Henry John Deutschendorf Jr, better known as John Denver, was born in Roswell, New Mexico on this day 1943. The country singer had numerous hits in the 1970’s including Take Me Home, Country Roads, Annie’s Song and Rocky Mountain High.
The Giant New Year’s Eve Gala Pop and Blues Party was held at Alexandra Palace on this day 1968, featuring The Small Faces, Joe Cocker, The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Amen Corner, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and others. During the Small Faces set, Steve Marriott through down his guitar yelled “I quit” and marched off stage.
At the Academy of Music in New York City the band KISS opened for Blue Öyster Cult on this day 1973. During the performance Gene Simmons accidentally set his hairspray coated locks on fire, while attempting a fire-breathing routine.
Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen crashed his Corvette while overtaking at high speed in the countryside near Sheffield on this day 1984. The car hit a stone wall causing the improperly fastened seatbelt to sever his left arm from his body. Doctors initially reattached the arm, but due to an infection had to be re-amputated. Despite the tragedy, Allen played his first live show, behind a new set of electronic drums, at the Monsters of Rock festival in 1986.
Previous Albums Of The Day
 No.1561 31/12/2020
The second solo Steve Winwood album Arc of A Diver celebrates a 40th anniversary today! Recorded at his Netherturkdonic Studios on his farm in Gloucestershire. Winwood played all instruments, wrote the music, and produced and engineered it himself. Includes the single While You See a Chance. |
 No.1213 31/12/2019
The Warren Zevon album Life’ll Kill Ya, released in 2000, two years before he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. The album is about aging and death, which is no surprise given the title, but is surprisingly light-hearted. Talented song-writer. |
 No.847 31/12/2018
Let’s end 2018 with a bang! The 1994 Soundgarden album Superunknown was arguably the band’s finest release. Entertainment Weekly described the LP “a boiling vat of volcanic power.” Includes the singles My Wave, Spoonman and Black Hole Sun. A hard-rock masterpiece! |
 No.475 31/12/2017
Let’s end 2017 with a monster LP. The 1973 Pink Floyd The Dark Side Of The Moon. Recorded at Abbey Road, the innovative looping and multi-track recording, the iconic album cover and tracks such as Breathe, Time, Money and Us and Them make the LP one of the greatest of all-time. RT if you agree! |
 No.117 31/12/2016
To remember the passing of Prince this year I’m finishing with his 1986 album Parade. The soundtrack to Under the Cherry Moon was Prince’s 8th annual studio release since 1978. It contains one of his most beautiful songs, Sometimes It Snows In April. The song will be the last I play in 2016, closing a chapter on an unfortunate year for music. RIP all the lost greats. A happy new year to all the todaysalbum followers! |