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Today in Rock History – October 10

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beatles-1964-tour1964, During a UK tour The Beatles appeared at De Montfort Hall in Leicester. Ringo Starr drove himself to the venue after taking delivery of a brand new Facel Vega, apparently reaching speeds of 140 MPH on the M6 motorway.

1965, The Who arrive at Stockholm airport in Sweden to begin their two-day tour. Unfortunately, their equipment has been flown to Gothenburg for their second stop so the band is forced to borrow instruments from their opening acts The Moonjacks and The Mascots for their show at Johanneshovs Isstadion in Stockholm.

1966, The Who played at Bath Pavilion in Bath, Somerset, England.

1967, Jimi Hendrix performed at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco.

1967, The Who go into De Lane Lea Studios, London to record for BBC Radio One’s show Top Gear. It is the first time the BBC allow any musical act to record for them outside the BBC’s own studios. Alternate versions of “Pictures Of Lily” (Pete on organ), “I Can See For Miles,” (with heavy bass part), “Relax,” “Our Love Was,” (with Hawaiian guitar), “Can’t Reach You,” “A Quick One While He’s Away,” and “Someone’s Coming” are recorded along with new tracks “Summertime Blues” and “My Way.” Also recorded are five jingles, two for Top Gear and three for Radio One using altered lyrics to “Happy Jack,” “Boris The Spider” and “My Generation.”

1969, Led Zeppelin play at the Olympia in Paris, France. The show was first broadcast on French radio, November 2, 1969 on Europe1 (Musicorama program). The tape was re-discovered in the radio station’s basement in 2007 and re-broadcast on December 7, 2007.

1969, Pink Floyd appeared at the University of Loughborough, Leicestershire, England.

1969, King Crimson release their debut album, In The Court Of The Crimson King. It peaked at number five in the British charts and hit number 28 in the US.

1970, The Carpenters were at number two on the singles chart with “We’ve Only Just Begun.” The song was originally written for a TV commercial advertising a bank.

1970, Cosmos Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival enters the eighth of nine weeks at number one on the US album charts.

1970, Black Sabbath were at number one on the UK album chart with their second album Paranoid. The album is now regarded as one of the classic Heavy Metal albums.

1970, Neil Diamond went to number one on the US singles chart with “Cracklin’ Rose,” his first chart topper as an artist. Diamond was the author of the 1966 number one hit “I’m A Believer” for The Monkees.

1970, Pink Floyd’s Atom Heart Mother is released in the US. The UK release took place on October 2nd. It would only reach number 55 on the American charts, while topping the British charts.

1972, Yes appeared at Caird Hall, Dundee, Scotland.

1973, Rod Stewart & The Faces and Rory Gallagher appeared at San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego. California.

1975, The Allman Brothers Band performed at Diablo Stadium, Tempe, Arizona.

1976, The Who appeared at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California.

Aerosmith-19781978, Joe Perry and Steve Tyler from Aerosmith were injured after a cherry bomb was thrown on stage during a gig in Philadelphia. The group performed behind a safety fence for the rest of the tour.

1978, The second Stiff Records UK tour kicked off featuring Wreckless Eric, Jona Lewie, Rachel Sweet, Lene Lovich and Micky Jupp. The UK tour was undertaken by train, and then continued on to the USA, without Jupp, who was afraid of flying.

1979, Fleetwood Mac were awarded a star on Hollywood’s Walk Of Fame.

1979, The Rose, starring Bette Midler as a self-destructive 1960s Rock star, loosely  based on Janis Joplin, premiered in Los Angeles. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Frederic Forrest), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Bette Midler, in her screen debut), Best Film Editing and Best Sound.

1980, The funeral took place of Led Zeppelin’s drummer John Bonham. Bonzo was found dead at  Jimmy Page’s house of what was described as asphyxiation, after inhaling his own vomit during an evening excessive vodka consumption, 40 shots in 4 hours. He was only 32.

1980, Blue Oyster Cult appeared at Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky

1981, The Police went to number one on the album chart with Ghost In The Machine, the band’s third number one LP.

1981, Eric Clapton performed at Scandinavium, Göteborg, Sweden.

1982, The Grateful Dead appeared at Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California.

1986, The Moody Blues played at The Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1988, U2 released Rattle and Hum, comprised of new studio tracks, live performances, and cover songs. It includes recordings at Sun Studios in Memphis and collaborations with Bob Dylan, BB King, and Harlem’s New Voices of Freedom gospel choir.

1987, Whitesnake went to number one on the US singles chart with “Here I Go Again,” a number nine hit in the UK.

1992, R.E.M. scored their second UK  number one album with Automatic For The People, featuring the singles “Drive,” “Everybody Hurts,” “Man On The Moon,” and “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight.” It reached number two on the US charts.

2009, Pearl Jam went to number one on the US album chart with Backspacer, the group’s ninth studio album.

Born on October 10: Alan Cartwright, Procol Harum (1945); Jerry Lacroix, Blood Sweat & Tears (1945); John Prine, singer, songwriter (1946); Midge Ure, Ultravox , Tanya Tucker,  country singer (1955); and David Lee Roth (1955); Martin Kemp, bass, Spandau Ballet (1961); Mike Malinin, guitar, vocals, Goo Goo Dolls (1967)

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Today in Rock History – September 26

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Who-1965-live1965, The Who are scheduled to play an 8pm show at the Aarhus Hallen in Aarhus. The audience pelts the opening acts with bottles and trash and turns into a rioting mob by the time The Who take the stage. The band makes it through half of one song before fleeing for their lives, as the audience storms the stage and smashes the instruments. Pete later calls it “the best concert we ever played in Denmark.” Backstage Roger angrily blames the others for the group’s problems calling them “pillheads,” an appropriate description at the time. Roger grabs Keith’s supply of speed tablets and flushes them down the toilet. Keith goes for Roger’s throat. Security has to be called in break up the fisticuffs. Nevertheless, they all rush to Aalborg, taking the Fredrikstorv stage to play a 9:30pm show. Back in the UK, Pete, John and Keith demand that Roger be kicked out of the Who. The managers talk them into allowing Roger to continue for now while they look for another singer.

