Welcome to another edition of Today in Boston ROCK, where I, Adam 12, spotlight Very Important Days In Rock History. June 7th is one.
1963
June 7, 1963: Gordon James Gano is born in New York City. He’d move with his family to Wisconsin at the age of 10 and, by the age of 20, would release his first album with Violent Femmes. I talked to Gordon Gano just last year and he was an excellent interview.
1966
June 7, 1966: Eric Kretz is born in San Jose, CA. Best-known as the drummer for Stone Temple Pilots, let’s flashback to him pounding the skins in Worcester last year.
1967
June 7, 1967: David Michael Navarro is born in Santa Monica, CA. You could easily make an argument for Dave Navarro as the guitar god of the ’90s alternative rock era based solely on his work with Jane’s Addiction and that one Red Hot Chili Peppers album everyone likes to forget. No matter where you lie on the issue, one thing’s for certain: he is indeed an ageless wonder.
1994
June 7, 1994: Stone Temple Pilots release their sophomore album Purple on drummer Eric Kretz’s 28th birthday. Let me take you on a tour through the 25th anniversary edition.
Today in Boston ROCK: May 25
1948
May 25, 1948: Klaus Meine is born in Hanover, Germany. He’s been fronting Scorpions since 1969, which is an insane run. Let’s celebrate the legend with a performance of “Wind of Change” in Boston for the band’s 50th Anniversary Tour in 2015.
1983
May 25, 1983: Dio releases their debut solo album Holy Diver. Post-Sabbath Ronnie James Dio, with Sabbath drummer Vinnie Appice, Rainbow bassist Jimmy Bain, and a young Vivian Campbell on guitar. An instant classic. A metal masterpiece.
1996
May 25, 1996: Bradley Nowell of Sublime dies of a heroin overdoes two months before the release of the band’s major-label debut. I wrote about the 25th anniversary of Nowell’s death last year.
2003
May 25, 2003: Jane’s Addiction takes the stage at the WBCN River Rave in Mansfield as the “super-surprise special guest band.” They only played a half-dozen songs, but they tore the roof off the shed. I only wish I’d taken pictures or shot video, as there’s no evidence floating around the internet, sadly. So here’s the band on late night TV from that Strays era.