Time to take a look back into this day in rock history: September 3
1966
Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman” goes to Number One helped by guitar work from then yardbirds guitarist and session man Jimmy Page. The song is a tribute to his future wife Linda Lawrence.
1970
“Blind Owl” goes home to roost. Canned Heat’s Al Wilson is found dead at band member Bob “The Bear” Hite’s Topanga Canyon home. He sang lead on ‘Going Up the Country,’ which has been referred to as the Woodstock Festival’s unofficial theme song.
That was some show! Arthur Brown of “Crazy World of…” fame is arrested at a pop festival in Palermo, Italy, after he lights his helmet aflame during his hit song, “Fire”. Oh yeah, he also stripped naked and spent four days in solitary confinement.
1975
Wait a minute. This happened at Peter Sellers’ house? It was his 50th birthday and Bill Wyman from the Stones joins with David Bowie, Ronnie Wood on guitar, Keith Moon on drums and even more noted names in a one-off band calling itself Trading Faces.1982
Apple Computers’ Steve Wozniak had deep pockets when he funded the first ever US Festival in San Bernadino, California, showcasing the Police, Ramones, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Grateful Dead and more. Three full days of music.
1991
Ike, seriously!? Ike Turner gets sprung from prison after doing 18 months of time on a four-year term. Get this. He was arrested ten other times! He told Variety that he wasted over $11-million on cocaine.
2009
Still hard to believe. Michael Jackson’s funeral. Happened at Glendale’s Forest Lawn Memorial Park. There were 200 invited guests including Lisa Marie Presley, Elizabeth Taylor, Quincy Jones and others. It turns out some emails show concern about Jackson’s health when the 2009 by promoters staging the “This Is It” shows. One called him “an emotionally paralyzed mess” after he locked himself in a room and was thought to be drunk and despondent.
