Today in Rock History – 16th JANUARY:



BIRTHDAYS
1944: Jim Stafford
1945: Ronnie Milsap
1959: Helen Folasade Adu a.k.a. Sade
1962: Paul Webb (Talk Talk)
1971: Jon “Juano” Davison (Sky Cries Mary / Glass Hammer / Yes)
1974: Kate Moss
1981: Nick Valensi (The Strokes)

EVENTS
1957: The Cavern Club opened in Liverpool.
1971: ZZ Top released their debut LP, entitled ‘First Album’.
1972: Blue Oyster Cult released their self-titled debut album.
1985: Death of David Bowie’s half-brother, Terry Burns [aged 47].
1988: Tina Turner performed for 182,000 people in Rio, the largest audience ever for a single artist.
1997: I interviewed Steve Vai.
2005: The Killers started a 2-week run at No.1 on the UK charts with their debut album, ‘Hot Fuss’.
2013: Death of bassist, Nic Potter of Van der Graaf Generator [aged 61].
2016: Death of bassist, Steve Wright of the Greg Kihn Band [aged 67].
2018: Death of drummer, Dave Holland of Trapeze & Judas Priest [aged 69].
2021: Death of producer, Phil Spector [aged 81].
2025: Death of bassist, Jeffrey “Toby” Myers of John Mellencamp Band [aged 75].

Bowie’s song, “The Bewlay Brothers” (along with “Jump They Say” from ‘Black Tie, White Noise’) reputedly is about David’s relationship with his half-brother, Terry, who sadly committed suicide on this day in 1985. Nine years David’s senior, Terry heavily influenced his brother’s tastes, introducing him to beat literature and jazz music. Now David & Terry are together again… This eerily beautiful song is from one of my favourite albums of all time ~ ‘Hunky Dory’.