1963 - Bob Dylan walked out of rehearsals for The Ed Sullivan Show after being told he couldn't perform his song "Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues" due to it mocking the U.S. military and segregation. CBS officials asked Dylan to substitute it for another song, but the singer reportedly said: "No, this is what I want to do. If I can't play my song, I'd rather not appear on the show."
1967 - The first Jimi Hendrix album, Are You Experienced?, was released. One of the most stunning debuts in rock history, and one of the definitive albums of the psychedelic era. Hendrix synthesized various elements of the cutting edge of 1967 rock into music that sounded both futuristic and rooted in the best traditions of rock, blues, pop, and soul. It was his mind-boggling guitar work charting new sonic territories in feedback, distortion, and sheer volume. It wouldn't have meant much, however, without his excellent material, whether psychedelic frenzy ("Foxey Lady," "Manic Depression," "Purple Haze"), instrumental freak-out jams ("Third Stone from the Sun"), blues ("Red House," "Hey Joe"), or tender, poetic compositions ("The Wind Cries Mary") that demonstrated the breadth of his songwriting talents.
1972 - The Rolling Stones released Exile On Main Street. The legend surrounding the making of the record still looms large. The band, on the run from the tax man, set up in a mansion on the south of France and begin recording in it's dank, dirty basement. Surrounded by hangers on, drug dealers, dealing with spotty electricity, Mick getting married during the sessions, etc., they managed to record a chunk of the album before finishing up in L.A.
It's a sprawling, weary double album encompassing rock & roll, blues, soul, and country. The music is a series of dark, dense jams, with Keith Richards and Mick Taylor spinning off incredible riffs and solos. It's the kind of record that's gripping on the very first listen, but each subsequent listen reveals something new. Few other albums, let alone double albums, have been so rich and masterful. Although the album was met with mixed reviews at the time, it is now widely regarded as the band's best work and routinely appears on lists of the greatest albums of all time. (Photo credit should read AFP/AFP via Getty Images)
1977 - The Sex Pistols sign with Virgin Records for £15,000 after being dropped by both EMI and A&M. This one takes, and Virgin issues their landmark album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. "I've always liked Richard Branson because, pompous rich t--t that he is, he has a great sense of rebelliousness," lead singer Johnny Rotten says.
2008 - Singer-songwriter Neil Young had a spider named after him - the "myrmekiaphila neilyoungi." College biologist Jason Bond discovered a new species of trapdoor spider in Alabama and decided to name it after his favorite musician.
2011 - David Gilmour and Nick Mason join their former Pink Floyd bandmate Roger Waters at the London 02 Arena performance of Waters' The Wall tour, joining in on "Comfortably Numb" and "Outside The Wall." It's the first time they've played together since Live 8 in 2005.
Birthdays:
Burt Bacharach is 94.
British New Wave singer Ian Dury (The Blockheads) was born today in 1942.
Steve Winwood is 74. Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith, and a successful solo career. In his younger days, his voice was described as "Ray Charles on helium". It was a compliment.
Ivan Kral was born on this day in 1948. He played bass with Blondie, Patti Smith and Iggy Pop.
Ian McLagan was born on this day in 1945. Best-known for his work with the Small Faces and the Faces, McLagan also worked with the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker, Billy Bragg and Bruce Springsteen.
Guitar player Billy Duffy (The Cult) is 61.
On this Day In Music History is sourced from This Day in Music, Allmusic, Song Facts and Wikipedia.