It’s January 4th and here are some reasons why this day matters in rock history:

In 2004, Ray Davies of The Kinks was shot in the leg in New Orleans. The “Waterloo Sunset” songwriter took a bullet as he pursued two men who stole his girlfriend's purse at gunpoint.

In 1986, Thin Lizzy’s bassist-singer Phil Lynott died in the intensive care unit of Salisbury Infirmary in England. His kidneys, liver and heart failed due to blood poisoning and multiple internal abscesses caused by drug abuse. He was 35.

In 1967, The Doors released their self-titled debut album.

In 1970, The Who drummer Keith Moon accidentally killed his chauffeur by running him over. Moon, who never passed his driving test, was escaping a group of skinheads after a fight broke out at an English pub.

In 1973, The Allman Brothers Band announced through Rolling Stone magazine that bassist Lamar Williams had been hired as the replacement for Berry Oakley, who died in a motorcycle crash in 1972.

In 2001, Madame Tussaud’s in London revealed that Oasis singer Liam Gallagher had come third in the Most Hated Characters list of exhibits, behind Adolf Hitler and Slobodan Milosevic.

In 2011, “Baker Street” singer Gerry Rafferty passed away at age 63.

And in 2013, longtime Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano left the band on amicable terms so that he could work on other projects.

And that’s what happened today in rock history.

(H/T This Day in Music)

Mel Taylor