1965, During a UK tour, The Rolling Stones appeared at Colston Hall in Bristol.

1967, Pink Floyd played the first of three nights at the Fillmore in San Francisco, the band’s first ever live dates in the US.

1968, Rolling Stone Brian Jones was fined £50 ($80), after being found guilty of possession of cannabis.

1969, The Beatles released Abbey Road, the final studio recording from the group. It featured two George Harrison songs “Something” and “Here Comes The Sun.” In their interviews for The Beatles Anthology, the surviving band members stated that, although none of them ever made the distinction of calling it the “last album,” they all felt at the time this would very likely be the final Beatles effort, and therefore agreed to set aside their differences and “go out on a high note”.

1969, Fleetwood Mac, East Of Eden, Family, Edgar Broughton Band, Grisby Dyke and Glass Menagerie all appeared at an all night indoor festival at The Pavillion Gardens, Buxton, Derbyshire, England. John Peel hosted the night.

1970, Pink Floyd kicked off their third North American tour at The Electric Factory in Philadelphia.

1970, The Allman Brothers Band at Municipal Auditorium in Charleston, South Carolina

1970, The Who’s “See Me Feel Me” backed with “Overture From Tommy” hits the US charts. The 16-month old A-side is released to cash in on the popularity of the movie Woodstock and becomes one of The Who’s biggest US hits, reaching number 12 in Billboard and number 8 in Cash Box.

1971, The Allman Brothers Band performed at Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas.

1972, J. Geils Band released  Live – Full House, their first live album. They built their reputation as one of the best live bands on the tour circuit. This great hard rockin’ document proved it.  Featured “First I look At The Purse”, “Hard Drivin’ Man”, “Whammer Jammer”, “Lookin’ For A Love”, and more.

cheech-chong1972, Cheech & Chong appear at the Keith Albee Theater in Huntington, West Virginia.

1973, The Grateful Dead performed at War Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York.

1973, The Allman Brothers Band played at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. Marshall Tucker was the opening act.

1975, Black Oak Arkansas played at the Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1976, Hawkwind appeared at the Capitol Theatre in Cardiff, Wales.

1977, Eric Clapton performed at the Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan.

1978, Bob Dylan played at the Civic Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

1980, U2 appeared at the Cedar Ballroom, Birmingham, England on their Boy tour.

1981,  It is officially announced that Samson’s Bruce Dickinson has replaced Paul Di’Anno as the singer for Iron Maiden. Dickinson would leave the band in 1993 and rejoin in 1999.

1981, Blue Oyster Cult played at the Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland.

1982, Van Halen performed at the Events Center, Casper, Wyoming.

1987, Michael Jackson started a six-week run at number one on the US album chart with Bad. Released nearly five years after Jackson’s previous studio album, Thriller, Bad, went on to become the world’s best-selling album, having sold between 30 to 45 million copies worldwide. The album produced five US number one hits, the first album to do so.

1989, Paul McCartney started his world tour at The Drammenshallen, in Drammen, Norway. It was McCartney’s first major tour outing in ten years, since Wings UK Tour 1979, and would mark his first appearances in North America in thirteen years.

1995, AC/DC released Ballbreaker, their 12th international studio album. The album which was produced by Rick Rubin, featured the return of former drummer Phil Rudd, who had been fired from the band in 1983 as a result of drinking and drug problems and a fight with founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young.

2003, English singer, songwriter Robert Palmer died of a heart attack aged 54 in Paris France. He was a member of Vinegar Joe and Power Station (with Duran Duran members Andy Taylor and John Taylor, as well as drummer and former Chic member Tony Thompson.) As a solo artist had the 1986 US number one and UK number five single “Addicted To Love” and the 1988 hit “Simply Irresistible.”

2004, Green Day scored their first UK number one album with American Idiot the band’s seventh release.

Born on September 26: Marty Robbins, country singer (1925); Joe Bauer, drummer, The Youngbloods (1941); Bryan Ferry, singer, Roxy Music (1945);  and Olivia Newton-John (1948)

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Today in Rock History – September 12

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1968, During their first ever tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Stora Scenen at the Gröna Lund Amusement Park, in Stockholm, Sweden.

1969, King Crimson appeared at the Lyceum Ballroom, London

1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival scored their first chart topping album with Cosmo’s Factory. It enjoyed a nine-week run at number one and sold over three million copies.

1970, The Who begin a European tour at the Münsterland Halle in Muenster, West Germany. Also, Record Mirror reports that 1.3 million copies of Tommy have been sold in 8-track format.

1970, Pink Floyd performed at the Fete de L’Humanite, Bois de Vincennes, Paris. Over 500,000 people reportedly saw the show, making it their largest concert crowd ever.

1970, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles were at number one on the singles chart with “The Tears Of A Clown.”

1970, Bob Dylan joined Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie at the Woody Guthrie Memorial Concert held at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.

1971, The Allman Brothers Band plaued at the Hieges Field House, Shippensburg State College, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

1972, The Faces appeared at Madison Square Garden, New York City.

1972, Pink Floyd played at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City.

1973, The Rolling Stones performed at Kings Hall (Belle Vue), Manchester, England.

1974, Rush appeared at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore.

1975, Pink Floyd released their ninth studio album, Wish You Were Here.  The album explored themes of absence, the music business, and former band-mate Syd Barrett’s mental decline. It went to number one in the US and the UK, and went on to spend a total of 84 weeks on the chart.

1975, Aerosmith performed at the Metropolitan Sports Center, Bloomington, Minnesota. The building was demolished in 1994, and an IKEA now sits on part of the property.

zztop-19761976, ZZ Top played at Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan.

1980, During a North American tour Queen appeared at Kemper Arena, Kansas City in Missouri.

1981, The Grateful Dead performed at the Greek Theatre on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley.

1986, Public Image Ltd guitarist John McGeoch needed 40 stitches in his face after a two-liter wine bottle was thrown at the stage during a gig in Vienna.

