Rock and Metal History, a day like today May 20
1966: Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who grew tired of waiting for John Entwistle and Keith Moon to arrive for their gig at the Ricky Tick Club in Windsor, England so they took to the stage with the bass player and drummer of the local band that opened the show. When Moon and Entwistle finally arrived in the middle of the set, a fight broke out, with Townshend hitting Moon on the head with his guitar. Moon and Entwistle quit the band, (and rejoined a week later).
Bob Dylan and The Band played at the ABC Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. Some members of the audience were unhappy with Dylan ‘going electric’, and attempted to overpower the band by playing their own harmonicas.
1967: The Beatles new album Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band had a special preview on the Kenny Everett BBC Light program, 'Where It's At', playing every track from the album, (except 'A Day In The Life' which the BBC had banned saying it could promote drug taking).
1969: Led Zeppelin started three days of recording and mixing sessions at A&R Studios in New York City, which included the recording of 'Heartbreaker' and various other parts for new tracks for the group's forthcoming second album. The band were under pressure to finish sessions for their second album so they could release it in time for the Autumn market
1970 : The Beatles film "Let It Be" opened in the U.K.
1975: Blondie plays its first UK concert at the Roundhouse
1978: Blue Oyster’s Cult’s Don’t Fear the Reaper hits UK chart
1980: KISS released the album "Unmasked."Although not credited, the drummer for this entire album was Anton Fig and not Peter Criss.
1981: Bruce Springsteen appeared at Bingley Hall, Stafford, England during a European tour.
1992: Aerosmith donated $10,000 to support "Corporal Politics," a controversial art exhibition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
1996: The Metallica single "Until It Sleeps" was released world-wide, excluding North America, where it was released the next day.
1997: U2 caused traffic chaos in Kansas City, Missouri after they paid for traffic control to close down five lanes so they could shoot the video for 'Last Night On Earth'. Apart from major traffic jams, a passing Cadillac crashed into a plate glass window trying to avoid a cameraman.
1998: Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward was taken to hospital in London after suffering a heart attack during a band rehearsal.
2006: Heavy metal monsters Lordi became Finland's first ever Eurovision Song Contest winners after their song Hard Rock Hallelujah won in Athens. The band won the Eurovision public vote after singing their heavy rock anthem dressed in horror costumes.
2007: Linkin Park went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Minutes To Midnight' the bands fifth Top 20 UK album. Also a US No.1.
2013: Ray Manzarek, keyboard player and founder member of the The Doors died aged 74. Manzarek, who had suffered from bile duct cancer for many years, died in a clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, with his wife and brothers at his bedside. He formed The Doors with lead singer Jim Morrison in 1965 after a chance meeting in Venice Beach, Los Angeles.
2015: The Rolling Stones played a surprise gig at the 1,300-capacity Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles during which they performed the entire Sticky Fingers album. The audience included Jack Nicholson, Bruce Willis, Harry Styles, Leonard Cohen and Patricia Arquette.
Born on this day
1944: Joe Cocker, English singer and musician who had the 1968 UK No.1 single with his cover of The Beatles' 'With A Little Help From My Friends', plus 8 other UK Top 40 singles. Scored the 1982 US No.1 single with Jennifer Warnes 'Up Where We Belong'. In 2007 he was awarded a bronze Sheffield Legends plaque in his hometown and in 2008 he received an OBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. Cocker died of lung cancer on 22 December 2014 in Crawford, Colorado.
1946:Cherilyn Sarkasian, (Cher),
1961: Dan Wilson, American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. Singer with Semisonic, in which he wrote hits like ‘Secret Smile’, ‘Closing Time’ and ‘Chemistry’. Produced the 2007 US No.1 album Mike Doughty's album Haughty.
1963: Brian Nash, guitar, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, (1984 UK No.1 & US No.10 single 'Relax' and six other UK Top 40 singles).
1964: American singer/songwriter/actress. Best known as the female lead vocalist with Meat Loaf.
