Lafayette’s Rock and Alternative 106.3 wants to help you look back at the best events, music, news stories, and more from the rock and alternative genre.
Each week, we will bring you a list of major events from history that opened in our music scene.
Let’s dive in!
May 12
1965 – The Rolling Stones recorded “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” at RCA Hollywood studios. Keith Richards had come up with the guitar riff in the middle of the night a week earlier. It gave the Stones their first No. 1 single in the U.S.
1967 – The first Jimi Hendrix album, Are You Experienced?, was released. Songs included “Foxy Lady,” “Hey Joe” and “Purple Haze.”
May 13
1996 – Oasis became the fastest-selling band in U.K. history after all 330,000 tickets for their summer shows sold out in just nine hours.
May 14
1988 – Led Zeppelin reunited for the Atlantic Records’ 40th anniversary party at Madison Square Garden in New York, appearing with Jason Bonham (the son of John Bonham) on drums. Other acts performing included Foreigner, Crosby Stills and Nash, Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Wilson Pickett and Ben E. King.
2006 – Red Hot Chili Peppers started a run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Stadium Arcadium, the band’s ninth studio album.
May 15
2009 – Green Day released their punk rock opera album, 21st Century Breakdown. Their eighth studio album closely followed the concept of 2004’s American Idiot. It arrived in three acts: “Heroes and Cons,” “Charlatans and Saints,” and “Horseshoes and Handgrenades.” Thematically, it details the life of Christian and Gloria, a young couple dealing with the modern challenges of living in the United States. The singles include the title track, “Know Your Enemy,” “21 Guns,” “East Jesus Nowhere,” and “Last of the American Girls.” Produced by Butch Vig, 21st Century Breakdown won Best Rock Album at the 2009 Grammy Awards.
May 16
1992 – Red Hot Chili Peppers peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with Blood Sugar Sex Magik, which went on to sell seven million copies in the U.S.
May 17
1990 – Nirvana played the last date of a North American tour in Idaho. This was Chad Channing’s final gig with the band; drummer Dave Grohl replaced him in Sept. after his band Scream split up.
News and Information from The Current