Today in Rock History – April 15

Are you ready to learn some stuff? It’s April 15th and here’s what happened Today in Rock History!

Starting it off on a sad note as we lost Joey Ramone in 2001 from lymphoma

Moving onto releases, we have Rock for Light by the Bad Brains, Anvil’s Metal on Metal in 1982 and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Second Helping in 1974

Birthdays include Frankie Poullain of The Darkness, Ed O’Brien of Radiohead and Patrick Carney of The Black Keys.

In 1996, the rest of Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia’s ashes are scattered in San Francisco near the Golden Gate Bridge. 11 days earlier a portion of his ashes were scattered in the Ganges River in India.

In 2014, Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 collapses in his kitchen and is placed in an induced coma. So attribute his years long alcohol abuse problem. Whibley recovers but has to relearn how to play guitar.

And finally in 1986, cops raid Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra’s apartment to arrest him for distributing “harmful matter” to minors. The “harmful matter” is a poster of genitalia art included in the band’s Frankenchrist album. His court case becomes a test of the First Amendment and further validates his position that the US government oppresses the poor and outspoken. The case lasts 16 months and ends in a mistrial.

This has been Today in Rock History! Keep on Rocking, keep on Rolling! Check back tomorrow for your next rock history lesson!