April 8th

Musical birthdays today include Lennon sister Peggy Lennon (77), Family lead singer Roger Chapman (76), Yes guitarist Steve Howe (71), Grand Funk Railroad bassist Mel Schacher (67), New Model Army frontman Justin Sullivan (62), Guns N' Roses co-founder & former guitarist Izzy Stradlin (56), Julian Lennon (55), ex-L7 guitarist Donita Sparks (55), rapper Marcel Hall AKA Biz Markie (54), Tracy Grammer (50), Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig (34), Bridget Kelly (32), and The Cab lead singer Alexander DeLeon (29). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for song lyricist Edgar 'Yip' Harburg [best remembered for 'Somewhere over the Rainbow'], born on this day in 1896... for jazz singer Carmen McRae, born in 1920... for jazz trumpeter Ollie Mitchell, born in 1927... for Jacques Brel, who would have been 78 today... for original Slipknot bassist Paul Gray, who would have been 46... for composer Gaetano Donizetti, who died on this date in 1848... for Marian Anderson, who passed away in 1993... for Laura Nyro, who died in 1997... and for Annette Funicello, who left us today in 2013.

Also on April 8th: Franz Liszt gives a recital for Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle (1886)... Bartók's 5th String Quartet is premiered by the Kollisch Quartet at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. (1935)... The Supremes record 'Where Did Our Love Grow' at Motown Studios in Detroit. When released, it will become their first US № 1 single (1964)... In Vienna, Sandie Shaw wins the Eurovision Song Contest representing the UK with 'Puppet on a String'... John Lennon takes his Rolls Royce to coachbuilders J.P. Fallon Ltd in Surrey to enquire if they can paint his car in psychedelic colours. The idea was suggested to him by Marijke Koger AKA 'The Fool', who is a member of Dutch team of gypsy artists. J.P. Fallon himself commissions Steve Weaver's pattern of scroll and flowers for the Phantom V. The bill for the work done comes in at £2,000. A custom interior/exterior sound system is also installed as well as a Sony television, a telephone (WEYBRIDGE 46676) and a portable refrigerator (1967)... Paul McCartney and Wings release the single 'Give Ireland Back To The Irish', which was written after the Bloody Sunday tragedy in Northern Ireland. The song is immediately banned by the BBC, but will still rise as high as № 16 on the British chart (1972)... David Bowie plays the first of three sold out nights in Tokyo on the Ziggy Stardust world tour (1973)... With their American debut at CBGB, The Damned become the first British punk group to play in the US... CBS Records UK releases the self-titled debut of The Clash (1977)... New Order bassist Peter Hook is knocked unconscious by rioting fans at a gig in Rotterdam (1982)... An electrician named Gary Smith working at Kurt Cobain's house in Seattle discovers the singer's body lying on the floor in the greenhouse. Local radio  station KXRX breaks the news at 9.40 AM PST that the Nirvana frontman is dead. A shotgun was found next to Cobain's body, along with a suicide note reading 'I haven't felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music, along with really writing . . . for too many years now'. The autopsy will reveal a high concentration of heroin and traces of Valium in Cobain's system (1994)... Stones guitarist Ron Wood is one of 11 passengers rescued in the nick of time from a boat when an engine catches fire. The boat was exploring the islands near Angra Dos Reis, south of Rio De Janeiro,  when one of the boat's engines burst into flames. Passengers are rescued by nearby journalists, just before craft explodes (1998)... After a false start in 2003, the Rolling Stones finally perform for the first time in the People's Republic of China, at Shanghai's Grand Stage Theatre. The Stones were told ahead of time that they could not play 'Brown Sugar', 'Honky Tonk Women' or 'Rough Justice'. Chinese rock star Cui Jian joins the band on stage for a duet with Mick Jagger on 'Wild Horses' (2006)... It is reported in the British press that organizers for the 2012 London Olympic Games recently asked The Who's manager Bill Curbishley if legendary drummer Keith Moon would be able to perform at the forthcoming opening ceremony. Curbishley told The Times how he responded to the request: "I emailed back saying Keith now resides in Golders Green crematorium, having lived up to The Who's anthemic line 'I hope I die before I get old. I told them that if they have a round table, some glasses and candles, we might contact him" (2012).