1986, Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues was hospitalized after collapsing from exhaustion in Los Angeles.

1987, The soundtrack album La Bamba featuring Los Lobos started a two-week run at number one on the US album chart.

1987, Michael Jackson kicked of his Bad World Tour by playing the first of three sold-out nights at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. By the end of the 123-date tour, Jackson had played to over four million fans across fifteen countries.

1989, Aerosmith released Pump, their tenth studio album, which featured the hit singles “Love In An Elevator,” “The Other Side,” and “Janie’s Got a Gun.” Aerosmith found themselves in law school textbooks after a small rock band named Pump sued Aerosmith’s management company for service mark infringement. Aerosmith won the case.

1990, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie from Fleetwood Mac announced they were leaving the band at the end of their current tour.

1997, Founder of the Polar Music record label, songwriter, producer and Abba’s manager Stig Anderson died of a heart attack. Anderson co-wrote some of Abba’s biggest hits, such as “Waterloo,” “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S,” “Fernando,” “Dancing Queen,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” and “The Name of the Game.” His funeral was broadcast live on Swedish television an honor otherwise only reserved for distinguished statesmen or royalty.

2003, Johnny Cash, US singer songwriter died of respiratory failure aged 71. One of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, known as “The Man in Black.” He traditionally started his concerts by saying, “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” He had the 1969 number two single “A Boy Named Sue,” plus 11 other Top 40 singles. Cash also had his own program on US Television in late 60’s early 70’s.

2004, American drummer and arranger Kenny Buttrey died in Nashville, Tennessee, Worked with Neil Young, (Harvest, and After the Gold Rush), Bob Dylan (Blonde on Blonde, Nashville Skyline, and John Wesley Harding), as well as Bob Seger, Elvis Presley, Donovan, George Harrison, Joan Baez, Dan Fogelberg, Kris Kristofferson, Jimmy Buffett, and Chuck Berry.

2007, The surviving members of Led Zeppelin announced they would reform for a star-studded tribute concert in London. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones would play at a show to remember the late Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The place of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980, would be taken by his son Jason. The one-off concert, the trio’s first performance for 19 years, would take place at the O2 arena in London on  the 26th of November, with tickets costing £125 ($200). All profits from the show would go towards scholarships in Ertegun’s name in UK, the USA and Turkey, the country of his birth.

Born on this day: George Jones (1931); Maria Maldaur (1943); Barry White (1944); Gerry Beckley, America (1952);  Neal Pert, Rush (1952); Pat Dinizio, The Smithereens (1957); Ben Folds (1966); Jennifer Hudson (1981)

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Today in Rock History – September 7

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1968, The Doors played the first of two nights at The Roundhouse, London, playing twice nightly on their first UK visit. Granada TV filmed the sold out gigs, later shown as “The Doors Are Open,” which were attended by members of The Rolling Stones and Traffic.

1968, The Beach Boys played at at Patio Gardens in Farmington, Utah.

1968, Pink Floyd performed at Le Blboquet, St. Germain des Pres, in Paris, where they played “Let There Be More Light” live as part of a four-hour TV special entitled Surprise Partie. The music program also featured The Who, Joe Cocker, The Troggs, Fleetwood Mac, Small Faces, PP Arnold, The Equals, and others. It was broadcast in color on ORTF2 on December 31st.

1968, The American magazine Eye contains lyrics for three Pete Townshend songs, “Party Piece from Rael,” a song from the unfinished rock opera that led to “Rael” from The Who Sell Out, “Joker James”, which would ultimately be recorded for the Quadrophenia Soundtrack, and “Join My Gang”  which had been recorded by Oscar

1968, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham made their live debut as Led Zeppelin but billed as Yard Birds at Teen Club Box 45 in Gladsaxe, a suburb in the outskirts of Copenhagen, Denmark. Around 1,200 youngsters attended the show at Egegard School. Teen Club President Lars Abel presenting “The New Yardbirds” on stage, introduced Robert Plant as Robert Plat. A local review stated, “Their performance and their music were absolutely flawless, and the music continued to ring nicely in the ears for some time after the curtains were drawn after their show. We can therefore conclude that the new Yardbirds are at least as good as the old ones were.”

1968,  The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown LP and the single “Fire” backed with “Rest Cure” are released in the US. The single peaks at number two in both the Billboard and Cash Box charts. Pete Townshend gets an associate production credit on both, and plays rhythm guitar on the B-side.

1969, King Crimson appeared at the Victoria Ballroom, Chesterfield, England.

1971, Led Zeppelin performed at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The set list: Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I’ve Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That’s the Way, Going To California, What Is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love (medley), Communication Breakdown, Organ solo / Thank You, Rock and Roll.

1972, David Bowie appeared at The Top Rank, Hanley, Stoke on Trent, England.

1973, The Rolling Stones kicked off a nine-date UK tour at the Empire Pool London. Tickets £2.20.

1973, The Grateful Dead played at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

1974, The 101ers made their performing debut at the Telegraph pub in Brixton. The pub rock band featured singer, guitarist Joe Strummer who would later join The Clash.

1974, Aerosmith performed at the Wollman Skating Rink Theater in New York.

1976, Abba were at number one on the singles chart with “Dancing Queen,” the group’s only chart topper. The song was a a number one smash hit in over a dozen countries and stayed at the top of the Swedish charts for 14 weeks.

1977, Rush appeared at Winnipeg Arena, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

1978, Yes played at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Keith-Moon1978, Keith Moon, drummer with The Who, died of a overdose of heminevrin prescribed to combat alcoholism. A post-mortem confirmed there were 32 tablets in his system, 26 of which were undissolved. Moon had attended a party the night before organized by Paul McCartney for the launch of the The Buddy Holly Story movie. He played on all The Who albums from their debut, 1965’s My Generation, to 1978’s Who Are You, which was released two weeks before his death.

1979, Blue Oyster Cult played at the Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia.

1980, Black Sabbath performed at the Jai Alai Fronton Hall, Miami, Florida.

1982, Van Halen appeared at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona.

