Today in rock history 31st July

1923 - Ahmet Ertegun-founder of Atlantic Records & co-founder of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is born 1958 – Bill Berry of R.E.M. is born. 1964 – A Rolling Stones concert in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is stopped after only 12 minutes when violence breaks out in the audience. 1965 – In England, the Yardbirds with Jeff Beck perform at the Cleethorpes Jazz Festival. 1966 –Cream play their first gig in Windsor 1966 – In Birmingham, Ala., a Beatles record-burning session is held to protest John Lennon’s “bigger than Jesus” remark. 1967 – After a public outcry, a London Appeals Court drops drug charges against Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. Mick Jagger, also busted for drugs, has his jail sentence reduced to a conditional discharge. The Stones record “We Love You” to commemorate the event. 1968 – The Beatles record “Hey Jude.” 1970 – After Decca Records demands a final single from the Rolling Stones to make them fulfill their contract, Richards and Jagger deliver the unreleasable “C********r Blues.” The single becomes the title of a Stones documentary that the band decides is also unreleasable. 1971 – Pink Floyd leave England to set out on their first tour of the Far East. 1971 – Big day in Stones history: At London’s Rialto cinema, the documentary Gimme Shelter premieres. The film includes footage from the infamous concert at Altamont. 1971 – At a Who concert in Forest Hills, N.Y., a security guard is stabbed. 1978 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Miss You,” The Rolling Stones. The song is the band’s eighth No. 1 single. 1980 - The Eagles performed their last concert at the Long Beach Arena. They split up later in the year & reunited in 1994. 1984 – Eric Clapton leaves Roger Waters’ Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking tour in Canada after two weeks. 2004 - Simon and Garfunkel closed out the European leg of their second reunion tour by performing a free concert at Rome’s Coliseum in front of 600,000 fans. 2012 –Ten fans of English rock band The Who traded in tickets from a canceled 1979 gig in Rhode Island for entry to the group’s upcoming February show, in a rare tale of loyalty spanning the decades. 2012 - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed their longest concert at Olympiastadion in Helsinki, Finland. Their set clocked in at four hours and six minutes.

Today in rock history 30th July

1936 – Buddy Guy, one of the nicest men in the blues, is born in Lettsworth, La. 1946 – Bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond of Jethro Tull is born. 1955 – Damned drummer Rat Scabies is born in Kingston-upon-Thames 1958 – Singer Kate Bush is born in Bexley, Kent, 1966 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Wild Thing,” The Troggs 1968 – The Beatles’ Apple Boutique in London closes after heavy losses. 1969 – The Beatles continued working on their forthcoming album Abbey Road, recording overdubs on ‘Come Together’, ‘Polythene Pam/She Came In Through the Bathroom Window’, ‘You Never Give Me Your Money’ and ‘Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight’. 1975 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “One of These Nights,” The Eagles. 1987 – In Philadelphia, David Bowie unveils his Glass Spider Tour, generally seen as a low point in ’80s rock excess 1988 – Former member of The Spencer Davis Group and Traffic, Steve Winwood had the number 1 song in the US this week with “Roll With It”. 1996 – Tim Collins, manager of Aerosmith since 1984, is fired after a brief meeting with the band in Boston. The band claims that they are tired of being urged to represent Collins’ many social causes. 2001 – Peter Buck, guitarist for R.E.M., pleads not guilty to a series of charges relating to an alleged “air rage” incident during a transatlantic flight in April. 2003 – Police issue a warrant for Motley Crue singer Vince Neil’s arrest after he allegedly attacks a prostitute at Nevada’s Moonlite Bunny Ranch. 2003 – The Rolling Stones headline a one-day festival in Toronto to revive the city’s tourism industry following an outbreak of the SARS virus. Other performers include AC/DC, Rush and Justin Timberlake. An estimated 450,000 people attend. 2006 – The endlessly fascinating W. Axl Rose is forced to abandon a Guns N’ Roses show at London’s Wembley Arena due to “low blood pressure.” Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach takes his place for the encore. 2007: Shortly after Jimmy Page testified, Robert Langley pleaded guilty to trademark & copyright infringements after having more than $22,000 worth of bootleg Led Zeppelin cd’s & dvd’s seized at a record convention in Glasgow in 2005. 2009 – Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher is officially recognised as a co-writer on ‘Whiter Shade of Pale.

