Today In Rock History Oct 30
 

Grace Slick, vocalist for Jefferson Airplane, is born. (1939)

Jim Messina, guitarist and vocalist for Poco, and Eagles' bassist Timothy B. Schmidt are born. (1947)

Phil Spector's Philles label, destined to become one of the most successful and influential labels of the sixties, releases its first record, the Crystals' "Oh, Yeah, Maybe Baby." It's backed by "There's No Other." The latter will reach #20 on the pop chart and will sell over a million copies. (1961)

Roy Orbison's "Oh! Pretty Woman" becomes a gold record. His ninth and last Top Ten single, the song entered the Hot 100 on August 29th. The song stays on the charts for 15 weeks. (1964)

The Supremes' "I Hear a Symphony" enters the Hot 100, where in ten weeks on the chart it will become the Motown girl group's sixth Number One record of their last seven releases. It would be their last Number One hit until "You Can't Hurry Love" in August 1966. (1965)

Brian Jones, in a London Magistrate's Court on drug possession charges from his March arrest, pleads guilty to possessing cannabis and not guilty of possessing cocaine and methedrine. He's remanded to Wormwood Scrub Prison until sentencing the following day. He gets nine months behind bars and is released on bail pending an appeal. (1967)

Gavin Rossdale, lead singer of Bush, is born. (1967)

Jim Morrison is sentenced to six months in jail and fined $500 for exposing himself in Miami. (1970)

John Lennon's "Imagine" hits Number One. It's the ex-Beatle's only solo LP to sell a million copies and his most popular album until "Double Fantasy." "Double Fantasy" becomes Number One shortly after his assassination on December 8, 1980. (1971)

Elton John gives a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II, making him the first rock & roller to be asked to appear in a royal variety performance since the Beatles in November 1963. (1972)

John Lennon releases the "Mind Games" album and the title track as a single. Both become his most popular records in quite some time. The album reaches #9, the single #18. The same day, Ringo Starr's "Ringo" is released." (1973)

Less than six months after her marriage to Sylvester Stewart in Madison Square Garden, Kathy Silva Stewart files for divorce and is awarded custody of their 14-month old son, Sylvester Bubb Ali Stewart. The boy and his father (the leader of Sly and the Family Stone) are missing and believed to be in hiding. (1974)

The made-for-TV movie, "KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park," starring heavy-metal, glitter rockers KISS as the heroes trying to foil a mad scientist working in an amusement park, airs on NBC. (1978)

Singer Paul Weller announces the breakup of the band, The Jam. (1982)

Linda Ronstadt makes her operatic debut in "La Boheme" in New York. (1984)

The Beastie Boys release their "License To Ill" LP. It becomes the first rap album to go to #1. (1986)

David Bowie, Tom Donahue, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Jefferson Airplane, Little Willie John, Pink Floyd, Pete Seeger, The Shirelles and The Velvet Underground are inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. (1995)

R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry announces his retirement from the band. (1997)

Bryan Adams shoots the video to "When You're Gone" with Sporty Spice of the Spice Girls in New York. She sang back-up on the song. (1998)

KISS guest on an episode of Fox's "Millenium." The band appears both with and without make-up. (1998)

David Bowie hosts a songwriting contest on his web site to help complete the lyrics to his song "What's Really Happening." 20 year-old Alex Grant is the winner of the contest, and is later present for the song's recording session. (1998)


Jefferson Airplane:


Jefferson Starship - Miracles (in HQ w/timed and counterpoint lyrics) - YouTube