Today in Music History: Iggy and the Stooges close out Coachella
April 27, 2016
History Highlight:
Today in 2003, Iggy Pop reunited with The Stooges for the first time in 30 years to close out the Coachella festival. Originally formed in 1967 in Ann Arbor, Mich.,the Stooges sold few records in their original incarnation, and often performed for indifferent or hostile audiences, but are nevertheless widely regarded as instrumental in the rise of punk rock, as well as influential to alternative rock, heavy metal and rock music at large. The Stooges' breakup in 1974 was followed by Iggy Pop's successful solo career, launched in 1976 and begun with the albums The Idiot and Lust for Life. Following their Coachella reunion, Iggy and the Stooges spent the years spanning 2003 and 2008 touring extensively, playing concerts on five different continents. In 2010, the Stooges were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Also, Today In:
1963 - Little Peggy March started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "I Will Follow Him". At 15 years, 1 month and 13 days old, Little Peggy March became the youngest female singer to have a U.S. No. 1 record.
1969, Joe Cocker made his U.S. television debut, appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS. Together with the Grease Band, Cocker performed a cover of Dave Mason's "Feelin' Alright."
1981 - Ringo Starr married actress and one-time "James Bond girl" Barbara Bach. The pair met while filming the movie Caveman with Dennis Quaid and Shelley Long. Married to this day, Starr and Bach have homes in England, California and Monte Carlo.
1985 - USA For Africa started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. chart with "We Are The World."
1994 - The Smashing Pumpkins and American Music Club performed at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium for the reopening of the legendary rock venue.
1996 - Oasis played the first of two nights at Manchester City's former stadium, Maine Road, as a thank-you to fans. The 80,000 tickets sold out in hours.
2006 - Sixty-two-year-old Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones fell out of a palm tree while vacationing in Fiji and went to the hospital with a concussion, creating a rare news event on the island.
2008 - Prince made the crowd go crazy by covering Radiohead during an epic headlining set after being a last-minute addition to the Coachella Festival. He also covered Sarah McLachlan's "Angel."
2012 - Bob Dylan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama, which is the highest honor awarded to a United States civilian citizen. Dylan is only the 29th musician to receive the award. Previous recipients include Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Irving Berlin.
Birthdays:
Casey Kasem was born on this day in 1932.
Kate Pierson of The B-52's is 68.
Paul "Ace" Frehley of Kiss is 65.
Sheena Easton is 57.
Supergrass keyboard player Bob Coombes is 44.
Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, and Wikipedia.