Are you ready to learn some stuff? It’s October 1st and here’s what happened Today in Rock History!
Starting the day in 2007, after announcing their next album In Rainbows would be only available on their official website, Radiohead’s website crashed when fans tried to pre-order the new album priced at 40 Euros for its physical release (including 2 CD’s, two vinyl records, and an artbook) or ANY PRICE for the digital release.
Speaking of CD’s, the first ever CD player was released in Tokyo in 1982 by Sony. It cost about $650.
Moving onto releases now, we got: Good Charlotte’s The Young and Hopeless in 2002, The Unforgettable Fire from U2 in 1984, The La’s one and only album, simply titled The La’s in 1990 and Soundgarden’s first EP Screaming Life in 1987.
In 1994, Megadeth became the first musical artist to launch an official website. Included on the site was a chat room, a photo gallery and bits from various songs.
In 2021, David Lee Roth announced he would be retiring from music after his 5-show Vegas residency in January 2022. That retirement only lasted three years.
The first Alice Cooper comic book was released in 1979. Published by Marvel Comics, the story takes place in a sanitarium and is based on Cooper’s stay in rehab.
In 2011, after being together for 28 years and having two children together, KISS bassist Gene Simmons married his longtime girlfriend, former Playboy model Shannon Tweed. Before the wedding took place Tweed insisted that Simmons burned his collection of 5,000 Polaroid pics of groupies.
In 1966, Jimi Hendrix appeared live for the first time in the UK at the London Polytechnic when he jammed with members of Cream. Just a few years later in 1970, on the same day, Hendrix was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Renton, WA two weeks after his death on September 18th.
And finally in 1965, while performing at NYC’s Carnegie Hall, Bob Dylan introduced the members of his new touring band: guitarist Robbie Robertson, organist Garth Hudson, bassist Rick Danko, pianist Richard Manual, and drummer Levon Helm. The group, formerly known as The Hawks, would perform alongside Dylan until 1967 and would later become known as The Band.
This has been Today in Rock History! Keep on Rocking, keep on Rolling! Check back tomorrow for your next rock history lesson!
