This Day in Rock History: October 10
On this day in rock history, the world said a tragically early goodbye to one of the most talented and innovative drummers of all time. It’s also David Lee Roth’s…
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On this day in rock history, the world said a tragically early goodbye to one of the most talented and innovative drummers of all time. It's also David Lee Roth's birthday, as well as the anniversary of an album release that introduced fans to progressive rock. These are the most era-defining moments in rock that happened on Oct. 10.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Rock music took two huge steps forward, just one year apart from each other, with these two landmark albums:
- 1969: King Crimson released In the Court of the Crimson King via Island Records. The record was an important milestone for rock music, as it's widely regarded as the first authentic progressive rock album, blending traditional rock sounds with a wide variety of other genres, such as jazz and symphonic music.
- 1970: Paranoid, Black Sabbath's second studio album, reached the top spot on the UK albums chart. It's considered one of the best and most influential heavy metal albums of all time, powered by songs such as "Iron Man," "War Pigs," and title track "Paranoid."
Cultural Milestones
Rock's characters and their stories are part of its enduring appeal. These are the most important cultural moments that happened in rock on Oct. 10:
- 1954: Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth was born in Bloomington, Indiana. After fronting the band from 1974 until 1985, he went on to have a successful solo career before rejoining his bandmates in 2006.
- 1959: Following an argument, Ken Brown left The Quarrymen, which now consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. The remaining trio did pretty well for themselves, though, with the band they formed the following year, called The Beatles.
- 1980: The funeral for Led Zeppelin drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham took place in Worcestershire, England. Alongside Bonham's three bandmates, other notable attendees included Moody Blues and Wings guitarist Denny Laine and Electric Light Orchestra's Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood.
Oct. 10 is a day to celebrate genre-defining albums and legendary rock superstars. Come back tomorrow to discover what happened on that day in rock history.
Dan TeodorescuWriter
