On this day in 1975, Australian rock legends AC/DC topped the charts in their home country with their debut album, High Voltage. Featuring tracks like “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” and “T.N.T.,” the album established AC/DC as a force to be reckoned with. Produced by Harry Vanda and George Young, High Voltage laid the groundwork for the band’s worldwide success.
In 1980, John Bonham, the legendary drummer of Led Zeppelin, passed away at just 32. Regarded as one of the greatest drummers of all time, Bonham was known for his epic velocity, power, and versatility as a percussionist. A founding member of Led Zeppelin, the self-taught drummer influenced countless artists, including Dave Grohl, Neil Peart, Tommy Lee, and Chad Smith. After Bonham’s death, Led Zeppelin chose to call it quits to honour their bandmate, rather than find a new drummer. They explained, “We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend and the deep respect we have for his family, together with the sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were.”
In 1982, Queen made their one and only appearance on Saturday Night Live, performing “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Under Pressure.” Famously, singer Freddie Mercury blew out his voice earlier in the day and barely recovered in time for the show.
In 2017, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed what would be their final show at the Hollywood Bowl. The concert, which concluded the band’s 40th-anniversary reunion tour, ended with “American Girl.” Tom Petty died of an accidental drug overdose a week later on October 2, 2017. He was 66.
In 1990, AC/DC also released The Razors Edge, their 12th studio album. Featuring tracks like “Thunderstruck,” the album was a commercial success and cemented AC/DC’s status as rock legends.
