Are you ready to learn some stuff? It’s April 13th and here’s what happened Today in Rock History!
We’ve got a very busy day ahead of us, so let’s start it off as we always do with releases! We have Green Day’s debut record 39/Smooth in 1990, Tango in the Night from Fleetwood Mac in 1987, and both Echo from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Dysfunction from Staind in 1999!
Its a big day for Staind fans as its also Aaron Lewis’ birthday today! Other birthdays include Hiro Yamamoto of Soundgarden, Hillel Slovak of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimmy Destri of Blondie, Marc Ford of The Black Crowes, Max Weinberg of the E Street Band and Randy Piper of W.A.S.P!
We lost Chi Cheng of the Deftones in 2013 at the age of 42 from cardiac arrest
Things are getting a little dark now, as in 2009, record producer Phil Spector, known for creating The Wall of Sound and helping create many of music’s biggest stars of the 1960’s, is found guilty of second-degree murder for the 2003 death of actress Lana Clarkson. Spector remained in prison until his death in 2021. Spector not only produced 60’s girl groups like The Ronettes, but he also worked with one of punk’s major influencers, the Ramones. For their 1980 release, End of the Century, Spector was able to get the boys to do a cover of The Ronettes Baby I Love You. The results are…. interesting.
The first ever Aerosmith Day took place in Massachusetts on this day in 1993
A lot of tour headlines next and we’re starting in 2007, as Oli Sykes, vocalist of Bring Me the Horizon, appeared in court six days after a gig where he was accused of urinating on a female fan. But, due to a lack of evidence, charges were later dropped.
At the 2024 Coachella festival, Sublime and No Doubt reunited. No Doubt had their first show since 2015, while Sublime reunited for the first time since 1996 (if you don’t count Sublime with Rome. Which we don’t) when original lead singer Brad Nowell died. Replacing Nowell was his son Jakob, who sounds almost exactly like his dear old dad.
In 1979, during a Van Halen gig in Spokane, WA, David Lee Roth collapsed on stage due to exhaustion.
In 2012, while rehearsing for their upcoming world tour, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers guitars were stolen from a soundstage in Culver City, California.
In 2004, after a 12 year breakup, the Pixies return to the stage on the first stop on their reunion tour at the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis in 2004 and play a 27-song set.
Where one tour begins another ends, as in 2001, KISS finishes up their “Farewell Tour” in Australia. Of course, their retirement didn’t last long as two years later, they began their “World Domination Tour”.
And for our last tour headline of the day occurred in 1970. The Montreal Forum experienced its very first sellout concert. The act? Led Zeppelin.
And finally, in 1996, Rage Against the Machine appeared on Saturday Night Live. Moments before their first song, the band’s roadies placed upside-down American flags on the amps. The band did this to protest the American political system (billionaire candidate Steve Forbes was hosting). SNL’s crew quickly tore the flags down, and the band is kicked out of the building shortly after their first song. Unfortunately, video of the performance is hard to come by, so please enjoy!
This has been Today in Rock History! Keep on Rocking, keep on Rolling! Check back tomorrow for your next rock history lesson!
