This Day in History: 2023-04-20

APRIL 20th

Aerosmith release “Get A Grip.” It sells 7-million copies in the U.S. and becomes their first #1 album.  1993

The band’s eleventh studio album became its first to reach #1 in the U.S. and is their third consecutive album with U.S. sales of at least five- million.

Green Day’s musical, “American Idiot,” opens on Broadway at the St. James Theatre. 2010

Billboard publishes a list of the Top 10 Tours of All-Time. U2’s “360⁰ World Tour” (’09-’11) garnering $736-million lands at #3. Elton John and Ed Sheeran are #1 and #2, respectively.  2023

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Organist Craig Frost is born in Flint, MI. A late arrival to Grand Funk Railroad (well after they were famous and basically added to augment their sound), Frost later joins Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band. 1948

Drummer Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Winery Dogs, Flying Colors) is born in Long Beach, NY.  1967

The Rolling Stones release their “Black And Blue” album. The most interesting and controversial thing about the album is the cover that features a ‘battered and bruised’ model in bondage. 1976

Deep Purple play their first concert in Tastrump, Denmark. Deep Purple (Mark I) has Ian Paice (drums), John Lord (organ) and Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), along with Rod Evans (vocals) and Nicky Simper (bass). 1968

Neil Young & Crazy Horse release the riff-driven “Cinnamon Girl.” Though the song becomes a Rock radio staple it can’t get near the Top 40.  Go figure. 1970

Small Faces and Humble Pie guitarist Steve Marriott dies in a house fire. He is 44. 1991

A Concert For Life, celebrating the life of Queen‘s Freddie Mercury, is held in London. Metallica, Def Leppard, and Guns N’ Roses perform. Also, Queen’s surviving members back David Bowie, Robert Plant and Roger Daltrey for a set of Queen songs. 1992

Radiohead’s “Pablo Honey” is released in the U.S. The set contains “Creep” (the band’s most successful single) and goes platinum in a couple years. 1993

The Revolver Golden Gods Awards show is held at L.A.’s Club Nokia. Avenged Sevenfold take home the Album of the Year trophy (presented by Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez of Alice In Chains). The band’s M. Shadows earns the Best Vocalist Award. Alice Cooper picks up the Golden God honor. 2011

Judas Priest announce that legendary guitarist K.K. Downing has left the band. They name 31-year-old Richie Faulkner as Downing’s replacement for their upcoming Epitaph tour. 2011

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd pleads guilty in New Zealand’s Tauranga District Court to drug charges and threatening to kill a former assistant. 2015

Rush — Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart — receive the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award at the annual Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards Gala Dinner.  The honor is for the group’s achievements and longstanding career in the music industry, social activism and support of humanitarian causes.  2017

Prince’s complex-turned-museum Paisley Park in Chanhassen, MN marks the one-year anniversary of his death with the four-day “life and legacy” celebration. 2017

Three Days Grace extend its record for the most #1s on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart with “Right Left Wrong.” The group’s 15th chart topper is on “Outsider,” their sixth full-length album and fifth consecutive Top 40 set on the Billboard 200. 2019

Linkin Park’s “Somewhere I Belong” is certified silver in the U.K. for selling 200,000 units.  The song appears on band’s ’03 “Meteora” album.    2020

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (MHOF) reveals that late guitarist Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen) made at least a $1 million donation to the organization that helps kids get music education in schools throughout the U.S. Van Halen passed away in ’20. 2022