
A Glimpse into the Timeless Legacy
“Yesterday in Rock” offers a daily glimpse into the history of rock music, reminding us of the profound impact it has had on culture, society, and our own lives. The genre’s history is a tapestry woven with tales of creativity, innovation, and, at times, tragedy. By revisiting these moments, we can better appreciate the rich and diverse heritage of rock ‘n’ roll and its enduring influence on music and beyond. So, stay tuned, because tomorrow, we’ll dive into another page of rock history, exploring the moments that continue to shape our musical world.
NOVEMBER 29th
Bon Jovi has the #1 song in the U.S. with “You Give Love A Bad Name.” 1986
From the album “Slippery When Wet” it’s the band’s first #1.
Guns N’ Roses unleash “GN'R Lies.” Their second studio set is the last to feature drummer Steven Adler. It peaks at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 selling over five-million copies in the U.S. 1988
"Boulevard Of Broken Dreams," the second single from Green Day’s “American Idiot,” is released. "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" goes to #1 on the Billboard Pop Chart, Hot Mainstream Rock and Hot Modern Rock charts. 2004
MORE TODAY IN ROCK…
British Blues pioneer John Mayall is born. 1933
Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals) has a birthday. Early in his career he was a member of Joey Dee And The Starlighters (“Peppermint Twist”). 1942
Guitarist Ronnie Montrose (Montrose) is born in San Francisco. 1947
Boston’s ‘other guitarist’ (Tom Scholz being the famous one), Barry Goudreau, is born. 1951
Bassist Michael Dempsey (The Cure) has a birthday. 1958
The Beatles release “I Want To Hold Your Hand” in the U.K. (it's released in the U.S. a month later). There are 700,000 advance orders with sales surpassing a million after only a few days. 1963
The Beatles have a two-sided #1 with John Lennon’s “Come Together” and George Harrison’s “Something.” Both songs are on the “Abbey Road” album. 1969
An edited version (cutting more than a minute from the original) of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” tops the U.K. chart. 1975
Epic Records East Coast A&R Director Bruce Harris writes a letter to Punk aficionado Paul Dougherty stating that he feels the Sex Pistols are superior to and will be more profitable to the label than The Clash. As a result, “The Clash,” later considered a brilliant debut, sits on the shelf for two years before finally becoming available in the U.S. 1977
“Live 1975-85” is #1 on the Billboard 200. The Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s album remains at the top through to the first two weeks of the New Year. 1986
"U2 - Zoo TV" is on FOX. It bombs. 1992
All Things Must Pass. George Harrison (The Beatles) loses a long battle with cancer. 2001
Band Aid's updated version of "Do They Know It`s Christmas?" comes out. The band includes Paul McCartney, U2’s Bono and Chris Martin of Coldplay. Band Aid's Bob Geldof and Midge Ure hope to raise public awareness and funds for famine victims in the Darfur region of Sudan. The original "Do They Know It’s Christmas" arrived in '84. 2004
BMI presents Steve Winwood with its prestigious "Icon' honor at the performance-rights organization's annual London Awards. The ex-Traffic member and solo performer is recognized for his "enduring influence on generations of music makers." 2005
A two-day auction begins on items that belonged to the late Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett. Among the articles on the block in Cambridge are Barrett's own never-before-seen artwork, some signed by the musician, two hand-painted bicycles, homemade speakers and a classical guitar. Ten paintings sell for more than $100,000 while the auction raises $200,000. A portion funds "educational development" in the art world. Barrett, who left Floyd in ‘68, passed away in '06. 2006
Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh (both of The Eagles) perform at the 10th annual Collaborating for a Cure Benefit in New York. The pair play their solo stuff plus Eagles' tunes. Proceeds go to the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation. 2007
Elvis Costello urges fans not to buy his box set, “The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook,” because it is too expensive. "Unfortunately, we find ourselves unable to recommend this lovely item to you as the price appears to be either a misprint or a satire," Costello writes on his website. The tracks were recorded over two nights at The Wiltern Theater in L.A. 2011
U2’s "Ordinary Love," is featured in the Nelson Mandela biopic, “Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom” is released. The song was written specifically for the film. 2013
Bassist Kim Shattuck is dismissed by the Pixies just four months after she replaced founding member Kim Deal who left the previous June. "Super disappointed to learn that my time with the Pixies ended today,” writes Shattuck on Facebook. 2013
Iron Maiden LLP, the band’s holding company, is named one of the fastest-growing music companies in the U.K. by the London Stock Exchange. 2013
Beastie Boys' Ad-Rock announces he's designed a shoe in collaboration with L.A. vegan footwear company Keep, to help raise funds for Planned Parenthood. "I support a woman's right to choose and feel that women should not be punished for making decisions about their own lives and bodies,” says Ad-Rock. 2016
Lzzy Hale (Halestorm) participates in Bedstock, a virtual music festival where artists sing while in bed to support MyMusicRX, an organization that brings music to hospitalized youth. Hale performs the song “Dear Daughter.” 2016
Modest Mouse singer Isaac Brock is sued for causing a multi-car wreck in ‘16 when he failed to stop when approaching traffic in Portland, OR. A city employee, who was driving a vehicle involved, seeks over $865,000 in damages (due to injuries and pain resulting from the accident). 2017
Billboard reports that Shinedown has landed its 13th #1 on the Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart with "Get Up", the second single from the band’s sixth studio album, "Attention Attention." Only Three Days Grace, with 14, has more. 2018
Black Veil Brides announces the addition of bassist Lonny Eagleton. He replaces Ashley Purdy, who exited a couple weeks earlier. Eagleton previously played with B.V.B. singer Andy Biersack (a.k.a. Andy Black) on his solo tour. 2019
Investigators working with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department raid Marilyn Manson’s home. Several women have accused Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, of sexual assault and other forms of physical and psychological abuse and he is facing multiple lawsuits stemming from the allegations. 2021
A woman is hit in the face by Axl Rose’s microphone during Guns N’ Roses' concert in Adelaide, Australia. Her face is bloodied and bruised. "Having tossed the mic at the end of r show for over 30 years we always felt it was a known part of the very end of r (sic) performance that fans wanted and were aware of to have an opportunity to catch the mic,” writes Rose on Twitter, who adds he’ll refrain from the practice in the future. 2022