Today in rock history 29th July

1946 – REO Speedwagon keyboardist Neal Doughty is born in Evanston, Ill. 1953 – Vocalist Geddy Lee of Rush is born in Toronto. 1956 – Carl Perkins was on the UK singles with ‘Blue Suede Shoes 1956 –Patti Scialfa of the E Street Band – and Mrs. Bruce Springsteen – is born. 1959 – John Sykes of Whitesnake is born this day 1963 – The Newport Folk Festival is held this year after a four-year layoff. Headliners include Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul & Mary. With a good sense of timing, Peter, Paul & Mary also release their interpretation of Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” which later goes to No. 2. 1965 – The Beatles’ second film – “Help!” – premieres in London. Queen Elizabeth is in attendance. 1966 – The Beatles: The U.S. teen magazine Datebook reprints an earlier quote by John Lennon stating that “We’re more popular than Jesus now.” This prompted Beatles Bonfires and the banning of their music by radio stations. 1966 – Bob Dylan is injured in a motorcycle accident near his Woodstock, N.Y., home; he goes into seclusion. 1967 – Doors: ‘Light My Fire’ US 45 is no. 1 chart topper. Later, Jim Morrison will sing the correct lyrics after Ed Sullivan asked him not to because of risque subject matter. 1968 – The Byrds head off to South Africa to tour. However, one Byrd who isn’t going is Gram Parsons, who is protesting South African apartheid. 1970 – The Rolling Stones’ contract with Decca ends. The band informs manager Allen Klein that “neither he nor ABKCO Industries have any authority to negotiate recording contracts on their behalf” and begins to consider starting its own label. 1973 – The takings from two Led Zeppelin concerts are stolen from the group’s New York hotel. The thieves are said to have gotten away with more than $180,000. 1976 – Eric Clapton begins his first English tour in five years at Hempstead’s Pavilion Theatre. 1980 – David Bowie opens on stage in Denver in the title role of “Elephant Man” to critical acclaim. 1987 – Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream introduces their Cherry Garcia flavour, named after the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia. 1990 – Elton John checks into a suburban Chicago clinic to cure bulimia and an addiction problem. 1994 – Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour marries Polly Samson at England’s Marylebone Registry Office. 2003 – Bobby Thompson, Ozzy Osbourne’s longtime tour manager, dies in his hotel room in Birmingham, Mich., after a long battle with throat cancer. He is 50. 2004 – Bobby Gillespie, singer with British rock band Primal Scream, is awarded undisclosed damagers in a libel suit against a tabloid that alleged he was having an affair with supermodel Kate Moss. 2005 – John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics for “All You Need is Love”, gathered from his music stand after The Beatles’ final television appearance in 1967, sold at an auction in London for $1 million to an anonymous bidder. 2006 – Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson are married on a luxury yacht in San Tropez. 2007 – Paul Stanley of Kiss suffered heart problems. Paul was playing a show in California when he felt a strange chest pain… Paramedics tried to create a regular rhythm after his heart jumped up to 190 beats per minute.

Today in rock history 28th July

1943 – Blues guitarist Mike Bloomfield is born in Chicago. 1945 – Rick Wright of Pink Floyd is born in London. 1949 – Steve Took, who played with Marc Bolan in T. Rex, is born. He was asked to leave the band in 1969 after several bizarre incidents that included giving himself a vicious beating onstage. 1949 - Simon Kirke-drummer for Free & Bad Company is born 1954 - Steve Morse-guitarist for Deep Purple is born 1965 – Rolling Stone Charlie Watts is moving up in the world. He buys a 16th century wooden mansion in Sussex, England. 1965 – The Who make their first appearance on British TV’s Ready Steady Go! Their managers pack the audience with mods, ensuring a rapturous reception as the band rips through “I Can’t Explain.” 1970 – Ned Kelly, starring Mick Jagger as the behelmeted highwayman, opens in Australia. Reception is unkind. 1973 – A crowd of 600,000 gathers for a rock festival at Watkins Glen Raceway, N.Y., to hear the Grateful Dead, the Band and the Allman Brothers Band. 1973 – Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re An American Band” is released. It will top the Billboard chart near the end of September. 1975 – Bob Dylan plays his first session for the Desire album. 1978 – In response to a fan’s request, Ted Nugent autographs his arm. With a Bowie knife. 1979 – The World Series of Rock is held at Cleveland Stadium, with Journey, Ted Nugent and Thin Lizzy. 1982 – To Jackson Browne, a son. Browne and second wife Lynne Sweeney become the proud parents of Ryan Daniel Browne today. 1993 – Roger Waters marries Priscilla Phillips at the Romsey Registry Office 1995 – Control of Jimi Hendrix’s estate is passed on to his father, James Al Hendrix, who fought a long legal battle for the rights to his son’s likeness and music. 1999 – Eddie Vedder joins Pete Townshend onstage at New York’s Supper Club to rip through “Magic Bus” and “Better Man.” 1999 – Steve Tyler of Aerosmith tells the New York Daily News he’s trying to prevent his ex-wife from printing naked photos of him in a new book. 2001 – Presley Scott Harwell, son of Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell and Michelle Laroque, dies from complications due to acute lymphatic leukemia. 2004 – The second highest new entry in U.S. album charts is Van Halen’s new hits collection The Best of Both Worlds, which lands at No. 3.

