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Today in Rock History – October 18

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Animals-19641964, The Animals kicked off their first headlining UK tour at the ABC in Manchester with Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent and The Nashville Teens supporting.

1964, Taking a day off from their British tour The Beatles go into the studio and complete the recording of six album tracks and the A-side of their next single, “I Feel Fine.” They also complete “Eight Days a Week,” “Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey,” “Mr. Moonlight,” “I’ll Follow the Sun,” “Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby,” “Rock and Roll Music,” and “Words of Love.”

1966, The Jimi Hendrix Experience played their first gig as a band supporting French pop star Johnny Hallyday at the Paris Olympia in France.

1967, John Lennon stars as Private Gripweed in Richard Lester’s film How I Won the War, which opens at London’s Premiere Theatre.

1967, The Bee Gees were at number one on the UK singles chart with “Massachusetts.” It was the group’s first of five UK chart toppers. Engelbert Humperdink was at number two with “The Last Waltz,” and Traffic were third with “Hole In My Shoe.”

1968, John and Yoko were taken to Paddington Green police station and charged with obstruction, after cannabis was discovered at the apartment they were staying in. Lennon pleaded guilty the following month and was fined £150 ($240.)

1968, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Marquee Club in London. By contractual agreement they were billed at the New Yardbirds. They received 50% of the gross ticket sales, less £15 ($24) to pay for the support act, The Bakerloo Blues Line.

1968, Its a Beautiful Day and The Youngbloods perform at Terrace Ballroom in Salt Lake City, Utah.

1969, The Temptations scored their second US number one single with “Can’t Get Next To You,” a number 13 hit in the UK.

1969, Pink Floyd appeared at University College, London.

1969, Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner is arrested for marijuana possession in Hawaii.

1969, Led Zeppelin, along with Lee Michaels, and the Magic Veil Light Show, performed at the Detroit Olympia in Detroit, Michigan. The “Old Red Barn” was home to the Red Wings hockey club from 1927 until 1979.

1969, BB King, Albert King, and Santana appeared at The Kinetic Playground in Chicago.

the-who-19711970, The Who performed at the Odeon, Lewisham, England, having taken a week break due to Roger Daltrey’s bout with bronchitis.

1971, King Crimson appeared at De Montford Hall, Leicester, England.

1972, The Grateful Dead played at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri.

1974, Rush and KISS performed at the Parthenon Theatre, Hammond, Indiana.

 1975, For the second episode of Saturday Night Live, the musical guests are Simon & Garfunkel, temporarily reunited for this TV appearance.

1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd played at the Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, Florida.

1978, Bob Dylan performed at the Chicago Stadium, Chicago.

1979, Buggles were at number one on the UK singles chart with “Video Killed The Radio Star.” The Buggles were a studio band featuring producer Trevor Horn. Famously, it was the first ever music video shown on MTV.

1980, The third single from Pete Townhend’s solo album Empty Glass, “A Little Is Enough” backed with “Cats In The Cupboard,” peaks at number 72 in the U.S. Billboard charts. It reaches number 89 in Cash Box.

1985, Who bassist John Entwistle and his mansion Quarwood are featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The show contains footage of John playing with the first lineup of his solo band “The Rock”.

1986, Huey Lewis and the News went to number one on the US album chart with Fore!

1989, During a gig at The Los Angeles Coliseum, California, opening for the Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses front man Axl Rose announced that this would be the last Guns N’ Roses concert, unless the band members “got their shit together.” He was referring to their use of heroin. He later wrote a song about a heroin dealer, “Mr. Brownstone.”

1990, Pete Townshend performs part of his musical The Iron Man on German television.

2000, American singer and actress Julie London died after suffering a stroke. She notched the 1956 US number nine and UK number 22 single “Cry Me A River,” which was also featured in the 1956 film The Girl Can’t Help It. She recorded 32 albums during her career, and played the role of nurse Dixie McCall, in the television series Emergency!  from 1972 to 1979.

2002, After a 15-year court battle, New York State’s highest court ruled that the Ronettes, did not have the right to share the money earned by their producer Phil Spector through the use of the group’s songs in movies, television and advertising. Citing a 1963 contract signed by the group, the court also substantially reduced the amount they stood to gain from royalties on sales of records and compact discs.

2008, Adele appeared on Saturday Night Live along with then US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The show earned its highest ratings in 14 years with a total of 17 million viewers. Adele who performed “Chasing Pavements” and “Cold Shoulder,” then topped the iTunes charts the following day. Her debut album jumped thirty-five places to number 11 on the US chart the following week.

2013, Paul McCartney gave an impromptu gig in Covent Garden, London to a crowd of more than 2,000 fans during the lunchtime hour. McCartney’s latest solo album New was released in the same week.

Born on October 18: Chuck Berry (1926); Laura Nyro (1946); Gary Richrath, REO Speedwagon, Joe Egan, Stealers Wheel (1949); and Keith Knudson, drummer, The Doobie Brothers (1952)

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Today in Rock History – October 11

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1962, The Beatles made their first appearance on the UK singles chart with “Love Me Do,” which peaked at number four.

1964, The Who performed at Wolsey Hall, Cheshunt, England.

1967, The Doors appeared at Danbury High School, Danbury, Connecticut. Before the group came on stage, an announcer told the audience not to leave their seats during the performance or they would be escorted out of the venue. There was also a beauty pageant just prior to The Doors coming on stage.

1967, The Who performed at the Civic Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

1968, Jimi Hendrix played at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco.

1968, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers appeared at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.

1968, during a Beatles recording session at Abbey Road, six saxophonists recorded parts for “Savoy Truffle” for the forthcoming White Album. George Harrison distorted the saxophones to get the desired sound.

1969, Yes appeared at Newcastle University, Newcastle, England.

