Musician Birthdays: (Michael Stipe, singer of R.E.M., born in 1960)

– In 1954: Elvis Presley made his second visit to the Memphis recording service and cut two songs onto a 10 acetate, ‘Casual Love Affair ‘and ‘I’ll Never Stand In Your Way’. Studio boss Sam Phillips asked Presley to leave his phone number.

– In 1965: The Fender guitar company was bought by CBS for $13 million (£7.6 million).

– In 1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience played the first of what would be over 240 gigs in this year when they appeared at the Bromel Club, Bromley. (Many of the concerts were two shows per night).

– In 1967: The Doors released their self-titled debut album The Doors. Unique packaging of the album included each band member’s bio.

– In 1968: The University of California, Los Angeles announced that students taking music degrees would have to study the music of The Rolling Stones saying they had made such an important contribution to modern music.

– In 1970: Chauffeur Neil Boland was accidentally killed when The Who’s drummer Keith Moon ran over him. Moon was trying to escape from a Gang of skinheads after a fight broke out at a pub in Hatfield, England. Moon had never passed his driving test.

– In 1970: The Beatles (without John Lennon) re-record vocals and a new guitar solo on the Paul McCartney song ‘Let It Be’ at Studio Two, EMI Studios, London. This session will be the final studio appearance for The Beatles, as a group. (The final date that all four of The Beatles were in the studio together is August 20, 1969).

– In 1975:  Elton John started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with his version of The Beatles ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’. His third US No.1, the song featured John Lennon on guitar.

– In 1977: The Sex Pistols shocked passengers and airline staff at Heathrow Airport when they spat and vomited boarding a plane to Amsterdam.

– In 1986: Irish singer, songwriter and bassist Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy died of heart failure and pneumonia after being in a coma for eight days following a drug overdose. Had the 1973 hit ‘Whiskey in the Jar’, (their version of the traditional Irish song), 1978 album ‘Live and Dangerous’ spent 62 weeks on the UK chart. A life-size bronze statue of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street in Dublin in 2005.

– In 2001: Courtney Love filed a lawsuit against her alleged stalker claiming that Lesley Barber, the ex-wife of her current boyfriend Jim Barber, drove over her foot. This had forced her to forfeit her role in a forthcoming film and lost her the £200,000, ($340,000) fee that went with it.

– In 2005: The owner of a recording studio where Eminem recorded his ‘Slim Shady’ LP was found shot dead. AJ Abdallah, who was 36, was discovered by a business colleague at the Detroit studio, it was thought he had been dead for at least two days. Police suggested that a robbery may also have taken place. Mr Abdallah had lived in a apartment above the studio on Eight Mile Road, the Detroit street which inspired the title of Eminem’s 2002 film ‘8 Mile.’

– In 2006: The house where Johnny Cash lived for 35 years was bought by Bee Gees singer Barry Gibb. The rustic house near Nashville, Tennessee went on the market in June 2005 with an asking price of $2.9m (£1.7m). Gibb said he planned to preserve the house to honour the Cash memory. Unfortunately Gibb’s ownership of the house was short-lived. In April 2007, the house burned to the ground. Gibb was having the house renovated when a flammable spray sealer caused fire to break out during construction.

– In 2008: Britney Spears was carried out of her home on a stretcher and taken into custody after police were called in a dispute involving her children. Police were called to Spears’ home over a family custodial dispute that they tried to resolve, after nearly three hours, Spears handed over her children, two-year-old Sean Preston and one-year-old Jayden James, to her ex-husband Kevin Federline.

Musician Birthdays: George Martin (famous as the Beatles producer, known as the 5th Beatle, born in 1926), Stephen Stills (singer/guitarist for CSNY, Buffalo Springfield, born in 1945), John Paul Jones (bassist for Led Zeppelin, Them Crooked Vultures, born in 1946)

– In 1955: Elvis Presley appeared in Boonesville, Virginia. The 20 year-old singer was still a regional star, but by the end of 56′ he had become a national sensation, recording two albums, (which included ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ and ‘Blue Suede Shoes’), appeared on national television 11 times, played over 100 concerts and signed a seven year contract with Paramount Pictures.

– In 1963: The Beatles began their first headlining tour with four nights in Scotland appearing at the Two Red Shoes Ballroom, Elgin. Two of the dates were cancelled due to bad weather.

– In 1964: The Beatles were seen for the first time on US TV when a clip from the BBC’s ‘The Mersey Sound’ showing the group playing ‘She Loves You’ was shown on The Jack Paar Show.

