This Day in Music
On this day in music – August 5, 1957 – American Bandstand first aired on US television. Initially hosted by Bob Horn, the show got its start in Philadelphia, but Horn was later replaced by Dick Clark as they moved to Los Angeles. The show went on to feature numerous well-known acts, including ABBA, The Doors, Madonna, R.E.M., and Pink Floyd.
In 1975, guitarist Joan Jett and drummer Sandy West formed the first all-female rock band, The Runaways. During their career, the group released four studio albums and toured the US with Van Halen, Talking Heads, and Cheap Trick, among others. Some of their more notable releases include “Cherry Bomb,” “Queen’s of Noise,” and a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Rock n Roll.”
On this day in 1966, The Beatles released their seventh studio album, Revolver in the UK. Long considered to be one of the greatest albums in pop music, Revolver featured such stylistically diverse songs as “Eleanor Rigby” and “Tomorrow Never Knows.” Days later, the album dropped in the US, where it eventually received a 5x Platinum certification by the RIAA.
In 1984, Bruce Springsteen played the first of ten nights at the Meadowlands in New Jersey to mark the homecoming of his Born in the USA tour. The tour grossed $80-90 million overall, making it his longest and most successful run to date.
And in 2016, Viola Beach scored a No.1 album in the UK, six months after all four members of the indie band and their manager perished in a car accident. Following the tragedy, family and friends compiled the self-titled record, using live sessions and studio recordings.
BORN ON AUGUST 5
1942: Rick Huxley (Dave Clark Five)
1947: Willie Weeks (Bassist for David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and many others)
1959: Pat Smear (Germs, Nirvana, Foo Fighters)
1959: Pete Burns (Dead Or Alive)
1964: Adam Yauch (Beastie Boys)
1966: Jennifer Finch (L7)
