This Day in History: 2024-12-03

DECEMBER 3^rd

The Beatles’ “Rubber Soul” is released in the U.K. This edition includes “Nowhere Man” which does not appear on the U.S. version. Also, the group undertakes their final U.K. tour. The first stop is Glasgow. 1965 Linda Ronstadt’s “Simple Dreams” is #1 on the Billboard 200. A cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Tumbling Dice” plus “It’s So Easy,” “Blue Bayou” and Warren Zevon’s “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me” are the drawing cards. 1977

Rolling Stone magazine calls R.E.M.  “America’s Best Rock & Roll Band.” 1987

Two days earlier, “Document” (pictured) containing “The One I Love” and “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine,” peaks at #9 0n the Billboard 200.

Three Black Keys songs from their seventh studio album “El Camino” are certified platinum or multi-platinum by the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA).  They are: “Lonely Boy” (double platinum – two million sales); “Gold On The Ceiling” (double platinum); and “Little Black Submarines” (platinum – one million sales).  “El Camino” dropped in ’11. 2021

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Ozzy Osbourne (born John Michael Osbourne in Aston, Birmingham England) enters the world. The Dark Prince rolls through Black Sabbath and a successful solo career (becoming a package tour icon with Ozzfest) before playing a befuddled dad on MTV (The Osbournes). 1948

“Singer (program sponsor) Presents Elvis” airs on NBC. This soon becomes known as the “Comeback Special.” Presley appears in black leather and proves to the world that he’s still “got it.” 1968

A Soviet music critic dismisses The Beatles and their fans claiming the group has become the “rich idols of the Philistines.” 1968

The Sex Pistols’ Anarchy In The U.K. Tour gets underway with The Clash and the Damned who get dumped early on. Only three of nineteen scheduled shows actually happen. 1976

When pigs fly or going back to the farm. Having failed to get their forty-foot inflatable pig off the ground the day before, Pink Floyd’s photo shoot for the “Animals” album cover goes seriously awry when the pig, affectionately known as Algie, breaks from its moorings over London’s Battersea Power Station. Flights are cancelled at Heathrow Airport because the pig is an air traffic hazard. Algie eventually lands on a farm in Kent. 1976

Eleven people are killed trying to get to unreserved (festival) seating at The Who’s Riverfront Coliseum concert in Cincinnati, OH. 1979

“Show No Mercy,” Slayer’s debut album, is released. It goes on to be Metal Blade Records first major success.  1983

In an MTV Europe interview, the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger states that bassist Bill Wyman has quit the band. Wyman turns out to be a relative short timer spending a mere thirty years with the Stones. 1992

Marilyn Manson and his longtime girlfriend, striptease artist Dita Von Teese (Heather Sweet), wed at a castle in Kilsheelan, Ireland. About 60 people attend the ceremony that is officiated by underground movie director Alejandro Jodorowsky. The bride and groom read self-penned vows. 2005

Nickelback are the first major contributors to the Obakki Foundation which helps orphaned children in Cameroon, Africa. The band donates $1 of every ticket sold during their previous summer tour for a total contribution of $500,000. “Nickelback has the opportunity to step up, contribute and make a difference,” says the band’s Ryan Peake, who founded the organization with his wife Treana. 2009

Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe is indicted on manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic for the death of a fan who died two weeks after allegedly being injured at the band’s ‘10 concert in Prague. “Obviously, we intend to fight vigorously against these charges as we feel that in no way did Randy intend to cause bodily harm on the young fan who subsequently died from injuries sustained at the show,” says Larry Mazer, the band’s manager. Blythe is later acquitted. 2012

Former Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland dies in his sleep while on a tour stop in Bloomington, MN, with his band The Wildabouts. The troubled singer was 48. 2015

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler receives the Humanitarian Award from the Hospitality Committee for United Nations Delegations at the Ambassadors’ Ball in New York. He’s honored for his philanthropy: Janie’s Fund. 2016

KoЯn and Hollywood Vampires perform at the 15th annual “Alice Cooper’s Christmas Pudding” at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, AZ.  Proceeds benefit Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Center. 2016

The estate of Darrell “Dimebag” Abbott (Pantera/Damageplan) wins a copyright suit in Florida filed by Buddy Webster (aka Buddy Blaze), an instrument designer, who claimed to have not received compensation for Dimebag’s custom “Dean From Hell” guitar which he allegedly helped create. Blaze filed a lawsuit in ‘17 against the parent company of Dean Guitars and Dimebag’s estate.  2018

Every Time I Die vocalist Keith Buckley announces that he is taking a break from the road to focus on his mental health. “Keith needs to take this time to rest… and we wish him a quick recovery,” responds the band in a statement while adding that they will play the final three tour shows without a vocalist. Buckley then implies that issues within the band contributed to his mental health challenges.  2021

Myles Goodwyn, singer/guitarist of April Wine, dies at the age of 75.  April Wine sold over 10 million recordings worldwide and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame in ’10.  2023