March 28, 2024

This Day in History: 2024-08-05

AUGUST 5th

Dismissed (at the time) as relics from a bygone era, the Rolling Stones prove the critics wrong when “Miss You” tops the pop chart. 1978

Pat Benatar’s “Crimes Of Passion” arrives. The album contains “Treat Me Right” and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” 1980

John Mellencamp’s haunting “Scarecrow” drops.

Featuring “Small Town” and “R.O.C.K. In The USA,” the album goes multi-platinum. 1985

Rise Against score their first platinum album certificates for “The Sufferer & The Witness” (’06) and “Appeal To Reason” (’08).  Both sold over one-million units.  2021

Staind‘s “Lowest In Me” is #1 on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.  The comeback single, the band’s first since ’11, is from their eighth studio album, “Confessions Of The Fallen.” 2023

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Rick Derringer (born Richard Zehringer) has a birthday. The Fort Wayne, OH, native starts with the McCoys (“Hang On Sloopy”) then plays with both Johnny and Edgar Winter before embarking solo career and scoring with “Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo.” 1947

Guitarist Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister) enters the world.  1955

“It’s got a good beat and I can dance to it. I give it a 95.” American Bandstand, with host Dick Clark, debuts on national TV (ABC). Teens dance to the hits of the day. The show originates from Philadelphia before moving to L.A. 1957

Guitarist Pat Smear (born Georg Ruthenberg in West L.A.) has a birthday. He was Nirvana’s backing guitarist (’93-’94) and member of the Foo Fighters (’94 – ’97). He rejoined the Foos in ’06 as their touring guitarist and was eventually made a full band member. 1959

Adam Yauch is born in Brooklyn. He becomes the Beastie Boys’ M.C.A. 1964

Stevie Wonder resigns with Motown Records. At $13-million over seven years (one album per year), it’s the richest contract to date. 1975

The hypnotic and haunting “So Alive” (Love & Rockets) peaks at #3 on the pop chart. 1989

Hundreds of KISS fans, some in full face paint, protest outside the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, demanding that the band, eligible for ten years, be inducted.  According to a Rock Hall rep, the half-hour demonstration was the first of its kind.   2006

Pearl Jam headline the closing night of Lollapalooza in Chicago. During the show, lyrics criticizing President Bush are censored from a live webcast by AT&T Inc. Lyrics cut from a rendition of “Daughter” (with a part to the tune of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall”) include “George Bush, leave this world alone” and “George Bush find yourself another home.” Days later AT&T says they made a mistake. Following the incident Pearl Jam posts a notice. “This troubles us as citizens concerned with the issue of censorship and the increasingly consolidated control of the media,” writes the band. They also promise to “work harder to ensure live broadcasts or webcasts are ‘free from arbitrary edits’.” 2007

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler suffers serious injuries when he falls off a catwalk during the band’s concert at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. Tyler is airlifted to a hospital for treatment. He has a broken shoulder, gashes in his back and his head needs stitches. 2009

Don Henley (The Eagles), along with fellow songwriters Mike Campbell and Danny Kortchmar, settle their lawsuit against California Republican Senate candidate Chuck Devore. The politician used “The Boys Of Summer” and “All She Wants To Do Is Dance” in promotional videos without asking permission. “The court’s ruling in this case confirms that political candidates, regardless of affiliation, should seek appropriate license authority before they use copyrighted works,” says Devore in a statement. 2010

Lollapalooza, with headliners Coldplay, Foo Fighters, and Muse, celebrates its 20th anniversary. “I take great delight in knowing that for the past twenty years we’ve given so many new artists a prestigious stage and a massive audience to play in front of,” says Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction), the founder of Lollapalooza. 2011

For the second time in less than a month, Puddle Of Mudd singer Wes Scantlin is arrested for driving under the influence. He’s pulled over in South Dakota for speeding and is cited for possession of marijuana. 2015

“Suicide Squad” is in theaters. The film, about a group of imprisoned DC villains who are enlisted by the government to complete a deadly mission, features 30 Seconds To Mars’ Jared Leto as The Joker. 2016

Shinedown drummer Barry Kerch drops off the band’s tour after testing positive for COVID-19, even though he’s fully vaccinated. Dustin Steinke of Sixx: AM fills in.  A month-and-a-half later, bassist Eric Bass tests positive forcing Shinedown to perform a couple shows as a trio. 2021

While on tour in Bonner Springs, KS the Foo Fighters perform on flatbed truck for members of the Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church who are demonstrating with signs proclaiming what God hates. “The way I look at it is I love everybody,” says frontman Dave Grohl. “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? You know what you should be doing?” The Foo Fighters then break into the Bee Gees’ song “You Should Be Dancing.”  2021

Alice In Chains collect platinum certifications for the albums “Dirt” (5x platinum), “Jars Of Flies” (4x platinum), “Facelift” (3x platinum) “Greatest Hits” (platinum).   The singles “Man In The Box” (3x platinum), “Would?” (2x platinum) and “Rooster” (2x platinum), “Down In A Hole” (platinum), “Nutshell” (platinum) and “Them Bones” (platinum) also receive certifications.  2022

After 28 weeks on the chart, Pierce The Veil’s “Emergency Contact” finally makes it to #1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay listing. The song is from the band’s fifth album, “The Jaws Of Life.”  2023

Former Lostprophets vocalist Ian Hawkins is beaten and stabbed at HMP Wakefield in the U.K. after being held captive by other inmates during a prison rampage. Prison guards use stun grenades to eventually free Hawkins, who is serving a lengthy sentence for child sex crimes. He is taken to a hospital.  2023