– In 1969: Appearing live on The Lulu show on UK TV, Jimi Hendrix was booked to perform two songs, Voodoo Child, (which is performed in full), then he stopped performing his new single ‘Hey Joe’ after a verse and chorus and instead launched into a version of the Cream song ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’ as a tribute to the band who had split a few days earlier. Hendrix then proceeded to continuing jamming, running over their allocated time slot on the live show, preventing the show’s host Lulu from closing the show properly.

– In 1972: Two weeks of rehearsals for Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon tour began at the Bermondsey in London, England, (the venue was owned by The Rolling Stones).

– In 1974: Bob Dylan and The Band started a 39-date US tour, Dylan’s first live appearance for over 7 years. There were more than 5 million applications for the 660,000 tickets.

– In 1976: Bob Dylan’s song, ‘Hurricane’, peaked at No.33 on the Billboard singles chart, helping to cause enough publicity to eventually get former boxer Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter released from jail. The song promoted Carter’s innocence and a movie about Carter’s life, starring Denzel Washington, was released in 2000.

– In 1981: David Bowie made his final appearance as the Elephant Man in the Broadway show in New York City.

– In 1987: Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

– In 2002: Liam and Noel Gallagher topped a poll of celebrities you would least like to live next to, getting 40% of the vote. Readers of Your Home magazine voted the brothers from Oasis as ‘Neighbours From Hell’.

Musician Birthdays: Roger Miller (country singer/songwriter, famous for the hit, “King of the Road”, born in 1936), Ricky Van Shelton (US country singer/songwriter, born in 1957)

– In 1965: Elvis Presley went to No.1 on the US album chart with the soundtrack from ‘Roustabout,’ Presley’s eighth No.1.

– In 1968: The entire shipment of John and Yoko’s album ‘Two Virgins’ was seized by authorities in New Jersey due to the full frontal nude photograph of the couple on the cover. The album was eventually wrapped in plain brown paper in record stores.

– In 1969: Led Zeppelin played the first of four nights at the Whisky A Go-Go, Los Angeles during the bands first North American tour. Support group was the Alice Cooper band.

– In 1969: Filming began at Twickenham studios in England of The Beatles rehearsing for the ‘Let It Be’ album. The project ran into several problems including George Harrison walking out on the group on January 10th.

– In 1971: The George Harrison album ‘All Things Must Pass’ started a seven week run at No.1 on the US album chart, making Harrison the first solo Beatle to score a US No.1 album.

– In 1979: Sex Pistol’s bass player Sid Vicious went on trial in New York accused of murdering his girlfriend Nancy Spungen three months earlier.

– In 1992: Meat Loaf started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Bat Out Of Hell 2-Back Into Hell.’

– In 2003: 50 Cent was arrested by police in New York after guns were found in his vehicle, after his SUV was searched when it had been left in a no-parking zone. Police found a .25-calibre handgun and a .45-calibre pistol in the vehicle, officers said both guns were loaded.

– In 2005: Green Day were at No.1 on the UK album chart with their seventh album ‘American Idiot.’ The album went on to be nominated for seven Grammy Awards, winning the Best Rock Album of 2005.

– In 2009: According to official US sales figures AC/DC were the biggest sellers of 2008 with over 3.4m sales. To promote the group’s latest album Black Ice, Columbia Records created “Rock Again AC/DC Stores” as well as “Black Ice” trucks which were dispatched on the streets of New York and Los Angeles playing AC/DC music aloud and making various stops each day to sell merchandise.

– In 1953: Country singer Hank Williams died of a heart attack brought on by a lethal cocktail of pills and alcohol aged 29. Made his first record in 1946, scored 36 Top 10 US country hits, his best Known being ‘Your Cheatin Heart.’ Over 20,000 mourners attended his funeral.

– In 1955: Elvis Presley appeared at The Eagles Hall in Houston Texas. Presley went on to play over 250 shows in 1955.

– In 1956: Bill Haley’s ‘Rock Around The Clock’ went to No.1 on the UK singles chart for the second time.

– In 1960: Johnny Cash played a free concert for the inmates of San Quentin Prison, California.

– In 1964: The first edition of the BBC TV show Top Of The Pops was transmitted from an old church hall in Manchester, England. Introduced by DJ Jimmy Saville, acts miming to their latest releases included The Rolling Stones, (I Wanna Be Your Man), The Dave Clark Five, (Glad All Over), The Hollies, (Stay), and The Swinging Blue Jeans, (Hippy Hippy Shake). The first song played was Dusty Springfield’s ‘I Only Want To Be With You’. Also featured on disc and film, The Beatles, (I Want to Hold Your Hand), Freddie & the Dreamers, Cliff Richard and the Shadows and Gene Pitney.

