Rock History

On this day...

2011 – British singer-songwriter Adele is canceling the remainder of her sold out U.S. tour on This Day in Rock Music History! — 2011 – British singer-songwriter Adele is canceling the remainder of her sold out U.S. tour on This Day in Rock Music History! Adele, due to a hemorrhage in her vocal [...]

2009 – KISS founding drummer Peter Criss announced on his official website — kiss 2009 – KISS founding drummer Peter Criss announced on his official website that last year he was diagnosed with breast cancer. Yes, you read that right. We’ll let him fill [...]

2009 – Monkees vocalist Davy Jones ruled out ever reuniting with his former band mates after launching —   2009 - Monkees vocalist Davy Jones ruled out ever reuniting with his former band mates after launching a scathing attack on each of his old pals in The National Enquirer. “It’s [...]

2007 – Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Magic — Bruce Springsteen 2007 – Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Magic’, the singer, songwriter’s 15th studio album and 7th UK No.1. Also a US No.1 album. Be [...]

2006 – UK troublemakers Babyshambles are forced to postpone their British — 2006 – UK troublemakers Babyshambles are forced to postpone their British tour when leader Pete Doherty decides to return to rehab. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2005 – Boy George is arrested and charged with drugs possession — 2005 – Boy George is arrested and charged with drugs possession after police find over 3.5 grams of cocaine in his New York apartment. He faces up to 15 years [...]

2004 – Melissa Etheridge reveals that she has breast cancer. The “Come — 2004 – Melissa Etheridge reveals that she has breast cancer. The “Come to My Window” singer is forced to cancel her autumn tour in order to undergo treatment. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2004 – Britney Spears and Kevin Federline file their marriage license. — 2004 – Britney Spears and Kevin Federline file their marriage license. This formalizes the secret marriage ceremony they held in September. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2004 – Poison’s C. C. DeVille is named the worst guitarist soloist of all — 2004 – Poison’s C. C. DeVille is named the worst guitarist soloist of all time by Guitar World magazine. Exhibit A is his nine-minute solo from Swallow This … Live! [...]

2003 – Songwriter-guitarist Howie Day releases his second album, Stop — 2003 – Songwriter-guitarist Howie Day releases his second album, Stop All the World Now. It reaches No. 46 on the Billboard charts. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2003 – Brit-rockers Supergrass cancel their American tour after singer Gaz — 2003 – Brit-rockers Supergrass cancel their American tour after singer Gaz Coombes and keyboardist Rob Coombes return to the UK due to a family illness. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2003 – A judge orders a Japanese businessman to stay away from Britney — 2003 – A judge orders a Japanese businessman to stay away from Britney Spears after declaring Masahiko Shizawa “was abnormally obsessed and fixated with Spears.” Join the club! Be Sociable, [...]

2003 – The FCC declare U2 singer Bono’s use of an obscenity during — 2003 – The FCC declare U2 singer Bono’s use of an obscenity during the Golden Globe Awards did not violate broadcast indecency rules. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2003 – ’80s pop duo Tears for Fears announce they are reforming — 2003 – ’80s pop duo Tears for Fears announce they are reforming. The “Shout” hit-makers Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith last recorded together in 1989. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2000 – Phish, on the verge of an extended career h… — 2000 – Phish, on the verge of an extended career hiatus, wraps its 2000 touring efforts with a sold out show in Mountain View, Calif. The band grossed $22.3 million [...]

2000 – Howard Stern is named nationally syndicated… — 2000 – Howard Stern is named nationally syndicated personality of the year at the 2000 Chart Toppers/Airplay Monitor Radio Awards, presented in New York at the close of the publication’s [...]

2000 – Chris LeDoux gets his new liver. The cowboy… — 2000 – Chris LeDoux gets his new liver. The cowboy singer, diagnosed two months earlier with primary sclerosing cholangitis, undergoes transplant surgery at the Nebraska Health System hospital in Omaha, [...]

1999 – For the first time since 1995, a Garth Broo… — 1999 – For the first time since 1995, a Garth Brooks album fails to debut at No. 1 on the Chart Toppers 200 chart. Brooks’ ambitious but puzzling attempt to [...]

