Today in rock history 21st February

1943 – Producer and executive David Geffen is born in Brooklyn, N.Y. 1945 – Paul Newton, original bassist for Uriah Heep is born in Hampshire 1952 - Jean-Jacques "JJ" Burnell, best known as bassist with the Stranglers is born 1958 – The very first Gibson model Flying V guitar is shipped from a factory in Kalamazoo, Mich. 1964 – A New York band called The Echoes recruited a young piano player named Billy Joel. 1970 – Having been in release for only 15 weeks, Led Zeppelin II approaches sales of 2 million. 1977 – Fleetwood Mac released ‘Rumours’. The album went on to sell more than 15 million copies world-wide and spent 31 weeks at No.1 on the US chart. 1981 – REO Speedwagon started a 15 week run at the top of the Billboard album chart with “Hi Infidelity”. 1982 – Murray “the K” Kaufman, who used to be called the fifth Beatle because of his role in promoting their first tour, dies at age 60. 1995 – For the first time in seven years, Bruce Springsteen performs live with the E Street Band in a New York City nightclub for a video for Jonathan Demme’s film “Murder Incorporated.” 2001 – Tom Morello denies rumors that Chris Cornell has become the lead singer of Rage Against the Machine. It’s later announced that the new lead singer of Rage Against the Machine is … Chris Cornell. 2001 – Steely Dan, U2, Eminem and Faith Hill each win three Grammys at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. 2003 – Ringo Starr announces he’s starting a new label called Pumkinhead to give a hand to musical “newcomers.” 2006 – Kid Rock files a lawsuit to prevent the distribution of a videotape featuring himself and Creed’s Scott Stapp being “serviced” by four women. 2008 – A computer expert was jailed for two years for electronically stalking Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington. Devon Townsend worked at a US national security laboratory in New Mexico, where she used a computer to track Bennington, she admitted to obtaining family photos, accessing e-mail and voicemail, and threatening his wife Talinda.