ANNIVERSARIES
1964-"House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals is released in America. Although the band would put 14 songs in the Top 40, this will be their only US number one. It was reported that the song was recorded in just one take and the band was actually in the studio for less than ten minutes.
1966-In response to John Lennon's remark about The Beatles being bigger than Jesus Christ, The South African Broadcasting Corporation banned all Beatles records.
1969-While a policeman held up traffic, the cover photo for The Beatles' "Abbey Road" album is taken, showing the Fab Four striding across a zebra crossing outside Abbey Road studios in London. Six shots were captured by photographer Iain Macmillan, and the session was completed in less than ten minutes. For you photo buffs, Macmillan used a Hasselblad camera with a 50mm wide-angle lens, aperture f22, at 1/500 of a second.
1970-Janis Joplin bought a headstone at the Mont Lawn Cemetery in Philadelphia for the grave of her greatest influence, Bessie Smith. Smith died in 1937 after being refused admission to a whites only hospital.
1974-Eric Clapton receives a Gold record for his chart topping album, "461 Ocean Boulevard" that contains his number one hit, "I Shot the Sheriff".
1986-David Crosby of Crosby, Stills And Nash as well as The Byrds, is released from prison after serving three years for drug and weapons possession. His conviction would be overturned by a Texas appeals court in November 1987.
2012-Elton John launched a lawsuit against UK newspaper The Times for allegedly defaming him by implicating him in a tax avoidance scheme.
2012-The members of Motley Crue and KISS announced that they would donate $100,000 to support those affected by the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shootings where 12 people were killed and 58 were injured. The musicians hoped that their gesture will encourage others to give.
2016-Judge R. Gary Klausner denied Led Zeppelin's efforts to recoup roughly $800,000 in legal fees incurred during the recent trial to determine whether the band plagiarized a "Stairway to Heaven" chord progression. The Judge ruled that the plaintiffs didn't have "nefarious motives" and therefore shouldn't be on the hook for Zeppelin's legal fees.
BORN TODAY
1942-John David
drummer with Dr Hook
1950-Liberty DeVitto
best known for his work as a drummer for Billy Joel's recording and touring band as well as Carly Simon, Phoebe Snow, Karen Carpenter, Stevie Nicks, Rick Wakeman, Bob James and Meat Loaf.
1959-Rikki Rockett
drummer from Poison
1961-The Edge (Dave Evans)
guitarist, singer, songwriter with U2
