This Day in History: 2024-07-18

JULY 18th

One of the Beach Boys all-time great songs, “God Only Knows,” is released as the B-side of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” The A-side is a Top 10 hit while the much better flip side barely grazes the Top 40. 1966

 “Armageddon: The Album” (the soundtrack to the film of the same name) is #1 on the Billboard 200.  The album has Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.” 1998

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Roy Orbison’s “Only The Lonely” peaks at #4 on the U.S. pop chart. The song was originally offered to both Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers who passed. 1960

What do Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chili Peppers have in common? Drummer Jack Irons. It’s his birthday. He becomes Pearl Jam’s drummer in ’94. 1962

System Of A Down’s lead guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian is born in Hollywood. Like the other members of the band, he is of Armenian ancestry. 1975

Underoath’s singer/guitarist Aaron Gillespie enters the world.  1983

A California appeals court upholds the dismissal of a suit against Ozzy Osbourne and CBS Records that claims a teen was driven to take his life by Osbourne’s song “Suicide Solution.” 1988

Ike Turner (Ike & Tina Turner) is sentenced to one year in jail for possessing and transporting cocaine.  In a Santa Monica CA courtroom, the judge says, “You’re not just abusing yourself, you’re abusing others.” 1988

The first Lollapalooza Tour is launched Phoenix. The Alt. Rock trek, conceived by Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction, features his band, Living Colour and Siouxsie & The Banshees. 1991

Rage against the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). On the Philadelphia stop of the Lollapalooza tour, Rage Against The Machine appear nude onstage for a 25-minute silent protest (with duct tape across their mouths) of the PMRC’s censorship efforts. PMRC is scrawled across band member’s chests. 1993

Ex-Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler is arrested in Hollywood. He is charged with narcotics possession and being under the influence. Just to ice the case, there’s also an outstanding warrant. Adler has struggled with substance abuse. 2008

The last concert at Shea Stadium is held. The Billy Joel show features an appearance by Paul McCartney. The two perform renditions of The Beatles “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Let It Be.” The Beatles played Shea in the ’60s. 2008

R.E.M. and Maroon 5 officially support the First Fans Coalition. The not-for-profit organization’s mission is to protect music fans from deceitful ticket-selling practices. “Our band wants our tickets to be sold at the face value that we set, so that the real fans can get the tickets — not scalpers,” says Maroon 5’s Adam Levine. 2011

Three original members of Live sue singer Ed Kowalczyk accusing him of trademark infringement. Kowalczyk named his solo album “Alive” and advertised his shows as “Ed Kowalczyk of Live.” The band, remembered for ’94 album “Throwing Copper” and hit single “I Alone,” split with Kowalczyk in ’09 and sued him in ’10 for using the band’s name and declaring himself the sole recipient of the group’s publishing income. 2012

Following an onstage anti-war tirade days earlier, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder performs John Lennon’s “Imagine” at the Super Rock Festival in Portugal. Before performing, Vedder says he won’t pick sides in the Israeli-Palestine conflict. 2014

Billy Joel gives his 100th concert at Madison Square Garden.   Bruce Springsteen joins Joel onstage for “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” and “Born To Run.”  2018