Today in Rock History – 1st AUGUST:

BIRTHDAYS
1942: Jerome / Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead)
1946: Boz Burrell (King Crimson / Bad Company)
1947: Rick Anderson (The Tubes)
1951: Tommy Bolin (Energy / Zephyr / James Gang / Deep Purple)
1953: Robert Cray
1959: Joe Elliott (Def Leppard)
1960: Suzi Gardner (L7)
1964: Adam Duritz (Counting Crows)

EVENTS
1971: George Harrison’s Bangladesh Benefit Concert was held at Madison Square Garden.
1971: Rick Wakeman joined Yes.
1972: Bill Bruford quit Yes, to join King Crimson.
1972: Lou Reed recorded most of his ‘Transformer’ album.

2017: Death of keyboardist, Goldy McJohn of Steppenwolf [aged 72].
2021: Death of singer / songwriter / guitarist, Paul Cotton of Poco [aged 78].

The late great Tommy Bolin would have been celebrating his 73rd birthday today… if he hadn’t got hooked on heroin and died at the tender age of 25. A phenomenal guitarist and fine singer, he can be heard on many excellent recordings, such as his brilliant solo albums, ‘Teaser’ and ‘Private Eyes’, Deep Purple‘s ‘Come Taste the Band’, Billy Cobham ‘Spectrum’ (a groundbreaking fusion masterpiece from 1973), James Gang ‘Bang’, and many more.

This is “Quadrant 4” from ‘Spectrum’… Billy Cobham’s drumming is phenomenal enough, but listen (after Jan Hammer’s moog solo) when Tommy kicks into high gear at around the 2 minute mark ~ totally astonishing!