Today in rock history 11th December

1946 – Tony Brown, who has played bass for stars like Bob Dylan and John Martyn, is born in Greensboro, N.C. 1957 – Jerry Lee Lewis marries his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown. 1958 – Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx is born in Seattle. 1964 – Justin Currie, leader of Scottish rockers Del Amitri, is born. 1966 – Beatles manager Brian Epstein tries to sign Little Richard after promoting two of the wild rocker’s London concerts. Richard declines the offer. 1967 – Jethro Tull are formed. 1967 – The Beatles partnership Apple Music signs its first act, Grapefruit. 1968 – The Rolling Stones begin taping their Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus TV special in England, as their album Beggar’s Banquet debuts in the British album charts at No. 3. Guests include the Who, Eric Clapton, Jethro Tull and John Lennon appearing as the Dirty Mac Band. 1969 – The Magic Christian, starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, receives its premiere at a Royal Command Performance in London. Outside the cinema, John Lennon and Yoko Ono parade with placards reading “Britain Murdered Hanratty,” referring to a man many believe was wrongly executed for murder in 1962. 1971 – Blood Sweat & Tears singer David Clayton Thomas appears in a spot on Canadian TV supporting the Save the Seals Campaign. 1972 – Genesis make their American live debut with a show at Massachusetts’ Brandeis University. 1976 – Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted during a concert in Florida when he touched a short-circuited light. The guitarist was carried from the stage but returned 10 minutes later to finish the show. 1988 – Days after the death of the great Roy Orbison, Don Henley, Tom Petty, and Graham Nash perform a concert in his honour at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. 2002 – The hobbled Guns N’ Roses North American tour suffers a final blow as promoter Clear Channel Entertainment confirms it is canceling the remaining dates with which it is affiliated. A handful of shows being worked by other promoters are also axed. 2002 – David Lee Roth sues Van Halen, alleging his old band didn’t include him in a 1996 renegotiation of their contract with Warner Bros. 2003 – MTV gives viewers a glimpse into the holiday season at the home of Ozzy Osbourne and his family with “The Osbourne Family Christmas Special.” 2003 – The RIAA certifies AC/DC’s Back In Black as the world’s second-best-selling album of all time, behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller. 2010 – Pearl Jam will be celebrating their twentieth anniversary with a new live album titled Live on Ten Legs.

Today in rock history 10th December

1946 – The Move’s guitarist Ace Kefford, improbably described by one writer as “the group’s pouting glamour-man,” is born in West Moseley, England. 1965 – The Warlocks change their name to the Grateful Dead and play their first gig under the name at the second San Francisco Mime Troupe Appeal Party at the Fillmore Auditorium. 1967 - The Steve Miller Blues Band signed with Capitol Records for $750,000. The Blues portion of the band’s name would shortly be dropped. 1968 – Led Zeppelin perform at London’s Marquee on one of their first tours. The manager John Gee later recalled, “The group was very loud – I thought they were overpoweringly loud for the size of the Marquee. Anyway the lads received an enthusiastic but not overwhelming reaction from the audience. 1971 – The jealous boyfriend of a Frank Zappa fan climbs onstage during a Zappa concert at London’s Rainbow Theatre. He throws Zappa off the stage, breaking his leg and ankle. The arch-satirist also suffers a fractured skull and has to spend the next nine months in a wheelchair. 1980 - John Lennon’s body is cremated in New York. 1998 – A recording of a 1963 Beatles concert was sold at auction at Christies in London for £25,300. 1998 – Bruce Springsteen wins a 2 1/2-year legal battle over two British companies seeking to release previously unreleased songs from his early career. 1999 – Rick Danko, bassist and singer for acclaimed rock act the Band, dies at his home in Woodstock, N.Y. 2000 – Rage Against the Machine members Tom Morello and Tim Commerford are among those taking part in a Los Angeles march supporting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The duo enliven the rabble by cheering, “They say Death Row, we say hell no!” 2003 – Courtney Love is sued by the law firm of Cappello & McCann, who claim the ex-Hole leader still owes them $228,926 for extracting her from a contract with Universal Records. 2007 – Led Zeppelin played their first concert in 19 years, at London’s 02 arena. Original band members Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones were joined on stage by Jason Bonham, the son of their late drummer John Bonham. 2009 - While boarding a flight to Taipei, Taiwan at Los Angeles International Airport to kick off Guns N’ Roses tour in support of Chinese Democracy singer Axl Rose attacked a paparazzi for allegedly getting too close to a woman in Rose’s entourage. The photographer didn’t file charges against Rose.

