More About Music History On This Day
30 Dec 1969
Peter Tork quit The Monkees buying himself out of his contract which left him broke. He went on to form a group called Release and played banjo on George Harrison's soundtrack to the film Wonderwall.
30 Dec 1995
American saxophonist and guitarist Clarence Satchell from The Ohio Players died aged 55. The band formed in Dayton, Ohio in 1959 as the Ohio Untouchables and were later best known as a backing group for The Falcons. The Ohio Players scored the 1974 US No.1 single 'Fire' and had hits with ‘Skin Tight’, ‘I Want To Be Free’ and ‘Love Roller Coaster.’
30 Dec 1998
American rhythm and blues singer Johnny Moore who was lead singer for The Drifters on their 1960s hit 'Under The Boardwalk', died at the age of 64. Moore began as lead singer of the Cleveland based group the Hornets, before being discovered by the Drifters. He joined the group as lead vocalist in New York in 1955, at age 21. Moore also sang lead on the hits ‘Saturday Night At The Movies’, ‘Come On Over To My Place’ and ‘Up In The Streets Of Harlem’.
30 Dec 1999
George Harrison and his wife Olivia were attacked when an intruder broke into their home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Olivia beat off the attacker with a poker and heavy lamp. Harrison who was stabbed in the chest was admitted to hospital and treated for a collapsed lung and various minor stab wounds. His wife, Olivia, was treated for cuts and bruises she had suffered in the struggle with the intruder. Police later arrested Michael Abram from Liverpool who had nursed an irrational obsession with The Beatles.
30 Dec 1999
In the Queen's Millennium Honours list, former Slade singer Noddy Holder was awarded an MBE and guitarist Mark Knopfler was awarded an OBE.
30 Dec 2002
The funeral of former Clash singer and guitarist Joe Strummer took place in London. Strummer had died of a suspected heart attack on 22nd Dec 2002 aged 50.
30 Dec 2002
Diana Ross was arrested for drink driving by the Arizona highway patrol after a motorist called to report a swerving vehicle in the western state of Arizona. When asked to walk in a straight line she fell over, could not count to 30 or balance on one foot. Police said the singer was twice over the drink drive limit with a blood-alcohol of 0.20, the legal limit is 0.08.
30 Dec 2003
Cris Kirkwood from the Meat Puppets was arrested and accused of hitting a federal post office security guard in the head with a baton that the musician took from the guard during a struggle, the guard then shot Kirkwood in the back. The incident began over a dispute about parking with another customer at a Phoenix post office.
30 Dec 2006
R&B singer Brandy was involved in a four-car crash that left one woman dead, after the singer failed to slow down and hit the back of another car. Brandy was alone in her car and no alcohol or drugs were involved.
30 Dec 2009
Singer, songwriter Neil Young was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Other Canadian musicians who have been given the award include Bryan Adams, Leonard Cohen and the members of Rush.
30 Dec 2009
Australian rock musician, guitarist and songwriter Rowland S. Howard died age 50. He was best known for his work with the post-punk group The Birthday Party and his subsequent solo career. Howard wrote ‘Shivers’ at the age of 16 while in the band The Young Charlatans and later gained acclaim after joining Melbourne-based band The Boys Next Door, when the song was released as a single. The band changed their name to The Birthday Party and Howard's discordant guitar remained a major factor in their sound.
30 Dec 2012
Brian May was named animal welfare charity PETA UK's Person of the Year for his efforts to help stop the culling of badgers. The guitarist's group Save Me formed Team Badger alongside PETA and various other animal welfare groups. PETA's Mimi Bekhechi said of May:
30 Dec 2012
A rare copy of a Beatles LP signed by all four members sold - for the sum rejected at auction in Sussex a few weeks earlier. Chris Collins, from Eastbourne, and his sister, Liz Chambers, from Worthing, initially turned down a $12,000 bid for a copy of the album, Please Please Me. They had hoped to get $15,000 for the LP, which was given to their late father during a drinking session. But the siblings later accepted $12,000 from private buyers. The album was signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr after they used it as a drink coasters during a card game in 1963.
30 Dec 2014
The woman who inspired Pulp's hit song 'Disco 2000' died shortly after being appointed an MBE. Deborah Bone, from Hertfordshire was a childhood friend of lead singer Jarvis Cocker in Sheffield. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2013. The 1995 Britpop hit contains the lyric: "Your name is Deborah. Deborah. It never suited ya."
30 Dec 2016
A member of rap group Run-DMC filed a $50m lawsuit accusing retailers of unlawfully using the group's name on items of clothing. Darryl "DMC" McDaniels said that products sold by Amazon, Walmart and other stores violated federal trademark and New York competition laws.
30 Dec 2016
Allan Williams the first manager of The Beatles died at the age of 86. Williams worked with The Beatles from 1960 to 1961, getting the band gigs in Britain, and in Hamburg. Williams personally drove the van to take the Beatles to Hamburg in 1960, which didn't have seats; The Beatles had to sit on their amplifiers in the back of the van.
30 Dec 2020
American saxophonist Alto Reed died of colon cancer age 72. He is best known as a long-time member of Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band and also worked with many artists including Grand Funk Railroad, Little Feat, Otis Rush, Spencer Davis, The Blues Brothers, The Ventures and George Thorogood.