– In 1965: The Yardbirds (with Eric Clapton), played two shows at The Odeon Cinema, Hammersmith in London. One at 6.15 and 8.45pm.

– In 1966: Simon and Garfunkel started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘The Sounds Of Silence’, a No.13 hit in the UK.

– In 1967: The Doors made their first live television appearance lip-synching their first single ‘Break on Through’ on Shebang, KTLA-TV Channel 5 in Los Angeles. The single peaked No. 126 on the US chart mainly due to lack of airplay after censors objected to the drug use implied by the line “she gets high”, which is repeated in the middle section of the song.

– In 1972: Carole King started a three week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Music’, her second US chart topper.

– In 1972: Marc Bolan signed a deal with EMI to release records in the UK on his own T Rex Wax co. label.

– In 1989: Nirvana signed a one-year recording contract with Sub Pop records. The Seattle based label began not as a record label but as a fanzine (called Subterranean Pop), in the early 80’s, also signed Soundgarden and Mudhoney.

– In 1990: New American radio station WKRL in Florida played the Led Zeppelin track ‘Stairway To Heaven’ for 24 hours, as a prelude to an all Zeppelin format.

– In 1995: Garth Brooks started a six week run at No.1 on the US album charts with ‘The Hits.’

– In 2007: Queen beat The Beatles to be crowned greatest British band of all time by BBC Radio 2 listeners in the UK. They pipped the Fab Four in a live contest, trouncing other finalists The Rolling Stones, Oasis and Take That. The bands were judged on song-writing, lyrics, live performances, originality and showmanship. More than 20,000 listeners voted by email, text and phone.

– In 2011: Chuck Berry cut short a concert at Congress Theater, Chicago, Illinois after collapsing on stage an hour into the show. Berry slumped over a keyboard and did not move for a couple of minutes before being helped off stage, he returned 15 minutes later only to be forced off again almost immediately. The 84 year-old later re-emerged on stage but told fans he had no strength to continue performing.

Musician Birthdays: Andy Summers (guitarist of the Police, born in 1942), Donna Summer (US disco singer, famous for the hit “Hot Stuff”, born in 1948), Paul Westerberg (guitarist, singer for the Replacements, born in 1960), Scott Ian (guitarist, singer for Anthrax, born in 1963)

– In 1955: Based on sales from stores, radio and jukebox plays Billboard named ‘Unchained Melody’ by Les Baxter the number 1 US song of 1955.

– In 1961: The Beach Boys made their live debut using their new name when they appeared at Long Beach Civic Auditorium, California.

– In 1963: The Kinks made their live debut when they played at the Lotus House Restaurant, London.

– In 1966: The Monkees started a 7-week run at No.1 on the US singles charts with the Neil Diamond song ‘I’m A Believer’. Also No.1 in the UK in 1967.

– In 1967: American songwriter and producer Bert Berns died of heart failure aged 38. He wrote many classic songs including ‘Twist And Shout’, ‘Hang On Sloopy’, ‘Here Comes the Night’, ‘I Want Candy’ and ‘Brown Eyed Girl’.

– In 1970: Paul McCartney filed a suit against the rest of The Beatles to dissolve their partnership.

– In 1973: Australian band AC/DC made their live debut when they appeared at Chequers Bar in Sydney.

– In 1979: David Bowie performed an acoustic version of ‘Space Oddity’ on the UK TV ‘Kenny Everett New Year’s Show’.

– In 1984: Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, crashed his Corvette Stingray, on the A57 outside Sheffield, Allen lost his left arm in the accident. Allen was on his way to a New Year’s Eve party at his family’s home when a Jaguar passed him. The driver had been egging Allen on and would not allow him to pass. In his rage to pass this driver, he did not see a turn up ahead and lost control of his car. He was thrown from the car, with his left arm severed due to the seatbelt not being properly fastened.

– In 1985: Ricky Nelson was killed along with six others, when his charted light aircraft crashed in Texas. It’s rumoured that freebasing cocaine caused an onboard explosion. Nelson had played himself on his parent’s US TV The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet.’ (1958 US No.1 ‘Poor Little Fool’, 1961 UK No.2 single ‘Hello Mary Lou’ plus over 30 US Top 40 hit singles).

– In 1991: Pearl Jam, Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers all appeared on the same bill at the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California.

– In 1994: Garth Brooks started a seven-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with, ‘The Hits’.

– In 1996: Paul McCartney became a Sir after he was listed in the Queens New Year’s Honours List.

– In 2000: Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson married actress Kate Hudson the daughter of actress Goldie Hawn. The couple separated in 2006.

