What Happened Today In Music

June 24th

1965 - John Lennon

John Lennon's second book of poetry and drawings, 'A Spaniard In The Works', was published. The book consisted of nonsensical stories and drawings similar to the style of his 1964 book 'In His Own Write'.

1965 - The Hollies

The Hollies were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I'm Alive', the group's first of two UK No.1's and over 25 other Top 40 singles. The Hollies originally passed the song over to another Manchester band, the Toggery Five, before changing their mind and recording the song, which was written for them by the US songwriter Clint Ballard, Jr.

1966 - The Rolling Stones

After holding a press conference aboard a yacht in New York City, The Rolling Stones kicked off their fifth North American tour at the Manning Bowl, Lynn, Massachusetts, with support acts The McCoys and The Standells.

1967 - Procol Harum

Procol Harum's ’A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ entered the Billboard chart, where it would peak at No 5. The song was written by the band around a melody composed by the group's organist, Matthew Fisher, who was inspired by the chord progression of Johann Sebastian Bach's 'Orchestral Suite in D', composed between 1725 and 1739.

1969 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin recorded 'Whole Lotta Love', 'What Is And What Should Never Be', 'Travelling Riverside Blues' and 'Communication Breakdown' for BBC Radio 1 at Maida Vale Studios, London. The session was broadcast on 29th June 1969.

1977 - Jacksons

The Jacksons were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Show You The Way To Go.' The Jacksons were four members of the Jackson Five, including Michael.

1988 - Earl Falconer

UB40 bass player Earl Falconer was sent to prison for six months, with a further 12 suspended, after admitting to causing his brothers death in a car accident.

1989 - Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney scored his seventh UK No.1 solo album with 'Flowers In The Dirt', featuring the single 'My Brave Face'.

1989 - Caron Wheeler

Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Back To Life'. Their only UK No.1 peaked at No.4 on the US chart.

1990 - Donnie Wahlberg

New Kids On The Block's Donnie Wahlberg spent two days in hospital after falling through an unlocked trapdoor mid-concert in Saratoga Springs, New York.

1991 - Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa took part at the concert 'Adieu Soviet Army', organised in Prague, as the farewell to the last soldiers of Soviet Red Army, leaving free Czechoslovakia (the Red Army had occupied Czechoslovakia since the Prague spring). This was probably Zappa's last rock appearance on the stage and it is recorded on the album Adieu C. A. (Soviet Army).

1999 - Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton put 100 of his guitars up for auction at Christie's in New York City to raise money for his drug rehab clinic, the Crossroads Centre in Antigua. His 1956 Fender Stratocaster named Brownie, which was used to record the electric version of ‘Layla’, sold for a record $497,500. The auction helped raise nearly $5 million for the clinic.

2003 - Agnetha Faltskog

A man who had been deported from Sweden for stalking ABBAsinger Agnetha Faeltskog was arrested near the singer's island retreat. Gert van der Graaf, 37, had been the singer's boyfriend from 1997 to 1999, but had been issued a restraining order barring him from seeing or talking to her in 2000.

2004 - Eric Clapton

A Fender Stratocaster that Eric Clapton nicknamed 'Blackie' sold at a Christie's auction for $959,500 (£564,412) in New York, making it the most expensive guitar in the world. The proceeds of the sale went towards Clapton's Crossroads addiction clinic, which he founded in 1998.

2007 - The White Stripes

The White Stripes went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Icky Thump' the duo's sixth and final studio album. 'Icky Thump' won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 2008.

2010 - Led Zeppelin

A rare oversized two-part poster featuring Led Zeppelin, The New Barbarians and others at Knebworth Park on August 4th & 11th August, 1971, sold for £5,000 ($7,480) at a Christie’s Rock & Roll auction held in South Kensington, London. At the same auction, a print of Led Zeppelin backstage in front of blackboard taken at Tampa Stadium, June 3rd, 1977 sold for £1,500, ($2,244).

2012 - Elvis Presley

The crypt in which Elvis Presley was first buried was withdrawn from a Los Angeles auction after protests it should be kept as a shrine. More than 10,000 fans signed a petition against the sale of the tomb at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. Julien's Auctions said it would not sell the crypt until the cemetery "finds a plan that best suits the interests of the fans while respecting and preserving the memory of Elvis".

2012 - Olivia Newton-John

Billboard.com named Olivia Newton-John's 1982 hit, 'Physical' as The Sexiest Song Of All Time. Other classic Rock songs that made the top ten were Rod Stewart's 'Tonight's The Night', Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On', Donna Summer's 'Hot Stuff' and another Rod Stewart contribution, 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy'.

2013 - Alan Myers

Former Devo drummer Alan Myers died aged 58 in Los Angeles, California, following a long bout with cancer. Myers drummed for Devo between 1976 and 1986.

2014 - Bob Dylan

A working draft of Bob Dylan's 'Like a Rolling Stone', set a record at auction after selling for $2m (£1.2m) at Sotheby's. The manuscript, said to be the only known draft of the final lyrics, was written in pencil in 1965 by the 24 year-old Dylan.

