October 8th

 Musical birthdays today include Impressions vocalist Fred Cash (80), country singer Susan Raye (76), ex-Average White Band guitarist & songwriter Hamish Stuart (71), Kool & the Gang frontman Robert 'Kool' Bell (70), former Lounge Lizards trumpeter Steven Bernstein (59), gospel singer CeCe Winans (56), Chris 'C.J. Ramone' Ward (55), Prodigy keyboardist Leroy Thornhill (52), Evanescence guitarist Terry Balsamo (48), Modest Mouse lead guitarist Jim Fairchild (47), Shiny Toy Guns guitarist & singer Gregori Chad Petree (41), and Bruno Mars (35). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for proto-country and bluegrass guitarist Dick Burnett, born on this date in 1883... for Johnny Ramone, who would have been 72 today... for bluesman Lonnie Pitchford, who would have been 65... and for Procol Harum drummer B.J. Wilson, who left us today in 1990 at the age of 43 after a long illness. 

Also on October 8: Gustav Mahler is named director of the Vienna Opera by Emperor Karl Joseph I (1897)... Ringo Starr passes his driving test, Afterwards, he joins his fellow Beatles at Abbey Road to record their new single 'She's a Woman' in seven takes plus five overdubs (1964)... Cream drummer Ginger Baker collapses backstage at a gig at Sussex University after playing  25-minute solo. He later recovers at a local hospital (1966)... Led Zeppelin II enjoys its 100th week in the UK album charts (1971)... In a meeting with journalists at the Swan Song label offices, Jimmy Page derides rumours that Zeppelin are going to split. He also ridicules reports that he has been dabbling in black magic (1977)... Talking Heads release Remain in Light (1980)... Cats opens on Broadway (1982)... The three members of ZZ Top make advance bookings for seats on the first commercial flight to the Moon. To date, they are still waiting for confirmation... Chuck Berry is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The documentary about his life and career Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll! also premieres (1987)... U2 score their first UK № 1  single with 'Desire' from the Rattle & Hum soundtrack... Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon finally leaves the Top 200 Billboard album chart after a record-setting 741 weeks (1988)... An environmental benefit concert in Jacksonville, OR featuring Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne turns ugly when protesters supporting the local logging industry and the  harvesting of old growth redwoods begin revving chainsaws and throwing firecrackers. No one is seriously injured (1996)... Radiohead's Kid A becomes the group's first album to debut at № 1 in the US (2000)... Britney Spears announces that she has decided not to renew her contract with manager Larry Rudolph, who has been guiding her career since she was 13... After nearly 60 years of recordings, Ray Charles posthumously earns his first platinum record, for the single 'Genius Loves Company' (2004)... Bill Berry reunites with his former R.E.M. bandmates to play an 8-song set at the wedding reception for one of the group's roadies at Kingpins Bowl & Brew in Atlanta, GA (2005)... A Weezer anti-fan launches an online campaign to stop the band from releasing another album. James Burns of Seattle says that he is hoping to raise $10 million as an inducement to the band to cease and desist from making music. Burns claims that he was inspired by friends who are fans of the 'Buddy Holly' rockers but who have been disappointed by the group's recent offerings, which he says have not come close to living up to the standard set by their 1996 hit album Pinkerton (2010).