On This Day

Good stuff. I simply can't get into rap/hip-hop etc., never could. Like some of the beats ok but the rapping, and some of the dreadful lyrics - definitely a generation gap in my case

Also love the piece about the early Beach Boys history.
Never knew that info before.

The 1968 item re Jim Morrison is interesting.
Collapsing at Jefferson Airplane gig.
Two years later he was dead.

Excellent as always. I got the 461 Ocean Boulevard album when it came out, really loved it. Of course, do I still have it? ..... it's rollin and tumblin out in the ether somewhere! 😕

Rahenyrhythm wrote: Excellent, Frank! Lol the "invisible sonic force field" around the drums! I used to have one of them, it was known as "a load of drink" ...

September 13th: On this Day

1958, Cliff Richard made his British TV debut on Jack good's 'Oh Boy', performing 'Move It'. Before he was allowed to appear on the show, Richard was ordered to remove his sideburns.

1960, The Federal Communications act in the USA was amended to outlaw payments of cash or gifts in exchange for airplay of records.

1960, A campaign was started in the UK to ban the American hit 'Tell Laura I Love Her' by Ray Peterson. The song was being denounced in the press as likely to inspire a teen-age "glorious death cult." The story told of a lovesick youngster who drives in a stock car race to win the hand of his sweetheart. He crashes and just before dying, groans out the words of the title.

1963, Graham Nash fell out of The Hollies van after a gig in Scotland. Nash checked to see if the door was locked, it wasn't and he fell out as it travelled at 40 m.p.h.

1964, During a UK tour two dozen rugby players were hired as 'a human crash barrier' at a Rolling Stones gig at the Liverpool Empire. The 'human chain' disappeared under a wave of 5,000 fans as the Stones took to the stage.

1965, The Paul McCartney song 'Yesterday' was released as a Beatles single in the US. McCartney's vocal and acoustic guitar together with a string quartet essentially made for the first solo performance of the band. The final recording was so different from other works by The Beatles that the band members vetoed the release of the song as a single in the United Kingdom. (However, it was issued as a single there in 1976.)

1967, The Beatles formed an electronics company called Fiftyshapes, Ltd. appointing John Alexis Mardas (Magic Alex) to be the company's director. Alex claimed he could build a 72-track tape machine, instead of the 4-track at Abbey Road (this never materialised). One of his more outrageous plans was to replace the acoustic baffles around Ringo Starr's drums with an invisible sonic force field. George Harrison later said that employing Mardas was "the biggest disaster of all time."

1969, John Lennon & Yoko Ono flew to Canada to perform at the Rock & Roll Revival Show in Toronto, Canada. The band members Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann and drummer Alan White were put together so late that they had to rehearse on the plane from England. Also making an appearance at the concert were Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, Bo Diddley, The Doors and Alice Cooper. Lennon later released his performance as the Live Peace in Toronto 1969 album.

1969, The first day of the 3 day Rugby Bag Blues Festival in Warwickshire, England with Pink Floyd, The Nice, Taste, Free, Third Ear Band, Ralph McTell, Roy Harper, King Crimson, The Strawbs, Edgar Broughton, Spirit of John Morganand John Martyn, tickets from 12/6.

1985, 'We Are The World' won Best Group Video and the Viewer's Choice at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. Don Henley's 'The Boys Of Summer' video won four trophies, including Best Video. Bruce Springsteen's 'I'm On Fire' gets the nod for Best Male Video and Tina Turner won Best Female Video for 'What's Love Got To Do With It'.

1986, Berlin went to No.1 on the US singles chart with the Giorgio Moroder written and produced 'Take My Breath Away'. On the B side, The Righteous Brothers 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', both songs were featured in the film 'Top Gun'.

1986, The Communards were at No.1 on the UK with the singles chart with 'Don't Leave Me This Way', which had been a hit for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in 1975 and later a hit for Thelma Houston.

1987, Michael Jackson started a five-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Bad', his follow up to the Thriller album It stayed at No.1 on the US chart for six weeks.

1991, Geffen Records threw a party to launch Nirvana's single 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. The band ended up being thrown out of their own party after starting a food fight.

1996, American rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur died after being shot six days earlier when he was driving through Las Vegas. 13 bullets were fired into his BMW. The incident was blamed on East and West Coast Gang wars. Shakur was a convicted sex offender, guilty of sexual abuse. After serving eleven months of his sentence he was released from prison on an appeal financed by Marion "Suge" Knight, the CEO of Death Row Records.

1996, Both Noel and Liam Gallagher arrived back in the UK on separate flights from the US amid rumours that Oasis were splitting. A statement from the record company said there would be no live gigs but the band would continue to record.

