TODAY IN HISTORY – 31ST JULY
1955 - Elvis Presley performed three shows at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa, Florida, (2 matinee and 1 evening). A full scale riot broke out after the show when Elvis announced to the 14,000 strong crowd, "Girls, I'll see you backstage." Fans chased Elvis into the dressing room tearing off his clothes and shoes. Other acts who appeared here include Tom Jones, The Animals, James Brown, Buddy Holly, Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash and the Doors.
1958 - Born on this day, Bill Berry, drums, R.E.M. (1991 UK No.6 & US No.10 single 'Shiny Happy People', plus over 20 Top 40 UK singles, 1992 UK No.1 & US No.2 album 'Automatic For The People'). Berry quit the band in 1997.
1959 - Cliff Richard had his first British No.1 when Living Doll, started a six week run at the top of the singles chart.
1963 - Born this day, [Quentin] Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, DJ, rock musician, 1986 UK No.1 single Caravan Of Love, Beats International, 1990 UK No.1 Dub Be Good To Me, Freak Power Turn On Tune In Cop Out, aka Pizzaman, Fatboy Slim, 1999 UK No.1 single Praise You.
1964 - Born this day, Jim Corr, guitar, vocals, The Corrs, 1998 UK No.3 single What Can I Do, Talk On Corners best selling UK album of 1998.
1964 - Country singer Jim Reeves was killed in a plane crash when the single engine aircraft flying from Arkansas to Nashville crashed in thick fog. 40 year- old Reeves was one of the first country singers to cross-over into the pop market. with his 1960 US No.2 single 'He'll Have To Go', and 1966 UK No.1 single 'Distant Drums'.
1966 - Alabamans burned Beatles products due to John Lennon's anti-Jesus remark.
1967 - An appeal court in London, England, gave Mick Jagger a conditional discharge and quashed Keith Richard’s conviction for permitting his house to be used for the purpose of smoking cannabis resin.
1969 - Elvis Presley kicked off a four week run at the Las Vegas International Hotel, (his first live show since 1961). He reportedly netted $1.5m for the shows. On the menu an Elvis special, polk salad with corn muffins & honey.
1971 - A security guard was stabbed to death during a concert by The Who at New York’s Forest Hill Stadium.
1971 - James Taylor went to No.1 on the US singles chart with the Carole King song You Got A Friend. Taylor scored nine other solo US top 40 hits during the 70's.
1978 - Born this day, Will Champion, drums, Coldplay, 2000 UK No.4 single Yellow, 2000 UK No.1 album Parachutes.
1980 - Jon Phillips of the Mamas and Papas was apprehended by FBI narcotics agents for possession of cocaine, he was later sentenced to 250 hours Community service giving anti-drug lectures.
1980 - During An Eagles concert at Long Beach, California, tempers boiled over between Glen Frey and Don Felder, who spent the entire show describing to each other the beating each planned to administer backstage. "Only three more songs until I kick your ass, pal," Frey told Felder. The group’s next album was mixed by Frey and Felder on opposite coasts after the two decided they couldn't bear to be in the same state, let alone the same studio.
1982 - Survivor's 'Eye Of The Tiger' was at No.1 on the US album chart. The song, which was commissioned by actor Sylvester Stallone for the theme for the movie Rocky III, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and go on to sell over five million copies.
1985 - Prince was big at the box office with the autobiographical story of the Minneapolis rock star, Purple Rain. The film grossed $7.7 million in its first three days of release on 917 movie screens. The album of the same name was the top LP in the US also.
1985 - The Eurythmics had the No.1 position on the UK singles chart with There Must Be An Angel, (Playing With My Heart). Paul Young had the US No.1 with Everytime You Go Away.
1991 - Bryan Adams was enjoying his third week at No.1 on the UK singles chart with (Everything I Do) I Do It For You. The single stayed at No.1 for a record breaking sixteen weeks.
1992 - Michael Jackson made an unscheduled appearance on his hotel balcony in London after a man had threatened to jump from an apartment building across the street. 28 year-old Eric Herminie told police he would leap to his death if he didn't see Jackson, who was in Britain for a series of concerts. Jackson spent a couple of minutes waving to Herminie, who then climbed back into the building.
1999 - Christina Aguilera scored her first US No.1 single with Genie In A Bottle. It was also a No.1 in the UK.
2000 - Eighties pop maestro Mike Stock was declared bankrupt. Mike who was one third of 80's hit factory Stock, Aitken and Waterman had been involved in several court battles over copyright issues.
2006 - Former Culture Club singer Boy George (O'Dowd) was ordered to do community service by picking up trash on New York City streets after pleading guilty last March to false reporting of an incident. He called police with a bogus report of a burglary at his lower Manhattan apartment in October and the responding officers found cocaine inside.
2002 - The son of Bryan Ferry was arrested by armed police outside the UK prime minister's County Durham home as he tried to stage a demonstration. Otis Ferry went through security gates and was arrested when he refused to give his name. He was trying to place posters supporting animal hunts on the walls of Mr Blair's house.
2013 – Bruce Springsteen has topped a new list of “Greatest Live Acts Right Now” (Rolling Stone Magazine), beating Prince and the Rolling Stones.
