July 7, 1980 – Led Zeppelin play their last show with the four original members in  West Berlin. They close the set with a 17-minute version of “Whole Lotta Love.”  Unofficially, the band labeled it the “Cut The Waffle” tour. July 7, 1968 – The Yardbirds disband after a gig in Luton, England. Jimmy Page, with outstanding touring obligations for the Yardbirds, assembles … Continue reading CDJ Today: July 7 in Classic Rock →

June 27, 1994 – Aerosmith become the first major band to release a song, “Head First” (an unused cut from the Get A Grip Sessions), as a free download on the internet.  Download speeds at the time were so slow it took between 60 and 90 minutes to download the track, but ten thousand CompuServe subscribers still … Continue reading CDJ Today: June 27 in Classic Rock →

June 17, 1991 – Van Halen release their 9th album, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, also known as F.U.C.K.  Sammy Hagar titles the album, allegedly wanting to push the issue of censorship. The album goes on to sell over 3 million copies in the U.S. June 17, 1997 – Fans riot at an Ozzfest concert in Columbus, Ohio, after Ozzy Osbourne cancels his performance due to throat issues.  The … Continue reading CDJ Today: June 17 in Classic Rock →

May 11, 1974 – Led Zeppelin attend an Elvis Presley concert in LA and spend over two hours backstage after the show with Elvis.  Too bad no one recorded that meeting! May 11, 1972 – John Lennon claims he is under FBI surveillance on an appearance on the Dick Cavett Show.  Lennon’s visa had been revoked in March and deportation … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 11 in Classic Rock →

Led Zeppelin announce their first authorized documentary in honor of the band’s 50th Anniversary. The film will feature new interviews with Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones — marking their first time participating in such a project. According to the press release, the film will explore the individual paths of the four bandmates prior … Continue reading Led Zeppelin Announce First Authorized Documentary →

May 31, 1977 – Beatlemania opens on Broadway.  It runs for a total of 1,006 performances. May 31, 1976 – The Who enter the Guinness Book of World Records for performing the loudest concert in history (at the time) for their show at England’s Charlton Athletic Grounds with 76,000 watts at 120 decibels. Motörhead and Manowar go on to break the record decades later.  The … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 31 in Classic Rock →

May 26, 2000 – Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee begins a five day jail sentence for violating his parole by drinking alcohol.  A Malibu judge extends Lee’s probation until May 26, 2003, reinstates random drug testing and orders him to enroll in Alcoholics Anonymous. May 26, 1994 – Michael Jackson marries Lisa Marie Presley in the Dominican Republic. The couple divorce in 1995. May 26, 1973 – Deep Purple release … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 26 in Classic Rock →

May 14, 1988 – Led Zeppelin reunites with John Bonham’s son, Jason, playing drums at Atlantic Records’ 40th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Other featured artists include Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes, Foreigner, Genesis, Vanilla Fudge and Crosby, Stills & Nash. May 14, 1957 – Elvis Presley swallows his own porcelain tooth … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 14 in Classic Rock →

May 6, 1937 – The Hindenburg airship crashes in New Jersey, killing 36 people. A photograph from this accident is later used as the cover art for Led Zeppelin’s debut album. May 6, 1965 – Keith Richards suffers insomnia in his hotel room in Florida because of a guitar riff running through his head.  He records the hook, falls asleep and wakes … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 6 in Classic Rock →

May 4, 1973 – Led Zeppelin begin their North American tour in Atlanta, GA.  The tour is billed as the “biggest and most profitable rock and roll tour in the history of the United States,” grossing over $4,000,000.  The three sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden are filmed for The Song Remains The Same, although the release date is … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 4 in Classic Rock →

As anyone knows, the supergroup is a risky proposition in rock and roll. Since the ‘60s, there have been quite a few supergroups — bands made up exclusively (or at least primarily) of musicians who have already achieved success with other bands. Sometimes even ideas that sound good on paper don’t necessarily gel on vinyl. … Continue reading Top 10 Rock Supergroups →

Stairway to Heaven. Is this Led Zeppelin classic the greatest rock & roll song ever? Possibly. Who’s to say? It turns out that plenty of people have had something to say about it. To wit, “Stairway” was the most requested song on FM radio stations in 1970s America, despite never having been released as a … Continue reading Classic Rock Landmarks: Stairway to Heaven →