1969, One hit wonders Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg were at number one on the UK singles chart with “Je t’aime… Moi non plus.” Banned by many radio stations for its sexual content and sounds, it is the only French language chart topper in the UK.

1970, The Who performed at the Odeon Theatre in Birmingham, West Midlands, England.  Pete Townshend introduces the audience to one of the co-authors of “Dogs, Part Two” and brings his dog Towser on stage.

1971, Pink Floyd played at the Birmingham Town Hall in Birmingham, England.

1971, Kraftwerk performed at Karlsbergsaal, St. Ingbert Saar, Germany.

1972, The Who and opening act Golden Earring appeared at Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany for the  beginning of their European tour. It is the band’s first concert in seven months, their longest time off the stage to that date. The as-yet unreleased songs “Long Live Rock” and “Relay” are premiered.

1972, David Bowie appeared at Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri.

1972, Genesis played at St. Georges Hall, Bradford, England.

1973, The Rolling Stones performed at Grugahalle, Essen, Germany.

1974, John Denver was at number one on the singles chart with “Annie’s Song.” The song was a tribute to his wife and was written in ten minutes while he was on a ski lift.

1975, Neil Sedaka started a three week run at number one on the singles chart with “Bad Blood,” his third number one. The song featured Elton John on backing vocals.

1976, Rush appeared at Memorial Centre, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

grateful-dead-771977, The Grateful Dead performed at Lloyd Noble Center on the campus of the University of Oklahoma.

1978, Black Sabbath played at Stadhalle, Offenbach, Germany.

1980, The Police scored their second UK number one album with Zenyatta Mondatta.

1981, The Rolling Stones performed at the Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California, USA, as part of a 50-date North American tour. 95 fans were arrested after trouble broke out at the venue. The tour became the largest grossing of 1981, with $50 (£31.25) million in ticket sales.

1981, The Kinks performed at the Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, Florida.

1982, Van Halen played at the Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland.

1984, KISS appeared at the Gaumont Theatre, Ipswich, England.

1985, Dire Straits performed at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, New York.

1986, Madonna was at number one on the UK singles chart with the title track from her album True Blue, her third UK chart topper. The title came from a favorite expression of her then husband Sean Penn and was a direct tribute to him

1990, Drummer Dave Grohl played his first gig with Nirvana when they appeared at the North Shore Surf Club in Olympia.

1991, Comedian, singer, and actor Redd Foxx suffered a heart attack during rehearsals for the television series The Royal Family.  He died later that evening at the hospital. Foxx was 68. It was an ironic end to man whose character on Sanford and Son often feigned having a heart attack.

1991, Apple Computers settled a lawsuit launched by The Beatles’ record company, Apple Corporation, over the name and logo rights. The computer company reportedly paid $29 million to settle the suit.

1997, The Verve started a four-week run at number one on the UK album chart with their third album Urban Hymns. The band’s best-selling release features “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” and “The Drugs Don’t Work.”

1999, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee was released on $5000 (£3,125) bail after facing charges relating to a riot at a gig in North Carolina in 1997. Lee allegedly incited the crowd to attack a guard and had also poured a drink over his head.

2005, Freddie Mercury’s 1974 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow was offered for auction on eBay by his sister, Kashmira Cooke, who had inherited the car from him. The luxury vehicle had not appeared in public since 2002, when it had been used to transport the Bulsara family to the premiere of the Queen stage musical We Will Rock You. It came with a box of Kleenex Mansize tissues left in the car by Freddie.

2009, Barbra Streisand went to number one on the US album charts with Love Is the Answer. Streisand’s ninth number one album, making her the only artist to achieve that feat in America in five different decades.

2012, The Rolling Stones’ new single “Doom And Gloom”, was released, the first new studio recordings since 2005’s A Bigger Bang. “Doom And Gloom” was the lead single from the band’s most recent greatest hits collection, GRRR!

Born on October 11: Gary Mallaber, drums, Steve Miller Band (1946); Daryl Hall (1949); Andrew Woolfolk, sax, Earth Wind and Fire (1950); and Blair Cunningham, drums, Haircut 100 (1957); Scott Johnson, Gin Blossoms (1962); Alexander Hacke,  singer, guitarist, Einstürzende Neubauten (1965); Petra Hayden, The Decembrists (1971); Mike Smith, guitarist, Limp Bizkit (1971)

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Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – The Jukebox Series #48– Argent: “Hold Your Head Up” b/w “God Gave Rock And Roll To You” – Epic Memory Lane Series 45 15-2332 (Q5/R5)

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argentholdyourheadup45argentgodgaverockandrolltoyou45

Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – The Jukebox Series #48– Argent: “Hold Your Head Up” b/w “God Gave Rock And Roll To You” – Epic Memory Lane Series 45 15-2332 (Q5/R5)

“The Jukebox Series” focuses on the 80 records that inhabit my 1963 Seeburg LPC1 jukebox. I’ve had my jukebox (or as I like to call it “the prehistoric iPod”) for a little over twelve years and in that time I’d like to think that I’ve perfected the mix of 45s within.

When the British Invasion band The Zombies disintegrated in 1969 before the posthumous release of their biggest hit single “Time Of The Season,” keyboardist Rod Argent formed the band Argent with Jim Rodford on bass, Bob Henrit on drums and Russ Ballard on guitar. (The latter two musicians were members of the group Unit 4+2, the subject of The Jukebox Series #33.)

While The Zombies’ music consisted of finely tuned ear worms that were designed to climb up the charts and go directly into the hearts of music fans around the world, Argent’s music was a far more difficult mix of jazz, prog rock and classical influences. While the group’s first two albums didn’t make any significant waves on the single or album charts, the song “Liar” from their debut became a top ten hit by Three Dog Night.

