On this day today:
1965 - The Beatles' Help! album hit No. 1 in America in 1965 and held the top spot for nine weeks. The album, which served as the soundtrack to their second feature film, showcased the band's evolving sound with iconic tracks like "Ticket to Ride" and "Yesterday."
1965 - Electronic musician Moby was born Richard Melville Hall on September 11, 1965, in Harlem, New York City. Named after the classic novel Moby-Dick (he is a distant relative of author Herman Melville), Moby became a pioneering figure in electronic music. Rising to fame in the early '90s, his groundbreaking album Play (1999) fused electronic beats with soulful samples, earning him global acclaim and making him one of the most influential artists in the genre.
1971 - Richard Ashcroft, lead singer of The Verve, was born in Billinge Higher End, Wigan, England. Known for his soulful vocals and introspective songwriting, Ashcroft gained fame with The Verve, particularly with their 1997 hit "Bitter Sweet Symphony." As one of the defining figures of the Britpop and alternative rock movements of the '90s, Ashcroft's solo career also flourished after the band disbanded, with albums like Alone with Everybody showcasing his unique talent.
2001 - Amid the chaos of the terrorist attacks in the US, PJ Harvey won the prestigious Mercury Prize for her album Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea. The win, meant to be a career-defining moment, was overshadowed by the tragic events unfolding around her. Harvey, who was in Washington, D.C. at the time, recalled waking up to the sight of the Pentagon on fire from her hotel window. Reflecting on the surreal circumstances, she said, "I didn't feel at all present in terms of winning the Mercury Prize. And it was an honor for me to receive it." Despite the turmoil, Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea stands as one of her most celebrated works.
2001 - As Gerard Way watched the World Trade Center's Twin Towers collapse from a Manhattan ferry, the catastrophic event gave him a life-altering realization: life was too short not to pursue his dreams. The tragedy became a catalyst for Way to follow his passion for music, leading him to form My Chemical Romance shortly afterward. The band would go on to define a generation with its emotionally charged lyrics and theatrical sound, becoming a staple of the mid-2000s emo and alternative rock scenes.
