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. Rock Artists Who Have Won an Academy Award … 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 →

Since the dawn of the first TV commercial in 1941, music has been an integral part of promoting everything from food to cars to toys to all kinds of medical products. In 1944, the first music jingle was used in a commercial for Chiquita Bananas. And while bespoke jingles were the norm for many years, … Continue reading 10 Questionable Classic Rock Song Choices in TV Commercials →

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 →

Since 1959, all the way back when Domenico Modugno swept the Record of the Year and Song of the Year categories with “Nel Blu Dipinto Blu (Volare)” (in Italian no less!), the Recording Academy has awarded more than 8,000 Grammy Awards to a wide variety of artists.  The Beatles were the first rock band to … Continue reading You Won’t Believe This List of Rock Artists Who Have Never Won a Grammy →

Who says rockers don’t read? Whether it’s horror, poetry, fantasy or 19th century classic literature, musicians throughout time have taken their cue from those crumpled up paperbacks they’ve toted with them to gigs around the world. See some of the most famous examples of literature that’s turned into music below. 10 “Shadows And Tall Trees” … Continue reading Top 10 Rock Songs Inspired By Literature →

These classic rock albums took “short and sweet” to a whole new level. Here are 10 great classic rock albums that last less than 30 minutes. 01 The Beach Boys – Wild Honey (1967) Length: 23:58 Wild Honey was the 13th studio album for the Beach Boys, and the last Beach Boys album to feature … Continue reading 10 Classic Rock Albums That Last Less Than 30 Minutes →

The Ramones’ debut album will be getting the deluxe reissue treatment this summer as Rhino Records celebrates the 40th anniversary of its original release. The limited edition will include a 12×12 hardcover book along with 3 CDs and 1 LP featuring stereo and mono mixes of the album, demos and outtakes, as well as a … Continue reading Ramones’ Debut Album to be Reissued for 40th Anniversary →

Tommy Ramone (Tommy Erdelyi), the last surviving original member of punk rock band The Ramones, has died at the age of 62. Tommy passed away Friday at his home in Queens. He had previously been receiving hospice care for bile duct cancer. One of the founding members of the Ramones, Tommy played on the band’s … Continue reading Tommy Ramone, Last Surviving Original Member of The Ramones, Dies at 62 →