Today’s jukebox classic is the song Argent is best known for. “Hold Your Head Up” was written by Rod Argent and Chris White (who also wrote songs for The Zombies) and was released on their third album All Together Now which was released in 1972. The heavily edited single version of the song (from 6:15 on the album down to 3:15 for the single) sold over a million copies and climbed to the #5 spot of the U.S. and UK pop charts. (For our purposes, I’ve included an audio clip of the far superior unedited version of the song.)

With its propulsive beat, layered vocal harmonies and long sinuous organ solo, the song grabbed hold of the AM charts in 1972, and fit in perfectly alongside tracks by Yes, Genesis and Jethro Tull on the FM radio playlists of the early 1970s. Over the years, the song has been covered by the likes of Steppenwolf, Uriah Heap and the 1980s hard rock band Mr. Big.

The flip of today’s single is “God Gave Rock And Roll To You” which is probably best known by the covers it spawned by KISS and the Christian rock band Petra. The song was actually recorded during sessions for Argent’s All Together Now album but was not released as a single until it appeared on their 1973 album In Deep.

The KISS cover of the song (titled “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You II”) was featured in the 1991 film Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and its soundtrack album, and later appeared on KISS’ Revenge album.  Petra converted the song into a well-known Christian rock anthem and recorded it twice, once on their 1977 album Come And Join Us, and again on 1984’s Beat The System.

After running its course with little follow up success, Argent broke up in 1976 and Jim Rodford joined The Kinks while Rod Argent began producing albums. The original lineup reformed in 2010 for the High Voltage Festival in London, and these days Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone (of The Zombies) tour under their own names and as The Zombies performing Argent and Zombies hits.

Today in Rock History – September 19th

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1969, Creedence Clearwater Revival scored their only number one single with “Bad Moon Rising” Also on this day the group started a four-week run at number one on the album chart with Green River.

1969, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performed at the Fillmore East in New York.

1969, Child, featuring Bruce Springsteen played the first of two nights at the Free University, Richmond, Virginia.

1969, Pink Floyd played at the Grote Zaal, De Doelen, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

1970, The first UK Glastonbury Festival took place featuring Marc Bolan, Ian Anderson, Keith Christmas, Quintessence, Amazing Blondel and Sam Apple Pie.

1970, Mott the Hoople played at Liverpool Stadium in Liverpool, Merseyside, England.

1970, Diana Ross started a three week run at number one on the US singles chart with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

1970, The Stooges,  MC, and  Alice Cooper appeared at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1971, The Allman Brothers Band performed at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York.

1972, Badfinger appeared at Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York.

1973, Genesis played at The Olympia Theatre, Paris.

1973, Country rock singer, songwriter 26-year-old Gram Parsons, formerly of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, died under mysterious conditions in Joshua Tree, California. His death was attributed to heart failure but later was officially announced as a drug overdose. His coffin was stolen by two of his associates, manager Phil Kaufman and Michael Martin, a former roadie for The Byrds, and was taken to Cap Rock in Joshua Tree National Park in California, where it was set alight, in accordance to Parson’s wishes. The two were later arrested by police. Since there was no law against stealing a dead body, they were only fined $750 (£469) for stealing the coffin and were not prosecuted for leaving his charred remains in the desert. Parsons’s body was eventually buried in Garden of Memories Cemetery in Metairie, Louisiana.

1973, The Rolling Stones perform at the Odeon Theatre, Birmingham, England.

1974, KISS appeared at the Electric Ballroom, Atlanta, Georgia.

1975, Queen signed a management deal with Elton John’s manager John Reid.

1976,  Readers of The New York Times open their papers today to discover a full-page ad placed by promoter Sid Bernstein asking the Beatles to reunite. Bernstein had organized the Beatles shows at Shea Stadium in the mid-’60s. But his intentions are honorable. He asks the band to do it as a “symbol of hope.”

1977, Rush play at the Paramount Theatre, Portland, Maine.

1978, Neil Young performs at Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, Michigan.

1979, The No Nukes concert was held at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Performers included Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Poco, Tom Petty, Carly Simon, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen.

1980, Rush appeared at the Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, Florida.

1981, Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York’s Central Park. Over 400,000 fans attend the show. The performance was recorded for a record and video release.

1981, The Rolling Stones album Tattoo You started a nine-week run at number one on the US chart, the band’s ninth chart topper.

1982, Blue Oyster Cult appeared at the Allentown Fairgrounds, Allentown , Pennsylvania.

1985, Bruce Springsteen performed at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, California.

1987, The Grateful Dead performed at Madison Square Garden, New York.

1992, Radiohead filmed the video for their new single “Creep” during a show at the Venue, in Oxford, England.

1993, Pearl Jam released their second studio album Vs. The album set the record for the most copies of an album sold in its first week, a record it held for five years, despite the fact that the group declined to produce music videos for any of the album’s singles.

2008, American drummer Earl Palmer died. Worked with The Beach Boys, Little Richard, Frank Sinatra, Ike And Tina Turner, The Monkees, Fats Domino, Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, The Righteous Brothers, Randy Newman, Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Buckley, Little Feat and Elvis Costello.

Born on this day: Brian Epstein, Beatles manager (1934); Paul Williams (1940); Lee Dorman, Iron Butterfly (1941);  Mamma Cass Elliot (1943); David Bromberg (1945); Lol Creme,  10cc,  Godley And Creme (1947); Lesley Hornby aka Twiggy(1949); and Daniel Lanois, producer, singer (1951)

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Today in Rock History – September 18th

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1968,  The Beatles recorded 20 takes of “Birthday” while working at Abbey Road studios on new songs for their forthcoming White Album Roadie Mal Evans added handclaps, and Yoko Ono and Pattie Harrison contributed backing vocals on the track.

1968,  The Doors film a six-song set for Danish Radio Television  at TV-Byen in Gladsaxe, near Copenhagen, Denmark. The program is simply called “The Doors” but it’s come to be known as the Danish Television Special. Curiously, rather than perform “Hello, I Love You” after “Texas Radio” as they had been doing in concert for much of the year, the band chooses instead to perform “Love Me Two Times.” The special was broadcast on October 30, 1968.

