Births
1929 Jacques Brel, Belgian singer, songwriter. Scott Walker, Alex Harvey, Frank Sinatra, Dusty Springfield all Covered his songs. He died of cancer 9th October 1978.
1942 Roger Chapman, vocals, Family, (1971 UK No.4 single 'In My Own Time'), Streetwalkers.
1947 Steve Howe, guitarist, Yes, (1977 UK No.7 'Wonderous Stories', 1983 US No.1 & UK No. 28 single 'Owner Of A Lonely Heart'). Asia, (1982 US No 4 & UK No. 46 single 'Heat Of The Moment').
1956 Justin Sullivan, New Model Army, (1985 UK No.28 single 'No Rest').
1962 Adam Mole, Pop Will Eat Itself, (1991 UK No.15 single 'X Y & Zee').
1962 Izzy Stradlin, guitar, Guns N' Roses, (1988 US No.1 & 1989 UK No.6 single 'Sweet Child O' Mine', 1991 US No.1 album 'Use Your Illusion II')
1962 Jerry Kelly, Lotus Eaters, (1983 UK No.15 single 'First Picture Of You').
1963 Julian Lennon, (1991 UK No.6 single 'Saltwater').
1963 Donita Sparks, guitar, vocals, L7, (1992 UK No. 21 single ‘Pretend We’re Dead’).
1971 Darren Jessee, drums, Ben Folds Five, (1997 UK No.26 single 'Battle Of Who Could Care Less').
Deaths
1983 Danny Rapp (Danny and the Juniors) was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 41.
1985 US songwriter J Fred Coots died. Co-wrote, 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' and the Pat Boone US No.1 hit 'Love Letters In The Sand.'
1994 Electrician Gary Smith who was working at Kurt Cobain's house in Seattle discovered Cobain's body lying on the floor in the greenhouse. Local radio station KXRX breaks the news at 9.40am that the Nirvana singer and guitarist is dead. A shotgun was found next to Cobain's body. Cobain had committed suicide three days before.
1997 Singer, songwriter Laura Nyro died from ovarian cancer. Suzanne Vega, Phoebe Snow, Roseane Cash, Frank Sinatra and Linda Ronstadt all covered her songs. She wrote 'And When I Die' a hit for Blood, Sweat & Tears and 'Stoney End' covered by Barbra Streisand.
Events
1956 Winifred Atwell was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Poor People Of Paris.'
1964 The Supremes recorded "Where Did Our Love Go." The song was their first No. 1 single.
1965 Unit Four Plus Two were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Concrete And Clay'.
1967 Appearing live at London's Hammersmith Odeon, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd, Arthur Conley and Booker T And The MG's
1967 Sandie Shaw won the Eurovision Song Contest held in Vienna representing Britain with the song 'Puppet On A String'. She became the first UK female artist to win the contest.
1968 The Petula Clark TV special "Petula" aired on NBC.
1970 The London premiere of the movie 'Woodstock' took place.
1971 Chicago became the first rock group to sell out a week of shows at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
1972 Written after the 'Bloody Sunday Massacre', in Northern Ireland Paul McCartney released 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish.' The song was banned by the BBC and the IBA. It peaked at No.16 in the UK and No.21 in the US.
1973 Neil Young's docu-autobiography, "Journey through the Past," premiered at the U.S. Film Festival in Dallas.
1973 Gilbert O'Sullivan was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Get Down', the singers second UK No.1.
1975 Aerosmith released "Toys in the Attic."
1977 The Damned became the first British punk group to perform at New York's club CBGB.
1977 The Damned played at the home of the New York punk scene CBGBS, the first UK Punk group to play live dates in the USA.
1978 Brian and Michael (Kevin Parrott and Michael Coleman), were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with a song inspired by painter LS Lowery 'Matchstalk Men And Matchstalk Cats And Dogs.'
1979 Van Halen began their first world tour.
1982 New Order's bass player Peter Hook was knocked unconscious during a riot at a gig in Rotterdam.
1988 R.E.M. left IRS Records and signed with Warner Brothers records.
1989 Roxette went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Look', the duo's first US No.1, a No.7 hit in the UK.
1989 Lol Tolhurst, keyboardist and founding member of the Cure, left the band.
1995 Take That had their sixth UK No.1 single when 'Back For Good' went to the top of the UK charts.
1998 Tommy Lee of Motley Crue was jailed (for 6 months) after breaking a probation order.
1998 It was reported that Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones) had caught on fire aboard a small boat in the islands south of Rio de Janneiro. An engine had been the cause of the fire.
1998 George Michael was arrested at The Will Rogers Memorial Park for committing a *** act in a public toilet. He was arrested by undercover Beverly Hills police officer Marcelo Rodriguez. Michael later said; "I was followed into the restroom and this cop - well, I didn't know he was a cop at the time obviously – started playing this game. I think it's called ‘I'll show you mine, you show me yours, and then when you show me yours, I'm gonna nick you!" The singer was later fined $810 (?500) after being convicted of a "lewd act."
2001 2Pac started a four-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Until The End Of Time.'
2001 Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton scored her first UK No.1 single with 'What Took You So Long.'
2002 Marilyn Manson denied claims that he was responsible for the death of a woman after a party at his mansion in 2001. Jennifer Syme, a former girlfriend of actor Keanu Reeves, died when her Jeep Cherokee hit three parked cars. Her mother, Maria St John, was suing the singer for wrongful death, claiming Manson was negligent in "instructing the woman to operate a motor vehicle in her incapacitated condition".
2006 Prince was at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘3121.’
2007 Kings Of Leon started a two week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Because Of The Times.'
2007 American country music singer Tim McGraw was at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Let It Go' his fourth No.1 album.
