The Capitol Records Tower of Power

On this date in 1949, RCA Records issued the first ever 45 rpm single. So, why am I featuring their rival, Capitol Records, in this post? Because, as we celebrate this anniversary, it gives me the perfect opportunity to show how the little vinyl disc influenced the design of one of the world's most famous buildings - the Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood. This landmark, built to resemble a stack of records, has been featured in countless movies and TV shows filmed in and around Tinseltown, so you're bound to have seen it.

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Jimmy Page: Pre-Zepped

"I want to do biological research [to find a cure for] cancer, if it isn't discovered by then." So said future Led Zeppelin guitar great Jimmy Page to a TV program host who asked him his future plans, following the lad's performance on a BBC talent show in 1957. So, should we be disappointed that the 13-year-old didn't follow through with that lofty goal? Uh, no. Page is considered one of the world's greatest musicians, primarily known for his 12 years with the hard-rocking, eardrum-shattering Zeppelin. But long before joining up with Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham in 1968, he was considered a hot commodity -- not only as a key member of seminal electric blues band The Yardbirds, but also as a highly sought-after session guitarist. His work can be heard on recordings by some of the most popular artists of the 1960s. Here's a look at some of them.

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