January 30, 1973 – Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss make their first appearance as Kiss at the Popcorn Club in Queens, New York.  They had recently changed their name from Wicked Lester.  The band was paid $50 for the show, and less than 10 people were in the audience. January 30, 1969 … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 30 in Classic Rock →

January 29, 1986 – Allen Collins, guitarist from Lynyrd Skynyrd, crashes his car, paralyzing him from the waist down and killing his girlfriend Debra Jean Watts. Collins, who was drunk at the time, addressed fans at every Skynyrd concert as part of his plea bargain.  He gave an explanation of why he could not perform, citing the … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 29 in Classic Rock →

January 28, 1985 – The charity single “We Are The World” is recorded in Los Angeles to benefit African famine relief. The single is the brainchild of activist Harry Belafonte and was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. The song features Paul Simon, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Perry, Huey Lewis, Bob … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 28 in Classic Rock →

January 27, 1980 – AC/DC play their last show, a makeup date on the Highway To Hell tour, with lead singer Bon Scott.  The show is held at the Gaumont theater in Southampton, England. Scott would die on February 19. January 27, 1997 – At the 24th annual American Music Awards, Pat Boone and Alice Cooper present Mötley Crüe the award … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 27 in Classic Rock →

January 26, 1977 – Peter Green, former Fleetwood Mac guitarist, is committed to a mental hospital after threatening a delivery boy with an air rifle when he tried to deliver his royalty check to him.  Green became the ultimate acid casualty and spent years in mental hospitals and clinics undergoing electroconvulsive therapy. He gave away much of his money and … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 26 in Classic Rock →

January 25, 2006 – Mötley Crüe receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “We’re across the street from the Erotica Museum and Frederick’s of Hollywood. This is a perfect place for us to be,” bassist Nikki Sixx told an estimated 600 screaming fans. January 25, 2003 – Billy Joel crashes his Mercedes in Long Island, New York.  He … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 25 in Classic Rock →

January 24, 1981 – Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler runs into a tree on his motorcycle, tearing open his heel.  The accident leaves him hospitalized for two months, and recovering for almost a year. January 24, 1995 – Van Halen release their tenth studio album Balance, which is their final album with Sammy Hagar. The album reaches #1 on the Billboard 200 … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 24 in Classic Rock →

January 23, 2004 – David Palmer, former keyboardist for Jethro Tull, announces he has had a sex change and is now known as Dee Palmer. Palmer was born with genital ambiguity, assigned male at birth, and said her desire to change sex had been an “open secret” in the music business for many years. She did not have her sex change operation until the … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 23 in Classic Rock →

January 22, 2004 – The Bottom Line nightclub in New York City is forced to close its doors after failed negotiations with its landlord, New York University.  Bruce Springsteen offers to pay their back rent if they can work out a new lease, but the deal does not come to fruition. January 22, 1990 – Guns N’ … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 22 in Classic Rock →

January 21, 1987 – Twenty-two artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the 2nd annual awards show, held in New York City.  Keith Richards inducts Aretha Franklin, B.B. King is inducted by Sting, ZZ Top inducts Bo Diddley, Mick Jones of Foreigner inducts Eddie Cochran, Ricky Nelson is posthumously inducted by John Fogerty, and … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 21 in Classic Rock →

January 20, 1982 – Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a live bat at a show in Des Moines, Iowa, thinking it was a rubber bat thrown on the stage.  In his memoir, he says, “Immediately, though, something felt wrong. Very wrong. For a start, my mouth was instantly full of this warm, gloopy liquid, with the … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 20 in Classic Rock →

January 19, 1994 – The Ninth Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York City. Inductees include The Animals, The Band, Duane Eddy, The Grateful Dead, Elton John, John Lennon, Bob Marley, and Rod Stewart.  Stewart can’t make it there due to the massive earthquake that hit LA that week, and … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 19 in Classic Rock →