1963, Janis Joplin performs in San Francisco for the first time, singing at the North Beach coffeehouse. In lieu of money, Janis passes the hat for beers. She often sings a cappella at the Coffee Confusion and the Coffee Gallery, occasionally accompanied by Jorma Kaukonen (future guitarist with Jefferson Airplane). Joplin sings Bessie Smith and […]
Today in Rock History – January 14
1965, Bob Dylan starts recording Bringing It All Back Home. 1966, The Who play Municipal Hall in Pontypridd, Wales, United Kingdom. 1966, David Bowie release his first single, “Can’t Help Thinking About Me,” on Parlophone Records. 1967, Pink Floyd played at the Coming-Up Hop, held at The Great Hall, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading England. […]
Today in Rock History – January 10
1964, The first US Beatles album, Introducing The Beatles, was released on Vee-Jay records. The album cover showed John, Paul and George with their now famous “mop top” haircuts, but Ringo had yet to convert. Vee-Jay would be forced to stop selling the disc by the end of the year because of legal complications, but […]
Today in Rock History – December 12
1966, Pink Floyd make their first ever appearance at the Royal Albert Hall. Their would play the RAH three more times, with the last performance there in 1970. 1966, Jimi Hendrix performs at the RamJam Club in London. 1967, Rolling Stone Brian Jones was given 3 years probation and a £1,000 ($1,600) fine for drug […]
Today in Rock History – November 24
1966, The Beatles got together for the first time since their return from the summer tour of the United States, ready to record a new album. The first song selected for recording was John’s “Strawberry Fields Forever,” which would end up, not on the album, but on The Beatles’ next single. This day’s session was […]
Today in Rock History – November 6
1965, The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane played at the opening night of San Francisco”s Fillmore West. 1965, The Rolling Stones started a two week run at number one on the singles chart with “Get Off Of My Cloud,” the group’s second chart topper. The song knocked The Beatles “Yesterday” from the top spot. 1966, […]
Today in Rock History – October 16
1966, Grace Slick performs as a member of Jefferson Airplane for the first time at San Francisco’s Fillmore West after Signe Anderson bows out of the group’s lineup. Slick, who was with fellow San Francisco band Great Society, introduces the band to two new songs, her composition “White Rabbit,” and “Somebody to Love,” written by […]
Song of the Day – “Good Shepherd” by Jefferson Airplane
Song of the Day by Eric Berman – “Good Shepherd” by Jefferson Airplane The epiphany of an eight year old… The backdrop of my childhood played out with images of the Vietnam war and the unrest that culminated in the protests at the 1968 Democratic Convention coming over the television screen. While I wasn’t privy […]
Today in Rock History – September 15
1965, The Ford Motor Company became the first automaker to offer an 8-track tape player as an option for their entire line of vehicles on sale in the US. Tapes were initially only available at auto parts stores. Home 8-track equipment was still a year away. 1966, The Who played at Gaumont Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, […]
Today in Rock History – August 31
1965, During a North American tour The Beatles played two shows at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California to a total of 28,700 fans. 1968, The Move, The Pretty Things, The Crazy World Of Aurthur Brown, Orange Bicycle, Jefferson Airplane, Fairport Convention and Tyrannosaurus Rex all appeared at the first Isle Of Wight Festival […]
