This Day in Rock History: April 14
On April 14, 1963, the Rolling Stones met The Beatles for the first time. The Rolling Stones performed at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, and The Beatles were in the…
On April 14, 1963, the Rolling Stones met The Beatles for the first time. The Rolling Stones performed at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, and The Beatles were in the audience. After the show, the two groups went to an apartment in Chelsea, where they partied until 4 a.m. This is just one interesting tidbit from this day in rock history. Read on to discover hits, milestones, recordings, and changes in rock music on this date over the years.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
April 14 saw these breakthrough hits and milestones in the rock music scene:
- 1978: "Bright Eyes" by Art Garfunkel went to No. 1 on the U.K. Singles chart, where it stayed for six weeks. It was the U.K.'s biggest-selling single of 1979, selling more than 1 million copies, and was the theme song from the film Watership Down.
- 1980: Iron Maiden released their self-titled debut album, marking a pivotal moment in the band's career. The album peaked at No. 4 in the U.K. and is considered a game-changer for the heavy metal genre.
Cultural Milestones
These April 14 cultural milestones affected the rock music industry:
- 1945: Richie Blackmore was born in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England. He played guitar for Deep Purple and Rainbow, and is widely considered to be one of the best guitarists of all time because of the unique way he manages to blend blues-based playing with classical influences.
- 1960: The musical Bye Bye Birdie premiered at the Martin Beck Theater in New York. The Broadway show was loosely based on Elvis Presley's draft and incorporated rock and roll themes.
- 2009: George Harrison of The Beatles was posthumously awarded a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Paul McCartney attended the ceremony, which took place in front of the Capitol Records building.
- 2012: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony took place in Cleveland, Ohio. Inductees include Guns N' Roses, inducted by Green Day members Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool; Freddie King, inducted by ZZ Top; and Red Hot Chili Peppers, inducted by Chris Rock.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Top rock recordings and memorable rock performances from April 14 include:
- 1966: The Beatles finished recording "Paperback Writer" at EMI Studios in London. It was the band's last new song to be featured on their final tour in 1966.
- 1969: John Lennon and Paul McCartney recorded "The Ballad of John and Yoko" at Abbey Road Studios. It was done without George Harrison, who was out of the country, and Ringo Starr, who was filming a movie, and later reached No. 1 on the UK charts despite not being featured on a Beatles album.
- 1982: Van Halen released their fifth studio album, Diver Down, via Warner Bros. Records. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and went 4x Platinum in the US.
- 1970: Creedence Clearwater Revival made their live debut performance in the U.K. at London's Royal Albert Hall. In 2022, previously unseen footage from the show was released as a documentary and live album.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The rock music industry may not be what it is today if it weren't for these April 14 changes and challenges:
- 1975: Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones announced that Ronnie Wood, a former guitarist for The Faces, would replace Mick Taylor on the band's upcoming North and South American tour. Wood is still with the band today, so obviously things worked out in everyone's favor.
- 2018: Dire Straits were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. However, because the band's frontman, Mark Knopfler, didn't show up to the ceremony, there was no induction speaker, and the band didn't perform.
Rock music is ever-changing, and these historical April 14 events helped shape the sounds of the bands you love.
