You Can’t Win.net

Today in Rock (Feb 9)

• 1964 - The Beatles make their US Debut on the Ed Sullivan show.
• 1981 - Bill Haley died from a brain tumor (at the age of 56). His hit “Rock Around the Clock” is slated as the first Rock & Roll hit.
• 1987 - Eric Clapton is recognized for his Outstanding Contribution to British Music at the BPI Awards in London. Also, Dire Straits “Brothers In Arms” is named Best British Album.
• 1997 - Soundgarden play their last show in Honolulu, HI.
• 2005 - A Los Angeles court rules that Motley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx is entitled to $600,000 from a shoe company for using his likeness in a magazine ad without permission.
• 2005 - The Who’s Roger Daltrey receives one of the British Parliament’s top honors, “Commander of the British Empire.” But Daltrey doesn’t think the title is for his singing. “She (the Queen) said I got this for my music as well as my charity work, but I don’t think she’s a Rock and Roll fan,” said Daltrey.
• 2006 - KISS singer-guitarist Paul Stanley appears at the first of two New Jersey galleries to promote exhibitions of his artwork. The other appearance is the next day. Stanley’s paintings and limited-edition prints are sold at the events.
• 2007 - Don Henley is named the 2007 MusiCares Person of the Year at a Grammy Week in Los Angeles event. The award recognizes Henley’s professional and charitable achievements. Former Doobie Brother Michael McDonald, Henley’s Eagles bandmate Timothy B. Schmit and Henley perform.
• 2009 - Schultz continues with his suing streak - The Boston fan forum CoolTheEngines suspends their message board after an attorney for guitarist Tom Scholz sends a cease-and-desist letter to the moderator threatening to seek “substantial monetary damages” unless all mentions of the guitarist and his wife are erased. Messages protested Scholz’s treatment of former Boston bandmembers, including late frontman Brad Delp. The attorney categorizes the statements as defamatory.
• 2009 - Ex-Pink Floyd leader Roger Waters performs at the eighth annual Cinema For Peace awards ceremony and benefit in Berlin. The event honors “directors and actors whose work has served to cast a new focus on the human condition and values.” Waters plays Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” and music from “The Wall.”

Today in Rock (Feb 8)

• 1961 - Vince Neil (Motley Crue - vocal) was born.
• 1962 - The Beach Boys record “Surfin’ Safari”.
• 1969 - Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker (both formerly of Cream), Traffic’s Steve Winwood and bassist Rick Grech announce the formation of the short-lived “supergroup” Blind Faith.
• 1977 - Dave “Phoenix” Ferrell (Linkin Park - bass) was born.
• 1978 - The double-A “We Will Rock You” / “We are the Champions” peaks at #4 on the US charts.
• 1980 - David and Angela Bowie divorce after ten years of marriage.
• 1999 - Green Day’s album, “Dookie”, officially sells 1 million copies, tying Pearl Jam’s “Vs” as the top selling alternative rock CD.

Today in Rock (Feb 5)

• 1945 - Bob Marley was born.
• 1949 - Nigel Olsen (Elton John Band - drummer) was born.
• 1962 - Pete Best, the beatles drummer, is ill and the other band members call on Ringo Star to fill in for him.
• 1964 - Duff McKagain (Guns ‘n Roses / Velvet Revolver - bass) was born.
• 1968 - Chris Barron (Spin Doctors - vocals) was born.
• 1969 - The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” goes gold.
• 1973 - Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock” goes gold.
• 1995 - Pearl Jam play the first of two private Seattle shows for fan club members and underprivileged kids.

Today in Rock (Feb 4)

