Sound City Studios was founded in 1969 by Joe Gottfried and Tom Skeeter. It struggled financially until Gottfried purchased "a state-of-the-art recording console from Rupert Neve, a British electronics genius who built technologically advanced audio gear: one of four in the world, a 28-input, 16-bus, 24-monitor 8028 with 1085 EQs and no automation" (from wiki).

The studio would go on to record a number of legendary artists and albums: Neil Young's After the Gold Rush (1970), several Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers albums, and Nirvana, Nevermind were all recorded at Sound City.

In May 2011, the studio closed it's commercial services, and is now used privately. Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) purchased the original Neve 8078 and installed it in his home studio. In 2013, Grohl made a documentary about the location called Sound City.

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The only U.S. president to be born in New York City, Theodore Roosevelt began life here on October 27, 1858.

The original Roosevelt brownstone was torn down in 1916, but has since been rebuilt to reflect the period, and is now a museum managed by the National Park Service.

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In 1961, the outlandish veteran wrestler Gorgeous George (then 46) and the up-and-coming boxer Cassius Clay (then 19) both had matches at the same venue for the same promoter.

They were on the radio promoting their matches, and the boxer gave a half-hearted bravado for his fight.

Gorgeous George followed up by saying:

“I am the Gorgeous One! Not only am I the best wrestler, the most highly skilled, with the greatest technique, but I’m also the most beautiful wrestler who ever lived! ...And if that uneducated punk somehow manages to beat me, I’ll take the next jet to Russia! But that will never happen, because I am the greatest!”

Cassius (later Muhammad Ali) was inspired. He realized that this was a fight that he had to see. Later, Gorgeous George gave Ali the following advice at the convention center:

"...a lot of people will pay to see somebody shut your big mouth. So keep on bragging, keep on sassing, and always be outrageous.”

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In 1986, brothers Basit Farooq Alvi and Amjad Farooq Alvi created the Brain virus, considered to be the first virus for MS-DOS.

Based out of Lahore, Pakistan, the brothers were trying to protect their medical software from piracy. Users would receive the message:

"Welcome to the Dungeon © 1986 Brain & Amjads (pvt). BRAIN COMPUTER SERVICES 730 NIZAM BLOCK ALLAMA IQBAL TOWN LAHORE-PAKISTAN PHONE: 430791,443248,280530. Beware of this VIRUS.... Contact us for vaccination..."

Today, the brothers have a company named Brain Telecommunications Ltd and provide a variety of computer-related services.

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Early rock and roll pioneer Gene Vincent died from a ruptured stomach lining on October 12, 1971 at the age of 36. He was interred at this cemetery shortly thereafter.

Gene Vincent lived a storied life, with adventures including being in the car crash that killed Eddie Cochran, shooting at Gary Glitter in a German hotel room, and playing with the Beatles at Shea Stadium.

The writer of "Be-Bop-A-Lula", Gene Vincent is in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

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