This Day in History: 2024-08-12

AUGUST 12th

A cover of Ian Hunter’s “Once Bitten Twice Shy” puts Great White into the Top 10 (#5) on the pop chart. 1989

“Metallica” (aka “The Black Album”) is out. The group’s fifth studio album contains “Enter Sandman” and “The Unforgiven.” Staying on the Billboard 200 for 307 weeks, the album sells over 30 million copies worldwide. 1991

Linkin Park has 23 titles on Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs chart — less than three weeks following the death of the band’s lead singer, Chester Bennington, who committed suicide on 7/20. The ’01 track “Numb” is #1 on the survey.  2017

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Dire Straits’ leader Mark Knopfler is born. 1949

Pete Best begins a two year and two-day stint as The Beatles’ drummer. He is eventually sacked in favor of Ringo Starr just as The Beatles are about to crack the big time. 1960

Janis Joplin performs her final concert at Harvard University.  The show closes with her version of Gershwin’s “Summertime.” Joplin fatally overdoses on heroin less than two months later.  1970

MTV airs “The Dance” Fleetwood Mac’s reunion concert that was filmed on a Warner soundstage in Burbank months earlier. 1997

Scott Weiland, frontman for Stone Temple Pilots, pleads guilty to felony heroin possession and is sentenced to three months in a drug treatment facility and three-year’s probation. The judge tells Weiland to “Please get your life together.”  1998

Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones) and Jerry Hall divorce. Hall is awarded $25 million, saying that Jagger had been unfaithful during the entire course of their relationship. 1999

Ozzy Osbourne announces he will no longer headline Ozzfest. “After 10 years, the Ozzfest’s name and reputation has been established,” says Osbourne in an online statement. Osbourne says he will only play selected Ozzfest dates in the future. 2005

Long time indie band, Sleater-Kinney, go on ‘indefinite hiatus’ following a show at Portland’s (OR) Crystal Ballroom. 2006

Lorde (real name is Ella Yelich-O’Conner) becomes the first female solo artist to top Billboard’s Alternative Rock chart since Tracy Bonham did it with “Mother Mother” 17 years earlier. “Royals” is from Lorde’s EP, “The Love Club.” 2013

KISS members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are featured in the AMC series, “4th And Loud.” The 10-episode series chronicles the pair’s Arena Football League team, the L.A. KISS. 2014

Impact Ventures, the parent company of TNA Wrestling and Impact Wrestling, announce the appointment of Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) as its president. Corgan, a major wrestling fan, is responsible for leading day-to-day operations for Impact and its affiliated brands.  2016

Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again“ is heard in a Walmart in a “Back To School” commercial.  2016

Canadian cannabis and fertilizer company Invictus states that Gene Simmons (KISS) has left his position as the company’s “chief evangelist officer.”  He joined the company in March ‘18 and continues to be an Invictus shareholder. “I have enjoyed my time with Invictus,” says Simmons. “I remain a big fan!”  2019

Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson says he has tested positive for COVID-19 after being vaccinated.  He abruptly postpones a spoken-word tour when a member of his immediate household contracts the novel coronavirus.  2021

Shinedown vocalist Brent Smith donates $10,000 to Spiritbox to help cover expenses related to an aborted tour with Limp Bizkit.  A planned four-week trek was scrapped after three shows due to COVID-19 leaving Spiritbox with bills but no revenue.  2021