History Highlight:

Today in 1988, Nico died after suffering a minor heart attack while riding a bicycle on holiday with her son in Ibiza, Spain. The German born singer-songwriter and keyboard player with the Velvet Underground also worked as a fashion model and actress. She was one of Andy Warhol's "Superstars", which meant she appeared in Warhol's artworks and accompanied him in his social life.

Also, Today In:

1964 - The Rolling Stones reached number one in the U.K. for the first time with their cover of "It's All Over Now" which spent one week on top.

1968 - Working at Abbey Road studios, The Beatles recorded "Helter Skelter." Paul McCartney had read a magazine interview with Pete Townshend where the Who guitarist described their latest single, "I Can See For Miles," as the loudest, dirtiest, most aggressive song possible; when McCartney heard it, he thought Townshend had exaggerated considerably, and decided he'd take on the challenge of writing such a song. "Helter Skelter" was the result. The Beatles did so many takes in the studio - at one point recording a 20-plus-minute version during the session - that Ringo exclaimed, "I've got blisters on me fingers!", which can still be heard in the version that was ultimately put on The White Album.

1969 - The Beatles completed their recording of "Octopus's Garden" when Ringo Starr recorded his vocal take.

1972 - Members from Sly and the Family Stone were arrested after police found two pounds of marijuana in the group's motor home.

1974 - The US Justice Department ordered John Lennon out of the country by September 10th. The Immigration and Naturalization Service denied him an extension of his non-immigrant visa because of his guilty plea in England to a 1968 marijuana possession charge.

1978 - Def Leppard made their live debut at Westfield School in Sheffield, England in front of 150 students.

1981 - The Texxas Jam was held at the Astrodome in Houston. The lineup included REO Speedwagon, Heart, Foghat and Blue Oyster Cult.

Birthdays:

Cesar Zuiderwijk, drummer for Golden Earring, is 68.

Keith Levene, early member of The Clash and founding member of Public Image Ltd., is 59.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts and Wikipedia.