1985, David Bowie and Mick Jagger were at number one  on the UK singes chart with their version of the Martha Reeves and The Vandellas 1964 hit “Dancing In The Streets.” The song had been recorded as part of the Live Aid charity appeal. The original plan was to perform a track together live, with Bowie performing at Wembley Stadium and Jagger at the JFK Stadium, until it was realized that the satellite link-up would cause a half-second delay that would make this impossible.

1997, Fleetwood Mac went to number one on the US album chart with The Dance. The album went on sell over 5 million copies in the US alone.

2001, Michael Jackson was reunited onstage with the Jackson Five at his 30th Anniversary Celebration in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. It ended Jackson’s 11-year hiatus from performing in the U.S. Jackson was joined by Eminem, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Britney Spears and Destiny’s Child to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his singing career.

Warren Zevon

2003, singer, songwriter, Warren Zevon died. He had worked as a session musician, was the piano player and band leader for the Everly Brothers. His 1969 song “She Quit Me” was included in the soundtrack for the film Midnight Cowboy. Jackson Browne, The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt all appeared on his albums. He recorded over 15 solo albums, had the 1978 US number 21 single “Werewolves Of London.” He made frequent appearances on the David Letterman Show, whose host was an early proponent of his music.

2003, Black Eyed Peas started a six-week run at number one on the UK singles chart with “Where Is The Love.” The best selling single of 2003, with an uncredited Justin Timberlake on the recording.

Born on September 7: Little Milton, blues singer (1934); Buddy Holly (1936); Gloria Gaynor (1949); Chrissie Hynde (1951); Benmont Tench, keyboards, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1954); and LeRoi Moore, saxophonist, Dave Matthews Band (1961)

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Today in Rock History – September 3

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donovan-19661966, Donovan went to number one on the US singles chart with “Sunshine Superman,” a number two hit in the UK. The track featured then Yardbird and future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.

1967, During a 10-date tour of Sweden, The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at the Liseburg in Gothenburg, Sweden.

1968, After a two week absence, Ringo Starr rejoined The Beatles. Upon Ringo’s return to the studio, he found his drum kit covered with flowers to welcome him back.

1969, King Crimson appear at Toby Jug pub in Tolwort, in Southwest London.

1970, Freddie King and Johnny Winter performed at the Fillmore West in San Francisco, California.

1970, Alan Wilson, guitar player with Canned Heat, was found dead at fellow band-member Bob Hite’s garden in Topanga Canyon, Los Angeles aged 27. Canned Heat had the 1970 UK number two and US number 26 single “Let’s Work Together.”

1970, Led Zeppelin performed at the Sports Arena in San Diego, California. A critic for the local newspaper, the Union-Tribune wrote, “The performance was old-time religion without a message and without a moral, although there was plenty that was physical for the congregation of young people. There was the hand clapping, the shouting, the parading in the aisles – and finally there was the self-induced frenzy that was once the trademark of some evangelical religious sects.”

1970, It was reported that the Bob Dylan bootleg album Great White Wonder had sold over 350,000 copies worldwide.

1970, Arthur Brown was arrested at the Palermo Pop ’70 Festival in Italy, after he set fire to his helmet during the performance of his hit “Fire,” and stripped naked on stage.

1971, Led Zeppelin play one night at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Top ticket price was $7.50 (£4.69).

1971, The Allman Brothers band appeared at the Place de Nations in Montreal, Quebec.

1972, David Bowie performed at the Hardrock Concert Theatre, Stretford, in Manchester, England.  The 3000-seat venue hosted some of the biggest names in England during its brief three year existence.

1973, The Rolling Stones appeared at Eisstadion, in Mannheim, Germany.

1974, David Bowie performed at the Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, California.

1975, An all-star jam session took place at a party in Los Angeles for actor Peter Sellers’ 50th Birthday. The line-up for the group who named themselves the Trading Faces, Bill Wyman on bass, Ronnie Wood, Jesse Ed Davis, and Danny Kortchmar on guitars, Keith Moon, organ and drums, Joe Cocker, vocals, Nigel Olsson, drums, and David Bowie and Bobby Keys on sax.

1976, Marshall Tucker Band played the Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia.

1977, The month after his death, Elvis Presley had 27 albums and 9 singles in the Top 100 charts in the UK. Moody Blue was the number one album while “Way Down” was on top of the singles chart, equaling The Beatles, with each amassing 17 number one hits.

1977, Studio engineer Keith Harwood was killed in a car crash shortly after he left a recording session with The Rolling Stones. Harwood was noted for his work at Olympic Studios with David Bowie, Diamond Dogs, and The Rolling Stones albums It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll and Black And Blue. He also engineered a number of Led Zeppelin albums, including Houses Of The Holy, Physical Graffiti and Presence. The Rolling Stones dedicated their album Love You Live to the memory of Harwood.

zappa-19781978, Frank Zappa, Scorpions, Brand X, John McLaughlin, Ten Years After, Joan Baez, and Genesis appear at  Ludwigsparkstadion in Saarbrücken, Germany.

1979, Van Halen appeared at Kaikan Hall, Kyoto, Japan.

1980, Blue Oyster Cult played at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona.

1981, The Allman Brothers Band performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado.

1982, The three day US Festival in San Bernardino, California took place featuring, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, The Cars, Talking Heads, The Kinks, Ramones, B52’s, The English Beat, Gang Of Four, The Grateful Dead, Pat Benatar, Jackson Browne. Apple Computer co-founder Steven Wozniak bankrolled the festival.

 1983, The Eurythmics went to number one on the singles chart with “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This”).

 1988, UB40 had their first number one single with “Red Red Wine.” The song, taken from their album Labour of Love, was a cover of the 1968 Neil Diamond hit song.

1990, R.E.M. started recording sessions for their Out Of Time album at Bearsville Studios, Woodstock, New York.

1991, During a European tour, Nirvana recorded “Dumb,” “Drain You,” and “Endless Nameless” at Maida Vale studios in London for the BBC Radio 1 John Peel show.

