Van Halen’s ‘Van Hagar’ Era Launches at Farm Aid
Sammy Hagar officially closed one chapter of his career and began another on Sept. 22, 1985, when he took the stage at the inaugural Farm Aid concert for a short set with his solo band that featured a special guest:…
Dickey Betts Emerges as Key Figure in Allman Brothers Band
Key Takeaways Significant Album: Idlewild South marked a pivotal moment for Southern rock and introduced Dickey Betts as a key player. Chart Success: Betts’ “Revival” was the band’s first charting single, showcasing their emerging talent. Studio Break-In: The creation of…
Wonder Woman Lynda Carter’s Unique Kiss Tribute Revisited
Have you ever wanted to see Wonder Woman perform a Kiss song? This unique event took place on September 16, 1980, when Lynda Carter, enjoying the success of her role in the Wonder Woman TV series, starred in Lynda Carter…
FireHouse Launches Career with Hit Debut Album
It is often said that the last one in is the first one out, but there are exceptions to every rule. Case in point: the guys in FireHouse, who dropped their hit debut album in the waning months of the…
Chaos and Creation: Paul McCartney’s Musical Reinvention
Paul McCartney updated the old McCartney template on Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, but avoided the missteps of his earlier self-titled solo projects. McCartney constructed those previous LPs entirely on his own after the demise of two famous groups,…
Blizzard of Ozz: Ozzy Osbourne’s Remarkable Comeback Story
With the release of Blizzard of Ozz on Sept. 12, 1980, Ozzy Osbourne initiated one of the most improbable career comebacks in rock history, silencing scores of unbelievers who felt the former Black Sabbath singer could never make it on…
Pat Benatar Song Gains New Significance After 9/11
Pat Benatar’s “Invincible” — a Top 10 hit that served as the theme song for The Legend of Billie Jean and the lead single from Benatar’s Seven the Hard Way album — celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. However, the…
A Bigger Bang: Rolling Stones Revive Their Legacy
Left alone, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards reformed a musical partnership that originally sparked the Rolling Stones to greatness. Then the group produced one of their best modern-era recordings. For years before the release of A Bigger Bang on Sept….
Bob Dylan Divides Fans Again After Newport Performance
Bob Dylan quickly learned that the Newport reaction to his new electric sound was not an isolated incident. He’d be met with an even more violent reaction while performing on Aug. 28, 1965 at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in…
Vinny Appice’s Debut Performance with Black Sabbath
When Vinny Appice played his first show with Black Sabbath on Aug. 31, 1980, at Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium, the 22-year-old drummer brought a steady hand and calming presence to the beleaguered metal veterans. They had already endured a tumultuous, albeit…
Squeeze Creates New Music in 1985 After Overcoming Breakup
When Squeeze announced their breakup following the completion of their tour for the 1982 album Sweets From a Stranger, it came as a surprise. After all, they were just one record removed from the previous year’s East Side Story, which…
Lou Reed’s Last Show with the Velvet Underground
By the time 1970 rolled around, Lou Reed had one foot out of the Velvet Underground door. In his defense, the band had been splitting apart piece by piece for several years at that point. Producer/manager Andy Warhol was fired…