1997, The Verve scored their first and only UK No.1 single with 'The Drugs Don't Work', taken from their third album, Urban Hymns. The track became the band's most successful single in the United Kingdom.

2000, Elton John threw a tantrum when he was set to appear at a sell-out show at the Estoril Casino near Lisbon. Elton was unhappy after the audience were slow in leaving a VIP dinner before the concert, Elton left the building and flew home on his private jet without playing a note.

2005, The home where Jimi Hendrix grew up in Seattle was saved from demolition after a new location was agreed at the last minute. The James Marshall Hendrix Foundation and the City of Seattle agreed to renovate the building into a community centre opposite the cemetery where the guitarist was buried in 1970.

2005, The Sex Pistols were among new names added to a celebrity Walk of Fame in Covent Garden London. Other musical celebrities to immortalised on the Avenue of the Stars include Bob Geldof, Tom Jones, Gracie Fields and Bob Hope.

2009, Vera Lynn went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'We'll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn'. At the age of 92 it made her the oldest living artist to achieve this feat with an album. The previous oldest living artist to top the charts was Bob Dylan, who at 67 saw his album 'Together Through Life' become number one in the UK earlier this year.

2010, George Michael was sent to jail for eight weeks after being convicted of driving under the influence of drugs and possessing cannabis in Hampstead, north London last July. He smiled in disbelief as the sentence was passed and he was led away to the cells.

2013, Morrissey halted plans to release his autobiography, three days before it was due to be published. The memoirs were set to give details about the 54-year-old's life growing up in Manchester and his relationship with former songwriting partner Johnny Marr. But a statement on his fan website said there had been a "last minute content disagreement" with its publisher. The book was published the following month.

2015, Gary Richrath, lead guitarist and songwriter for REO Speedwagon died at the age of 65. Richrath recorded 12 albums with the band before leaving in 1989 and released his own solo album in 1992.

September 12th: On this Day

1954, The first 'teen idol', Frank Sinatra was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Three Coins In The Fountain,' the singer's first UK No.1. The song was The Academy Award winning Best Original Song of 1954.

1963, The Beatles were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'She Loves You', the group's second No.1. It became the biggest seller of the year and the biggest selling Beatles single in the UK.

1964, The Supremes, The Shangri-La's, Marvin Gaye, Dusty Springfield, The Ronettes, Millie Small, The Temptations, The Miracles and Little Anthony and the Imperials all appeared at The Fox Theatre, Brooklyn, New York.

1966, N.B.C. aired the first episode of The Monkees TV show in the US. The series ran for a total of 58 episodes.

1967, Filming continued for The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour. The bus headed for Widecombe on the Moor, where a local fair was being held but the bus driver (Alf Manders) took a shortcut to bypass heavy traffic and ended up stuck on a bridge, the coach ended up having to drive in reverse for a half-mile before it could turn around. They then head for Plymouth, followed by a 20-car convoy of journalists and photographers.

1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival scored their first UK No.1 album with Cosmo's Factory. It enjoyed a nine-week run at No.1 in the US where it sold over three million copies.

1970, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Tears Of A Clown', their first UK No.1. Stevie Wonder (who was discovered by Miracles member Ronnie White), and his producer Hank Cosby wrote the music for the song.

1970, Bob Dylan joined Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie at the Woody Guthrie Memorial Concert held at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.

1986, Public Image Ltd guitarist John McGeoch needed 40 stitches in his face after a two-litre wine bottle was thrown at the stage during a gig in Vienna.

1987, Michael Jackson kicked of his Bad World Tour by playing the first of three sold-out nights at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. By the end of the 123-date tour, Jackson had played to over 4million fans across fifteen countries.

1989, Aerosmith released 'Pump' their tenth studio album which featured the hit singles: 'Love In An Elevator', 'The Other Side' and 'Janie's Got a Gun'. Aerosmith found themselves in law school textbooks after a small rock band named Pump sued Aerosmith's management company for service mark infringement. Aerosmith won the case.

1990, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie from Fleetwood Mac announced they were leaving the band at the end of their current tour. At the time, some believed that Nicks’ and McVie’s departures were hastened by bad blood in the wake of Fleetwood’s memoir, Fleetwood: My Life and Adventures in Fleetwood Mac which revealed some “sordid revelations” about life in Fleetwood Mac.

1995, INXS singer Michael Hutchence pleaded guilty to punching photographer Jim Bennett outside a London hotel. He was fined £400 and ordered to pay £1,875 costs.