1999 – Don Henley and Eagles Ltd. file a federal s… — 1999 – Don Henley and Eagles Ltd. file a federal suit against Lovearth, a Sarasota, Fla.- based Internet company, alleging that its registration of the domain names donhenley. net, don-henley.org, [...]

1999 – Backstreet Boys and Korn are multiple winne… — 1999 – Backstreet Boys and Korn are multiple winners at the inaugural ARTISTdirect Online Music Awards at the House of Blues in West Hollywood. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1997 – Continuing a verbal sparring match which st… — 1997 – Continuing a verbal sparring match which started earlier in the month, Elton John replies to Keith Richards’ charge that John’s only claim to fame is “writing songs for [...]

1996 – Bruce Springsteen’s solo show at Charlotte, N.C.’s Ovens Auditorium — 1996 – Bruce Springsteen’s solo show at Charlotte, N.C.’s Ovens Auditorium sells out in eight minutes. He’s promoting his Ghost of Tom Joad album Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1996 – Michael Jackson plays his first tour in Afr… — 1996 – Michael Jackson plays his first tour in Africa or the Arab world. Jackson performs at the El Menzah Stadium in Tunis where he plays to more than 60,000 [...]

1996 – Bruce Springsteen, continuing his rash of a… — 1996 – Bruce Springsteen, continuing his rash of amazing ticket sales for his solo acoustic tour, sells out at the 2,600 capacity Charlotte’s Ovens Auditorium in eight minutes flat. Be [...]

1996 – A number of the NFL’s top quarterbacks join… — 1996 – A number of the NFL’s top quarterbacks join the “Rock the Vote” roster of recording artists working to educate Americans about current political issues. Jeff Blake of the [...]

1995 – Tone-Loc is well and truly busted. Los Angeles cops arrest him for allegedly — 1995 – Tone-Loc is well and truly busted. Los Angeles cops arrest him for allegedly taking $80 from a pizza parlor. The rapper said he took his own money back [...]

1995 – David Bowie releases 1. Outside. The obtuse album – purportedly — 1995 – David Bowie releases 1. Outside. The obtuse album – purportedly about an “art detective” – is his first collaboration with Brian Eno since the Berlin trilogy. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1995 – The musical Kristina Fran Duvelma premieres at the Storan Theatre in Malmo — 1995 – The musical Kristina Fran Duvelma premieres at the Storan Theatre in Malmo, Sweden. It’s the latest product of the pens of Abba songwriter Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson. Be [...]

1995 – Peter Frampton kicks off a tour in Boston t… — 1995 – Peter Frampton kicks off a tour in Boston three days before the release of “Frampton Comes Alive II,” the sequel to his 1975 smash “Frampton Comes Alive” – [...]

1989 – Jefferson Airplane perform a benefit for the San Francisco Food Bank — 1989 – <!-- colorize(3); //--> Jefferson Airplane perform a benefit for the San Francisco Food Bank. All you have to do to get in is donate a can of food. Be [...]

1986 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “When I Think… — 1986 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “When I Think of You,” Janet Jackson. With this song, Michael and Janet Jackson become the first siblings to both have solo [...]

1982 – Jimmy Page is found guilty of cocaine possession. He’s given a — 1982 – Jimmy Page is found guilty of cocaine possession. He’s given a 12-month conditional discharge. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1980 – A court rules that the death of John Bonham, Led Zeppelin’s drummer — 1980 – A court rules that the death of John Bonham, Led Zeppelin’s drummer, was accidental. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1980 – Dusty Springfield (“Son of a Preacher Man”) plays New York’s Grand — 1980 – Dusty Springfield (“Son of a Preacher Man”) plays New York’s Grand Finale club. It’s the first time she’s played Manhattan since 1972. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1978 – On today’s singles chart, Boston’s “Don’t Look Back” peaks at N — 1978 – On today’s singles chart, Boston’s “Don’t Look Back” peaks at No. 4, while Exile continue to hold the No. 1 spot with “Kiss You All Over.” Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1977 – Guitarist Steve Hackett leaves Genesis to start a solo career. — 1977 – Guitarist Steve Hackett leaves Genesis to start a solo career. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1977 – David Bowie releases Heroes, the second album in his trilogy recorded — 1977 – David Bowie releases Heroes, the second album in his trilogy recorded with Brian Eno. It peaks at No. 35. Rolling Stone applauds: “Eno clearly has effected a nearly [...]

