Road Crew Magazine
Music Magazine with News, Reviews, Photos and Video

Welcome back to another fun filled edition of this day in rock.  Like most days, we have birthdays, a chart topper and breakups in our line up, as well as a couple of other choice tidbits for you to feast upon.

Our two birthday boys this morning have had different impacts on the music world.  One is 100% musician, while the other is an actor with musical personality.  Therefore, today we wish a happy birthday to Styx's Dennis DeYoung, vocalist and keyboardist who was born in 1954.  And just a little extra Styx fact thrown in, the Pittsburgh Steelers use their song Renegade during their football games.  Our other birthday today is none other than living legend John Travolta, who was born this day in 1954.  He and Olivia Newton John would hold the number 1 single in both the UK and the US in 1978 with You're The One That I Want from the movie Grease.

When musicians come together to form a band, they join into what is similar to a marriage.  And as musicians are just people, they experience emotions, frustrations, joys and pet peeves.  And there are times no matter how successful they become, how great the music, how much they love and appreciate their fans, it's not enough to keep the marriage together.  And while at times there are reconciliations, most of the time the departing member(s) move on to join a different band or embark on a solo career.

In 1980, Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones made the announcement that he would be leaving the band.  The rest of the Stones came together to convince their bassist to stay.  Wyman stayed with the band another 12 years, leaving in 1992.

Another case of band divorce took place in 2004, when Billy Corgan, on his official web site blamed the breakup of the Smashing Pumpkins on guitarist James Iha.   “James Iha broke up the Smashing Pumpkins, not me,” he writes. “I would have gone on forever, the Smashing Pumpkins were essentially my entire life.”

I can honestly say that I blame my kids band director and Guitar Hero World Tour for my attitude towards this next fact.  I am SO burned out on Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer as since the high school band played it for marching season, my oldest son played it just about every day since school started back in August.  I have hear just about every version of the song imaginable, including Alvin and the Chipmunks version on their CD Undeniable.  On this day in 1987, the song was the #1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit.

I have never watched an episode of South Park.  Have never had any desire to.  But ironically, earlier this month while at my brothers, he was telling me of the very episode that is featured in this next fact.  In 1998, the show depicted Barbra Streisand as the epitome of Musical Evil and was battled by Robert Smith of The Cure.

Robert Smith in South Park


With proceeds going to benefit tsunami relief,  Jay-Z, No Doubt, Jurassic 5, Story of the Year, and Camp Freddy with Dave Navarro play Linkin Park’s Music for Relief: Rebuilding South Asia concert at Anaheim, California in 2005.

Well, there it is, all wrapped up with a pretty bow on top.  Hope your February 18th is memorable!