• 1894 - Adolph Sax (inventor of the saxophone) died.
• 1941 - John Steele (Animals - drummer) was born.
• 1948 - Vincent Furnier (Alice Cooper) is born.
• 1951 - Phil Ehart (Kansas - drummer) was born.
• 1970 - Paul McCartney announces that he’s leaving the Beatles.
• 1983 - Karen Caprenter (The Carpenters) died.
• 1998 - Russian officials impound Garbage’s equipment forcing the cancellation of a gig in Estonia. (I guess they weren’t a fan?)
• 2004 - The Halftime Show From Hell – Part II. First, there’s the flap about the overall bad taste and Janet Jackson`s right breast being exposed. Now the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ commander-in-chief weighs in criticizing Kid Rock’s “disgusting use of an American flag as a costume prop” during Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show. Rock wore a poncho fashioned out of a flag during his performance, then threw it into the audience. “The 1.6 million members of the VFW agree that Kid Rock’s stunt was in poor taste and extremely disrespectful,” says the VFW`s Edward S. Banas Sr.
• 2006 - Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee is assaulted at the Shady Bowl Super Party in Detroit. According to reports, a local Hip-Hop artist and his friends beat up Lee after he insulted Detroit’s Kid Rock, who had been engaged to Lee’s ex-wife, Pamela Anderson. (Note: Anderson and Rock married and separated later in the year.)
• 2007 - Billy Joel sings the national anthem at Super Bowl XLI, in Miami Gardens, FL. Stevie Nicks appears on the pre-game show. But the big news is Prince’s halftime performance in the pouring rain. He covers the Foo Fighters’ “Best Of You.” “Having been a massive Prince fan my whole life, I was flattered beyond words,” says the Foo Fighters’ founder Dave Grohl. “What an honor to be covered by one of your heroes!” A TV audience of 90 million watches the show which also includes Prince playing a snippet of Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower.” Lynyrd Skynyrd and Country legend Hank Williams Jr. perform together on a special post-Super Bowl episode of CBS’ Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson. The Indy Colts beat the Chicago Bears and the point spread.
• 2008 - NASA beams The Beatles’ “Across the Universe” directly into deep space to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the day The Beatles recorded the song, as well as the 50th anniversary of NASA’s founding. The transmission is aimed at the North Star, Polaris, a mere 431 light years away from Earth.

Today in Rock (Feb 3)

• 1943 - Dennis Edwards (Temptations) was born.
• 1947 - David Davies (Kinks) was born.
• 1956 - Lee Renaldo (Sonic Youth - guitar) was born.
• 1957 - Tony Butler (Big Country) was born.
• 1959 - Lol Tolhurst (Cure) was born.
• 1959 - Today is the “day that music died”. Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and their pilot Roger Peterson are all killed in a plane crash while traveling between gigs for the Winter Dance Party Tour. Buddy Holly booked the flight for his band members. The Big Bopper had come down the flu and band member Waylon Jennings agreed to give him his seat. Buddy Holly commented (in jest) that he oped Waylon’s bus freezes and Jennings commented (again, in jest) “I hope your plane crashes”. The comment haunts Jennings for the rest of his life. Since he had never been on a plane before, Valens flipped a coins (at a dance despite what some movies show) with Tommy Allsup for the remaining seat.
• 1969 - Paul McCartney takes a break from the Beatles and plays drums & backing vocals for the Steve Miller Band’s “My Dark Hour” track.
• 1991 - INXS is named the best international group at the BRIT Awards in London.
• 1992- Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album officially passes 3 million sales. It will go on to sell over 9 million albums.
• 2004 - “The Beatles First U.S. Visit” DVD is out. The film contains Beatles` appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and their debut American concert at the Washington Coliseum. It commemorates the start of Beatlemania (in the U.S.) 40 years earlier.
• 2008 - Alice Cooper and Richard Simmons appear in a Bridgestone Tire commercial that is aired during the Super Bowl. Cooper is dark and menacing but Simmons steals the spot.

Today in Rock (Feb 1)

The YCW update will have to wait until the podcasts are out - I had a user in my offie whining and I got back just as I heard Paul say “worst answer ever”.

• Jan 31, 1946 - Terry Kath was born.
• 1948 - Rick James was born.
• 1968 - Elvis’ only child, Lisa Marie Presley, was born.
• 1954 - Mike Campbell (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - guitar) was born.
• 1958 - Elvis has his final recoridng session before entering the Army. “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” was one of the tracks.
• 1964 - Indiana Governor Matthew Welsh claims the Kingmen’s “Louie, Louie” is pornographic. It’s those unintelligible lyrics. He asks that the record be banned adding that his ears “tingled” when he heard the song.
• 1964 - The Beatles score their first US #1 hit with “I Want to Hold Your Hand”.
• 1967 - The Beatles record the title track to “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.
• 1969 - Patrick Wilson (Weezer - drummer) was born.
• 1977 - Robert Plant’s battle with tonsolitis forces the band to postpone their North American tour.
• 1988 - The Cars officially disband.
• 2004 - Aerosmith headlines the pre-game show for the football game that cannot be named due to NFL’s legal issues. Kid Rock performed the half-time show.
• 2006 - Green Day drummer Tré Cool, ex-Guns N’ Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke and Alice Cooper perform at a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert in Cerritos, CA. The show is organized by former Eagles guitarist Don Felder.
• 2007 - In a Billboard interview, the Eagles’ Don Henley defends his group’s business partnership (which includes exclusive releases) with Wal-Mart. “They can’t be any more evil than a major record label,” he says.
• 2009 - Journey performs at the pre-game celebration in that football that isn’t allowed to be mentioned.