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 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.

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.

Today in rock history 7th December

1949 – Tom Waits is born in Pomona, Calif. He claims that he was born in the back of a moving taxi.
1962 – The Rolling Stones audition bass players at the World’s End pub in Chelsea, London. One candidate is Bill Wyman. He gets the job partly because he has tons of cool equipment the band can use.
1963 – The No. 1 album in the U.K. this week is With the Beatles. The Beatles themselves appear on the British TV program Juke Box Jury.
1968 – Eric Burdon announces that he will break up the Animals following a concert at Newcastle City Hall, in England, on December 22.
1968 – The Beatles’ self-titled double album, referred to as The White Album because of its cover, tops the British albums chart.
1973 – Fleetwood Mac manager Clifford Davis declares that he owns the rights to the band’s name and assembles a second Fleetwood Mac to tour around the country. After a lengthy legal fight, the second Fleetwood Mac become Stretch. .
1986 – Huey Lewis and the News sing the national anthem a cappella before a San Francisco 49ers-New York Jets football game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
1991 – “Achtung Baby” by U2 debuts at No. 1 on Chart Toppers’s pop albums chart.
1993 – Despite protests, Guns N’ Roses say that their cover of Charles Manson’s “Look at Your Game, Girl” will stay on the album The Spaghetti Incident? Royalties from their recording will go to the son of a Manson family victim.
1999 – The Eagles hold a press conference to announce that their first Greatest Hits package has become America’s best-selling album.
2000 – In a New York TV studio, B.B. King performs with Elmo and Big Bird for an episode of Sesame Street.
2003 – Ozzy Osbourne tells the Los Angeles Times that his stuttering and physically unstable condition was caused by a cocktail of prescription medicine.
2004 – Actor William Shatner’s infamous 1968 album “The Transformed Man,” which finds the venerable Capt. Kirk reading poetry over ultra-serious musical accompaniment and covering such contemporary classics as Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” and the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” is reissued by Geffen.
2004 – Welsh rockers The Stereophonics announce they have replaced drummer Stuart Cable, who was sacked in 2003, with the Argentine skinsman Javier Weyler.
2005 – The MBE medal that John Lennon returned to the Queen was found in a royal vault at St James’ Palace.
2008 - Roger Daltrey & Pete Townshend were honored at the Kennedy Center Honours for their contributions to American culture in The Who.

Today in rock history 6th December

1947 – Guitarist Kim Simmonds, who rode the British blues boom with his group Savoy Brown, is born in Newbridge, Wales.

1955 – The Jam drummer Rick Buckler is born.

1956 – Guitarist Peter Buck of R.E.M is born.

1956 – Randy Rhoads, a guitar god of a different stripe with Ozzy Osbourne’s band, is born in Santa Monica, Calif.

1963 – The Beatles’ first Christmas record is delivered to their Artist Pages.

1964 – In the NME year-end poll, the Rolling Stones are voted No. 1 U.K. R&B Group and Best New Group. Mick Jagger is named Best New Disc or TV Singer.

1965 – The Rolling Stones go into RCA’s Hollywood Studios to record “Mother’s Little Helper” and “19th Nervous Breakdown.”

1967 – The Beatles open their Apple Boutique on London’s Baker Street.

1969 – The Rolling Stones’ hold an ill-fated concert at California’s Altamont Speedway, where a fan is stabbed to death near the stage.

1978 – Out on bail after a prison stint on Riker’s Island, Sid Vicious decides to spend the evening at New York’s Hurrah club. There he gets into a fight with Patti Smith’s brother and ends up smashing a glass in his face.

1980 – In the studio, John Lennon mixes “Walking on Thin Ice.” He’s also interviewed by British DJ Andy Peebles. Mark David Chapman arrives in New York after flying there from Honolulu. He checks into a YMCA nine blocks from John Lennon’s apartment.

1988 – Roy Orbison dies of a heart attack while on a visit to his mother near Nashville, Tenn. He is 52.

1994 – Pearl Jam release their third album, the stripped-down and punky Vitalogy.

1999 – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces it will induct Eric Clapton, Lovin’ Spoonful, the Moonglows, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, and Earth, Wind & Fire next year.

2003 – David Bowie postpones the Atlantic City, N.J start of the North American leg of his A Reality tour after contracting the flu.

2004 – One of the worst kept secrets in rock becomes a secret no longer when Motley Crue announce they are reforming for their first tour in five years.

2005 -Valerie Bertinelli filed for divorce from her husband of 20 years, Eddie Van Halen. The couple had been separated since October 15, 2001.

2009 - Bruce Springsteen was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors for his contributions to American culture. President Barack Obama would say “I’m the President, but he’s The Boss.”

