Politics

The Battle Of Waterloo is fought thirteen kilometres south of Brussels, Europe, between the French, under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte, and Allied armies commanded by the Duke of Wellington from Britain and General Blucher from Prussia. Napoleon's defeat will inspire the opening verses of Abba's 1974 hit single, Waterloo, and will also provide inspiration for the 1959 USA hit single Waterloo by Stonewall Jackson.

John Brown, a revolutionary abolitionist, who advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States, is hung for his 'crimes' in Charles Town, Virginia, USA. From this moment, his body begins a-mouldering, but his name will be immortalised in the song John Brown's Body.

Harold Leventhal is born in Ellenville, New York State, USA. He will become a remarkably successful music manager handling The Weavers, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Alan Arkin, Judy Collins, Theodore Bikel, Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, Mary Travers, Tom Paxton, Don McLean and others.

At just thirteen years old, singer Julie Andrews becomes the youngest performer ever chosen to appear in the Royal Command Variety Performance at the London Palladium, London, England, UK, Europe.

Dizzy Gillespie reveals that his upcoming concert at Tulane University (Oct 19), in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, has been cancelled. Gillespie is certain that the cancellation has been caused by the presence of a white pianist, Lalo Schifrin, in his otherwise black band.

Bob Dylan plays a benefit show for CORE [The Congress Of Racial Equality] at the City College Of New York, New York City, USA.

Postal worker William Moore, known for staging lone protests against racial segregation, is murdered on a rural stretch of Highway 11 near Attalla, Alabama, USA. He had been planning to deliver a letter of protest to the Mississippi Governor's mansion but instead he was shot twice in the head at close range with a .22 caliber rifle owned by a certain Floyd Simpson, with whom Moore had argued earlier that day. No charges were ever laid against Simpson. Several songs will be inspired by Moore's death, including William Moore, The Mailman by Pete Seeger [1963] and William Moore by Phil Ochs [1964].

Pete Seeger and The Doc Watson Family play at the American Folk Festival 1963 in Asheville City Auditorium, Asheville, North Carolina, USA.

Joan Baez sings at an emergency rally against The Vietnam War in Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA.

Two cover versions of the Buffy Sainte-Marie song The Universal Soldier enter the Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart in the USA. Donovan's version enters at No84 and Glen Campbell's at No90.

Loretta Lynn releasesa new single, Dear Uncle Sam, on Decca Records in the USA.

The Monkees are working on the song War Games, at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Janis Ian opens at The Troubadour, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Eleven guards and 31 prisoners die in riots at Attica State Prison, New York State, USA. Just a few weeks later, John Lennon will write the song Attica State, lamenting the deaths but also commenting on the poor living conditions and human rights violations in the prison which had led to the riot.

US Congressman Birch Bayh begins a speech in Congress with the words. "Mr President, I desire to pay tribute to a family of five young black musicians and singers from Gary, Indiana." His speech goes on to praise the Jackson 5's contribution not only to music but to the status of black Americans generally, and ends with the words, "Indiana and the nation are proud of the Jackson Five."

The Marshall Tucker Band plays a benefit show for presidential candidate Jimmy Carter at Fox Theater, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Rock Against Racism stages its first major music event, a gig featuring Matumbi, Carol Gri mes, Limosine and the London Boogie Band at the Royal College Of Art, London, England, UK, Europe.

United States President Jimmy Carter presents Minnie Riperton with the American Cancer Society's Courage Award, for her outstanding achievements in promoting awareness of how women can face up to life after breast cancer.

Pink Floyd's album The Wall is declared to be "prejudicial to the safety of South Africa" by that country's ruling apartheid government.

It is reported that James Brown has had a meeting with US President George Bush to discuss such issues as joblessness.

Wiltshire anarcho-punk band The Subhumans spend the last of five days recording their second album, From The Cradle To The Grave, for Bluurg Records.

