1965, Blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, Sonny Boy Williamson died in his sleep. Van Morrison, Aerosmith, The Who, The Animals, Yardbirds, and Moody Blues all covered his songs. According to the Led Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods, touring the UK in the 60’s, Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying […]
Today in Rock History – May 14
1964, Jan & Dean start recording “Little Old Lady (From Pasadena).” 1965, The Who appeared at Civic Hall in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. 1965, San Francisco radio station KYA hosts the Rolling Stones, the Byrds, Beau Brummels, Paul Revere & the Raiders, and the Vejtables at the Civic Auditorium. 1966, The Who played at Palais in […]
Today in Rock History – March 13
1965, Eric Clapton quit The Yardbirds due to musical differences with the other band members. Clapton wanted to continue in a blues type vein, while the rest of the band preferred the more commercial style of their first hit, ‘For Your Love’. 1965, The Beatles started a two week run at No.1 on the singles […]
Today in Rock History – February 28
1964, The Yardbirds played at the Rhythm and Blues Festival at The Town Hall, Birmingham, England. 1966, Liverpool’s Cavern Club, made famous by the Beatles’ residency there, closes and is later turned into a subway station. 1966, The Who appeared at Eltham Bath in London. 1968, Frankie Lymon was found dead at his mother’s house […]
Today in Rock History – January 22
1964, The Yardbirds, featuring Eric Clapton appeared at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, England. 1965, The Rolling Stones began a 16-date tour of Australia and New Zealand at the Agricultural Hall at Manufacturers Auditorium in Sydney with Roy Orbison, The Newbeats and Ray Columbus and the Invaders. 1965, The Who pre-tape their first appearance on Radio […]
Today in Rock History – November 18
1963, The Beatles received silver LP discs for Please Please Me and With the Beatles at a ceremony held at EMI House in London. They also received a silver EP for Twist and Shout, and a silver single for “She Loves You.” The band then attend a cocktail party and a formal lunch in the […]
Today in Rock History – November 10
1963, The Yardbirds, with Eric Clapton on guitar, appeared at The Crawdaddy Club, Richmond, Surrey, England. 1966, The Who go into CBS Studios in London and record their next single “Happy Jack” in at least two versions. Sometime during this session Roger and Pete go off to a pub and John and Keith stay behind […]
Today in Rock History – October 23
1966, The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded their first single “Hey Joe,” at De Lane Lea studios in London. The earliest known commercial recording of the song is the late-1965 single by the Los Angeles garage band the The Leaves. The band then re-recorded the track and released it in 1966 as a follow-up single which […]
Today in Rock History – October 19
1966, The Yardbirds arrived in New York for their first US tour with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page on lead guitars. After two dates of the tour, Beck developed acute tonsillitis and quit the group. He would go on to form The Jeff Beck Group, giving Rod Stewart his first major exposure. 1966, Roger Daltrey, […]
Today in Rock History – July 31
1965, In England, the Yardbirds with Jeff Beck perform at the Cleethorpes Jazz Festival. 1965, Beatles VI enters the fourth of its six weeks atop the US album charts. Beatles VI includes two tracks recorded specifically for the North American market, “Bad Boy” and “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” both covers of Larry Williams songs. 1966, Cream […]
