HC's Rock Rewind: Weeks January 2nd — 15th

HC's Rock Rewind

A look back at the past two weeks in Rock History

by Team HC

January  2nd - 8th

This week in rock music history was marked by abundance of significant events. One of rock and roll’s greatest bands kicked off their first headlining tour, a legendary American glam band signed their first contract, and Gibson launched one of its most innovative instruments. A trove of classic albums was released as well, including landmark records by The Doors, The Stooges and Peter Frampton. Read on for a look back at other noteworthy moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week.

Events

1926 – The first edition of the long-running British music magazine Melody Maker is published.

1950 – Sam Phillips opens the Memphis Recording Service, later to be renamed Sun Studio.

1955 – Bill Haley and His Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” enters the UK chart for the first time.

1957 – Elvis Presley makes his third and final appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

1958 – Gibson launches the legendary “Flying V” electric guitar. Such renowned players as Albert King, Dave Davies and Lonnie Mack come to be associated with the instrument.

1964 – The Rolling Stones begin their first headlining UK tour, with the Ronettes on the bill as opening act.

1966 – The last episode of the pioneering music variety show “Shindig!” airs on ABC. The Who and The Kinks are featured performers.

1969 – The Beatles begin rehearsals for what will eventually become their Let It Be album.

1970 – B. J. Thomas’s recording of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” hits #1.

1971 – George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass triple-album begins a seven-week run atop the U.S. album chart.

1973 – The Allman Brothers Band officially announce Lamar Williams as the replacement for late bassist Berry Oakley.

1974 – Kiss sign their first recording contract, with Casablanca Records.

1975 – Elton John’s cover of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” begins a two-week run in the #1 spot on the U.S. singles charts.

1979 – The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack LP achieves worldwide sales of 25 million, making it the best-selling album in history up to that point.

1979 – Prince makes his first major live performance debut, at the Capri Theatre in Minneapolis.

1979 – The Canadian government names Rush the country’s official “Ambassadors of Music.”

1981 – David Bowie wraps up his run on Broadway in the lead role of the critically acclaimed play, “The Elephant Man.”

1987 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1988 – Sonny Bono loses his life in a tragic skiing accident at a resort near Lake Tahoe.

1991 – Nirvana signs with Geffen Records. The band’s breakthrough album, Nevermind, is released eight months later.

1994 – Oasis begin recording their debut album, Definitely Maybe.

2009 – Robert Plant is voted the Greatest Voice in Rock in a poll conducted by UK radio station Planet Rock.

Releases

1967 – The Doors: The Doors

1969 – Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bayou Country

1972 – The Rolling Stones, Nicky Hopkins, Ry Cooder: Jamming with Edward!

1973 – Thin Lizzy: Vagabonds of the Western World

1973 – The Stooges: Raw Power

1973 – Aerosmith: Aerosmith

1973 – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

1973 – The Beach Boys: Holland

1974 – Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark

1976 – Journey: Look into the Future

1976 – Bob Dylan: Desire

1976 – Peter Frampton: Frampton Comes Alive!

1979 – Elvis Costello & the Attraction: Armed Forces

1979 – Joe Jackson: Look Sharp!

