Today in rock history 7th April

1920 – Sitarist Ravi Shankar is born. 1938 - Spencer Dryden-drummer for Jefferson Airplane is born to his parents today. 1962 – Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first meet Brian Jones at an Alexis Korner gig in London. 1969 – John Lennon records “Give Peace a Chance” in his Toronto hotel room. It becomes his first solo single. 1975 – Ritchie Blackmore leaves Deep Purple for the first time. 1981 – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band begin their first European tour in Hamburg. 1981 – The Who’s former manager Kit Lambert dies after falling down a flight of stairs in London. 1987 – After preacher Oral Roberts informs his TV congregation that God will kill him if he doesn’t raise $1 million in donations, rock funnyman Ozzy Osbourne sends him a dollar to be put toward psychiatric treatment. 1988 – Alice Cooper nearly dies of asphyxiation after a safety rope breaks during a concert stunt where the singer hangs himself. 1990 - Farm Aid IV took place at Indianapolis’ Hoosier Dome 1994 – Courtney Love was arrested on drugs and theft charges after a reported overdose. At this time, Love was unaware that her husband Kurt Cobain was dead at their home. 1995 – Airport police seize a loaded pistol from Eddie Van Halen’s carry-on luggage. No charges are filed against the guitarist. 2003 – Incubus announces that founding bass player Dirk Lance has left the band. 2003 – Jury selection begins in a wrongful death suit brought against Tommy Lee in connection with the 2001 drowning death of a boy at a pool party. 2003 – Avril Lavigne dominated Canada’s national music awards the Junos, winning four prizes including best single, album and new artist. 2004 – Motley Crue’s Vince Neil has a misdemeanor battery case dismissed after he does a 100 hours of community service. Neil was charged after a 2002 scuffle outside a Sunset Strip nightclub. 2005 – Bassist Nicky Wire of Welsh rock trio Manic Street Preachers is given an honorary doctorate from Swansea University while performing onstage at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall. 2005 – Ozzy and wife Sharon Osbourne announce that their eldest daughter, Aimee, has had surgery after a breast cancer scare. 2008 – Panic At The Disco were at No.1 on the Australian album chart with their second album “Pretty. Odd.” 2010 – Carlos Santana announces he will cover Cream, Deep Purple, Van Halen, Rolling Stones on his upcoming covers album.