Timesweep 2nd December

Part 1

Back to 1992

1. Nirvana - Smells like teen spirit

2. Manic Street preachers - Motorcycle emptiness

3. INXS - Beautiful girl

4. Extreme - Rest in peace

5. Tom Cochrane - Life is a highway

Part 2

Back to 1991

1. Marillion - Cover my eyes

2. Van Halen - Right now

3. Jesus Jones - Right here right now

4. Queen - Innuendo

5. Thunder - Love walked in

Part 3

Back to 1986

1. Rolling Stones - Harlem shuffle

2. Jackson Browne - In the shape of a heart

3. Stryper - Calling on you

Part 4

1. Status Quo - Red sky

2. Bruce Hornsby & The Range - Mandolin rain

3. Poison - Cry tough

4. Johnny Winter - Walking by myself

Part 5

Artist double shots

1. Queen - I want it all

2. Queen - Friends will be friends

3. Rolling Stones - Paint it black

4. Rolling Stones- Start me up

Part 6

This week in rock history

1. Travelling Wilburys - End of the line

2. John Lennon - Watching the wheels

3. John Lennon - Oh my love

4. Ozzy Osbourne - Shot in the dark

Part 7

This week's birthdays

1. REM - What's the frequency Kenneth

2. Ozzy Osbourne - Over the mountain

3. The Doors - Break on through

4. Allman Bros - Midnight rider

5. Motley Crue - On with the show

Part 8

Back to 1962

1. Sandy Nelson - Let there be drums

2. Jerry Lee Lewis - Sweet little 16

Back to 1963

3. Swinging Blue Jeans - Hippy hippy shake

4. The Beatles - I saw her standing there

Part 9

We're in the madhouse

1. Quiet Riot - Mama we're all crazy now

2. Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy train

3. Elton John - Madman across the water

Part 10

1. Aerosmith - Crazy

2. Talking Heads - Psycho killer

3. Heart - Crazy on you

Part 11

1. Kiss - Crazy crazy nights

2. Pink Floyd - Shine on you crazy diamond

Brit Rock 2nd December

1. Peter Gabriel - Shock the monkey

2. World Party - Ship of fools

3. The Killers - Read my mind

4. The Eagles - How long

5. Chris Cornell - You know my name

6. The Fray - How to save a life

7. Kings Of Leon - Fans

8. U2 - Windows in the sky

9. Scorpions - Humanity

10. INXS - Original sin

11. Van Morrison - Wild night

12. Foreigner - Feels like the first time

13. The Darkness - Growing on me

14. The Kinks - Village green preservation society

15. Faith No More - Introduce yourself

16. ACDC - Touch too much

17. ACDC - Rock & roll ain't a noise pollution

18. ACDC - Thunderstruck

19. Led Zeppelin - Immigrant song

20. Metallica - Disposable heroes

21. David Gilmour - Comfortably numb

22. Pink Floyd - High hopes

Hour three is an hour of UK based album orientated rock

1. Genesis - Abacab

2. Supertramp - Dreamer

3. ELO - Wild west hero

4. Free - My brother Jake

5. Peter Gabriel - Solsbury hill

6. Steve Winwood - Valerie

7. T-Rex - Get it on

8. Bonnie Tyler - Holding out for a hero

9. Dave Edmunds - Girls talk

10. Asia - Heat of the moment

11. Chris Rea - Tell me there's a heaven

12. Dire Straits - Brothers in arms

Today in rock history 5th December

1932 – Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman) is born in Macon, Ga., the son of a minister.

1938 – Guitarist J.J. Cale is born in Oklahoma City.

1944 – Lucas Sideras, drummer with Greek prog rockers Aphrodite’s Child, has a birthday today.

1965 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Turn! Turn! Turn!” The Byrds. Songwriter Pete Seeger adapted the lyrics from the Book of Ecclesiastes.

1967 – Pink Floyd finish their tour supporting Jimi Hendrix at Green’s Playhouse in Glasgow, Scotland. Throughout the tour, the Nice guitarist Davy O’List has been drafted in when regular singer Syd Barrett either has been too out of it to play or simply hasn’t deigned to show up.

1968 – The Rolling Stones’ launch party at London’s Queensgate Hotel for Beggars Banquet soon degenerates into a near-riot. Waitresses serve food dressed as medieval wenches. During the dessert course, a custard pie fight begins, with most of the pastries aimed at record label execs who vetoed the Stones’ toilet cover art.

1969 – Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant prevents Atlantic from releasing “Whole Lotta Love” as a single in the U.K. John Bonham says, “We refused because they wanted to take the middle section out and we didn’t like it.

1980 – John Lennon gives his final Rolling Stone interview to Jonathan Cott. Mark David Chapman leaves Honolulu to fly to New York, where he will shoot John Lennon three days later.

1993 – Ex-Gin Blossoms lead guitarist Douglas Hopkins shoots and kills himself at his home in Tempe, Ariz. He is 32. Hopkins was fired from the band the previous year because of his drinking habit.

2000 - Roger Waters released his live album In the Flesh which was recorded on his In the Flesh tour, which was his first tour in twelve years.

2004 – Sir Elton John receives a Kennedy Center honor in Washington, D.C. During the ceremony, Secretary of State Colin Powell performs a rap to celebrate another honoree, Warren “Bulworth” Beatty.

2005 – Audioslave’s Chris Cornell wife gives birth to son … Christopher Cornell.