1983 -- Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

1984 – Judas Priest: Defenders of the Faith

1988 – L.A. Guns: L.A. Guns

1993 – Neil Young: Lucky Thirteen

2006 – The Strokes: First Impressions of Earth

2016 – David Bowie: Blackstar

Deaths

Cyril Davies – Jan. 7, 1964

Tex Ritter – Jan. 2, 1974

Charlie Mingus – Jan. 5, 1979

David Lynch (The Platters) – Jan. 2, 1981

Phil Lynott – Jan. 4, 1986

Steve Clark (Def Leppard) – Jan. 8, 1991

Dizzy Gillespie – Jan. 6, 1993

Randy California (Spirit) – Jan. 2, 1997

Sonny Bono – Jan. 5, 1998

Ken Forssi (Love) – Jan. 5, 1998

Ron Asheton – Jan. 6, 2009

Willie Mitchell (producer) – Jan. 5, 2010

Gerry Rafferty – Jan. 4, 2011

Phil Everly – Jan. 3, 2014

Births

Sam Phillips (producer) – Jan. 5, 1923

Earl Scruggs – Jan. 6, 1924

George Martin – Jan. 3, 1926

Elvis Presley – Jan. 8, 1935

Roger Miller – Jan. 2, 1936

Paul Revere – Jan. 7, 1937

Rory Storm – Jan. 7, 1938

Van Dyke Parks – Jan. 3, 1943

John McLaughlin – Jan. 4, 1943

Volker Hemback (Tangerine Dream) – Jan. 4, 1944

Stephen Stills – Jan. 3, 1945

Dave Cousins (The Strawbs) – Jan. 7, 1945

Chick Churchill (Ten Years After) – Jan. 2, 1946

John Paul Jones – Jan. 3, 1946

Syd Barrett – Jan. 6, 1946

Robby Krieger – Jan. 8, 1946

Sandy Denny – Jan. 6, 1947

David Bowie – Jan. 8, 1947

Kenny Loggins – Jan. 7, 1948

Chris Stein (Blondie) – Jan. 5, 1950

Malcolm Young – Jan. 6, 1953

Brian Ray (Paul McCartney guitarist) – Jan. 4, 1955

Bernard Sumner – Jan. 4, 1956

Ricky Van Shelton – Jan. 2, 1957

Kathy Valentine (Go-Go’s) – Jan. 7, 1959

Michael Stipe – Jan. 4, 1960

Grant Young (Soul Asylum) – Jan. 5, 1963

Kate Schellenbach (Luscious Jackson) – Jan. 5, 1966

Marilyn Manson – Jan. 5, 1969

Doug Robb (Hoobastank) – Jan. 2, 1975

January 9th – January 15th

From the birth of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl to the debut records from the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, the week of Jan. 9 through 15 is filled with significant moments in rock history. Read on for some major events, historic record releases and births and deaths taking place Jan. 9 through 15.

Events

1956 - Elvis Presley records his very first songs as an RCA Victor artist in Nashville, Tennessee.

1963 - The legendary Whiskey-a-Go-G0 nightclub opens in Los Angeles.

1967 - Jimi Hendrix starts recording "Purple Haze."

1984 - Mötley Crüe kick off their first U.S. tour at Madison Square Garden, New York.

1978 - The Police starts recording their debut album.

1978 - The Sex Pistols perform their final concert before breaking up in San Francisco, California.

Births

Joan Baez, January 9, 1941

James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, January 9, 1944

Cassie Gaines (Lynyrd Skynyrd), January 9, 1948

Paul King (Mungo Jerry), January 9, 1948

Steve McRay (.38 Special), January 9, 1950

David Johansen (New York Dolls), January 9, 1953

Eric Erlandson (Hole), January 9, 1963

Carl Bell (Fuel), January 9, 1967

Steve Harwell (Smash Mouth), January 9, 1967

Dave Matthews (The Dave Matthews Band), January 9, 1967

Frank Sinatra Jr., January 10, 1944

Rod Stewart, January 10, 1945

Ronny Light, January 10, 1945

Aynsley Dunbar (Journey, Whitesnake, Jefferson Airplane), January 10, 1946

Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), January 10, 1948

Pat Benatar, January 10, 1953

Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO), January 10, 1955

Clarence Clemons (E Street Band), January 11, 1942

Tony Kaye (Yes), January 11, 1943

Tom Dumont (No Doubt), January 11, 1968

Tom Rowlands (The Chemical Brothers), January 11, 1971

William Lee Golden (The Oak Ridge Boys), January 12, 1939

Cynthia Robinson (Sly and the Family Stone), January 12, 1946

Charlie Gillingham (Counting Crows), January 12, 1960

Rob Zombie (White Zombie), January 12, 1966

Trevor Rabin (Yes), January 13, 1954

Fred White (Earth, Wind & Fire), January 13, 1955

Zach de la Rocha (Rage Against the Machine), January 13, 1970

T-Bone Burnett, January 14, 1948

Geoff Tate (Queensryche), January 14, 1959

Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), January 14, 1969

Ronnie Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd), January 15, 1949

Melvyn Gale (Electric Light Orchestra), January 15, 1952

Deaths

Chester Arthur Burnett “Howlin’ Wolf,” January 10, 1976

Margaret Whiting, January 10, 2011

Mickey Finn (T. Rex percussionist), January 11, 2003

Jimmy Griffin (Bread), January 11, 2005

Spencer Dryden (Jefferson Airplane, New Riders of the Purple Sage), January 11, 2005

Maurice Gibb (The Bee Gees), January 12, 2003

Jerry Nolan (The Heartbreakers and New York Dolls), January 14, 1992

Dee Murray (The Elton John Band), January 15, 1992

Releases

The Beatles, Introducing... The Beatles, 1964

Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin, 1969

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