Are you ready to learn some stuff? It’s January 5th and here’s what happened Today in Rock History!
We’ve got a busy day ahead of us, so let’s start with birthdays! First up, we have the ever controversial Marilyn Manson!
Other birthdays include Matt Wachter of 30 Seconds to Mars, Chris Stein of Blondie and Troy Van Leeuwen of Queens of the Stone Age!
Prince made his live debut on stage at Minneapolis’ Capri Theater in 1979. Prince had already signed a three album deal with Warner Bros but hadn’t even performed on stage yet! Warner executives that attended the show believed that the young singer and his band still needed more time to develop as a band.
With releases today we got the self-titled debut record from Aerosmith in 1973!
Other releases include Bob Dylan’s Desire in 1976 and Bruce Springsteen’s debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. in 1973!
And exactly one year later in 1974, Springsteen and the E Street Band performed the live favorite, Rosalita for the first time on stage.
We lost Miki Fujioka of Babymetal in 2017 after suffering a fall from an observation deck on December 30th, 2016.
In 1997, Johnny Cash appeared on an episode of The Simpsons as…. an imaginary coyote spirit guide for Homer who tells him to buy more material possessions
In 1969, During Led Zeppelin’s first North American tour, the band played the last of four nights at LA’s Whisky A Go-Go. Alice Cooper opened the show and Zeppelin were actually billed as ‘Led Zeppelin featuring Jimmy Page, formerly of the Yardbirds”.
In 2003, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after getting stopped for speeding in his BMW convertible. Armstrong failed a breathalyzer test, was taken to the Berkeley county jail, and would later be released on bail
In 1978, The Sex Pistols began their final tour, only lasting just under two weeks before ending prematurely at the Winterland Ballroom on January 14th, 1978.
In 2004, The Kinks singer Ray Davies was shot in the leg during a mugging in New Orleans. As the 59 year old singer chased after two men that stole his girlfriend’s purse at gunpoint, he would be shot. Davies would be admitted to a hospital but his injuries were not serious. Police arrested one of the thieves, but couldn’t find the second.
And finally in 2016, Guns N’ Roses announce that former members Slash and Duff McKagen, who hadn’t performed with the band since 1993, would join the band for a headlining set at Coachella. GNR would later announce a full tour with Slash and McKagen.
This has been Today in Rock History! Check back tomorrow for your next rock history lesson!