1969, King Crimson performed at Penthouse, Scarborough, England.

1970, Jimi Hendrix was pronounced dead on arrival at St. Mary Abbot’s Hospital in London at the age of 27 after choking on his own vomit. Hendrix left the message “I need help bad man,” on his managers answer phone earlier that night. Rumors and conspiracy theories grew up around Hendrix’s death. Eric Burdon claimed Jimi had committed suicide, but that’s contradicted by reports that he was in a good frame of mind. In 2009, a former Animals roadie published a book claiming that Jimi’s manager had admitted to him that he arranged the murder of Hendrix, since the guitarist wanted out of his contract.

1970, Alice Cooper performed at Rainy Daze in Chesterfield, Missouri.

1970, Santana, Country Joe McDonald, and Bread appeared at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah.

1971, The Who scored their first and only number one album with Who’s Next, the bands sixth release, featuring “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”

1971, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio.

1971, Pink Floyd play the first of two nights at the Festival de Musique Classique, at the Pavillion de Montreaux, Montreaux, Switzerland. The show included a performance of “Atom Heart Mother” with members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and choir.

1972, The Who, Mott The Hoople, The Faces and Atomic Rooster all appeared at The Oval, London.

1972, Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull entered the last of it’s 11-week run on the Aussie album charts.

1974, KISS appeared at the Electric Ballroom, Atlanta, Georgia.

1975, The Allman Brothers Band played at The Spectrum, Philadelphia.

1976, One hit wonders Wild Cherry started a three week run at number one on the singles chart with “Play That Funky Music.”

1976, Frampton Comes Alive! is number one in the US for the seventh of ten total weeks during April, July, August, September, and October.

1977, Yes performed at the Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, Washington.

1978, Neil Young and Crazy Horse kicked off a 23 date US tour at Cobo Hall in Detroit promoting the album Comes A Time.

1979, The Who performed at Madison Square Garden, New York.

1980, Yes appeared at the Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1981, Gary Numan took off on a round the world trip in a single engine Cessna plane. The attempt ended after he was forced to land in India, where local police arrested him.

1982, The seven-minute epic by Dire Straits “Private Investigations” went to number two on the UK singles chart, held off by Survivor’s “Eye Of The Tiger” at number one.

1982, Blue Oyster Cult performed at Weedsport Speedway, Syracuse, New York.

1983, Kiss appeared without their make-up for the first time during an interview on MTV.

1987, The Grateful Dead played the third of five nights at Madison Square Garden in New York.

1993, Garth Brooks went to number one on the US album chart with In Pieces. The album spent 25 weeks on the chart and sold over six million copies. The album peaked in the second spot on the UK chart.

1996, At Sotheby’s in London, Julian Lennon successfully bid just over $39,000 (£21,000), for the recording notes for the song Paul McCartney wrote for him, “Hey Jude.” At the same event, John Lennon’s scribbled lyrics to “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite” sold for $103,500, (£57,500).

2006, 73 year old country singer Willie Nelson and four members from his band were charged with drug possession after marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms were found by police on his tour bus. Police had stopped the tour bus near Lafayette, Louisiana.

2009, Leonard Cohen collapsed on stage during a concert in Valencia, Spain and was taken to hospital. He was later discharged after doctors told him he had food poisoning. Cohen was in the middle of singing his song “Bird On The Wire” when he fainted, prompting the band to stop playing and rush to help him.

Born on this day: Jimmie Rodgers (1933);  Frankie Avalon (1939); Alan King, Ace (1946); Kerry Livgren, Kansas (1947); Mike Hossack, drums, The Doobie Brothers (1950); Dee Dee Ramone (1952); and Joanne Catherall, vocals, The Human League (1962)

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Today in Rock History – September 16th

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are you experienced1967, Jimi Hendrix’s debut LP, Are You Experienced? entered the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, where it stayed for 106 weeks, including 77 weeks in the Top 40. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 15 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and two years later it was selected for permanent preservation in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress in the United States.

1967, Working at Abbey Road studios in London The Beatles recorded 11 takes of “Your Mother Should Know,” giving the song a stronger beat, but this version of the song was discarded in favor of the original recording.

1969, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at Mercer University, Macon, Georgia.

1970, Led Zeppelin won “Best Group” in the Melody Maker readers Poll. This was the first time in eight years that The Beatles hadn’t won in that category.

1970, Jimi Hendrix joined Eric Burdon & War onstage to jam with them at Ronnie Scott’s Club in London which would be Hendrix’s final public appearance.

1971, During a North American tour Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at Honolulu Civic Auditorium. Tickets cost $5.00. The Honolulu Star Bulletin wrote, “The real irony of Led Zeppelin’s two hour performance last night was that they played their own review in their last number, “Communication Breakdown.” The show itself was marred by a generally sloppy performance on the part of the group, rather noisy behavior on the part of some of the 4,000 people in attendance, and a hot and sweaty atmosphere on the part of the good old poorly ventilated Civic Auditorium. The music was limp and uneven during all but a small part of the evening.”

1972, Rod Stewart had his second UK No.1 album with Never A Dull Moment.

1972, The Grateful Dead performed at the Music Hall in Boston, Massachusetts.

1972, Three Dog Night scored their third No.1 single with “Black and White.”

1972, Wishbone Ash, Family, Steppenwolf, John Kay Band, Slade, Uriah Heep, Roy Wood and Wizzard, Wild Angels, Glencoe, Sunshine and Cold Comfort Farm all appeared at the Buxton Festival in Derbyshire, England.

1973, Genesis performed at Colston Hall, Bristol, England.

1974, Blue Oyster Cult played at the Paramount Theatre in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Supporting acts were KISS and Rush.

