This Day in Rock History: December 3

Cultural Milestones

• 1948: The "Prince of Darkness," Ozzy Osbourne, was born in Marston Green, Warwickshire, England. He co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968 and then embarked on a successful solo career after leaving the band in 1979.
• 1965: The Beatles kicked off their final tour in the U.K. at Odeon Cinema in Glasgow, Scotland. The band played 18 shows during the tour, and their last one was at the Capitol Theatre in Cardiff, Wales.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1965: The Beatles released their sixth studio album, Rubber Soul, in the U.K. via EMI Records' Parlophone label. It was certified six times Platinum in the U.S. and reached No. 1 on the album charts in several countries, including the U.K., Australia, and Canada.
• 1965: The Who released their debut album, My Generation, in the U.K. through Brunswick Records. Although it wasn't as commercially successful as the band's subsequent albums, it's widely seen as the release that put them on the map. The title track is one of The Who's most well-known songs to date.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1980: KISS performed their final show with guitarist Ace Frehley before he departed the band two years later. Frehley rejoined KISS for their 1996 reunion tour, and his final performance with them was on April 13, 2001.
• 2015: Scott Weiland, the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, passed away from an accidental drug overdose at the age of 48. Weiland achieved mainstream success with Stone Temple Pilots in the late 1980s and 1990s and then joined former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum for two albums under the name Velvet Revolver.