December 30, 1999 – George Harrison and his wife Olivia are attacked when an intruder breaks into their home in England. Olivia beats off the attacker with a lamp, but Harrison is stabbed repeatedly in the chest and admitted to the hospital with a collapsed lung and various minor stab wounds. Police later arrest a fan from Liverpool who nursed an irrational obsession with the Beatles.
December 30, 2009 – Neil Young is made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Hockey great Mario Lemieux, Burton Cummings of the Guess Who and the filmmaker Ivan Reitman are also named officers of the order.
Classic Rock Birthdays
December 30, 1939 – Felix Pappalardi, vocals, bass (Mountain), producer (Cream, Youngbloods) (d. 1983)
December 30, 1947 – Jeff Lynne, guitar, vocals (Electric Light Orchestra, The Traveling Wilburys, The Move)
December 30, 1945 – Davy Jones, vocals, guitar (The Monkees) (d. 2012)
December 30, 1942 – Mike Nesmith (born Robert Michael Nesmith), vocals, guitar (The Monkees) (d. 2021)
December 30, 1946 – Patti Smith, vocals, guitar
December 30, 1940 – Kenny Pentifallo, drums (Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes)
December 30, 1946 – Clive Bunker, drums (Jethro Tull)
December 30, 1928 – Bo Diddley (born Ellas Otha Bates, aka Ellas McDaniel), guitar, vocals, guitar (d. 2008)
December 30, 1934 – Del Shannon (born Charles Weedon Westover), vocals, guitar (d. 1990)
December 30, 1937 – Paul Stookey (born Noel Paul Stookey), vocals, guitar (Peter, Paul and Mary)
Rock Remembrances
December 30, 1998 – Johnny Moore, lead singer for The Drifters, dies of of respiratory failure in London. He was 64. Known for the song “Under The Boardwalk,” in 1988 Moore was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
