November 26, 1988 – Russian cosmonauts take the Pink Floyd cassette version of Delicate Sound Of Thunder and play it in orbit, making Pink Floyd the first rock band to be played in space. David Gilmour and Nick Mason both attend the launch of the spacecraft.
November 26, 1968 – Cream play their farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London with openers Yes and Taste featuring Rory Gallagher. The concert is filmed and released as Cream’s Farewell Concert which was later criticized for both its mediocre sound and visual effects. The band reunites for the first time in May 2005 at the same venue.
November 26, 1976 – The Sex Pistols release their debut single “Anarchy in the U.K.” which peaks at number 38 on the U.K. singles chart.
November 26, 2016 – Punk memorabilia said to be worth £5 million ($6.6 million) is set on fire in the middle of the river Thames in London, England. Joe Corré, who founded the lingerie company Agent Provocateur, and is the son of the late Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, burned the items on the 40th anniversary of the Sex Pistols debut single. Corré told the crowd that “punk was never meant to be nostalgic.” Fireworks were launched from the boat, which was decorated with Grim Reaper figures holding flags and a banner that read: “Extinction! Your future.”
November 26, 2016 – The Kensington police department on Prince Edward Island, Canada makes a Facebook post threatening drunk drivers with Nickelback. “On top of a hefty fine, a criminal charge and a year’s driving suspension we will also provide you with a bonus gift of playing the office’s copy of Nickelback in the cruiser on the way to jail.” The constable who posted it later apologizes.
November 26, 2002 – Actor Nicolas Cage divorces the King’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, after less than four months, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
10 Classic Rock Albums You Need to Hear from Beginning to End
Classic Rock Birthdays
November 26, 1939 – Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock), vocals (d. 2023)
November 26, 1945 – John McVie, bass (John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Fleetwood Mac)
November 26, 1946 – Burt Ruiter, bass (Focus) (d. 2022)
Rock Remembrances
November 26, 2011 – Keef Hartley (born Keith Hartley), drummer for John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and his own band, dies in England. He was 67. The Keef Hartley Band was the first British band that performed at Woodstock, going on after Santana, but didn’t appear in the film because their manager ripped up the release when he saw there was no cash being offered. When Ringo Starr joined The Beatles, Keef took over his drum stool with Rory Storm’s Hurricanes, afterwards moving to London where he was recruited, along with keyboard player John Lord, later of Deep Purple, into The Artwoods, Ronnie Wood’s big brother’s band.
