Are you ready to learn some stuff? It’s July 15th and here’s what happened Today in Rock History!
Starting the day with a long list of Birthdays! First up is the late Chi Cheng of the Deftones!
Other birthdays include Jason Bonham, Joe Satriani, Marky Ramone of the Ramones, and Ray Toro of My Chemical Romance!
As well as Johnny Thunders of the New York Dolls, Artimus Pyle of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ian Curtis of Joy Division and John Dolmayan of System of a Down!
Releases today include We’re an American Band by Grand Funk Railroad in 1973 and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s self-titled debut in 1968!
In 2018, the music video for Guns N Roses song November Rain became the first video from the 1990’s to pass a billion views on YouTube.
In 1998, Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer was set on fire while filling his car up with gas! Kramer was taken to the hospital where he was treated with second degree burns. Aerosmith would cancel their upcoming US tour due to this freak accident.
In 2016, Alice Cooper announced his campaign to become the US President, as he’s done every election cycle since 1972. Running with the slogan “A Troubled Man for Troubled Times,” his platform included “Adding Lemmy to Mt Rushmore” and “Getting Brian Johnson back in AC/DC.” Unfortunately, Alice lost. Maybe next time!
While performing at a festival with The Kinks in 1973, lead singer Ray Davies announces his retirement from the band. Later, Davies walked into a hospital and collapsed from exhaustion, caused by an overdose of horse tranquillizers. Davies was trying to commit suicide due to his wife leaving him and taking the kids. Davies would return to The Kinks just a week later.
And finally in 1989, Pink Floyd performed in Italy during Venice’s annual Festa del Redentore on a barge in the city’s Grand Canal. More than 200,000 fans attended the show, taking over bridges and buildings to watch. The attendance was almost double than what organizers and authorities planned for, to the point where the Italian army had to get involved with post show cleanup.
This has been Today in Rock History! Keep on Rocking, keep on Rolling! Check back tomorrow for your next rock history lesson!
