A calendar of rock history including birthdays, deaths, milestones, chart toppers, concerts, record releases, and other important events in music history.
Our sources include: Wikipedia, This Day in Music, This Day in Rock, Led Zeppelin.com, Classic Rock Concerts, The Concert Database, Live Music Archive, The Allman Brothers Band, Janis Joplin.net, The Who This Month, Setlist.fm, All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release by Jean-Michel Guesdon & Phillipe Margotin (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers,) Echoes – The Complete History of Pink Floyd by Glen Povey (Mind Head Publishing)
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1964, Marianne Faithful recorded the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards song “As Tears Go By,” accompanied by future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass.
1965, The Isley Brothers release their single “Twist and Shout.”
1966, The Rolling Stones were at number one on the UK singles chart with “Paint It Black,” their sixth chart topping single.
1966, … (read more…)
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 to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator.
1965, The Rolling Stones perform “How Many More Years” … (read more…)
1966, Captain Beefheart appeared at the Whisky a Go Go. West Hollywood, California. Supported by Bu
ffalo Springfield and The Doors.
1967, Jimi Hendrix played at Gröna Lund in Copenhagen, Denmark.
1968, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band appeared at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.
1968, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull are arrested on charges of marijuana possession. The same … (read more…)
1964, Marvin Gaye appears on American Bandstand singing “You’re a Wonderful One.”
1967, Pink Floyd performed at Town Hall in High Wycombe, England.
1967, Jimi Hendrix appeared at Klub Bongo in Malmö, Sweden.
1968, Johnny Lee Hooker, supported by The Hallucinations performed at Boston Tea Party in Boston, Massachusetts.
1968, Pink Floyd played two late shows … (read more…)
1964, The Beatles arrived back from their first US trip at Heathrow Airport and were greeted by thousands of fans. Also on this day The Beatles scored their second chart topping album with The Beatles Second Album. It displaced Meet The Beatles! from the top of the charts.
1965, The Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride ” surpassed Herman’s Hermits “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter,” on the top spot … (read more…)
1965, The Who’s second single, “Anyway Anyhow Anywhere” backed with “Daddy Rolling Stone” is released in the UK on Brunswick. Derek Johnson in New Musical Express calls is “a wild racer, with just about every conceivable gimmick…it commands attention and should do well.”
1967, Jimi Hendrix signed with Reprise Records on the US Warner Brothers label. They released the guitarist’s three studio … (read more…)
1965, The Who performed at Town Hall in Kidderminster, West Midlands, England.
1966, Bob Dylan and The Band played at the ABC Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. Some members of the audience were unhappy with Dylan “going electric,” and attempted to overpower the band by playing their own harmonicas.
1966, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of the Who grew tired of waiting for John Entwistle and Keith Moon to arrive for … (read more…)
1967, The Beatles held a press party at manager Brian Epstein’s house in London for the launch of the Sgt. Pepper’s album. Linda Eastman was hired as the press photographer.
1967, Pink Floyd played at Club A’ Go Go in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England.
1969, The Who appeared at The Rock Pile in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1970, New Riders of the Purple Sage, along with The Grateful Dead, … (read more…)
1967, The Beatles were selected to represent the UK for the first-ever global-wide satellite broadcast. The group agreed to be shown in the studio recording a song written especially for the occasion, scheduled for June 25. John Lennon wrote “All You Need is Love” which was thought to sum up the 1967 “Summer of Love” and The Beatles’ sympathies. With the satellite broadcast being broadcast to many … (read more…)
1967, Pete Townshend records an interview for the BBC overseas radio program Dateline London then The Who pre-tape a Top Of The Pops insert miming to “Pictures Of Lily.” From there they travel to Stevenage to play the Locarno Ballroom. Backstage, John lashed out at a “well-known pop singer” by punching his picture on the wall. He breaks his finger.
1969, Chicago release their double debut album, Chicago Transit Authority. The real … (read more…)
1966, The Beach Boys released the album ‘Pet Sounds.’ The album is now regarded as the masterpiece of composer-producer Brian Wilson, and is often hailed as one of the best and most influential albums in popular music.
1966, Dylan’s iconic Blonde On Blonde album was released, reaching No.9 in the US charts and No.3 in the UK. Rock’s first double album, and Dylan’s seventh studio effort, it was recorded with Al … (read more…)
1966, Pink Floyd played at The Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London. They were billed as the Pink Floyd Sound, as part of their “Spontaneous Underground” period.
1967, Paul McCartney is hanging out with Keith Moon and Eric Burdon at Georgie Fame concert at the Bag O’Nails club in London. The young American photographer of The Who’s March visit to New York, Linda Eastman, is there and Paul meets her for the first … (read more…)