Peter Tork quit The Monkees buying himself out of his contract which left him broke. He went on to form a group called Release and played banjo on George Harrison's soundtrack to the film Wonderwall.
30 Dec 1995
American saxophonist and guitarist Clarence Satchell from The Ohio Players died aged 55. The band formed in Dayton, Ohio in 1959 as the Ohio Untouchables and were later best known as a backing group for The Falcons. The Ohio Players scored the 1974 US No.1 single 'Fire' and had hits with ‘Skin Tight’, ‘I Want To Be Free’ and ‘Love Roller Coaster.’
30 Dec 1998
American rhythm and blues singer Johnny Moore who was lead singer for The Drifters on their 1960s hit 'Under The Boardwalk', died at the age of 64. Moore began as lead singer of the Cleveland based group the Hornets, before being discovered by the Drifters. He joined the group as lead vocalist in New York in 1955, at age 21. Moore also sang lead on the hits ‘Saturday Night At The Movies’, ‘Come On Over To My Place’ and ‘Up In The Streets Of Harlem’.
30 Dec 1999
George Harrison and his wife Olivia were attacked when an intruder broke into their home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Olivia beat off the attacker with a poker and heavy lamp. Harrison who was stabbed in the chest was admitted to hospital and treated for a collapsed lung and various minor stab wounds. His wife, Olivia, was treated for cuts and bruises she had suffered in the struggle with the intruder. Police later arrested Michael Abram from Liverpool who had nursed an irrational obsession with The Beatles.
30 Dec 1999
In the Queen's Millennium Honours list, former Slade singer Noddy Holder was awarded an MBE and guitarist Mark Knopfler was awarded an OBE.
30 Dec 2002
The funeral of former Clash singer and guitarist Joe Strummer took place in London. Strummer had died of a suspected heart attack on 22nd Dec 2002 aged 50.
30 Dec 2002
Diana Ross was arrested for drink driving by the Arizona highway patrol after a motorist called to report a swerving vehicle in the western state of Arizona. When asked to walk in a straight line she fell over, could not count to 30 or balance on one foot. Police said the singer was twice over the drink drive limit with a blood-alcohol of 0.20, the legal limit is 0.08.
30 Dec 2003
Cris Kirkwood from the Meat Puppets was arrested and accused of hitting a federal post office security guard in the head with a baton that the musician took from the guard during a struggle, the guard then shot Kirkwood in the back. The incident began over a dispute about parking with another customer at a Phoenix post office.
30 Dec 2006
R&B singer Brandy was involved in a four-car crash that left one woman dead, after the singer failed to slow down and hit the back of another car. Brandy was alone in her car and no alcohol or drugs were involved.
30 Dec 2009
Singer, songwriter Neil Young was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Other Canadian musicians who have been given the award include Bryan Adams, Leonard Cohen and the members of Rush.
30 Dec 2009
Australian rock musician, guitarist and songwriter Rowland S. Howard died age 50. He was best known for his work with the post-punk group The Birthday Party and his subsequent solo career. Howard wrote ‘Shivers’ at the age of 16 while in the band The Young Charlatans and later gained acclaim after joining Melbourne-based band The Boys Next Door, when the song was released as a single. The band changed their name to The Birthday Party and Howard's discordant guitar remained a major factor in their sound.
30 Dec 2012
Brian May was named animal welfare charity PETA UK's Person of the Year for his efforts to help stop the culling of badgers. The guitarist's group Save Me formed Team Badger alongside PETA and various other animal welfare groups. PETA's Mimi Bekhechi said of May:
30 Dec 2012
A rare copy of a Beatles LP signed by all four members sold - for the sum rejected at auction in Sussex a few weeks earlier. Chris Collins, from Eastbourne, and his sister, Liz Chambers, from Worthing, initially turned down a $12,000 bid for a copy of the album, Please Please Me. They had hoped to get $15,000 for the LP, which was given to their late father during a drinking session. But the siblings later accepted $12,000 from private buyers. The album was signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr after they used it as a drink coasters during a card game in 1963.
30 Dec 2014
The woman who inspired Pulp's hit song 'Disco 2000' died shortly after being appointed an MBE. Deborah Bone, from Hertfordshire was a childhood friend of lead singer Jarvis Cocker in Sheffield. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2013. The 1995 Britpop hit contains the lyric: "Your name is Deborah. Deborah. It never suited ya."
30 Dec 2016
A member of rap group Run-DMC filed a $50m lawsuit accusing retailers of unlawfully using the group's name on items of clothing. Darryl "DMC" McDaniels said that products sold by Amazon, Walmart and other stores violated federal trademark and New York competition laws.
30 Dec 2016
Allan Williams the first manager of The Beatles died at the age of 86. Williams worked with The Beatles from 1960 to 1961, getting the band gigs in Britain, and in Hamburg. Williams personally drove the van to take the Beatles to Hamburg in 1960, which didn't have seats; The Beatles had to sit on their amplifiers in the back of the van.
30 Dec 2020
American saxophonist Alto Reed died of colon cancer age 72. He is best known as a long-time member of Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band and also worked with many artists including Grand Funk Railroad, Little Feat, Otis Rush, Spencer Davis, The Blues Brothers, The Ventures and George Thorogood.
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