– In 2001: UK record chain HMV listed the best selling music products over Christmas: ‘No Angel’ by Dido was the best selling album, Kylie Minogue sold the most calendars, Kurt Cobain: ‘Heavier Than Heaven’ was the best selling book and D-12 T-Shirt was listed as the No.1 seller.

– In 2005: The John Lennon song Imagine was voted the nations favourite song a quarter of a century after his death. A UK radio station conducted the poll of 7,000 listeners. The Beatles were voted into second and third place with ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Let It Be.’

Musician Birthdays: Mike Nesmith (vocals, guitarist for The Monkees, born in 1942), Davy Jones (vocals, guitarist for The Monkees, born in 1945), Patti Smith (singer/songwriter, spoken word artist, poet, also responsible for starting the NYC punk rock movement which she is famous for performing at the CBGB’s, born in 1946), Tracy Ullman (singer, stand up comic, actress, born in 1959), Tyrese Gibson (singer/songwriter, rapper, actor, model, born in 1978)

– In 1962: Singer Brenda Lee was hurt when she attempted to rescue her poodle, Cee Cee from her burning house. Cee Cee later died of smoke inhalation.

– In 1967: The Beatles scored their 15th US No.1 with ‘Hello Goodbye’, Gladys Knight and the Pips were at No.2 with ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ and The Monkees at No.3 with ‘Daydream Believer.’

– In 1968: Led Zeppelin appeared at Gonzaga University Gymnasium, Spokane on their first North American tour supporting Vanilla Fudge.

– In 1969: Peter Tork quit The Monkees, buying himself out of his contract which left him broke.

– In 1978: Emerson Lake and Palmer announced their official break up.

– In 1999: George Harrison and his wife Olivia were attacked when an intruder broke into their home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Olivia beat off the attacker with a poker and heavy lamp. Harrison who was stabbed in the chest was admitted to hospital and treated for a collapsed lung and various minor stab wounds. His wife, Olivia, was treated for cuts and bruises she had suffered in the struggle with the intruder. Police later arrested Michael Abram from Liverpool who had nursed an irrational obsession with the Beatles.

– In 2002: Diana Ross was arrested for drink driving by the Arizona highway patrol after a motorist called to report a swerving vehicle in the western state of Arizona. When asked to walk in a straight line she fell over, could not count to 30 or balance on one foot. Police said the singer was twice over the drink drive limit with a blood-alcohol of 0.20, the legal limit is 0.08.

– In 2002: The funeral of former Clash singer and guitarist Joe Strummer took place in London. Strummer had died of a suspected heart attack on 22nd Dec 2002 aged 50.

– In 2003: Cris Kirkwood from the Meat Puppets was arrested and accused of hitting a federal post office security guard in the head with a baton that the musician took from the guard during a struggle, the guard then shot Kirkwood in the back. The incident began over a dispute about parking with another customer at a Phoenix post office.

– In 2006: R&B singer Brandy was involved in a four-car crash that left one woman dead, after the singer failed to slow down and hit the back of another car. Brandy was alone in her car and no alcohol or drugs were involved.

Musician Birthdays: Marianne Faithful (UK singer/songwriter, one time girlfriend of Mick Jagger, also famous as the special guest vocalist for the Metallica song, “The Memory Remains”, born in 1946)

– In 1956: Elvis Presley made chart history by having 10 songs on Billboards Top 100 for week ending Dec 19th.

– In 1966: Working at Abbey Road studios, London, Paul McCartney began work on his new song ‘Penny Lane’, recording six takes of keyboard tracks and various percussion effects.

– In 1968: Led Zeppelin appeared at the Civic Auditorium, Portland on their first North American tour opening for Vanilla Fudge.

– In 1973: Jim Croce scored his second No.1 US single of the year when ‘Time In A Bottle’ went to the top of the charts. Croce was killed in a plane crash on the way to a concert on September 20th 1973.

– In 1980: American singer, songwriter Tim Hardin died of a heroin overdose. Hardin wrote the songs ‘If I Were A Carpenter’ (covered by Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash and June Carter, The Four Tops, Leon Russell, Small Faces, Robert Plant and Bob Seger,) and ‘Reason To Believe’, (covered by Rod Stewart). Hardin appeared at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

– In 2001: Aretha Franklin was suing a US newspaper which alleged that the star had alcohol problems. The singer’s lawyers filed a federal lawsuit against the Florida-based Star claiming she was defamed by an article in the paper in December 2000 and were seeking $50m (£35m) in damages.

– In 2006: The wife of rock singer Marilyn Manson, Burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese filed for divorce after just a year of marriage. The couple married in December 2005 in a ceremony held at a castle in Ireland.