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Today in rock history: On this date in 2011, the music world suffered a massive loss when 27-year-old singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse passed away as a result of alcohol poisoning. The talented British singer’s later years were plagued with being a constant subject of tabloid fodder plus her ongoing drug addiction and alcohol abuse problem. The young singer became synonymous with her tall black beehive hairdo and her many tattoos and, more significantly, by her strong, emotive, R&B-influenced vocal style. Only around professionally long enough to release two superb albums, 2003’s Frank and 2006’s best-selling Back to Black, Winehouse’s life sadly came to an end as she was on the brink of superstardom and left her many fans wondering what more she could have accomplished musically if her life wasn’t cut so short.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1961, Martin L. Gore was born in Dagenham, Essex, England. A founding member of the world’s most popular synth-pop band, Depeche Mode, Gore has served as the band’s chief songwriter for most of its existence. After the departure of another founding member, Vince Clarke, following the band’s debut album, Gore assumed the role of Depeche Mode’s main songwriter. Clarke left the band after 1981’s Speak & Spell album to form another band, Yaz, and then later founded another successful synth band, Erasure. Gore’s talents span a lot of territory as he’s not only a keyboardist and a guitarist, he’s also a singer, producer and remixer. Gore has sung lead vocals on some of Depeche Mode’s moodiest songs like “A Question of Lust” and “Somebody” and has also released a handful of solo albums of his own.
TODAY IN ROCK HISTORY
On this day in 1984, Depeche Mode tried to reel America in with People Are People
Today in rock history: On this date in 1965, Saul Hudson was born in Hampstead, London England. Better known simply by the stage name Slash, the guitarist has become extremely recognizable by his trademark top hat and long, curly hair. Serving as the dynamic lead guitarist for hard rock band Guns N’ Roses, Slash is one of the most popular and well-known guitar players in the world. Besides appearing on the band’s debut album, 1987’s Appetite For Destruction, Slash helped give the band its distinctive sound and was a huge part of bolstering the group's bad-boy image. Apart from his work with GnR, Slash has released several solo albums with his side band Slash’s Snakepit as well as with Velvet Revolver, the supergroup featuring the late Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots on lead vocals. Slash has also appeared as a guest artist on several albums by performers like Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz and Carole King.
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Review: Amidst "fire and fury," Guns N' Roses rocks Miami's Marlins Park
Today in rock history: On this date in 1979, the Ayatollah Khomeini, the new leader of Iran, banned rock and roll music from the country he governed. The politician and leader felt that rock music was a corruptive influence on the people of Iran and had it banned from television and radio while also comparing its effects to those of opium. The Ayatollah was quoted at the time saying that rock music “stupefies persons listening to it and makes their brain inactive and frivolous.” The ban made headlines around the world and influenced British rock band The Clash to write and record one of its most popular songs, 1982’s “Rock The Casbah,” which addresses the ban within its lyrics.
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This article appears in Jul 19-26, 2018.