Today in Rock History – 5th JANUARY:

BIRTHDAYS
1920: Sam Phillips (Founder of Sun Records)
1949: George “Funky” Brown (Kool & The Gang)
1950: Chris Stein (Blondie)
1961: Iris DeMent
1967: Kate Schellenbach (Luscious Jackson)
1970: Brian Warner a.k.a. Marilyn Manson

EVENTS
1978: The Sex Pistols played their first gig on American soil, at the Great Southeast Music Hall in Atlanta, Georgia.
1979: Death of bassist / composer, Charles Mingus [aged 56].
1998: Death of singer / songwriter / congressman, Sonny Bono [aged 62].
2005: Death of The Doors’ manager, Danny Sugarman [aged 50].
2018: Death of guitarist, Mikio ‘Ko-Gami’ Fujioka, of Babymetal [aged 36].
2024: Death of bassist / sound engineer / singer / songwriter, Del Palmer [aged 71]. Del played bass and / or engineered almost every album by Kate Bush. He was also Kate’s partner from the late 70s, until the early 90s.

Believe it or not, it was 46 years ago that The Sex Pistols brought their brand of punk rock fury to the Americans. It was Anarchy in the U.S… until Johnny Rotten quit the band two weeks later!