This Day In Music

1961, On this weeks UK singles chart: No.5, Clarence Frogman Henry, 'But I Do', No.4, Ricky Nelson, 'Hello Marylou', No.3, The Shadows, 'The Frightened City', No.2, Del Shannon, 'Runaway', No.1, Elvis Presley, 'Surrender.'

1963, Kyu Sakamoto started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Sukiyaki’, the first-ever Japanese song to do so. It made No.6 on the UK chart in 1963 and was also a No.10 UK single for Kenny Ball in the same year.

1967, Guitarist Peter Green quit the John Mayall Band. Green went on to form Fleetwood Mac.

1974, Abba's debut album 'Waterloo' entered the UK chart for the first time peaking at No.28.

1976, The Sex Pistols recorded their first demos in Clapham's Majestic studios followed by a gig that night at The 100 club, London.

1977, The Sex Pistols held a party on a boat as it sailed down The River Thames in London. The Pistols performed 'Anarchy In The UK' outside The Houses Of Parliament resulting in members from the party being arrested when the boat docked later that day.

1985, Bryan Ferry went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Boys And Girls' his first solo No.1 LP.

1985, Dire Straits started a nine-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with, 'Brothers In Arms'.

1986, U2 and Sting headlined a concert in New Jersey celebrating 25 years of Amnesty International.

1989, Nirvana's debut album 'Bleach' was released in the US. The title for the album came from a poster 'Bleach Your Works' urging drug users to bleach their needles.

1996, US jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald died in Beverly Hills, California, aged 79. Already blinded by the effects of diabetes, Fitzgerald had both her legs amputated in 1993. Winner of 13 Grammy Awards, the 1956 'Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook' was the first of eight "Songbook" sets. Appeared in the TV commercial for Memorex, where she sang a note that shattered a glass while being recorded on a Memorex cassette tape. The tape was played back and the recording also broke the glass, asking "Is it live, or is it Memorex?"



2002, A rare autographed copy of The Beatles’ album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sold at auction for £34,000 ($57,800), more than five times the estimated price.

2003, Radiohead scored their fourth UK No.1 album with ‘Hail To The Thief.’

2003, Metallica were at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘St Anger’, the bands fourth US No.1, a No.3 hit in the UK.

2005, Coldplay went straight to No.1 on US album chart with their third album 'X&Y', having already entered at number one in the UK. The last time a British artist had a simultaneous US and UK number one was in November 2000 with '1', a compilation of hits by The Beatles. The last studio album to reach number one on both sides of the Atlantic was Radiohead's 'Kid A' in October 2000. 'X&Y' went on to top over 30 global charts.

2008, Liverpool was voted England's most musical city in a national campaign set up by the Arts Council. The home of The Beatles, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, OMD and The Zutons took 49% of the vote in an online poll set up by the funding body. Sheffield - which brought the world the Arctic Monkeys and Pulp - came second, while Manchester with Oasis, Stone Roses and The Smiths came third.

2008, Coldplay went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their fourth studio album ‘Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.’

1941, Born on this day, Harry Nilsson, US singer, songwriter, (1972 UK & US No.1 single with his version of The Badfinger song 'Without You', 1969 US No.6 single 'Everybody's Talkin' from the film Midnight Cowboy'). The Monkees, Three Dog Night & Ronettes all covered his songs. He died on January 15th 1994.

1943, Born on this day, Johnny Halliday, 'the French Elvis', major star in Europe. Jimmy Page, Peter Frampton and Foreigner's Mick Jones have played on his records.

1943, Born on this day, Muff Winwood, The Spencer Davis Group, (1966 UK No.1 single 'Keep On Running). Became a producer and A&R man for Sony Records.

1946, Born on this day, Noddy Holder, guitar, vocals, Slade, (1971 UK No.1 single 'Coz I Luv You', plus five other UK No.1 singles and 18 UK Top 40 hits. Now a TV actor, (The Grimleys), radio and TV presenter.

1947, Born on this day, Demis Roussos, singer, (1976 UK No.1 EP, featuring 'Forever And Ever').

1949, Born on this day, Russell Hitchcock, vocals, Air Supply, (1980 UK No.11 single 'All Out Of Love', 1981 US No.1 single 'The One That You Love').

1951, Born on this day, Steve Walsh, Kansas, (1978 US No.3 single 'Dust In The Wind', 1978 UK No.59 single 'Carry On Wayward Son').