In 1955, Bill Haley And His Comets recorded "Razzle-Dazzle."
Born on this day in 1957, John Ritchie (Sid Vicious), bass, vocals, Sex Pistols. Vicious died of a heroin overdose on February 2, 1979.
In 1960, The Silver Beetles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Tommy Moore) auditioned for promoter Larry Parnes and singer Billy Fury for a job as Fury's backing group. Parnes was also looking for backing group's for his lesser-known acts, and The Silver Beetles were selected as backing group for singer Johnny Gentle's upcoming tour of Scotland. The group had changed its name from 'The Beatals' to 'The Silver Beetles' after Brian Casser (of Cass and the Cassanovas) remarked that the name 'Beatals' was "ridiculous". He suggested they use the name 'Long John and the Silver Beetles', but John Lennon refused to be referred to as 'Long John'.
In 1960, at the Capitol Tower recording studio in Hollywood, Dean Martin recorded "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You" and "Ain't That A Kick In The Head."
In 1962, in New York City, Johnny Cash gave his first Carnegie Hall concerrt.
In 1962, at RCA Victor Studio 2 in Hollywood, Duane Eddy recorded "The Ballad Of Paladin."
In 1964, Dusty Springfield made her US television debut on the "Ed Sullivan Show."
In 1965, at Chess Studios in Chicago, the Rolling Stones recorded "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," a version featuring Brian Jones on harmonica. The band re-recorded it two days later in Hollywood, with a different beat and a Gibson Maestro fuzzbox added to sustain the sound of the guitar riff. It was the May 12 Hollywood version that was released. Newsweek later called the opening riff "five notes that shook the world."
In 1966, back home in her native Texas, struggling singer Janis Joplin was invited to San Francisco by her friend Chet Helms to audition with a group he was managing called Big Brother and the Holding Company.
In 1966, Paul Revere & The Raiders’ anti-drug song, "Kicks," peaks at #5 on the US chart. The song was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil for The Animals, who passed on it.
In 1969, the Turtles and the Temptations played the White House upon the request of Tricia Nixon. Mark Volman fell off the stage 5 times.
Also in 1969, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, The Move, Status Quo, Tremeloes, Marmalade, Love Sculpture, Van Der Graaf Generator all appeared at Nottingham County Football Ground, Nottingham, England (presented by John Peel).
In 1969, Janis Joplin and the Kozmic Blues Band played Cobo Hall in Detroit, with Country Joe & the Fish and Teegarden & Van Winkle as the opening acts.
In 1970, David Bowie was awarded an Ivor Novello Award for Best Original Song "Space Oddity," which he performed that night accompanied by the Les Reed Orchestra. The event was transmitted live via satellite to venues in America, France, Spain, Australia, Holland and Venezuela.
In 1970, the Jackson 5 sang "The Love You Save" and a medley of "I Want You Back" and "ABC" on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show."
In 1972, Slade started their first major headlining tour in Bradford, supported by Status Quo.
In 1974, the Who sold out Madison Square Gardens in New York City for four nights, selling 80,000 tickets.
On this day in 1974, "The Loco-Motion" by Grand Funk was the #1 song.
Eric Clapton recorded "I Shot the Sheriff" in 1974.
Also in 1974, at the Bel Air Hotel in Los Angeles, Led Zeppelin launched its new record label, Swan Song, with a swanky dinner that quickly devolved into a food fight.
In 1975, Stevie Wonder played in front of 125,000 fans at a free concert near the Washington Monument to celebrate Human Kindness Day.
Adam And The Ants made their live debut in 1977 when they played at the ICA, London.
In 1985, all girl group The Go-Go's announced they were breaking up. The members went on to enjoy solo success, (Belinda Carlisle and Jane Wiedlin) and the group reformed in the late 90's.
Falco was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1986 with "Rock Me Amadeus." Falco became the first-ever Austrian act to score a UK and US #1 hit single and the first German speaking artist to achieve a #1 on the US charts.
Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) and Heather Locklear were married in 1986.
In 1986, the Pet Shop Boys went to #1 on the US singles chart in with "West End Girls," the duo's first US #1, also a #1 in the UK.
Madonna's 'warts and all' documentary film 'Truth Or Dare in bed with Madonna', premiered in Los Angeles in 1991.
In 1999, singer, songwriter poet, cartoonist, screenwriter, and author of children's books Shel Silverstein died of a heart attack (age 57). Wrote, "A Boy Named Sue" for Johnny Cash (which Silverstein won a Grammy for in 1970) and many songs for Dr Hook including "Sylvia's Mother" and "The Cover of the Rolling Stone."
In 2000, Michael Bolton lost his appeal of a court ruling that he stole part of his hit "Love Is a Wonderful Thing." Bolton had asked for a retrial following a 1994 jury verdict that he plagiarized parts of the Isley Brothers' song of the same title, but an appeals court panel upheld the ruling which had awarded the group $5.4 million from the profits of Bolton's 1991 single.
The iTunes Music Store reached 400 million songs sold in 2005.
Also in 2005 - The iTunes Music Store opened for Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark.
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was released from an Auckland, New Zealand, hospital in 2006, two days after undergoing brain surgery following a reported fall while on vacation in Fiji. "[Thanks to] the doctors and the beautiful ladies who make painful nights less painful," says the guitarist in a statement. "I hope I wasn't too much of a pain in the arse." He probably was but that’s Keith.
In 2006, Great White's former tour manager, Daniel Biechele, was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in the February ‘03 blaze that killed 100 people at a Rhode Island club. The 29-year-old Biechele faced involuntary manslaughter charges for igniting the pyrotechnics that caused the deadly fire. He was handed a 15-year term but the judge then suspended 11 of those years.
In 2007, US hip-hop artist Akon apologised after footage of him dancing provocatively on stage with a teenage girl was posted on the internet. It led to telecommunications company Verizon pulling out as a sponsor of his US tour with Gwen Stefani. The incident took place on 12 April in Trinidad, where Akon was performing at a nightclub. It was later reported that the girl was just 14. In a statement Akon said he didn't know the girl was underage. He said: "I want to sincerely apologise for the embarrassment and any pain I've caused to the young woman who joined me on stage, her family and the Trinidad community for the events at my concert.”
In 2007, the surviving members of Pink Floyd took part in a tribute concert for their former frontman, Roger "Syd" Barrett, who died in 2006 at the age of 60, following complications from diabetes.
In 2008, Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington celebrated the 13-year anniversary of Club Tattoo in Tempe, AZ. Bennington and his friend Sean Dowdell founded the tattoo and body-piercing parlor. "These parties have always been special to us," says Bennington, who also performs with Dead By Sunrise in their live debut. "I wouldn't call it a side project," says Bennington. "We're a full, ready-to-go band and so this is something we take very seriously."
In 2010, New York City's Apollo Theatre began installing bronze plaques on the sidewalk outside the building of legends who had close ties to the theater. Among the first to be honored were James Brown, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and Ella Fitzgerald.
In 2011, the ornate iron gates of the children's home that inspired John Lennon's song "Strawberry Fields Forever" were removed and put into storage. The Salvation Army, which owned the home, had the gates taken to a secret location and said they eventually would be auctioned off. Beatles fans who pass the Liverpool site on tours now are met with 10-foot high replicas.
