Today in rock history: on this date in 1970, Paul McCartney released his first official solo album. Simply titled McCartney, the record came at a particularly difficult time in the existence of The Beatles since McCartney’s songwriting partner John Lennon had indicated that he was wanting to leave the band. With this solo album, McCartney himself made it clear that The Beatles had come to an end. Issuing a press release to coincide with this record, Paul made it known that The Beatles were officially over. The news affected the reviews McCartney received. Mostly consisting of home recordings with the artist playing all the instruments on the songs, the album was almost unanimously panned by rock critics who found the songs on the record to be half-baked and fragmented. Nonetheless, McCartney was a hit in both America (where it topped album sales charts) and in England where it climbed to No. 12. The song from the record that was praised highly and became an FM rock radio staple was the melodic “Maybe I’m Amazed” which starts out as a ballad but ends up as a passionate rocker. In other Paul McCartney related events, on this same date in 1998, Linda, Paul’s wife and musical collaborator, died at the age of 56 after fighting a long bout with breast cancer.

BEAUTIFUL, PAUL
Review: In Tampa, Paul McCartney and 17,000 fans revel in the simple, inimitable beauty of song (w/photos + setlist)

Today in rock history: on this date in 1960, young rockabilly superstar Eddie Cochran died as a result of severe injuries sustained in an taxi cab accident the night prior. Seated in the cab were Eddie’s fiance and songwriter Sharon Sheeley, fellow rockabilly performer Gene Vincent and Eddie’s tour manager. When the cab driver blew a tire and crashed into a lamppost, Cochran did his best to shield his bride to be and, as a result, was thrown from an open door in the vehicle which led to the serious head injuries that caused his untimely death. While the other passengers were injured, Eddie was the only casualty from this accident. Only 21 at the time of his passing, Cochran had already adopted a huge following and fan base thanks to his classic singles like “C’mon Everybody,” “Something Else” and “Twenty Flight Rock” among many others. Cochran’s timeless songs have been covered by dozens of artists throughout the years following his death including The Rolling Stones, Joan Jett, The Who, Sid Vicious and Bryan Adams. When portrayed in the 1987 Richie Valens biopic La Bamba, the role of Cochran, a friend and contemporary of Valens’, was played by one of Eddie’s biggest modern day followers, Stray Cat Brian Setzer.

Today in rock history: on this date in 1990, pioneering New York City alternative hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest released its landmark debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. Coming like a breath of fresh air, the creative and imaginative approach of the group was totally new and unexpected for many followers of the genre. Using clever samples, unique production styles and unpredictable lyrics and rhymes, Tribe created almost its very own style of music and sound. Lauded by critics at the time of its release, the album is now considered a pivotal record in the expansion of ideas and themes within hip-hop. Classic singles like “Bonita Applebum,” “Can I Kick It?” and “I Left My Wallet in El Segundo” all hail from this groundbreaking album that eventually went on to achieve gold sales status. Undoubtedly one of the most influential and highly regarded hip-hop acts of all time, this fine record is where A Tribe Called Quest’s story began.

Today in rock history: on this date in 1964, a brand new Irish rhythm and blues-influenced rock and roll band called Them made its live debut at the Maritime Hotel in Belfast, Ireland. The band was led by an 18-year old powerful singer named Van Morrison who’d soon go on to fame as a solo artist. The response to the show drew many more repeat appearances for the band at the location and Them soon attracted a following thanks to the fantastic shows the group was putting on. An audience recording of one of these performances was played for a record executive from London’s Decca Records who soon came to Ireland to see the group for himself and signed the band to the label. Them enjoyed several hit singles and were lumped in with the mania that was surrounding the British Invasion bands of the day. Hits for the band included “Baby Please Don’t Go,” “Here Comes the Night” and, the most famous of all, the garage rock classic, “Gloria."