Birthdays:
Barbara Love - Friends Of Distinction (1941)
Jim Armstrong - Them (1944)
Alan Whitehead - Marmalade (1947)
Larry Gott - James (1957)
Robbie Grey - Modern English (1957)
Gary Cherone - Extreme, Van Halen (1961)
Jennifer Lopez (1970)
Mecca - Digable Planets (1973)
They Are Missed:
Nervous Norvus ("Transfusion"-- his real name was Jimmy Drake) died of liver failure in 1968.
Bobby Ramirez, drummer with Edger Winters White Trash, was killed in 1972 after becoming involved in a brawl in a Chicago bar. The fight started after comments were made about the length of his hair.
Born on this day in 1942, Heinz Burt, bass, The Tornadoes. The first major hit from a UK act on the American chart. He died on 7th April 2000.
In 2003, Ozzy Osbournes long-standing tour manager, Bobby Thompson, was found dead in his Detroit hotel room. Thompson had been battling throat cancer.
In 2005, Bad Beat singer Patrick Sherry died after a stage dive went wrong during a gig at the Warehouse in Leeds, England. Sherry lept towards the crowd at the end of the bands set and tried to grab a lighting rig from the ceiling but missed and hit the floor.
History:
The Ventures’ instrumental “Walk Don’t Run” hit the charts in 1960.
A riot brook out during a Rolling Stones gig at The Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1964 after Keith Richards aims a kick at a yob who was spitting at the group. Two policemen and 30 fans were injured and the damage is estimated at over £4,000.
The Byrds were at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1965 with their version of the Bob Dylan song "Mr Tambourine Man." The first Bob Dylan song to reach #1.
The Beach Boys' "California Girls" was released in 1965.
The Elvis Presley movie "Double Trouble" premiered in 1967.
In 1967, all four Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein signed a petition printed in The Times newspaper calling for the legalisation of marijuana.
Also in 1967, the Beatles meet Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whose lecture on Transcendental Meditation (TM) they had gone to hear at the Hilton Hotel in London. TM involved the silent repetition of a word or sound to produce a state of mind that reduces stress, calms the mind, and energizes both mind and body. The Maharishi invited The Beatles to travel with him to Bangor, in North Wales, to attend more lectures. They accepted his invitation.
Jefferson Airplane’s second album, the classic “Surrealistic Pillow” went gold in 1967. The record contains two Airplane classics “White Rabbit” and “Somebody To Love.” Both songs were originally recorded by singer Grace Slick’s previous band, The Great Society. Good idea to bring her on board.
In 1969, Paul McCartney recorded a demo of his new song "Come and Get It" at Abbey Road studios in London. McCartney gave the song to The Iveys, (soon to become known as Badfinger). The song was later used as the theme for the movie 'The Magic Christian.' The Beatles also recorded "Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard" for their forthcoming Abbey Road album.
Paul Revere and the Raiders went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1971 with "Indian Reservation."
Hall & Oates' "She's Gone" was released in 1976.
Thin Lizzy’s classic, and biggest hit, "The Boys Are Back In Town," peaked at #12 in the US in 1976.
The Manhattans started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1976 with "Kiss And Say Goodbye," the group's only US #1.
In 1976, Elton John scored his first UK number 1 single with "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," a duet with Kiki Dee. It was written by Elton John without Bernie Taupin under the pseudonym "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche" and was Elton's first UK #1 after 16 Top 40 hits. John had met Dee when she was working as a backing singer. John would later re-record the song with RuPaul for his 1993, Duets album.
In 1978, the Robert Stigwood film 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', was released, featuring The Bee Gees and Peter Frampton.
Survivor started a six week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1982 with "Eye Of The Tiger," taken from the film 'Rocky III'. Also #1 in the UK. Survivor won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance for the song.
The Ritchie Valens biographical movie "La Bamba" opened nationwide in 1987.
Pantera released "Cowboys From Hell" in 1990. It was their first major label release.
Also in 1990 - A wrongful death trial involving Judas Priest opened in Reno, NV. Parents had charged in a lawsuit that the band's "Stained Class" album contained subliminal messages that drove two teen-agers to attempt suicide. The judge cleared the group.
U2 started a two-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1993 with 'Zooropa' the Irish bands fourth US #1.
UB40 started a seven week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1993 with "Can't Help Falling In Love." Elvis Presley had the first hit with the song, in 1961, Corey Hart was next up with a top 30 hit in 1987, and Hall and Oates recorded the song for 1990’s, The Last Temptation of Elvis charity album. UB40 originally covered the song for the Honeymoon in Vegas soundtrack, but Bono’s version was chosen instead.
A three-night celebration of Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday began at Carnegie Hall in 1995.
Woodstock ’99 in Rome, NY. Fire, rain and riots – in other words, a disaster. Limp Bizkit, Rage Against The Machine, Dave Matthews Band, Metallica and Counting Crows provide the soundtrack for the destruction.
Jimmy Eat World deliver their self-titled debut album in 2001.
In 2002, a garden centre was sued over claims it killed a collection of the late singer Freddie Mercury's prized koi fish. Mercury's former partner, Mary Austin who inherited the Japanese koi collection claimed 84 fish died when the electricity powering a temporary pond was accidentally turned off by a worker from Clifton Nurseries, of Maida Vale, West London. At the time of Mercury's death he had amassed one of the best collections of the fish in the UK. One koi can be worth £250,000.
Ex-Jane`s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro appeared on FOX`s "America`s Most Wanted" in 2004. He discussed how the show helped catch his mother's murderer. Caroline Navarro was shot in '83 and her killer was apprehended 13 years later on a tip from a viewer.
In 2007, Beyonce tripped down twelve stairs while performing "Ring the Alarm" on tour in Orlando, Florida. Video from the night of the concert captured her stepping on her trench coat and then tumbling head-first down twelve steps at the Amway Arena appeared within hours on YouTube.
In 2008, Rapper 50 Cent sued Taco Bell, claiming the fast food chain used his name and image without permission in an advertising campaign. New York court papers say the advertisement featured the star being encouraged to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent. The rapper was accusing the chain of ‘diluting the value of his good name.' The advertisement is part of Taco Bell's ‘Why Pay More?’ campaign, which promoted items for under a dollar.
In 2009, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan fronts a one-off outfit called Spirit In The Sky at a Los Angeles remembrance of the late Sky Saxon, lead singer for the 60’s Garage Rock band the Seeds ("Pushin’ Too Hard"). It’s Corgan’s first public performance with Pumpkins drummer Mike Bryne - who replaced Jimmy Chamberlin.