October 1, 1982 – Sony introduces the first digital compact-disc player in Tokyo, which sells for about $730.
October 1, 2011 – Gene Simmons of KISS, finally marries Shannon Tweed, his partner of 28 years at the Beverly Hills Hotel in front of 400 guests. Tweed, who met Simmons at the Playboy mansion and was Hugh Hefner’s partner for 14 months, was the Playboy “Playmate of the Year” in 1982. She wore over $3 million dollars of diamonds for the wedding which included guests Bill Maher, the late Hugh Hefner, Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman and Survivor and Apprentice creator Mark Burnett. KISS played at the reception.
October 1, 1998 – John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
October 1, 1969 – The Beatles release their eleventh studio album, Abbey Road, in the U.S. It becomes perhaps their most revered record. It sells 12 million copies in the U.S., and interestingly, does not name the band nor the album title on its infamous cover.
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October 1, 1995 – The 10th anniversary Farm Aid concert takes place in Louisville, Kentucky, with Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Steve Earle, Neil Young, Hootie & the Blowfish and The Dave Matthews Band raising over $1 million to support American farmers.
October 1, 1962 – Johnny Carson takes over from Jack Paar as host of the late-night talk show The Tonight Show. Paul Anka had previously composed the song that became the Tonight Show theme, but he offered to let Carson write and publish new lyrics and a drum line in order to claim a songwriter’s credit, along with half of the royalties every time the song was played. It’s estimated that “Johnny’s Theme” was played live on Carson’s Tonight Show more than 1,400,000 times over the course of 30 years and earned each man an average of about $200,000 per year.
October 1, 1970 – Jimi Hendrix is buried at The Greenwood Cemetery in Renton, Washington. Hendrix’s mourners include Miles Davis, Eric Burdon, John Hammond, Johnny Winter and members of Derek and the Dominoes.
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Classic Rock Birthdays
October 1, 1948 – Cub Koda (born Michael Koda), guitar, (Brownsville Station) (d. 2000)
October 1, 1947 – Martin Turner, vocals, bass (Wishbone Ash)
October 1, 1932 – Albert Collins (born Albert Gene Drewery), blues guitar (d. 1993)
Rock Remembrances
October 1, 2004 – Bruce Palmer dies of a heart attack in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. He was 58. Palmer was a member of The Mynah Birds with Rick James and Neil Young, and then co-founded Buffalo Springfield with Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Dewey Martin. He left the band numerous times and eventually got fired when he was deported back to Canada due to some drug busts. Palmer was inducted with his bandmates into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
October 1, 1975 – Al Jackson, drummer for Booker T. And The MGs, is shot and killed at home during a botched robbery attempt. He was 39. The burglar was later caught and killed in a gun battle with police. He was the boyfriend of Jackson’s wife’s best friend. Previously, Jackson’s wife, Barbara, had shot Jackson in the chest during a domestic dispute. In the 70’s, Jackson co-wrote and played on several hits by Al Green, including “Let’s Stay Together” and became one of the most important and influential drummers in the history of recorded music at Stax.
