History Spotlight:
David Vanian, the dark and dramatic singer for the Damned, is 70. Born David Lett on Oct. 12, 1956, in Newcastle, England, he eventually took on Vanian — short for “Transylvanian” — as his last name after working for a time as a gravedigger. The Damned formed in 1976 in London, and are frequently referenced as the first British punk band to put out a single (“New Rose”), and an album (Damned Damned Damned), to hit the U.K. charts, and to stage a U.S. tour. Vanian has been the only constant member of the goth-punk group throughout its 50-year history, which has featured 13 studio albums, and some of the darkest songs ever concocted. On Monday, Nov. 2, the Damned bring their Final Damnation 50 tour to First Avenue.

Also, Today In:

1955 - The Chrysler Corporation launched high-fidelity record players for its 1956 model year automobiles. Known as Highway Hi-Fi, the record player was manufactured by CBS Electronics and measured about four inches high and less than a foot wide, and it mounted under the instrument panel. Seven-inch discs, made exclusively for Highway Hi-Fi by Columbia Special Products, spun at 16 2/3 rpm and required almost three times the number of grooves per inch as an LP. Chrysler discontinued the players in late 1958.

1957 - Little Richard renounced rock and embraced God, telling the crowd at his show in Sydney, Australia: "If you want to live for the Lord, you can't take rock 'n' roll, too. God doesn't like it." After the tour, Richard gave up secular music, got ordained a minister, and recorded gospel music. He didn’t return to rock ‘n’ roll until 1962.

1965 - Working on the album Rubber Soul at Abbey Road Studios in London, The Beatles recorded the song, "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)." The track included George Harrison's double-tracked sitar part, marking the first appearance of the Indian instrument on a pop record.

1968 - Big Brother And The Holding Company, who featured Janis Joplin as lead singer, went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Cheap Thrills. The album included "Piece of My Heart" and a cover of George Gershwin's "Summertime."

1969 - A DJ on Detroit's WKNR radio station received a phone call telling him that if you play The Beatles “Strawberry Fields Forever” backwards, you hear John Lennon say the words "I buried Paul." This started a worldwide rumor that Paul McCartney was dead.

1969 - Martie Maguire of the Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks) was born.

1975 - Rod Stewart and The Faces made their final live appearance when they played at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

1978 - Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, who he found dead in the bathroom of their hotel room with a stab wound to her abdomen. Vicious died of a heroin overdose before he could be tried for the murder.

1979 - Fleetwood Mac released Tusk, their first album since the wildly successful Rumours in 1977. A double album with less commercial appeal, Mick Fleetwood credited it with keeping the band together, as the band members were free to experiment.

1981 - U2 released their second album, October. Reflecting their Christian faith, the album is filled with allusions to the Bible, notably on the song "Gloria."

1984 - Hall & Oates released their 12th studio album, Big Bam Boom. It features the singles "Out of Touch," "Method of Modern Love," "Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid," and "Possession Obsession."

1985 - Guitarist Ricky Wilson, founding member of the B-52s, died on this day in 1985 of complications from AIDS. All the members of the band (including Ricky's sister, Cindy) came together in 1976 over their shared love dance and surf music. Although Wilson passed before the band's biggest commercial success, his guitar style and unusual tunings helped make the B-52s one of the most distinctive bands in New Wave history.

1987 - The compilation album A Very Special Christmas was released. It features the singles "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (The Pointer Sisters), "Winter Wonderland" (Eurythmics), "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (Whitney Houston), "Merry Christmas Baby" (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band), "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (The Pretenders), "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" (John Cougar Mellencamp), "Gabriel's Message" (Sting), "Christmas in Hollis" (Run-D.M.C.), "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" (U2), "Santa Baby" (Madonna), "The Little Drummer Boy" (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band), "Run Rudolph Run" (Bryan Adams), "Back Door Santa" (Bon Jovi), "The Coventry Carol" (Alison Moyet), and "Silent Night" (Stevie Nicks).

1987 - The Wedding Present released their debut studio album, George Best, named for the legendary Northern Ireland and Manchester United player, who gave his permission for his name and photo to be used on the album. It features the singles "Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft," "My Favourite Dress," "Anyone Can Make a Mistake," "Nobody's Twisting Your Arm," and "Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now?"

1991 - Mariah Carey hit No. 1 in in the U.S. with "Emotions," the title track to her second album. Her first four singles also hit the top spot, making Carey the first artist to hit no. 1 with their first five singles (overtaking The Jackson 5).

