It’s December 25th and here are some reasons why this day matters in rock history:
- In 1977, The Sex Pistols performed their last gig in the UK before splitting up. Staged at Ivanhoe’s in Huddersfield, the day-long show was a fundraiser for the families of striking miners and firefighters.
- In 1969, Winnipeg’s Robin Bachman, youngest brother of The Guess Who’s Randy Bachman, received his first legit drum kit for Christmas. Two years later, at 18, Robin joined his brother’s band Brave Belt, which later became Bachman-Turner Overdrive. He co-wrote one of the band’s hits, “Roll On Down the Highway.”
- In 1981, the J. Geils Band played a Christmas Day gig for prisoners at the Norfolk Correctional Center in Massachusetts. Singer Peter Wolf reportedly told his captive audience: “We want to be the first to buy you all a free drink on the outside.”
And that’s what happened today in rock history.
Compiled by John R. Kennedy, based on a concept by Dave Basner at iHeartRadio