1976, AC/DC appeared at Rhein-Ruhr-Halle, Duisburg, Germany.

Marc Bolan of T. Rex

1977, 29-year-old former T Rex singer Marc Bolan was killed instantly when the car driven by his girlfriend, Gloria Jones, left the road and hit a tree in Barnes, London. Miss Jones broke her jaw in the accident. The couple were on the way to Bolan’s home in Richmond after a night out at a Mayfair restaurant. A local man who witnessed the crash said, “When I arrived a girl was lying on the hood and a man with long dark curly hair was stretched out in the road. There was a hell of a mess.”

1978, Boston went to No.1 on the album chart with Don’t Look Back.

1978, During a UK tour Blondie played two shows at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, with guests The Boyfriends.

1979, The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” was released. While it was not the first single to feature rapping, it is generally considered to be the song that first popularized hip hop in the United States and around the world. The song’s opening lyric “I said a hip, hop, the hippie, the hippie to the hip hip hop,” is world-renowned.

1979, The Who played at Madison Square Garden in New York.

1980, Van Halen appeared at McKale Memorial Center, Tucson, Arizona.

1981, The Kinks performed at Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, Michigan.

1989, U2 jammed with B.B. King on a boat rented for the blues legends 64th birthday in Sydney Harbour, Sydney, Australia.

1996, Pearl Jam played the first night on their No Code tour at the Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. Because of the band’s refusal to play in Ticketmaster’s venue areas, they were forced to use alternate ticketing companies for the shows, which fans complained were to be out-of-the-way and hard to get to.

1998, At a Sotheby’s auction a notebook belonging to former Beatles roadie Mal Evans containing the lyrics to “Hey Jude” sold for £111,500 $178,400,) a two-tone denim jacket belonging to John Lennon went for £9,200 ($14720,) and the Union Jack dress worn by Spice Girl Ginger Spice sold for £41,320 ($66,110.)

2006, Bob Dylan was at No.1 on the US album chart with Modern Times. Entering the U.S. charts at No.1, making it Dylan’s first album to reach that position since 1976’s Desire, 30 years prior. At 65, Dylan became the oldest living musician to top the Billboard albums chart. (85 year-old Tony Bennett broke this record in 2011 with his Duets album). The record also reached number one in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland.

2008, Norman Whitfield died in Los Angeles, California from diabetes and other illnesses. The Motown songwriter and producer collaborated with Barrett Strong on such hits as “I Heard It through the Grapevine,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “(I Know) I’m Losing You,” “Cloud Nine,” “War,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and “Car Wash.”

2009, Mary Travers from Folk trio Peter, Paul And Mary, passed away after suffering from leukemia for several years. She was 72.

2013, A souvenir booklet from the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival signed by Jimi Hendrix fetched $6,500 (£4060) on eBay. The artifact also included autographs from three members of the Mamas and Papas.

Born on this day: B.B. King (1925); Joe Butler, The Lovin Spoonful (1941);  Kenny Jones, Small Faces,  The Who (1941); Bernie Calvert, bass, The Hollies (1942); David Bellamy, Bellamy Brothers (1950); Ron Blair, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1952); Richard Marx, singer, songwriter (1963); and Tramar Lacel Dillard, aka Flo Rida (1979)

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Today in Rock History – August 20

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mccoys1965, The Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham and his partner Tony Calder launched Immediate records. Their first release was The McCoy’s “Hang On Sloopy.” Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Nico  all attended the launch party. The label became the home of The Small Faces, The Nice, Amen Corner and Chris Farlowe and a young producer, guitarist Jimmy Page.

1966, The Beatles, touring America for the last time, were forced to cancel and reschedule their performance in Cincinnati’s open-air stadium, Crosley Field. Heavy rain (and no cover provided) made electrocution a virtual certainty if The Beatles had attempted to perform.

1968, The University of Tennessee reported that a guinea pig subjected to days of rock music played at 120 decibels had suffered acute hearing damage.

1969, After finishing “I Want You, (She’s So Heavy,”) The Beatles worked on the running order for the Abbey Road album. A preliminary master tape was compiled, the medley was originally slated for side one of the album, and the placement of “Octopus’s Garden” and “Oh! Darling” were reversed from the final version. The album was to end with the slashed guitar chord that finishes “I Want You (She’s So Heavy”). This was the last time all four Beatles were together in Abbey Road studios.

1969, Led Zeppelin appeared at The Aerodrome in Schenectady, New York.

1970, Deep Purple performed at the Terrace Ballroom in Salt Lake City, Utah.

1971, On the second night of a North American tour, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Seattle Centre Coliseum, Seattle, Washington.

1971, Ten Years After and Procol Harum appear  at The Forum in Montreal, Quebec.

1972, The Grateful Dead play at the Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California.

1972, Mahavishnu Orchestra appeared at the Montreux Pavillion, Montreux, Switzerland.

1972, David Bowie performed at the Rainbow Theatre in London.

1973, Bruce Springsteen played the first of a seven night run at Oliver’s in Boston, Massachusetts playing two 60-minute sets each night.

1974, REO Speedwagon, Elvin Bishop and the Allman Brothers Band play at Bosse Park in Evansville, Illinois.

1976, Yes performed at the Sports Arena, Toledo, Ohio.

1977, The Emotions started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with “Best Of My Love.” It made it to No.4 in the UK.

1977, Rush plays at the Music Hall, Houston, Texas.

1979, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1980, During a North American tour, Queen appeared at the Civic Centre, Hartford, Connecticut.

1980, John Lennon began recording his final album, ‘Double Fantasy’. It would be released on November 17th by the newly-formed Geffen Records and would win the 1982 Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

1981, Blue Oyster Cult played at Queensway Hall, Dunstable, England.

1982, King Crimson and Roxy Music appeared at Belenenes, Lisbon, Portugal.

