TODAY IN HISTORY – October 20th
1943 - Born this day, Bobby Fuller [Robert Gaston Fuller], was the leader of The Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought The Law. Died 18 July 1966, murdered, asphyxia by forced inhalation of gasoline (petrol).
1953 - Born this day, Tom Petty, in Gainesville, Florida, rock singer, musician, and the Heartbreakers, Refugee, Anything That's Rock 'N' Roll, American Girl, Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, Don't Come Around Here No More, 1989 UK No.28 single I Won't Back Down, Runnin' Down A Dream, Free Feelin' Learning To Fly, Too Good To Be True, Something In The Air). As part of Traveling Wilburys, 1988 UK No.21 single Handle With Care.
1955 - Harry Belafonte recorded The Banana Boat Song.
1960 - Roy Orbison had his first UK No.1 single with Only The Lonely.
1962 - Bobby 'Boris' Pickett and the Crypt Kickers started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Monster Mash. it made No.3 in the UK eleven years later in 1973. The song had been banned by the BBC, as they deemed it offensive.
1971 - Born on this day, Snoop Doggy Dogg, (Calvin Broadus), 1993 US No.1 album 'Doggy Style', 1996 UK No.12 single 'Snoop's Upside Your Head'.
1973 - The Rolling Stones went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Angie, the groups 7th US chart topper. It made No.5 in the UK.
1977 - Died this day, Ronnie van Zant, in a plane crash after it ran out of fuel at Southern Rock. Born in Jacksonville, Florida. Was a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. They sang Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama. Also killed in the same crash were Steven Gaines, born 14 September 1949 in Seneca, Missouri, Cassie Gaines, born 5 July 1948, she was a backup singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd and Dean Kilpatrick, a roadie for Lynyrd Skynyrd. The other members were all seriously injured. The band were due to play at Louisiana University. (Other source says rented plane crashed into a swamp in Gillsburg, Mississippi).
1978 – Dire Straits released their debut album on this day. It featured what would become an international hit single “Sultans of Swing”.
1978 - The Police made their US debut at C.B.G.B.S, New York. The trio had flown on low cost tickets with Laker Airtrain from the UK, carrying their instruments as hand luggage
1979 - The Eagles started a nine week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Long Run', the bands fourth US No.1.
1984 - Wham! started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Freedom', the duo's second No.1. The song was used in a Japanese commercial for Maxell audio cassettes, with altered lyrics.
2003 - A jury found Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy guilty of assaulting a nightclub worker. The singer was sentenced to complete 120 hours of unpaid community service and was ordered to pay her victim £500 compensation, plus £3,000 of prosecution costs. The singer had denied attacking toilet attendant Sophie Amogbokpa, saying she only punched her in self-defence. The charges stemmed from an incident at the Drink nightclub in Guildford, Surrey, on 11 January.
2006 - George Michael openly smoked a cannabis joint during an interview on a TV show. The singer was filmed backstage in Madrid, Spain where the drug is legal. Michael said ‘It’s the only drug I’ve ever thought worth taking, this stuff keeps me sane and happy. But it’s not very healthy.’
2010 – Most popular song played on NZ radio this past week is “Just the way you are” – Bruno Mars.
2011 - US photographer Barry Feinstein, best known for taking enduring pictures of musicians such as Bob Dylan and George Harrison, died aged 80. Feinstein was responsible for capturing more than 500 record sleeves, including Harrison's 'All Things Must Pass' album and the cover photograph for Dylan's album 'The Times They Are A-Changin'. Feinstein's picture of Dylan at a damp ferry port on the banks of the River Severn was also used in No Direction Home, Scorsese's 2005 film about the musician. The Rolling Stones sleeve for 'Beggars Banquet', shot in a graffiti-covered toilet, was also Feinstein's work.
1943 - Born this day, Bobby Fuller [Robert Gaston Fuller], was the leader of The Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought The Law. Died 18 July 1966, murdered, asphyxia by forced inhalation of gasoline (petrol).
1953 - Born this day, Tom Petty, in Gainesville, Florida, rock singer, musician, and the Heartbreakers, Refugee, Anything That's Rock 'N' Roll, American Girl, Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, Don't Come Around Here No More, 1989 UK No.28 single I Won't Back Down, Runnin' Down A Dream, Free Feelin' Learning To Fly, Too Good To Be True, Something In The Air). As part of Traveling Wilburys, 1988 UK No.21 single Handle With Care.
1955 - Harry Belafonte recorded The Banana Boat Song.
1960 - Roy Orbison had his first UK No.1 single with Only The Lonely.
1962 - Bobby 'Boris' Pickett and the Crypt Kickers started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Monster Mash. it made No.3 in the UK eleven years later in 1973. The song had been banned by the BBC, as they deemed it offensive.
1971 - Born on this day, Snoop Doggy Dogg, (Calvin Broadus), 1993 US No.1 album 'Doggy Style', 1996 UK No.12 single 'Snoop's Upside Your Head'.
1973 - The Rolling Stones went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Angie, the groups 7th US chart topper. It made No.5 in the UK.
1977 - Died this day, Ronnie van Zant, in a plane crash after it ran out of fuel at Southern Rock. Born in Jacksonville, Florida. Was a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. They sang Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama. Also killed in the same crash were Steven Gaines, born 14 September 1949 in Seneca, Missouri, Cassie Gaines, born 5 July 1948, she was a backup singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd and Dean Kilpatrick, a roadie for Lynyrd Skynyrd. The other members were all seriously injured. The band were due to play at Louisiana University. (Other source says rented plane crashed into a swamp in Gillsburg, Mississippi).
1978 – Dire Straits released their debut album on this day. It featured what would become an international hit single “Sultans of Swing”.
1978 - The Police made their US debut at C.B.G.B.S, New York. The trio had flown on low cost tickets with Laker Airtrain from the UK, carrying their instruments as hand luggage
1979 - The Eagles started a nine week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Long Run', the bands fourth US No.1.
1984 - Wham! started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Freedom', the duo's second No.1. The song was used in a Japanese commercial for Maxell audio cassettes, with altered lyrics.
2003 - A jury found Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy guilty of assaulting a nightclub worker. The singer was sentenced to complete 120 hours of unpaid community service and was ordered to pay her victim £500 compensation, plus £3,000 of prosecution costs. The singer had denied attacking toilet attendant Sophie Amogbokpa, saying she only punched her in self-defence. The charges stemmed from an incident at the Drink nightclub in Guildford, Surrey, on 11 January.
2006 - George Michael openly smoked a cannabis joint during an interview on a TV show. The singer was filmed backstage in Madrid, Spain where the drug is legal. Michael said ‘It’s the only drug I’ve ever thought worth taking, this stuff keeps me sane and happy. But it’s not very healthy.’
2010 – Most popular song played on NZ radio this past week is “Just the way you are” – Bruno Mars.
2011 - US photographer Barry Feinstein, best known for taking enduring pictures of musicians such as Bob Dylan and George Harrison, died aged 80. Feinstein was responsible for capturing more than 500 record sleeves, including Harrison's 'All Things Must Pass' album and the cover photograph for Dylan's album 'The Times They Are A-Changin'. Feinstein's picture of Dylan at a damp ferry port on the banks of the River Severn was also used in No Direction Home, Scorsese's 2005 film about the musician. The Rolling Stones sleeve for 'Beggars Banquet', shot in a graffiti-covered toilet, was also Feinstein's work.