Rock History

On July 28, 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis rocked The Steve Allen Show and America! Blasting through “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” with wild hair, flying fingers, and beating a piano into submission, the 21-year-old turned a polite TV variety show into a full-blown rock ‘n’ roll riot. Millions of Americans, many seeing Lewis for the […]

Mick Jagger’s Birthday and His Monumental Impact on Rock ‘n’ Roll On July 26, Mick Jagger turns another year older (82), but age has never slowed down the indomitable frontman of The Rolling Stones. With a career spanning over 60 years, Jagger remains a cultural icon whose influence on rock ‘n’ roll is nothing short […]

On July 23, 1979, Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini banned rock music. Why? Because music from Western cultures was declared “decadent,” and just like that, headbanging became a revolutionary act. Fast forward to 2012. Iranian scientists at a nuclear facility suddenly found themselves under attack, not by drones, but by decibels. According to cybersecurity reports (yep, this […]

Ozzy Osbourne’s influence on popular culture stretches from the fog‑shrouded stages of Birmingham to the silly chaos of reality television. As lead singer of Black Sabbath, Ozzy helped define heavy metal’s dark blueprint in the early 1970s. With ominous tracks like “Paranoid” and “War Pigs,” Sabbath ushered in a heavier sound that was more foreboding […]

On Tuesday, July 22, the world of rock ‘n’ roll and music lost a true icon in Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family. The “Godfather of Heavy Metal” may be gone, but he left a major footprint on this Earth that is sure to remain long after anyone reading this […]

Hold onto your bat heads, folks because when the Prince of Darkness finally takes his final bow, the rock ‘n’ roll world will NEVER be the same again. Ozzy Osbourne isn’t just a rock legend – he is rock ‘n’ roll incarnate. Loud, wild, outrageous and unapologetically bizarre, Ozzy didn’t just break the rules, he didn’t […]

Legendary heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne died Tuesday at the age of 76, according to a statement from his family. His death comes just weeks after his final performance with Black Sabbath at their “Back to the Beginning” show in Birmingham, England. RELATED STORY: Ozzy Says Goodnight – But We Will Never Say ‘Goodbye!’ His […]

Hold onto your leather jackets, rock fans we’re diving into the world of cover songs that didn’t just honor the originals, they obliterated them.  These 7 killer rock covers took familiar tracks and cranked them to eleven, leaving audiences wondering, “Wait, who sang it first?!” 1. “All Along the Watchtower” – Jimi Hendrix (vs. Bob […]

Formed in Topeka, Kansas in the early 1970s, Kansas rose to fame as one of America’s premier progressive rock bands, blending classical influences with some heartland rock flavor. Led by guitarist and songwriter Kerry Livgren, frontman and keyboardist Steve Walsh and violinist/vocalist Robby Steinhardt, the band carved out a distinctive sound that fused intricate musicianship, philosophical […]

Steve Walsh left KANSAS after nearly 41 years as the band’s dynamic lead vocalist and keyboardist. Why he left: What he’s been doing since 2014 Solo projects & collaborations Steve Walsh’s departure from Kansas in mid-2014 marked the end of an iconic era.  Now settled in Atlanta with his wife and children, Steve appears content. […]

Phil Collins’s iconic 3-second drum fill on “In the Air Tonight” isn’t just a beat—it defined an era. Picture this: late 1980 at London’s legendary Townhouse Studios, and Phil—fresh off a tough divorce—was recording tracks for his solo debut, Face Value. In Studio One’s cavernous “stone room,” engineer Hugh Padgham experimented with a talkback mic […]

Heavy metal history was made at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, as Ozzy Osbourne said goodbye at his final show. The original Black Sabbath lineup reunited for the first time in two decades for the charity concert “Back to the Beginning.” The emotionally-charged farewell raised over $190 million, setting a new record as the highest-grossing […]