December 11, 1968 – Filming begins on The Rolling Stones‘ Rock And Roll Circus movie. Conceived by Mick Jagger, the event was comprised of two concerts on a circus stage and included such acts as John Lennon and his fiancée Yoko Ono performing as part of a supergroup called The Dirty Mac, along with Eric … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 11 in Classic Rock →

December 7, 2000 – The 31st annual Kennedy Center Honors salutes Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who.  Also feted are Morgan Freeman, George Jones, Barbra Streisand and Twyla Tharp.  Rob Thomas, Dave Grohl and Chris Cornell honor them with a live performance. December 7, 1964 – Brian Wilson suffers a nervous breakdown on a flight from Los Angeles to Houston. … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 7 in Classic Rock →

December 3, 1979 – Eleven fans are trampled to death at a Who concert at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati.  Another 26 fans are injured.  At 7:05, after the Who had finished their sound check, a paltry 5 of the Coliseum’s 134 doors were opened, because only nine ticket takers had been hired.  The Coliseum said enlisting ushers would be … Continue reading CDJ Today: December 3 in Classic Rock →

November 28, 1974 – John Lennon makes his last ever concert appearance when he joins Elton John on stage at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Lennon performs three songs: “Whatever Gets You Thru The Night,” “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” and “I Saw Her Standing There.”  Lennon had lost a bet to Elton, who guaranteed … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 28 in Classic Rock →

November 21, 1991 – Aerosmith is the first rock band to make a guest appearance on The Simpsons when they perform “Walk This Way” at Moe’s Tavern. November 21, 1980 – Don Henley is arrested after paramedics are called to his home in Los Angeles to revive a naked 16-year old girl who is suffering from a … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 21 in Classic Rock →

November 20, 1973 – Sometime during the Who‘s show, Keith Moon downs a pile of horse tranquilizers handed to him by an audience member, and chases them with a bottle of brandy. Evidently mumbling something to the effect of “I can take it, I’m Keith ‘F***ing’ Moon.” He ends up passing out and is in a near-coma when taken to … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 20 in Classic Rock →

November 2, 2007 – Ozzy Osbourne blasts police in Fargo, North Dakota, for staging a sting operation using his name before his concert Monday night at the Fargodome. The sting lured unsuspecting fans to an invite-only party where they were promised a meet and greet and tickets to the show. Invites went out to more than 40 people who’d allegedly … Continue reading CDJ Today: November 2 in Classic Rock →

October 21, 1976 – Keith Moon plays his last show with The Who at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Canada.  It is the final date on the band’s 1976 tour.  Though Moon would perform with the Who in a couple of special performances filmed for use in the documentary, The Kids Are Alright, this would be his last … Continue reading CDJ Today: October 21 in Classic Rock →

October 9, 1985 – On what would have been John Lennon’s 45th birthday, Yoko Ono opens Strawberry Fields in New York City’s Central Park. The entrance to the memorial is located directly across from the Dakota Apartments where Lennon last lived and where he was murdered in 1980. Ono donated $1 million to open the … Continue reading CDJ Today: October 9 in Classic Rock →

September 26, 1969 – The Beatles release Abbey Road, their 11th studio album. The album sells over 12 million copies in the U.S., and although initially garnering mixed reviews, becomes perhaps one of the most beloved albums ever. The cover features the iconic image of the band crossing the street in a single file line … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 26 in Classic Rock →

September 16, 1970 – Jimi Hendrix goes to see his good friend Eric Burdon’s new band War, and is invited on stage to play guest guitar. This is his last time on stage as he dies less than 72 hours later. September 16, 2005 – Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil tears his calf when he leans over to sing along with … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 16 in Classic Rock →

September 7, 1968 – Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham make their live debut as Led Zeppelin (but are billed as The Yardbirds) at Gladsaxe Teen Club in a suburb on the outskirts of Copenhagen, Denmark. Around 1,200 people attend the show. The band is later billed as “The New Yardbirds,” before choosing the … Continue reading CDJ Today: September 7 in Classic Rock →