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:

Imagine having tickets to this concert at the Anaheim Civic Center today in 1967:

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.

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This being Bastille Day, it seems appropriate to bring you some French rock music. (Despite my 2.5 years of middle school and four years of high school French, I understand none of the words.)

Outside of France, 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:

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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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The number one single today in 1960 was the first, but not only, example of the caveman music genre:

It was also the first song ever played on WLS in Chicago after it turned from country to rock and roll two months earlier.

Today in 1962, Joe Meek wrote “Telstar,” the first song about a satellite:

Today in 1964, the Beatles appeared live on (British) ABC-TV’s “Thank Your Lucky Stars.” The appearance was supposed to be taped, but a strike by studio technicians made that impossible. The band had just appeared at the northern England premiere of their movie “A Hard Day’s Night,” requiring them to get to London via plane and boat.

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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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To be indicted for drug trafficking is not generally considered to be a good career move, but that’s what happened to Jonathan “Chico” and Robert DeBarge today in 1988:

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

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

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

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