This Day in History: 2024-11-27

NOVEMBER 27^th

Jimi Hendrix is born in Seattle with the moniker Johnny Allen Hendrix. Four years later, Jimi’s dad changes his kid’s name to James Marshall. 1942

George Harrison’s solo career peaks early with the release of his triple album “All Things Must Pass.” The set goes on to be certified six-times platinum by the RIAA, making it the best-selling album by a solo Beatle. 1970

Smells like a mega-hit. Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album goes platinum. 1991

The Black Keys’ “Tighten Up” starts a two-week stay at the top of the Rock Songs chart.  This is the first of two runs at #1. Stone Sour’s “Say You’ll Haunt Me” has a one week shot before “Tighten Up” recaptures the top spot.  2010

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Charlie Benante (Anthrax) enters the world. 1962

The Beatles unfurl “Magical Mystery Tour” in the U.S. Often seen as a pale imitation of “Sgt. Pepper’s,” the album contains two Lennon classics “Strawberry Fields” and “I Am The Walrus.”  1967

Steppenwolf’s self-titled debut album reaches gold record status. It contains the inescapable “Born To Be Wild,” “The Pusher” (it’s the ‘60s, man) and the Chuck Berry influenced “Berry Rides Again.” 1968

Alter Bridge’s Myles Richard Kennedy (born Myles Richard Bass) has a birthday. 1969

Black Sabbath and opening act Steel Mill, with Bruce Springsteen, perform at the Sunshine Inn.  Sabbath is at the Asbury Park, NJ venue to promote their sophomore album “Paranoid,” while Steel Mill breaks up a couple months later. 1970

Men At Work own the top spot on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart with “Down Under.” 1982

“The Beatles Anthology I” sells 1.2 million copies in its first week; a quarter century after the group broke up. It’s a sales record. 1995

Four marriages and one divorce. Pamela Anderson announces on her website that she is divorcing Kid Rock less than four months after they wed amid a publicity blizzard. Both parties cite “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their separation. The couple were officially married in Beverly Hills, CA, but also held three other ceremonies celebrating their nuptials. 2006

Another breakup. Cold announce they have disbanded after more than eight years and two gold albums. “We thank the Cold army for all their support throughout the years,” writes frontman Scooter Ward in an online post. 2006

AFI is voted Best Vegetarian Band at PETA’s inaugural Libby Awards. Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor is named Best New Fur Foe. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) lobbies against the use of animals for food or clothing. 2006

Jimi Hendrix’s favorite guitar is auctioned in London on what would have been the icon’s 70th birthday (see above). The black Fender Stratocaster, played at the ’67 Monterey International Pop Festival, sells at auction £237,000 (approx. $380,000 US). 2012

Five Finger Death Punch score their second Top 5 album in four months with “The Wrong Side of Heaven And The Righteous Side of Hell Vol. 2.” The album enters the Billboard Top 200 album chart at #2. “Vol. 1” also landed in the Top 5. 2013

KISS appear in the 88th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade surrounded by cheerleaders. They muff their lip-synch version of “Rock And Roll All Nite.” 2014

During an Irving, TX show Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor mentions that when Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who recently won re-election, asked for free tickets to the show he was told to “F*ck Off.” Turns out Reznor has history with the Senator.  A few years earlier Cruz was backstage at a N.I.N. concert and drank all the beer and was a pain to be around. 2018

Andrew W.K. marries actress Kate Dennings in L.A.  2023