This Day in Music: January 8th

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Born on this day:
1935, Elvis Presley, singer, King of rock and roll
1937, Shirley Bassey, singer
1946, Robby Krieger, guitar, The Doors
1947, David Bowie, singer
1959, Paul Hester, drums, Crowded House
1967, R. Kelly, singer, writer, producer
1973, Sean Paul, singer
1976, Jenny Lewis, singer, songwriter

1957, Bill Haley and His Comets started the first ever Rock & Roll Tour of Australia, playing two sold-out nights in Sydney.

1966, The Beatles started a six-week run at #1 on the U.S. album chart with Rubber Soul, the group’s seventh U.S. chart topper, which went on to spend 56 weeks on the chart. The group also started a three-week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “We Can Work it Out,” the group’s 11th U.S. #1 single.

1969, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were both barred from an exclusive hotel for wearing “op art” pants and nothing else. They were both asked to leave the Hotel Crillen in Lima, Peru, after refusing to change clothes.

1979, Canadian rock band Rush were named the country’s official Ambassadors of Music by the Canadian government.

1991, Steve Clark, guitarist with Def Leppard, was found dead at his Chelsea flat by his girlfriend, after a night of heavy alcohol consumption combined with prescription drugs. For more on this story, see This Day in Music Spotlight.

1994, Jamaican reggae/rap duo Chaka Demus and Pliers were at #1 in the U.K. with their version of “Twist and Shout.” The song was originally recorded (and produced by Phil Spector) by the Top Notes in 1961 and then covered by The Isley Brothers. It was also covered by The Beatles on their first album, Please Please Me.

1996, A Los Angeles court found Robert Hoskins guilty of five counts of stalking, assault and making terrorist threats to Madonna. Hoskins had twice scaled the walls of the singer’s estate and had threatened to slash her throat from ear to ear.

2000, Police foiled a ?1 million ($1.7million) kidnap plot to snatch Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and her baby son. The plot was uncovered after a tip off to the police. The gang had planned to kidnap the pair when husband David was away playing soccer.

2000, Christina Aguilera started a two-week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “What a Girl Wants.” She ended Santana’s 12-week run at #1 with “Smooth.”

2001, A woman who believed that Axl Rose communicated with her via telepathy was arrested for stalking the Guns N’ Roses singer for a second time. Police detained Karen Jane McNeil after she was spotted loitering outside his house.

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