1983, Madness, Joan Jett, The Police and R.E.M. all appeared at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.

1986, Rick Allen drummer with Def Leppard made his first live appearance with the band after losing an arm in a car accident, when they appeared at the Monsters Of Rock Festival, Castle Donington, England.

1988, Steve Winwood went to No.1 on the US album chart with his fifth solo album Roll With It. The title cut also topped the US singles charts.

1988, Iron Maiden, Kiss, David Lee Roth, Megadeth, Guns N’ Roses and Helloween all appeared at the Monsters Of Rock Festival, Castle Donington, England. Two rock fans died while slam dancing as Guns N’ Roses played.

1990, Aerosmith appeared at the Marquee Club London. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page joined the band on stage for a blues jam.

1991, Nirvana and Sonic Youth kicked off a joint European tour at Sir Henry’s Pub, Cork, Ireland.

2006, The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at Twickenham Stadium on their A Bigger Bang world tour. Feeder and The Charlatans also appeared.

2007, The funeral of Manchester music mogul and broadcaster, Tony Wilson was held at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Manchester. Peter Hook and Stephen Morris, two members of first Factory signing Joy Division, as well as a later band, New Order, attended along with Happy Mondays front man, Shaun Ryder.

Born on August 20: Jim Reeves, US country singer (1924); Dave Brock, Hawkwind (1941), Isaac Hayes (1942); James Pankow, Trombone, Chicago (1947); Robert Plant (1948); and Phil Lynott Irish singer, songwriter, bass player, Thin Lizzy (1949)

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Today in Rock History – August 17

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The Byrds circa 1965

1965, The Byrds were forced to cancel a concert during their UK tour at The Guildhall, Portsmouth when only 250 of the 4,000 tickets had been sold.

1966, During a North American tour The Beatles played two shows at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada. The attendance for each show was 18,000.

1967, The Who’s manager Kit Lambert was at Columbia Recording Studio in Hollywood, California mixing the mono masters for “Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand” (U.S. single version,) “Summertime Blues,” “Someone’s Coming,” and “Relax.

1967, Herman’s Hermits, Neil Diamond, and The Who performed at Memorial Auditorium in Chatanooga, Tennessee.

1968, Wheels of Fire by Cream enters its second week at number one on the US album charts.

1968, The Who perform at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.

1968, The Rascals (formally the Young Rascals), started a five week run at number one on the singles chart with “People Got To Be Free.” The group had thirteen top 40 hits.

1969, The final day of the three day Woodstock festival took place at Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, New York. Acts who appeared included Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After, John Sebastian, Sha Na Na, Joe Cocker, Country Joe and the Fish, The Band, Ten Years After, Johnny Winter and Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Over 186,000 tickets had been sold but on the first day the flimsy fences and ticket barriers had come down. Organizers announced the concert would be a free event, prompting thousands more to head for the concert. There were two deaths, a teenager was killed by a tractor as he lay in his sleeping bag and another died from a drug overdose.

1969, During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at Oakland Musical Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.

1970, Led Zeppelin performed at the Hampton Roads Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia. The concert was rescheduled from August 10th.

1971, The Allman Brothers Band played at the Boston Commons in Boston, Massachusetts. Duane played “Soul Serenade” on slide guitar in tribute to King Curtis, who died four days earlier.  J. Geils played on “Stormy Monday.” Wet Willie opened.

1972, Deep Purple performs the last of three shows at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo. These recordings were used in the Made in Japan live album.

1973, Former Temptations singer Paul Williams was found dead in his car, after shooting himself. He owed $80,000 in taxes and his celebrity boutique business had failed.

1973, KISS appeared at The Daisy, Amityville, New York.

1974, Eric Clapton started a four-week run at number one on the album chart with 461 Ocean Boulevard

1974, UK group Paper Lace scored their only US number one single with “The Night Chicago Died.” It climbed to the third spot in the UK.

1974, Aerosmith played at the Civic Center, Charleston, West Virginia.

1975, Blue Oyster Cult appeared at the Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland.

1976, Yes performed at Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan.

1977, Rush headlined at RKO Orpheum Theatre, Davenport, Iowa.

1979, The New York Post reported that Anita Pallenberg, the wife of Keith Richards, was linked to a witches coven in South Salem, New York where Richards owned a house. A policeman claimed he was attacked by a flock of black-hooded, caped people and a local youth claimed he had been invited by Pallenburg to take part in “pot smoking sex orgies.” Locals also claimed they found “ritualistic stakes” and small animals that had been sacrificed near the house.

1980, The Grateful Dead appeared at Municipal Auditorium Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.

1982, ZZ Top played at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario.

1983, David Bowie performed at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona.

1984, Bruce Springsteen appeared at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey.

1987, Session drummer Gary Chester died of cancer. He had been a member of The Coasters and played on many major hits for other acts including “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Under The Boardwalk,” “Walk On By,” “It’s My Party.”

1991, Nirvana shot the video for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at GMT Studios in Culver City, California, costing less than $50,000 (£31,250) to make, the shoot features real Nirvana fans as the audience. The video won Nirvana the Best New Artist and Best Alternative Group awards at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.

1999, Led Zeppelin topped a chart of Britain’s most bootlegged musicians, compiled by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), after identifying 384 bootleg titles featuring Led Zeppelin performances. The bootleg chart was complied from the BPI’s archive of some 10,000 recordings seized over the past 25 years. The Beatles, came in second with 320 entries, other acts listed included The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd.

2002, Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland held the number one position on the US singles chart with “Dilemma.” The UK number one album was By The Way by The Red Hot Chili Peppers and the US chart topping album was The Rising by Bruce Springsteen.

2008, Jackson Browne was suing US Republican presidential candidate John McCain for using one of his songs without permission. Browne claimed the use of his song “Running on Empty” in an ad was an infringement of copyright and would lead people to conclude he endorses McCain. Browne was seeking more than $75,000 (£40,000) in damages.

