June 14, 1986 – One fan dies at an Ozzy Osbourne/Metallica show at the Long Beach Arena after falling from a balcony. Long Beach Police say the man “fell over backwards because he was probably overdosing, hit his head, broke his neck and died.” Three others also jumped from the balcony and sustained life-threatening injuries.
June 14, 2002 – Mick Jagger becomes Sir Michael Philip Jagger when he is knighted at the Queen’s Birthday Honours even though Jagger once called the Queen “Chief Witch” and proclaimed “anarchy is the only slight glimmer of hope.”
June 14, 1970 – Derek and the Dominos play their first show at London’s Lyceum. They initially told the promoter they were “The Dynamics,” but he convinced them to add “Derek,” which was a nickname for Clapton. “The Dynamics” was somehow changed to “The Dominos.”
Original Names of Famous Classic Rock Bands
Classic Rock Birthdays
June 14, 1963 – Chris Degarmo, guitar (Queensrÿche)
June 14, 1956 – King Diamond (born Kim Bendix Petersen), vocals (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond)
June 14, 1949 – Jim Lea, bass, keyboards, violin (Slade)
June 14, 1945 – Rod Argent, vocals, keyboards (The Zombies, Argent)
June 14, 1949 – Alan White, drums (Yes) (d. 2022)
June 14, 1958 – Nick Van Eede, vocals (Cutting Crew)
June 14, 1961 – Boy George (born George O’Dowd) vocals (Culture Club)
June 14, 1943 – Spooner Oldham (born Dewey Lindon Oldham), keyboards (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section)
June 14, 1958 – Brian David Willis, drums (Quarterflash)
Rock Remembrances
June 14, 1995 – Rory Gallagher (born William Rory Gallagher) dies after contracting a MRSA infection, while awaiting a liver transplant. He was 47. Gallagher sold over 30 million albums worldwide and was a major influence on guitarists including Brian May, The Edge, Slash and and Glenn Tipton.
June 14, 2016 – Henry McCullough, best known as a guitarist in Wings, dies at his home in Ireland. He was 72. McCullough had suffered a severe heart attack in 2012, from which he never fully recovered. McCullough played with most of the English musicians of the day in the late 60s and 70s, appearing at Woodstock with Joe Cocker, recording guitar for the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack and then appearing with Spooky Tooth. McCartney asked him to join Wings in 1971; his topmost moment in Wings was his lead guitar solo on “My Love.”