1955 - Elvis Presley performed three shows at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa, Florida, (2 matinee and 1 evening). A full scale riot broke out after the show when Elvis announced to the 14,000 strong crowd, "Girls, I'll see you backstage." Fans chased Elvis into the dressing room tearing off his clothes and shoes. Other acts who appeared here include Tom Jones, The Animals, James Brown, Buddy Holly, Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash and the Doors.
1958 - Born on this day, Bill Berry, drums, R.E.M. (1991 UK No.6 & US No.10 single 'Shiny Happy People', plus over 20 Top 40 UK singles, 1992 UK No.1 & US No.2 album 'Automatic For The People'). Berry quit the band in 1997.
1959 - Cliff Richard had his first British No.1 when Living Doll, started a six week run at the top of the singles chart.
1963 - Born this day, [Quentin] Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, DJ, rock musician, 1986 UK No.1 single Caravan Of Love, Beats International, 1990 UK No.1 Dub Be Good To Me, Freak Power Turn On Tune In Cop Out, aka Pizzaman, Fatboy Slim, 1999 UK No.1 single Praise You.
1964 - Born this day, Jim Corr, guitar, vocals, The Corrs, 1998 UK No.3 single What Can I Do, Talk On Corners best selling UK album of 1998.
1964 - Country singer Jim Reeves was killed in a plane crash when the single engine aircraft flying from Arkansas to Nashville crashed in thick fog. 40 year- old Reeves was one of the first country singers to cross-over into the pop market. with his 1960 US No.2 single 'He'll Have To Go', and 1966 UK No.1 single 'Distant Drums'.
1966 - Alabamans burned Beatles products due to John Lennon's anti-Jesus remark.
1967 - An appeal court in London, England, gave Mick Jagger a conditional discharge and quashed Keith Richard’s conviction for permitting his house to be used for the purpose of smoking cannabis resin.
1969 - Elvis Presley kicked off a four week run at the Las Vegas International Hotel, (his first live show since 1961). He reportedly netted $1.5m for the shows. On the menu an Elvis special, polk salad with corn muffins & honey.
1971 - A security guard was stabbed to death during a concert by The Who at New York’s Forest Hill Stadium.
1971 - James Taylor went to No.1 on the US singles chart with the Carole King song You Got A Friend. Taylor scored nine other solo US top 40 hits during the 70's.
1978 - Born this day, Will Champion, drums, Coldplay, 2000 UK No.4 single Yellow, 2000 UK No.1 album Parachutes.
1980 - Jon Phillips of the Mamas and Papas was apprehended by FBI narcotics agents for possession of cocaine, he was later sentenced to 250 hours Community service giving anti-drug lectures.
1980 - During An Eagles concert at Long Beach, California, tempers boiled over between Glen Frey and Don Felder, who spent the entire show describing to each other the beating each planned to administer backstage. "Only three more songs until I kick your ass, pal," Frey told Felder. The group’s next album was mixed by Frey and Felder on opposite coasts after the two decided they couldn't bear to be in the same state, let alone the same studio.
1982 - Survivor's 'Eye Of The Tiger' was at No.1 on the US album chart. The song, which was commissioned by actor Sylvester Stallone for the theme for the movie Rocky III, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and go on to sell over five million copies.
1985 - Prince was big at the box office with the autobiographical story of the Minneapolis rock star, Purple Rain. The film grossed $7.7 million in its first three days of release on 917 movie screens. The album of the same name was the top LP in the US also.
1985 - The Eurythmics had the No.1 position on the UK singles chart with There Must Be An Angel, (Playing With My Heart). Paul Young had the US No.1 with Everytime You Go Away.
1991 - Bryan Adams was enjoying his third week at No.1 on the UK singles chart with (Everything I Do) I Do It For You. The single stayed at No.1 for a record breaking sixteen weeks.
1992 - Michael Jackson made an unscheduled appearance on his hotel balcony in London after a man had threatened to jump from an apartment building across the street. 28 year-old Eric Herminie told police he would leap to his death if he didn't see Jackson, who was in Britain for a series of concerts. Jackson spent a couple of minutes waving to Herminie, who then climbed back into the building.
1999 - Christina Aguilera scored her first US No.1 single with Genie In A Bottle. It was also a No.1 in the UK.
2000 - Eighties pop maestro Mike Stock was declared bankrupt. Mike who was one third of 80's hit factory Stock, Aitken and Waterman had been involved in several court battles over copyright issues.
2006 - Former Culture Club singer Boy George (O'Dowd) was ordered to do community service by picking up trash on New York City streets after pleading guilty last March to false reporting of an incident. He called police with a bogus report of a burglary at his lower Manhattan apartment in October and the responding officers found cocaine inside.
2002 - The son of Bryan Ferry was arrested by armed police outside the UK prime minister's County Durham home as he tried to stage a demonstration. Otis Ferry went through security gates and was arrested when he refused to give his name. He was trying to place posters supporting animal hunts on the walls of Mr Blair's house.
2013 – Bruce Springsteen has topped a new list of “Greatest Live Acts Right Now” (Rolling Stone Magazine), beating Prince and the Rolling Stones.