1997, Founder of the Polar Music record label, songwriter, producer and Abba's manager Stig Anderson died of a heart attack. Anderson co-wrote some of ABBA's biggest hits, such as ‘Waterloo’, ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘S.O.S’, ‘Fernando’, ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ and ‘The Name of the Game.’ His funeral was broadcast live on Swedish television an honour otherwise only reserved for distinguished statesmen or royalty.

1999, The Vengaboys went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'We're Going To Ibiza!' The song was originally known as 'Barbados' a No.1 for Typically Tropical in 1975. The Vengaboys gave it a new title with revised lyrics.

2002, The son of Rod Stewart was sentenced to 90 days in jail and ordered to undergo drug rehabilitation after pleading no contest to attacking a man outside a Malibu, California restaurant. 22 year-old Sean Stewart had been arrested on Dec. 5th, 2001, after he was seen kicking the man in the face and stomach. Stewart was also sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $5,600 to the victim.

2003, US singer songwriter Johnny Cash died of respiratory failure aged 71. One of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, known as "The Man in Black." He traditionally started his concerts by saying, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." Had the 1969 US No.2 & UK No.4 single 'A Boy Named Sue', plus 11 other US Top 40 singles. Cash also had his own US TV show in late 60s early 70s.

2004, American drummer and arranger Kenny Buttrey died in Nashville, Tennessee, Worked with Neil Young, (Harvest, and After the Gold Rush), Bob Dylan (Blonde on Blonde, Nashville Skyline & John Wesley Harding), and Bob Seger, Elvis Presley, Donovan, George Harrison, Joan Baez, Dan Fogelberg, Kris Kristofferson, Jimmy Buffett, Chuck Berry and Area Code 615.

2006, Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay was arrested and cautioned for common assault following an altercation with a photographer after an incident outside a London nightclub.

2007, The surviving members of Led Zeppelin announced they would reform for a star-studded tribute concert in London. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones would play at a show to remember the late Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The place of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980, would be taken by his son Jason. The one-off concert, the trio's first performance for 19 years, would take place at the O2 arena in London on 26th November.

2008, Kanye West was arrested on suspicion of vandalism after a row with a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport. The incident happened before he cleared security screening at the airport before boarding a flight to Hawaii. A camera valued at $10,000 (£5,709) was broken in the incident, according to an airport spokesman.

2013, Ray Dolby, the US engineer who founded Dolby Laboratories and pioneered noise reduction in audio recordings, died of leukemia at the age of 80. The analog Dolby noise-reduction system works by increasing the volume of low-level high-frequency sounds during recording and correspondingly reducing them during playback.

September 9th: On this Day

1954, Elvis Presley played at the opening of the Lamar-Airways Shopping Center in Memphis Tennessee. Johnny Cash was in the audience and after the show met Elvis for the first time.

1956, Elvis Presley made his first appearance on 'The Ed Sullivan show', performing 'Don't Be Cruel', 'Love Me Tender' and 'Ready Teddy' from the CBS TV Studios in Los Angeles.

1963, The Beatles were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'She Loves You.' 'Please Please Me' was at No.1 on the UK album chart. 'She Loves You' became The Beatles' best-selling single in the United Kingdom, and was the best selling single in Britain in 1963.

1965, US newspaper The Hollywood reporter ran the following advertisement; 'Madness folk & roll musicians, singers wanted for acting roles in new TV show. Parts for 4 insane boys. The Monkees were born. 437 people applied for the job.

1965, The Rolling Stones were at No.1 in the UK with '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' , giving the band their 4th UK No.1 single. Keith Richards recorded a rough version of the riff in a Florida hotel room. He ran through it once before falling asleep. He said when he listened back to it in the morning, there was about two minutes of acoustic guitar before you could hear him drop the pick and "then me snoring for the next forty minutes".

1968, Working at Abbey Road studios on The White Album, The Beatles recorded 'Helter Skelter'. John Lennon played bass and honked on a saxophone, roadie Mal Evans tried his best at playing trumpet. Paul McCartney recorded his lead vocal and George Harrison ran about the studio holding a flaming ashtray above his head.

1972, Slade were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Mama Weer All Crazee Now', the group's third UK No.1. Taken from their album 'Slayed?'

1977, David Bowie appeared on Marc Bolan's ITV show, Marc, singing ‘Heroes’ as well as a duet with Bolan, ‘Standing Next To You’, which was prematurely terminated when Bolan fell from the stage, much to Bowie’s amusement. After the show the pair recorded demos together which were never finished because Bolan was killed in a car crash a week later.

