History Highlight:

Today in 1956, Ian Curtis, singer-songwriter and frontman of the band Joy Division, was born in Stretford, Greater Manchester. Interested in poetry, art and music from a very early age, Curtis met Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook in 1976 at a Sex Pistols gig. Sumner and Hook were trying to form a band, and Curtis immediately proposed himself as vocalist and lyricist. After recruiting drummer Stephen Morris, they formed Joy Division and released their debut album, Unknown Pleasures, in 1979, and recorded their follow-up, Closer, in 1980. Among the band's better-known tracks are "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and "Transmission," the latter of which is used as the theme music by our own Jake Rudh on his program of the same name. Joy Division disbanded in 1980 after Curtis, who suffered from epilepsy and depression, took his own life. The remaining members formed the band New Order. Today, Joy Division are considered pioneers of the post-punk movement and are seen as one of the most influential bands of the late 1970s.

Also, Today In:

1958 - John Lennon's mother Julia was killed by a car driven by a drunk driver. John was 17 at the time.

1965 - This week's U.S. top three singles were No. 3 The Byrds, "Mr Tambourine Man," No. 2 The Four Tops, "I Can't Help Myself" and at No. 1. The Rolling Stones with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." A random chart fact for you.

1972 - Elton John started a five-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Honky Chateau, his first U.S. chart topper.

1973 - Induced by exhaustion and a falling-out with his wife, Ray Davies announced that he was departing The Kinks. After a week of rest, he changed his mind.

1978 - The Rolling Stones started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with "Some Girls," the group's seventh U.S. No. 1 album.

1989 - Simply Red scored their second U.S. No. 1 single with "If You Don't Know Me By Now," a 1973 U.K. hit for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.

1998 - Aerosmith were forced to cancel a forthcoming U.S. tour after drummer Joey Kramer was involved in a freak accident in which he was filling his car with gasoline and it caught fire. Kramer hospitalized with second-degree burns.

2007 - The U.K. music industry reacted angrily at a decision to give away Planet Earth, the new album by Prince, in a Sunday newspaper rather than being sold in retail outlets.

Birthdays:

Johnny Thunders, New York Dolls singer, was born today in 1952.

Linda Ronstadt is 69.

Guitarist Joe Satriani is 59.