This Day in History: 2024-05-14

MAY 14th

“The Kids Are Alright,” a documentary of The Who, premieres at the Cannes Film Festival. 1979

“Combat Rock,” by The Clash, is released. 1982

The band’s fifth studio album contains the classic track “Rock The Casbah.”

Atlantic Records celebrates its 40th anniversary at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Yes, Genesis, Foreigner and Crosby, Stills and Nash perform. A re-united Led Zeppelin take the stage with Jason Bonham filling in for his late father John. Zeppelin plays “Stairway To Heaven” and “Whole Lotta Love.” Also, the Iron Butterfly perform. And yes, they play “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” 1988

The Black Keys roll out “Delta Kream,” Their tenth album is a set of Blues covers (the Keys’ roots) that goes to #1 the Billboard’s Top Rock Albums chart. 2021

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Jack Bruce, bassist and songwriter (the “Sunshine Of Your Love” riff, among others) for Cream, is born. 1943

A founding member of the Talking Heads and the group’s principal songwriter/creative force, David Byrne is born in Dumbarton, Scotland. 1952

The Cult’s singer, Ian Astbury, has a birthday.  1962

Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille (Bruce Anthony Johannesson) is born in Brooklyn. 1962

Guitarist Eric Peterson (Testament) enters the world.  1964

Bassist Mike Inez has a birthday. After a stint with Ozzy Osbourne, Inez joins Alice In Chains replacing Mike Starr, following the release of “Dirt.” 1966

The Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle” album is released. The set contains the title track, “Take The Money And Run” and “Rockin’ Me.” 1976

Yardbirds vocalist and harmonica player Keith Relf is electrocuted while playing his improperly grounded electric guitar (not while playing guitar in the bathtub). Though the shock was probably not enough to kill under usual circumstances, Relf had been ill at the time and it proved to be too much. He was 33. 1976

The Black Keys singer/guitarist, Dan Auerbach, has a birthday.  1979

Slade’s “Run Runaway” is #1 on the Modern Rock Airplay chart.  1984

“The Valley Road,” from Bruce Hornsby & The Range, tops the Billboard Modern Rock Airplay chart. 1988

The Jim Jarmusch-directed indie flick “Coffee And Cigarettes” opens with Meg and Jack White (White Stripes). 2004

Legendary record producer (The Beatles, John Lennon) Phil Spector, who is awaiting trial on a murder charge, is arrested after getting into a scuffle with his chauffeur. Both are charged with misdemeanor battery resulting from a dispute over their business relationship. Police arrive to find them attempting to place each other under citizen’s arrest. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad. 2004

Don’t ask me why. Bill Joel speaks at Syracuse University’s commencement ceremony at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. “Do what you love,” advises Joel. “Don’t (choose a career) for security or status, prestige, money or, for crying out loud, don’t do it for somebody else.” The previous year, Joel donated more than $300,000 to the institution’s music school. 2006

Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor speaks out against record labels marking up album prices to compensate for declining sales. He says he discovered that N.I.N.’s “Year Zero” had a list price of more than $29 in Australia. “No wonder people steal music,” he says. 2007

Inspired by PETA, Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) writes an open letter to California Pizza Kitchen’s CEO demanding that the restaurant chain stop de-horning baby calves. “I strongly urge you to take immediate action to stop this unspeakable barbarism by requiring your suppliers to phase out dehorning.” 2013

The documentary “Quiet Riot: Well Now You’re Here, There’s No Way Back,” is screened at the Cannes Film Festival. 2015

Blues guitar great B.B. King (born Riley Ben King) dies at age 89.  2015

Black Sabbath are honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Ivor Novello Awards in London. Ozzy Osbourne misses the event but former drummer Bill Ward reunites with guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler to accept the prize. 2015

Buckcherry announce that guitarist Keith Nelson and drummer Xavier Muriel have exited the band and have been replaced by Kevin Roentgen and Sean Winchester.  The news comes on the heels of Buckcherry‘s Josh Todd and Stevie D launch of Josh Todd & The Conflict. 2017

Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne renew their 35-year-old wedding vows. “The best Mother’s Day ever,” Sharon posts on Facebook following the Las Vegas ceremony.  2017

Motley Crue is #1 in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “Voice Your Choice” poll having passed Blink-182 in the kiosk-driven vote where fans choose artists they feel are most deserving of inclusion. “Vote Your Choice” is not part of the annual online vote for nominees.  2019

Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello is a recipient of the Spirit Of John Brown Freedom Award.  The honor recognizes individuals who are passionate about civil and human rights. 2022

Bryan “Dexter” Holland (The Offspring) delivers the commencement address at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in L.A. The singer has a Ph.D. in molecular biology. 2022