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 →

August 24, 1980 – Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne, Budgie, Girl and Tygers of Pan Tang appear on the final day of the Reading Rock Festival in England. August 24, 1990 – Judas Priest are acquitted at their trial in Reno, NV, after having been accused of planting subliminal messages on their album Stained Class, which led two fans to attempt suicide. Rob Halford says, … Continue reading CDJ Today: August 24 in Classic Rock →

June 18, 1948 – Columbia Records unveils the new 33 rpm record, a replacement for the 78. Nathan Milstein, performing the Mendelssohn violin concerto, was the first 12″ album produced. June 18, 1983 – The Cotton Bowl in Dallas hosts The Texxas Jam, with Uriah Heep, Ted Nugent, Triumph, Sammy Hagar and Styx performing in that order. June 18, 1967 – The Monterey International Pop Festival concludes it’s 3-day … Continue reading CDJ Today: June 18 in Classic Rock →

March 23, 1969 – 30,000 people attend the “Rally For Decency” in Miami at the Orange Bowl after Jim Morrison was charged with indecent exposure in the city.  Countering the counter-culture, announcements publicizing the rally warn that “longhairs and weird dressers” won’t be let inside. Celebrities at the event included Kate Smith, Jackie Gleason, The Lettermen … Continue reading CDJ Today: March 23 in Classic Rock →

February 28, 1987 –  Eddie Van Halen makes an appearance on Saturday Night Live, which is being hosted by his then-wife Valerie Bertinelli. He plays alongside G.E. Smith and the SNL house band for an instrumental number called “Stompin’ 8H.” Bluesman Robert Cray is the musical guest. February 28, 1972 – George Harrison and his wife Pattie Boyd Harrison are injured in … Continue reading CDJ Today: February 28 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 →

From the pandemic to the election to the lockdowns and so much more, what a helluva year 2020 has been – and not in a good way! Sadly, this year has also taken away too many of our shining rock n’ roll stars. Here is a look back at some of the people who shaped … Continue reading Remembering Rockers We Lost in 2020 →

Uriah Heep, one of the pivotal hard rock groups to emerge from England in the late 1960s returns with Outsider, its 24th studio album, and the first since 2011’s critically acclaimed Into the Wild album. Outsider will be released on  June 10th in North America on Frontiers Records (June 6th in Europe, June 9th in … Continue reading Uriah Heep Returns With New Album →