History Highlight:

Today in 1963, Donita Sparks was born, making her 62. Born in Chicago, Sparks moved to Los Angeles at age 19, where she quickly integrated into the city’s art punk scene and met her friend and collaborator, Suzi Gardner. In 1985, Sparks and Gardner co-founded the punk-rock band L7. Between 1985 and 2001, L7 released six albums, including 1992’s Bricks Are Heavy, which features L7’s hit single, “Pretend We’re Dead.” The band went on hiatus until reuniting in 2014, and they released a seventh album, Scatter the Rats, in 2019.

Also, Today In:

1964 - The Supremes recorded "Where Did Our Love Go" at Motown Studios in Detroit. The song would become the first of their five U.S. number-one singles. Originally founded as the Primettes in Detroit in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and are, to date, America's most successful vocal group with 12 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

1973 - During his Ziggy Stardust world tour, David Bowie played the first of three sold-out nights in Tokyo, Japan.

1975 - Aerosmith released their third studio album, Toys in the Attic. It features “Sweet Emotion” and “Walk This Way.”

1977 - The Clash released their self-titled debut album on CBS. In the United States, the Clash's debut studio album was released one year after Give 'Em Enough Rope, so it was their second release in the US. CBS in America had decided that the album was 'not radio friendly', so it was initially only available in the States during 1977-1978 as an import, and as such became the best-selling import of the year, shifting over 100,000 copies.

1977 - The Damned were among the first British punk outfits to perform in America when they played New York's legendary CBGB's. They released the single “New Rose” in 1976 and the album Damned Damned Damned followed in February of 1977.

1980 - The TV movie Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, based on the song "The Gambler," aired on CBS. It became the highest-rated TV movie of the year and led to four sequels, all starring Rogers.

1982 - New Order's bass player Peter Hook was knocked unconscious during a riot at a gig in Rotterdam.

1989 - Roxette went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "The Look," the Swedish duo's first U.S. No. 1. It was while studying in Sweden that an exchange student from Minneapolis, Dean Cushman, heard "The Look", and brought a copy of Roxette's album Look Sharp! home for the 1988 holiday break. He gave the album to a Minneapolis radio station, which started playing "The Look". The song became very popular and was quickly picked up by other radio stations.

1998 - Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood and 10 other passengers were rescued from a boat off the coast of Brazil after the engine caught fire.

1994 - Kurt Cobain's body was found in his Seattle home by an electrician sent to install a burglar alarm. He was believed to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound three days earlier.

1994 - The Offspring's breakthrough album Smash was released. Thanks to the success of the singles "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem," Smash eventually became one of the best-selling independent records of all time, selling at least 15 million copies worldwide.

2006 - Following 2003's false starts, The Rolling Stones finally performed for the first time in mainland China, at Shanghai's Grand Stage Theatre. The Stones were banned from performing three songs (Brown Sugar, Honky Tonk Women, Rough Justice). Chinese rock star Cui Jian joined the band on stage for a duet with Mick Jagger on Wild Horses.

2008 - Led Zeppelin topped the list of Classic Rock magazine's "Best Live Acts Of All Time". The Who were voted in at No. 2 and AC/DC at No. 3.

2017 - The late rapper Tupac Shakur, singer, songwriter Joan Baez and Pearl Jam were all entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.They were inducted alongside the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Journey and Yes during a concert in New York City.

2022 - Wet Leg released their self-titled debut album. It includes the tracks “Chaise Longue,” “Wet Dream” and “Too Late Now.”

Birthdays:

Jazz singer Carmen McRae was born on this day in 1920.

Belgian singer and songwriter Jacques Brel was born on this day in 1929.

Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, who styled the Sex Pistols, was born on this day in 1941.

Roger “Chappo” Chapman, of Family and Streetwalkers, is 83.

Steve Howe, guitarist for Yes, is 78.

Brenda Russell — a Grammy-nominated solo artist (“Piano in the Dark”) and collaborator with Earth Wind and Fire, Joni Mitchell, Diana Ross, and others — is 76.

Mel Schacher, bassist for Grand Funk Railroad, is 75.

Mexican singer-songwriter Joan Sebastian was born today in 1951.

Izzy Stradlin, guitarist for Guns ‘N Roses, is 63.

Julian Lennon is 62.

L7 frontwoman Donita Sparks is 62.

Biz Markie was born on this day in 1964.

Darren Jessee, drummer for Ben Folds Five (as well as collaborator with Sharon Van Etten and Hiss Golden Messenger), is 54.

Slipknot guitarist Paul Gray was born on this day in 1972.

Children of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho was born on this day in 1979.

Ezra Michael Koenig, singer and guitarist for Vampire Weekend, is 41. Born in New York City and raised in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Koenig dived into writing songs at around the age of 10. His first composition was titled “Bad Birthday Party.” In 2005, he formed Vampire Weekend with friends he met while studying at Columbia University. To date, Vampire Weekend have released five studio albums, including Only God Was Above Us, which released April 5, 2024.

Matthew Healy of The 1975 is 36.

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