This Day in History: 2024-03-10

MARCH 10^th

Though released the previous September, Soundgarden’s debut “Louder Than Love” finally lands on the U.S. album chart anchoring the #108 spot. Still, the band’s sophomore set is its first album to make the Billboard 200.  1990

AC/DC is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  2003

“Thank God for the power chord,” Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler exclaims during his AC/DC induction speech.

Billy Joel inducts John Mellencamp into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in New York. “I was fortunate enough to write a couple of songs that connected with people,” says the heartland singer. “People thought the songs were about them, and I want to thank those people.” 2008

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Dean Torrence, of Jan & Dean fame, begins his life in L.A. – not Surf City. 1940

Boston’s mastermind, guitarist (and electronics engineer) Tom Scholz, is born in Toledo, OH. 1947

Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament has a birthday. He’s one of the band’s founding members (along with Stone Gossard and Mike McCready). 1963

Cream plays San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom. During the show they uncork Robert Johnson’s Blues classic “Crossroads.” This version lands on the group’s studio/live “Wheels Of Fire” album. With vocals and guitar by Eric Clapton it is one of his signature songs. 1968

Having inked a deal with A&M Records the day before, the Sex Pistol re-enact the signing in front of Buckingham Palace. Of course, the press is invited. Blood is spilled, a woman is assaulted and damage is done. A&M cancels the deal six days later. 1977

Breaking Benjamin’s Burnley has a birthday. The vocalist-guitarist is from Wilkes-Barre, PA. He teaches himself how to play guitar by listening to Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album. 1978

Vocalist Ian Gillan leaves Black Sabbath to participate in a Deep Purple reunion. 1984

AC/DC (see above), The Clash, Elvis Costello & The Attractions and The Police are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 2003

Danny Joe Brown, lead singer of Molly Hatchet, dies at age 53 of complications from diabetes. He joined Molly Hatchet in ’75.  2005

The documentary “Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey” receives its U.S. premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival. Tracing the evolution or devolution of Heavy Metal, the film has appearances by KoЯn, Slipknot, Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper. 2006

Filter reunites with former bassist-turned-army sergeant Frank Cavanagh in Kuwait during the group’s set at the Operation MySpace concert. Cavanagh, who parted ways with Filter in ’02, performed “Hey Man, Nice Shot” with his ex-bandmates. “To be able to join Richard (Patrick) and my former band for the first time in nearly six years is a huge honor,” claims Cavanagh. 2008

Metallica fans, unable to get tickets, riot outside Bogota’s Simon Bolivar Park in Colombia during the band’s concert. Police trucks and tanks are deployed as the crowd attempts to illegally enter the venue, resulting in nearly 160 arrests. 2010

“OK GO announce that they have split from EMI by ‘mutual agreement’ and have formed Paracadute Recordings to promote their album, “Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky.” “We’d like to thank the people who have worked so hard on our behalf,” says OK Go singer Damian Kulash in a statement. “And we’d like to thank our fans for making this choice an easy one for us.” 2010

Lawyers for Phil Spector appeal his ’09 murder conviction claiming he didn’t get a fair trial. The legendary producer (The Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison) was sentenced to prison for 19-years to life for shooting actress Lana Clarkson at his California mansion in ’03. The appeal is rejected. 2010

Slipknot announce that founding member, Donnie Steele, will be the band’s bassist on their summer tour, replacing the late Paul Gray. Steele left in ’95, only one year after Slipknot’s formation. Gray passed away from a drug overdose in May ’10. 2011

Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith and then-former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash perform at the John Varvatos 10th Annual Stuart House Benefit, to raise money for the Santa Monica rape treatment center. 2013

Singer Vince Neil cuts short a Mötley Crüe show in Sydney, Australia and is rushed to the hospital where he undergoes surgery to remove kidney stones. 2013

The guitar that John Lennon used to write The Beatles’ “Paperback Writer” is sold to Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay for $530,000. “John Lennon’s guitars are as special as it gets,” says Irsay. 2015

Bon Jovi “This House Is Not For Sale” once again tops the Billboard 200.  The return is entirely due to a deal that packages tickets to Bon Jovi’s tour with a free physical or digital copy of the album. 120,000 fans take advantage of the offer.  The album initially went to #1 when it was released 15-months earlier.  2018

The anti-Trump protest song “Can’t Deny Me,” the first original Pearl Jam song since ’13, goes to Ten Club members (the group’s fan club) and premieres on Sirius XM’s Pearl Jam Radio.   2018

Panic! At The Disco play what vocalist Brendon Urie says is their final show.  It’s at the AO Arena in Manchester, England. A couple months earlier Urie announced the band was ending after a twenty-year run.  2023

Saxon announces that guitarist Paul Quinn has decided to step back from touring. Quinn, a Saxon co-founder, will continue to record with the group.  2023

Guns N’ Roses guitarist, Slash, joins actor Ryan Gosling for a version of “I’m Just Ken” from the film “Barbie” at the 96^th Academy Awards in Hollywood. Gosling played ‘Ken’ in the film.  But despite a killer performance, the Original Song Oscar goes to Billie Eilish for “What Was I Made For,” also from “Barbie.”  2024