2002, The Rolling Stones 40th anniversary Licks tour kicked off at the Fleet Centre Boston. Tickets for the best seats cost $224 (£140). The world tour would see the band playing to over two and a half million fans during over a hundred shows.

2004, Songwriter and producer Billy Davis died in New York after a long illness. He co-wrote Jackie Wilson’s, “Reet Petite” and the jingle “I’d Like To Buy The World A Coke.” Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes and Gladys Knight all recorded his songs.

2010, Mike Edwards, a founding member of ELO, was killed in a freak accident when a giant bale of hay tumbled down a hill and crashed into his van. The 62 year-old cellist died after the 600 kg (1,323 lb) bale rolled down a steep field in Devon, southern England, smashed through a hedge and careered on to the road. Edwards played cello with ELO from their first live gig in 1972 until he left in January 1975. He quit the band in 1975 to become a Buddhist, changing his name to Deva Pramada and making his living by teaching the cello.

Born on this day: Freddie King (1934); Al Jardine, Beach Boys (1942); George Biondi,  Steppenwolf (1945); Eric Bell, Thin Lizzy (1947); Donald Brewer, drummer, Grand Funk Railroad (1948);  Steve Jones, Sex Pistols (1955); Stefan Kendal Gordy, aka DJ Redfoo, LMFAO (1975)

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Today in Rock History – August 26

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1965, The Byrds appeared at the Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood, California.

1965, Sonny & Cher were at number one on the UK singles chart with “I Got You Babe,” the duo’s only British chart topper. Sonny Bono was inspired to write the song to capitalize on the popularity of the term “babe,” as heard in Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe.”

1967, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull joined up with The Beatles in Bangor North Wales to seek guidance from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

1967, Small Faces, Move, The Gass, Tomorrow, Denny Laine, Jeff Beck, Eric Burdon and Marmalade all appeared on the first day of the 3-day non-stop happening ‘Festival of the Flower Children’ at Woburn Abbey, England.

1967, The Beatles held a press conference at University College in Bangor, North Wales with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The Beatles announced that they had become disciples of the guru and that they renounced the use of drugs. The four had become members of the Maharishi’s ‘Spiritual Regeneration Movement’, which obligated them to donate one week’s earnings each month to the organization.

1969, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young play the Greek Theatre, Los Angeles.

1970, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, (his last ever UK appearance), Donovan, Jethro Tull, Miles Davis, Arrival, Cactus, Family, Taste, Mungo Jerry, ELP, The Doors, The Who, Spirit, The Moody Blues, Chicago, Procol Harum, Sly and the Family Stone and Free all appeared over three days at the third Isle Of Wight Festival.

1970, The Allman Brothers Band perform at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, Florida.

1971, The Grateful Dead appear at Gaelic Park in the Bronx, New York.

1973, Genesis headlines the closing day of the Reading Jazz, Blues, and Rock Festival. Tickets cost £2.20

1973, 10cc made their live debut at the Palace Lido Isle of Man at the start of an UK tour. Comprising of Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, who had written and recorded together for some three years before assuming the 10cc name.

1974, Rush plays at The Agora in Cleveland, Ohio.

1976, AC/DC appear at the Marquee Club, London.

1977, Uriah Heep, Thin Lizzy, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Golden Earing, Aerosmith, Doobie Brothers, Hawkwind, Racing Cars, John Miles, Graham Parker, The Enid, No Dice and Frankie Miller’s Full House all appeared at the 17th three day Reading Festival, England.

1978, Frankie Valli went to No.1 on the singles chart with the Barry Gibb song ‘Grease’. It went on to sell over 2 million in the US.

1978, Fleetwood Mac, The Cars, Todd Rundgren, Bob Welsh and Eddie Money all appeared at Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio.

1988, The first day at this years three day Reading Festival featuring Iggy Pop, Starship, Squeeze, Ramones, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Hothouse Flowers, Deacon Blue, Quireboys, Broken English, three day ticket £24, an increase of nearly £20 from the 1973 festival.

Born on August 26: Nik Turner, Hawkwind (1940); Valerie Simpson,  Ashford and Simpson (1948); Bill and Dick Cowsill (1950); Shirley Manson, vocals, Garbage (1966); and Jeff Tweedy, Wilco (1967)

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Today in Rock History – August 15

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1965, The Beatles set a new world record for the largest attendance at a pop concert when they played in front of 55,600 fans at Shea Stadium in New York City. Also on the bill were Brenda Holloway, The King Curtis Band, The Young Rascals and Sounds Incorporated. The Beatles were paid $160,000 for the show. The set list: Twist and Shout, She’s a Woman, I Feel Fine, Dizzy Miss Lizzie, Ticket to Ride, Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby, Can’t Buy Me Love, Baby’s In Black, Act Naturally, I Wanna Be Your Man, A Hard Day’s Night, Help!, and I’m Down. Two members of the Rolling Stones were among the audience, Mick Jagger and Keith Richard. Later that evening, Bob Dylan visited The Beatles at their hotel.

1966, During a US tour The Beatles appeared at the D.C. Stadium in Washington DC to over 32,000 fans. Tickets cost $3. Five members of the Ku Klux Klan, led by the Imperial Wizard of Maryland, picketed the concert.

1967, Jimi Hendrix performed at Fifth Dimension in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

1967, Fleetwood Mac appeared at the Marquee Club London, England.

1968, The Who headlined at the Fillmore West in San Francisco.

1968, Herman’s Hermits played at the Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia.

1969, During a North American tour, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Hemisfair Arena in San Antonio. Jethro Tull and Sweet Smoke were also on the bill. During the show Zeppelin received abuse from locals due to the length of their hair.

1969, Woodstock Festival was held on Max Yasgur’s 600 acre farm in Bethel, New York, 109 miles north west of New York City. Attended by over 400,000 people, the event featured, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Santana, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, Canned Heat, Joan Baez, Melanie, Ten Years After, Sly and the Family Stone, Johnny Winter, Jefferson Airplane, Ravi Shanker, Country Joe and the Fish, Blood Sweat and Tears, Arlo Guthrie, and Joe Cocker. During the three days there were three deaths, two births and four miscarriages. Joni Mitchell was booked to appear but had to pull out due to being booked for a TV show, and wrote the song “Woodstock.”

