What Happened on January 2, 1975

• US Department of Interior designates grizzly bear a threatened species

• Chris Cheney, Australian rockabilly guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist (The Living End - "One Said to the Other"; "White Noise"; The Wrights - "Evie"), record producer and studio owner, born in Melbourne, Australia
• Dax Shepard, American actor (Parenthood (TV series); CHiPS (movie)), born in Highland Township, Michigan
• Doug Robb, American singer (Hoobastank - "The Reason"), born in Agoura Hills, California
• Reuben Thorne, New Zealand rugby union flanker and captain (50 caps; captain 2002-03; Canterbury Crusaders), born in Christchurch, New Zealand

• Lenn Hjortzberg, Swedish director ("Persona"; "Through a Glass Darkly"), dies at 55
• Theo Osterkamp, German fighter pilot, dies at 82

Holidays: Day after New Year's Day (New Zealand), New Year Holiday (United Kingdom)

• #1 Song: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds - Elton John
• #1 Song: Lonely This Christmas - Mud