Today's Tune: "Space Truckin" By Deep Purple

Image credit: NASA,ESA and G. Bacon (STScI)

I've got a few reasons for picking "Space Truckin" by Deep Purple for today. On August 20, 1975, NASA launched the Viking 1 probe onto it's way toward the planet Mars. Then, on August 20, 1977, Voyager 2 was sent out to go beyond Mars to investigate planets further out. Both were highly successful in their missions. Also, quite a few actors that appeared in the classic Doctor Who television series were born on an August 20.

Birthdays on August 20: 1932 - English actor Anthony Ainley (Upstairs, Downstairs, 'The Land That Time Forgot', Doctor Who), 1941 - English musician and singer Dave Brock (Hawkwind), 1942 - American singer, musician and actor Isaac Hayes (The Rockford Files, Stargate SG-1), 1943 - Scottish actor of all mediums Sylvester McCoy (The Last Place On Earth, Doctor Who, King Lear), 1948 - English vocalist Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin), 1949 - Irish singer, songwriter and musician Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy) born in England, 1962 - English actress and television presenter Sophie Aldred (Doctor Who, Corners, Dimensions In Time), and in 1971 - English comedian, writer and actor David Walliams (Little Britain, Marple, 'A Cock And Bull Story').

Deep Purple - "Space Truckin" Live in New York, NY (1973).

Today's Tune: "Hotter Than Hell" By Kiss

It's been a really hot day for my area. How about you? Harford County and the rest of Maryland has heated up to the upper nineties, with a heat index well into the 100s. Gotta feel lucky though, it's been a very mild summer so far around here. The South have been dealing with these temps for a good while now. But, for today at least, it feels "Hotter Than Hell".

August 10 birthdays include American singer Ronnie Spector (66 years old) of The Ronettes and Ian Anderson (62 years old), Scottish singer and musician from the band Jethro Tull.

American singer, musician and actor Isaac Hayes passed away on this day in 2008. He was 10 days away from turning 66 years old.

Kiss - "Hotter Than Hell" from the Alive! (1975) album.