Rock History March 1
1967, The Beatles began recording “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” at Abbey Road studios, London. Work on the new John Lennon song began the day before with extensive rehearsals. Despite the acronym of the song spelling out LSD, the origins of the composition came from a drawing that Lennon’s son Julian had made of his classmate Lucy O’Donnell. John wrote a song inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
1967, “Happy Jack” peaks at number four on the German charts. It is The Who’s biggest singles hit in that country.
1968, Elton John’s first single “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” was released on the Phillips label. It didn’t chart.
1968, On or around this date, Pink Floyd officially announces Syd Barrett’s departure from the band.
1968, The Hollies played at the Civic Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
1969, Jim Morrison of The Doors was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior after allegedly showing his penis to the audience during a show in Miami. He was found guilty at a 1970 trial, of two misdemeanors — indecent exposure and “open profanity,” and sentenced to eight months hard labor. Morrison died in Paris while the sentence was on appeal. On December 9, 2010, a pardon was requested by outgoing Florida Governor Charlie Crist and the state Clemency Board unanimously granted it.
1969, Pink Floyd performed at University College, in Bloomsbury, London, England.
1969, The Who play Mother’s Club in Erdington Birmingham, England.
1969, The Jeff Beck Group performed at the Alexandria Roller Rink in Alexandria, Virginia.
1970, Mott The Hoople, supported by Genesis, appeared at The Northcote Arms, Middlesex, England.
1970, The Ed Sullivan Show, airs clips of the Beatles performing “Let It Be” and “Two of Us.” It’s the last time the band appear on the show that introduced them to American fans.
1971, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi.
1972, John Lennon is granted an extension on his American work visa. Lennon begins recording Sometime in New York City.
1973, The New York Joffrey Ballet premieres the Deuce Coupe Ballet. The work is based completely around the music of the Beach Boys.
1973, The Allman Brothers Band performed at the New Haven Arena in New Haven, Connecticut. The set list: Wasted Words, Done Somebody Wrong, Statesboro Blues, One Way Out, Stormy Monday, Midnight Rider Jessica, Ramblin’ Man, Trouble No More, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, You Don’t Love Me, Les Brers In A Minor, Whipping Post.
1974, Chris Difford placed an ad in a shop window “lyricist seeks musician for co-writing.” Glen Tillbrook answered the ad. The pair went on to form Squeeze.
1974, Queen began their first headlining UK tour at The Winter Garden’s Blackpool.
1975, The Eagles went to number one on the singles chart with “Best Of My Love.” It was the first of five chart toppers for the band.
1975, Winners at the 17th annual Grammy Awards included Paul McCartney for Best pop vocal on “Band On The Run,” Olivia Newton-John won Record Of The Year for “I Honestly Love You,” and Stevie Wonder won Album of the year for Fulfillingness First Finale.
1976, David Bowie performed at the Detroit Olympia, Detroit, Michigan.
1977, Iggy Pop and David Bowie, plus The Vibrators appeared at Friars, Aylesbury, England.
1979, Joy Division appeared at The Hope & Anchor, Islington, London, England. Admission was 75p ($1.28).
1980, Blondie were at number one on the UK singles chart with “Atomic” the group’s third UK number one single from their album Eat To The Beat.
1982, Rod Stewart performed at the Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland.
1990, Janet Jackson played the first night on her 120-date Rhythm Nation 1814 world tour at the Miami Arena in Florida. As part of the show Jackson’s had a live panther on-stage, but after concerns were raised over safety of the crowds, and several incidents of the panther urinating on the stage, Jackson had the feline removed from the show in the summer leg of the tour.
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.”
1995, Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia” won three Grammys for Song of the Year, Best Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song. Sheryl Crow was named Best New Artist, while producer Bill Bottrell won Record of the Year for her song “All I Wanna Do.”
1995, drummer Bill Berry collapsed on stage during an R.E.M. show at the Patinoire Auditorium in Lausanne, Switzerland, from a ruptured brain aneurysm. He recovered and rejoined the band, but left for good in October 1997.
1997, Bowie Bonds were issued on the US Stock Exchange. Linked to David Bowie’s back catalogue albums with money earned on the bonds via interest from royalties, investors could expect to make an 8% profit in about 10 years.
2005, Nelly featuring Tim McGraw were at number one on the UK singles chart with “Over And Over,” the 3rd number one for Nelly, and the first for Grammy Award-winning Country music singer Tim McGraw.
2009, Kelly Clarkson went to number one on the UK singles chart with “My Life Would Suck Without You.” The US singer won American Idol in 2000 and became the only contestant to have topped the UK charts.
2016, 76-year-old Ginger Baker posted on his blog that he had cancelled all of his scheduled shows for the year and was going into immediate retirement. The former drummer for Cream and Blind Faith explained that he had been diagnosed with serious heart problems.
Born on March 1: Glenn Miller (1904); Harry Belafonte (1927); Jerry Fisher, Blood Sweat & Tears (1942) ; Mike D’Abo, singer, songwriter, Manfred Mann (1944); Roger Daltrey, The Who (1944); Tony Ashton, vocals, keyboards, Ashton Gardner & Dyke (1946); Bill Leen, The Gin Blossoms (1962); Rob Affuso, American drummer, Skid Row (1963); Mary Lou Lord, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, Helium (1965); Justin Bieber (1994)
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Cream, David Bowie, Ed Sullivan, Elton John, Iggy Pop, Jeff Beck, Jim Morrison, John Lennon, Mott the Hoople, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Queen, R.E.M., Squeeze, The Allman Brothers Band, The Doors, The Eagles.
