This Day in History: 2024-05-13

MAY 13th

Bon Jovi’s “I’ll Be There For You” is the #1 song in the U.S.  1989

Godsmack’s “IV” tops the Billboard 200 chart. Selling 211,000 copies in its debut week it is the second album from the Boston group to debut at #1. ’03’s “Faceless” was the first.  2006

Florence + The Machine’s “Dance Fever” debuts at #1 on Billboard’s Top Alternative Albums and Top Rock Albums charts, #2 on Top Album Sales and #7 on the Billboard 200— the band’s fourth consecutive Top 10 album.  2022

“Cut The Line” is #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. The song is from Papa Roach’s eleventh studio album, “Ego Trip.”   2023

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

One of Motown’s most influential and talented artists, the incredible Stevie Wonder (Stevland Hardaway Morris) is born in Saginaw, MI. 1950

J. Geils Band harmonica player, Magic Dick is born with the handle Richard Salwitz. 1945

Elvis Presley begins shooting one of his better movies, “Jailhouse Rock.” 1957

Darius Rucker, of Hootie & The Blowfish, makes his debut (it’s his birthday). 1966

The Rolling Stones release “Paint It Black” in the U.K. with sitar by Brian Jones and brilliant drumming from Charlie Watts (who else?) 1966

One-time Guns N’ Roses guitarist, Buckethead, is born with the name Brian Patrick Carroll. 1969

Grace Slick smashes her Mercedes into a concrete wall near Golden Gate State Park. Her injuries put a temporary halt to Jefferson Airplane’s recording. 1971

Amazing. Virgin Records announce they have signed the Sex Pistols. That’s the group’s third label in five months (EMI and A&M are the other two). 1977

“Ram It Down,” the 11th studio album by Judas Priest is released.  The last album to feature drummer Dave Holland goes on to earn gold certification (500,000 sales).  1988

The Offspring sign with Columbia Records following a contractual dispute with Epitaph Records. 1996

The court of Love. Courtney Love (Hole) pleads innocent to assault charges stemming from an incident in which she allegedly struck a man in the head with a microphone stand at a New York show the previous March. After entering her plea Love conducts an impromptu press conference inside the women’s bathroom. 2004

Don’t play in traffic. Cheap Trick perform on the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the first day of qualifying to determine pole position for Indy 500. 2006

Alice Cooper performs “School’s Out” at Arizona State University’s commencement ceremonies in Tempe. President Barack Obama is the guest speaker. “Of all the people I’ve ever shared a stage with Obama is the biggest Rock star,” quips Cooper, who is a well-known Republican. 2009

Legendary Soul and Blues bassist Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn passes away in Tokyo while on tour at the age of 70. Aside from being a member of Booker T & The MG’s. Dunn played on countless classics by Otis Redding, Sam and Dave and Albert King. But he was probably best known for his work in the “Blues Brothers” film. 2012

A New Musical Express (NME) reader’s poll of the Greatest Britpop Anthem Of All Time is dominated by Oasis, who hold the Top 5 spots with “Live Forever” at #1 followed, in order, by “Don’t Look Back In Anger.” “Supersonic,” “Cigarettes And Alcohol’ and “Wonderwall.” Pulp’s “Common People” is #6. 2013

Puddle Of Mudd’s Wes Scantlin is arrested in L.A. on domestic violence charges. He allegedly “roughed up his ex-wife in front of several witnesses.” 2013

George Harrison’s Maton Mastersound guitar, used for ’63 live performances, is auctioned for $485,000 by Julien’s Auctions in New York. Elvis Presley’s ’67 marriage license to Priscilla Presley (nee Beaulieu) sells for over $41,000 and his ’76 MCI Crusader tour bus goes for $263,000. 2015

“Minutes To Midnight,” Linkin Park’s third studio album is certified five-times platinum by the RIAA for over five million units sold. The ’07 album surpassed platinum status in a little over a month of its release.  2022

Slipknot’s Corey Taylor launches The Taylor Foundation, a non-profit designed to help local organizations continue efforts to provide assistance and essential resources for members of the military and first responders living with post-traumatic stress disorder.  2022

Welsh Labour Party Councillor Dave Jones draws criticism after using Rainbow‘s “Kill The King” in a social media post, just days after the coronation of King Charles III in the U.K. Jones claims that he did not have any sinister intent. Late Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio once said the song was about a game of chess.  2023

Coal Chamber performs for the first show in nearly eight years at the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas, NV.  During the pandemic frontman Dez Fafara, who was at death’s door, told his former Coal Chamber bandmates that if he survived (which he did) he wanted to play at least one more show with them (which leads to a tour).  2023