This Week In Classic Rock History

Feb 9 – 15: Historic events this week from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Van Halen, Black Sabbath, and The Who

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FEBRUARY 9, 1964: BEATLES APPEAR ON ED SULLIVAN

The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first of 3 consecutive Sunday appearances.

73 million viewers tuned in to see the Beatles play \”All My Loving\”, \”Till There Was You\”, \”She Loves You\”, \”I Saw Her Standing There\” and \”I Want to Hold Your Hand\”.

Two days later, on Feb. 11, they played their first US concert at Washington Coliseum in D.C. in front of 8,000 fans.

• • •

FEBRUARY 10, 1966: PET SOUNDS PHOTOSHOOT

None of the Beach Boys clearly recall whose idea it was to shoot the Pet Sounds cover at the San Diego Zoo.

The group\’s unruly behavior resulted in them being banned from the San Diego Zoo for life.

The Beach Boys are not welcome back and never will be. John Muth, San Diego zoo superintendent

• • •

FEBRUARY 10, 1978: VAN HALEN\’S DEBUT ALBUM

Van Halen\’s self-titled debut was recorded in 3 weeks for $40,000. Containing \”Jamie\’s Cryin\’\”, \”Ain\’t Talkin\’ \’bout Love\”, \”Runnin\’ with the Devi\”l and a cover of The Kinks\’ \”You Really Got Me\”, it has sold well over 10 million copies in the US alone.

• • •

FEBRUARY 13, 1970: BLACK SABBATH\’S DEBUT ALBUM

It\’s not a coincidence that Black Sabbath\’s debut album was released on Friday the 13th.

Upon being released, the album received negative reviews from the critics.

However, the album would go on to influence heavy metal, doom metal and stoner rock.

• • •

FEBRUARY 14, 1971: THE WHO\’S LIFEHOUSE SESSIONS BEGIN

To follow up their rock opera about a deaf, dumb and blind boy named Tommy, The Who planned a sci-fi rock opera, called Lifehouse, where each person\’s existence is represented by a unique musical melody.

The project was shelved in favor of the more traditional rock of 1971\’s Who\’s Next.

Many of the tracks would appear on Who\’s Next (`71), Odds & Sods (`74), The Who By Numbers (`75), Who Are You (`78), Hooligans (`81) and It\’s Hard (`82).

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