Joy Division's Ian Curtis. Credit: Remko Hoving via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Joy Division’s Ian Curtis. Credit: Remko Hoving via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Today in rock history: on this date in 1980, Ian Curtis, lead singer of post-punk pioneers Joy Division hanged himself. Curtis left a copy of Iggy Pop's "The Idiot" album spinning on a turntable at the time of his death and left a note stating: "At this very moment, I wish I were dead. I just can't cope anymore". Curtis left behind a small yet highly influential body of music.

Editor's note: This story was submitted early on May 18 before the unexpected death of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell was ruled suicide by hanging. The coincidence is saddening and eerie. We're watching Google search data to see if inquiries for "Ian Curtis" will increase in light of the loss of another irreplaceable music icon.

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Today in rock history, on this date in 1985 Scottish band Simple Minds hit the no. 1 spot on the Billboard singles chart with "Don't You (Forget About Me)". The song was the theme to the highly successful teen coming of age film, "The Breakfast Club". Written by producer and longtime Billy Idol collaborator Keith Forsey, the song was allegedly pitched to Idol to record first who passed on it. Simple Minds opted to record it and it gave them their biggest and most successful hit throughout various parts of the world.

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Today in rock history, on this date in 1966. New Jersey rock band The Castiles entered the Mr Music Inc. recording studio in Bricktown, New Jersey. The band had scraped together enough money to purchase 30 minutes of recording time where they laid down two tracks, "Baby I" and "That's What You Got". The songs were written by the band's lead singer, Bruce Springsteen. The songs were cut directly to disc and only seven or eight were made. Although extremely scarce, these historic recordings mark the very first time Springsteen ever entered a recording studio to record songs he's written.

Today in rock history, on this date in 1968. The two day Miami Pop Festival began. The music festival took place at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida and featured such top acts as Blue Cheer, Mothers of Invention, Chuck Berry and headliner Jimi Hendrix. It's estimated that over 25,000 fans attended the festival.

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This article appears in May 18-25, 2017.

I was born on a Sunday Morning.I soon received The Gift of loving music.Through music, I Found A Reason for living.It was when I discovered rock and roll that I Was Beginning To See The Light.Because through...