Happy birthday to former Dokken guitarist George Lynch, who apparently hired Ken Kesey as his stylist in the ’80s. (Incidentally, former Tar Heel forward George Lynch doesn’t show up until the FOURTH Google Image Search page. Bummer, dude.)
The story of jazz is a tale filled with tragedy, and while it may seem crass to try and place them in any sort of order, the life of Bud Powell has to rank amongst the saddest. A leader at 23, he was first admitted to a mental hospital that same year, a pairing that would become all too regular throughout his short life — the brilliance and madness perhaps rising from the same place. He was dead at 41, by then a shell of his former self. Happy birthday, Bud. May you have found peace.
Happy birthday, John Coltrane.
You would be hard-pressed to find a more perfect rock and roll drummer — real or made-up — than Motörhead’s Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor. His Wikipedia bio reads like something out of Spïnal Täp, and also establishes him as being both 52 and 57 years old. He probably wasn’t the inspiration for the better-known Animal, but I prefer to think he was. Regardless, it’s his birthday today.
When I was in college, I bought the Nelson album. I have no rational explanation for this, no mitigating circumstance. And while this revelation may bar me from ever holding public office, I feel better having it off my chest. Happy birthday Gunnar and Matthew, ya creepy bastards.
A very happy 37th birthday to Skelleftehamn’s finest, Victoria Silvstedt — 1993’s Miss Sweden, 1997’s Playmate of the Year, New York City resident, and all-around supermodel type. Lingonberries on me!
Hank Williams, Sr, who died in 1953 at the far too young age of 29, produced only one clunker in his short but prolific career — that being Hank Williams, Jr. Otherwise he had 11 number-one country & western hits during his lifetime, and a ridiculous 35 top-10 singles. His influence is still strong.
Have absolutely no idea how he’s made it this far, but Mickey Rourke turned 59 years old today. In his honor, please read this Joe Queenan essay on spending a day as Mickey Rourke from 1992. It’s amazing.
One more birthday for today. Upon winning his first cycling race, Fausto Coppi allegedly received 20 lire and a salami sandwich. The winning would continue, and the prizes would get better. Coppi won the Tour de France twice, in 1949 and 1952, and the Giro d’Italia five times, along with countless other races of varying distances including the Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix and the Road Racing World Championship of 1953. He also set the World Hour Record in 1942, which would stand until 1956 when it was broken by Jacques Anquetiel. He died in 1960 after contracting malaria. He was 40 years old.
