Birthdays
1934: Don Kirshner (Music Producer)
1943: Roy Estrada (Bass for Frank Zappa band)
1948: Jan Hammer (Keyboard for Mahavishnu Orchestra)
1954: Michael Sembello (Guitarist & Singer)
1955: Pete Shelley (Guitar & Vocals for The Buzzcocks)
1964: Maynard James Keenan (Singer for Tool, A Perfect Circle)
1967: Matt Chamberlain (Session drummer)
1967: Liz Phair (Singer & Guitarist)
1970: Redman (Rapper)
1974: Victoria Adams (Posh Spice in The Spice Girls)
Events
1960: Touring in the UK, 21-year-old US singer Eddie Cochran was killed when the taxi he was traveling in crashed into a lamppost on Rowden Hill, Chippenham, Wiltshire, (where a plaque now commemorates the event). Songwriter Sharon Sheeley and singer Gene Vincent survived the crash, Cochran's current hit at the time was 'Three Steps to Heaven'. The taxi driver, George Martin, was convicted of dangerous driving, fined $100, disqualified from driving for 15 years, and sent to prison for six months.
1964: The FBI lab reported that it could not determine the lyrics to "Louie Louie."
1964: Them (Van Morrison’s First Band) made their first concert appearance.
1965: Paul McCartney spent the day shopping for furniture in Portobello Road, London disguised in a cloth cap, moustache, glasses and overcoat.
1969: The Band played its first concert as an independent group.
1970: Johnny Cash played at the White House for President Nixon, who requested that he played 'A Boy Named Sue.'
1970: Paul McCartney's 1st solo album "McCartney" is released.
1971: All four Beatles had solo singles in the UK charts, Paul McCartney with 'Another Day', John Lennon, 'Power To The People', George Harrison, 'My Sweet Lord' and Ringo Starr, 'It Don't Come Easy.'
1971: Three Dog Night started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Joy To The World'. The group's second US No.1.
1972: Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) Girlfriend Anita Pallenberg gave birth to their second child, daughter Dandelion.
1973: Pink Floyd's album 'The Dark Side of the Moon' went gold in the US. The LP went on to stay in the US chart for more than ten years and become the longest charting rock record of all time.
1973: Tito and John Jackson from The Jackson Five were arrested for buying stolen TV and stereo equipment.
1974: Vinnie Taylor (guitarist with US rock 'n roll revival band Sha Na Na) was found dead in a Holiday Inn hotel room in Charlottesville, Virginia from a drug overdose.
1975: Elvis Presley bought a Convair 880 Jet formally owned by Delta Airlines for $250,000, which he re-christened Lisa Marie. Presley spent a further $600,000 refurbishing the Jet to include personal quarters, a meeting area and a dance floor.
1983: Felix Pappalardi, producer and bass player with American rock band Mountain was shot dead by his wife Gail Collins during a jealous rage. Collins was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and sentenced to four years in prison.
1987: Reggae drummer and percussion player Carlton Barrett of The Wailers was shot dead outside his house in Kingston, Jamaica. He Joined Bob Marley and The Wailers in 1970, wrote the Marley song ‘War.’ Barrett was the originator of the one-drop rhythm, a percussive drumming style.
1991: Nirvana appeared at the OK Hotel in Seattle, Washington, where they played a new song, ‘Smell’s Like Teen Spirit’ live for the first time.
1993: Former Bangles leader Susanna Hoffs married screenwriter M. Jay Roach in Los Angeles.
1998: Linda McCartney died after a long battle against cancer. She Married Paul McCartney in 1969 when she was working as a photographer.
2002: Music weekly The NME published a list of the 50 most influential icons. At No.10, Public Enemy, 9, U2, 8, The Jam, 7, Radiohead, 6, Oasis, 5, The Sex Pistols, 4, David Bowie, 3, The Stone Roses, 2, The Beatles and No.1 The Smiths.
2003: Earl King the New Orleans Blues guitarist died aged 69.
2004: Kurt Cobain's Mark IV-style Mosrite Gospel guitar sold for $100,000 at the Icons of 20th Century Music auction held in Dallas, Texas. Other items sold included Elton John and Bernie Taupin's song writing piano which sold for $140,000 and a 1966 Rickenbacker guitar owned by The Byrds Roger McGuinn's sold for $99,000.
2007: Bryan Ferry was forced to make an apology after praising Nazi iconography in a German magazine. Talking to Welt am Sonntag, he said the Nazis "knew how to put themselves in the limelight and present themselves...I'm talking about the films of Leni Riefenstahl and the buildings of Albert Speer and the mass marches and the flags. Just amazing - really beautiful." British MPs asked shoppers to think twice about shopping in Marks and Spencer asking for Ferry to be dropped as the face of the M&S Autograph menswear collection. Ferry said he was "deeply upset" by the publicity surrounding the interview.
2008: Danny Federici, the longtime keyboard player for Bruce Springsteen and a member of The E Street Band, died of cancer at the age of 58. Federici had worked with Springsteen for over 40 years, starting with Steel Mill and Child with Springsteen.
2009: Morrissey walked off stage during his set at the Coachella festival in California after declaring he could "smell burning flesh". The committed vegetarian took offence to the smell coming from nearby barbecues. Sir Paul McCartney, The Killers and The Cure also appeared at the event.
