On This Day in Rock History: August 6th
Source: Guns ‘N’ Roses (Duff McCagan, Slash, Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler) at the UIC Pavillion in Chicago, Illinois, August 21, 1987 . (Paul Natkin/Getty Images)
August 6 stands out as an eventful day in rock music history. From movie-related debuts to massive debut albums and more, this day was a significant one for the greatest genre in music; classic rock.
1964 – Stewart makes TV debut
Source: Rod Stewart, performing live onstage with Long John Baldry’s ‘Hoochie Coochie Men’ at the Richmond National Jazz and Blues Festival, Aug. 8, 1965. (Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns via Getty Images)
Rod Stewart made his television debut as a member of the Hoochie Coochie Men on the BBC Show The Beat Room. The taping of the show no longer exists, as all but one of the tapes were destroyed.
1965 – ‘Help!’
The Beatles released Help!, their fifth album which was used as the soundtrack for their second film of the same name. The album featured hit tracks like. Going to Lose That Girl, Help!, Ticket to Ride and Yesterday.
1981 – ‘Bella Donna’
Source: Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty Performing circa 1981. (Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Stevie Nicks released her first solo album, Bella Donna, which reached No.1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 charts nearly a month later on Sept. 6, 1981. It would remain on the Billboard 200 until June of 1984. The album featured hit tracks like Edge of Seventeen, Leather and Lace with Don Henley and Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around with Tom Petty.
Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around was initially meant to be recorded for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, but record executive Jimmy Iovine opted to have Nicks try it. All of the Heartbreakers are a part of the track, aside from bassist Ron Blair.
1982 – ‘Pink Floyd The Wall’
Based on the screen play written by Roger Waters, Pink Floyd’s The Wall debuted in New York movie theaters. Starring Bob Geldof, the surrealist musical shares a lot in common with the band’s 1979 album of the same name, being mostly metaphorical. The film grossed $22.3 million at the box office against a budget of under $12 million.
1988 – ‘Appetite’ goes No.1
57 weeks on the U.S. Billboard 200 and 5 million copies sold later, Guns ‘N’ Roses‘ debut album Appetite for Destruction reached No.1 on the charts. The album features three U.S. top-10 singles; Paradise City, Sweet Child O’ Mine and Welcome to the Jungle. The album would go on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide and knock off Boston’s Boston as the top-selling debut album in U.S. history, going 17x platinum.
