April 4th
2009: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held in
Cleveland for the first time since 1997 at Public Hall. The inductees
included Metallica, Jeff Beck & Run-DMC.
2008: The Rolling Stones released their fourth documentary Shine a Light
which documented their 2006 performances at New York City’s Beacon Theatre.
The documentary was directed by Martin Scorsese.
2008: Procol Harum singer Gary Brooker won back full royalty rights to their
biggest hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale” at The Court of Appeal in London due to
organist Matthew Fisher had taken 38 years to bring his claim of
contributing the organ theme and being entitled to co-authorship to
litigation. Fisher would appeal the case & regain the rights to future
royalties the following year.
2007: A Swedish couple ran into trouble with authorities after trying to
name their baby daughter Metallica due to tax officials deeming their
daughter’s name inappropriate since under Swedish law, authorities have to
approve both first names and last names.
1996: Grateful Dead singer & guitarist Bob Weir & Jerry Garcia’s widow
Deborah scattered a portion of Garcia’s ashes into the Ganges River in
India. Eleven days later, the other portion of Garcia’s ashes was strewn on
waters near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
1987: U2 entered the Billboard 200 Album Chart at number seven with The
Joshua Tree, which was the highest chart debut in the U.S. in seven years.
1981: Styx reached the top of the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first
and only time with their concept album Paradise Theater which began the
first of three non-consecutive weeks on top.
1968: Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Joni Mitchell, Al Kooper and Ted
Nugent met up for an all-night tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. at the New
Generation Club in New York City after receiving news of King’s
assassination.
1964: The Beatles held the top five positions of Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles
Chart in a feat that has never been matched before or since. “Can’t Buy Me
Love” was number one, “Love Me Do” was number two, “Roll Over Beethoven” was
number three, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was number four and “Please Please
Me” was number five.
Birthdays:
Muddy Waters born in 1913
Dave Hill-guitarist for Slade born in 1946
Berry Oakley-bassist for The Allman Brothers Band born in 1948
Pick Withers-drummer for Dire Straits born in 1948
Gary Moore-guitarist for Thin Lizzy born in 1952
