TODAY IN HISTORY – 12TH JULY
1943 - Born this day, Christine McVie [Perfect], musician, keyboardist, singer, ex-Chicken Shack, Fleetwood Mac, 1987 UK No.5 single Little Lies and 1977 US No.1 single Dreams, from world wide No.1 album Rumours.
1948 - Born this day, Walter Egan, rock musician, singer, (Not Shy, Fundamental Roll, Magnet & Steel). “Magnet & Steel” was produced by Lindsay Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) and at the time he was involved with Stevie Nicks who was hanging around the studio where they were recording. In Egan’s words he was “smitten by the kitten” even though he knew she was unattainable. It didn’t stop him though, writing “Magnet & Steel” about her and then getting her to sing backing vocals on the song!
1950 - Born this day, Eric Carr, rock musician, drummer, Kiss, 1974 US No.5 single On And On, 1987 UK No.4 single Crazy Crazy Nights. Died 24 november 1991.
1952 - Born this day, Liz Mitchell, singer, Boney M, 1978 UK No.1 and US No.30 single Rivers Of Babylon.
1954 - 19 year old Elvis Presley signed a recording contract with Sun Records. He also gave in his notice at The Crown electric company where he had a day job.
1965 - The Beach Boys recorded Sloop John B.
1969 - One hit wonders Zager and Evans started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with In The Year 2525, (Exordium And Terminus). It also made No.1 in the UK.
1973 - The Hues Corporation recorded Rock The Boat.
1979 - This was Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. Two Chicago radio disc jockeys came up with the idea of having people bring unwanted disco records to the stadium. The spurned records would be burned between doubleheader games with the White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Lead by the chant, "Disco Sucks!", most of the records weren't burned, but sailed through the stands during the game - nearly inciting a riot. Some fans started their own fires and mini-riots. There was so much commotion that the ballplayers couldn't even finish the last game of the doubleheader; the White Sox forfeited.
1979 - American singer songwriter Minnie Riperton died of cancer aged 31. The Stevie Wonder produced 'Loving You' gave Minnie a US No.1 single in 1975. She worked at Chess records singing backup for various artists such as Etta James, Fontella Bass, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters. She also sang lead for the experimental rock/soul group Rotary Connection, from 1967 to 1971. Also a member of Wonderlove in 1973, a backup group for Stevie Wonder.
1980 - Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra, had the UK No.1 single with Xanadu, taken from the film of the same name. It gave Olivia Newton-John her third UK No.1 single.
1986 - Simply Red scored their first US No.1 single with 'Holding Back The Years'. Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall wrote the song when he was seventeen, while living at his father's house. The chorus did not come to him until many years later.
1988 - Michael Jackson arrived in the UK for his first ever solo appearances. He performed a total of eight nights to 794,000 people, grossing just under £13 million.
1992 - Axl Rose, lead singer of the rock band Guns N' Roses, was arrested in New York on charges stemming from a riot that erupted at a Missouri concert the previous July. He later pleaded innocent.
1996 - Died this day, Jonathan Melvoin, a 34-year-old backup musician for Smashing Pumpkins, of a heroin overdose in a Manhattan hotel room. He was the son of Mike Melvoin, former chairman of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) and an anti-drug activist. Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, aged 32, was charged with heroin possession. Police said the rockers shot heroin and passed out. Chamberlin called 911 when he couldn't rouse Melvoin. Other members of the group were questioned but not charged, and the group's shows were postponed through the month.
2008 - Rolling Stone Ron Wood left his wife of 23 years and moved in with an 18-year-old Russian cocktail waitress. The 61 year-old dad-of-four had met the teenager while out drinking and had taken her away to his luxury pad in Ireland.
1943 - Born this day, Christine McVie [Perfect], musician, keyboardist, singer, ex-Chicken Shack, Fleetwood Mac, 1987 UK No.5 single Little Lies and 1977 US No.1 single Dreams, from world wide No.1 album Rumours.
1948 - Born this day, Walter Egan, rock musician, singer, (Not Shy, Fundamental Roll, Magnet & Steel). “Magnet & Steel” was produced by Lindsay Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) and at the time he was involved with Stevie Nicks who was hanging around the studio where they were recording. In Egan’s words he was “smitten by the kitten” even though he knew she was unattainable. It didn’t stop him though, writing “Magnet & Steel” about her and then getting her to sing backing vocals on the song!
1950 - Born this day, Eric Carr, rock musician, drummer, Kiss, 1974 US No.5 single On And On, 1987 UK No.4 single Crazy Crazy Nights. Died 24 november 1991.
1952 - Born this day, Liz Mitchell, singer, Boney M, 1978 UK No.1 and US No.30 single Rivers Of Babylon.
1954 - 19 year old Elvis Presley signed a recording contract with Sun Records. He also gave in his notice at The Crown electric company where he had a day job.
1965 - The Beach Boys recorded Sloop John B.
1969 - One hit wonders Zager and Evans started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with In The Year 2525, (Exordium And Terminus). It also made No.1 in the UK.
1973 - The Hues Corporation recorded Rock The Boat.
1979 - This was Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. Two Chicago radio disc jockeys came up with the idea of having people bring unwanted disco records to the stadium. The spurned records would be burned between doubleheader games with the White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Lead by the chant, "Disco Sucks!", most of the records weren't burned, but sailed through the stands during the game - nearly inciting a riot. Some fans started their own fires and mini-riots. There was so much commotion that the ballplayers couldn't even finish the last game of the doubleheader; the White Sox forfeited.
1979 - American singer songwriter Minnie Riperton died of cancer aged 31. The Stevie Wonder produced 'Loving You' gave Minnie a US No.1 single in 1975. She worked at Chess records singing backup for various artists such as Etta James, Fontella Bass, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters. She also sang lead for the experimental rock/soul group Rotary Connection, from 1967 to 1971. Also a member of Wonderlove in 1973, a backup group for Stevie Wonder.
1980 - Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra, had the UK No.1 single with Xanadu, taken from the film of the same name. It gave Olivia Newton-John her third UK No.1 single.
1986 - Simply Red scored their first US No.1 single with 'Holding Back The Years'. Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall wrote the song when he was seventeen, while living at his father's house. The chorus did not come to him until many years later.
1988 - Michael Jackson arrived in the UK for his first ever solo appearances. He performed a total of eight nights to 794,000 people, grossing just under £13 million.
1992 - Axl Rose, lead singer of the rock band Guns N' Roses, was arrested in New York on charges stemming from a riot that erupted at a Missouri concert the previous July. He later pleaded innocent.
1996 - Died this day, Jonathan Melvoin, a 34-year-old backup musician for Smashing Pumpkins, of a heroin overdose in a Manhattan hotel room. He was the son of Mike Melvoin, former chairman of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) and an anti-drug activist. Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, aged 32, was charged with heroin possession. Police said the rockers shot heroin and passed out. Chamberlin called 911 when he couldn't rouse Melvoin. Other members of the group were questioned but not charged, and the group's shows were postponed through the month.
2008 - Rolling Stone Ron Wood left his wife of 23 years and moved in with an 18-year-old Russian cocktail waitress. The 61 year-old dad-of-four had met the teenager while out drinking and had taken her away to his luxury pad in Ireland.