Today in Rock History – 3rd FEBRUARY:

BIRTHDAYS
1935: Johnny “Guitar” Watson
1946: Stan Webb (Chicken Shack)
1947: Dave Davies (The Kinks)
1949: Arthur “Killer” Kane (The New York Dolls)
1956: Lee Renaldo (Sonic Youth)
1965: Nick Hawkins (Big Audio Dynamite)
1970: Richie Kotzen (Mr. Big)

EVENTS
1959: Death of singer / songwriter / guitarist, Buddy Holly [aged 22].
1959: Death of singer / songwriter / guitarist, Ritchie Valens [aged 17].
1959: Death of singer / songwriter, Jiles Perry a.k.a. The Big Bopper [aged 28].
1967: Death of producer, Joe Meek [aged 37].
1989: Iggy Pop performed at a concert at Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland ~ I was there!
1997: David Bowie released his ‘Earthling’ album.
2009: Jeff Beck played a concert at ASB Theatre, Auckland ~ I was there!
2016: Death of drummer, Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire [aged 74].
2017: Death of guitarist / singer, Robert “Strings” Dahlqvist of The Hellacopters [aged 40].
2018: Death of drummer, Leon “Ndugu” Chancler [aged 65]. He worked with Miles Davis, George Benson, Stanley Clarke, The Crusaders, George Duke, Herbie Hancock, John Lee Hooker, Thelonious Monk, Jean-Luc Ponty, Santana, Frank Sinatra, The Temptations, Tina Turner, Weather Report and more. Most famously, Ndugu played on Michael Jackson’s hit, “Billie Jean”.
2019: Death of New Zealand guitarist, Peter Posa [aged 77].
2021: Death of folk singer / songwriter / activist, Anne Feeney [aged 69].
2023: Death of drummer, Alex Napier [aged 75]. Alex played most of the drum tracks on the debut Uriah Heep album, ‘Very ‘eavy, Very ‘umble‘ and was a member of Spice before that (along with David Byron, Mick Box & Paul Newton).

Mr. Jeff Beck! I was devastated to hear of Jeff’s passing on 10th January, 2023. Been 14 years since I caught him live in concert, with Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, bassist Tal Wilkenfeld & David Sancious on keyboards. Jeff was called the Greatest Guitarist on Earth and it is easy to hear why. Check out Beck on this gem from the George Martin produced ‘Blow by Blow‘ album. Listen to his Strat cry on a song written by Stevie Wonder, which Jeff dedicated to blues guitar player, the late Roy Buchanan… “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers”.