Today in rock history 9th December

1946 – Dennis Dunaway, bassist with the Alice Cooper band, is born in Cottage Grove, Ore. 1961 – The Beatles play their first concert in the South of England when they play with Ivor Jay & the Jaywalkers in Aldershot, England. Despite the gig being billed as a “Battle of the Bands – Liverpool Vs. London,” only 18 people show up. 1962 – Future Beatles producer George Martin is taken to the Liverpool Cavern by the group’s manager Brian Epstein to see the band perform live. 1967 – Cream’s second album, ‘Disraeli Gears’, enters the U.S. charts. 1967 – Police arrest Jim Morrison as he performs onstage in New Haven, Conn. It’s the culmination of a wild night for the Lizard King, who clashed with a cop trying to hassle him and his lady before the gig. The cop in return maced him. 1968 – Born on this day, Brian Bell, Weezer. 1972 – Pete Townshend is the narrator for an orchestral performance of Tommy featuring contributions from Roger Daltrey (of course), Richie Havens, Steve Winwood and comic actor Peter Sellers. Only Daltrey and Winwood, who played Tommy’s dad, escape the critical lash of the papers the next day. 1974 – On tonight’s edition of Monday Night Football, John Lennon stops by booth during a match between L. A. Rams and Washington Redskins. While he’s there guest Ronald Reagan explains the rules of football to him. 1976 – John Lennon purchases a Renoir painting valued at half a million dollars. 1991 – Guns N’ Roses play the first of three standing room only concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden. 1992 – Bassist Bill Wyman formally announces he is leaving the Rolling Stones. 2000 – The Smashing Pumpkins play their last ever gig at Chicago’s Metro. Well, at least it’s the last one until the lucrative reunion tour 2003 – A Rhode Island grand jury gives three indictments of involuntary manslaughter in the case surrounding the February fire at a Great White concert to the club’s two owners as well as Great White’s road manager. 2006 – U2 wraps its box-office busting Vertigo tour in front of a packed house at Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium with a show that features guest turns from members of opening act Pearl Jam as well as Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong.

Rock Talk - Nancy Wilson

The finest talk rock show in the world can be enjoyed by finding a station via the website, dominicforbes.org Part 1 1. Heart - Barracuda 2. Heart - Stairway to heaven 3. Heart - Fanatic 4. Heart - What about love Part 2 1. Heart - Never 2. Heart - Magic man 3. Heart - Crazy on you 4. Heart - Who will you run to 5. Heart - There's the girl

Timesweep 10th December

The finest classic rock show in the world can be enjoyed by finding a station via the website, dominicforbes.org Peter Frampton Show me the way Heart Crazy on you ACDC It's a long way to the top The Eagles New kid in town Rolling Stones Fool to cry Kiss Detroit rock city Queen Somebody to love Be Bop Deluxe Ships in the night Jethro Tull Too old to rock and roll Manfred Mann's Earth Band Blinded by the night Pink Floyd Breath Allman Bros Band Rambling man Aerosmith Dream on Alice Cooper Elected Roger Daltrey Giving it all away Slade Cum on feel the noize Stealers Wheel Stuck in the middle Lou Reed Walk on the wild side The Doors People are strange JJ Cale After midnight Evanescence My immortal Genesis The carpet crawlers Steve Miller Band Jet airliner ACDC Back in black Rolling Stones Gimme shelter Queen I want it all Motley Crue Home sweet home Jethro Tull Sweet dream Georgia Satellites Battleship chains Spin Doctors Two princes Ted Nugent Cat scratch fever Doobie Bros Long train running ACDC Rock and roll ain't a noise pollution Vanilla Fudge Ticket to ride Quiet Riot Mama we're all crazy now Ozzy Osbourne Crazy train Elton John Madman across the water Aerosmith Crazy Talking Heads Psycho killer Heart Crazy on you Kiss Crazy crazy nights Pink Floyd Shine on you crazy diamond

