November 11, 1968 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono release Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins which is the first of three experimental albums they produce.  The album features a cover photo of the pair naked, which many record stores carry in a brown paper wrapper. November 11, 1990 – A 21 year-old AC/DC fan dies after suffering fatal head injuries … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 11 in Classic Rock →

October 29, 1983 – Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of The Moon album marks its 491st week on the Billboard album chart, surpassing the previous record holder, Johnny’s Greatest Hits, by Johnny Mathis. It remained on the chart until October of 1988, setting a record for 741 weeks on the chart. David Gilmour Discusses “Dark Side of the Moon” with CDJ’s Paul Rappaport … Continue reading CDJ Today: October 29 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 →

Looking back at some of the people who shaped our musical life that are no longer with us. Here are the rockers we lost in 2021. Mick Bolton Died January 1, 2021Keyboardist for Mott the Hoople Gerry Marsden September 24, 1942 – January 3, 2021Leader of Gerry and the Pacemakers Michael Fonfara August 11, 1946 … Continue reading Remembering Rockers We Lost in 2021 →

Graeme Edge, drummer and co-founder of The Moody Blues, has died at the age of 80. Although a cause of death has not been revealed, a statement from frontman Justin Hayward posted on the band’s website confirmed the news. “Graeme’s sound and personality is present in everything we did together and thankfully that will live … Continue reading Moody Blues Drummer Graeme Edge Dies at 80 →

Prog Rock:  a style of rock music popular especially in the 1970s and characterized by classical influences, the use of keyboard instruments, and lengthy compositions. (Oxford Dictionary) Progressive rock is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States throughout the mid to late 1960s. Additional elements contributed to … Continue reading Top 10 Prog Rock Bands →

Sometimes a band will throw around hundreds of name ideas before they finally find the right one that all members can agree on. And in some cases, like with U2 or Styx, it might just be the idea they hate the least. Previously we revealed the original names of 18 famous classic rock bands from … Continue reading Original Names of Famous Classic Rock Bands – Part Two (J-Z) →

“I think prog rock were bands like The Moody Blues who wanted to explore something totally different, but use music to portray who they were, and not what a songwriter had written a song about. We understood a lot of classical music but didn’t want to play classical music. We explored things that no one … Continue reading In Ship Shape: John Lodge and his 10,000 Light Years Band Set for Voyage on Rock & Romance Cruise →

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Yes have announced a 2019 North American summer concert tour that will see them joined by Asia, The Moody Blues’ John Lodge and Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy. See the trailer for the tour below. “This is a unique celebration of the British contribution to classic rock over many decades,” … Continue reading Yes Announce Summer Tour with Asia, Carl Palmer and More →

On Friday, March 23rd The Moody Blues released their Days of Future Passed Live  album with Eagle Rock Entertainment. Recorded in 2017 at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, ON as part of the Days of Future Passed 50th anniversary tour, this is a stunning performance of the seminal prog rock album. … Continue reading Moody Blues Release “Days of Future Passed Live” →

Moody Blues flautist, vocalist and founding member Ray Thomas died Thursday at the age of 76. News of his death was confirmed in a statement by Cherry Red Records and Esoteric Recordings. “We are deeply shocked by his passing and will miss his warmth, humour and kindess. It was a privilege to have known and … Continue reading Moody Blues Founder Ray Thomas Dies at 76 →

For anyone who ever watched 60 Minutes, think of this as the “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney” bit at the end of each show.  Kind of fitting as this is my year-end blog. Who the heck are the voters for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame??  Try as they do, they never seem … Continue reading Having Some Fun at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Expense →