1993 - Salt-N-Pepa released their fourth studio album, Very Necessary. It features the singles "Shoop," "Whatta Man," "None of Your Business," and "Heaven 'n Hell."

1993 - The Lemonheads released their sixth studio album, Come on Feel the Lemonheads. It features the singles "Into Your Arms," "It's About Time," "Big Gay Heart," and "The Great Big No."

1993 - Letters to Cleo released their debut studio album, Aurora Gory Alice. It features the singles "I See" and "Here & Now."

1993 - Faith Hill released her debut album, Take Me As I Am, featuring the No. 1 singles "Piece Of My Heart" and "Wild One."

1995 - Tupac Shakur was released from Clinton Correctional Prison on $1.4 million bail which was posted by Suge Knight. In return, 2Pac signed a three-album deal with Knight's Death Row Records.

1996 - One of these things is not like the other — here's what the U.S. albums chart looked like: No. 1 Celine Dion - Falling Into You; No. 2 Kenny G - The Moment; No. 3 Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar.

1997 - With Backstreet Boys mania building worldwide, the group had to cancel a free, open-air concert at the Mostenses Plaza in Madrid when too many fans showed up.

1997- John Denver was killed when the handmade, experimental airplane he was flying ran out of gas and crashed off the coast of Monterey, California.

1998 - Placebo released their second studio album, Without You I'm Nothing. It features the singles "Pure Morning," "You Don't Care About Us," "Every You Every Me," "Without You I'm Nothing," and "Burger Queen Français."

2001 - Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland quit the band. A post on the group's website stated, "Limp Bizkit and Wes Borland have amicably decided to part ways. Both Limp Bizkit and Borland will continue to pursue their respective musical careers." Borland returned to the band in 2009.

2003 - Rapper 50 Cent took home all five trophies for which he was nominated at the World Music Awards, held in Monaco. Russian teen duo t.A.T.u. picked up three awards, while Norah Jones and Eminem won two.

2005 - Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee suffered minor burns at a concert in Casper, Wyoming, after a pyrotechnics effects went awry. Lee was treated at a local hospital for his injuries.

2009 - Michael Jackson's from-the-vaults track "This Is It" was released as a promotional single to accompany the concert documentary of the same name. It was the first release following his death in June 2009.

2013 - Lorde, 16, became the youngest solo artist to write and record a Hot 100 No. 1 hit when "Royals" claimed the top spot. "Royals" was Lorde's debut single included in her debut extended play (EP) The Love Club EP (2012) and debut studio album Pure Heroine (2013). "Royals" received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised its songwriting, production, and Lorde's vocal performance. Critics also credited the song for paving the way for other alternative-leaning pop artists. The track won awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2014 Grammy Awards, and the APRA Silver Scroll Award. In the U.S., "Royals" spent nine weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It sold 10 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.

2018 - The biographical film First Man, inspired by the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong, debuted in U.S. theaters. R&B singer Leon Bridges appears in the film as jazz musician Gil Scott-Heron, reciting the poem, "Whitey On The Moon."

Birthdays:

R&B singer Napoleon “Nappy” Brown, known for his 1955 hit “Don’t Be Angry,” among others, was born today in 1929.

New Orleans musician James “Sugar Boy” Crawford, who wrote the song “Jock-A-Mo,” which later became the hit “Iko Iko” for many other artists, was born today in 1934.

Luciano Pavarotti was born today in 1935.

Sam Moore of Sam & Dave was born today in 1935.

Melvin Franklin of the Temptations was born today in 1942.

Pat DiNizio, frontman for the Smithereens, was born today in 1955.

Singer-songwriter Jane Siberry, who also released music under the mononym Issa in the late 2000s, is 71.

David Vanian of the Damned is 70. See highlight, above.

Jeff Keith, singer for Tesla, is 68.

Bryn Merrick, who was bassist for the Damned between 1983 and ‘89, was born today in 1958. Merrick shared a birthday with the Damned frontman David Vanian (see highlight, above).

Martie Maguire of The Chicks and of country-bluegrass duo Court Yard Hounds is 57. A founding member of both groups, Maguire won awards in national fiddle championships while still a teenager and is skilled in mandolin, viola, double bass, guitar and backing vocals, and at orchestrating string arrangements.

Jordan Pundik, frontman for New Found Glory, is 47.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.