April 27, 1979 – Ozzy Osbourne is fired from Black Sabbath and replaced by  Ronnie James Dio. Osbourne first reunites with the band at Live Aid in 1985 and then many times after. April 27, 2006 – Keith Richards falls out of a palm tree in Fiji, suffering a brain hemorrhage. Richards later undergoes cranial surgery in New Zealand. April 27, 2009 – Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 27 in Classic Rock →

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar releases a personal new single, “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight.” . The track, a melodic rock anthem written by Hagar and guitar legend Joe Satriani, was inspired by a dream and brought to reality by introspective lyrics, powerful chords and rhythmic guitar and drums. Listen to “Encore, Thank … Continue reading Sammy Hagar Releases “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight” →

April 26, 2003 – David Lee Roth corners and detains a knife-wielding man who is  trespassing on his Pasadena estate.  Roth holds him until the police arrive. Says Roth: “Anyone found bearing arms here at night…will be found here in the morning.” It later turns out the man is his neighbor, and is booked on possession of a knife and methamphetamines. April … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 26 in Classic Rock →

April 25, 1980 – Black Sabbath release their ninth studio album, Heaven and Hell. It’s the first Sabbath album to feature Ronnie James Dio as lead singer, who replaced Ozzy Osbourne.  The album goes on to reach platinum status in the U.S. April 25, 1988 – Doc McGhee, manager of Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe, pleads guilty to importing more than 40,000 lbs of … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 25 in Classic Rock →

April 24, 2007 – Sheryl Crow suggests a ban on using too much toilet paper. She says loo visitors should use “only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where two to three could be required”. She also designs a clothing line with a “dining sleeve” that is detachable and can be replaced with another … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 24 in Classic Rock →

April 23, 2003 – Twisted Sister announce their reformation for their first tour in 16 years.  The following month they kick off the tour on USO military bases in South Korea. April 23, 1963  – Bob Dylan performs his first major solo concert in New York City. Classic Rock Birthdays April 23, 1960 – Steve Clark, guitarist (Def Leppard) … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 23 in Classic Rock →

April 22, 1976 – Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi debut their Blues Brothers act on Saturday Night Live. They play a cover of “Soul Man” by Sam & Dave, who they used as the basis for their characters. April 22, 1993 – The Who’s Tommy premieres on Broadway where it is performed 899 times until … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 22 in Classic Rock →

April 21, 1990 –Van Halen christen the opening night of their Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with a live performance.  Sammy Hagar would eventually buy out the rest of the band due to the club’s early financial failure.  In later years, Cabo Wabo becomes a huge success. April 21, 2005 – Alex Lifeson of Rush pleads no contest to a … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 21 in Classic Rock →

April 20, 1971 – Five friends at San Rafael High School in California coin the term “4:20” as a euphemism for smoking pot so they could talk about their “activity” in front of their parents. April 20th becomes a popular day to spark one up, as does 4:20 pm… every day. April 20, 2011 – K.K. Downing, guitarist … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 20 in Classic Rock →

April 19, 2014 – Stephen Pearcy leaves Ratt after performing with them for 30 years. He later rejoins. April 19, 1980 – R.E.M. performs their first concert as R.E.M. at the 11:11 Koffee Club in Athens, GA in front of about 150 people. The show ends around 2AM when police close it down due to the venue being … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 19 in Classic Rock →

April 18, 1993 – David Lee Roth is arrested in New York City for buying a $10 bag of marijuana. Roth’s offense had a maximum penalty of 15 days in jail and a $250 fine but was ultimately “adjourned pending dismissal,” meaning the charges would be wiped out if Roth stayed out of trouble for a year. April 18, 2015 – Lou Reed, Ringo … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 18 in Classic Rock →

April 17, 1975 – Elvis Presley buys a $250,000 private jet, which he re-christens Lisa Marie. He spends an additional $600,000 refurbishing the jet with a dance floor (!) and other personal quarters.  That’s about $3.8 million today. April 17, 1983 – Joe Strummer of The Clash runs the London Marathon, finishing with a time of 4 hours and … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 17 in Classic Rock →