February 11th in Music History

50 Years ago today, Shop Around by The Miracles became Motown's first million-selling single, as well as the first #1 for the label on the Billboard R&B Charts. The song also hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is so old, they were still called the Miracles, and not 'Smokey Robinson and the Miracles'. Who doesn't love Smokey?

In 1942, the first ever Gold Record was given to Glenn Miller for Chattanooga Choo Choo.

In 1972, Al Green had his only #1 Hit in the US with Let's Stay Together. That's got to be some sort of crime...Al Green is fantastic...only Hit #1 once???

In 1977, The Police recorded their first single: Fall Out at Pathway Studios in London. I can honestly say I've never heard it...

In 1994, Alice in Chains entered the US Album Charts at #1 with Jar of Flies which I remember, although I happen to think Dirt was way better. I also remember first getting into Alice in Chains when my dad and brother came home from St. Louis, and Al - my brother - had 2 new cassette tapes (yes, that's right, look it up if you're under 25) from Alice in Chains (Facelift and the aforementioned Dirt) which he had mistakenly purchased thinking they were Alice Cooper albums. Seeing as how he was probably 8yrs old at the time, it was one of the happier accidents we had musically growing up. (He was into Alice Cooper because of Wayne's World, which was also the first movie I ever bought myself (on VHS no less [look that one up too young'ns], from Jumbo Video in Kingston, which I remember advertising that they had 250 copies available).

In 1995, Van Halen had their first US #1 Album: Balance. Seriously? That's insane, for a number of reasons: 1) It was Van Hagar; 2) The songs on that album suck balls; 3) The cover is ridiculous. It's no surprise that this was the last full album to feature Sammy Hagar, and that after the release of this, Van Halen had to put out a Greatest Hits album to remind people they weren't complete shit.

In 1997, U2 announces their upcoming PopMart World Tour from a Kmart in Greenwich Village. I definitely recall seeing this on Much Music and thinking "What the fuck?" At the same time, David Bowie was receiving a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2003, The Doors drummer John Densmore sued former bandmates Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger for starting up a new version of the Doors with drummer Stewart Copeland (of the Police - again) and vocalist Ian Astbury (the Cult) saying that anything not featuring Jim Morrison shouldn't be called The Doors. Sadly, this didn't occur in time to prevent Creed from covering Riders on the Storm in 2000.

In 2005, Cotswold Rail named a diesel train after late Clash frontman Joe Stummer. So British, yet still very cool in an odd way.

In 2007, 30 years after recording their first single, Sting announces that The Police are getting back together. Wow, talk about Synchronicity...(hehehe)

Notable births: 1939: Ray Manzarek, Keyboardist - The Doors (again w/ him)

1945: Joe Schermie, Bassist - Three Dog Night

1952: Michael McDonald, Keyboardist/Vocals - Steely Dan/The Doobie Brothers (It should be said that Michael McDonald is the Sammy Hagar of the Doobies. When he showed up, they started to suck balls and write crap. Without him, we'd also be missing one of the funniest gags in The 40-Year Old Virgin)

1950: Steve Hackett, Guitarist - Genesis

1968: Chynna Phillips - Wilson Phillips (Did you know? Wilson Phillips is the Bad Karma sent by the universe to balance against the awesomeness of The Beach Boys and the Mamas & the Papas)

That's it for today in music history, hopefully this was informative and entertaining, and you don't want a refund...