1970, Derek and the Dominoes appeared at Tofts Club, Folkestone, England.

1970, Melody Maker says “Make way for the Townshend brothers!” in an article about Pete Townshend recording his brothers Simon and Paul. Around this time, Pete buys a large American van he dubs “Maxine” which he drives everywhere. The van’s size, comfort and air-conditioning inspire Pete to imagine a heavily-polluted world where people travel and live in sealed vans. The idea sparks the song “Going Mobile” and becomes one of the ideas behind the Lifehouse project

1970, The New Haven Jaycees produced four summer “pop” concerts at the Yale Bowl in New Haven Connecticut. Led Zeppelin performs one of those shows on this date. Tickets were $5 and $6.50.

1971, The Who US tour stops at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1971, Pink Floyd played at the Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia.

1971, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Academy of Music, New York.

1971, The Grateful Dead played at the Community Theatre in Berkeley, California.

1972, Deep Purple appeared at the Kōsei Nenkin Kaikan, Osaka, Japan.

1974, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performed at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

1975, David Bowie’s  single “Fame” is released and becomes his first US number one.

1975, Eric Clapton appeared at Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino, California.

1976, Kansas played at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland.

1977, Yes performed at the Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island.

1979, The futuristic satire film Americathon premiered in Los Angeles featuring Meat Loaf. The soundtrack included songs by The Beach Boys, Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello.

1980, Van Halen played at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

1981, Diana Ross and Lionel Richie started a nine week run at number one on the US singles chart with “Endless Love,” a number seven in the UK. The song was the title from a film starring Brooke Shields.

1981, Billy Ryan, Jimmy Hall, Leon Russell, the Allman Brothers Band, Charlie Daniels Band, and Cheap Trick performed at Alabama Jam 2, held at Ladd Memorial Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.

1982, Roxy Music played at the Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland.

1984, Simple Minds appeared at the Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, Michigan.

1986, ZZ Top performed at The Forum, Inglewood, California.

1987, Michael Jackson had his third UK No.1 with the single ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’, a duet with Siedah Garrett. It was originally intended to be a duet between Jackson and either Barbra Streisand or Whitney Houston. Session singer Siedah Garrett also worked with Madonna.

1991, Paul Simon played a free concert in New York’s Central Park before an audience of 750,000.

1992, Jamaican singer-song writer Jackie Edwards died. Edwards worked as a singer, songwriter for Island Records. He wrote both “Keep On Running”and “Somebody Help Me,” that became chart topping singles for The Spencer Davis Group as well as releasing his own albums.

1992, INXS went to number one on the UK album chart with Welcome To Whoever You Are, their first British chart topping album.

2002, A memorial to John Lennon was unveiled in the remote Scottish village of Durness, where Lennon had spent his holidays from age seven to fifteen. The lyrics from “In My Life” had been inscribed on three stones.

2007, Sixteen solo John Lennon albums were made available to download on iTunes for the first time. A deal was approved by the Yoko Ono following a lengthy legal battle between the band’s label Apple Corps and Apple.

2008, US record producer Jerry Wexler, who influenced the careers of singers including Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Bob Dylan, died at his home in Sarasota, Florida aged 91. Wexler produced the Aretha Franklin hit “Respect,” the Wilson Pickett song, “In the Midnight Hour,” and helped Bob Dylan win his first Grammy award by producing the 1979 album, Slow Train Coming. He also coined the term “rhythm and blues” while writing for Billboard magazine in the late 1940s.

Born on August 15: Bill Pinkney, The Drifters (1933);  Bobby Helms, singer, guitar (1933); Pete York, Spencer David Group (1942); Tommy Aldridge, drums, Whitesnake (1950); Matt Johnson, singer, songwriter, The The (1961); David Welsh, guitarist, The Fray (1984); Ted Dwane, bass, Mumford & Sons (1984)

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Today in Rock History – August 13

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1965, Jefferson Airplane made their live debut at San Francisco’s Matrix Club.

1965, Mike Smith, lead singer of The Dave Clark Five, suffered two broken ribs when he was pulled off the stage by fans. The group were in Chicago at the beginning of a US tour.

1965, The performed at The Marine Ballroom at the Central Pier in Morecambe, Lancashire, England.

1965, The Beatles arrived at Kennedy International Airport for a tour of North America. The set list for the tour was “Twist and Shout,” “She’s a Woman,” “I Feel Fine,” “Dizzy Miss Lizzie,” “Ticket to Ride,” “‘Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Baby’s in Black,” “Act Naturally,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Help!,” “I’m Down,” and “I Wanna Be Your Man.” The tour was not a happy one for The Beatles, John Lennon took to screaming off-microphone obscenities at the audiences.

1966, Lovin Spoonful started a three-week run at number one on the Billboard singles chart with “Summer In The City,” knocking of “Hanky Panky” by Tommy James and the Shondelles.

1966, Revolver, The Beatles seventh album release in three years, started a seven-week run at number one on the UK charts. Meanwhile, their Yesterday and Today album entered the third of a five-week run atop the US charts.

1967, The Who appeared at Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. After the show, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle run over to the Ambassador to catch Jimi Hendrix’s set. When Hendrix sees Pete and John in the audience, he launches into a cover of “I Can’t Explain”.

1967, Fleetwood Mac made their live debut when they appeared at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor. Also on the bill Jeff Beck, Cream, Small Faces, The Move, The Pink Floyd, Donovan and Chicken Shack.

1968, The Who appeared at the Fillmore West in San Francisco, California.

1971, Saxophonist King Curtis Ousley was stabbed to death by a vagrant on the front steps of his New York home. Ousley had worked with John Lennon and also played on The Coasters “Yakety Yak.”

1971, John Lennon flew from Heathrow Airport to New York, he never set foot on British soil again.

1971, Pink Floyd played their first ever Australian date when they appeared at the Festival Hall in Melbourne.

