May 27th

May 27th

1977 Sex Pistols unleash “God Save The Queen.”

The BBC bans the song but it reportedly sells 150,000 copies in five days. 

It is the band’s second single from their only studio album, “Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols.”

2003 Led Zeppelin’s definitive live album “How The West Was Won” is released.

It was recorded during the California portion of their ’73 North American tour.

2006 Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ninth album, “Stadium Arcadium” is the band’s its first #1 on the Billboard 200.

Selling 442,000 copies in its debut week in the U.S., the album tops the charts in 16 other countries.

2021 Foo Fighters’ “Shame Shame” is the Rock Song of the Year at the eighth annual iHeart Music Awards.  

“Shame Shame” is from the band’s tenth studio album, “Medicine At Midnight.”

The Pretty Reckless are named the Rock Artist of the Year.

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

1957 Siouxsie Sioux (Susan Janet Ballion) is born in London. She goes on to front Siouxsie & The Banshees.

1958 Neil Finn of Split Enz and later founder of Crowded House is born in Te Awamutu, New Zealand. 

1957 Black Crowes keyboardist, Eddie Harsch, has a birthday. He contributes to the group’s second album, “The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion” in ’92 and becomes a full member a short time later.

1966 It’s a birthday for drummer Sean Kinney (Alice In Chains).

1968 The Iron Butterfly record their seventeen-minute epic “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” at Ultrasonic Studios in Hempstead, Long Island, New York. The west coast band performs the song as part of a soundcheck while waiting for their producer to arrive and are unaware they are being recorded. According to VH1 (in ’09), the title track of the multi-platinum album is the 24th greatest Hard Rock song of all time.

1980 Rock is dangerous work. During a performance taped for Italian TV David Lee Roth vaults off drummer Alex Van Halen’s riser and right into some low hanging lights. The Van Halen vocalist suffers a fractured nose and multiple contusions.

1993 The Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘greatest hits’ package “What Hits!?” is certified platinum.

1994 The Eagles launch the “Hell Freezes Over” tour in Burbank. The trek is the group’s first since parting ways in ’80. The tour’s title is a reference to a Don Henley quote regarding the prospects of an Eagles reunion. Apparently, Henley misspoke. With this tour, The Eagles become the first to charge over $100 per ticket for arena shows.

1995 Hootie & The Blowfish are #1 on the Billboard 200.  “Cracked Rear View” has eight non-consecutive weeks at the top – eventually selling 21-million copies. 

2004 Not exactly space truckin’. Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan is banned from driving for 16 months after police pull him over five days earlier and find him intoxicated-more than twice the alcohol limit. Gillan pleads guilty and is fined 500 pounds (approximately $800 US).

2005 The downward spiral ends. New York jurors award Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor $2.9 million and full control of all the band’s trademarks in a lawsuit he filed in ’04 against his former manager John Malm. Reznor accused Malm of fraud and breach of fiduciary duties.

2008 Bono’s (U2) humanitarian efforts earn him an honorary doctorate from Tokyo’s Keio University.

2011 Metallica’s James Hetfield is inducted into the Downey High School Hall of Fame. “I hated my school, literally, I hid as much as possible in my music and listening to music,” says Hetfield during the ceremony. “I showed up in classes to get credits and things, just to make it through, but I really did not feel like I identified with anyone. So to be back here is completely surreal.” Hetfield attended the California school for his freshmen and sophomore years.

2014 The Beastie Boys’ suit against Monster Energy begins. The group’s surviving members and the wife of late MC Adam Yauch allege that the drink manufacturer used several of their songs in advertising without gaining permission. The group eventually receives a $1.7 million verdict.

2015 The Darkness issue their fourth album “Last Of Our Kind.” It’s their first (and last) studio effort with drummer Emily Dolan Davies, who replaced Ed Graham in ’14. “The new album is brutal,” singer Justin Hawkins states. It goes to #2 on the U.S. Top Hard Rock Albums chart.

2016 After several bands cancel shows in North Carolina due to the passing of the anti-transgender Bathroom Bill, the Dave Matthews Band plays Charlotte but donate a portion of the proceeds to charitable organizations that defend equality.

2017 Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger says Stone Sour is “Nickelback Lite” and challenges Stone Sour’s Corey Taylor to “write a hit song,” during an interview in Stockholm. Taylor responds by calling Kroeger an ‘idiot’.

2017 Gregg Allman, one of the brothers (with brother Duane) of the Allman Brothers Band, dies at age 69 at his home in Savannah, GA.  The Allman Brothers Band entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in ’95. 

2021 A letter credited to #MusiciansForPalestine is signed by Rage Against The Machine, System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas, among others.  The letter shares solidarity with the people of Palestine and asks for public support and government action in order to help the Palestinians “live in a world without segregation and apartheid.” 

2021 Britain’s Royal Mail issues a set of twelve stamps honoring Paul McCartney as “one of the most iconic and enduring music artists of all time”.  Many of the stamps feature images of McCartney album covers.

2022 The three-day Boston Calling festival returns after a two-year COVID-19 absence. Nine Inch Nails fill in for the Foo Fighters to headline the opening day. The Foos had to cancel following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins.   

2023 Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters is investigated by Berlin police for incitement to hatred after wearing a Nazi-style uniform (a long, black coat with red armbands) during a 5/17 concert in the German capital.  “The clothing worn on stage could be used to glorify or justify Nazi rule, thereby disturbing the public peace,” says police spokesman Martin Halweg. “The clothing resembles the clothing of an SS officer.” 

2023 Blink-182 and Paramore headline the inaugural two-day Adjacent Music Festival in Atlantic City, N.J. During Paramore’s set frontwoman Haley Williams vehemently speaks out against conservative presidential candidate and current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.  Disagreeing with DeSantis on a number of issues Haley says, “If you vote for Ron Desantis you’re f*cking dead to me.”