November 24 is a bittersweet day in rock history. It’s a day to remember the loss of Freddie Mercury, the brilliant frontman of Queen, who passed away in 1991. This date also marks the deaths of two other legends: Eric Carr, the iconic drummer of KISS, who died in 1991, and blues pioneer Albert Collins, who passed in 1993.
On a brighter note, November 24 celebrates some important milestones related to The Beatles. In 1966, they began recording the legendary album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band at EMI Studios, now known as Abbey Road Studios. This album is considered a musical masterpiece and has sold over 32 million copies worldwide. In 1973, Ringo Starr’s hit song “Photograph” reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for one week. Co-written with George Harrison, it also topped charts in Australia and Canada.
Culturally, Freddie Mercury died from AIDS-related complications at age 45, just one day after revealing his illness. On the same day, Eric Carr lost his battle with cancer. Albert Collins, known as “The Master of the Telecaster,” also succumbed to cancer in 1993.
In 1994, the first MTV Europe Music Awards took place in Berlin, where Aerosmith won Best Rock and performed hits like “Walk on Water” and “Cryin’.”
November 24 is also notable for concerts and album releases. In 1976, KISS kicked off their Rock and Roll Over Tour in Savannah, Georgia. In 1998, Metallica released their cover album Garage Inc., which went 5x Platinum in the U.S.
Stay tuned for more rock history tomorrow!