Today in rock history 27th July

1955 – Chuck Berry’s debut single, “Maybellene,” enters the R&B chart. It later becomes a No. 1 R&B hit, remaining at the top for 11 weeks. 1969 – Led Zeppelin and the Doors play the Seattle Pop Festival. But Robert Plant isn’t too impressed with Jim Morrison. He remembers, “He hung on the side of the stage and nearly toppled into the audience and did all those things that I suppose were originally sexual things. 1976 – Bruce Springsteen sues his former manager Mike Appel for fraud and breach of contract. Appel later files a countersuit, and ties up Springsteen’s recording the follow-up to Born to Run for the next two years. 1976 – John Lennon receives his “green card” from U.S. immigration authorities. 1977 – Led Zeppelin call off the remainder of their North American tour after Robert Plant’s son, Karac, dies of a respiratory ailment. 1979 – Before the Cooper’stown restaurant in Phoenix, there was Alice Cooper’s Indian Art Store in Scottsdale, Ariz. Today it’s hit by a firebomb that destroys $200,000 worth of merchandise. Cooper blames disco fans. 1984 – The Prince film “Purple Rain” premieres. 1986 – Queen becomes the first Western act since Louis Armstrong in 1964 to play in Budapest, Hungary. 1991 – Warrant lead singer Jani Lane marries model Bobbie Brown in Los Angeles. 1995 – In Montpelier, France, the Rolling Stones are joined onstage by support act Bob Dylan for a version of his “Like a Rolling Stone.” 2000 – The Rhyme & Reason Tour, featuring the Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine postponed due to a biking injury suffered by Beastie Boys principal Mike D. 2001 – Leon Wilkeson, bassist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, dies in his sleep in his Jacksonville, Fla., home. He is 49. 2004 – Courtney Love is sentenced to 18 months probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge. She is also ordered to attend rehab. 2006 – Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger is arrested for drunk driving after being stopped swerving in Surrey, British Columbia. 2010 - Growing Up Twisted, the reality television show starring Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider premiered on the A&E Network.

