On This Day
We take you back into classic rock’s history and legacy to note important events that happened on this date as well as celebrate the birthdays of major musical artists and mourn their passing.
August 2, 1987: Billy Joel Makes History In the USSR
The first major American rocker to bring a large-scale rock concert to the country when he accepted an invitation from the Kremlin to play several concerts on Russian soil
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When Don Henley Surprised His ‘Nemesis,’ Mojo Nixon
Gotta hand it to the guy: Jumping onstage to sing along on a song that calls for your death is a pretty cool move. The crowd went wild
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Aug. 1, 1981: MTV Debut Was a Game Changer
The notion of a 24-hour cable TV channel airing music videos was hardly an assured success when MTV launched. It proved to be a media game changer
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July 31, 2021: Paul Cotton, Longtime Poco Guitarist/Vocalist, Dies
The guitarist and vocalist, a mainstay of the country-rock legends for nearly 40 years, wrote such Poco favorites as “Bad Weather” and “Heart of the Night.”
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July 31, 1923: Atlantic Records Founder Ahmet Ertegun Born
His biographer called Ahmet Ertegun “The Last Sultan.” Truly hip, smart and a devoted lover of music, he presided over the legendary label with style and grace
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July 30, 1968: Beatles London Boutique Closes
A store “where beautiful people can buy beautiful things” was one of the first ventures by The Beatles’ Apple Corps. It did not work out quite as planned.
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July 30, 1977: Andy Gibb Hits #1 With ‘Everything’
The Bee Gees’ Barry, Robin and Maurice’s younger brother enjoyed a huge hit of his own but the trappings of success caught up with him
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July 29, 1967: The Doors ‘Light My Fire’ Hits #1
The band’s first and biggest hit spent three weeks at #1 in the summer of 1967 and we’ve got some facts you may not know
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July 28, 2021: Dusty Hill, ZZ Top Bassist, Dies at 72
The group were in the midst of a tour when Hill suddenly took a leave of absence. At the time, the band announced he had to address a hip issue
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Happy Birthday to Bad Company’s Simon Kirke
The drummer who first made a name for himself with Free is also a multi-instrumentalist who records and performs as a singer-songwriter
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