April 8th

2010: Former New York Dolls and Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren died of mesothelioma in Switzerland. He was 64 years old.

1998: Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood’s boat caught fire while sailing around Rio de Janeiro. An engine had been the cause of the fire. Wood and ten passengers were rescued by a boatload of passing journalists.

1998: Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee was sentenced to six months in jail for breaking a probation order incurred on him for an assault on a photographer in 1996.

1996: Ted Nugent demonstrated archery at Michigan’s state capitol in Lansing. Nugent declared archery as a way to keep kids off alcohol and drugs.

1994: Nirvana singer & guitarist Kurt Cobain was found dead of a gunshot wound to his head at his home in Seattle by electrician Gary Smith who had been doing work in Cobain’s house. It was later discovered Cobain had been dead for three days.

1980: Six weeks after the death of Bon Scott, Brian Johnson was introduced as the new singer for AC/DC.

1973: Neil Young’s home movie collection Journey Through the Past premiered at the U.S. Film Festival in Dallas.

1971: Chicago began a week long stint at New York City’s Carnegie Hall, which was released as a quadruple album box set later in the year.

1963: John Lennon’s first child, a son named Julian was born in Liverpool. It was Lennon’s only child with his first wife Cynthia. Julian would later achieve success in the mid 1980’s with hits such as “Valotte” and “Too Late for Goodbyes”.

Birthdays:
Steve Howe-guitarist for Yes born in 1947
Izzy Stradlin-guitarist for Guns N’ Roses born in 1962