This Day in History: 2024-07-11

JULY 11th

“Woodstock,” the soundtrack to the film about the historic music festival, tops the U.S. chart. It is the first triple-LP to do so. The set features performances by The Who, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Santana, Joe Cocker and Jimi Hendrix. 1970

“Fleetwood Mac,” with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks (for the first time), is released. The set contains “Over My Head,” “Say You Love Me” “Landslide” and “Rhiannon.” It is one of the all-time best sellers. 1975

“November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses becomes the longest single (8 minutes-57 seconds) to reach the U.S. Top 20. 1992

Breaking Benjamin’s first album in six years, “Dark Before Dawn,” is also the group’s first U.S. #1 album, selling 144,000 copies in its first week. 2015

Queen’s “Greatest Hits” is the first album to sell over 7-million copies in the U.K.  2022

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Richie Sambora, guitarist/songwriter with Bon Jovi, is born. 1959

Scott Shriner enters the world. The bassist serves in the Marine Corps. before joining Weezer in ’01. 1965

Can you hear me Major Tom? David Bowie releases “Space Oddity.” It’s timed to coincide with the first moon landing. 1969

Heart’s “Alone” is alone at the top of the pop chart. 1987

Drummer Steven Adler is fired from Guns N’ Roses because of his drug use. He is replaced by Matt Sorum.   1990

While on a European tour, Mike Mills bassist with R.E.M., undergoes emergency intestinal surgery in Germany. Seven shows are cancelled. 1995

Metallica’s Lars Ulrich testifies before a Senate committee claiming Napster and other music sharing services are having a detrimental effect of the music industry. While that may be true, Ulrich’s comments alienate fans. 2000

Rob Halford is ‘in’ and Ripper Owens is ‘out’ as Judas Priest announces they are reuniting with their original vocalist. Plans for an ’04 album and world tour are in the works. 2003

The Rolling Stones kick off their delayed European Tour in Milan, Italy. The tour had to be re-scheduled after guitarist Keith Richards was injured on Fiji Island when he fell out of a “little tree,” not a palm tree, as had been widely reported. Little tree, palm tree, maybe even a little palm tree; what was he doing up there in the first place?  2006

The drum pictured on the cover of The Beatles ‘ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album nets over $1-million at an auction in London. John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics to “Give Peace A Chance” goes for approximately $830,000 during the memorabilia sale. 2008

The Dropkick Murphys charitable foundation, the Claddagh Fund, donates over $300,000 raised by the For Boston initiative for people whose lives were changed forever by April’s Boston Marathon terrorist bombing. “It was truly an honor to be able to represent them and contribute, even if in a small way, to help these inspirational individuals,” says Dropkick Murphys bassist Ken Casey. 2013

Tommy Ramone, born Erdelyi Tamas in Budapest, Hungary, dies of cancer at age 65. Ramone immigrated to the U.S. with his family in ’57 and was originally a guitarist who later served as the Ramones original manager before becoming their drummer. Heard on the Ramones first three albums, Tommy was the last surviving original member. 2014

Guitarist Nita Strauss exits Alice Cooper’s band. “After this absolutely incredible run in Europe, it is bittersweet for me to let you guys know that I will not be joining the Alice Cooper band for the upcoming fall tour,” says Strauss. She joined Cooper’s band in ’14. 2022

Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack De La Rocha tears his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during the band’s concert in Chicago. The injury forces the cancellation of the band’s European tour.  2022