This Day in History: 2025-02-21

FEBRUARY 21^st

The Beatles “Nowhere Man” is released in the U.S. Though credited to John Lennon/Paul McCartney, it was predominately written by John after he’d fruitlessly spent the night trying to come up with a song and decided to take a break. “Then ‘Nowhere Man’ came, words and music, the whole damn thing as I lay down,” recalled Lennon. 1966

The song appears on the “Yesterday And Today” album and the “Yellow Submarine” soundtrack.

Bonnie Raitt has a big night at the 32nd Grammy Awards in L.A. She wins Album of the Year (“Nick Of Time”), Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female (“Nick Of Time”) and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female (“Nick Of Time”). Also, Paul McCartney receives a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as a solo artist.  1990

Disarm,” by the Smashing Pumpkins, is released. Written by Billy Corgan, who considers it the most personally important song on the “Siamese Dream” (pictured) album is banned by the U.K.’s Top of the Pops T.V. show because of the lyric “cut that little child.” In the U.S., the track peaks at #5 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. 1994

Paramore’s “This Is Why” debuts at #1 on Billboard’s Top Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Album Sales charts. The set holds the #2 spot on the Billboard 200.  2023Milo Silvestro (on the right) is announced as Fear Factory’s lead vocalist.  “I’ve been a fan of the band for many years and it feels very surreal but I’m excited to be part of it,” states Silvestro. 2023

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads has a birthday. The Milwaukee native  is the oldest member of the original line-up. 1949

Sublime bassist (’88-’96) Eric Wilson enters the world. 1970

Randy Blythe (David Randall Blythe), lead vocalist and lyricist for Lamb Of God, is born.  1971

Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen has a birthday. 1981

Featuring “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On The Run” REO Speedwagon’s “Hi Infidelity” begins a six-week run at #1 on the Billboard 200.  1981

New Years Day vocalist Ash Costello is born in Anaheim, CA.   1985

Neil Young’s “Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World” is performed live in Seattle for the first time without the band having rehearsed it.  The song is released a month-and-a half later.  1989

Steely Dan’s “Two Against Nature,” the group’s first studio album in nearly 20 years, wins Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album Grammys. It’s the first time the group, long passed its prime, gets a Grammy. On a more relevant note, U2’s “Beautiful Day” picks up Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Rock Performance while Foo Fighters get the Best Rock Album nod for “There Is Nothing Left To Lose” and Best Short Form Music Video for “Learn To Fly.”  2001

Bawitdaba or just Cocky? Kid Rock files a lawsuit in Detroit seeking to halt the sale and distribution of a ’99 videotape featuring him and ex-Creed singer Scott Stapp engaging in sex acts with four women. “We don’t deny the authenticity of the tape,” says an attorney for Rock. “But they’re using this without his permission.”  Rock wins the case. 2006

Kid Rock is the Grand Marshal of New Orleans’ Endymion Parade during Mardi Gras. Rock later performs at the Superdome. 2009

A fine use of tax dollars. After receiving $1.5 billion in federal bank bailout money (and laying off 450 employees), Northern Trust of Chicago throws a huge L.A. party for clients and employees, paying $50,000 to have the House of Blues shut down for a private Sheryl Crow concert. 2009

Econoline Crush sue Nickelback because they feel “Figured You Out” is a knock-off of their single “All That You Are.” 2011

Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) performs in Madison, WN in support of protesters railing against a bill proposed by Republican governor Scott Walker that would effectively exclude state employees from collective bargaining. 2011

To protest the Russian Orthodox Church’s endorsement of a third term for President Vladimir Putin, the female Punk band Pussy Riot perform “Mother Of God, Chase Putin Away!” on the altar of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, the holiest site in Russian Orthodoxy. The performance lasts a little over a minute before Church security drag the band out. A couple weeks later, the group is arrested on charges of ‘hooliganism motivated by religious hatred’, which has nothing to do with their political protest. 2012

Foo Fighters make their debut appearance at the Brit Awards, the U.K.’s equivalent of the Grammys. They perform “The Sky Is A Neighborhood.” The Foos, who are already four-time BRIT winners take home the International Group award (again).  2018

Founding Monkees bassist/vocalist Peter Tork dies at age 77. Tork, along with Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith became famous when The Monkees TV show debuted in ’66. The comedy program about a struggling band featured a song in every segment. Tork left the group in ‘68 but participated in subsequent tours.  2019

Mr. Big‘s music video for the ballad “To Be With You” surpasses 100-million views on YouTube.  The second single from Mr. Big’s second album, “Lean Into It” (1991), held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks.  2023

 A sexual assault lawsuit filed against Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler is dismissed. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan rules that Tyler’s actions in ’75 didn’t present a “serious risk of physical injury” to the plaintiff – the then 17-year-old model Jeanne Bellino. Tyler allegedly fondled and groped her twice. She brought the case forward last November as part of New York City’s Victim of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act.  2024

Foreigner’s founding guitarist Mick Jones announces on social media that he is living with Parkinsons disease, While Foreigner are on a North American farewell tour, Jones has not performed with the band since ’22.  2024