1968 – The News Of The World reported that Michael Jackson had undergone scores of painful operations to strip his body of black skin until he appeared white. And that surgeons at a Santa Monica clinic eventually refused him any more treatment. An insider told the paper that Jackson had been anaesthetised on a weekly basis to have his skin peeled and bleached.
1975 – Led Zeppelin released their sixth album Physical Graffiti in the UK. Recording sessions had been disrupted when bassist and keyboard player John Paul Jones had proposed quitting the band, supposedly to become choirmaster at Winchester Cathedral, England, although in reality he just needed time to rest after Zeppelin’s demanding tour schedule. The group decided on a double album so they could feature songs left over from their previous albums Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV and Houses Of The Holy.
1982 – The Police won best British group at the first annual Brit Awards held in London, Adam And The Ants won best album for ‘Kings Of The Wild Frontier’, Cliff Richard won British Male Solo Artist, Randy Crawford won British Female Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act went to The Human League, British Producer was Martin Rushent and Outstanding Contribution went to John Lennon.
1990 – American singer, songwriter, pianist Johnnie Ray died of liver failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He scored over 20 Top 40 singles between 1952 & 1960 including 1956 UK No.1 & US No.2 single, ‘Just Walking In The Rain’. Dexys Midnight Runners’ name checked Ray in the lyrics to their 1982 hit ‘Come On Eileen’.
2004 – Estelle Axton, who helped create the legendary US soul music label Stax, died in hospital in Memphis, aged 85. Stax was home to Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes and Booker T and the MG’s and the Stax studio, ‘Soulsville USA’, was second only to Motown in its production of soul hits during its 1960s heyday.
2010 – Promotions company MCD launched a $2.3 million lawsuit against Prince for pulling out of a concert in Dublin, Ireland in June, 2008, just ten days before it was to take place. The singer blamed the William Morris Agency for booking the event without permission, but the agency said the star cancelled the gig and gave “no reason of substance” for deciding to pull out.
