This Day in History: 2025-02-27

FEBRUARY 27^th

“Pearl,” the second and final solo studio album by Janis Joplin tops the Billboard 200.  1971

Recorded with the Full Tilt Boogie Band the album arrived three months after Joplin’s death (10/4/70). A little over six weeks after its U.S. release, The Police’s “Zenyatta Mondatta,” their third album, is a certified million seller. 1981

“Tell me all your thoughts on God.” Dishwalla’s lone claim to fame, “Counting Blue Cars,” is released.  The song goes on to peak at #15 on the Hot 100, #4 on the Top 40 Mainstream chart, #2 on the Mainstream Rock chart, and #1 on the Modern Rock chart.  1996

Alice In Chains’ “Your Decision” is the second song from the album “Black Gives Way To Blue” to top the Mainstream Rock chart.   2010

“Check My Brain” was the first.

Shinedown holds the record for the most Top 10 hits on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. “Dead Don’t Die,” from the band’s “Planet Zero” album is their 30th entry to peak in the upper reaches of the chart.  2023

Foo Fighters and Five Finger Death Punch are tied for second with 29 each.

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Guitarist Neil Schon is born on Tinker Air Force Base near Oklahoma City but grows up in San Mateo, CA. He is in Santana prior to becoming one of Journey’s founding members. 1954

Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith enters the world.  He hails from London.  1957

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards gets busted in Toronto. Police find heroin, cocaine and narcotics paraphernalia. Authorities accuse Richards of intending to traffic the drugs but Keith’s attorney claims his client’s drug problem is so extreme all the drugs are for his personal use. That’s Richards’ defense! Most people think Richards is going to do some serious jailtime but he gets off with a fine and community service. 1977

Cyrus Bolooki, New Found Glory’s drummer, is born. He joins the group in ’97, replacing Joe Moreno. 1980

Billy Joel earns Best Pop Vocal Performance and Album of the Year Grammys for his “52nd Street” album. 1980

Judas Priest unfurl “Point Of Entry.” The follow-up to “British Steel” is often dismissed for being overly commercial. “People don’t understand how pressured we were by the label, either to do covers or make hits,” states guitarist K.K. Downing. “With that album, we gave them what they wanted.”  The set does go gold in the U.S.  1981

The Record Industry slings a platinum award Green Day’s way for selling two-million copies of “Insomniac.” 1996

U2 has a big night at the Grammys. They win Best Rock Album for “All That You Can’t Leave Behind.” They also pick up trophies for Record of the Year (“Walk On”), Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group (“Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of”) and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group (“Elevation”). 2002

Minnesota State University cancels a scheduled Puddle Of Mudd concert in the wake of frontman Wes Scantlin’s arrest in Toledo, OH days earlier on charges of disorderly conduct and criminal mischief. “Safety is our first and foremost concern,” says an MSU official. Scantlin spit on and threw a bottle at audience members during the drunken performance. 2004

Elton John’s annual Oscar party is held to benefit his AIDS Foundation. Elton plays and then autographs an $80,000 cherry red piano before it is auctioned off. 2005

Less than a week after his departure from KoЯn, guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch addresses more than 10,000 people during three services at the Valley Bible Fellowship Church in Bakersfield, CA. “With KoЯn, I got the money, all kinds of drugs of choice, everything, but this is my life now,” says Welch, a born-again Christian. 2005

Cold announce they have broken up after more than eight years and two gold albums. “We thank the Cold army for all their support throughout the years,” writes frontman Scooter Ward in an online post. 2006

Linkin Park and Coheed & Cambria take a day off from their joint North American tour to help build homes in New Orleans for families affected by Hurricane Katrina. “There is still so much work to be done,” says Linkin Park bassist Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell. “{We are} proud to be a part of the rebuilding process.” 2008

Having blasted former Gun N’ Roses guitarist Slash just a month earlier in a Billboard magazine interview, Axl Roses is at it again. He tells Spinner magazine that Slash is “a cancer, and better removed,” and claims the guitarist’s attempt “to take over Guns” was a reason for the disintegration of the classic GN’R lineup. “There’s zero possibility of me having anything to do with Slash other than by ambush, and that wouldn’t be pretty.” 2009

U2 release “No Line On The Horizon.” The Edge says themes of female empowerment run through “Get On Your Boots,” the set’s lead single. “It’s based around the idea that men have f***ed things up so badly that it’s really time we handed things over to women,” the guitarist explains. Bono calls “Get Your Boots On” a “blazing, fuzzed-out Rocker.”2009

It’s been done. To promote “No Line On The Horizon” U2 play a surprise 20-minute set on the roof of the BBC Broadcasting House in London. An estimated 5,000 people witness the concert. 2009

Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and co-composer Atticus Ross win an Academy Award for their score for “The Social Network,” the David Fincher-directed film about the founding of Facebook. 2011

Kid Rock formally endorses Mitt Romney in the Michigan Republican presidential primary. Rock performs “Born Free,” Romney’s campaign theme song, at a rally. Prior to the endorsement, Rock seeks assurances from Romney that he will look out for Michigan and the city of Detroit if elected President. 2012

“Stone Temple Pilots announce they have officially terminated (singer) Scott Weiland,” reads a terse statement from the band. Weiland, who has a history of drug abuse and run-ins with the law, had only recently denied rumors the group was breaking up. “Not sure how I can be ‘terminated’ from a band that I founded,” Weiland says in a statement that threatens legal action. 2013

Green Day cancel their scheduled May concert at Spartak Stadium in Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “We are aware that this moment is not about stadium Rock shows, it’s much bigger than that,” writes the band in a statement. “But we also know that Rock and Roll is forever and we feel confident there will be a time and a place for us to return in the future. 2022

John Dolmayan says that the COVID-19 pandemic “has always been about money.” Previously critical of U.S. vaccine mandates, Dolmayan adds the mandates are akin to “self-imposed tyranny and mental slavery.”  A short time later, Queensryche’s Todd La Torre calls Dolmayan’s comments “moronic” as Filter’s Richard Patrick concludes the System Of A Down drummer is “not a very bright man…” 2022

Foo Fighters’ horror comedy “Studio 666” is a dud. In its first three days, the film lands at #8 in total box office receipts but with a domestic gross of a “meager” $1.58 million from 2,306 movie screens across the U.S.  The sound you hear is crickets.  2022

Megadeth performs an exclusive, one-off global livestream event, “They Only Come Out At Night,“ from the legendary Budokan in Tokyo.  Guitarist Marty Friedman, who left Megadeth in ‘00, reunites with the band onstage. 2023

Fear Factory plays its first concert with singer Milo Silvestro and touring drummer Pete Webber at the Roseland Theater in Portland, OR.  The Italian-born Silvestro replaces the band’s original singer Burton C. Bell.  2023

Sepultura announce the departure of drummer Eloy Casagrande and name Greyson Nekrutman as his live replacement for the band’s upcoming farewell tour. Casagrande had been with the Sepultura since ’11. 2024

Adema part ways with singer Ryan Shuck, who joined the group in ’19.  2024