Today in Headbanger History

August 2, 1973 – Robert Zimmerman legally changes his name to Bob Dylan. His biographer Mark Epstein says, “He was a great fan of Matt Dillon, the sheriff of the television series Gunsmoke. In 1958, he confided to his high school sweetheart that he planned to devote his life to music, adding that ‘I know what I’m going […]

August 1, 2015 – Although not announced as such,  Rush play their last live concert at The Forum in Los Angeles, closing the show with the iconic “Working Man.” Drummer Neil Peart had never taken an encore bow at the front of the stage in all of his four decades of playing with Rush, but decided […]

July 31, 2015 – Lollapalooza Chicago begins in Grant Park with Paul McCartney headlining the first night, and Metallica the second night. [WATCH VIDEO BELOW] July 31, 1980 – The Eagles perform their last concert at the Long Beach Arena before splitting up.  They reunite in 1994.  The concert – a benefit gig, no less – is played out amid muttered onstage […]

July 30, 1991 – Axl Rose throws a fit when his limo driver is cited for an illegal left turn as he was driving the singer to a Guns N’ Roses show at the Forum in Los Angeles.  Axl tells the Inglewood policeman that he will cancel the concert unless he tears up the ticket.  Police say […]

July 29, 1973 – Led Zeppelin play the last of three nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  Although their 33-date North American tour grosses over 4 million, about $203,000 in cash is stolen that night from the safe at The Drake Hotel in New York where the band is staying. Tour manager Richard Cole is arrested as a suspect […]

July 28, 1973 –  Outdrawing the previous Woodstock concert by almost two to one, more than 600,000 people sardine themselves into the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Raceway for the single-day festival, Summer Jam.  Only three groups play – The Allman Brothers, The Grateful Dead and The Band.  One out of every 350 people living in America at the […]

July 27, 2010 – Growing Up Twisted, starring Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, premieres on the A&E Network.  The show also features Snider’s entire family – kids Jesse, Shane, Cody and Cheyenne, and wife Suzette. July 27, 1979 – Alice Cooper‘s Native American art store in Scottsdale, AZ is firebombed and he loses over $200,000 in artwork and jewelry.  Cooper […]

July 26, 2003 – Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden is arrested after hitting a parking attendant with his car at the Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, N.Y., where the band is performing that night. McBrain was asked for his backstage credentials by the parking attendant, and when the attendant couldn’t see them clearly he asked to view them again.  Instead, […]