July 12, 2007 – Rod Stewart is awarded the CBE Order of the British Empire by Prince Charles in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
July 12, 1963 – The Rolling Stones play their first ever gig outside London when they appear at The Alcove Club in Yorkshire supporting The Hollies.
July 12, 1979 – The MLB makes a fateful decision when they team up with Chicago disc jockey Steve Dahl for a “Disco Demolition Night” at Comiskey Park in Chicago, IL between games at a White Sox/Detroit Tigers doubleheader. Fans got a ticket into the park for 98 cents, as long as they brought a disco album Dahl could blow up in a planned explosion on the field. Over 50,000 fans attended and ended up rioting and storming the field between games. The White Sox were forced to forfeit the second game of the doubleheader. In addition, the event was credited with hastening the demise of the disco era. [WATCH VIDEO BELOW]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
July 12, 1950 – Eric Carr (born Paul Charles Caravello), drums, vocals (Kiss) (d. 1991)
July 12, 1943 – Christine McVie (born Christine Anne Perfect), keyboards, vocals (Fleetwood Mac)
July 12, 1967 – John Petrucci, guitar, vocals (Dream Theater)
July 12, 1962 – Dan Murphy, guitar, vocals (Soul Asylum)
July 12, 1952 – Philip Taylor Kramer, bass (Iron Butterfly) (d. 1995)
July 12, 1948 – Walter Egan, vocals, guitar
HEADBANGERS HEAVEN:
July 12, 1983 – Chris Wood, co-founder of Traffic, dies of pneumonia in England. He was 39. Wood also worked with Free and the Small Faces, and played with Jimi Hendrix in 1968, appearing on Electric Ladyland.
July 12, 1979 – Minnie Riperton dies of cancer in Los Angeles. She was 31. Her biggest song was the Stevie Wonder produced “Loving You” which went to #1 in 1975. Her daughter is actress/comedian Maya Rudolph.
July 12, 1996 – Jonathan Melvoin, touring keyboardist with the Smashing Pumpkins, dies of a heroin overdose in New York City. He was 34. Several songs were inspired by Melvoin’s death including Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel”, Prince’s “The Love We Make” and Wendy & Lisa’s “Jonathan”. (Wendy was Jonathan’s sister.)