Today in rock history 26th July

1943 - Mick Jagger born Dartford, Kent 1949 – Queen drummer Roger Taylor is born in Kings Lynn 1961 – There was a hole in his heart – and he was former Extreme and Van Halen singer Gary Cherone, born today. 1968 – Howlin’ Wolf plays the first of three nights at San Francisco’s Avalon Ballroom, supported by Quicksilver Messenger Service. 1968 – Decca pulls the Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet from its release schedule, citing problems with the sleeve. 1968 – John Lennon and Paul McCartney complete “Hey Jude” during a writing session at Paul’s home. 1970 - Jimi Hendrix performed in his hometown of Seattle for the last time at Sicks Stadium. He reminded the audience how disappointed he was that he had to go to the U.K. to make it in the music business before his home country accepted him. 1974 – The first Beatles Convention is held in Boston. 1976 - Ted Nugent received his first Gold album for his self-titled debut album released the previous year. It later went on to sell two million copies in the U.S. 1977 – Elvis Costello is arrested for playing outside the London Hilton. The new wave songwriter was hoping to interest record executives into giving him an American record deal, as a CBS Records conference was being held inside. He’s fined 5 pounds, but CBS invites him to play a proper audition. 1977 - Robert Plant’s son Karac died of an unidentified viral infection. Led Zeppelin’s tour of North America was immediately cancelled. 1979 – Today’s Rolling Stone reports on the popularity of promotional videos, citing David Bowie’s “Boys Keep Swinging” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” as examples. 1990 – Grateful Dead keyboardist Brent Mydland dies of a drug overdose in Lafayette, Calif., at age 38. 1992 – Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley marries actress-model Pamela Bowen in Los Angeles. 2000 – Oasis are forced off stage at Switzerland’s Paleo Festival after being pelted with bottles and cans. A promoter says, “The arrogant, provocative attitude of Liam Gallagher is doubtless not unconnected to the reaction of the audience.” 2003 – Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain is arrested outside of their Wantagh, N.Y., date after allegedly running over a parking attendant. 2003 – Limp Bizkit abandon their set during the Chicago stop of the Summer Sanitarium tour after the crowd hurl plastic bottles at singer Fred Durst. 2003 – Mick Jagger celebrates turning 60 at a private party in Prague. Among the invitees is former Czech president Vaclev Havel, who gives Jagger a two-foot-high crystal vase. 2004 – The Darkness return to their old school in Lowestoft, England, to open a new music center. They also take part in a Q&A session with pupils. 2004 - A Staples back-to-school campaign commercial starring Alice Cooper humorously utilizing Cooper’s “School’s Out” premiered nationally. The commercial depicted Cooper in the role of a father shopping for back-to-school supplies with his daughter who is unhappy about returning to school. 2006 - Ric Ocasek made his second appearance on The Colbert Report where he volunteered to lead a commando mission to “rescue” Stephen Jr., the baby eagle at the San Francisco Zoo named after Stephen Colbert.

Today in rock history 25th July

1941- Manny Charlton-guitarist for Nazareth is born today 1943 – Drummer Jim McCarty, the missing link between the Yardbirds and the Detroit Wheels, is born in Liverpool 1950 – Bassist Mark Clarke of hard-rock legends Mountain and Uriah Heep is born in Liverpool 1964 – Today’s Billboard reports on the success of the British group the Animals, who recently enjoyed a U.K. No. 1 with “House of the Rising Son.” 1965 – Bob Dylan performs his first non-acoustic set at the Newport Folk Festival to a hostile crowd. 1966 – The Rolling Stones play San Francisco. The concert is their last American live performance with founding guitarist Brian Jones. 1967 – In today’s London Times appears a petition calling for the legalization of marijuana. It’s signed by the Beatles and their manager, Brian Epstein. 1968 – Eric Clapton plays lead guitar for George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on the album “The Beatles” (also known as “The White Album”). 1969 – Led Zeppelin play Milwaukee at the Midwest Rock Festival. 1969 – Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young give their first live performance at the Fillmore East in New York. 1970 – Chicago release their single “25 or 6 to 4.” 1980 – Kiss unveil their new drummer at New York’s Palladium. The newly christened Eric Carr, born Paul Caravello, is made up to look like a fox after the band decides against the hawk look. 1984 – The body of “Big Mama” Thornton, who recorded the original “Hound Dog,” is found in a Los Angeles boarding house. She was 57. 1990 – To the Boss, a son. Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa become the proud parents of Evan James. 1992 – Bryan Adams helps two motorists whose car struck his on a highway in St. Gellen, Switzerland. Adams was traveling from Zurich to Vienna as part of a concert tour when the other car skidded out of control, grazed his car and hit an embankment. 1999 - On the final day of Woodstock ’99 in Rome, NY, riots occurred during the closing set by the Red Hot Chili Peppers which resulted in 120 arrests. 2001 - The Doors’ drummer John Densmore & Bonnie Raitt among others were arrested in Itasca, IL for protesting against a company that is claimed to destroy rainforests. 2003 – A student film of John Lennon imitating a baboon sells for $53,700 at an auction. 2003 – Iron Butterfly guitarist Erik Braunn dies of heart failure. He was 52. 2005 – Megadeth lead singer Dave Mustaine sues his former bassist David Ellefson, alleging he used the name of the group without Mustaine’s permission. 2010 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer performed a one-off fortieth anniversary concert headlining the initial High Voltage festival at London’s Victoria Park.