2012, Three members of the Russian feminist punk rock protest group Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years imprisonment after they had staged a performance on the soleas of Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior in a protest directed at the Orthodox Church leader’s support for President Putin during his election campaign.

Born on August 17: John Seiter, Spanky And Our Gang (1944); Gary Talley guitar, The Box Tops (1947); Sib Hashian, drums, Boston (1949); Kevin Rowland, singer, Dexy’s Midnight Runners (1953); Colin Moulding, XTC (1955); Belinda Carlisle (1958); and Steve Gorman, drums, The Black Crowes (1965)

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Today in Rock History – August 16

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robert-johnson1938, American blues musician Robert Johnson died, likely poisoned by a jealous husband, at the age of 27 at a country crossroads near Greenwood, Mississippi. His recordings from 1936 -1937 have influenced generations of musicians including Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Winter, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton.

1962, Twelve -year old “Little” Stevie Wonder released his first single, “I Call It Pretty Music, (But The Old People Call It The Blues.)” The single featured Marvin Gaye on drums.

1962, Brian Epstein told Pete Best that the other Beatles wanted him out of the group, and that he was being replaced. Epstein then asked Best to perform with The Beatles that night at the Riverpark Ballroom in Chester, Cheshire. Pete Best does not show up, drummer Johnny Hutchinson of The Big Three filled in the temporary vacancy.

1964, The Who played at the Opera House in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.

1965, David Jones’ official stage name became David Bowie.

1966, During a US tour, The Beatles appeared at the John F. Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia playing their set during a huge electric storm.

1966, The Byrds played the first of two nights at the Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, California.

1967, Pink Floyd were in Studio 3 at EMI Studios on Abbey Road, St. John’s Wood, London recording material for Saucerful of Secrets.

1968, Jimi Hendrix appeared at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.

1968, The Jackson Five made their formal debut with Diana Ross and The Supremes at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California.

1968, Working at Abbey Road studios, The Beatles recorded 14 takes of the new George Harrison song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” taking the song from its early acoustic version into an electric version.

1968, Bruce Springsteen’s new band Earth made their live debut at the Off Broad Street Coffee House in Red Bank, New Jersey, admission was 75 cents (£0.47). The lineup of the group consisted of Springsteen on guitars and vocals, John Graham, bass, Michael Burke, drums and Flash Craig on the organ. The group lasted only six months.

1968, Pink Floyd play the first of two nights at Sound Factory in Sacramento, California. Also on the bill are Initial Shock and AB Skhy Blues Band.

1969, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young supported by Joni Mitchell appeared at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, Illinois.

1969, The Grateful Dead perform the following set at Woodstock: Saint Stephen-> Mama Tried, Dark Star-> High Time, Turn On Your Love Light. There were electrical problems, as well as rain, and possibly the band performing while having taken a lot of acid.  The Dead were not pleased with the performance, and have not allowed it to be published.  Nor was it in the concert film.

1969, During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park with Joe Cocker as support. Zeppelin had been asked to perform at Woodstock but due to this gig commitment were unable to attend.

1969, Bruce Springsteen’s band Child played the first of two shows over two days at the Student Prince, Ashbury Park. Springsteen was also unable to attend Woodstock due to these gigs.

1969, Hippie leader Abbie Hoffman was knocked offstage by Pete Townshend while attempting to make a political statement during the Who’s set at Woodstock. Later, Townshend said he didn’t know it was Hoffman at the time.

1969, Blind Faith appear at the Earl Warren Fairgrounds, Santa Barbara, California.

1970, The final day of the three day UK Yorkshire Folk, Blues & Jazz Festival at Krumlin, Yorkshire took place featuring The Kinks, Mungo Jerry, Yes, Ginger Bakers Air Force and Edgar Winter.

1971, The Who and Wishbone Ash perform at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Illinois.

1971, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1972, Hawkwind plays at Town Hall, Torquay, England.

1974, The Ramones make their CBGB debut on this date. They would go on to play seventy more shows that year as a regular attraction at the famous club in New York.

1975,  Peter Gabriel announced that he was leaving Genesis. Gabriel had informed the band back in late November 1974 of his decision, but agreed to stay through the conclusion of the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour. The group auditioned more than 400 singers during the next 18 months before deciding that Phil Collins, who had been the drummer for Genesis since 1970, could front the band.

1975, Eric Clapton performed at the Sports Arena, San Diego, California.

1976, AC/DC appeared at the Marquee Club, London.

1976, Yes plays at the Mecca Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1977, Elvis Presley was found dead lying on the floor in his bathroom by his girlfriend Ginger Alden. He had been seated on the toilet reading “The Scientific Search For Jesus.” He died of heart failure at the age of 42.  He starred in 31 films. Elvis holds the record for the most entries on the US Hot 100 chart with 154. Elvis became the first rock ‘n’ roll artist to be honored by the US Postal Service with a stamp.

1977, Manchester punk band The Buzzcocks signed to EMI’s United Artists label.

1979, The biggest single of the summer in the US, The Knack’s “My Sharona” was awarded a Gold record for selling one million copies. The Knack’s Doug Fieger wrote the song for his girlfriend, Sharona Alperin, whose picture appeared on the single’s cover.

1980, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.

1981, Foreigner played at Zeppelinfeld, Nuremberg, Germany.

1982, Blue Oyster Cult performed at the Blossom Music Center, Akron, Ohio.

1983, After dating for six years, Paul Simon married actress Carrie Fisher. The marriage would last less than two years, but the two continued to date off and on after they split. The title track to Simon’s Heart and Bones album references their romance.

1986, Madonna started a two week run at number one on the US singles chart with “Papa Don’t Preach.” It was the singer’s fourth US chart topper and was also number one in the UK. Also on this day Madonna went to the top of the US album chart with True Blue.

