On this day in rock history, the Beatles recorded "Helter Skelter." Paul McCartney reportedly wrote the song after reading that the Who had recorded their loudest and most raucous song to date.

Fleetwood Mac released their third album, Then Play On, on Sept. 9, 1968. Thanks to the addition of Danny Kirwan to the lineup, the group began to move away from being a traditional blues band. Rush's Signals saw them build upon the commercial success of Moving Pictures and score one of their biggest hits in "New World Man." Neil Young brought back Crazy Horse in 1990 for Ragged Glory. The record continued Young's late-career comeback that began with the previous year's Freedom.

The Secret Policeman's Other Ball, a benefit for Amnesty International that mixed music and comedy, was held at Drury Lane in London. Phil Collins and Sting gave their first-ever performances away from their bands, Genesis and the Police, respectively. A four-day auction at Sotheby's in London saw Elton John sell off 2,000 of his personal belongings, including the giant platform boots he wore in the movie Tommy and more than 50 pairs of bedazzled eyeglasses. John netted $8.2 million from the sale.

Watch an exciting recap of many of the day’s biggest rock anniversaries above, narrated by our radio host Zach Martin. And learn more about these important events by clicking the links below.

News Anniversaries:
The Beatles record "Helter Skelter" (1968)
Sting and Phil Collins make their solo debuts (1981)
Elton John auctions off his possessions (1988)

Album Anniversaries:
Fleetwood Mac, Then Play On (1969)
Rush, Signals (1982)
Neil Young, Ragged Glory (1990)

Beatles Albums Ranked Worst to Best

 

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