1943, LSD is synthesized for the first time by Albert Hofmann … more than two decades later the psychoactive substance fuels a revolution in consciousness, music, and pop culture…
1956, Rock ‘n Roll Dance Party debuts on the CBS Radio Network … hosted by DJ Alan Freed, it’s the first regularly scheduled and nationally aired rock ‘n’ roll show…
1956, later to become known as Soul Brother Number One, Mr. Dynamite himself, and the hardest-working man in show business, James Brown charts for the first time with “Please, Please, Please”…
1961, Bob Dylan makes his professional singing debut in Greenwich Village at Gerde’s Folk City opening for John Lee Hooker … he performs “House of the Rising Sun” and “Song to Woody” … Joan Baez joins him for the second number…
1962, Pravda, the official Russian newspaper, warns youths about the dangers of twisting…
1964, The Beatles occupy a record-breaking 14 spots on the U.S. charts ranging from #1 down to #81…”Can’t Buy Me Love” (1), “Twist and Shout” (2), “She Loves You” (4), “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (7), “Please Please Me” (9), “Do You Want to Know a Secret” (14), “I Saw Her Standing There” (38), “You Can’t Do That” (48), “All My Loving” (50), “From Me to You” (52), “Thank You Girl” (61), “There’s a Place” (74), “Roll Over Beethoven” (78) and “Love Me Do” (81)…
1967, proving that capitalists will always be hot on the heels of revolutionaries, Grayline begins busing people through the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco on a guided tour of Hippyland…
1968, Pink Floyd cofounder Syd Barrett leaves the band … Barrett’s mental instability, exacerbated by heavy drug use, has become so severe he can no longer function…
1968, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention perform at the National Academy of Arts and Sciences Dinner in New York … Zappa makes some cutting remarks, terming the event, “a load of pompous hokum … All year long you people have manufactured this crap, now for one night you’re gonna have to listen to it!”…recalling the event later, Zappa says, “We played the ugliest sh*t we could…that’s what they expected us to play”…
1971, Chicago plays Carnegie Hall in New York City … they are the first rock group to do so…
1973, Journey Through The Past premieres at the U.S. Film Festival in Dallas…the film is an autobiographical documentary by Neil Young, consisting mainly of footage and images captured throughout his career…Young sketchily describes it as “a collection of thoughts. Every scene meant something to me–although with some of them I can’t say what”…
1977, The Damned are the first British punk band to play at CBGBs…
1981, Sam Goody, the nation’s leading music retailer, is convicted of selling pirated tapes through its stores…
1983, U.S. Interior Secretary James Watt bans the Beach Boys from performing at the 4th of July celebration on the Washington Mall … the overly zealous conservative offers the rationale that rock ‘n’ roll bands attract the wrong element … two days later President Reagan overturns the goofball decision and personally invites the Beach Boys to perform…
1994, In Utero, Nirvana’s third full-length album, is certified double-platinum…
1997, those crazy, pop-music lovin’ Dutch … the University of Amsterdam offers a course titled Madonna 101 … about 50 students sign up for a class examining the pop star’s music and (yecch) films … the for-credit course also examines Madonna’s persona as a sex symbol, her religious beliefs, and her impact as a media presence … the debut lecture is attended by Dutch television crews … oh well–even if the lecture sucks at least you can dance to it…
1997, A&M Records issues a press release stating that Soundgarden has chosen to “disband to pursue other interests” … the president of A&M, Al Cafaro, gives the band this send off: “Throughout the flash, hype and turmoil, as this scene conquered the musical world, Soundgarden handled themselves with intelligence, integrity and nobility. They were able to present their music and their world view with passion and honesty.” … ’nuff said…
1998, singer George Michael is arrested in the bathroom of a Beverly Hills park … the ex-Wham! star is booked on suspicion of misdemeanor lewd conduct … at first he gives officers his real name, Yorgos Panayiotou, but later cops to being the pop star … he is released later the same day after posting $500 bail…
