Similar to Christmas, more happened on New Year’s Eve in rock history than one might think.

Today in 1961, the former Pendletones made their debut with their new name at the Long Beach Civic Auditorium in California: the Beach Boys:

Today in 1963, the Kinks made their live debut at the Lotus House Restaurant in London:

The number one single today in 1966:

Today in 1984, Rick Allen, drummer for Def Leppard, was on his way to a New Year’s party when a Jaguar passed him and refused to let him pass. Allen missed a turn, lost control and crashed his Corvette. Not wearing a seat belt, Allen was thrown from the Corvette, and his left arm was severed.

Today in 1991, Ted Nugent donated 200 pounds of venison to a Detroit food kitchen, saying, “I kill it, you grill it”:

Today in 2005, a British poll named this the country’s most popular song:

Birthdays begin with Andrew Summers of The Police:

Who is Henry Deutschendorf? You knew him as John Denver:

Burton Cummings of the Guess Who …

… was born one  year before LaDonna Adrian Gaines, better known as Donna Summer:

Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith:

Fermin Goytisolo of KC and the Sunshine Band:

Three deaths of note today: Songwriter Bert Berns in 1967 …

… Rick Nelson in a plane crash in 1985 …

… and Kevin McMichael, guitarist for Cutting Crew, of lung cancer in 2003:

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