This Day in Rock History: September 2
Sept. 2 marks the anniversary of many important moments in rock history. From hot new bands set to take over the world to established ones breaking up, here are some…
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Sept. 2 marks the anniversary of many important moments in rock history. From hot new bands set to take over the world to established ones breaking up, here are some of the most notable rock-related events to happen on this day.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Sept. 2 saw the beginning of one legendary band and the ending of another. These are the major milestones that took place on this day:
- 1965: The Doors recorded their first-ever demo as a band at the World Pacific Jazz Studios in Los Angeles. It featured six songs, including future hits "Moonlight Drive" and "Hello, I Love You," and provided glimpses of their instantly recognizable sound.
- 1984: Van Halen played their last concert with the original lineup, which included frontman David Lee Roth, at the Monsters of Rock festival in Germany. Roth left the following year to pursue a solo career but returned to Van Halen for a final major tour in 2007.
Cultural Milestones
The stories about rock and roll are almost as interesting as the music itself. These are some important cultural moments in rock history:
- 1970: The band Genesis placed an advertisement in Melody Maker magazine, announcing they were searching for a drummer. A young man named Phil Collins responded to the ad, and the rest, as they say, is history.
- 2013: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Elton John added another accolade to his stellar career by receiving the first-ever BRITs Icon award. The ceremony was held at the London Palladium, and the award was presented to him by friend and fellow legend Rod Stewart.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Sept. 2 is also the anniversary of some memorable shows and albums. Some of them are:
- 1977: Thin Lizzy released their eighth studio album, Bad Reputation. It peaked at No. 4 on the U.K. Albums Chart, mainly due to the standout hit "Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight)."
- 1988: The Human Rights Now! tour started at Wembley Stadium in London. Stars such as Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman, and Peter Gabriel teamed up to raise funds for upholding human rights across the world.
Sept. 2 has seen plenty of important rock-related moments over the past decades. Visit us again tomorrow to discover what happened on that day in rock history.
Dan TeodorescuWriter