1989, Italian based Black Box started a six-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Ride On Time'. The track sampled the uncredited use of Loleatta Holloway's song 'Love Sensation', who objected resulting in a settlement that paid the singer an undisclosed sum. New pressings had M People singer Heather Small singing the vocals. Biggest selling single of 1989.

1989, New Kids On The Block scored their second US No.1 single with 'Hangin' Tough', a No.1 in the UK in 1990. The group also went to No.1 on the US album chart on this day with 'Hangin Tough'.

1992, Nirvana's Krist Novoselic knocked himself unconscious during the MTV music and video awards after being hit on the head with his guitar after throwing it 'up in the air'.

1995, Coolio featuring L.V. scored his first US No.1 single with 'Gangsta's Paradise'. The song sampled the chorus of the 1976 Stevie Wonder song 'Pastime Paradise' and featured in the 1995 movie Dangerous Minds (starring Michelle Pfeiffer). Coolio was awarded a Grammy Award for the song.

2004, US guitar maker Ernie Ball died after a long illness. In the late 50s Ball opened the first music store in the USA in Tarzana, California to sell guitars exclusively. He developed the guitar strings called 'Slinkys' specifically designed for rock and roll electric guitar.

2005, Terry Howard a studio engineer who had been accused of stealing recordings belonging to late soul singer Ray Charles was cleared of all charges in a Los Angeles court. Howard who had worked for Charles for 20 years had been arrested in February after dozens of recordings belonging to Ray Charles Enterprises were seized from his home.

2005, Liverpool City Council confirmed it was to demolish Ringo Starr's birthplace because it had "no historical significance." The house in Dingle, was one of 460 properties to be demolished for a regeneration project. The council said Madryn Street had no significance because Ringo had spent only three months of his life there.

2005, An international conference devoted to the life, work, and influence of Bruce Springsteen was held at Monmouth University, New Jersey. The festivities included various live acts, as well as keynote addresses by rock critics and figures from the music industry. More than 150 papers were presented to the course including Springsteen and American Folklore, Springsteen and Dylan's American Dreamscapes, Springsteen's Musical Legacy, Born to Run at 30-Years-Old, Springsteen and New Jersey and the Boss and the Bible.

2006, 50 Cent was stopped by police for alleged unsafe driving in New York and received citations for an unsafe lane change, driving with an expired permit, driving without insurance and driving without vehicle registration. A crowd gathered, taking photos, cheering the superstar and jeering the police after he was pulled over in his silver open-topped Lamborghini.

2008, A man was charged with assault after an attack on Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher during the band's set at the V Festival in Canada. Gallagher was admitted to hospital after a man ran on stage and pushed him over while he played guitar. Toronto police said Daniel Sullivan, 47, had been charged over the incident. A band statement said the guitarist "fell heavily on to his monitor speakers".

2008, Manchester group Elbow won the Mercury Music Prize in the UK for their album 'The Seldom Seen Kid.'

2014, Scottish guitarist Robert "Throb" Young died at the age of 49. Young founded Primal Scream with school friend and singer Bobby Gillespie in Glasgow in 1984. As a member of Primal Scream, Young performed on all of the group's records up to 2006's Riot City Blues, and including their most famous album, Screamadelica.

September 6th: On this Day

1953, Guy Mitchell was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Look At That Girl' his second No.1 this year. As an international recording star of the 1950s he sold over six million singles.

1963, Cilla Black signed a management contract with Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Cilla changed her name to Black, (it was white), after a misprint in the music paper 'Mersey Beat'.

1967, Engelbert Humperdinck was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Last Waltz', the singers second UK No.1.

1968, Working at Abbey Road studio's in London on The White Album, The Beatles recoded overdubs onto the new George Harrison song 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. Eric Clapton added the guitar solo (and became the first famous outside musician to play on a Beatles recording) and George recorded his lead vocal.

1970, Jimi Hendrix made his final live appearance when he appeared at the Isle Of Fehmarn in Germany. The guitarist died 12 days later on 18th Sept 1970 after choking on his own vomit.

1974, The 101 All Stars (featuring Joe Strummer), made their debut at The Telegraph, Brixton Hill, London.

1975, Glen Campbell started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Rhinestone Cowboy', his first No.1 after 13 Top 40 hits. The record gained three Grammy nominations and was the Country Music Association's Song of the Year for 1976.

1975, Rod Stewart was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of the Sutherland Brothers song 'Sailing'. The song had been featured in the BBC TV series about HMS Ark Royal.

1976, Fleetwood Mac went to No.1 on the US album chart for the first time with their album 'Fleetwood Mac'.

