Births
1936 Roy Orbison, singer, songwriter, who had a 1964 UK & US No.1 single with ‘Pretty Woman’ plus over 20 US & 30 UK Top 40 singles. With the Traveling Wilburys he had a 1988 UK No.21 single with ‘Handle With Care’. Orbison died on December 6th 1988.
1939 Ray Peterson, US singer, (1960 US No.7 single 'Tell Laura I Love Her').
1949 John Miles, singer, songwriter, guitarist, (1976 UK No.3 single 'Music'). Also worked with Alan Parson's, Jimmy Page, Joe Cocker and Tina Turner.
1955 Ray Burns, (Captain Sensible), The Damned, (1983 UK No.3 single 'Eloise') solo (1982 UK No.1 single 'Happy Talk').
1960 David Gedge, vocals, guitar, The Wedding Present, (UK indie band, during 1992 they released 1 single every month giving them 12 Top 30 hits, making them the only group to score more than 10 new hits in one year).
1960 Steve Clark, guitarist with Def Leppard, who had a 1987 UK No.6 single with ‘Animal’, a 1987 worldwide No.1 album with Hysteria and a 1988 US No.1 single with ‘Love Bites’. Clark died on January 8th 1991, aged 30 after a night of heavy alcohol consumption combined with prescription drugs.
1964 Simon Matthews, drums, Jesus Jones, (1991 UK No.7 single 'International Bright Young Thing').
1968 Paul Clifford, bass, The Wonder Stuff, (1991 UK No.1 single 'Dizzy', with Vic Reeves).
1968 Stan Frazier, Sugar Ray, (1999 UK No. 10 single 'Every Morning').
Deaths
1975 Pete Ham, co-writer of the hit "Without You" (sung by Harry Nilsson) and a member of the group Badfinger, hung himself.
1991 Founder member of The New York Dolls Johnny Thunders died of a drug overdose. The influential American band formed in 1972 and made just two albums, the 1973 'New York Dolls' and 1974 'Too Much Too Soon'.
Events
1960 The Nerk Twins appeared at The Fox And Hounds in Caversham, Berkshire. The Nerk Twins being John Lennon and Paul McCartney staying at Paul's aunt's pub.
1963 Jan & Dean recorded "Surf City."
1964 Peter and Gordon were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'A World Without Love.' The Duo's only UK No.1.
1965 The Rolling Stones began their third North American tour with a show at the Forum in Montreal.
1969 The Beatles were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Get Back' the groups 16th UK No.1.
1970 Fairport Convention, Fotheringay and Matthews Southern Comfort all appeared at The Roundhouse, London, tickets, 25 shillings.
1971 The Rolling Stones released their classic album, 'Sticky Fingers' in the UK. The album made No.1 in the UK and the US and was the bands first release on Atlantic records. The cover a pair of jeans with a working zip was designed by Andy Warhol who was paid 15,000 pounds for the art work.
1976 The Ramones released their eponymous debut album. On the same day The *** Pistols played The Nashville Rooms, London supporting The 101'ers who featured Clash vocalist Joe Strummer.
1977 Adam And The Ants made their debut at the Roxy Club, London.
1977 Thelma Houston went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Don't Leave Me This Way', it made No.13 in the UK.
1977 Appearing at the Whisky A Go-Go, Los Angeles, Joan Jett supported by Blondie.
1978 Steel Pulse, Wreckless Eric, The Police and John Cooper Clarke appearing at The Roundhouse, London.
1978 Sid Vicious (*** Pistols) is filmed singing "My Way" in Paris. The shot is later inserted into The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle film.
1979 David Bowie premiered his new single 'Boy's Keep Swinging', on the BBC's TV's 'Kenny Everett Video Show.'
1981 Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins reunited in Stuttgart, Germany and recorded "The Survivors."
1983 David Bowie started a three week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with the Nile Rodgers produced 'Let's Dance', featuring the title track which made No. 1 on the US and UK singles chart and 'China Girl.'
1983 Dexy's Midnight Runners went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Come On Eileen' the groups only US No.1.
1983 U2 kicked off their 48-date ‘War’ North American tour at The Carolina Concert For Children benefit, Chapel Hill, Carolina.
1985 Liberace first appeared on the TV soap opera "Another World". He also was a guest VJ on MTV later in the afternoon.
1987 The UK band Cure debuts the film, The Cure In Orange, at a film festival in France.
1987 Carole King sued record company owner Lou Adler for breach of contract. King asked $400,000 in royalties the rights to her old recordings.
1988 Prince released the song "Alphabet St."
1988 Iron Maiden went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son', their second No.1 LP.
1988 Roy Orbison celebrated his 52nd birthday at a Bruce Springsteen concert, during which the audience sang happy birthday to him.
1988 Whitney Houston smashed a chart record held by The Beatles and The Bee Gees when 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go', became her seventh consecutive US No.1, a No.14 hit in the UK.
1989 Kylie Minogue was seen on British TV for the first time in the Australian soap opera 'The Henderson Kids.'
1992 George Michael announced he was donating $500,000 royalties from the sale of 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me', to various British and American charities.
1994 The widow of Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, announces that a College Scholarship fund will be set up in his name at his alma mater, Aberdeen High. Love also donates Kurt's suicide shotgun to the Mothers Against Violence in America, and Hüsker Dü drummer announces a heroin education program funded in Kurts name.
1997 The Four Tops received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1997 Club boss Paul Donavan was fined over 2,000 pounds after being found guilty of tricking fans that he had Peter Andre appearing at his Club in the West Midlands. He had in fact an act called Peter Andrex a puppet who threw toilet rolls.
2001 during a UK tour Coldplay appeared at The Music Hall, Aberdeen in Scotland.
2006 the re-formed Take That kicked off their sold out UK tour in Newcastle upon Tyne. Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Howard Donald and Jason Orange were joined onstage by Robbie Williams as a ghost-like hologram.
2006 Shayne Ward the winner of the 2005 UK TV series The X Factor went to No.1 on the UK album chart with his self-titled album.
