ΣΑΝ ΣΗΜΕΡΑ-1 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ

1957, Buddy Holly and the Crickets appeared on 'The Ed Sullivan Show', performing 'That'll Be The Day' and 'Peggy Sue'. Sam Cooke was also a guest on the same show performing 'You Send Me'.

1958, The Teddy Bears were at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘To Know Him is to Love Him.’ The title of the Phil Spector song came from words on his father’s tombstone.

1961, The Beatles performed a lunchtime show at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. That night they headlined a six-group Big Beat Session at the Tower Ballroom, New Brighton in Wallasey.

1964, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr booked into University College Hospital to have his tonsils removed.

1964, The Who played the first of 22 consecutive Tuesday night gigs at The Marquee Club in London, the band were paid £50 for each gig. The Marquee Club saw the rise of some of the most important British artists in the 60's such as Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Cream, Manfred Mann, The Nice, Yes, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, King Crimson and many others who all appeared at the club.

1966, Tom Jones was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of 'Green Green Grass Of Home.' It stayed at No.1 for seven weeks giving Decca records its first million selling single by a British artist. Also a No.11 hit in the US.

1967, On this Friday night the 16 date UK package tour with Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Move, Nice, Outer Limits and Amen Corner played at the Central Hall, Chatham. The Chatham Standard later reported: ‘Hendrix opened his act with the Beatles’ number Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the three-piece group made as much of an impression as a studio full of musicians. Once upon a time this sort of noise could not be reproduced outside a studio. He did several of his own numbers, including unfaultable versions of Hey Joe and Purple Haze and The Troggs’ Wild Thing.

1973, The Carpenters went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Top Of The World', their second US No.1, which was also a No.5 hit in the UK. Country singer Lynn Anderson covered the song and her version became the first hit when it reached No.2 on the US country singles charts in mid-1973.

1976, The Sex Pistols appeared on ITV's live early evening 'Today' show (in place of Queen who had pulled out following a trip to the dentists by Freddie Mercury). Taunted by interviewer Bill Grundy who asked the band to say something outrageous, guitarist Steve Jones says: 'You dirty bastard...you dirty fucker...what a fucking rotter!' Grundy died of a heart attack aged 69 on 9th Feb 1993.

1980, Talking Heads supported by U2 appeared at the Hammersmith Palais, London, England.

1983, Neil Young was sued by Geffen Records because his new music for the label was ‘not commercial in nature and musically uncharacteristic of his previous albums’. His latest album Everybody's Rockin' featured a selection of rockabilly songs (both covers and original material) which ran for just 25 minutes, Young's shortest album.

1984, Jim Diamond was at No.1 in the UK singles chart with 'I Should Have Known Better.' The song was displaced after one week by Band Aid's charity single 'Do They Know It's Christmas’'. Diamond publicly requested that people not buy his single, but instead buy 'Do They Know It's Christmas’'

1987, A Kentucky teacher lost her appeal in the US Supreme Court over her sacking after showing Pink Floyd's film 'The Wall' to her class. The court decided that the film was not suitable for minors with its bad language and sexual content.

1989, Sly Stone was sentenced to 55 days after pleading guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of cocaine, (two weeks later he also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and was sentenced to spend 9-14 months in rehab).

1990, C.C. Deville guitar player with Poison spent six hours in jail in Louisville, after being arrested for public drunkenness and criminal mischief after a concert in the town that night.

1990, Vanilla Ice started a four-week run at No.1 in the UK with the single 'Ice Ice Baby'. The track sampled the bass intro to the Queen and David Bowie No.1 'Under Pressure'. 'Ice Ice Baby' was initially released as the B-side to the rapper's cover of 'Play That Funky Music', and became the A-side after US DJ's started playing it.

1990, Whitney Houston went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I'm Your Baby Tonight', her 8th US No.1 and the first for writers and producers Reid and Babyface.

1997, Kenny G set a new world record when he held a note on his saxophone for 45 minutes and 47 seconds. (The record has since been broken by Geovanny Escalante, who held a note for 1 hour, 30 minutes and 45 seconds, using a technique that allows him to blow and breathe at the same time).

1998, The first night of a US tour with *NSYNC, Britney Spears and B*Witched opened in Columbus, Ohio.

2006, An Oasis fan enjoyed "the best day of his life" when Noel Gallagher popped round to his house in Poynton, Cheshire to play an intimate gig. Ben Hayes had won a BBC Radio 1 competition to have the star play in his front room as part of a week of gigs compered by DJ Jo Whiley. 15 people packed into his lounge for the tiny gig - with his mother on hand making cups of tea for the crew.

2008, Wham's Last Christmas was the most played festive track of the last five years. The Performing Right Society put the 1984 hit at the top of their chart of seasonal songs, just ahead of Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas. The Pogues came third with Fairytale of New York, recorded with the late Kirsty MacColl and first released in 1987. Other featured artists include Slade, Mariah Carey and Bruce Springsteen.

December 1st: Born on this day

1930, Born on this day, Matt Monro, UK singer, (1964 UK No.4 & US No.23 single 'Walk Away' plus 10 other UK Top 40 hits). He died on 7th February 1985.

1934, Born on this day, Billy Paul, (1972 US No.1 & 1973 UK No.12 single 'Me and Mrs Jones').

1936, Born on this day, Lou Rawls, US singer, (1976 US No.2 & UK No.10 single 'You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine'). Rawls died from lung cancer on 6th January 2006 aged 72.

1938, Born on this day, Sandy Nelson, US drummer, (1962 UK No.3 & US No.7 single 'Let There Be Drums'). Worked with The Teddy Bears, Gene Vincent. Lost his left foot in a car accident.

1944, Born on this day, Bette Midler, singer, actress, (1989 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'Wind Beneath my Wings'). Worked with Barry Manilow, starred in the film 'The Rose' based on the life of Janis Joplin.

1944, Born on this day, Charlie Grima, Wizzard, (1973 UK No.1 single 'See My Baby Jive').

1944, Born on this day, Eric Bloom, guitar, vocals, Blue Oyster Cult, (1976 US No.12 & 1978 UK No.16 single 'Don't Fear The Reaper').

1944, Born on this day, John Densmore, drums, The Doors, (1967 US No.1 & UK No.49 single 'Light My Fire' & 1971 single 'Riders On The Storm').

1946, Born on this day, Gilbert O'Sullivan, singer, songwriter, (1972 UK No.1 single 'Clair', 1972 US No.1 single 'Alone Again Naturally', plus 13 other UK Top 40 singles).

1951, Born on this day, Jaco Pastorius, jazz bass player, (1976 hit with Weather Report, 'Birdland'). Also worked with Joni Mitchell and Pat Metheny. Died on 21st September 1987 aged 35. He suffered irreversible brain damage after being beaten into a coma after an altercation with a bouncer at the Midnight Club in Fort Lauderdale.

1956, Born on this day, Julee Cruise, singer, (1990 UK No. 7 single 'Falling').

1959, Born on this day, Stephen Batt, Japan, (1982 UK No.5 single 'Ghosts').

1963, Born on this day, Sam Reid, Glass Tiger, (1986 UK No.29 single 'Don't Forget Me, When I'm Gone').

1971, Born on this day, Greg Upchurch, drummer, joined in 2005, 3 Doors Down, (2003 US No.4 single ‘When I’m Gone’, 2005 US No.1 album ‘Seventeen Days’).

1977, Born on this day, Brad Delson, guitar, Linkin Park, (2002 US No.2 & UK No.4 single 'In The End', 2002 US No.2 & 2001 UK No.4 album 'Hybrid Theory').