1972, Hawkwind performed at the Rainbow Theatre, London.

1972, Ten Years After headlined the final day of the Reading Festival. Matching Mole, Quintessence, Stackridge, Status Quo, Stray, String Driven Thing, Sutherland Brothers, Vinegar Joe, and Wizzard were also on the bill.

1973, John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra played at the Wollman Skating Rink Theater in New York City.

1974, Rory Gallagher appeared at The Agora, in Cleveland, Ohio.

1975, The Grateful Dead performed at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. The show was broadcast on September 1st by the Metromedia Network.

1976, The Clash played a private gig for the press at Chalk Farm rehearsal studios, London.

1977, Yes scored their second UK number one album with their eighth studio album Going For The One. The album marked the return of keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who departed in 1974 over musical differences.

1977, Bachman Turner Overdrive split up.

1978, AC/DC appeared at Gusman Philharmonic Hall, Miami, Florida.

1980, Four masked robbers broke in to Todd Rundgren’s New York house and proceeded to steal Hi-Fi equipment and paintings after tying the musician up. It was reported that one of the intruders had been humming his hit “I Saw The Light.”

1980, The Allman Brothers Band played at the Poplar Creek Music Theater, Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

1982, American soul singer Joe Tex died at his home in Navasota, Texas, following a heart attack, just five days after his 49th birthday. Had nine US Top 40 hits including the 1972 US number two single “I Gotcha.”

1983, KC and the Sunshine Band were at number one on the UK singles chart with “Give It Up.” The American disco group’s only UK chart topper spent three weeks at the top spot.

1992, Neil Diamond played the first of six sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in New York. Diamond would bring in over $40 (£25) million from touring this year, the second highest in the music industry.

1994, Woodstock ’94 was held in Saugerties, New York, attended by over 350,000 fans, the festival featured Green Day, Nine Inch Nails, Aerosmith, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Tickets cost $135.00 (£89.00). Performers from the original Woodstock appearing at Woodstock ’94 were The Band, Santana, Joe Cocker, Country Joe McDonald, John Sebastian, surviving members of Sweetwater, and Crosby, Stills, & Nash. Additionally, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane, and Bob Weir, guitar of the Grateful Dead, all Woodstock alumni, performed with The Band.

2009, Guitarist Les Paul died in hospital in White Plains, New York at the age of 94 suffering from severe pneumonia. Paul is credited with developing one of the first solid-body electric guitars, which went on sale in 1952 and contributed to the birth of rock. He also developed other influential recording innovations such as multi-track recording and overdubbing. In the early 50s, Paul and his wife Mary Ford had a string of hits including “Mockin’ Bird Hill,” “How High the Moon,” and “Vaya Con Dios.”

Born on August 13: Cliff Fish, bass, Paper Lace (1949); Dan Fogelberg (1951); Hughie Thomasson,  singer, guitarist, Outlaws, Lynyrd Skynyrd (1952); Danny Bonaduce, The Partridge Family (1959)

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Today in Rock History – August 12

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1966, The Beatles performed two shows at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois. This was the first stop on what would turn out to be The Beatles’ final US tour. Support acts were the Remains, Bobby Hebb, Cyrkle, and the Ronettes.

1967, The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at The Ambassador Theatre, Washington D.C.

1967, The Who played at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Before the show Keith Moon jumps off a pier into heavy surf and almost drowns.

1967, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown performed at the Royal Windsor Racecourse in Windsor, Berkshire, England.

1967, The Velvet Underground appeared at Boston Tea Party in Boston.

1967, The Grateful Dead headlined at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.

1968, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass played at the Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia.

1968, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham played together for the first time when they rehearsed at a studio in Lisle Street in London’s West End. The first song they played was a version of “Train Kept A-Rollin’.” They also played “Smokestack Lightning” and a version of “I’m Confused,” which would become “Dazed And Confused.” Their first live dates in September, the band were billed as The New Yardbirds, and it was not until the following month when they started to use the name Led Zeppelin.

1970, Derek and the Dominoes appeared at the Speakeasy, London.

1970, Fleetwood Mac played the first of a five-night run at the Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood, California.

1970, The last night of Pink Floyd’s festival tour – the Fete de St. Raphael, was held at a preserved Roman amphitheater in Frejus, St. Raphael, France.

1971, John & Yoko donated £1,000 ($1600) to the Clyde Shipbuilders Scottish Union fighting fund who were refusing to stop work at the Glasgow site after being made redundant.

1971, During a UK tour Queen played at the Tregye Hotel in Truro, England.

1972, Alice Cooper was at number one on the singles chart with “School’s Out.”

1972, Honky Chateau by Elton John entered the last of it’s five weeks as the number one album on the US charts.

1973, The Eagles, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers all appeared at the Corral Club in Topanga, California.

1974, Rory Gallagher performed at The Agora, Cleveland, Ohio.

1975, Eric Clapton played at the Coliseum in Denver, Colorado.

1976, Yes appeared at the Louisville Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky.

1976, Elton John’s Rock of the Westies tour stopped at Madison Square Garden, New York.

1977, Henri Padovani, guitarist with The Police quit the group after nine months leaving them to perform as a trio.

1978, The Commodores started a two week run at number one on the US singles chart with “Three Times A Lady,” also number one in the UK and becoming Motown’s biggest British selling single.

1979, KISS performed at the Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1980, The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Star Plaza Theatre, Merrillville, Indiana, in suburban Chicago.

1981, The Grateful Dead performed at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah.

1982, Blue Oyster Cult played at the Scope, in Norfolk, Virginia

1985, Kyu Sakamoto was killed in a plane crash when JAL Flight 123, a 747, crashed and burned on a thickly wooded mountain about 60 miles northwest of Tokyo. He was 43. He had the 1963 US number one and UK number six single “‘Sukiyaki.” Sakamoto was the first Japanese artist to have a hit atop the US singles charts.

1986, Prince started a run of five nights at Wembley Arena, London, his first UK shows in five years.

