1965, Released as a double A-side The Beatles “Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out,” became their ninth UK number one, and their third Christmas chart topper in a row. The single was a US number one in January 1966.
1966, Pink Floyd appeared at a prohibition themed dance, the AA Students Christmas Carnival, held at The Architects Association, Bedford Square, London.
1966, The first Jimi Hendrix Experience single “Hey Joe,” was released in the UK on Polydor records, the track had been rejected by the Decca label. It went on to be a number six hit in the UK, but failed to chart in America. Chas Chandler, who was now managing Hendrix had seen Folk singer Tim Rose perform the song at the Cafe Wha? in New York City.
1967, Pink Floyd played two shows with Gospel Garden and The Rare Breed in Birmingham, England. The first show took place at the Ritz Ballroom, King’s Health. The late show was billed as the Saturday Spectacular, and held at The Penthouse, Constitution Hill.
1967, The Rolling Stones announced that Marianne Faithfull was the first signing to their Mother Earth label.
1968, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Bath Festival Pavilion in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England.
1969, The Who played at the Coliseum Theatre in London,
1970, Five singles and five albums by Credence Clearwater Revival were certified gold in the US. The singles were: “Down on the Corner,” “Lookin out My Back Door,” “Travelin’ Band,” “Bad Moon Rising,” and “Up around the Bend.” The LPs were Cosmo’s Factory, Willy and the Poor Boys, Green River, Bayou Country and Credence Clearwater Revival.
1971, Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels film opened at London’s Piccadilly Classic Cinema in the UK. The film which also featured Ringo Star, covers a loose storyline about The Mothers of Invention going crazy in the small town Centerville.
1972, Yes appeared at the Rainbow Theatre in London.
1973, Hawkwind performed at the Odeon, Birmingham, England.
1974, Guitarist Mick Taylor announced he was leaving The Rolling Stones, saying he felt that now was the time to move on and do something new.
1976, Aerosmith played at Madison Square Garden, New York.
1980, Bruce Springsteen performed at the Garden in Boston.
1981, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Capitol Theater, Passaic, New Jersey.
1984, Various stars named their favorite party songs in music magazine Smash Hits. Morrissey picked “What’s The World,” by James, Siouxsie had “Love Is The Drug” by Roxy Music, Robert Smith from The Cure picked “Boogie Nights,” by Heatwave and Andy Partridge from XTC picked “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck.
1986, The Grateful Dead played at the Alemeda-County Coliseum in Oakland, California.
1989, Billy Joel went to number one on the US album chart with his 11th studio release Storm Front. The album featured one of Joel’s three number one hits, “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” a fast-paced song, mentioning some of the major historical events that took place in his time, and “Leningrad,” Joel’s take on the end of the Cold War.
1993, MTV aired Nirvana’s Unplugged session for the first time. The album featured an acoustic performance taped at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993. Unlike many artists who appeared on the show, Nirvana filmed its entire performance in a single take with the band’s fourteen-song setlist included six cover versions.
1997, American singer songwriter Nicolette Larson died aged 45 of complications arising from cerebral edema. Worked with Neil Young, (Comes a Time and Harvest Moon albums), Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Michael McDonald, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, The Beach Boys and The Doobie Brothers. She is best known for her 1978 cover of Neil Young’s “Lotta Love.”
2004, Gold and silver Black Sabbath discs were stolen from the Kent home of Ozzy Osbourne’s former manager Patrick Meehan. Police recovered the discs a week later after they were offered for sale on eBay.
2005, The surviving Beatles and relatives of the band’s late members began legal action against EMI to get royalties allegedly worth £30m. Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and relations of George Harrison and John Lennon claimed EMI owed record royalties to their company Apple Corps.
2006, Sir Paul McCartney said he left EMI, his record label of 45 years, as it had become “boring” and he had “dreaded going to see” its executives. McCartney told The Times that the company’s handling of his music had become “symbolic of the treadmill.” The ex-Beatle went on to sign a deal with Starbucks’ label, Hear Music.
2007, American singer songwriter Dan Fogelberg died at his home in Maine at the age of 56. The US singer, songwriter discovered he had advanced prostate cancer in 2004. He had the 1981 album The Innocent Age, which featured the hits “Leader of the Band,” “Hard to Say,” and “‘Run for the Roses.”
Born on this day: Tony Hicks, guitar, The Hollies (1945); Benny Anderson, keyboards, vocals, Abba (1946); Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top (1950); and Steven Irvine, drums, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions (1959)
