1965 - The Beatles had the No.1 album in the US for the third Christmas in a row with Rubber Soul. While the Beatles still largely stuck to love songs on Rubber Soul, the lyrics represented a quantum leap in terms of thoughtfulness, maturity, and complex ambiguities. Musically, too, it was a substantial leap forward, with intricate folk-rock arrangements that reflected the increasing influence of Dylan and the Byrds. The group and George Martin were also beginning to expand the conventional instrumental parameters of the rock group, using a sitar on "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," Greek-like guitar lines on "Michelle" and "Girl," fuzz bass on "Think for Yourself," and a piano made to sound like a harpsichord on the instrumental break of "In My Life." John Lennon called it the 'pot' album.
1973 - Tom Johnson of the Doobie Brothers was arrested in Visalia, California and charged with possession of marijuana. His court date is set for January 10th, the same day the band's new LP is to be released. The album is ironically titled "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits". (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
1988 - Nirvana started recording their first album 'Bleach' using a $600 loan from an old school friend.
1987 - Roger Waters cuts a deal with his former Pink Floyd bandmates, ending a long legal standoff over whether or not the band can continue without him. David Gilmour and Nick Mason are allowed to use the name Pink Floyd, but Waters gets the copyright on The Wall concept. Gilmour and Mason have already released the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason as Pink Floyd.
BIRTHDAYS:
1926 - Lee Dorsey, known for his 1961 hit "Ya Ya," is born Irving Lee Dorsey in New Orleans, Louisiana. He befriends future rock and roll legend Fats Domino before moving to Portland, Oregon, at age 10.
1945 - Lemmy (lead singer for Motörhead) is born Ian Fraser Kilmister in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. He would earn the nickname Lemmy from his classmates. Apparently during his younger wheeling and dealing days, he would ask people “lemme borrow a fiver”. Also worked as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix and the Nice, before joining the space rock band Hawkwind in 1971.
On This Day in Music History is sourced rom This Day In Music History, Songfacts, and Allmusic.