This Day In Rock History: September 3rd
1970 Alan Wilson guitarist and songwriter with Canned Heat was found dead at fellow band-members Bob Hite's garden in Topanga Canyon, Los Angeles aged 27. With Canned Heat, Wilson performed at two prominent concerts of the 1960s era, The Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and Woodstock in 1969. Canned Heat appeared in the film Woodstock, and the band's 'Going Up the Country,' which Wilson sang, has been referred to as the festival's unofficial theme song. Wilson also wrote 'On the Road Again,' arguably Canned Heat's second-most familiar song.
1982 The three day US Festival in San Bernardino, California took place featuring, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, The Cars, Talking Heads, The Kinks, Ramones, B52's, The English Beat, Gang Of Four, Grateful Dead, Pat Benatar, Jackson Browne. Apple Computers founder Steven Wozniak bankrolled the festival.
2010 Mike Edwards a founding member of ELO was killed in a freak accident when a giant bale of hay tumbled down a hill and crashed into his van. The 62 year-old cellist died after the 600 kg (1,323 lb) bale rolled down a steep field in Devon, southern England, smashed through a hedge and careered on to the road. Edwards played cello with ELO, the seven-piece band led by Jeff Lynne, from their first live gig in 1972 until he left in January 1975. He quit the band in 1975 to become a Buddhist, changing his name to Deva Pramada and making his living by teaching the cello.
2017 Walter Becker, co-founder and guitarist for the US band Steely Dan died aged 67. Steely Dan - named after a *** toy in the book ***** Lunch by William Burroughs - released its first album Can't Buy a Thrill in 1972 and had the 1973 US No.11 single 'Reeling In The Years' and nine other US Top 30 hits. Steely Dan's 'Two Against Nature' won a Grammy in 2001 for Album of the year. Becker had produced records for Rickie Lee Jones, China Crisis and Michael Franks.
source: thisdayinmusic
