Today in rock history 22nd April

1950 – Peter Frampton is born in Beckenham 1951 – Paul Carrack is born today in Sheffield, England. He has sung with Ace, Squeeze, and Mike & the Mechanics. 1963 – Gene Vincent’s recording contract with Capitol expires. His last recording is a remake of Be-Bop-A-Lula. 1965 – Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde LP released in the US. 1969 – John Lennon and Paul McCartney record “The Ballad of John and Yoko.” 1969 – John Lennon changes his middle name from Winston to Ono. 1969 In Dolton, England, the Who perform their rock opera Tommy live in its entirety for the first time. 1972 – Deep Purple: Machine Head UK LP is no. 1 chart topper. 1974 – Tina Turner starts filming in the role of Acid Queen in the Who’s film “Tommy.” 1978 – Johnny Thunders plays a surprise gig at London’s Speakeasy, backed by a band featuring Sex Pistols Paul Cook and Steve Jones. 1979 Rolling Stones perform two benefit concerts for the blind in Toronto to fulfill terms of Keith Richard’s sentence for heroin trafficking. 1998 – It is announced that Faith No More has decided to break up. 1999 – Marilyn Manson releases a statement on the Columbine High School shootings. “It’s tragic and disgusting anytime young people’s lives are taken in an act of seneseless violence,” he says. “My condolences go out to the students and their families.” 2004 – It’s reported that U.S. Marines are blasting ‘s “Shoot to Thrill” at high volumes to drive Muslim insurgents from their homes in Iraq. 2004 – Metallica quashes an Internet rumor that James Hetfield committed suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. “Contrary to what you may have read on message boards,” say the band, “James Hetfield is alive and doing extremely well.” 2007 – Avril Lavigne went to No.1 on the UK album chart with her third album ‘The Best Damn Thing’, also a No.1 on the US chart. 2008 – WHITESNAKE‘s new album, “Good To Be Bad”, was released.