Attila The Stockbroker plays at The Labour Club, Swaffham, England, UK, Europe.

Cheech And Chong release a new single, Born In East L.A., on MCA Records in the UK. The song is a parody of the Bruce Springsteen song Born In The USA.

A Kentucky school teacher who had been sacked for showing Pink Floyd's film The Wall to her class, loses her appeal for unfair dismissal in the US Supreme Court when the court rules that bad language and sexual content in the film is unsuitable for minors.

Run DMC, Public Enemy and Derek B play the first of two nights at The Apollo, Manchester, England, UK, Europe.

Nelson Mandela, the subject of many rock songs, including Free Nelson Mandela by The Special AKA is released from prison in South Africa.

Five-year-old Elian Gonzalez is found floating in an inner tube off the coast of Florida, USA. A small boat in which he had been fleeing Cuba for asylum in the USA had sunk, killing his mother, Elizabeth Broton, and five others. Elian's story will inspire Manic Street Preachers to write their song Baby Elian.

Merle Haggard issues a press release in support of the Dixie Chicks, stating, "I don't even know the Dixie Chicks, but I find it an insult for all the men and women who fought and died in past wars when almost the majority of America jumped down their throats for voicing an opinion. It was like a verbal witch-hunt and lynching." (Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks had made critical comments about United States President George W. Bush and the current situation in Iraq.)

Bill Frisell plays at The Library Of Congress, Washington DC, USA, accompanied by a string quartet.

Willie Nelson's attorney sends a letter to a Texas senator, declining an offer to have a toll road named in honour of the singer.

Oasis, Weezer, Kasabian, Yellowcard, The Others, Black Crowes, Public Enemy, Him, Inme, Bullet For My Valentine, Fightstar, The Las, Teenage Fanclub, Bloc Party, Death Cab For Cutie, Roddy Frame, Eighteen Visions, Alexisonfire and others play at the Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka, Japan, Asia.

The legendary CBGB's Club, New York City, USA, closes down with a gig by Blondie and Public Enemy. The club, recognised as the home of New York punk rock, has been forced to close because of rent increases.

The documentary film Dixie Chicks : Shut Up and Sing, about the life and career of the all-girl country trio after their criticism of American involvement in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, is premiered at The Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees appears on BBC1 tv's Breakfast show to discuss the start of work on a memorial in Green Park, London, to the men of Bomber Command in the Second World War. Gibb has been involved for several years in a campaign to have the memorial established.

Lady Gaga questions US president Obama about bullying when she attends a political fundraiser in Silicon Valley, California, USA. The $35,800-a-person event for about 70 people is held in the yard of Facebook boss, Cheryl Sandberg.

The Wu-Tang Clan play at The Congress Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

The Cult and Against Me! play at The Congress Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Laibach begin a European tour at Schuur, Luzern, Switzerland, Europe.

Ariana Grande, Coldplay, Justin Bieber, Black Eyed Peas, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Take That, Robbie Williams, Pharrell Williams, Little Mix, Liam Gallagher and Parrs Wood High School Choir take part in the One Love Concert at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, UK, Europe. The concert is a memorial and fund-raiser for those killed and injured in the bombing at Ariana Grande's recent concert (May 22) at Manchester Arena in Manchester.

Thunder On the Left release a new LP, National Insecurity.

It is reported that Southern country-rock group Confederate Railroad has lost a second gig - Aug 1 at Ulster County Fair in New York's Hudson Valley - because of objections over the use of the Confederate flag in its logo. Ulster County executive Pat Ryan states, "The Ulster County Fair must be an event that everyone can enjoy while representing the values of all members of our community. Any showcasing of a symbol of division and racism runs counter to that principle and will be vigorously opposed by my administration." Earlier this month, Illinois canceled a state fair appearance by the band.

Billionaire rap superstar Kanye West files the $35,000 filing fee to enter his name as an Independent Presidential Candidate onto the presidential ballot in Oklahoma, USA.