1976 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “A Fifth of B… — 1976 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “A Fifth of Beethoven,” Walter Murphy & the Big Apple Band. The song is a disco-tinged instrumental version of “Beethoven’s Symphony No. [...]

1975 – John Lennon can finally stay in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals — 1975 – John Lennon can finally stay in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals in New York rules that his 1968 pot bust is an invalid excuse for forcing [...]

1974 – Stephen Stills backs his wife, French pop chanteuse Veronique — 1974 – Stephen Stills backs his wife, French pop chanteuse Veronique Sanson, in her first Parisian show. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1970 – Ned Kelly, the second film starring Mick Jagger, is released in Britain — 1970 – Ned Kelly, the second film starring Mick Jagger, is released in Britain. Leonard Maltin says, “Many good songs on the soundtrack, written by Shel Silverstein,” tactfully avoiding the [...]

1967 – The Beatles turn down a million-dollar offer to play Shea Stadium — 1967 – The Beatles turn down a million-dollar offer to play Shea Stadium again. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1967 – Mama Cass Elliot spends the night in a London jail after not paying — 1967 – Mama Cass Elliot spends the night in a London jail after not paying her hotel bill. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1966 – Johnny Kidd, he of Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, dies in a car accident — 1966 – Johnny Kidd, he of Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, dies in a car accident in Radcliff, England. The Who later turned the group’s 1960 hit “Shakin’ All Over” [...]

1964 – On Shindig! tonight, TV viewers watch the Beatles perform a prerecorded — 1964 – On Shindig! tonight, TV viewers watch the Beatles perform a prerecorded set in London. The band plays “I’m a Loser,” “Kansas City,” and “Boys.” The Beatles meet with [...]

1963 – The Beatles visit London’s Strand Theatre to see the musical A Funn — 1963 – The Beatles visit London’s Strand Theatre to see the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1961 – The Platters, Del Shannon, The Drifters, Brook Benton, U.S. Bonds, — 1961 – The Platters, Del Shannon, The Drifters, Brook Benton, U.S. Bonds, Dee Clark, The Clefftones and Curtis Lee all appeared at Wichita Forum, Kansas. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1959 – Opera star Mario Lanza dies of a heart atta… — 1959 – Opera star Mario Lanza dies of a heart attack at the age of 38. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1957 – RCA announces that so far it has received 500,000 advance orders — 1957 – RCA announces that so far it has received 500,000 advance orders for Elvis Presley’s Christmas album. And it was going to press only 200,000 copies! Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1953 – Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres is born. — 1953 – Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres is born this day in rock history! Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1953 – Cathy Carson of Hot (“Angel in Your Arms”) is born. — 1953 – Cathy Carson of Hot (“Angel in Your Arms”) is born. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1951 – John Mellencamp is born in Seymour, Ind. He… — 1951 – John Mellencamp is born in Seymour, Ind. He is given the name Johnny Cougar by David Bowie’s manager, Tony DeFries, and records under the name until 1982. Be [...]

1949 – Bassist Dave Hope of Kansas is born in Kansas this day — 1949 – Bassist Dave Hope of Kansas is born in Kansas this day in rock history! Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1945 – Kevin Godley, drummer with 10cc and later a respected vide — 1945 – Kevin Godley, drummer with 10cc and later a respected video director, is born in Manchester, England. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1943 – Dino Valenti is born in New York. He wrote the Youngbloods hit “Get — 1943 – Dino Valenti is born in New York. He wrote the Youngbloods hit “Get Together,” and was the personality Quicksilver Messenger Service formed around in one of its later [...]

1941 – Martin Murray of the Honeycombs is born in … — 1941 – Martin Murray of the Honeycombs is born in London. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1939 – Born on this day, Colin Cooper, Climax Blues Band, (1977 US No.3 & — 1939 – Born on this day, Colin Cooper, Climax Blues Band, (1977 US No.3 & 1976 UK No.10 single ‘Couldn’t Get It Right’). Died on 3rd July 2008. Be Sociable, Share! [...]