This Day in Rock History: December 31
On the last day of the year, several iconic rock bands made their live debuts, and the most successful band of all time officially broke up. Here are the unforgettable rock…
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On the last day of the year, several iconic rock bands made their live debuts, and the most successful band of all time officially broke up. Here are the unforgettable rock history events associated with Dec. 31.
Notable Recordings and Performances
A surprising number of famous bands performed live for the first time on Dec. 31, and two of the debuts took place in the same year:
- 1961: The Beach Boys made their live debut at the "Ritchie Valens Memorial Dance" in Long Beach, California. They played three songs, and it was also their first paid show.
- 1969: Jimi Hendrix performed with his new group, Band of Gypsys, for the first time, alongside drummer Buddy Miles and bassist Billy Cox. The show was at New York City's Fillmore East, and introduced R&B and funk elements to Hendrix's classic sound.
- 1973: AC/DC played their first-ever live show at Chequers in Sydney, Australia. The band formed in November of that year, and during their first performance, they mostly played covers of songs by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Chuck Berry.
- 1973: On the very same day and on the other side of the world, Journey performed live for the first time at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. They were a progressive instrumental rock band at the time and adopted their classic sound four years later, in 1977, when Steve Perry joined.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Dec. 31 marks the birth of a famous musician and the breakup of a legendary group:
- 1963: Anthrax co-founder and rhythm guitarist Scott Ian was born in New York City. Ian formed Anthrax with bassist Dan Lilker in 1981, and the band has sold over 10 million records worldwide.
- 1970: Paul McCartney officially filed to dissolve The Beatles, marking the end of the most successful band in music history. They started to break up over a year earlier. Lennon privately left the band in September 1969, and McCartney announced his departure in April 1970.
These are the most noteworthy rock music events that took place on the final day of the year. Visit this page again tomorrow to discover what happened on that day in rock history.
Dan TeodorescuWriter
