March 28, 2024

This Day in History: 2024-04-27

APRIL 27th

Chicago - Chicago VII.jpgWith the songs “Wishing You Were Here” and “”(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long,” “Chicago VII” is the #1 album in the U.S.  1974

John Mellencamp entertains wounded military personnel at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The performance is televised live on HDNet. “You can support the troops and not support the war,” says Mellencamp, a vocal critic of the Iraq invasion. 2007

Godsmack release “When Legends Rise.” The album features “Bulletproof,” the lead single, “Under Your Scars” and the title track.  It goes gold (500,000 units moved) three years later.  2018

“Have You Got It Yet?”, the story of Pink Floyd and its early frontman Syd Barrett, premieres in London.  2023

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Badfinger guitarist Pete Ham is born. 1947

Singer Catherine Elizabeth ‘Kate’ Pierson, one of the founding members of the B-52s, is born in Weehawken, NJ. 1948

KISS guitarist Ace Frehley (Paul Daniel Frehley) is born in the Bronx. 1951

“In His Own Write,” John Lennon’s collection of drawings, poetry and prose is published. 1964

Joe Cocker makes his U.S. debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. 1969

Pink Floyd concludes a five-night engagement at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. In all, over 500 fans are arrested, mostly for marijuana possession. “They have a dope festival” says L.A. Police Chief Ed Davis. It’s called a Rock concert or something.” It begs the question: Is it possible to listen to Pink Floyd without drugs? 1975

Jim James (James Edward Olliges Jr.) guitarist/frontman for My Morning Jacket, is born in Louisville, KY.  1978

Ozzy Osbourne is fired from Black Sabbath and replaced by Ronnie James Dio.   Eventually, Ozzy returns and Dio goes solo.  1979

Wings bite the dust with Denny Laine’s departure. From here on Paul McCartney works solo. 1981

Patrick Stump (born Patrick Martin Stumph), lead singer/rhythm guitarist/songwriter for Fall Out Boy, is born in Glenview IL. 1984

Motley Crue’s performance in Grand Rapids, MI, is filmed for a TV special and DVD. “This gives our fans a chance to see this f**king incredible show from the safety of their living rooms,” asserts the usually demur bassist Nikki Sixx. 2005

Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards falls out of a palm tree in Fiji, suffering a brain hemorrhage. Richards later undergoes cranial surgery.  2006

When pigs fly. A giant inflatable pig, covered with political slogans, that was part of Roger Waters’ (Pink Floyd) stage set during his performance at the Coachella Festival in Indio, CA, breaks free from its mooring. Festival organizers offer $10,000 cash and four lifetime passes to Coachella to whoever tracks down the dirigible. The pig crash-lands a few miles away and is found two days later. The two couples split the reward. 2008

Aerosmith settles a class-action lawsuit brought against them after they pulled out of a sold-out concert on Maui, Hawaii, in September ’07. As part of the deal, the group gives a free performance on Maui in ’09. The suit claimed that the cancellation cost ticket buyers up to $3 million in various expenses. 2009

Slash appears in a PSA style video calling attention to the crisis facing sharks. “Recent data shows that over 100 million sharks are being killed a year,” he states. “That’s three sharks every second. That’s unsustainable and it’s not cool. We need sharks to have a healthy ocean.” 2013

Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), a huge wrestling fan, is named a Senior Producer, Creative and Talent Development for TNA Wrestling. Part of his job is to “develop characters and create story lines” for TNA’s flagship program Impact Wrestling. 2015

Flyleaf play its first concert with singer Lacey Sturm in 11 years at Schoepf’s BBQ in Belton, TX. The band hadn’t performed live since ‘15.  2023