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Today in Rock
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March Twenty First Featured Artist
There’s a Starbucks on Penny Lane. Paul McCartney officially becomes the first artist to sign with Starbucks' Hear Music label (launched in partnership with Concord Records). The former Beatle states he's already started an album. "This is something I've been working on for a little while now," says McCartney "A lot of it's very personal to me. The songs are in some ways a little bit retrospective." 2007 |
| | 1950's | Supertramp’s Roger Hodgson (Charles Roger Pomfret Hodgson) is born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. He’s the one with the high-pitched voice. 1950
A rather auspicious beginning. It’s the first Rock n’ Roll concert. Put on by Cleveland DJ Alan Freed, there is a riot, vandalism and only one song played. Everybody has a great time. 1951 | | 1960's | | The Beatles play Liverpool’s Cavern Club for the first time. They perform a few hundred shows at the venue. 1961
All Beatles, all the time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. “She Loves You” lands at #1. This song, along with “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “Can’t Buy Me Love,” allow The Beatles to hold the #1 spot on the U.S. pop survey for three consecutive months. 1964
Andrew Copeland, guitarist for Sister Hazel, has a birthday. 1968 | | 1970's | | The Faces, with vocalist Rod Stewart, release their debut album, “First Step.” 1970
David Bowie and Iggy Pop are arrested in New York and charged with marijuana possession. That’s pretty lightweight stuff for these two. The pair make bail and the charges are dropped providing they aren’t arrested again in the coming year. 1976
Bassist Sid Vicious makes his debut with the Sex Pistols. It’s at Notre Dame Halls in London. Sid’s future significant other (and victim), Nancy Spungen, is in the audience. 1977 | | 1980's | | Rock ballad week. REO Speedwagon score their first major hit with "Keep On Lovin’ You." It’s #1 on the pop chart, followed by a couple more ballads; the late John Lennon’s "Woman" (#2) and "Best Of Times" (#3) from Styx. 1981
"Let me take you down, because I’m going to Strawberry Fields." Strawberry Fields in New York’s Central Park is dedicated in John Lennon’s memory. 1983
U2’s “The Joshua Tree,” selling 235,000 copies in its first week, enters the U.K. chart at #1. 1987
ZZ Top plays the last show of their 14 month “Afterburner” tour in Honolulu. 1987
| | 1990's | The man who invented the electric guitar, Leo Fender (hence Fender guitars), dies. 1991
The Chicago based Smashing Pumpkins sign a record deal with Caroline Records/Virgin. The group started as a duo with guitarist Billy Corgan and bassist D’Arcy. 1991
Eric Clapton’s touching ballad, "Tears In Heaven" (about his deceased son, Conner), goes to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 1992
Bruce Springsteen gets a Best Original Song Oscar for the mournful “Streets of Philadelphia.” The song appears in “Philadelphia” starring Tom Hanks. 1994
MTV airs Melissa Etheridge’s "Unplugged" set. There’s also a duet with Bruce Springsteen on "Thunder Road." 1995 | | 2000's | The Black Crowes' first-ever concert DVD, "Freak 'N' Roll . . . Into the Fog," features two-and-a-half hours of footage recorded during the band's August '05 stint in San Francisco. The DVD includes a cover of the Band's "The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down," and behind-the-scenes clips. 2006
Where is the sacrificial ring? Has anybody checked the wash basin? The Beatles: The Making of Help!, a deluxe DVD with a book of rare photographs, is released. 2006
Red Hot Chili Peppers make their entire back catalog, from their self-titled ‘84 debut to ‘02's “By the Way,” available for purchase digitally in North America through iTunes. There are extra tracks, bonus videos and artwork. 2006
Kid Rock is accused of helping beat up three men outside a Hollywood bar in ‘06. A lawsuit filed in L.A. contends the alleged victims were "assaulted and battered" by Rock and others after asking for autographs. The plaintiffs, who also claim Rock’s party stole cameras and bags during the attack, seek a settlement worth at least $15 million. Must have been very expensive cameras. 2008
Collective Soul begin their headlining tour in support of their "Afterwords" CD in little ol’ Reno, NV. 2008
South Africa's My Coke Fest begins with performances by KoRn and Chris Cornell during the four-day event. 2008
Guns N' Roses reveal that Dj Ashba has replaced Robin Finck. "Dj's a gifted, energetic guitarist that Guns N' Roses is proud to have on board," says singer Axl Rose in a statement. Finck left in ‘08 to rejoin Nine Inch Nails touring line-up. Ashba is best known as a member of Sixx: A.M., Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx's side group. 2009
Disturbed’s Music as a Weapon IV tour begins in Waterloo, IA. The group also introduces an Official Bootleg Series offering audio downloads of all of their tour performances. Killswitch Engage and Lacuna Coil are the opening acts. 2009
The Neil Young concert film Trunk Show premieres at the South By Southwest Festival in Austin, TX. Directed by Jonathan Demme, the movie has footage from a pair of ’07 Philly shows. 2009
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