This Day in Rock History: February 12
Bassist for the Barenaked Ladies, Jim Creeggan, was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, on Feb. 12, 1970. The Canadian rock band formed in 1988, and their 1991 cassette was the first independent release to be certified gold in Canada. Learn more trivia about this day in rock history and discover which breakthrough hits, cultural milestones, recordings, powerful performances, changes, and challenges happened in the rock music industry on Feb.12.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These breakthrough hits and band milestones happened to rock music on Feb. 12:
- 1966: The Rolling Stones released “19th Nervous Breakdown” in the U.S. The song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and was performed on The Ed Sullivan Show in September of the same year.
- 1981: Rush released their eighth studio album, “Moving Pictures,” which rose to the No. 3 spot on the U.S. Billboard chart. This is the band’s best-selling album in the U.S. and features favorites like “Tom Sawyer” and “The Spirit of Radio.”
Cultural Milestones
Rock history was made on Feb. 12 thanks to these cultural events that helped shape the industry:
- 1968: After a seven-year absence, Jimi Hendrix returned to Seattle to play a sold-out show at the Seattle Center Arena. He received an honorary diploma from the high school where he’d dropped out and reunited with his family.
- 1997: David Bowie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the recording category.
Notable Recordings and Performances
These notable Feb. 12 recordings and performances changed the course of rock music history:
- 1964: Concluding their U.S. tour, The Beatles played two 25-minute shows at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Due to the band’s popularity, extra seating was put around the stage.
- 1977: Pink Floyd released their 10th studio album, “Animals,” in the U.S., which reached No. 3 on the charts. Influenced by George Orwell’s book Animal Farm, it’s now considered one of their best albums.
Industry Changes and Challenges
You may or may not remember these rock industry changes and the challenges that took place on Feb. 12 in past years:
- 1967: Police officers raided Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones’ house. Richards and the band’s lead singer, Mick Jagger, were arrested and charged with drug possession.
- 1974: Well known for presenting a wide range of performances, The Bottom Line opened its doors in the Greenwich area of Manhattan. Although it had to close for financial reasons in 2004, it saw big names, including The Police, Van Morrison, Mike Bloomfield, Miles Davis, and many others.
The ever-changing rock music genre has had plenty of breakthrough hits, milestones, big performances, notable recordings, and challenges. These Feb. 12 events from past years have created ripples in the industry that still affect rock bands today.
