Are you ready to learn some stuff? It’s August 7th and here’s what happened Today in Rock History!
Starting off with an absolute bang as it’s Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden’s birthday today!
The animated sci-fi film Heavy Metal was released in theaters in 1981. An anthology film based on stories from the comic magazine of the same name, the film still features an amazing track list from greats like Sammy Hagar and Black Sabbath. It also features a LOT of blood and scantily clad women. So…. that’s cool too.
Sticking within the metal space, in 2017, the late Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister became the namesake of a prehistoric crocodile after the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society changed the name of “Steneosaurus obtusidens” to “Lemmysuchus obtusidens”.
Moving out of the metal spectrum now, we got CCR’s Green River in 1969 and The Pretenders’ Pretenders II in 1981
We lost Jack Russell of Great White in 2024 from complications with Lewy body dementia.
In 1987, Lindsey Buckingham quit Fleetwood Mac during a band meeting. Buckingham’s departure forced the group to tour without him while supporting their latest album Tango In The Night. Buckingham would return to the group in 1997.
In 1980, John Lennon returned to the studio to begin recording his final studio album, Double Fantasy.
Oh! I should probably mention that it’s also Barry Kerch of Shinedown’s birthday today
And finally in 2002, Claude Coleman Jr, the drummer of Ween, got into a car accident and broke his back and pelvis. His bandmates hosted benefit shows to help cover medical bills. Coleman would return to the kit later that year in 2002.
This has been Today in Rock History! Keep on Rocking, keep on Rolling! Check back tomorrow for your next rock history lesson!
