Rock History

On this day...

2008 – Pete Doherty, accussed of destroying a ‘Papparazzi’s’ Camera, pleaded guilty on This Day in Rock! — 2008 – Pete Doherty, accussed of destroying a ‘Papparazzi’s’ Camera, pleaded guilty on This Day in Rock! Losing his temper with Catherine Mead when she ‘Papparazzied’ Pete around Crewkerne and [...]

2005 – Patrick Sherry died on This Day in Rock! — 2005 – Patrick Sherry died Rockin’ a Dive off stage on This Day in Rock! Sherry lept towards the crowd at the end of the bands set and tried to [...]

2005 – Death Cab for Cutie wrap up the two-day Lollapalooza Festival — 2005 – Death Cab for Cutie wrap up the two-day Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago with a headlining set. Other performers during the weekend included the Pixies, The Kaiser Chiefs, and [...]

2005 – Singing squaddie James Blunt tops both the U.K. album and singles — 2005 – Singing squaddie James Blunt tops both the U.K. album and singles chart with his debut Back to Bedlam and “You’re Beautiful.”

2003 – Ashanti and Ja Rule headline Hot 97′s Hot Summer — 2003 – Ashanti and Ja Rule headline Hot 97′s Hot Summer Night show on a New York pier. Newcomer Loon and Fat Joe also perform.

2003 – The film Masked and Anonymous, starring Bob Dylan — 2003 – The film Masked and Anonymous, starring Bob Dylan as an enigmatic rock performer, opens in New York. Sounds like a stretch.

2000 – Motown legend Smokey Robinson joins the ran… — 2000 – Motown legend Smokey Robinson joins the ranks of music stars-turned-radio stars when he dons his own on-air persona on Los Angeles station KCMG (Mega 92.3) with the show [...]

1998 – The “Gift To The Nation” concert, a combina… — 1998 – The “Gift To The Nation” concert, a combination of two separate events in Johannesburg, and Durban, South Africa, begins. The concerts are to celebrate President Nelson Mandela’s 80th [...]

1998 – It is announced that Aerosmith will postpon… — 1998 – It is announced that Aerosmith will postpone the first 13 dates of its 50-date U.S. tour following a freak gas station fire that leaves drummer Joey Krammer with [...]

1998 – Country singer Tanya Tucker files a $300,00… — 1998 – Country singer Tanya Tucker files a $300,000 lawsuit against Capitol Records Nashville, contending that the label has willfully neglected her career.

1995 – Public Enemy postpones its televised farewe… — 1995 – Public Enemy postpones its televised farewell concert in Great Britain after rap group member Flava Flav breaks his arms in a scooter accident.

1995 – A three-night celebration at Carnegie Hall … — 1995 – A three-night celebration at Carnegie Hall saluting Frank Sinatra’s 80th Birthdays kicks off. Linda Ronstadt, Michael Feinstein, Joe Williams and Margaret Whiting are among those to pay homage [...]

1993 – Reggae group UB40 scores its second No. 1 s… — 1993 – Reggae group UB40 scores its second No. 1 single, a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” from the film “Sliver.” It marks the first time [...]

1993 – Phil Solem, a singer/songwriter with the gr… — 1993 – Phil Solem, a singer/songwriter with the group the Rembrandts, and his wife, Mia, have a son in Minneapolis. They name the child Nicholas Philip.

1990 – The case against Judas Priest opens in Reno, Nev. The band — 1990 – The case against Judas Priest opens in Reno, Nev. The band members are accused of planting subliminal messages in their album Stained Class that led two young fans [...]

1988 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Roll with It… — 1988 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Roll with It,” Steve Winwood.

1987 – La Bamba, the Ritchie Valens biopic, opens in theaters — 1987 – La Bamba, the Ritchie Valens biopic, opens in theaters starring Lou Diamond Phillips. “La Bamba” is a folk song whose origins can be traced to the Mexican state of [...]

1984 – Huey Lewis & the News’ set leads several audience members — 1984 – Huey Lewis & the News’ set leads several audience members to collapse from exhaustion at the North Dakota State Fair.

1980 – Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra announces… — 1980 – Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra announces he will run for mayor of San Francisco. He comes fourth.

1978 – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, starring — 1978 – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, starring Peter Frampton, George Burns, and the Bee Gees, opens in New York. As I recall, the general consensus of the times… everyone [...]

1977 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “I Just Want … — 1977 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “I Just Want to Be Your Everything,” Andy Gibb. The song is written by Andy’s brother, Barry.

1972 – The No. 1 record in the U.K. is T. Rex’s “Get It On.” — 1972 – The No. 1 record in the U.K. is T. Rex’s “Get It On.”

1972 – In Chicago, Bobby Ramirez, a drummer with Edgar Winter’s — 1972 – In Chicago, Bobby Ramirez, a drummer with Edgar Winter’s White Trash, is killed in a barroom brawl.

1967 – The Elvis Presley movie “Double Trouble” … — 1967 – The Elvis Presley movie “Double Trouble” premieres. Released alongside the CD. Double Trouble is the soundtrack to the 1967 film Double Trouble. The first nine songs on the music [...]

1965 – At the Newport Folk Festival today, Bob Dylan performs — 1965 – At the Newport Folk Festival today, Bob Dylan performs “All I Really Wanna Do” at an afternoon workshop. The following day he scandalizes the festival when he makes [...]

1964 – A riot breaks out when the Rolling Stones play the English — 1964 – A riot breaks out when the Rolling Stones play the English city of Blackpool, contributing to their bad-boys-of-rock image.

1964 – Bob Dylan performs at the Newport Folk Festival, showing — 1964 – Bob Dylan performs at the Newport Folk Festival, showing off his new originals-only singer/songwriter image rather than the Dustbowl Orphan of yore. The reviews are not great.

1961 – Extreme drummer Paul Geary is born this day in rock history! — 1961 – Extreme drummer Paul Geary is born this day in rock history!

1958 – Mick Karn, bassist with the English avant-New Romantics Japan — 1958 – Mick Karn, bassist with the English avant-New Romantics Japan, is born in London.

1957 – Drummer Alan Whitehead of Marmalade (“Reflections — 1957 – Drummer Alan Whitehead of Marmalade (“Reflections of My Life”) is born in Oswestry, England.

1956 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “I Want You, … — 1956 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You,” Elvis Presley.

1951 – Lynval Golding, rhythm guitarist with the Specials, is born — 1951 – Lynval Golding, rhythm guitarist with the Specials, is born this day in rock history!

1945 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “On the Atchi… — 1945 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe,” Johnny Mercer.

1934 – Jimmy Holiday, who wrote “Put a Little Love in — 1934 – Jimmy Holiday, who wrote “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” for Jackie DeShannon, is born in Sallis, Miss.