2016 - Drake

Drake has achieved a notable feat by having the longest-running UK number one single since legal music downloads began counting towards chart positions. The rapper topped the singles chart for an 11th straight week with One Dance, his collaboration with Wizkid and Kyla.

2016 - Led Zeppelin

A US jury concluded that Led Zeppelin did not copy the opening chords of 'Stairway To Heaven' from the US band Spirit, saying the riff Led Zeppelin was accused of taking from Spirit's 1967 song 'Taurus' "was not intrinsically similar" to Stairway's opening. During the trial, defence lawyers argued the chord progression in question was very common and had been in use for more than 300 years.

Born Today In Music

June 24th

1944 - Arthur Brown

Arthur Brown, English rock singer and songwriter best known for his flamboyant theatrical performances. He had the 1968 UK No.1 and US No.12 single 'Fire', with The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.

1944 - Charlie Whitney

Charlie Whitney, guitarist and a founder member of the rock bands Family, Streetwalkers and Axis Point. Family, scored the 1971 UK No.4 single 'In My Own Time' and the 1973 single 'My Friend The Sun'.

1944 - Chris Wood

Chris Wood, English musician, most known as a founding member of the English rock band Traffic who had the 1967 UK No.2 single 'Hole In My Shoe'. He also worked with Jimi Hendrix in 1968, appearing on Electric Ladyland, Free and Small Faces. Wood died of pneumonia on 12th July 1983.

1944 - Jeff Beck

English rock guitarist Jeff Beck. He replaced Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds. As a solo artist, he released the 1967 single 'Hi-Ho Silver Lining', before forming The Jeff Beck Group, which featured Rod Stewart. His 1975 album Blow By Blow was produced by George Martin and set a new standard of jazz-rock fusion music. Beck had previously formed Beck, Bogart and Appice with Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice, and later recorded with The Honeydrippers, (alongside Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Nile Rodgers), who had the 1984 US No.3 single Sea Of Love.

1945 - Colin Blunstone

English singer, songwriter Colin Blunstone who with The Zombies had four US hits, 'She's Not There', 'Tell Her No', 'She's Coming Home', and 'Time of the Season'. His solo hits include 'Say You Don't Mind', 'I Don't Believe in Miracles' and 'What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted'.

1947 - Mick Fleetwood

Mick Fleetwood, drummer and co-founder of the rock band Fleetwood Mac who had the 1968 UK No.1 hit 'Albatross' and the hits 'Man of the World' and 'Oh Well. In 1977 they scored the US No.1 single 'Dreams' taken from their worldwide No.1 album Rumours which spent 31 weeks on the US chart.

1949 - John Illsley

John Illsley, English musician, best known as bass guitarist of the rock band Dire Straits who had the 1985 US No.1 single 'Money For Nothing' the 1986 UK No.2 single 'Walk Of Life' and the 1985 world wide No.1 album Brothers In Arms. Illsley owns a local pub, the 'East End Arms', between Lymington and Beaulieu, which has been listed by critics as one of the "Fifty Best Pubs Around Britain".

1957 - Jeff Cease

American musician Jeff Cease, guitarist with The Black Crowes who had the 1991 hit single 'Hard To Handle' and the 1992 US No.1 & UK No.2 album The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion. The band have sold more than 30 million albums.

1957 - Terence Wilson

Terence Wilson, (Astro), vocals, with UB40, who had the 1983 UK No.1 & 1988 US No.1 single 'Red Red Wine' and over 30 other top 40 hits.

1959 - Andy McCluskey

Andy McCluskey, from English electronic music band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. OMD released their debut single, 'Electricity', in 1979, and gained popularity throughout Europe with the 1980 anti-war song 'Enola Gay'. They have scored over 15 other UK Top 40 singles. In 1998, McCluskey founded the UK pop group Atomic Kitten. Their song 'Whole Again', co-written by McCluskey, was his first UK No.1.

1961 - Curt Smith

English musician Curt Smith, from Tears For Fears, who scored the 1985 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World', plus over 12 other UK top 40 singles. Their second album, Songs from the Big Chair, released in 1985, reached No.1 on the US Billboard 200.

1967 - Richard Zven Kruspe

Richard Zven Kruspe, lead guitarist for the German rock band Rammstein who formed in Berlin in 1994. Five of their albums reached No.1 on the German album charts.

1970 - Glenn Medeiros

American singer and songwriter Glenn Medeiros, who scored the 1988 UK No.1 single 'Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You', and the 1990 US No.1 single 'She Ain't Worth It'.

1973 - Mario Calire

Mario Calire, from American rock band The Wallflowers who had the 1997 US No.3 album Bringing Down The Horse.

1986 - Solange Knowles

American singer, songwriter, Solange Knowles (and younger sister of singer Beyonce). She had the 2016 US No.1 album A Seat at the Table.