This Date in Rock Music History: April 23

1963:  The Rolling Stones played at the Crawdaddy Club at the Station Hotel in Richmond, Surrey, England.

1964:  Peter and Gordon topped the U.K. Singles chart with “A World Without Love”.




1965:  The Four Tops released the single 'I Can't Help Myself".

1965:  The Rolling Stones opened their North American tour at the Aréna Maurice-Richard in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

1966:  Going Places by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass remained at #1 for the second of five weeks at the top of the Album chart . 

                                      Rivers at Whisky a Go-Go (with studio polishing...)

1966:  The Righteous Brothers enjoyed a third week at #1 with "(You're My) Soul And Inspiration.  "Daydream" by the Lovin' Spoonful was #2 with Cher's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" coming in at #3.  The rest of the Top 10:  Johnny Rivers moved to #4 with "Secret Agent Man", the Outsiders' great song "Time Won't Let Me" jumped from 11-5, the Stones fell to #6 with "19th Nervous Breakdown", SSgt. Barry Sadler had #7 with "The Ballad Of The Green Berets", B.J. Thomas remained at #8 with "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", the Young Rascals climbed from 16-9 with "Good Lovin'" and Paul Revere & the Raiders jumped from 18-10 with their classic "Kicks".

1969:  The Beatles were #1 on the U.K. chart with “Get Back”.

1970:  Fairport Convention, Fotheringay and Matthews Southern Comfort were at the Roundhouse in London.

1971:  The Rolling Stones released the album Sticky Fingers.

1975:  Pink Floyd played the first of five sold out performances at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

1976:  The Rolling Stones released the album Black and Blue on their own Rolling Stones Records.

1976:  The Ramones released their debut album on Sire Records.

1976:  Bob Marley and the Wailers began their 42-date tour at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.









1977:  We were introduced to the younger brother of the Bee Gees, Andy Gibb, on this date as his first career single, "I Just Want To Be Your Everything", debuted on the chart.

1977:  Joan Jett and Blondie performed at the Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles.

1977:  After 19 weeks on the charts, Thelma Houston culminated her ascension at #1 with "Don't Leave Me This Way".  At the time, it was a record number of weeks to #1, but it has since fallen out of the top 10 in that category.  Houston was followed by Glen Campbell's "Southern Nights".  The Eagles were climbing fast with "Hotel California" while David Soul's displaced #1 "Don't Give Up On Us" fell to #4.  The remainder of the Top 10:  10cc were at #5 with "The Things We Do For Love", Natalie Cole edged up one with "I've Got Love On My Mind", Barbra Streisand's former #1 "Evergreen" moved back up to #7, the Atlanta Rhythm Section held #8 with "So In To You", Leo Sayer had a big hit with "When I Need You" at #9 and Jennifer Warnes scored her first top ten with "Right Time Of The Night".

1977:  Leo Sayer topped the Adult Contemporary chart with "When I Need You".

1977:  Hotel California by the Eagles topped Fleetwood Mac's Rumours on the Album chart as those two would occupy either #1 or #2 or both spots on the chart for 18 consecutive weeks.  The Soundtrack to 'A Star Is Born'" would have to settle for #3 with Stevie Wonder's classic Songs in the Key of Life at #4.  The rest of the Top 10:  Left Overture from Kansas, This One's For You by Barry Manilow at #6, Boston's great debut at #7, Unpredictable from Natalie Cole at #8, Steve Miller's Fly Like An Eagle and George Benson's In Flight at #10.

1978:  The Police performed at the Roundhouse in London.











 
1979:  Kenny Rogers released the single "She Believes in Me". Don't be fooled by the plethora of other "fake" songs.

1983:  Stephen Bishop was #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "It Might Be You".

1983:  U2 began the U.S. leg of their War tour at the Carolina Concert For Children benefit at Keenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

1983:  Thriller spent another week at #1 on the Album chart with Journey's Frontiers at #2 and H2O from Hall & Oates remaining at 3.  The rest of the Top 10:  Business As Usual from Men At Work, Kilroy Was Here at #5 for Styx, Rio remaining at #6 for Duran Duran, Lionel Richie's debut at #7, Pyromania from Def Leppard at #8, The Final Cut from Pink Floyd moving up to 9 and Toto's classic album IV at #10.

