This Day in Music: December 9th

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Born on this day:

1944, Neil Innes, singer-songwriter, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Rutles
1948, Dennis Dunaway, guitar, Alice Cooper
1957, Donny Osmond, singer
1968, Brian Bell, guitar, Weezer
1969, Jakob Dylan, vocals, guitar, The Wallflowers
1971, Geoff Barrow, multi-instrumentalist, Portishead
1972, Tre Cool, drums, Green Day
1977, Imogen Heap, singer-songwriter

1955, Johnny Cash played two shows at Arkansas High School. Elvis Presley opened the show.

1961, The Beatles played at the Palais Ballroom in Aldershot to a crowd of just 18 people. The date had not been advertised, owing to the local newspaper’s refusal to accept the promoter’s check. After the show The Beatles became rowdy, getting themselves ordered out of town by the local police.

1967, The Doors appeared at the New Haven Arena, New Haven, Connecticut. Before the show a policeman found singer Jim Morrison making out with an 18-year-old girl in a backstage shower and after an argument the policeman sprayed mace in Morrison’s face. Once on stage, Morrison told the story of the backstage episode and started taunting the police who dragged him off the stage and arrested him. The crowd rioted, leaving the venue in disarray and many were arrested. Later, more than 100 protestors gathered at the police station in demonstration and more arrests were made.

1968, Free appeared at the Marquee Club in London, England.

1978, Chic started a seven-week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Le Freak,” a #7 hit in the U.K.

1988, According to a poll released in the U.S., the music of Neil Diamond was favored as the best background music for sex. Beethoven was the second choice and Luther Vandross was voted third.

1995, Michael Jackson scored his sixth solo U.K. #1 single when “Earth Song” started a six-week run at the top of the charts. It gave Jackson the U.K. Christmas #1 of 1995 and his best-selling U.K. single ever. The song kept the first single released by The Beatles in 25 years, “Free as a Bird,” off the #1 position.

2001, Channel 4 TV apologized to viewers after Madonna swore during live UK TV coverage at The Tate Gallery, London. Madonna was presenting a prize to artist Martin Creed. A TV spokesman said that did have a bleeper system but they missed the offending word.

2003, Ozzy Osbourne was admitted to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, Berkshire, after being injured in a quad bike accident at his U.K. home. The 55-year-old singer broke his collarbone, eight ribs and a vertebra in his neck. News of Osbourne’s accident reached the House of Commons, where the government sent a goodwill message. For more on this story, see This Day in Music Spotlight.

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