1978, Record producer Tom Wilson died. He worked with various US acts including Bob Dylan (The Times They Are a-Changin', Another Side of Bob Dylan, and Bringing It All Back Home), Frank Zappa (Freak Out!), Simon and Garfunkel (Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.) and The Velvet Underground, (White Light/White Heat).

1980, The Jam were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Start!', the group's second UK No.1 and taken from the band's fifth album Sound Affects.

1985, 'Desperately Seeking Susan' went on general release in the UK, the movie featured Madonna and Rosanna Arquette. The filmmakers had initially wanted Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn to play the roles of Roberta and Susan, but the director decided to cast newcomers Rosanna Arquette and Madonna instead.

1986, All girl group Bananarama went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Venus', the song had also been a No.1 for Dutch group Shocking Blue in 1970.

1988, 2,000 items of Elton John's personal memorabilia including his boa feathers, 'Pinball Wizard' boots and hundreds of pairs of spectacles were auctioned at Sotheby's in London.

1990, Tom Fogerty rhythm guitarist with Creedence Clearwater Revival died aged 49, due to complications from AIDS acquired during a blood transfusion. During 1969 CCR scored three US Top Ten albums and four Top 5 singles and after leaving CCR in 1971 Fogerty released several solo albums.

1994, English keyboard player Nicky Hopkins died aged 50, in Nashville, Tennessee, of complications from intestinal surgery. Was a highly respected session musician, worked with The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, Small Faces, Led Zeppelin, John Lennon, George Harrison, and the Jerry Garcia Band. The Kinks song 'Session Man' from Face to Face is dedicated to (and features) Hopkins.

1997, Elton John recorded a new version of 'Candle In The Wind' after performing the song live at Diana Princess of Wales funeral. An estimated 2.5 billion people around the world watched Elton play the special tribute to Diana. The track went on to become the biggest selling single of all-time.

2001, American band Earth, Wind & Fire announced that Viagra would sponsor their forthcoming 30th anniversary American tour.

2004, Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay was banned for six months and fined £750 after being clocked driving at more than 100mph. His lawyers had argued at Perth Sheriff Court that he needed his licence so he could have "respite" from his busy professional life. But Sheriff Robert McCreadie said his conduct was "entirely unacceptable". Jay Kay admitted driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle at 105mph on the A9 in Perthshire in February while overtaking.

2005, Sir Bob Geldof was awarded the freedom of his native Dublin after the City Council voted in favour of giving him the accolade in honour of his campaign against world poverty and alleviating debt in Africa.

2006, Victor Willis, who performed as the policeman in The Village People was given three years probation for drugs offences after pleading no contest to the charges, dating from March 2006. Willis co-wrote some of the group's biggest hits - including 'YMCA' and 'In The Navy.'

2006, A man named Paul van Valkenburgh from Florida died of lung cancer. An obituary published in a local paper was picked up by the Associated Press, which ran a short obituary of the dead man but giving him the wrong name. The real Paul Vance, who was alive and well and living in Coral Springs, Florida, contacted local media after viewing a report of his death on local TV. He announced that he was still alive and was able to prove this with a stack of royalty cheques from ASCAP from his biggest hit ‘Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini.’ He told a reporter for the New York Times that his relatives and friends, shocked by the AP report, had called to check on him after the media reports.

2008, US rock band Great White whose pyrotechnics sparked a fire that killed 100 people, agreed to pay $1m (£564,000) to survivors and victims' relatives. The blaze began at The Station nightclub in the US state of Rhode Island in 2003 when the band's tour manager shot off pyrotechnics at the start of the concert. More than 200 people were also injured in the blaze. One band member, guitarist Ty Longley, was killed in the fire. Tour manager Daniel Biechele pleaded guilty in 2006 to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter and was given parole in March after serving less than half of his four-year prison sentence.

2010, Morrissey caused controversy after he claimed that the Chinese were a "sub-species" because of the way they treat animals. In an interview with UK paper The Guardian, the former Smiths frontman said: "Did you see the thing on the news about their treatment of animals and animal welfare? Absolutely horrific. You can't help but feel that the Chinese are a sub-species."

2011, A California judge ruled that Madonna did not hold a trademark over the phrase "Material Girl" for her line of clothing just because she wrote a song by that name in 1985. An L.A. retailer called LA Triumph has been using the name "Material Girl" clothing and has registered it as a trademark.

2016, Barbra Streisand extended her US chart record after she scored her 11th US No.1 album with her Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway. The star had already notched up more chart toppers than any other female artist, and now extends her lead over Madonna, who has eight. She also overtook Elvis Presley, who has 10, to tie with Bruce Springsteen.

Pogue Mahoney wrote: On This Day: Bono officially lost his voice.