Surf rock pioneer Dick Dale has died at the age of 81. Affectionately known as “The King of the Surf Guitar”, he is credited with originating surf-style music. Dale was born ‘Richard Anthony Monsour’ in Boston, MA in 1937. The son of a Lebanese immigrant, he grew up in Massachusetts but relocated to Southern California … Continue reading Dick Dale, Surf Rock Pioneer, Dead at 81 →

February 6, 2001 – Guitarist Don Felder is fired from The Eagles. He would later launch a $50 million law suit against drummer Don Henley and guitarist Glen Frey, alleging wrongful termination and breach of contract and fiduciary duty. Both parties settled out-of-court for an undisclosed amount.   Folder is a co-writer along with Frey and … Continue reading CDJ Today: February 6 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 3, 1967 – Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys declares himself a conscientious objector and refuses to be sworn in after receiving an induction notice from the US Army, leading to his indictment and criminal prosecution for draft evasion. Finally, in September 1971, the judge agreed to a plan that allowed Wilson to perform community service by … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 3 in Classic Rock →

December 28, 1968 – The Miami Pop Festival takes place near Miami, FL and attracts over 100,000 people over its three-day run.  Featured acts include The Amboy Dukes, Canned Heat, the Grateful Dead, Iron Butterfly, Steppenwolf, Fleetwood Mac, Procol Harum, The Turtles, Joni Mitchell, Three Dog Night and the Grass Roots. December 28, 1998 – Ronnie Hammond of The Atlanta Rhythm … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 28 in Classic Rock →

December 21, 1970 – Elvis Presley meets with President Richard Nixon at The White House to volunteer his services in fighting the war on drugs. Elvis had written a letter to President Nixon asking to be made a “Federal Agent at Large” for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. No such position actually existed, but Nixon, wanting desperately … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 21 in Classic Rock →

December 7, 2000 – The 31st annual Kennedy Center Honors salutes Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who.  Also feted are Morgan Freeman, George Jones, Barbra Streisand and Twyla Tharp.  Rob Thomas, Dave Grohl and Chris Cornell honor them with a live performance. December 7, 1984 – Foreigner release their fifth studio album Agent Provocateur. It goes on to sell three million copies in … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 7 in Classic Rock →

A brand new documentary about Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson is nearing completion after nearly three-years of production that has largely flown under-the-radar. Though Wilson life has been examined in countless articles, books, movies and documentaries, nearly all of them focus on either the 1960s and the height of Beach Boys fame or the difficult … Continue reading Beach Boys Legend Brian Wilson the Subject of a New Documentary →

December 4, 2012 – Randy Blythe, the frontman of Lamb of God, is charged with the death of a 19-year-old fan at a concert in Prague in 2010 after he pushed him off the stage. The fan, Daniel Nosek, hits his head when he falls to the concrete floor and dies of his injuries 2 weeks later. Blythe is later acquitted, … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 4 in Classic Rock →

November 19, 2001 – Scott Weiland of The Stone Temple Pilots is arrested on one count of domestic battery after a fight with his wife at the Hard Rock Hotel.  Weiland argued with his wife over a prescription he was going to have filled. The couple’s 18-month-old son was also in the room. “He wanted to leave the room … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 19 in Classic Rock →