posted 10-08-2005 07:47 AM         

1950's
Guitarist Johnny Ramone is born on Long Island. 1951

Goodness gracious. Jerry Lee Lewis records the salacious “Great Balls Of Fire.” “You shake my nerves and rattle my brain.” 1957

1960's
The U.S. government decides to make LSD an illegal. 1966

1970's
John Lennon records the signature song of his solo career, “Imagine.” 1971

Radio stations across the U.S. have “mysteriously” received advance copies of Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk” album. This forces Warner Brothers to move up the release date. 1979

1980's
The Police’s “King Of Pain” rises to #3. 1983

The Hollywood Walk of Fame adds Chuck Berry on the same day the Berry bio movie Hail, Hail Rock & Roll premiers in L.A. 1987

After a mere 741 weeks (over 14 years), Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon” final falls off the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart. It stayed on the chart longer than any recording in history. Also, Cheap Trick scores with an Elvis cover and take “Don’t Be Cruel” to #4. 1988

1990's
“Badmotorfinger” from Soundgarden is released. 1991

Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Elvis Presley get a commemorative stamp from the U.S. Postal Service. It goes to show those ‘50s Rockers still got their licks. 1992

Former Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin pleads guilty to disorderly conduct charges (rather than face the more serious heroin possession charge) and is ordered to complete a drug treatment program. The court appearance is the result of drug charges filed when the drummer and touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvin shot up together in a New York hotel. Melvin died as a result. 1996

2000's
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr attend the London premier of “A Concert For George.” The Harrison tribute was filmed the previous year at the Royal Albert Hall. Meanwhile, Slayer heads the third annual Jagermeister Fall Music Tour. The first stop is Minneapolis. 2003

Genius: A Night For Ray Charles concert takes place at the Staples Center in L.A. Hosted by actor Jamie Foxx, who played Charles in a bio film, the show has performances by Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Norah Jones, B.B. King, Al Green and Billy Preston. The concert airs a couple weeks later on CBS. Charles passed away earlier in the year. 2004

Hootie and the Blowfish hold their second annual Homegrown Concert in Charleston. The show is the first in a series designed to improve schools in the Carolinas. Ticket holders bring school supplies as a donation. The group also donates $80,000 to eight troubled South Carolina school districts. 2004

Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction) appears on the debut episode of VH1 Classic's Decades Rock Live series. The one-hour program features footage from a Doors tribute concert that included Farrell and other artists performing with founding Doors members Ray Manzarek (keyboards) and Robby Krieger (guitar). 2005