1989, The two day Moscow Music Peace Festival was held at The Lenin Stadium in Moscow, Russia. Western Acts who appeared included Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, Skid Row and The Scorpions. This was the first time that an audience had been allowed to stand up and dance at a stadium rock concert in the Soviet Union. Previous to this, all concerts had to be seated.

1996, Alanis Morissette appeared at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, New York with Radiohead as support.

2012, The London Olympics ended with a spectacular musical closing ceremony. The three-hour show featured some of the biggest names of British music from decades past, including the Spice Girls, George Michael, The Who, Take That, Muse, Jessie J, Emeli Sande, Elbow, Madness, The Pet Shop Boys, One Direction, Ray Davies, Liam Gallagher, and Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen.

Born on August 12: Buck Owens (1929); Ron Mael, keyboards, Sparks and Halfnelson (1945); Mark Knofler (1949); August Darnell, singer, Kid Creole And The Coconuts (1951); Pat Metheny (1955); Roy Hay guitar, vocals, Culture Club (1961); Sir Mix-A-Lot, rapper (1963)

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Today in Rock History August 6

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1965, The Beatles released their fifth album in the UK, the soundtrack to Help!, their second film. The US release took place on August 13. The album was produced by George Martin. It contains fourteen songs in its original British form. Seven of these, including the singles “Help!” and “Ticket to Ride”, appeared in the film and took up the first side of the vinyl album. The second side contained seven other releases including “Yesterday.”

1965, Decca records released The Small Faces debut single “Whatcha Gonna Do About It.” It peaked at number 14 on the UK chart, number 28 and Canada, and did not chart in the US.

1966, Paul Revere & the Raiders appeared at the Sports Arena in Toledo, Ohio.

1967, The Who spend two days at  Talentmasters Studio in New York. Al Kooper joins the band on organ to record two versions of “Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand.” One is released in the U.S. on the B-side of  “I Can See For Miles,” while the other remains in the vaults until the 1995 edition of The Who Sell Out. Also recorded is a studio version of “Summertime Blues,” an organ overdub on “Relax,” performed by Pete, and new vocals to replace the guide vocals on “I Can See For Miles.”

1968, The Who perform at the Music Hall in Boston, Massachusetts.

1969, During a North American tour Led Zeppelin made their one and only appearance in Sacramento, California, playing at Memorial Auditorium.

1970, The 10th National Jazz, Blues and Pop four day Festival was held at Plumpton Racecourse in Sussex, England. Featuring, Family, Groundhogs, Cat Stevens, Deep Purple, Fat Mattress, Yes, Caravan, The Strawbs, Black Sabbath, Wild Angles, Wishbone Ash and Daddy Longlegs.

1970, Steppenwolf, Janis Joplin, Paul Simon, Poco and Johnny Winter all appeared at the Concert For Peace at New York’s Shea Stadium. The concert date coincided with the 25th anniversary of dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.

1971, Pink Floyd made their first ever visit to Japan, playing three dates there. The first show was at Seikei Gakuen Jofundai, near Lake Ashi, in Hakone for the Hakone Aphrodite ’71 along with Buffy Sainte Marie, The 1910 Fruit Gum Company, Mops, Strawberry Path, Happenings Four, and several other Japanese acts.

1972, The Allman Brothers Band played at the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, California.

1973, Stevie Wonder was seriously injured when the car he was riding in crashed into a truck on Interstate 85 near Winston-Salem, North Carolina, leaving him in a coma for four days. The accident also left him without any sense of smell.

1974, Abba scored their first US top ten hit when “Waterloo” went to number six. It was a chart topper in the UK, Norway, The Netherlands, Germany, and Ireland. The Swedish group were also on their first American tour.

1974, CSNY played at the Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts.

1975, The Rolling Stones appeared at the Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia.

1976, Robin Trower performed at the Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1977, The Police appeared at The Red Cow, Hammersmith Road in London, admission was 60p ($1.10.)

1977, This week’s UK Top Five singles: No.5 “Fanfare For The Common Man,” ELP. No.4, “Pretty Vacant,” The Sex Pistols. No.3, “Angelo,” Brotherhood Of Man. No.2, “Ma Baker,” Boney M and No.1, “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer.

1978, Aerosmith performed at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey.

1979, Van Halen played at Barton Coliseum, Little Rock, Arkansas.

1980, Fleetwood Mac appeared at the Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, Florida.

1981, Stevie Nicks released her first solo album Bella Donna which contained four top 40 US hits.  They were “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” a duet with Tom Petty, “Leather and Lace,” with Don Henley, “Edge of Seventeen,” and “After the Glitter Fades.”

1982, Pink Floyd’s The Wall starring Bob Geldof as “Pink”opened in movie theaters in New York. The film was conceived alongside the double album by Roger Waters.

1988, Appetite For Destruction, Guns N’ Roses debut album went to number one in the US, after spending 57 weeks on the chart and selling over 5 million copies. Singles from the album, “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” and “Paradise City” were all US top ten hits. The album is the best-selling debut album of all-time in the US, beating Boston’s debut album Boston, which has gone 17x platinum.

1999, Dick Latvala died aged 56 after being in a coma caused by a heart attack. Latvala worked with The Grateful Dead since the early 80’s looking after their archives of live performances which became a series of Dick’s Picks albums.

2004, Rick James was found dead at his Los Angeles home. Known as “The King of Punk-Funk” James scored the 1981 US number three album Street Songs, and 1981 US number 16 single “Super Freak part 1.” In the late 60’s James worked as a songwriter and producer for Motown, working with Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.

2009, Willy DeVille died at the age of 58 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. The band he formed, Mink Deville, appeared at the legendary CBGB club in New York in the 1970s and scored the 1977 hit “Spanish Stroll.” Doctors discovered he had cancer earlier that year as he was preparing to undergo treatment for Hepatitis C.

Born on August 6: Andy Warhol, (1928); Judy Craig, singer, The Chiffons (1946); Allan Holdsworth, Soft Machine (1948); Pat McDonald, Timbuk 3 (1952); and Randy Debarge, Debarge (1958); Geri Halliwell, Spice Girls (1972)

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