188 Classic Rock

August 4th 1975, Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant and his wife were both badly injured when the hire car he was driving spun off the road and crashed on the Greek island of Rhodes. Plant smashed both his ankle and his elbow, and was not fully fit for...

August 4th 1984, Prince started a 24 week run at the top of the US album charts with 'Purple Rain'. His sixth studio album which features the hits 'When Doves Cry' and 'Let's Go Crazy', as well as the title track has sold over 20 million copies worldwide,...

August 4th 2002, Bruce Springsteen scored his fifth UK No.1 album with 'The Rising', also No.1 in the US.

4th Aug 1967, Aretha Franklin released her twelfth studio album Aretha Arrives on Atlantic Records. It’s only single release was “Baby I Love You”, a million-selling No.1 R&B hit. The sessions for the album were delayed because Aretha shattered her elbow...

3rd Aug 1963, The Beatles played their last ever performance at The Cavern Club in Liverpool. During their set a power cut silenced their instruments and plunged the Cavern into temporary darkness. Lennon and McCartney performed an acoustic version of...

August 3rd 1966, The Rolling Stones began nine days recording sessions for their next album at Los Angeles, RCA Studios, Hollywood, USA. Tracks recorded included: Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow? Let’s Spend The Night Together,...

August 3rd 1971, Paul McCartney announced the formation of his new group Wings with his wife Linda and former Moody Blues guitarist and singer Denny Laine.

August 3rd 2006, Arthur Lee singer and guitarist of the influential 1960s band Love died in Memphis at the age of 61 following a battle with acute myeloid leukaemia. He called himself the "first black hippie" and formed Love in Los Angeles in 1965. Best...

August 3rd 1963, Born on this day, James Hetfield, guitar, vocals, Metallica, (1991 UK No.5 single 'Enter Sandman', 1991 US & UK No.1 album 'Metallica').

2nd Aug 1983, James Jamerson died of complications stemming from cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure and pneumonia in Los Angeles, he was 47 years old. As one of The Funk Brothers he was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records’ hits in the...