                     Dexy's Midnight Runners surprised the world with a #1 song...

1983:  Dexy's Midnight Runners had the new #1 song with "Come On Eileen".  Michael Jackson was moving up with "Beat It", Styx remained at #3 with "Mr. Roboto" and the Greg Kihn Band's "Jeopardy" was at #4.  The rest of the Top 10:  "Der Kommissar" from After the Fire moved up to #6, Hall & Oates had #7 with "One On One", Journey remained at #8 with "Separate Ways", David Bowie moved into the Top 10 with "Let's Dance" and Thomas Dolby was at #10 with "She Blinded Me With Science".

1988:  Iron Maiden topped the U.K. Album chart with Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.

1988:  The Dirty Dancing Soundtrack was at #1 on the U.S. Album chart with Bad from Michael Jackson #2, More Dirty Dancing from the movie at #3, George Michael's Faith at #4 and Kick from INXS #5.

1988:  Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine moved into the #1 slot on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Anything For You".

1988:  Whitney Houston broke a record held by the Bee Gees when she recorded her seventh straight #1 song with “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”.  "Devil Inside" from INXS was #2, followed by the former #1 "Get Outta' My Dreams, Get Into My Car" by Billy Ocean, "Wishing Well" by Terence Trent D'Arby and "Girlfriend" by Pebbles at #5.

1993:  Guns N’ Roses played the first of two nights at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico.

2001:  Coldplay performed at the Music Hall, Aberdeen in Scotland.
2003:  The parents of Jim Morrison sued Doors members Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger, claiming they "maliciously misappropriated" the group's name and logo of the original Doors lineup on their U.S. tour that year.  (Note:  some websites report the lawsuit was filed on April 24 or April 25.  According to 'Rolling Stone' magazine, the lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, April 23, 2003.)
2011:  Tom King, guitarist with the Outsiders ("Time Won't Let Me") died of congestive heart failure in Wickcliffe, Ohio at the age of 68.

Born This Day:

1936:  Roy Orbison was born in Vernon, Texas; died of a heart attack in Madison, Tennessee December 6, 1988.  (Note:  some websites claim Orbison died in London.  He died in Madison, according to his official website and other reputable sources.)

1939:  Ray Peterson ("Tell Laura I Love Her") was born in Denton, Texas; died of cancer January 5, 2005 in Smyrna, Tennessee.
1947:  Glenn Cornick, original bassist with Jethro Tull, was born in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England (now part of Cumbria); died of congestive heart failure in Hilo, Hawai'i on August 28, 2014.  (Note:  some websites claim Cornick was born on April 24.  According to Cornick's official website, he was born April 23.)

1949: John Miles ("Music"), songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and pianist who worked with Jimmy Page, Tina Turner, Alan Parsons and Joe Cocker, was born in Jarrow, County Durham, England.  (Note:  the 'BBC' and others report Miles was born in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, England.  Jarrow did not become part of Tyne and Wear until 1974, long after Miles was born, and you will never find Tyne and Wear on Miles' official birth certificate.  Miles was born in Jarrow, County Durham.)

1960:  Steve Clark, co-lead guitarist of Def Leppard, was born in Hillsborough, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England; died January 8, 1991 due to heavy alcohol consumption and prescription drugs.  (Note:  some websites show Clark's birth as Hillsborough, Sheffield, or Hillsborough, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.  Hillsborough is a suburb of Sheffield, so Clark was officially born in Hillsborough, South Yorkshire, England.)

1964:  Simon Matthews, drummer with Jesus Jones ("Right Here, Right Now"), was born in Devizes, Wiltshire, England.

1968:  Stan Frazier, drummer of Sugar Ray ("Every Morning"), was born in Newport Beach, California.  (Note:  some websites show Frazier was born in Orange County.  Although no credible sources exist for his correct birthplace, our best research shows he was born in Newport Beach.)