THIS DAY IN MUSIC

June 18th: On this Day

1948, Columbia Records started the first mass production of the 33-RPM long player. The new format could contain a maximum of 23 minutes of music per side versus the three minutes that could be squeezed on to a 78 RPM disc.

1955, Jimmy Young was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of 'Unchained Melody', (a theme for the obscure prison film Unchained and a hit for the Righteous Brothers in 1965). Young scored another ten Top 40 hit singles and went on to become one of UK's favourite radio DJ's More on Unchained Melody

1964, Touring Australia The Beatles played at Sydney Stadium in Sydney. This was Paul McCartney's 22nd birthday and after the show his guests included 17 girls who were winners of the Daily Mirrors 'Why I would like to be a guest at a Beatles birthday party' competition. More on The Beatles Down Under

1964,

1966, This weeks Top 5 UK singles: No.5, Percy Sledge, 'When A Man Love's A Woman', No.4, The Mersey's, 'Sorrow', No.3, The Mamas and the Papas, 'Monday Monday', No.2, The Beatles, 'Paperback Writer', No.1, Frank Sinatra, 'Strangers In The Night.' More on Paperback Writer

1974, Peter Hoorelbeke drummer with US band Rare Earth was arrested after a concert for throwing his drumsticks into the crowd.

1975, Elvis Presley had a face-lift at Mid South hospital, Memphis.

1976, Abba gave a special live performance in Stockholm for Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath on the eve of their wedding.

1977, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers supported by The Boomtown Rats appeared at Friars, Aylesbury, England.

1977, Fleetwood Mac went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Dreams', the group's first and only US No.1, was also a No.24 in the UK. Stevie Nicks has stated she wrote the song at the Record Plant studio in Sausalito, California, in about 10 minutes. More on Rumours

1977, Johnny Rotten and Paul Cook of The Sex Pistols were stabbed and beaten when they were attacked in a car park outside a London pub. They objected to the Pistols' anti-monarchist song 'God Save the Queen'. The next day, another member of the Pistols, Paul Cook, was beaten by a gang armed with iron pipes.

1983, Swiss band Yello released the first three- dimensional picture disc, complete with 3-D glasses.

1988, 'Doctorin' The Tardis' by The Timelords was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. The Timelords were Scottish duo Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty, who formed KLF. The song was a mash-up of the Doctor Who theme music, Gary Glitter's 'Rock and Roll (Part Two)' with sections from 'Blockbuster!' by Sweet.

1993, A&M Records chairman Jerry Moss and vice-chairman Herb Alpert announced they were leaving the company they founded more than 30 years earlier. They had sold A&M in 1990 to Polygram for $500 million. Moss and Alpert started the label in the garage of Alpert's Los Angeles home in 1962. The label was the home to such acts as The Police, Bryan Adams, Joan Baez, Flying Burrito Brothers, The Carpenters, Joe Cocker, Supertramp and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.

2000, It was reported that sales of pirate music CDs had now exceeded more than 500 million a year and accounted for one in every five sold. The Phonographic Industry estimated it was costing the music industry £3 billion ($5.1 billion) in lost sales.

2000, Rapper Nate Dogg was arrested for allegedly kidnapping his girlfriend from her mother's house, holding her against her will, assaulting her and setting a car on fire. All charges were later dismissed.

2002, The ex-husband of Spice Girl Mel B appeared in court on a charge of assaulting a three year-old boy. Dancer Jimmy Guizar denied assaulting the child in a play area at London Zoo.

2002, U2 lost a bid to prevent the demolition of Hanover Quay studio in Dublin.’Over 8,000 fans signed an online petition to preserve the studio, where the group recorded ‘All That You Can't Leave Behind’ and some of their 'Pop' album.

2003, Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller became the first British music manager since The Beatles' Brian Epstein to hold the top three positions in the US singles chart. Fuller, who steered the Spice Girls and S Club 7 to success, was in charge of bestselling artists Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard, together with the American Idol 2 Final 10. During 2003 Fuller sold more than ten million records around the world and has had 96 No.1 singles and 79 top-placed albums in both the US and UK during his career. He was named in the latest Sunday Times Rich List as the 359th wealthiest person in the UK with assets of £90 million ($153 million).

2006, Keane started a two week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Under The Iron Sea' the bands second No.1 album.

2007, American singer and record producer Hank Medress died of lung cancer at 68. He was the vocalist on The Tokens 1961 US No.1 hit 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight', Medress was also in the vocal quartet The Linc-Tones with Neil Sedaka and produced the hit single 'He's So Fine' by The Chiffons, as well as Tony Orlando's 'Knock Three Times'.

2008, A Lost Angeles hotel filed a lawsuit against Phil Spector for failing to pay more than $100,000 (£61,000), in outstanding bills for lawyers and expert witnesses in his murder trial. The Westin Bonaventure Hotel claimed that by the time Spector's trial ended with a hung jury, the defendants owed the hotel more than $104,000 (£63,400).

2010, John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to The Beatles song 'A Day In The Life' sold for $1.2m (£810,000) at an auction at Sotheby's in New York. The double-sided sheet of paper with notes written in felt marker and blue ink also contained some corrections and other notes penned in red ink. More on Sgt. Pepper

June 18th: Born on this day

1938, Born on this day, Don 'Sugarcane' Harris, US guitarist, pianist, 50's duo Don & Dewey. Worked with Little Richard, John Mayall and Frank Zappa. Died on 30th November 1999.

1942, Born on this day, Paul McCartney, The Beatles, Wings, solo. The most successful rock composer of all time. McCartney first met John Lennon on July 6th 1957, who was impressed that Paul could tune a guitar. With The Beatles he scored 21 US No.1 & 17 UK No.1 singles plus McCartney has scored over 30 US & UK solo Top 40 hit singles. He has written and co-written 188 charted records, of which 91 reached the Top 10 and 33 made it to No.1 totalling 1,662 weeks on the chart. More on Paul McCartney

1942, Born on this day, Carl Radle, bass, Derek and the Dominoes, (1972 UK No.7 single 'Layla'). Died of kidney failure June 30th 1980, aged 38. Also worked with George Harrison and Delaney And Bonnie.

1942, Born on this day, Richard Perry, US producer. Member of The Legends during the 60's. Worked with Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Ringo Starr, Captain Beefheart, Leo Sayer, Diana Ross, The Pointer Sisters.

1952, Born on this day, Ricky Gazda, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, (1978 album 'Hearts Of Stone').

1953, Born on this day, Jerome Smith, guitarist, KC and the Sunshine Band, (1975 US No.1 single 'Get Down Tonight', 1983 UK No.1 single 'Give It Up'). He died on August 2nd 2000 after being crushed by a bulldozer he was operating.

1961, Born on this day, Alison Moyet, singer, Yazoo, (1982 UK No.2 single 'Only You'). Solo (1985 UK No.2 single 'That Ole Devil Called Love').

1963, Born on this day, Dizzy Reed, keyboards, Guns N' Roses, toured and recorded since 1990.

1969, Born on this day, Simon Rowbottom, guitarist, The Boo Radleys, (1995 UK No.9 single 'Wake Up Boo').

1971, Born on this day, Nathan Morris, Boyz II Men, (1992 US & UK No.1 single 'End Of The Road').

1973, Born on this day, Gary Stringer, vocals, Reef, (1996 UK No. 6 single ‘Place Your Hands’, 1997 UK No.1 album ‘Glow).

1976, Born on this day, Blake Shelton, American country music singer and television personality. Blake Shelton has charted over 20 country singles, including 11 No.1's. He is the husband of country singer Miranda Lambert.