Today in Rock History – 2nd FEBRUARY:

BIRTHDAYS
1934: Skip Battin (The Byrds)
1940: Alan Caddy (The Tornadoes)
1942: Graham Nash (The Hollies / Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)
1948: Alan McKay (Earth Wind & Fire)
1949: Ross Valory (Journey)
1963: Eva Cassidy
1966: Robert Deleo (Stone Temple Pilots)
1971: Ben Mize (Counting Crows)
1977: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll a.k.a. Shakira

EVENTS
1959: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper performed their last ever gig, at the Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake, Iowa. They were all killed in a plane crash the next day.
1962: The Beatles played their first professional gig outside of Liverpool at The Oasis Club, Manchester.
1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed “Purple Haze” live on UK TV show ‘Top of the Pops’.
1976: Genesis released their first LP without Peter Gabriel. Drummer, Phil Collins took over vocal duties for ‘A Trick of the Tail’.
1979: Death of bassist, Simon Ritchie a.k.a. Sid Vicious.
1999: Death of singer / songwriter, David McComb of The Triffids.
2020: Death of songwriter / producer / singer / musician, Ivan Kral [aged 71]. Over the years, Ivan co-composed albums with Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, John Waite, John Cale and was an original member of Blondie. He also directed films, including ‘The Blank Generation’ which documented the CBGB punk scene in 1976.
2024: Death of guitarist / singer / songwriter / activist, Wayne Kramer of MC5 [aged 75].

Happy Birthday to singer / songwriter, Graham Nash, who turns 82 today! Here is just one of his many great songs…”Marrakesh Express” (followed by Macca’s “Blackbird”) performed by Crosby, Stills & Nash at Woodstock in 1969.