January 27, 1980 – AC/DC play their last show, a makeup date on the Highway To Hell tour, with lead singer Bon Scott.  The show is held at the Gaumont theater in Southampton, England. Scott would die on February 19. January 27, 1997 – At the 24th annual American Music Awards, Pat Boone and Alice Cooper present Mötley Crüe the award … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 27 in Classic Rock →

January 6, 1976 – Peter Frampton releases one of the biggest double live albums in history, Frampton Comes Alive! The album goes on to sell over 11 million copies in the U.S. January 6, 1993 – Bill Wyman formally exits the Rolling Stones after 31 years. He is replaced on the road by touring bassist Darryl Jones. January 6, 2001 – Pink Floyd guitarist David … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 6 in Classic Rock →

December 22, 1987 – Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue is pronounced “dead on arrival” in an ambulance when his heart stops beating for two minutes. Sixx is given two shots of adrenaline in his chest, which revives him. In his book, The Heroin Diaries, Sixx says, “I ripped out my tubes and staggered in just my leather pants … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 22 in Classic Rock →

Classics Du Jour (CDJ) is excited and proud to announce the release of “Gliders Over Hollywood: Airships, Airplay and The Art Of Rock Promotion” written by our own Paul Rappaport (‘Backstage Access‘)! Release date for the book is April 1st (available NOW for presale through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold ).“Gliders Over Hollywood” tells the exhilarating true … Continue reading CDJ’s Paul Rappaport Shares the Stories and Secrets Behind Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Greatest Promotional Antics in his New Memoir ‘Gliders Over Hollywood’ →

December 2, 2012 – Led Zeppelin‘s three surviving members, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page, receive the Kennedy Center Honors from President Barack Obama. Their tribute is performed by the Foo Fighters, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, Jason Bonham, and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. December 2, 2003 – Alice Cooper receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cooper’s … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 2 in Classic Rock →

November 26, 1988 – Russian cosmonauts take the Pink Floyd cassette version of Delicate Sound Of Thunder and play it in orbit, making Pink Floyd the first rock band to be played in space. David Gilmour and Nick Mason both attend the launch of the spacecraft. November 26, 1968 – Cream play their farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London with openers Yes and … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 26 in Classic Rock →

November 7, 2003 – David Gilmour of Pink Floyd is honored with the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) award. Gilmour is cited for his charity work. November 7, 1966 – John Lennon meets Yoko Ono for the first time when he visits her art exhibition in London. She presents him with a card that simply says, “Breathe,” and he responds by panting. He later … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 7 in Classic Rock →

October 30, 1990 – Axl Rose is released on $5,000 bail after being arrested for allegedly hitting his neighbor, Gabriella Kantor, over the head with a bottle of wine. Kantor said, “He hit me over my head with a really good bottle of Chardonnay and a piece of chicken.  I continue to experience headaches as … Continue reading CDJ Today: October 30 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 →

October 12, 1987 – Dee Snider announces he is leaving Twisted Sister, two days after the Love Is for Suckers tour concludes. Snider reunites with the band ten years later. October 12, 1991 – The Day on the Green festival in Oakland, CA features headliners Metallica, Queensrÿche, Faith No More and Soundgarden. It is the final festival presented by Bill Graham prior to his death. October 12, 2005 … Continue reading CDJ Today: October 12 in Classic Rock →

It’s taken years, but the iconic British rock band Pink Floyd has finally agreed to sell their recorded music and name and likeness rights to Sony Music for approximately $400 million. The deal, one of the largest of many in recent years, concluded despite decades of ongoing infighting between the band members, notably chief songwriters … Continue reading Pink Floyd Sells Music Rights for $400 Million →

September 15, 2014 – Apple release a tool to remove U2‘s new album, Songs of Innocence, from iTunes accounts after giving away the music for free. Songs of Innocence is considered the biggest album launch in history because about half a billion iTunes users owned it on the day of its release. Apple reportedly gave U2 a large blanket … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 15 in Classic Rock →