Category: Music

This is a slow day in rock music, save for one particular birthday and one death.

It’s not Tony Jackson of the Searchers …

… or Tom Boggs, drummer for the Box Tops …

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Today in 1963, Paul McCartney was fined 17 pounds for speeding. I’d suggest that that may have been the inspiration for his Wings song “Hell on Wheels,” except that the correct title is actually “Helen Wheels,” supposedly a song about his Land Rover:

Today in 1984, John Lennon released “I’m Stepping Out.” The fact that Lennon stepped out of planet Earth at the hands of assassin Mark David Chapman 3½ years before this song was released was immaterial.

Birthdays today start with David Pack of Ambrosia:

Guitarist Jeff Carlisi of .38 Special:

Guitarist Joe Satriani:

Today in 1967, the Who opened the U.S. tour of … Herman’s Hermits.

Today in 1986, Paul McCartney released his “Press” album:

Other than Woody Guthrie, who was not a member of the rock or pop music worlds, the only birthday of today is Jos Zoomer, drummer for Vandenberg:

Today in 1984, Philippe Wynne, former member of the Spinners, died of a heart attack while performing in Oakland:

The short list of birthdays begins with Roger McGuinn of the Byrds:

Stephen Jo Bladd was the drummer for the J. Geils Band:

Mark “Animal” Mendoza of Twisted Sister:

Bobby Rock was the drummer for the brothers Nelson:

Today is the anniversary of the Rolling Stones’ first public performance, at the Marquee Club in London in 1962. They were known then as the “Rollin’ Stones,” and they had not recorded a song yet.

If you’re going to record just one song that gets on the charts, ending at number one would be preferable, whether in 1969, or in the year 2525:

Today in 1979 was one of the most bizarre moments in baseball history and/or radio station history:

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Today in 1969, David Bowie launched “Space Oddity” …

… and the Rolling Stones released “Honky Tonk Woman”:

The number one song, alone, today in 1987:

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Two anniversaries today in 1965: The Beatles’ “Beatles VI” reached number I, where it stayed for VI weeks …

… while the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” was their first number one single:

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Today in 1955, “Rock Around the Clock” was played around the clock because it hit number one:

One year later, Dick Clark made his first appearance on ABC-TV’s “American Bandstand”:

Today in 1972, Paul McCartney and Wings began their first tour of France:

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It is generally not considered a good career move to be indicted for drug trafficking, as Jonathan “Chico” and Robert DeBarge were today in 1988:

Birthdays begin with Jaimoe “Johnny” Johanson, drummer for the Allman Brothers:

Greg T. Walker played bass for Blackfoot:

Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode:

Carlos Cavazo of Quiet Riot:

Graham Jones of Haircut 100:

Today in 1967, the Beatles released “All You Need Is Love” …

… which proved insufficient for the Yardbirds, which disbanded one year later:

Trumpet players must recognize the birthday of Carl “Doc” Severinsen, who led the “Tonight” show band and was principal pops conductor for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra:

The aforementioned “All You Need Is Love” was released on the 27th birthday of Richard Starkey, better known as Ringo Starr:

Warren Entner of the Grass Roots …

… was born one year before James Rodford of The Kinks:

Larry “Rhino” Reinhardt of Iron Butterfly:

Lynval Golding was one of the Fun Boy Three: