This Day in Rock History: April 2
On April 2, 1939, Marvin Gaye was born in Washington, D.C. A well-known and influential musician, Gaye had quite an impact on the music industry, and although he was primarily…
On April 2, 1939, Marvin Gaye was born in Washington, D.C. A well-known and influential musician, Gaye had quite an impact on the music industry, and although he was primarily an R&B artist, his sound was revolutionary, spreading into other genres, including rock 'n' roll. Many hit songs, cultural events, memorable performances, and struggles in the rock industry occurred on April 2. If you want to learn more about this day in rock history, you can get the facts right here.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
You can't go wrong adding these memorable rock hits to your playlist:
- 1964: The Beach Boys finished recording what would become their first No. 1 hit single, "I Get Around." The single was released in May, and by July, it was at the top of the Billboard chart.
- 1967: During a Rolling Stones concert in Vienna, Austria, someone from the audience threw a smoke bomb on stage. The disruption led to a riot and the arrest of more than 150 fans.
- 1977: ABBA achieved their fifth No. 1 hit in the U.K. with "Knowing Me, Knowing You." The song was a global hit and is one of the band's most loved.
- 1977: Fleetwood Mac's iconic album, Rumours, hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it spent 31 non-consecutive weeks. Despite the personal turmoil that band members were going through as they recorded it, the album became one of the most popular of all time, selling over 40 million copies and earning them the 1978 GRAMMY for Album of the Year.
Cultural Milestones
Without these April 2 events, your favorite rock music might not have that beat you love:
- 1967: 18-year-old musical prodigy Steve Winwood left The Spencer Davis Group to form a new band called Traffic, alongside Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, and Dave Mason. He left the band two years later to form the supergroup Blind Faith alongside Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech, but soon reunited with his Traffic bandmates.
- 1967: Greg Camp, songwriter, vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of Smash Mouth, was born on April 2 in Covina, California. He's credited with writing some of Smash Mouth's most memorable songs.
- 2006: On what would have been the artist's 67th birthday, a 1.6-mile-long park in Washington, D.C., formerly known as Watts Branch Park, was renamed Marvin Gaye Park. The respected musician grew up in the area, and the municipal park is Washington's longest.
- 2014: Multiple rock songs and albums were among the recordings selected by the US Library of Congress to be inducted into the National Recording Registry. Notable mentions include U2's The Joshua Tree, Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son," and Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah."
Notable Recordings and Performances
- 1969: Bruce Springsteen's group, Pearl, made their live debut at the Pandemonium Club in Wanamassa, New Jersey. It also featured future E Street Band members Vini Lopez and Danny Federici, and was a significant step toward Bruce and his band evolving into what turned out to be one of the most fruitful musical partnerships of all time.
- 1998: Metallica launched their Poor Re-Touring Me Tour with a show at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in Newcastle, Australia. The setlist mixed songs from their Load/Reload era with the band's classics.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Some significant changes and challenges in the rock industry that occurred on April 2 include:
- 1990: Eric Clapton's love of driving fast caught up with him when he was fined by Walton-on-Thames Magistrates' court for speeding at 105 mph and banned from driving for three months.
- 2021: Bassist and co-founder of War, Morris "B.B." Dickerson, died aged 71 at a hospital in Long Beach, California, after a long battle with an undisclosed illness. He's probably best known for his work on hit songs such as "Low Rider" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?"
When you're enjoying your favorite rock tunes this April 2, remember these moments and consider how they've helped shape the music genre you love.
