– In 1960: Elvis Presley started his first recordings since being discharged from the US Army. A 12 hour session in a Nashville recording studio produced his next No.1 single, ‘Stuck On You’. Scotty Moore and Bill Black, who had quit Presley’s touring band in 1957, were in the studio with him for the last time.
– In 1961: Elvis Presley started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Surrender’, his fifth No.1 of the 60’s. It also made No.1 in the UK. The song was based on the 1911 Italian song, ‘Return To Sorrento.’
– In 1968: Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Richie Furay and Jim Mesina, were arrested in Los Angeles for ‘being at a place where it was suspected marijuana was being used.’ Clapton was later found innocent, the others paid small fines.
– In 1969: John Lennon married Yoko Ono at the British Consulate Office in Gibraltar. They spent their honeymoon in Amsterdam campaigning for an international “Bed-In” for peace. They planned another “Bed-in” in the United States, but were denied entry. The couple then went to Montr’al, and during a “Bed-in” at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel recorded ‘Give Peace a Chance’. Lennon also detailed this period in The Beatles’ ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko’, recorded by Lennon and McCartney on April 14, 1969.
– In 1971: At their own expense The Rolling Stones placed full page advertisements in all the UK’s music papers disclaiming any connection with the release of the Decca album ‘Stone Age’ saying ‘in our opinion the content is below the standard we try to keep.’
– In 1971: Janis Joplin started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with the Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Me And Bobby McGee’. Joplin died the year before on 4th October aged 27.
– In 1977: Lou Reed was banned from appearing The London Palladium in England because of his punk image.
– In 1977: T Rex played their final ever gig when they appeared at The Locarno in Portsmouth, England.
– In 1982: Joan Jett And The Blackhearts started a seven week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’, a No.4 hit in the UK. The song had been a B-side from 60’s bands The Arrows.
– In 1990: Gloria Estefans tour bus was rammed by a tractor-trailer on the way to a concert. Emilio Estefan and their son Nayib were injured; Gloria suffered a serious back injury, which required an operation two days later.
– In 1991: Eric Clapton’s four year old son, Conor, fell to his death from the 53rd story of a New York City apartment after a housekeeper who was cleaning the room left a window open. The boy was in the custody of his mother, Italian actress, Lori Del Santo and the pair were visiting a friend’s apartment. Clapton was staying in a nearby hotel after taking his son to the circus the previous evening. The tragedy inspired his song ‘Tears in Heaven’.