On This Day – August 25 – Guns N’ Roses, R.E.M., Aerosmith, Snoop Dogg & more

1957, Canadian singer, songwriter Paul Anka was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Diana’ (written about his brother’s baby-sitter). His only UK No.1 as an artist, Anka was the first teenage solo act to reach No.1.

1962, Little Eva went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘The Loco-motion’. The Carole King and Gerry Goffin song was offered to Dee Dee Sharp (Mashed Potatoes), who turned it down. The writers had their babysitter record it who took it to No.1.

1967, Brian Wilson returned to performing live with The Beach Boys in Honolulu after a 2 year hiatus. The group had just released ‘Heroes and Villains’ in the US.

1970, Elton John made his US live debut when he kicked off a 17-date tour at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. In the audience that night were Don Henley, Quincy Jones and Leon Russell. Elton’s latest single ‘Border Song’ had just debuted at number 92 on the US chart.

1979, The Knack started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘My Sharona’, the group’s only US chart topper, a No.6 hit in the UK. Lead singer Doug Fieger said he was inspired to write the tune by Sharrona Alperin, a 17 year old senior at Los Angeles’ Fairfax High.

1981, R.E.M. appeared at The Scorpio, Charlotte, North Carolina. This show was billed as “Charlotte’s First Gay New Wave Disco and Costume Party”, with the $3 tickets benefitting various gay-lesbian charities

1993, Snoop Doggy Dogg was released on $1 million bail after being accused of being involved with the murder of a member of the By Yerself gang during a shooting in Los Angeles. He was acquitted of the charges in 1996.

1994, Jimmy Buffett crashed his Grumman G-44 Widgeon seaplane on take-off in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Buffett swam away from the wreckage.

2000, Academy Award-winning film score composer and record producer Jack Nitzsche died of a heart attack. Produced The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield and The Walker Brothers.

2005, Two former members of Guns N’ Roses were suing singer Axl Rose for allegedly naming himself sole administrator of the US rock band’s copyrights. Slash and Duff – otherwise known as Saul Hudson and Michael McKagan, accused Rose of “arrogance and ego”. The legal action claimed the singer “was no longer willing to acknowledge the contributions of his former partners”.

2006, Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton was undergoing treatment for throat cancer causing him to sit out the first half of the band’s Route of All Evil Tour, the first time he would miss any shows in the band’s history.

Born on this day
1949, Gene Simmons bass, vocals, Kiss
1955, Elvis Costello, singer, songwriter
1961, Billy Ray Cyrus, US singer
1962, Vivian Campbell, guitarist, Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard.

 

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