1988, Kiss played at the Marquee Club in London, England on their current 129-date Crazy Nights world tour.

1997, Blur, Prodigy, Beck, Kula Shaker, Dodgy, Foo Fighters, Placebo, James, Ash, Dodgy and Gene all appeared at the two day V97 UK festival in Chelmsford and Leeds, weekend tickets, £50 ($80.)

2000, Alan Caddy guitarist with The Tornadoes died. He had the 1962 UK and US number one single “Telstar” which became the first major hit from a UK act on the American chart. Caddy also played on sessions and worked on arrangements for Spencer Davis Group, Kiki Dee, Pretty Things and Dusty Springfield.

2005, P Diddy appeared on the US TV Today Show and announced that he was altering his stage name again, dropping the “P” and referring to himself simply as “Diddy.” The name change to Diddy upset Richard “Diddy” Dearlove, a London based DJ who took out court proceedings against P Diddy over the use of the name. He won when an out of court settlement of £110,000 was agreed and as a result, Combs is no longer be able to use the name Diddy in the UK.

Born on August 16: Kevin Ayers, Soft Machine (1945); Gary Loizzo, American guitarist, singer, The American Breed (1945); Gordon Fleet, The Easybeats, (1946); Barry Hay, Golden Earring (1948); Bill Spooner, American guitarist, songwriter, The Tubes (1949); – James “JT” Taylor, American R&B singer-songwriter, Kool & the Gang (1953); Tim Farriss, guitar, INXS (1957); Madonna Ciccone, aka Madonna (1958); American  bassist,  Melvins, Mudhoney (1964); Emily Robison, American singer-songwriter, banjo player, Dixie Chicks, Court Yard Hounds (1972); Bob Hardy, Scottish bassist, Franz Ferdinand (1980)

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Today in Rock History – August 12

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1966, The Beatles performed two shows at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois. This was the first stop on what would turn out to be The Beatles’ final US tour. Support acts were the Remains, Bobby Hebb, Cyrkle, and the Ronettes.

1967, The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at The Ambassador Theatre, Washington D.C.

1967, The Who played at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Before the show Keith Moon jumps off a pier into heavy surf and almost drowns.

1967, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown performed at the Royal Windsor Racecourse in Windsor, Berkshire, England.

1967, The Velvet Underground appeared at Boston Tea Party in Boston.

1967, The Grateful Dead headlined at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.

1968, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass played at the Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia.

1968, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham played together for the first time when they rehearsed at a studio in Lisle Street in London’s West End. The first song they played was a version of “Train Kept A-Rollin’.” They also played “Smokestack Lightning” and a version of “I’m Confused,” which would become “Dazed And Confused.” Their first live dates in September, the band were billed as The New Yardbirds, and it was not until the following month when they started to use the name Led Zeppelin.

1970, Derek and the Dominoes appeared at the Speakeasy, London.

1970, Fleetwood Mac played the first of a five-night run at the Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood, California.

1970, The last night of Pink Floyd’s festival tour – the Fete de St. Raphael, was held at a preserved Roman amphitheater in Frejus, St. Raphael, France.

1971, John & Yoko donated £1,000 ($1600) to the Clyde Shipbuilders Scottish Union fighting fund who were refusing to stop work at the Glasgow site after being made redundant.

1971, During a UK tour Queen played at the Tregye Hotel in Truro, England.

1972, Alice Cooper was at number one on the singles chart with “School’s Out.”

1972, Honky Chateau by Elton John entered the last of it’s five weeks as the number one album on the US charts.

1973, The Eagles, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers all appeared at the Corral Club in Topanga, California.

1974, Rory Gallagher performed at The Agora, Cleveland, Ohio.

1975, Eric Clapton played at the Coliseum in Denver, Colorado.

1976, Yes appeared at the Louisville Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky.

1976, Elton John’s Rock of the Westies tour stopped at Madison Square Garden, New York.

1977, Henri Padovani, guitarist with The Police quit the group after nine months leaving them to perform as a trio.

1978, The Commodores started a two week run at number one on the US singles chart with “Three Times A Lady,” also number one in the UK and becoming Motown’s biggest British selling single.

1979, KISS performed at the Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1980, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Star Plaza Theatre, Merrillville, Indiana, in suburban Chicago.

1981, The Grateful Dead performed at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah.

1982, Blue Oyster Cult played at the Scope, in Norfolk, Virginia

1985, Kyu Sakamoto was killed in a plane crash when JAL Flight 123, a 747, crashed and burned on a thickly wooded mountain about 60 miles northwest of Tokyo. He was 43. He had the 1963 US number one and UK number six single “‘Sukiyaki.” Sakamoto was the first Japanese artist to have a hit atop the US singles charts.

1986, Prince started a run of five nights at Wembley Arena, London, his first UK shows in five years.

1989, The two day Moscow Music Peace Festival was held at The Lenin Stadium in Moscow, Russia. Western Acts who appeared included Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, Skid Row and The Scorpions. This was the first time that an audience had been allowed to stand up and dance at a stadium rock concert in the Soviet Union. Previous to this, all concerts had to be seated.

1996, Alanis Morissette appeared at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, New York with Radiohead as support.

2012, The London Olympics ended with a spectacular musical closing ceremony. The three-hour show featured some of the biggest names of British music from decades past, including the Spice Girls, George Michael, The Who, Take That, Muse, Jessie J, Emeli Sande, Elbow, Madness, The Pet Shop Boys, One Direction, Ray Davies, Liam Gallagher, and Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen.

Born on August 12: Buck Owens (1929); Ron Mael, keyboards, Sparks and Halfnelson (1945); Mark Knofler (1949); August Darnell, singer, Kid Creole And The Coconuts (1951); Pat Metheny (1955); Roy Hay guitar, vocals, Culture Club (1961); Sir Mix-A-Lot, rapper (1963)

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