This Day in History: 2023-08-23

AUGUST 23rd

The Beatles perform at the Hollywood Bowl. Selections from this concert and the one a year later comprise “The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl” album. 1964

“Nothing’s Shocking” from Jane’s Addiction is released.  1988

The album goes platinum (1-million units moved) in the U.S. while the single “Jane Says” peaks at #6 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and becomes the band’s signature song

“Hail To The King,” the fifth album from Avenged Sevenfold, drops. It is first, and last, A7X album to feature drummer Arin Ilegay (who replaced the late Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan). 2013

The set goes to #1 on the Billboard 200 and reaches one-million sales (platinum level) eight-years later.

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

The Who’s cataclysmic drummer, Keith Moon, is born. 1946

Survivor vocalist Jimi Jamison is born in Durant, MS. 1951

Dean DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) has a birthday. The guitarist hails from Point Pleasant, NJ. 1961

John Lennon marries Cynthia Powell in Liverpool. Lennon’s fellow Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, attend. 1962

The Beatles release “She Loves You” in the U. K. It sets a British sales record remaining on the chart for thirty-one consecutive weeks. 1963

Keith Moon drives a Lincoln Continental into a pool at the Holiday Inn in Flint, MI during his 21st birthday party.   The incident earns The Who a lifetime ban from the Holiday Inn chain.  1967

The Rolling Stones top the pop chart with “Honky Tonk Women.” It’s the group’s first hit with guitarist Mick Taylor (who replaced Brian Jones). 1969

Lou Reed leaves the Velvet Underground.  The group’s final performance (for over two decades) is at New York City’s Max’s Kansas City club. 1970

The Strokes vocalist Julian Casablancas sees his first light of day. 1978

The Cars’ singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek, marries model Paulina Porizkova on the island of St. Bart’s. 1989

Duran Duran get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1770 Vine Street). 1993

Killer Queen. “Queen’s Greatest Hits” is released in Iran. Queen is the first Rock band to receive the official seal of approval in Iran even though Western music is strictly prohibited and homosexuality is considered a serious crime. Queen’s late singer, Freddie Mercury, who died of AIDs in ’91, was of Iranian ancestry. 2004

So you don’t want to be elected anymore? Alice Cooper, criticizes the near countless number of Rock musicians supporting Democratic presidential nominee, John Kerry. Cooper, a Republican, tells Canadian Press that fans shouldn’t get their political views from musicians. “Why are we Rock stars? Because we’re morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night.” 2004

Dr. Brian May, if you please. The Queen guitarist earns his doctorate degree in astrophysics from London’s Imperial College. May aces a three-hour oral exam in which he discusses his thesis, “Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud.”  He started work on his Ph.D 36-years earlier but was obviously sidetracked. 2007

Joan Jett files a lawsuit against a former Runaways bandmate, Jackie Fox (aka Jacqueline Fuchs –no kidding). Fox claims to own part of the group’s trademark and is trying to block the movie, “The Runaways,” from being released. Jett initiates the legal action so the film can premiere on schedule. 2009

The film soundtrack “Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1” with songs by David Bowie and the Runaways is #1 on the Billboard 200. It’s the first soundtrack album consisting entirely of previously released songs to top the chart. 2014

The Minnesota Wild hockey team announces that “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince will play every time the team scores a goal. 2016

Foo Fighters earn platinum awards for their albums “Wasting Light” and “Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace.” The single “Learn to Fly” also goes platinum while “The Pretender,” “Everlong” and “Best Of You” are double platinum. 2017

Sex Pistols’ John Lydon loses his legal challenge over the right to use the band’s songs in “Pistol,” a six-episode biopic about Pistols guitarist Steve Jones. A judge rules that a longstanding contract between band members regarding song use is valid and active, and that the majority of the band (Jones and drummer Paul Cook) could overrule any individual (Lydon) member’s veto. 2021

Evanescence’s breakthrough ‘03 hit “Bring Me To Life“ is #1 on the iTunes chart.  No one really knows why a nearly two-decade old song returned though it may have to do with the band’s current tour with KoЯn. “Bring Me To Life“ initially reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in ‘03. The song’s video surpassed one-billion views on YouTube earlier in the year.  2022