July 11, 1982 – Pete Willis is fired from Def Leppard and replaced by Phil Collen, due to excessive alcohol consumption on the job.  “Things were going too fast for me.” says Willis. “I was still enjoying it, but I was using drink as a crutch. It wasn’t nice to go that way, but it was something that … Continue reading CDJ Today: July 11 in Classic Rock →

May 19, 2000 – Dickey Betts of The Allman Brothers Band is essentially kicked out of the band for “creative differences,” which are allegedly related to drugs and/or alcohol use. May 19, 1979 – Eric Clapton and Patti Boyd throw a reception party two months after their wedding featuring a jam session with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Ginger Baker, Mick Jagger … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 19 in Classic Rock →

April 15, 1971 – The Beatles nab their only Oscar, winning Best Original Song Score for the movie Let It Be. April 15, 1982 – Anvil release their sophomore album, Metal on Metal, then proceed to fade into obscurity in the 1990s before being resurrected by the 2008 documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil. Classic Rock Birthdays April 15, 1944 – Dave Edmunds, … Continue reading CDJ Today: April 15 in Classic Rock →

March 30, 1974 – The Ramones make their live debut at Performance Studio in New York City. March 30, 2012 – Jerry Lee Lewis marries for the 7th time. The lucky lady is Judith Brown, an ex-wife of a cousin and Jerry’s caregiver.  She is also the aunt of Myra Gale Brown, who married Lewis when she was just 13. … Continue reading CDJ Today: March 30 in Classic Rock →

March 18, 1978 – An estimated 350,000 rock fans attend the largest festival of the 70’s, California Jam II in Ontario, California. Performers include Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Foreigner, Santana, Heart, Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush and Rubicon, featuring a young Jack Blades. March 18, 1975 – The Who’s Tommy premieres in New York. March 18, 2002 – The Ramones and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are among those inducted into the … Continue reading CDJ Today: March 18 in Classic Rock →

January 29, 1986 – Allen Collins, guitarist from Lynyrd Skynyrd, crashes his car, paralyzing him from the waist down and killing his girlfriend Debra Jean Watts. Collins, who was drunk at the time, addressed fans at every Skynyrd concert as part of his plea bargain.  He gave an explanation of why he could not perform, citing the … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 29 in Classic Rock →

November 30, 2000 – The City of New York officially names the corner of Bowery and Second Street “Joey Ramone Place.” It is the block where Joey once lived with bandmate Dee Dee Ramone and is near the music club CBGB, where the Ramones played their first gigs. In 2010, it was reported that “Joey … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 30 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 8, 2010 – Ozzy Osbourne blasts the Westboro Baptist Church for paraphrasing lyrics from his song “Crazy Train” after they tell reporters the U.S. deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are “punishment for America’s tolerance of homosexuality and abortion.” Ozzy says, “I am sickened and disgusted by the use of “Crazy Train” to promote messages of hate … Continue reading CDJ Today: October 8 in Classic Rock →

September 30, 1988 – John Lennon is posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  The star is located in front of Capitol Records, and his widow, Yoko Ono, attends the ceremony.  None of the other Beatles are present. September 30, 1998 – On the Drew Carey Show, Drew and his gang decide to form a band … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 30 in Classic Rock →