December 26th
1963 Capitol Records (U.S.) release “I Want To Hold Your Hand.”
Capitol who had passed on The Beatles, finally jumps on the bandwagon
Until “Hey Jude” it’s The Beatles best-selling single.
1981 AC/DC close out the year at #1 on the Billboard 200 with “For Those About To Rock (We Salute You).”
MORE TODAY IN ROCK…
1940 “Wall Of Sound” producer Phil Spector enters the world. Before landing in prison for murder, Spector was among the most innovative and successful music producers.
1963 Metallica drummer, Lars Ulrich, is born in Gentofte, Denmark.
1964 The Beatles’ “I Feel Fine” tops the U.S. pop survey.
1964 After a year of being criticized for their long hair, the Rolling Stones take out an ad in the New Musical Express wishing “starving hairdressers and their families a Happy Christmas.”
1967 White Zombie guitarist Jay Noel Yuenger (also known simply as “J.”) is born in Chicago.
1967 “Magical Mystery Tour,” The Beatles surreal T.V. special, airs in England. Hardly magical but certainly mysterious, nobody knows what to make of it. It is dubbed The Beatles first failure. But it does contain performances of John Lennon’s “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “I Am The Walrus.”
1968 Led Zeppelin embark on their first U.S. tour. They open for Vanilla Fudge and MC5. The trek begins in Denver.
1970 Vocalist James Mercer (The Shins) has a birthday.
1970 Produced by George Harrison and Phil Spector, Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” tops the U.S. pop survey.
1979 American Idol finalist, but more importantly, lead singer for Daughtry, Chris Daughtry, is born.
1979 The first of four concerts to benefit the people of Kampuchea (formerly Cambodia) is held at London’s Hammersmith Odeon Theatre. Queen, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, The Who, Rockpile and The Clash perform.
1990 Andy Biersack (Andy Six), founder and lead vocalist for Black Veil Brides, has a birthday.
2005 Bono is named one of Time magazine’s Persons of the Year, along with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda. The trio is recognized for their efforts to aid Africa in its fight against disease and destitution.” This can be a generation that can end extreme poverty,” says U2’s frontman, who claims he is “humbled” by the honor.
2012 Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson’s performance of “Stairway To Heaven” at the Kennedy Center Honors’ tribute to Led Zeppelin is broadcast on CBS. “My main goal was to please Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones… especially Plant, since all these many years he has taught me so much about singing from the soul,” posts Ann Wilson.
2013 Saving Abel’s Jared Weeks announces that he has left the group to pursue a solo career and that Trash The Brand’s Scott Austin has been selected to replace him.
2015 Puddle Of Mudd singer Wes Scantlin is charged with misdemeanor drug possession following a routine traffic stop in Beverly Hills. He posts bail and is released. It’s his fourth drug bust of the year.
2016 Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder surprises a Maryland family facing eviction with $10,000 after the family’s Christmas plea (on 12/19) goes viral.
2021 Thursday cancels shows in Washington D.C. and Sayreville (NJ) when a band member tests positive for COVID-19. In recent months Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Gene Simmons, and Paul Stanley (both of KISS) have tested positive.
