Are you ready to learn some stuff? It’s April 10th and here’s what happened Today in Rock History!
Starting off with the 29th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place in 2014. Inductees for the ceremony included KISS and Nirvana. KISS notably did not perform during the ceremony due to the ongoing issues between the original four members of the band as well as the Rock Hall itself not allowing other members of KISS (Singer, Thayer, and Kulick) to perform. The surviving members of Nirvana, along with Pat Smear, DID perform with the help of guest vocalists, including Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, Lorde, Joan Jett, and St. Vincent.
And speaking of Nirvana, in 1994, over 5,000 fans attended a public memorial service for Kurt Cobain at the Seattle Flag Pavilion.
With releases we have Elton John’s self-titled debut in 1970, Infestissumam from Ghost in 2013 and Halestorm’s 2012 album The Strange Case of…
Sticking with albums, in 1982, Iron Maiden reached the top of UK charts for the first time with The Number of the Beast. The album would also be the band’s first platinum record in the US.
Another album that hit number 1 on this date in 1976 was Peter Frampton’s Frampton Comes Alive, selling over six million copies and became the best selling record of the year. Comes Alive remains one of the best selling live album of all time.
Moving onto birthdays we have: Steve Gustafson of 10,000 Maniacs, Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats, Warren DeMartini of Ratt, Fred Smith of Television, Mike Mushok of Staind, and Mark ‘E’ Everett of the Eels.
In 1970, Jim Morrison is dragged off stage by bandmate Ray Manzarek during one of the final ever Doors show in Boston, after Morrison asked the audience, ‘Would you like to see my genitals?’. Management shut down the power quickly. Morrison was already facing charges for public indecency from a Miami gig earlier on the tour.
And finally in 2005, the final episode of the reality show The Osbournes was released. Ozzy was at a loss when talking about the show’s popularity, saying, ‘I suppose Americans get a kick out of watching a crazy Brit family like us make complete fools of ourselves every week.’
This has been Today in Rock History! Keep on Rocking, keep on Rolling! Check back tomorrow for your next rock history lesson!
