January 13, 2003 – Pete Townshend of The Who is arrested on suspicion of downloading child porn. Police officers impound seven computers, but after a four-month investigation, he is cleared of all charges. He claimed he was doing research while writing his autobiography and says he was sexually abused as a child himself. Classic Rock Birthdays January 13, 1959 – James LoMenzo, bass (Megadeth, … Continue reading CDJ Today: January 13 in Classic Rock →

The original artwork for Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is considered to be the single most valuable piece of art in rock history. This iconic image, valued at an unspecified multi-million-dollar figure, will be exhibited and available for purchase at the San Francisco Art Exchange (SFAE) gallery from September 15 to October 20, … Continue reading Iconic ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ Original Artwork on Display in Most Valuable Rock Art Collection Ever Assembled →

Often the most overlooked member of the band, a bassist is the glue that holds the whole musical foundation together.  These deserving players have changed music forever and have elevated the bass player to a place deserving honor and recognition. 20 Gene Simmons (KISS) Maybe this is a sympathy vote, but Simmons revolutionized rock and … Continue reading Top 20 Rock Bassists →

June 27, 1994 – Aerosmith become the first major band to release a song, “Head First” (an unused cut from the Get A Grip Sessions), as a free download on the internet.  Download speeds at the time were so slow it took between 60 and 90 minutes to download the track, but ten thousand CompuServe subscribers still … Continue reading CDJ Today: June 27 in Classic Rock →

May 18, 1980 – Peter Criss leaves Kiss for the first of three times.  He is replaced by drummer Eric Carr. May 18, 2004 –  New Jersey’s Country Cow Creamery gets permission from Ozzy and his wife Sharon to create flavors in their name.  Ozzy’s is called Carnivorous Carrot Cake – cinnamon spice ice cream with carrot cake dipped in hazelnut liqueur, and Sharon’s is Death … Continue reading CDJ Today: May 18 in Classic Rock →

YES (L-R): Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Alan White, Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood Photo Credit: Glenn Gottlieb Prog rock pioneers YES, have just announced the dates and details for their 50th Anniversary North American tour titled #YES50: Celebrating 50 Years of YES. The 30-plus date tour will kick-off on June 5 & 6 with a two … Continue reading YES Announce ’50 Years of Yes’ Tour Details →

This year marks a half century since the formation of the legendary prog rock group YES. In recognition of this milestone the band’s current lineup – Steve Howe (guitar since 1970), Alan White (drums since 1972), Geoff Downes (keyboards; first joined in 1980), Jon Davison (vocals since 2011) and Billy Sherwood (guitar/keyboards in the 1990s … Continue reading YES Marks 50 Years With Tour and Album →

March 7, 1975 – David Bowie releases his ninth studio album, Young Americans.  The album is certified Gold in the U.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: March 7, 1946 – Peter Wolf (born Peter W. Blankfield), vocals (The J. Geils Band) March 7, 1945 – Arthur Lee (born Arthur Taylor) vocals, guitar (Love) (d. 2006) March 7, 1943 – Chris White, vocals, bass (The Zombies, Argent) March 7, 1946 – Matthew Fisher, keyboards, … Continue reading CDJ Today: March 7 in Classic Rock →

March 4, 1966 – John Lennon makes a statement that The Beatles are “more popular than Jesus Christ” in The London Evening Standard. The remark initially makes no impact in England, but months later Southern Christian groups in the U.S. become outraged, organizing protests and burning Beatles records. Lennon later apologizes. WATCH: Billy Joel Explains Why America Needed The Beatles in … Continue reading CDJ Today: March 4 in Classic Rock →

“I’ve been in this band called Yes for 45 years. I’ve been in Yes the whole time along with Chris (Squire). We were the only two that kept the thing going, really.” Yes drummer Alan White, along with guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Geoff Downes, bassist/guitarist/keyboardist Billy Sherwood and vocalist Jon Davison are going on their … Continue reading All in Good Time: Yes Drummer Alan White Talks Yestival, Hall of Fame and Keeping the Rhythm →