Today in Rock History – 19th FEBRUARY:

BIRTHDAYS
1948: Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
1948: Mark Andes (Spirit)
1949: Eddie Hardin (Spencer Davis Group)
1950: Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash)
1954: Francis Buchholz (Scorpions)
1957: David Wakeling (The Beat)
1963: Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel a.k.a. Seal

EVENTS
1971: Yes released their third LP, ‘The Yes Album’, the first to feature Steve Howe on guitar.
1980: Death of AC/DC singer, Bon Scott [aged 33].
1982: Ozzy Osbourne was arrested in San Antonio, Texas for urinating on the Alamo (whilst wearing a dress).
2017: Death of guitarist, Larry Coryell [aged 73].
2022: Death of singer / songwriter / pianist / guitarist, Gary Brooker of Procol Harum [aged 76].

Happy Birthday Tony Iommi! He will be very glad to have made it to 76 ~ what a trooper. He had ongoing cancer treatment, even while travelling around the world, playing gigs with Black Sabbath over the last few years. Their final tour came to an end in their home town, Birmingham on 4th February, 2017. I am so glad I got to see him play (twice with Sabbath and once with Ronnie James Dio, as Heaven & Hell). Of course, Tony invented the heavy doom guitar sound on his Gibson SG and has come up with so many classic riffs and songs. Here’s one of them… and I was at this Melbourne gig!