History offers
a chance
to truly
understand
how the past
impacts the now.

Follow our
daily timelime
of historical
events to
discover the
role The Beatles
played in changing
the modern world.

1785--The first balloon flight is made across the English Channel.

1924 - George Gershwin begins work on the incomparable score of Rhapsody in Blue (he completed it some three weeks later). The composer was only 26 years old. Gershwin will remain of one of the most influential of composers, songwriters and pianists in American music history.

1927--Transatlantic telephone service between London and New York is introduced.

1942--Paul Revere (keyboard player for Paul Revere and the Raiders) is born in Boise, Idaho. And yes, that's his real name.

1944--Mike McGear, Paul McCartney's brother, is born in Liverpool. He assumed the last name of McGear in order to pursue his own career with the comedy troupe, The Scaffold, during the height of Beatlemania.

1946--Rolling Stone publisher, Jann Wenner, is born in New York.

1949--The announcement of the first photograph of genes is presented at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles (UCLA).

1961--The Beatles perform at Aintree Institute, Aintree, Liverpool, and at Lathom Hall, Seaforth, Liverpool. This is the first of 31 appearances at Aintree Institute, which is frequented by rough patrons who have a habit of tossing chairs at other people, including the group that's on stage.

1962--The Beatles perform at the Casbah Coffee Club, West Derby, Liverpool.

1964--The Beatles perform at the Astoria Cinema, Finsbury Park, London. Appearing in two performances of "The Beatles' Christmas Show."

1964--The Beatles tape a seven-song appearance for the BBC Radio program "Saturday Club." They record the songs All My Loving, Money, The Hippy Hippy Shake, I Want to Hold Your Hand, Roll Over Beethoven, Johnny B. Goode, and I Wanna Be Your Man. Broadcast on February 15, while The Beatles were in the US. This day's recording of Johnny B. Goode is included on the 1994 Beatles double-CD Live at the BBC (Disc one, Track 29). This is The Beatles’ only known recording of the Chuck Berry song Johnny B. Goode.

1965--The Beatles put on two performances of "Another Beatles Christmas Show" at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.

1968--George Harrison leaves England for a visit to India. While there, he will record Indian music selections for his Wonderwall film soundtrack (at EMI's studios in Bombay).

1968--San Francicsco's KMPX-FM, one of America's pioneering "underground" radio stations, holds a "grass ballot" political vote among its listeners. Among those elected are Bob Dylan (President), Paul Butterfield (Vice-President), George Harrison (U.N. Ambassador), Jefferson Airplane (Secretary of Transportation) and the Grateful Dead (Attorney General).

1969--The Beatles carry on trying to find something constructive to do at Twickenham Film Studios, where they are filming rehearsals for a planned television performance. The "Get Back" project isn't getting anywhere. During long arguments with Paul MCartney, George Harrison suggests that The Beatles should split up. John Lennon says nothing. The group then attempts to rehearse McCartney’s Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, which is sabotaged by Lennon’s indifference. When they move to Across The Universe, he is apparently unable to recall the words to his own song.

1970--Neighbors of New York landowner, Max Yasgur, sue him for $35,000 for property damage caused by the “flower children” who attended the August 1969 Woodstock Festival. More than 450,000 hippies experienced the three-day event.

1976--The body of Mal Evans is cremated in Los Angeles. The urn carrying his ashes back to England gets lost and is subsequently recovered in the dead letter office. Despite John’s grief over the loss of his dear friend, the irony of the situation does not escape him.

1980--Carl White, of The Rivingtons, dies in Los Angeles at age 48. The West Coast “doo-wop” group made their mark on the pop culture with the two nonsense singles, Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow and The Bird's the Word. Brian Wilson loved The Rivingtons and their influence can be heard on some of the early, lighter pop ditties of The Beach Boys.

1981--(Just Like) Starting Over is succeeded by Imagine as Britain’s best-selling single.

1982--US re-release of The Beatles' double LP The Beatles (Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs/Capitol). Half-speed master recording.

1998--According to the London Times, two bronze busts, worth £50,000, have been stolen from the grounds of George Harrison's mansion, Friar Park. The thieves evaded security cameras, after climbing a 10-foot wall and cutting the figures of two monks from their stone plinths.

1999--Paul McCartney attends the debut of his step-daughter Heather's, first housewares collection at the Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market in Georgia. The collection features various housewares inspired by ancient art from Mexican Indian tribes [The Huichol and Tarahumara Indian nations].

For more day-by-day history go to HistoryUnlimited.net