This Day in Rock History: October 13

On this day in rock history, we celebrate the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s first-ever show, milestone moments in the careers of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and a couple of famous birthdays. These are the most important rock-related events that happened on Oct. 13.

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

Oct. 13 was a significant day in the careers of some of the biggest names in rock. Here are the milestone events that took place on this day:

• 1963: The Beatles made their first appearance on the U.K. show Sunday Night at the London Palladium. Broadcast live, their appearance was watched by over 15 million people across the country, which played a huge role in the band’s journey to superstardom.
• 1966: The Jimi Hendrix Experience played their first-ever show at the Novelty cinema in Evreux, France. The band opened for the French singer Johnny Hallyday and played a total of four shows in France before touring the U.K.
• 1973: The Rolling Stones’ album Goats Head Soup hit No. 1 on the U.S. album chart, where it spent a total of four weeks. It also reached the top spot in several other countries, propelled by the hit single “Angie.”
• 1984: U2 got their second No. 1 album in the UK when The Unforgettable Fire topped the charts. It was also a hit in the US, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 album chart and earning triple-Platinum certification for selling over 3 million copies.

Cultural Milestones

Rock’s cultural landscape is a huge part of its timeless appeal. These are the most notable cultural moments from Oct. 13:

• 1941: Paul Simon was born in Newark, New Jersey. He shot to stardom as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, alongside Art Garfunkel, and later had a similarly successful solo career.
• 1947: Sammy Hagar was born in Salinas, California. Although he’s now known mainly as Van Halen’s frontman from the mid-’80s to the mid-’90s, he was also in several other bands and enjoyed success as a solo artist.
• 2016: Bob Dylan received the Nobel Prize in Literature for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” He was the first songwriter to ever win the award.

Notable Recordings and Performances 

Two of the most iconic songs in music history were recorded on the same day of the same year. Oct. 13 is also the anniversary of a few memorable albums.

• 1965: The Who recorded their powerful anthem “My Generation” at IBC Studios in London. It’s widely seen as one of the greatest songs of all time and was included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s list of 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
• 1965: Just 2 miles away from The Who’s recording session, the Beatles were recording “Drive My Car” at EMI Studios in London. It was included on their Rubber Soul album.
• 1978: AC/DC released their first live album, If You Want Blood You’ve Got It, in Europe, via Atlantic Records. It was the only live album to feature frontman Bon Scott, and it went Platinum in the US.
• 1982: KISS released their tenth studio album, Creatures of the Night, through Casablanca Records. It was the last KISS studio album released while Ace Frehley was still officially a member until the band’s reunion era. 

From glorious beginnings to prestigious awards, many of rock’s most famous and talented heroes have something to celebrate on Oct. 13. Visit us again tomorrow to find out what happened on that day in rock history.