This Day in Rock History: July 29
Some notable events have happened in rock history on July 29. These include important milestones from bands such as Cream, Rush, and The Doors. Here are some of the most…
Some notable events have happened in rock history on July 29. These include important milestones from bands such as Cream, Rush, and The Doors. Here are some of the most relevant rock-related news stories from this day throughout the years.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some of the biggest names in rock have had career-defining moments on this day. Some of them are:
- 1966: British supergroup Cream, featuring Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton, and Jack Bruce, played for the first time in front of an audience at the Twisted Wheel club in Manchester, England. They would stay together for three years and release four genre-defining albums that are now seen as a huge step forward in the transition from old-school blues to more modern rock sounds.
- 1967: The Doors topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart with their song "Light My Fire." It was the first song that guitarist Robby Krieger had ever written.
- 1974: Neil Peart became the Canadian progressive rock band Rush's drummer on this day.
- 1991: Metallica released the single "Enter Sandman," a couple of weeks before the release of their album, The Black Album. The song was a huge success and paved the way for Metallica's transition from underground to mainstream popularity.
Cultural Milestones
Rock has been around long enough that it has its own lore. Here are some notable events that took place on July 29 and have had an impact on rock culture:
- 1953: Rush vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist Geddy Lee was born on this day in Ontario, Canada. He was already a member of Rush at age 16, and by 18, he was playing alongside his band at various local events, bars, and clubs. In 2013, Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- 1965: The second movie featuring The Beatles, called Help!, premiered in London. It featured all members of the band playing themselves, but generally received less positive reviews than their previous film, A Hard Day's Night.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Live shows are rock's heart and soul. Here are a few important performances that took place on this day:
- 1966: The Grateful Dead had their first show outside of the U.S., performing at the PNE Garden Auditorium in Vancouver, Canada. The show went so well that it was later released as a live album named July 29 1966, P.N.E. Garden Aud., Vancouver, Canada.
- 2015: The Eagles played their last show with co-founder and singer Glenn Frey at the CenturyLink Center in Bossier City, Louisiana. He would pass away from health-related complications on Jan. 18 the following year.
July 29 has had its share of rock-related events throughout the years, including memorable shows, important firsts, and culture-defining moments. Check back tomorrow for another day in rock history.
