Looking back on it now, it truly was a much simpler, but no less historic, time in music where a relatively unknown Greek film score composer by the name of Vangelis could score a huge worldwide smash hit with the theme to the movie "Chariots Of Fire." These days, it would probably take a guest appearance by Li'l Wayne or Skeezy Weezy to accomplish such a feat.
Personally, I get a kick out of seeing the video open with runners in full stride, then the camera pulls back to reveal a chain-smoking Vangelis seated at his grand piano performing along to footage from the film.
On this date in 1960, Eddie Cochran is killed when the taxi he is riding in crashes into a lamp post. Cochran is only 21 and has already scored hits with such stone-cold classics as "Sittin' In The Balcony", "Summertime Blues" (yes, he wrote it), "C'mon Everybody" and "Somethin' Else" (both later covered by Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols.
Today in music, 1998, Linda McCartney passed away at the age of 58 after a lengthy battle with cancer. She and Paul McCartney had been married since 1969.
On this date in 1971, all four Beatles had solo singles on the UK chart. Paul McCartney: Another Day (#2), Ringo Starr: It Don’t Come Easy (#4), John Lennon, Power To The People (#7) and George Harrison: My Sweet Lord (#1)
And, last but not least, on April 17, 2009, Morrissey walked off the stage during his set at Coachella, complaining to the audience that he could "smell burning flesh", his criticism of the many barbecues being used by festival vendors.