Today in rock history 18th March

1947 – Barry Wilson (Paramount/Procol Harum) is born this day
1950 – John Hartman (Doobie Brothers) is born this day
1959 – EMI announces that it has now stopped all production of 78 rpm discs.
1965 – Rolling Stones earn their ‘Bad Boy’ reputation when the group members are fined £5 each for urinating in front of a public filling station after a concert in Essex.
1965 – John Lennon gave his friend and ex-Quarry Man Pete Shotton £20,000 to open Hayling Supermarkets. Lennon, George Harrison and Shotton became joint directors of Hayling Supermarkets Ltd.
1966 – Born on this day, Jerry Cantrell, Alice In Chains,
1967 – Pink Floyd signed to EMI Records in the UK.
1968 – Steve Miller releases Sittin’ In a Circle, his debut single.
1972 – Ringo Starr films Marc Bolan's concert at Wembley for Born to Boogie.
1972 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Heart of Gold,” Neil Young. The song is Neil Young’s only solo single to reach the top 30.
1973 – Pink Floyd perform Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety at London’s Earls Court.
1975 – The movie version of the Who’s Tommy premieres in New York, presented in “Quintophonic Sound.”
1976 – The Film ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’ featuring David Bowie premiered in London.
1978 – California Jam 2 draws 250,000 fans to Ontario Motor Speedway near Los Angeles to hear Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Foreigner and others.
1991 – After attending an in-store promo appearance U2 were fined £500 ($850) after being found guilty of selling condoms illegally at the Virgin Megastore, Dublin.
1994 – In a tragic forerunner of later events, police confiscate 4 guns and 25 boxes of ammo after Kurt Cobain’s wife, Courtney Love calls them, fearing he would commit suicide.
1994 – After Bill Wyman confirms that he will no longer tour with The Rolling Stones the band announces Darryl Jones as his replacement on bass.
1996 – The Sex Pistols announced their comeback at the 100 Club in London, 20 years after they had split.
1997 – Taylor Hawkins replaces William Goldsmith as the Foo Fighters’ drummer. Goldsmith announced earlier that he would be leaving due to creative differences.
2000 – U2 are awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in a ceremony at which they perform four songs. Bono also takes advantage of the honour and brings some sheep to graze on a Dublin green.
2002 – The Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Eddie Vedder, lead singer of Pearl Jam and close friend of the Ramones.
2003 – Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted joins Ozzy Osbourne’s band.
2004 – Courtney Love exposed her breasts during an appearance on David Letterman’s TV talk show.
2008 – Heather Mills’ evidence in her divorce case with Sir Paul McCartney was “inconsistent, inaccurate” and “less than candid”, according to judge Mr Justice Bennett.
2014 - Joe Lala, a drummer and percussionist who worked with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Bee Gees, Whitney Houston, The Eagles and Eric Clapton, died from complications of lung cancer at the age of 66.
2017 - Chuck Berry, one of Rock 'n' Roll's founding fathers and a true music legend, passed away at his home near St. Louis at the age of 90.