Music History

Queensryche released Empire, a triple-platinum album featuring the song “Silent Lucidity.”

Charley Charles, drummer with Ian Dury and the Blockheads, died of cancer. The group had a UK number-one single in 1978 with “Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick.”

Paul Anka became a US citizen.

Paul Anka, who was born in Ottawa, Canada, became a U.S. citizen in Las Vegas. During the ceremony, he joked that after paying a million dollars in taxes every year, he felt it was the right time to gain the right to do everything else. During the ceremony, his improperly parked car was also towed away.

Rhythm guitarist and founding member of Creedence Clearwater Revival Tom Fogerty died in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 48 from AIDS-related complications, including a tuberculosis infection. According to sources, he contracted HIV through blood transfusions received for back problems. He left the group in 1971 because he did not have enough opportunities to sing and record his own songs. From 1972 to 1981, he released five solo albums, the most successful being his debut album "Tom Fogerty", which reached No. 78 in the U.S. He was the older brother of John Fogerty and co-founded Creedence Clearwater Revival with him, Doug Clifford and Stu Cook. In 1969, the group had three albums in the U.S. Top 10 and four singles in the Top 5.

The musical “Street Scene” opened at the New York State Theatre.

Forbes magazine ranked New Kids On The Block among the five highest-earning American artists, with the group reportedly earning $78 million during the previous year.

The owner of E-C Records in Fort Lauderdale, Charles Freeman, was found guilty of obscenity on October 3, 1990, for selling the 2 Live Crew album “As Nasty As They Wanna Be.” He sold the album two days after a federal court ruled that its content was obscene. Freeman had originally been arrested on June 8 after selling the recording to an undercover police officer. He was later fined $1,000, which he was ordered to donate to a local elementary school specializing in arts education. In 1993, the conviction was overturned.

A federal court in Georgia heard two lawsuits against Ozzy Osbourne and CBS Records. The parents of two teenagers claimed that their children had committed suicide after listening to the song “Suicide Solution” and that the recording contained subliminal messages encouraging suicide. The cases were dismissed with reference to a 1988 California precedent, and in 1992 the US Supreme Court declined to hear the families' appeal.

M.C. Hammer's album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em spent its 18th week at No. 1 on the album chart.

Paul Young spent his third consecutive week at No. 1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart with his cover of “Oh Girl” by The Chi-Lites.

The Righteous Brothers had the week's highest-debuting song with “Unchained Melody,” 25 years after the song had first become a major hit.

Soundgarden, Iggy Pop, Ice-T, The Cramps, Joan Baez and Public Enemy performed at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in California as part of the A Gathering of Tribes event, organized by Ian Astbury of The Cult. The festival is considered an inspiration for Lollapalooza, which began a year later.

Reggae singer Maxi Priest reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with “Close to You.”

Metallica began recording their self-titled album, also known as The Black Album.

Soundgarden, Iggy Pop, Ice-T, The Cramps, Joan Baez, Public Enemy and other artists performed at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in California as part of the A Gathering of Tribes festival, organized by Ian Astbury of The Cult. The festival preceded Lollapalooza, which launched a year later.

Soundgarden performed at the Gathering of the Tribes festival at Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California. Eddie Vedder was in the audience; the festival and Soundgarden's performance are documented as taking place on October 7, 1990.

British rock drummer Barrie “B.J.” Wilson of Procol Harum died at the age of 43 after spending three years in a coma caused by a severe drug and alcohol overdose. He joined the band in 1967, shortly after the recording of “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” on which session drummer Bill Eyden had played.

Eddie Vedder flew from his home in San Diego to Seattle, where he first met his future Pearl Jam bandmates and began a week of recording that became the foundation of their debut album Ten. He was selected based on vocals he had added to the band's three-song instrumental demo.

Ringo Starr released his first live album, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. His All-Starr Band featured Joe Walsh, Dr. John, Billy Preston, Rick Danko and Levon Helm of The Band, Clarence Clemons and Nils Lofgren of the E Street Band. Bruce Springsteen also appeared as a guest during the tour.

The Go-Go's posed for the first PETA “Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign poster.

Composer of "West Side Story" Leonard Bernstein ended his conducting career at the age of 72 due to emphysema. He died five days later.

All four members of The Stone Roses were each fined £3,000 after being found guilty of criminal damage at their former record company's offices.

Hindu Love Gods, a project featuring Warren Zevon and members of R.E.M., released their self-titled album Hindu Love Gods.

Nirvana played their first concert with Dave Grohl on drums. The performance took place at the North Shore Surf Club in Olympia, Washington.

Bob Dylan performed before more than 4,000 cadets at the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, in Eisenhower Hall. Many future army officers stood up and sang along to his anti-war song "Blowin' in the Wind".

The single "Praying for Time" reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Canadian chart. It was George Michael's sixth solo US number-one hit and his last solo single to reach the top of the US chart.

M.C. Hammer's album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em remained at number one on the US album chart for a fifteenth week.

Thanks to the popularity of the film Ghost, “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers reached number one on the Adult Contemporary chart, 25 years after it had originally become a hit.