Today in Rock History – August 9

Are you ready to learn some stuff? It’s August 9th and here’s what happened Today in Rock History!

Starting off on a sadder note as in 1986, Queen played what would be their final performance together as a band at Knebworth Park in England as the final show of their Magic European tour. Lead singer Freddie Mercury would die from AIDS in 1991.

Onto birthdays now, we have Sam Fogarino of Interpol and Arion Salazar of Third Eye Blind

With releases, we have just one and that would be Staind’s Chapter V released in 2005

We lost both Robbie Robertson of The Band in 2023 and Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead in 1995.

In 2007, the mayor of Baltimore, Sheila Dixon, proclaimed that the day would become Frank Zappa Day. The mayor cited Zappa’s musical accomplishments but also his defense of First Amendment rights.

In 2003, Daron Malakian of System of a Down took part of the annual Hollywood Stars Night celebrity baseball game at Dodger Stadium. Peeved by his teammates, Malakian pens Old School Hollywood for the band’s upcoming Mezmerize.

And finally in 1995, the original members of KISS performed together for the first time since 1980 as Peter Criss and Ace Frehley joined the current band to record their MTV Unplugged special, later released as Kiss Unplugged. This would also be the only time all the original members played without their makeup. The session went so well, that Criss and Frehley rejoined the band in 1996 for a world tour.

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