

1999 Dusty Springfield dies of breast cancer on the day she was scheduled to receive the Order of the British Empire (OBE) from the queen of England and two weeks before her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2009 Liverpool University launched a Masters degree on The Beatles, popular music and society. Liverpool Hope University claimed the course which looked at the studio sound and compositions of The Beatles was the first of its kind in the UK and "probably the world".

[Koala]

1955 Elvis Presley made his TV debut when he appeared on the weekend show 'Louisiana Hayride' on KWKH TV, broadcast from Shreveport Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana.

1963 Country singer Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash at Dyersburg, Virginia, along with The Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. They were traveling to Nashville to appear at a benefit concert for DJ 'Cactus' Jack Call, who'd died in a car crash. Cline was the first country singer to cross over as a pop artist. Two days later Country singer, Jack Anglin was killed in a car crash on his way to Cline's funeral.

1971 Led Zeppelin started a 12-date 'Thank You' tour for British fans, appearing at the clubs from their early days and charging the same admission prices as in 1968. The first show was at The Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland where they played songs from their upcoming fourth album, including the first public performances of 'Black Dog', 'Stairway To Heaven', 'Going To California' and 'Rock And Roll'.

1977 Barbra Streisand started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Love Theme From A Star Is Born’, her second US No.1. It made No.3 in the UK. The Eagles were at No.2 with ‘New Kid In Town’ and The Steve Miller Band was at No.3 with ‘Fly Like An Eagle’.

1982 Actor and singer John Belushi died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin. Belushi was one of the original cast members on US TV's Saturday Night Live, played Joliet 'Jake' Blues in The Blues Brothers and also appeared in the film Animal House. His tombstone reads "I may be gone, but rock n roll lives on."

1983 Michael Jackson started a seven week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Billie Jean', his fourth solo US No.1, also No.1 in the UK. And on this day Jacksons album 'Thriller' went to No.1 for the first time on the UK album chart, it went on to become the biggest selling album of all time with sales over 50 million.

2007 Records by the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon were chosen for preservation by the US Library of Congress. The Stones' Satisfaction and Paul Simon's Graceland album entered the National Recordings Registry, which preserves historic works for future generations. Other recordings chosen this year included Carl Perkins' Blue Suede Shoes, Be My Baby by The Ronettes, A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke and the eponymous album The Velvet Underground and Nico.

[Koala]

1962 The Beatles recorded their first radio appearance, at the Playhouse Theatre, Hulme, Manchester, for the BBC radio program Teenager's Turn - Here We Go'. After a rehearsal, the Beatles put on suits for the first time and, along with the other artists appearing on the program, record the show in front of a teenage audience.

1965 During a Rolling Stones gig at The Palace Theatre in Manchester, England a female fan fell from the circle while the group were playing. The crowd below broke her fall and the girl escaped serious injury just breaking a few teeth.

1970 Simon and Garfunkels album 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' started a ten week run at No.1 on the US chart. The duo had split-up by the time of release.

1976 Elton John was immortalised in wax at Madame Tussauds in London. The first rock star to be so since The Beatles.

2004 The Smiths song 'I Know It's Over' topped a poll of tunes, which people turn to when they are miserable in 'The Songs That Saved Your Life' poll by BBC radio station 6 Music. REM's 'Everybody Hurts' and Radiohead's 'Fake Plastic Trees' also made the Top 10.