Today In Music, January 9th
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Friday, 9th January):
Birth
1944. Scott Walker born Noel Scott Engel in Hamilton, Ohio.
On Tour
1979. The “Music For Unicef” concert takes place in the General Assembly Hall at The United Nations in New York. Among those taking part is Abba who announce they are donating all royalties from the song “Chiquitita” to the charity.
In Court
2002. Thanks to plea bargaining, rapper DMX avoids prison when he appears in court in Bergen County, New Jersey today. The rapper, who appeared under his real name of Earl Simmons faced thirteen counts of animal cruelty, two counts of maintaining a nuisance, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of possessing drug paraphenalia. Other weapons and child endangerment charges against Simmons and his wife Tashera were dropped as part of the deal although they seemed unlikely to succeed as the prosecution’s main witness for them, Tashera’s mother, Marcia Tate had refused to co-operate.
The charges stem from June 1999 when police called on the Simmons’ home in Teaneck, New Jersey after finding Tashera’s purse near the spot where DMX’s business manager (who’s also his uncle) had been shot in the foot at the Fort Lee Hilton. Marcia Tate, who was at the house told the police her son-in-law had been smoking crack cocaine all week and at one point pulled out a pistol in front of her. A search by the officers uncovered a loaded 9mm pistol, hollow-nosed bullets and six used glass cocaine smoking pipes in a bedroom vanity unit. Also in the house were thirteen Pit Bull dogs, the Simmons’ six year old son and a fifteen year old cousin, hence the animal cruelty and child endangerment charges.
In return for keeping his freedom DMX has agreed to record a number of public safety announcements for children relating to the dangers of weapons and the need to care for animals. State Superior Court Judge, Donald R. Venezia has asked prosecutors to establish the number and content of the announcements in time for sentencing on March 15th. The rapper will then learn if he’ll face the maximum $ 1,000 fine for each count of animal cruelty and if he’ll be put on probation as well.
In Sickness And In Health
1978. Leonid Bortkevich, leader of Russia’s top pop group, Pesniary, marries the former Olympic gymnast, Olga Korbut.
On Television
1994. Taratata (France 4, France) No. 35. Recorded 7 décembre 1993. Solos: Stephan EICHER; Texas; Grant Lee Buffalo; Jil Caplan; Arno. Duos: Stephan Eicher & Texas. Here they are with “I Shall Be Released”
Death
2003. Music journalist Penny Valentine (Penelope Ann Valentine) dies of cancer in London, England. She wrote for Disc, Sounds and Street Life magazines.
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