A group calling themselves The Young World Singers released a single called Ringo For President today in 1964. The Beatles drummer might not have been a bad choice considering his two-word platform of "Peace and Love!", but as his birth certificate reads Liverpool, England, he is not legally eligible to be POTUS.
Photographer Ian McMillan was perched up on a ladder today in 1969, in the middle of London's Abbey Road shooting evenly spaced Beatles walking the crosswalk that's still there today. The resulting album cover is one of the most famous in rock history, and is recreated by tourists almost every day despite the fact that a London cab driver once told us that they actually speed up when they see someone taking pictures there. "I like to give 'em a bloody good scare,wot?"
David Crosby was released after serving three years in prison today in 1986. His conviction on drug and weapons charges was overturned by a Texas appeals court the next year.
Metallica's James Hetfield was injured by staged pyrotechnics at a show in Montreal today in 1992, and the band cut short their opening set for Guns N Roses...who also cut their set short after singer Axl Rose complained that his throat hurt. Fans felt cheated and smashed windows, looted stores, set fires, and overturned cars almost as if it were a hockey game.
KISS were playing at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium tonight in 1996 when a fan threw his prosthetic leg onstage. The band grabbed a Sharpie, signed the leg, and returned it.
Rock and Roll Birthdays
Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show drummer John "Jay" David is 78.
U2 guitarist David Evans is 59, better known by his stage name "The Edge".