Today in Rock History – 5th JUNE:

BIRTHDAYS
1946: Freddie Stone (Sly & The Family Stone)
1947: Tom Evans (Badfinger)
1947: Laurie Anderson
1952: Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden)
1956: Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs)
1979: Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy)

EVENTS
1956: Elvis Presley shocked the world with his “Hound Dog” performance on Milton Berle TV Show.
1964: The Rolling Stones played their first live date in the US, at the Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino.
1968: The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared on the Dusty Springfield TV show, in London.
1971: Grand Funk Railroad smashed the record held by The Beatles when they sold out New York’s Shea Stadium in 72 hours. (Homer Simpson may have been in attendance).
1975: During recording sessions for ‘Wish You Were Here’ at Abbey Road Studios, London, Syd Barrett appeared as Pink Floyd were listening to playbacks of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” ~ a song that is about Barrett! By that time, the 29-year-old Barrett had shaved off all of his hair (including eyebrows), become overweight, and his ex-bandmates did not recognise him at first. Barrett left without saying goodbye, and none of the band members ever saw him again.
1990: Death of drummer, Jim Hodder of Steely Dan [aged 42].
1990: Death of keyboard player, Richard Sohl of Patti Smith Group [aged 42].
2002: Death of bassist, Douglas Colvin a.k.a. Dee Dee Ramone [aged 50].
2004: Death of Robert Quine, guitarist for Lou Reed / Richard Hell & The Voidoids [aged 61].
2020: Death of producer / musician / songwriter, Rupert Hine [aged 72].
2022: Death of bassist and founding member of Bon Jovi, Alec John Such [aged 70].
2023: Death of bossa nova singer / songwriter, Astrud Gilberto [aged 83]. Astrud was best known for her vocals on “The Girl From Ipanema”.

Dee Dee Ramone left this Earth, 22 years ago. The Ramones were creating punk rock in the USA back in 1974, at least a year before the Sex Pistols did likewise in the UK. None of the quartet were related, but they adopted the same Ramone surname, as a band brotherhood. They managed to stay together until 1996, having played 2,263 concerts (2,262 of which I didn’t get to attend). By 2014, all four of the band’s original members ~ lead singer Joey Ramone (1951–2001), bass guitarist Dee Dee Ramone (1951–2002), lead guitarist Johnny Ramone (1948–2004) and drummer Tommy Ramone (1949–2014), had died. Here’s The Ramones, back in the day… “Gabba Gabba Hey!”