On July 31st, in 1967 Janis Joplin performed at a free benefit concert in San Francisco, California at the Fillmore Auditorium. Proceeds from the show were set to go to the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic. She shared the stage with the psychedelic rock group the Charlatans, the psychedelic rock group Blue Cheer, Anonymous Artists of America and special guest Bill Cosby was on the drums. The concert took place in the heart of the area where the hippie movement was prominent.
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On July 31st, in 1980, The Eagles’ Glen Frey (left) and Don Felder (right) got real gangster on stage during a concert in Long Beach, California. A heated argument took place between the two, and concert goers were privy to hearing all of the ways they were going to beat each other up backstage…live…during the show. Tempers boiled over to say the least. Nearing the end of the concert, fans would hear Glen Frey tell Don Felder: "Only three more songs until I kick your ass, pal." Ironically, the next album they mixed was Eagles Live (released Nov. 1980). They mixed it in opposite locations.
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On July 31st in 1992, The King of Pop-Micheal Jackson saved a man’s life. As the story goes, Michael was staying at a hotel in London awaiting a scheduled performance that evening. There was a man in an apartment building across the street form his hotel-Eric Herminie (28 years old at the time). He told police that he’d jump from his apartment building if he didn’t see Michael Jackson. Michael walked out on his balcony, waved to Eric for a bit, and then returned to his room. Eric Herminie didn’t jump, instead, he climber back in the building (for more on Michael, refer to Today, on Vinyl posts 7/13, 7/21, 7/26).
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On July 31st, in 1994, female R&B singer Aaliyah, and male vocalist R. Kelly secretly eloped just outside of Chicago. The marriage took place at the Sheraton Gateway Suites Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois. Vibe magazine printed a copy of their marriage certificate, but Aaliyah denied being married to R. Kelly. The marriage was annulled later because Aaliyah was only 15 years old at the time (the legal age for marriage in Illinois was 18 in 1994).
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Honorable Mentions: On July 31st, in 1967, Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger was given a conditional discharge (cleared of charges) by an appeal court in London, England. Guitarist Keith Richard’s conviction for allowing his house to be used to smoke cannabis resin (hashish), was also overturned.
On July 31st, in 1999, Russell Jones, AKA Wu-Tang Clan emcee Ol' Dirty Bastard was arrested in New York during a routine traffic stop. Police detained him when they found marijuana and crack cocaine in his possession. TOV covered the topic in detail on the 07/19 post. Please refer to it for more information.