March 28, 2024

This Day in History: 2024-05-23

MAY 23rd

In a motel parking lot, various people dressed in clothing for different job roles with their eyes covered with a black bar. A black dog stands behind a veterinarian. The band's name (labeled as "AC/DC") is on the top in pink text with the album title placed in a white box with black text.Though issued in the U.K. nearly five years earlier, AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” peaks at #3 on the U.S. album chart. 1981

Poison’s debut, “Look What The Cat Dragged In,” is released.  1986

Exactly one year later, the album peaks at #3 on the Billboard 200 and goes on to sell 3-million copies.

From L.A. it’s the Billboard Music Awards.  The winner for the Top Rock Album honor is…. “Tickets To My Downfall (Machine Gun Kelly). Kelly also scores the Top Rock Artist honor.  2021

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Paul McCartney’s debut solo album, “McCartney,” begins a three-week run at #1 on the album chart.  1970

Iron Butterfly disband one month after “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” falls off the Album Chart, following a 138-week run. 1971

Peter Gabriel performs his final show with Genesis before going solo. It’s in St. Etienne, France. 1975

KISS unfurl “Dynasty.” The album goes platinum. 1979

Tom Petty files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy during a financial battle with his record label, MCA. In the end, Petty gets Backstreet Records (controlled by MCA). This sort of stuff only makes sense to lawyers. 1979

Five-and-a-half years after its release, Melissa Etheridge’s self-titled debut album goes platinum (one million sales). 1994

Oasis releases a statement saying that guitarist Noel Gallagher has left the band’s European tour following a row with his brother/bandmate Liam over the latter’s drinking.  2000

Billy Corgan announces that the Smashing Pumpkins will officially break-up at the end of the year, explaining he and his bandmates were tired of “fighting the good fight against the Britney’s of the world.”  That would be pop maven Britney Spears.   2000

U2 takes the Best Song award with “Walk On” at the 47th Ivor Novello Awards in London. 2002

Bret Michaels (Poison) wins Donald Trump’s reality show Celebrity Apprentice despite suffering a brain hemorrhage and a stroke, and the discovery of a hole in his heart. Michaels appears on the show’s season finale, against doctor’s orders. His $250,000 prize is donated to the American Diabetes Association. 2010

Metallica launch their first “day of service” inviting fans across the United States to volunteer at community food banks. It’s sponsored by the band’s All Within My Hands foundation, which aims to facilitate “volunteerism among the Metallica family.” Metallica practice what they preach. Drummer Lars Ulrich presents the SF-Marin Food Bank with a check for $5,000 and sorts fruit to be distributed to the needy. 2018

After a long day of volunteering there is a need for refreshment. Fortunately, Def Leppard Pale debuts. The beer was developed in association with Seattle’s Elysian Brewing Company. 2018