November 24th: On this Day
1959, US singer Johnnie Ray was released on bail after spending the night in jail charged with accosting and soliciting after soliciting an undercover police officer in a bar in Detroit. He was later found not guilty.
1964, The Who appeared at The Marquee Club, London, England. Between 1964-1968 The Who made 29 appearances at The Marquee.
1966, The Beatles got together for the first time since their return from the summer tour of the United States, ready to record a new album. The first song selected for recording was John's 'Strawberry Fields Forever', which would end up, not on the album, but on The Beatles' next single. This day's session was devoted entirely to ‘Strawberry Fields Forever.’
1968, Diana Ross and The Supremes were at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Love Child', their 11th No.1 in the US. The song is also notable for knocking off and keeping The Beatles' massive 'Hey Jude' off the top spot in the US.
1973, Ringo Starr went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Photograph'. His first of two US chart toppers as a solo artist. Written by Starr and George Harrison, the promotional film shot for the single showed Starr walking around his new house at the time, Tittenhurst Park, which had been previously the home of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, (and where the 'Imagine' promo film was shot).
1976, Chicago started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'If You Leave Me Now', the American group's only UK No.1. It went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance.
1978, David Bowie played the first of two sold-out nights at the RAS Show Grounds, Sydney during his 8-date Low / Heroes tour of Australia and New Zealand.
1979, Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'No More Tears, (Enough Is Enough). A No.3 hit in the UK.
1983, Irish group The Undertones split up. Lead singer Feargal Sharkey went on to have a No.1 UK single as a solo artist with 'A Good Heart' and later worked in A&R for various record labels, and later became the head of UK Music, an umbrella organisation representing the collective interests of the UK's commercial music industry.
1984, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee married his girlfriend, nude model Candice, (Elaine Margaret Starchuk). The marriage lasted one month. Lee has also been married to actress Heather Locklear and the former Playboy Playmate Pamela Anderson.
1991, Eric Carr (Paul Charles Caravello) drummer with Kiss died aged 41, of complications from cancer in a New York hospital. Carr replaced Peter Criss in 1980 and remained a band member until he became ill in 1991. For his Kiss stage persona, Carr was known as 'The Fox.'
1991, Freddie Mercury died of complications from aids at his home in London's Holland park aged 45, just one day after he publicly admitted he was HIV positive. Mercury was openly bisexual and enjoyed a colourful rock star lifestyle. During his career with Queen he scored over 40 Top 40 UK singles including the worldwide No.1 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.
1992, Bill Wyman's divorce was finalised with the high court awarding his ex wife Mandy Smith £580,000. The Rolling Stones' bassist had started to date Smith when she was 13, the marriage lasted for two years.
1993, American blues guitarist and singer Albert Collins died of lung cancer aged 61. Known as ‘The master of the telecaster’, he shared a Grammy for the 1985 album Showdown! which he recorded with Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland.
1999, During a Bonhams of London rock auction, Buddy Holly's first driving licence sold for £3,795; and a copy of The Beatles 'White Album' numbered 00000001, sold for £9,775.
2002, Robbie Williams started a five week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with his fifth studio album ‘Escapology’. The album became the best selling album of 2002 in the United Kingdom, selling 1.2 million copies.
2002, Jay-Z was at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘The Blueprint 2’, the rapper’s first US No.1 album.
2003, 'Agadoo' by Black Lace was named the worst song of all time by a panel of music writers. The song which peaked at No.2 on the UK charts in 1984 spent 30 weeks in the top 75 and went on to become the eighth best-selling single of 1984 in the UK. Black Lace themselves recorded an X-rated version of the song entitled 'Have a Screw', which was released on the B-side of the 12-inch vinyl 'Gang Bang'.
2005, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey announced they were to separate after three years of marriage. Their relationship had been the subject of persistent media scrutiny after it was chronicled on the hit MTV series 'Newlyweds.'
