Taco Bell Once Trolled America By Claiming It Had Bought The Liberty Bell
More than two centuries after the first Independence Day, a fast food giant put out fake ads claiming that it had acquired the Liberty Bell to help pay off the national debt.
When The “Kenneth, What Is The Frequency” Guy Attacked Dan Rather And Inspired An R.E.M. Song
In 1986 a guy mugged one of the most famous people in TV news, all the while shouting “Kenneth, what is the frequency?” And that's only the beginning of the story.
When Indiana Tried To Get “Louie, Louie” Off The Radio
Today in 1964, Billboard Magazine reported that the governor of Indiana had called on the state’s broadcasters to stop playing the song “Louie, Louie” by the Kingsmen because of its allegedly dirty lyrics.
To Get Out Of A Record Contract, Van Morrison Made A Malicious Compliance Album
Today in 1945, the birthday of singer/songwriter Van Morrison. His biggest fans and his loudest critics can agree that the guy does not like being told what to do, and he proved it by recording one of the strangest albums in the history of music.
Among Other “Pranks,” Black Sabbath Once Set Their Drummer On Fire
Rock bands are known for excess. Just ask Bill Ward, who, while drumming for Black Sabbath, got set on fire, poisoned (repeatedly) and knocked off the side of a hill. Because pranks.
A Newspaper Called The Recycler Helped Bring Together Some Of The Biggest Rock Bands Of All Time
This month in 1973, a newspaper in California known as The Recycler started publishing. It was mostly a list of classified ads, but those ads have had a pretty big impact on music.
When ALS Stopped Jason Becker’s Guitar Playing, He Became An Accomplished Composer
Today in 2018, the release of the album “Triumphant Hearts” by guitarist Jason Becker. Not many people in music know as much about triumph over adversity as Jason Becker, who found new ways to create and share music decades after being diagnosed with ALS.
A 10 Month Old Kitten Once Climbed The Matterhorn… Somehow
Today in 1950, the Coshocton, Ohio Tribune carried a news story with one heck of a headline: “Kitten Scales Matterhorn: Veteran Mountain Climbers Are Astonished”! Here's how the cat, later nicknamed Matt, got there.
Two Tennis Greats Played A Match On A Half-Grass, Half-Clay Court
Today in 2007, the king of grass court tennis, Roger Federer, played an exhibition match against his rival, clay court great Rafael Nadal. Not their only matchup, but for this one, the court was half grass and half clay, making it a so-called "battle of the surfaces."
One Of Aerosmith’s Biggest Hits Happened Partly Because Of A Mel Brooks Movie
Today in 1975, Aerosmith released the landmark album “Toys In The Attic.” One of the biggest hits from that album got its name from an unusual source - the Mel Brooks movie "Young Frankenstein."