Are you ready to learn some stuff? It’s December 30th and here’s what happened Today in Rock History!
The Queen of Punk Rock Patti Smith starts are day off as it’s her birthday today!
Other birthdays include Traa Daniels of P.O.D., Jon Theodore of Queens of the Stone Age, and Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra!
Two British classic rock giants received knighthoods for their contributions to music on this day: In 2016 it went to Ray Davies of the Kinks and in 2022 it went to Brian May of Queen.
Across the pond in Canada, Neil Young was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, the country’s second-highest civilian honor in 2009.
The funeral of the Clash’s Joe Strummer took place in London in 2002. A year later Strummer, along with his bandmates, where inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In 2003, at a Phoenix post office, Meat Puppets member Cris Kirkwood was arrested and accused of hitting a post office security guard with a baton Kirkwood took from the guard during a struggle. The guard would shoot Kirkwood in the back in retaliation. The incident was caused by a dispute over parking with another customer.
And finally in 1999, George Harrison and his wife Olivia were attacked in their Oxfordshire home by a knife-wielding intruder. Olivia would beat the obsessed fan away with a fire poker and a lamp. Both would be treated at a local hospital as George would be stabbed in the chest resulting in a collapsed lung while Olivia would suffer from cuts and bruises. Police would later arrest the assailant.
This has been Today in Rock History! Check back tomorrow for your next rock history lesson!
