History Highlight:

Geddy Lee, Rush vocalist and bassist, is 61 today. Born Gary Lee Weinrib, he adopted the name "Geddy" after the way his mother pronounced "Gary" in her heavily-accented Polish accent. Lee is easily one of the best-known and most highly praised bassists in rock history, and is also known for his highly distinctive tenor voice (which, in Rush's early years, could achieve such banshee-like screeches that Lee was voted ranked 13th by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal vocalists of all time).

Also, Today In:

1965 - The Beatles second feature film Help! had its UK premiere at The Pavilion in London.

1966 - Bob Dylan was riding his Triumph 55 motorcycle to a garage near his home in Woodstock, New York for repairs when the rear wheel locked. Dylan lost control and was thrown over the handlebars, suffering a broken neck vertebra. His recuperation led to a 9-month period of reclusive inactivity. Either that, or he was killed and THE BOB DYLAN WHO EMERGED FROM THE ACCIDENT IS ACTUALLY AN IMPOSTER.

1966 - Datebook magazine published Maureen Cleave's interview with John Lennon in which he said "We're bigger than Jesus now." American Christians reacted with outrage, organizing "Beatle bonfires" burning the group's records.

1974 - Mamas And The Papas singer Cass Elliot died in her sleep from a heart attack after playing a sold out show in London, England.

1987 - Michigan governor James Blanchard declared today "Four Tops Day" in honor of the Motown legends.