March 28, 2024

This Day in History: 2024-11-04

NOVEMBER 4th

Linda Ronstadt’s “Living In The U.S.A.” is #1 on the Billboard 200. Ronstadt’s ninth studio album has “Just One Look” and “Ooh Baby, Baby,” both covers. But her rendition of Elvis Costello’s “Alison” raises the ire of the song’s composer.  1978

Hinder issues their sophomore album “Take It To The Limit” on Election Day so fans can “go vote and buy the record,” says drummer Cody Hanson. “Use Me” is the lead single. 2008

The Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” has a $51.1 million opening and nets $141 million worldwide during its debut weekend.  2008

The companion soundtrack lands at #22 on the Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 24,000 equivalent album units. The soundtrack mixes studio and live tracks, including Queen performances from “Live Aid.”

Blink 182‘s “One More Time” is #1 on the Billboard 200. It’s the first album with the complete trio of Travis Barker (drums), Mark Hoppus (bass/vocals) and Tom DeLonge (guitar/vocals) since ’11. Also, the Rolling Stones ‘comeback’ album, “Cockney Diamonds,” is #3. 2023

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

The Pretenders’ troubled guitarist James Honeyman-Scott is born. 1956

Jordan Rudess (Jordan Charles Rudes), keyboardist for Dream Theater is born in New York City.  1956

The Beatles perform for the Queen at a Royal Command Performance in London. This is the show where John Lennon asks the audience in the cheap seats to clap their hands and everybody else “just rattle your jewelry.” 1963

Cedric Bixler-Zavala is born. The Mars Volta vocalist is from Redwood City, CA. 1974

“Mob Rules,” Black Sabbath’s 10th studio album, drops. It is also the first Sabbath album to feature drummer Vinny Appice, who replaced original member Bill Ward. 1981

David Crosby of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center after suffering liver failure.  He gets a liver transplant a few weeks later.  1994

Fred “Sonic” Smith dies of heart failure in Detroit at age 45. He was the guitarist and co-founder of the proto-Punk MC5.  1994

Melissa Etheridge and partner Julie Cypher are on the cover of “Newsweek.” It’s not for music, but to promote an article on gay parenting. 1996

Eight months after Soundgarden disbanded the “A-Sides” compilation is released. 1997

The Beach Boys long abandoned “Pet Sounds Sessions” is released.  The album was recorded in ’67 but not deemed ‘commercial enough’ so the project was shelved with some tracks appearing on “Smile.”  1997

Selling over one-million copies in the first week of its release, Limp Bizkit’s “Chocolate St*rfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water” is the #1 album in the U.S. 2000

Disturbed’s cover of Genesis’ “Land Of Confusion” reaches #1 hit on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. But that’s not enough for frontman David Draiman. “To be honest with you, I expected it to (do) better,” says the singer. “I had hopes for it – multi-format, not simply at the active (Rock) format, especially with the rotation of (the) video.” 2006

Radiohead and MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) win the Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award for the band’s “All I Need” video. “(The song has) two parallel stories running, one of a little boy in the West and one of a little boy in a sweatshop in the East, and the boy (in the West) ends up buying the shoes from the sweatshop,” says Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke. The award is granted annually to “best television program on children’s rights produced in the Asia-Pacific region.” 2009

U2 wins the Top Tour and Top Draw honors at the 2010 Billboard Touring Awards in New York. Rush earns the Legend of Live award in recognition of their contributions to live music and the touring business. The honors, given out for the best tours of the year, are determined by box office earnings. 2010

Metallica perform at the launch party for Activision’s video game Call of Duty: Black Ops at Hangar 8 of the Santa Monica airport. The event serves as a fundraiser for Activision’s Call of Duty Endowment, which helps soldiers who are transitioning back into civilian life. 2010

Janis Joplin is posthumously awarded the 2,510th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star is directly in front of the entrance to Musician’s Institute. 2013

Former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera is ordered to pay over $13,000 in damages to his ex-sister-in-law for allegedly libeling her in his autobiography, “My Bloody Roots: From Sepultura To Soulfly And Beyond.” He called her a “bitch.” 2015

One-time Black Crowes keyboardist Eddie Harsh dies at age 59. “Eddie was a brilliant musician, with a beautiful heart. We should remember Eddie for his music, his great sense of humor, and his positive outlook on life,” states the Crowes’ Rich Robinson.  2016

The two-day Ozzfest Meets Knotfest gets underway at the Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernardino, CA. Slipknot does not perform but frontman Corey Taylor’s other band, Stone Sour, headlines for the first time.  2017

Axl Rose, Guns N’ Roses frontman, wants everyone to know that when “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is played at President Trump’s rallies, he does not approve of this message. “Unfortunately, the Trump campaign is using loopholes in the various venues’ blanket performance licenses which were not intended for such craven political purposes, without the songwriters’ consent,” states Rose.  2018

On the eve of the Judas Priest’s induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame the band receives a special plaque commemorating 50 years in music and over 50 million album sales worldwide.  2022

“Too Far Gone?” is on top of Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock chart. It’s the third #1 from “72 Seasons,” Metallica’s 11th studio album. The title track and “Lux Æterna were the first two.   2023