September 27, 2007 – Van Halen kick off their reunion tour with David Lee Roth and new bassist Wolfgang Van Halen at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena. It was their first tour with Roth in 23 years, and it grossed over $93 million for 74 dates. September 27, 2004 – Producer Phil Spector is charged with the murder of … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 27 in Classic Rock →

August 8, 1969 – The photo session for the cover of The Beatles Abbey Road album takes place on the crossing outside the Abbey Road studios. Photographer Iain McMillan, balanced on a step-ladder in the middle of the road, takes only six shots of John, Ringo, Paul, and George walking across the zebra crossing while a policeman … Continue reading CDJ Today: August 8 in Classic Rock →

August 3, 1968 – The Newport Pop Festival begins in Costa Mesa, CA.  It is the first concert with more than 100,000 paid attendees.  Performers include The Grateful Dead, Alice Cooper, Canned Heat, Electric Flag, Iron Butterfly, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sonny & Cher, Steppenwolf and Tiny Tim.  Admission was $5.50 per day for the … Continue reading CDJ Today: August 3 in Classic Rock →

July 31, 1980 – The Eagles perform their last concert at the Long Beach Arena before splitting up. They reunite in 1994. The concert – a benefit gig, no less – is played out amid muttered onstage threats between Glen Frey and Don Felder, who spend the entire show describing to each other the beating each plans to administer backstage. “Only three … Continue reading CDJ Today: July 31 in Classic Rock →

July 25, 1965 – Bob Dylan performs an electric set for the first time at The Newport Folk Festival in Newport, RI and is booed off the stage and accused of being a sellout by leading members of the folk movement. Classic Rock Landmarks:“Like a Rolling Stone” July 25, 1999 – Woodstock closes out its 3-day festival in Rome, NY with riots … Continue reading CDJ Today: July 25 in Classic Rock →

July 4, 1982 – Ozzy Osbourne marries Sharon Arden, the daughter of music business manager Don Arden. July 4, 1973 – Slade drummer Don Powell is badly injured in a car crash in which his fiancé is killed. He breaks both of his ankles and five of his ribs and is unconscious for six days after surgeons drill into his skull to … Continue reading CDJ Today: July 4 in Classic Rock →

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 … Continue reading CDJ Today: June 14 in Classic Rock →

June 6, 1992 – Guns N’ Roses release what is at the time the most expensive video ever made, “November Rain”.  Roughly half of the $1.5 million dollar budget is spent constructing a church in the New Mexico desert for Slash to use as a background for his guitar solo.  Currently, the video has almost 2 … Continue reading CDJ Today: June 6 in Classic Rock →

April 4, 2009 – Flea inducts Metallica into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a moving tribute to the deceased Cliff Burton.  This is the first-ever induction ceremony open to the public.  Jeff Beck is also inducted by his former Yardbird colleague Jimmy Page. April 4, 2015 – Marilyn Manson is sucker-punched at a Denny’s in Alberta, … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 4 in Classic Rock →

September 13, 1991 – Geffen, Nirvana’s record label, throws them a party to celebrate the release of their forthcoming album, Nevermind, and the single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at Re-bar in Seattle.  The band proceeds to tear down all of the Nevermind posters and then starts a food fight.  A bouncer ends up kicking the band out of their own party, but they hop in … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 13 in Classic Rock →

September 12, 2008 – Metallica release their 9th studio album, Death Magnetic.  The album is produced by Rick Rubin and is the band’s first album to feature bassist Robert Trujillo. It goes on to sell over two million copies in the U.S. September 12, 1966 – The first episode of The Monkees TV show debuts on NBC, preceding I Dream of … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 12 in Classic Rock →

September 10, 1975 – Kiss release their first live album Alive!, a double-disc set culled from songs on their first three studio albums. There is debate as to how much over-dubbing was used.  The album is certified Gold. September 10, 2006 – Metallica guest star on the season premiere of The Simpsons’ 18th season on an episode called “The Mook, the Chef, the Wife … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 10 in Classic Rock →