“Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s The Sex Pistols” is #1 in the U.K. 1977
The album can’t crack the Top 100 in the U.S., though it eventually goes platinum as it becomes recognized for being the Punk classic that it is.
The soundtrack to U2’s documentary “Rattle And Hum” tops the Billboard 200 for a six-week run. 1988
The band’s sixth studio album contains live and studio tracks (“Angel Of Harlem” and “When Love Comes To Town” featuring B.B. King).
Pearl Jam issue “Riot Act.” 2002
Influenced by 9/11 and seen as a comeback from the Roskilde Music Festival tragedy where nine people were crushed to death and ‘00’s disappointing “Binaural” album, “Riot Act” debuts at #5 on its way to being certified gold by the RIAA.
Godsmack’s “Surrender” begins an extended run at #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. 2022
MORE TODAY IN ROCK…
Booker T. Jones (Booker T. & The MGs) celebrates his birthday. He is the leader and organist for the legendary Memphis group (MGs). 1944
Neil Young is born in the free world (Toronto, Canada). Hey, hey, my, my. 1945
Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser, Blue Oyster Cult’s guitarist-songwriter, enters a “stunned” world (born in Long Island, NY). 1947
According to the Billboard DJ poll, Elvis Presley is the year’s most promising Country & Western Artist. In addition, Chuck Berry is named the Most Promising R&B Artist. 1955
David “Dave” Ellefson, a founding member along with Dave Mustaine, of Megadeth is born in Jackson, MN. 1964
Here we come… The Monkees eponymous debut album tops the Billboard chart for thirteen-weeks. The pre-fab four initially score with “Last Train To Clarksville.” 1966
Queen releases “Somebody To Love.” While the song only peaks at #13 on the Billboard singles chart it does become a ’77 – ’78 concert staple. 1976
Jefferson Airplane’s Marty Balin tries his hand at Rock opera with “Rock Justice.” It opens for a brief run in San Francisco. The story revolves around a musician on trial for not having a hit record. Interesting premise but a flop. Rock operas should be left to the master – Pete Townshend (The Who). 1979
Pat Benatar’s “Love Is A Battlefield” sits atop the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. 1983
With the Berlin Wall (separating West and East Berlin) coming down just days earlier Melissa Etheridge and Joe Cocker are there to perform. 1989
Kid Rock releases the single “Picture,” featuring Sheryl Crow, off his album, “Cocky.” When Crow’s label won’t give permission to use her vocals, Rock re-records the track with Country singer Allison Moorer but radio programmers favor the Crow version. 2002
Day Tripper? Paul McCartney is the first musician to broadcast live music into space when a segment of his Anaheim show is beamed, via NASA, to the International Space Station 220 miles above the Earth. 2005
Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich no longer owns the Jean-Michel Basquiat painting “Untitled (Boxer).” He sells the expressionist piece, created in ’82, for $13.5 million (less commission) at a Christie’s auction in New York. The artwork was featured in the ‘04 Metallica documentary, “Some Kind Of Monster.” 2008
Mitch Mitchell, the final surviving original member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, is found dead from natural causes at a hotel in Portland, OR. The drummer, 61, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Jimi Hendrix Experience in ‘93. 2008
While awarding the Medal Of Honor at the White House to Florent Groberg, a former Army captain who tackled a suicide bomber in Afghanistan and was badly injured, President Obama recounts a moment during Groberg’s recovery when he thought he was hallucinating because KoЯn singer Jonathan Davis appeared at his bedside. “I talk to a lot of vets who come back and are hurt,” Davis says. “They’re in disbelief and depressed but happy that they’re home. It’s amazing just to put a smile on their face.” 2015
Former Mötörhead drummer Phil ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor dies at the age of 61. Taylor was with the band from ‘75 to ‘84 and from ‘87 to ’92. Mötörhead’s Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister says he is “devastated.” 2015
Sting performs at the reopening of the Bataclan Club in Paris, nearly one year after a deadly terrorist attack killed 89. Islamic State militants opened fire during Eagles Of Death Metal’s performance as part of a wave of attacks around the city. 2016
Chad Hanks, bassist for American Head Charge, passes away at the age of 46. 2017
When the going gets tough, the tough get cooking. Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl visits the firefighters at Fire Station 68 in Calabasas, CA, where he barbecues for the crew. Grohl and his wife own a barbecue joint (Beached Pig). The station is one of many fighting the deadly fires in the region, which destroyed hundreds of homes and structures while taking over four dozen lives. 2018
Stan Lee, Marvel comics Superhero creator (Spider-Man, Iron Man and X-Men, to name a few), dies at age 95. Not surprisingly, Rock musicians express their appreciation for Lee’s artistry include Metallica’s Kirk Hammett “Stan Lee was a visionary and a pioneer”; Rob Zombie adds, “Marvel comics was one of the best things I remember about being a kid”; and Slipknot’s Corey Taylor “Thank you for making me believe in heroes.” 2018
“Surrender” (Godsmack) begins a five-week at #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart. 2022
Pearl Jam issue “Riot Act.” 2002
