This Day in History: 2023-03-17

MARCH 17^th

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

Matchbox Twenty’s “Yourself Or Someone Like You” is named the Best Selling Recording by a New Artist by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers. Selling over 3-million copies it stays on the album chart for over two years. 1998

Dave Matthews Band’s “Everyday” tops the Billboard 200.  2001

DMB’s fourth album sells over 3-million copies.

“Dio: Dreamers Never Die,” a career-spanning documentary on the life and times of Ronnie James Dio, receives its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival. It’s the first documentary about the late singer to be fully authorized by his estate. 2022

Former Hole singer Courtney Love publishes an article in the Guardian, a British daily newspaper, titled “Why Are Women So Marginalized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?” “If so few women are being inducted into the Rock Hall, then the nominating committee is broken. If so few Black artists, so few women of color, are being inducted, then the voting process needs to be overhauled,” Love writes. “Music is a lifeforce that is constantly evolving – and they can’t keep up.” 2023

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Paul Lorin Kantner, guitarist, Jefferson Airplane co-founder (with Marty Balin) and Grace Slick’s one-time significant other, is born in San Francisco. 1941

Lovin Spoonful’s John Sebastian is born in New York, NY. Accomplished on guitar, autoharp and harmonica, Sebastian plays the latter, though un-credited, on The Doors’ classic “Roadhouse Blues.” 1944

Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham is born. Though not a founding member (he joins in ’74), he plays on two Thin Lizzy classics – “The Boys Are Back In Town” and “Jailbreak.” 1951

The movie “Rock Around The Clock” premieres in Washington, DC. The film features Bill Haley & His Comets (naturally) and Little Richard. 1956

Janet Patricia Gardner, Vixen’s lead singer, is born in Juneau, AK.  1962

Angst master. Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan (William Patrick ‘Billy’ Corgan, Jr.) is born in Elk Grove Village, IL. 1967

Melissa Auf der Maur is born. She becomes friends with Billy Corgan after apologizing for a friend who had thrown a beer bottle at the Smashing Pumpkins during a show. In ’94, when Hole needs of a new a bassist (following the death of Kristen Pfaff), Corgan recommends Auf der Maur to Courtney Love. 1972

Singer/guitarist Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) has a birthday. 1975

Christine McVie’s “Got A Hold On Me” is #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart.  1984

“Blue Sky Mine” (Midnight Oil) tops the Mainstream Rock Songs chart.  1990

“Van Halen III” is the only Van Halen album with singer Gary Cherone – and the last with bassist Michael Anthony (who leaves in ’06). It’s also the only album in the Van Halen catalog not to go platinum.  1998

Dire Straits’ guitarist Mark Knopfler breaks his collarbone and six ribs in a London motorcycle accident. 2003

Courtney Love makes an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman. With her back to the camera, she lifts her skirt, and later goes topless, which is blocked out for viewers. Otherwise, a sedate performance. 2004

Alex Chilton, singer and guitarist for the Box Tops (“The Letter” and “Cry Like A Baby”) and Big Star, passes away in New Orleans at the age of 59 after suffering a heart attack. 2010

KISS co-founder Gene Simmons states that Rap music will die and reiterates his two-year-old belief that Rock is already dead during a radio interview. “I’m looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking,” says the bassist. 2016

The tenth annual Musink, presented by Travis Barker (Blink 182) begins in Costa Mesa, CA. The three-day convention is America’s largest tattoo and music festival. 2017

“The Devil’s Candy” soundtrack” features performances by Slayer, Machine Head and Ghost.  The soundtrack supports Sean Byrne’s horror film.  2017

Meanwhile, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith and Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) appear in the Terrence Malik film “Song To Song.” It’s a “modern love story set against the Austin (Texas) music scene.” A critic calls it “one Texas turkey.”  2017

Judas Priest debuts at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart with “Firepower.” It’s group’s highest charting effort ever on the U.S. album chart. 2018

NCAA bans Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” The Virginia Tech Hokies Women’s Basketball team has used the song, with permission from Metallica, as entrance music. The NCAA ban for March Madness is to keep the venue, Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, VA, ‘neutral’. No matter. Virginia Tech fans respond by loudly chanting the lyrics to “Enter Sandman” instead. The Hokies beat Chattanooga 58–33. 2023