2000, Metallica files suit against Napster, USC, Yale, and Indiana University alleging the institutions are guilty of copyright infringement, unlawful use of a digital audio interface device, and violations of the Racketeering Influenced & Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) … the charges against USC, Yale, and Indiana University are dropped when the schools remove Napster from their file servers … rapper and producer Dr. Dre joins the legal action against the software company at a later date … after a year-long court battle, Napster settles for an undisclosed amount of money … however, the court ruling by U.S. District Judge Marilyn Patel shuts down the software maker’s servers indefinitely, effectively killing Napster downloads…
2002, Eminem agrees to pay $100,000 to John Guerra in a settlement resulting from a civil lawsuit … the suit claims that Eminem attacked Guerra, hitting him in the face and head with a handgun … the alleged attack was allegedly punishment for Guerra having allegedly kissed Eminem’s wife, Kim…
…and that was the the week that was
Arrivals
April 6: Burnetta “Bunny” Jones (1917), Merle Haggard (1937), Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas (1944), Bob Marley (1945)
April 7: Billie Holiday (1915), Percy Faith (1918), Ravi Shankar (1920), Bobby Bare (1935), Charlie Thomas of The Drifters (1937), Don Julian of The Meadowlarks (1937), Spencer Dryden of The Jefferson Airplane (1938), trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (1938), Mick Abrahams of Jethro Tull (1943), Bill Kreutzmann of The Grateful Dead (1946), Pat Bennett of The Chiffons (1947), John Oates (1949), Janis Ian (1951), Bruce Gary of The Knack (1952), Victoria Addams of Spice Girls (1976)
April 8: Carmen McRae (1922), Jimmy Witherspoon (1923), Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel (1929), Steve Howe (1947), Izzy Stradlin of Guns ‘n’ Roses (1962), Julian Lennon (1963), Biz Markie born Marcel Hall (1964)
April 9: Mance Lipscomb (1895), Phil Medley (1916), Carl Perkins (1932), Rockin’ Sidney (1938), Grand Funk progenitor Terry Knight (1943), Gene Parsons (1944), Chico Ryan of Sha-Na-Na (1948), Bob Marley and Talking Heads producer Alex Sadkin (1949), Kevin Martin of Candlebox (1969)
April 10: Sheb Wooley (1921), R&B singer Nate Nelson (1932), Glen Campbell (1936), Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers (1940), Bunny “Wailer” Livingston of Bob Marley and the Wailers (1947), Dave Peveret of Foghat (1950), Eddie Hazel (1950), Ernest “Snuffy” Stewart (1950), Steve Gustafson of 10,000 Maniacs (1957), Brian Setzer (1959), Babyface (1959), Afrika Bambaataa (1960), Kenny Lattimore (1970), Mike Mushok of Staind (1970), Mandy Moore (1984)
April 11: Richard Berry (1935), Chris Difford of Squeeze (1954), Neville Staples (1956), Stuart Adamson of Big Country (1958), Original Gin Blossoms guitarist Douglas Hopkins (1961), Nigel Pulsford of Bush (1963), Lisa Stansfield (1966), Dylan Keefe of Marcy Playground (1970), Joss Stone (1987)
April 12: Hound Dog Taylor (1915), Billy Vaughn (1919), Tiny Tim born Herbert Khaury (1930), Herbie Hancock (1940), John Kay of Steppenwolf (1944), David Cassidy (1950), Alexander Briley of The Village People (1951), Pat Travers (1954), Vince Gill (1957), Will Sergeant of Echo and the Bunnymen (1958), Art Alexakis of Everclear (1962), Amy Ray of Indigo Girls (1964), Marc Ford of The Black Crowes (1966), Nick Hexum of 311 (1970)
Departures
April 6: Niki Sullivan of The Crickets (2004), Red Norvo (1999), Tammy Wynette (1998), Wendy O. Williams (1998), session guitarist Edward Freche (1995), Ral Donner (1984)
April 7: Carlos Vega (1998), Lee Brilleaux aka Dr. Feelgood (1994), King Records producer Henry Glover (1991), Who manager Kit Lambert (1981), rockabilly legend Charlie Shivers (1961)
April 8: DJ and Heartbreak Hotel writer Mae Axton (1997), Laura Nyro (1997), Billy Gayles (1993), Danny Rapp (1983)
April 9: Buzzcocks and Joy Division producer Martin Hannett (1991), Dave Prater of Sam & Dave (1988), Brook Benton (1988), Phil Ochs (1976)
April 10: Leon Peels of The Blue Jays (1999), black radio pioneer Eddie O’Jay after whom the O’Jays were named (1998), Philly soul songwriter Linda Creed (1986), Stu Sutcliffe of the original Beatles (1962), R&B singer/songwriter Chuck Willis (1958)
April 11: guitarist/oudist Sandy Bull (2001), Lillian Briggs (1998), R&B session drummer Samie “Sticks” Evans (1994)
April 12: Boxcar Willie aka Lecil Travis Martin (1999), Peppermint Harris (1999), Herbert Mills of the Mills Brothers (1989), Josephine Baker (1975)