1963, After playing as a band for one year, The Rolling Stones played their first ever gig outside London when they appeared at The Alcove Club, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire supporting The Hollies.

1964, The Animals went to No.1 on the singles chart with 'The House Of The Rising Sun.' Recorded in one take, this was the first No.1 to have a playing time of more than four minutes.

1964, The Supremes record "Come See About Me," which later goes to No. 1.

1967, Pink Floyd made their second appearance on BBC Top Of The Pops to promote their new single ‘See Emily Play’, which was hosted by Pete Murray.

1968, Black Sabbath played their first gig at a small backstreet Blues club in Birmingham, England.

1968, On the album charts, Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends is No. 1 for the third week.

1969, Over 100 US radio stations banned The Beatles new single 'The Balled Of John and Yoko' due to the line 'Christ, you know it ain't easy', calling it offensive.

1969, New York's Flushing Meadows Singer Bowl plays host to a festival that sees sets from the Jeff Beck Group, Vanilla Fudge, Jethro Tull, Ten Years After, and Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin literally play a set that no one can follow, and Vanilla Fudge pull out of the lineup rather than try to top the heavy metal quartet. During the Jeff Beck Group's set, John Bonham strips off his clothes and has to be bundled off stage. The evening ends with various musicians performing "Jailhouse Rock."

1972, During a North American tour The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at the Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan.

1973, Bob Dylan releases his soundtrack to Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.

1973, Queen release their self-titled debut album.

1974, Elton John started a two-week run at No.1 on the album chart with 'Caribou', his third No.1 album.

1974, Eric Clapton releases his hit version of "I Shot the Sheriff."

1974, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played the first of a three night, six show residency at the newly-opened Bottom Line in New York City. The shows received rave reviews and created a buzz in the music industry.

1977, New York is hit by a blackout that interrupts gigs all over Manhattan. While Boz Scaggs packs up and goes home, the enterprising NRBQ find some flashlights and carry performing acoustically.

1978, The BBC announced a ban on The Sex Pistols' latest single ‘No One Is Innocent’, which featured vocals by Ronnie Biggs, the British criminal notorious for his part in the Great Train Robbery of 1963. At the time of the recording, Biggs was living in Brazil, and was still wanted by the British authorities, but immune from extradition.

1981, Bob Dylan gives a press conference in Denmark after having seen an interview with an imposter in a Danish newspaper. He answers questions for two hours.

1998, Sting rocks Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center to benefit the rain forests.

1993, At the All-Star baseball game in Baltimore, Rush's Geddy Lee treats the audience to his interpretation of "Oh Canada."

2004, Arthur "Killer" Kane of the New York Dolls dies of leukemia in Los Angeles. He was 55.

2004, One of the few CD copies of U2's follow-up to All That You Can't Leave Behind vanishes during a photo shoot in the south of France. Twenty people present at the session are questioned in connection with the disappearance

2007, Rod Stewart collected his CBE from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. The singer who was honoured for his services to music wore a skull and crossbones tie, white trousers and a striped shirt instead of the conventional morning suit.

Birthdays.....

1942, Roger McGuinn (Byrds)
1942, Stephen Jo Bladd (J. Geils Band)