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 →

December 11, 1968 – Filming begins on The Rolling Stones‘ Rock And Roll Circus movie. Conceived by Mick Jagger, the event was comprised of two concerts on a circus stage and included such acts as John Lennon and his fiancée Yoko Ono performing as part of a supergroup called The Dirty Mac, along with Eric … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 11 in Classic Rock →

December 3, 1979 – Eleven fans are trampled to death at a Who concert at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati.  Another 26 fans are injured.  At 7:05, after the Who had finished their sound check, a paltry 5 of the Coliseum’s 134 doors were opened, because only nine ticket takers had been hired.  The Coliseum said enlisting ushers would be … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 3 in Classic Rock →

December 1, 2000 – C. C. DeVille of Poison is arrested and jailed for seven hours after jumping on the hood of a car in Louisville, KY.  He then proceeded to eat some roses. He is charged with alcohol intoxication and criminal mischief. December 1, 2014 – Phil Rudd, the drummer of AC/DC, pleads not guilty to charges of threatening to kill and … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 1 in Classic Rock →

November 27, 1967 – The Beatles release Magical Mystery Tour, which goes on to sell over 6 million copies in the U.S.  Released as a double EP in the UK and an LP in the U.S., the album included the soundtrack to the film of the same name and was nominated for a Grammy. November 27, 1991 – Freddie Mercury’s … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 27 in Classic Rock →

October 17, 1980 – Bruce Springsteen releases The River, a double album.  It sells over 5 million copies. October 17, 1964 – The Rolling Stones release their second album, 12 X 5.  It sells over 500,000 copies in the U.S., and features only three originals – the rest are covers. October 18, 1988 –  The Traveling Wilburys release their debut album … Continue reading CDJ Today: October 17 in Classic Rock →

September 28, 1978 – Black Sabbath release their 8th studio album, Never Say Die!, which is the last one to feature Ozzy Osbourne before his return in 2013.  The album is called “scattered” but still reaches Gold status. September 28, 1991 – Bryan Adams is awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia. Other Canadian musicians who have been given the … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 28 in Classic Rock →

September 25, 2006 – Steven Tyler guest stars on Two and a Half Men playing Charlie Sheen’s obnoxious next door neighbor. Playing to stereotype, Tyler is a rowdy rocker who plays loud music and causes problems for Sheen’s character. September 25, 1970 – The pilot episode of The Partridge Family debuts on TV featuring Shirley … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 25 in Classic Rock →

September 18, 1983 – Kiss appear without their makeup for the first time during an MTV interview while promoting the release of their new album Lick It Up. Only two of the group’s original members were unveiled as founding drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley had left the band. Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 18 in Classic Rock →

August 25, 2005 – Slash and Duff McKagan file a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles against Axl Rose, accusing the Guns N’ Roses singer of changing the publisher of the group’s copyrighted songs without their consent and pocketing the royalties.  “Rose’s actions were malicious, fraudulent and oppressive, and undertaken in conscious disregard of [Slash and Duff’s] property rights,” the … Continue reading CDJ Today: August 25 in Classic Rock →