2005, Bob Geldof called for fair trade at an awards event in Rome that recognised his antipoverty efforts. "Africa must be allowed to trade itself out of poverty," he said as he received the Man of Peace award from the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
2006, Winners at this year’s American Music Awards included, Kelly Clarkson, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Shakira, Jamie Foxx, Nickelback, Sean Paul, Black Eyed Peas, Eminem, Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and Mary J. Blige. Nelly Furtado, John Mayer and Fall Out Boy.
2007, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea lost his multi-million pound house in a wildfire that swept through Malibu, 53 other properties were destroyed by the blaze. Flea told the Los Angeles Times the $4.8m (£2.3m) property was "burnt to a crisp".
2008, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how Boy George chained a male escort to his bedroom wall and beat him with a metal chain after accusing him of hacking into his laptop. The singer had made contact with Mr Carlsen, 29, on the social networking website Gaydar. Mr Carlsen told the court that he was dragged along the floor towards the bed and a handcuff was put on his right hand. The manacle was attached to a hook drilled into the wall by the bed. The police later photographed welts on Mr Carlsen's arm where the handcuffs had been. The fire brigade had to be called to cut the cuffs off.
2008, English drummer Michael Lee died from a seizure aged 39. Lee had worked with Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Little Angels, The Cult, Ian Gillan, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Quireboys and Thin Lizzy.
November 24th: Born on this day
1939, Born on this day, Jim Yester, guitar, vocals, The Association, (1967 US No.1 single 'Windy').
1941, Born on this day, Donald Dunn,Booker T and the MG's, (1962 US No. 3 single 'Green Onions', 1969 UK No.4 single 'Time Is Tight'). Dunn died in his sleep on 13th May 2012 after playing a show at the Blue Note night club in Tokyo the night before. He had been in the country as part of an ongoing tour with Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd.
1941, Born on this day, Pete Best, The Beatles drummer, 1960-1962.
1942, Born on this day, Billy Connolly, singer, actor, comedian, The Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty, 1975 UK No.1 single 'D.I.V.O.R.C.E.'
1943, Born on this day, Robin Williamson, Scottish multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, songwriter and storyteller, who first made his name as a founding member of The Incredible String Band.(1967 album 'The 5000 Spirits or The Layers Of The Onion').
1944, Born on this day, Bev Bevan, drums, The Move, (1969 UK No.1 single 'Blackberry Way'), Electric Light Orchestra, (1979 UK No.3 & US No.4 single 'Don't Bring Me Down' plus 26 other Top 40 hits). Now a UK radio presenter on Saga FM in the West Midlands.
1945, Born on this day, Lee Michaels, US keyboard player, (1971 US No.6 single 'Do You Know What I Mean').
1948, Born on this day, Tony Bourge, guitarist, Budgie, (1971 single 'Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman').
1955, Born on this day, Clem Burke, drummer, Blondie, (5 UK No.1 singles including 1979 UK & US No.1 single 'Heart Of Glass' and 1978 worldwide No.1 album 'Parallel Lines').
1957, Born on this day, Chris Hayes, Huey Lewis and the News, (1985 US No.1 & UK No.11 single 'The Power Of Love').
1958, Born on this day, Carmel, (1983 UK No.15 single 'Bad Day').
1962, Born on this day, John Squire, guitar, The Stone Roses, (1989 UK No.8 single 'Fool's Gold', 1989 album 'The Stone Roses'). The Seahorses, (1997 UK No.3 single 'Love Is The Law').
1962, Born on this day, Gary Stonadge, bass, Big Audio Dynamite, (1986 UK No.11 single 'E=MC2').
1964, Born on this day, Tony Rombola, guitarist, Godsmack, (2003, US No.1 album ‘Faceless’, 2006 US No.1 album ‘IV’).
1970, Born on this day, Chad Taylor, guitarist, Live, (1997 US No.1 album ‘Secret Samadhi’).