This Day in Music
On this day in music, April 10, 1970, Paul McCartney revealed in a press statement that he had quit The Beatles. “I have no future plans to record or appear with The Beatles again, or to write any music with John,” he stated. His shock departure from the groundbreaking Liverpudlian group came seven days before the singer-songwriter launched his solo career with his debut album, McCartney. His former songwriting partner John Lennon, who had left the band in late 1969 but kept his decision under wraps to aid the band’s business ventures, was scathing when asked by a journalist to comment. “Paul hasn’t left. I sacked him,” he snapped.
In 2019, Billie Eilish stormed to the top of the UK chart with her debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Just 17 at the time, the Los Angeles-born singer-songwriter became the youngest female solo artist to reach the No.1 spot in the UK. The multi-platinum album topped the charts in ten countries across the globe and also won a Grammy in the Album Of The Year category.
In 1976, ex-Humble Pie guitarist Peter Frampton topped the US albums chart with Frampton Comes Alive, which sold over six million copies to become the best-selling LP of the year. It spent 97 weeks on the Billboard 200 and remains one of the best-selling live albums of all time.
In 1985, Madonna kicked off her first North American tour with a three-night engagement at Seattle’s Paramount Theater. The Beastie Boys served as the opening act for the 40-date run (dubbed “The Virgin Tour”).
In 2003, Little Eva, the singer who topped the US singles chart with “The Loco-Motion” in 1962, died at the age of 59. Born Eva Narcissus Boyd in North Carolina, she moved to New York and became the babysitter for the husband-and-wife songwriting team, Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The pair, who were aware of her talents, wrote “The Loco-Motion” especially for her.
In 2005, the final episode of the reality show The Osbournes was broadcast in the UK. During the peak of its three-year run on MTV, the program attracted eight million viewers. Ozzy Osbourne was bemused by its US popularity. “I suppose Americans get a kick out of watching a crazy Brit family like us make complete fools of ourselves every week,” he mused.
In 1982, Iron Maiden topped the UK albums chart for the first time with The Number of the Beast. The British metal band’s third LP also marked their first to go platinum in the US.
BORN ON APRIL 10
1947: Bunny Wailer (The Wailers)
1948: Fred Smith (Television)
1957: Steven Gustafson (10,000 Maniacs)
1959: Katrina Leskanich (Katrina And The Waves)
1963: Mark Oliver Everett aka “E” (Eels)
1964: Alan “Reni” Wren (The Stone Roses)
1970: Mike Mushok (Staind)
1970: Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest)
1979: Sophie Ellis Bextor
1983: Andrew Dost (Fun)
