This Day in Rock History: September 27

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1964: The Beach Boys made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing hit songs such as "Wendy" and "I Get Around." This was a major milestone for the band, helping to establish them as a leading American rock act and introducing their unique surf rock sound and vibe to a broad national audience.
• 2005: Neil Young released his 28th studio album, Prairie Wind, a collection of serious, introspective songs inspired by the singer's recent health scare and his father's long-term illness.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1943: Canadian rock musician Randy Bachman, founding member of the bands The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Bachman co-wrote and performed many massive hits with these groups, including "American Woman," "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," and "Takin' Care of Business."
• 1947: Meat Loaf was born in Dallas, Texas. His debut and most famous album, Bat Out of Hell, released in 1977, sold over 43 million copies worldwide, and established the singer as one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
• 1984: Avril Lavigne was born in Belleville, Ontario. She signed her first record deal at the age of 16, and her debut album, Let Go, remains the best-selling album of the 21st century by a Canadian artist.
• 1986: Metallica's bass player, Cliff Burton, was killed when his band's tour bus skidded and crashed on an icy road in Sweden. Despite only being in the group for four years, Burton played a decisive role in Metallica's first three albums, Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, and Master of Puppets, which are all widely considered to be the blueprints for modern metal.