This Day in History: 2025-02-02

FEBRUARY 2^nd

The Gospel tinged “I Want To Know What Love Is” tops the U.S. singles chart. The Foreigner song is from their multi-platinum album “Agent Provocateur.” Foreigner bassist Rick Wills describes ballad as “fluffy.” 1985

The Veterans of Foreign Wars’ commander-in-chief weighs in criticizing Kid Rock’s “disgusting use of an American flag as a costume prop” during Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show a day earlier. Rock wore a poncho fashioned out of a flag during his performance, then threw it into the audience. “The 1.6 million members of the VFW agree that Kid Rock’s stunt was in poor taste and extremely disrespectful,” says the VFW`s Edward S. Banas Sr. 2004

The White Stripes (Jack and Meg White) announce that they have disbanded. “The reason is not due to artistic differences or lack of wanting to continue, nor any health issues as both Meg and Jack are feeling fine and in good health,” the statement reads. “It is for a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band.” The White Stripes had been on hiatus since ’07 but their final live performance occurred in ’09 when they appeared on the final episode of Late Night with Conan O’Brien. 2011

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Graham Nash of the Hollies, and more notably, Crosby, Stills & Nash, is born. 1942

Buddy Holly’s last show. The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, IA. 1959

Bassist Robert DeLeo, Stone Temple Pilots and Army Of One, is born Montclair, NJ. 1966

A piano, wired to explode, does so prematurely, injuring Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s keyboardist Keith Emerson. 1973

Heroin claims the life of Sex Pistols’ bassist Sid Vicious while he is out on bail for the murder of girlfriend Nancy Spungen. The lethal drug was likely supplied by his mother. 1979

Like son, like mother. There’s a march in London’s Chelsea district to commemorate Sid Vicious’ (Sex Pistols) death. His mother is supposed to lead the march but she’s hospitalized after suffering from a drug overdose. 1980

REO Speedwagon’s “Hi-Infidelity” goes platinum. Earlier, it sits at #1 on the Billboard 200 on the strength of the hit singles “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On The Run.” 1981

System Of A Down’s self-titled debut album is certified gold by Recording Industry Association of America.  The set was released in ’98.  2000

Bruce Springsteen’s “Working On A Dream” tour tickets go on sale. Online glitches anger fans and Springsteen lashes out against Ticketmaster. New York Senator Charles Schumer joins New Jersey congressman Bill Pascrell in calling for the Federal Trade Commission to look into Ticketmaster’s handling of the sales. Springsteen fans trying to buy tickets were redirected to the broker’s TicketsNow subsidiary, which sells ducats above face value. “It was a classic bait-and-switch,” says Schumer. 2009

U2 airs an ad during the Super Bowl offering a free download of “Invisible” on iTunes. For the first two million downloads, Bank of America a partner in the effort, donates one dollar to (RED), an AIDS charity co-founded by Bono. The promotion raises $3-million and the bank pledges a guaranteed $8 million to the charity. The Seattle Seahawks pummel the Denver Broncos 43 to 8. 2014

“Pam & Tommy,” a limited series about Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee’s and “Baywatch” star Pamela Anderson’s infamous leaked sex tape, is on Hulu. Seth Rogen also appears as the man who stole the tape.  2022

Disturbed frontman David Draiman goes after Westboro Baptist Church members who protest the band’s show in Kansas City saying Disturbed play “devil music.” Draiman calls that “horseshit.”  2024

Wayne Kramer, co-founder, guitarist, and singer for Detroit’s legendary MC5 dies at the age of 75.  2024