Brit Rock 10th December

The finest mainstream rock show in the world can be enjoyed by finding a station via the website, dominicforbes.org 1. Guns 'N' Roses - Paradise city 2. Genesis - Land of confusion 3. Whitesnake - In the still of the night 4. Gary Moore - Over the hills and far away 5. U2 - Where the streets have no name 6. The Hooters - Satillite 7. Metallica - Moth into flame 8. Neil Young - Like a hurricane 9. ACDC - Rock and roll ain't a noise pollution 10. Marillion - Cover my eyes 11. Van Halen - Right now 12. Jesus Jones - Right here right now 13. Queen - Innuendo 14. Thunder - Love walked in 15. The Darkness - Christmas time don't let the bells end 16. Bad News - Cashing in on Christmas 17. Spinal Tap - The majesty of rock 18. The Who - Who are you 19. Small Faces - Afterglow of your love 20. Pink Floyd - Money It's an hour of live rock for hour three 1. Thin Lizzy - Dancing in the moonlight 2. Deep Purple - Highway star 3. Peter Frampton - |Show me the way 4. Grateful Dead - All along the watchtower 5. Jimi Hendrix - Little wing 6. Black Sabbath - N.I.B. 7. Rod Stewart - reason to believe 8. Eric Clapton - Layla 9. Rainbow - Catch the rainbow 10. Alice Cooper - No more Mr nice guy

Today in rock history 8th December

1943 – Jim Morrison of the Doors is born in Melbourne, Fla., the son of a U.S. Navy admiral. 1947 – Allman Brothers vocalist and organist Gregg Allman is born in Nashville. 1957 – Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen is born. 1962 – Troubled rock ‘n’ roll DJ Alan Freed leaves his job at Miami’s WQAM to testify at his payola trial in New York. 1967 – Traffic release their debut album, Mr. Fantasy. 1968 – Graham Nash leaves the Hollies after a London concert. 1969 – Jimi Hendrix appears in Toronto Supreme Court to answer charges of hashish and heroin possession. Hendrix admits he has used pot, hashish, LSD, and cocaine a handful of times. But he tells the judge he has “outgrown” drugs. The jury, presumably unfamiliar with Hendrix’s history, finds him not guilty. 1975 – Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue plays its last night at Madison Square Garden. The Night of the Hurricane raises $100,000 for Hurricane Carter, a boxer unjustly jailed for murder immortalized in Dylan’s song “Hurricane.” 1975 – Uriah Heep bassist Gary Thain dies of a drug overdose in his bath. 1980 - John Lennon was murdered outside of the Dakota building in New York City where he was living. Mark David Chapman murdered Lennon as Lennon was signing an autograph for Chapman. Lennon was 40 years old. 1981 – A year after her husband’s death, Yoko Ono publishes in Rolling Stone a letter saying, “I think of John’s death as a war casualty – it is the war between the sane and the insane.” 1984 - Motley Crue singer Vince Neil was involved in a car crash which killed passenger Nick Dingley, drummer of Hanoi Rocks & injured two others. Neil would spend 20 days in jail and pay $2.6 million in compensation. 2000 – Metallica sues perfume manufacturer Guerlain Inc. and the Neiman-Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman department store chains, alleging that they have infringed on and diluted the rock band’s trademarked name by creating and marketing a “Metallica” perfume brand. 2000 – Sting receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 2000 – On his Web site, Julian Lennon does his best to remember the father who was never there for him on the 20th anniversary of John Lennon’s murder. 2003 – Ozzy Osbourne breaks his collarbone and several ribs after he crashes an ATV on the grounds of his Buckinghamshire estate in England. Doctors say he may take two months to fully recover. 2004 – Damageplan/Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott is murdered on stage in Columbus, Ohio, in a shooting spree that also claims the life of the band’s head of security, Jeffrey “Mayhem” Thompson, a club employee and an audience member. 2010 –Alice Cooper portrays Scrooge in a unique performance to promote his 10th Annual Christmas Pudding Concert being held on December 18th, 2010 at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. LikeShow More ReactionsCommentShare