This Day in History: 2024-10-17

ROCKTOBER 17^th

“The River” is the fifth studio effort by Bruce Springsteen. The double album is notable for the hit “Hungry Heart.” It sells over 5 million copies.  1980

“Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water,” the third studio album by Limp Bizkit, drops.  The set debuts at #1 on the Billboard 200 moving 400,000 copies on the first day.  2000

“Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways” debuts on HBO. The eight-episode series chronicles the recording of the band’s album “Sonic Highways” and the musical histories of each city visited. 2014

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“Jailhouse Rock” premieres at Loew’s State Theatre in Memphis where Elvis Presley once worked as an usher. The movie turns out to be one of his best. 1957

A chance meeting results in the formation of the Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards run into each other at the Dartford Railroad Station in London. Though the pair had gone to the same primary school, they hadn’t crossed paths in years. A mutual love of the Blues leads to starting a band. 1961

The Rolling Stones release their second album, “12 X 5.”  The set contains “Time Is On My Side” and “It’s All Over Now” and sells over 500,000 copies in the U.S. 1964

The musical “Hair” makes its off-Broadway debut in New York. It’s billed as The Tribal Love-Rock Musical. 1967

“Sid and Nancy,” a bio film of Sex Pistol Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, opens nationally. 1986

The movie, “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” is in theaters.  The soundtrack contains Offspring’s “D.U.I.” 1997

Barenaked Ladies are on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “One Week.” 1998

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke says the band may refuse to continue touring if something isn’t done to reduce the environmental impact of a major act hitting the road. “The way that tours are structured now and the way it works is a ridiculous consumption of energy,” contends Yorke. 2006

The soundtrack to the James Bond film “Quantum Of Solace” is released. Raconteurs Jack White and R&B singer Alicia Keys perform the theme song “Another Way To Die.” White also wrote and produced the track. 2008

Bono contributes a special op-ed piece to the New York Times about President Barack Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. The U2 vocalist writes that Obama has attempted to change the direction and image of the U.S. abroad. “In my view… the administration’s approach to fighting nuclear proliferation and climate change, improving relations in the Middle East and, by the way, creating jobs and providing health care at home, are rebranding in action,” explains Bono. 2009

U2’s “Ordinary Love,” the first new cut from the band in three years, is featured in the trailer for the Nelson Mandela biopic, “Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom.”  2013

Iron Maiden, having taken in more than $15 million in ticket sales from nine live shows, tops Billboard’s Hot Tours List for the third time in a year. The two-year Maiden England world tour nets more than $57 million from 54 concerts with a total attendance above 900,000. 2013

Neil Young and The Red Hot Chili Peppers perform a rare acoustic performance at the Silverlake Conservatory of Music to support the non-profit organization’s mission of offering students the opportunity to study music. 2015

L.A. Kiss, the arena football team owned by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS, is one of a handful of teams that cease operations. 2016

Tragically Hip lead singer Gord Downie dies of brain cancer at age 53.  2017

The lawsuit against Ghost founder Tobias Forge brought by his former bandmates is dismissed forcing the ex-Ghost musicians to pay the frontman’s legal fees. They sued for roughly $22,000 in unpaid compensation arguing they had not received their rightful share of Ghost’s profits during their tenure.  2018

All That Remains’ founding member and guitarist Oli Herbert dies at his home at age 44. He drowned in a pond on his property in Connecticut with anti-depressants and a sleep aid in his system. Herbert joined All That Remains in ‘98 and appeared on nine studio albums, including 2018 release “Victim Of The New Disease.” 2018