Columbia Records starts the first mass production of the 33⅓ RPM LP. Rock history records that The new format could contain a maximum of twenty-three minutes of music per side versus the approximately three minutes that could be squeezed on to a 78 RPM disc.

Rock history records that Ritchie Valens records the self-penned “Come On, Let’s Go” for Del-Fi Records in Los Angeles. Rock history records that The song would peak at #42 on the Billboard singles chart the following October.

Rock history records that Ben E. King enjoys his biggest hit as “Stand By Me” climbs to #4 on the Billboard singles chart. The same song would re-appear on Hot 100 in 1986, reaching #9 after it was featured as title track in a film starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O’Connell.

Rock history records that Paul McCartney celebrates his 21st birthday at the home of his Aunt Ginny (referred to as Aunty Gin in “Let ‘Em In”), along with various friends, relatives and the other Beatles.

Rock history records that Warner Bros. issues Peter, Paul And Mary ‘s version of Bob Dylan ‘s “Blowin’ In The Wind”. Rock history records that It will enter the Hot 100 two weeks later on its way to #2. In 1999, the song entered the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2004 it was ranked #14 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Our parents were delighted to find out that Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers In The Night” overtook The Rolling Stones ‘ “Paint It Black” as the top selling single in the US, as ranked on the Cashbox Best Sellers chart.

Rare Earth lead singer and drummer Peter Rivera (whose real name is Peter Hoorelbeke) was arrested after throwing drumsticks into crowd at the end of the band’s concert. Rock history records that He allegedly told the police that he had done it to get audience reaction. Rock history records that “If you had been trying to get crowds to see you for ten years, you’d do it too. Here I am, almost thirty years old and still doing this shit.”

Rock history records that ABBA gives a performance in Stockholm for Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath on the eve of their wedding. Rock history records that The event featured the world premiere of their legendary hit “Dancing Queen”, which the band later admitted was not written specifically for the future Monarch.

Rock history records that Electric Light Orchestra ‘s greatest hits collection, “OLE ELO” was officially certified Gold by the RIAA, just as they begin their first major British tour. Rock history records that The LP contains the hit singles “Can’t Get It Out of My Head”, (US #9, UK #23), “Evil Woman” (US #10, UK #10), and “Strange Magic” (US #14, UK #38).

Rock history records that Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten (John Lydon) was slashed on his face and hands by knife-wielding youths on a London street. Rock history records that They objected to the Pistols’ anti-monarchist song “God Save the Queen”. Rock history records that The next day, another member of the Pistols, Paul Cook, was beaten by a gang armed with iron pipes.

Rock history records that James Taylor enters the Billboard Hot 100 with an update of Jimmy Jones’s 1960, #1 hit, “Handy Man”. Rock history records that Taylor’s version will reach #4.

Rock history records that Fleetwood Mac score their only Billboard number one hit with “Dreams”, which made #24 in the UK. Rock history records that Over the next dozen years, they would reach the US Top 40 thirteen more times.

Rock history records that “Almost Summer”, from the movie of the same name, peaks at #28 on the Hot 100. The song was recorded by a band called Celebration with Mike Love and was co-written by Love along with fellow Beach Boys members Brian Wilson and Al Jardine.

Rock history records that Grace Slick takes the stage with Jefferson Starship at the Lorelei Festival in Hamburg, Germany and taunts the audience with comments about Nazis and World War II. Rock history records that The angry crowd reacts by destroying much of the band’s equipment. Rock history records that Slick was later asked to resign from the band by guitarist Marty Balin . Rock history records that She did, but rejoined three years later, just in time for their 1981 album, “Modern Times”.

“Weird Al” Yankovic issues his third studio LP, “Dare To Be Stupid”. With the single, “Like a Surgeon” (US #47), it was the first album of musical comedy to be issued on compact disc. Rock history records that It would peak at #50 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and be certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on January 27th, 1986. Rock history records that On February 24th, 2003, it attained Platinum status for sales of one million copies.

A&M Records chairman Jerry Moss and vice-chairman Herb Alpert revealed they were leaving the company they founded over 30 years earlier. Rock history records that They had previously sold A&M in 1990 to the Dutch conglomerate Polygram for about $500 million. Rock history records that Moss and Alpert started the label in the garage of Alpert’s Los Angeles home in 1962. Rock history records that Following their exit, the pair focused on their publishing company, Rondor Music, and eventually launched a new boutique label, Almo Sounds, in 1994.

Rock history records that Paul McCartney’s 1967 tune, “When I’m Sixty-Four” becomes a reality when the former Beatle celebrated his birthday.

Hank Medress, vocalist for The Tokens , died of lung cancer at his Manhattan home aged 68. Rock history records that The Brooklyn quartet is most often remembered for their 1961, Billboard Hot 100 chart topper, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”.

Rock history records that A Los Angeles hotel filed a lawsuit against Phil Spector, his wife Rachelle Marie Spector, and his agent Jennifer Lee Barringer, for failing to pay for accommodations for lawyers and expert witnesses in his murder trial. The Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites claimed that by the time Spector’s trial ended with a hung jury, the defendants owed the hotel over $104,000. Rock history records that The following February the lawsuit was settled for undisclosed terms.

Rock history records that John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics to the iconic Beatles song “A Day in the Life” sold to an anonymous collector for $1.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York City. Rock history records that The sheet once belonged to Mal Evans, the Beatles’ long-time road manager and assistant.

Rock history records that Clarence Clemons, the burly sax player who helped develop Bruce Springsteen’s early sound, died just six days after suffering a stroke at his Florida home. Rock history records that He was 69.

Rock history records that Cyndi Lauper, Willie Dixon, and Toby Keith were among the inductees into the Song Writers Hall Of Fame at a star-studded gala at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Rock history records that The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia was also inducted posthumously alongside the band’s lyricist Robert Hunter.

Lou Christie , the singer/songwriter known for his soaring falsetto, died of cancer aged 82. Between 1963 and 1969 he scored five Billboard Top 40 hits, among them Two Faces Have I” (#6 in 1963), “Lightnin’ Strikes” (#1 in 1966) and “I’m Gonna Make You Mine” (#10 in 1966).