The Beatles steal the spotlight with revelations about George Harrison's rejected song and James Taylor's bad influence on the band, while Eagles, Green Day, Bob Dylan, and classic rock icons deliver must-read stories about yesterday's greatest hits and today's legendary performances.
Have a Rockin Day,
Hippy Pete
TODAY IN CLASSIC ROCK
1956: Buddy Holly made his recording debut at Nashville's Bradley Film and Recording Studios, recording early versions of "Blue Days, Black Nights" and "That'll Be the Day" with backing from session musicians including legendary guitarist Grady Martin.
1963: The Four Seasons released "Walk Like A Man" on Vee-Jay Records. The song would become their third consecutive #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching the top spot five weeks later and staying there for three weeks.
1967: The Beatles and manager Brian Epstein signed a landmark nine-year recording contract with EMI Records, binding the band to the label until 1976. The deal significantly increased the band's royalties and artistic control, preventing Capitol Records from altering album artwork or track listings for American releases.
1968: Pink Floyd played their first concert without founding member and creative visionary Syd Barrett at Southampton University, supported by Tyrannosaurus Rex (later T. Rex). On the drive to the gig, the band made the fateful decision not to pick up Barrett—a moment that marked the end of his tenure with the group he had created. The 22-year-old Barrett had become an early casualty of excessive LSD use, his erratic behavior making it impossible for the band to continue with him.
1970: John Lennon wrote and recorded "Instant Karma!" in a single day—one of the fastest-released songs in pop music history. Waking up with the concept after conversations about karma in Denmark, Lennon phoned George Harrison and producer Phil Spector, telling Spector he'd "just written a monster." The song was completed at Abbey Road Studios and released just ten days later, becoming Lennon's first solo Top 5 hit and competing with The Beatles' "Let It Be" on the charts.
1974: Ringo Starr hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "You're Sixteen," a cover of Johnny Burnette's 1960 hit. The track featured Paul McCartney on what sounds like kazoo (actually Paul's spontaneous vocal improvisation) and Harry Nilsson on backing vocals. It became Ringo's second and final #1 solo hit, following "Photograph" from late 1973.​​​​​
