This Day in History: 2023-05-02

MAY 2nd

“The Beatles Second Album,” with “She Loves You” tops the U.S. album chart just two-weeks after its release. It makes it to #1 faster than any other album to date.  1964

Tool unveils “10,000 Days.” The group also launches a North American tour in support of the album. It debuts at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 564,000 copies during its first week and goes on to be certified platinum.  2006

The Pretty Reckless have the #1 song the Mainstream Rock chart with “Take Me Down.”  2015

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Foreigner vocalist, Lou Gramm (Lou Grammatico), is born in Rochester, NY. 1950

Jeff Gutt (Stone Temple Pilots) is born in Marine City, MI.  The singer joins STP in ’17.  1976

It took three and a half years but Bruce Springsteen’s “The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle” goes gold. 1977

The Who’s film “Quadrophenia” premieres in London. 1979

The South African government bans Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)” because the “we don’t need no education” line has become an anthem for black children receiving inferior schooling. 1980

Bonnie Raitt is awarded an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in Boston. 1992

Nirvana’s “Come As You Are” peaks at #32 on the pop chart. 1992

Linkin Park seeks an end to their contract with Warner Music Group. They are distraught over the label’s financial condition and commitment (or lack thereof) to its artists, like Linkin Park who sold more than 35 million CDs, represents 10% of WMG’s worldwide sales. Ouch! 2005

Cream reunites for the first of four shows in London’s Royal Albert Hall. 2005

Shinedown help rebuild homes for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.  They also raise awareness for the New Orleans Habitat for Humanity initiative.  2006

U2 frontman Bono presents the Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders to Gege Katana, an activist from the Democratic Republic of Congo, at a ceremony in Dublin, Ireland. For once Bono is giving an award rather than receiving one! 2007

“Iron Man” is in theaters. Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello makes a brief cameo as a terrorist-and meets an untimely demise. He’s Insurgent #5 in the movie and his guitar work is heard on the soundtrack. 2008

Maryland’s Consumer Protection Division settles with both Ticketmaster and TNOW Entertainment Group over allegations that the two companies knowledgeably misled consumers looking to purchase tickets to a ’09 Bruce Springsteen concert in Washington, D.C. The companies are fined. According to Maryland’s protection division, Springsteen fans looking for tickets on Ticketmaster’s website were misled and directed to the TicketsNow resale site where tickets were sold at inflated prices. 2011

Slayer co-founder Jeff Hanneman dies at the age of 49. Though a near-fatal spider bite had sidelined Hanneman since ’11, the guitarist actually dies of liver failure due to alcohol abuse. Hanneman co-wrote “Angel Of Death” and “Raining Blood” for the group’s breakthrough album, “Reign In Blood.” 2013

Red Sun Rising land their second #1 single on the Rock Radio Chart with “Emotionless.” “The Otherside” was the first. The song is from the group’s debut album, “Polyester Zeal.” 2016

Seven-thousand AC/DC fans who bought tickets to see the band perform at Werchter Festivalpark in Werchter, Belgium request their money back because they don’t want to watch Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses) on lead vocals. He replaces the ailing Brian Johnson for the final stretch AC/DC’s tour. 2016

“Steven Tyler… Out On A Limb” at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall in New York City is a collaboration between the Aerosmith frontman and director Brett Ratner to benefit Janie’s Fund, Tyler’s charity that helps girls overcome the trauma of abuse and neglect. The performance includes stories from Tyler’s childhood to life with Aerosmith. 2016

Lamb Of God guitarist Willie Adler discovers that his “Wairbird” guitar and a hand painted bass were stolen prior to a Phoenix concert.  In an Instagram post he strongly suspects the thief is associated with the venue.  Following a tour production day they apparently “waited around for all to leave and made their way into the back of our semi to commit this felony.”  The culprits are later arrested. 2019

Dee Snider’s planned performance during the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade in late June is canceled by San Francisco Pride after the Twisted Sister frontman tweets his support for KISS frontman Paul Stanley’s controversial (4/30) statement criticizing gender-affirming healthcare for children. “We were heartbroken and angry,” writes San Francisco Pride in a statement.  2023