May 19
Rock's greatest windmiller Pete Townshend celebrates his 81st birthday today, the Who guitarist whose power chords and smashing guitars defined rock aggression while his rock operas 'Tommy' and 'Quadrophenia' proved that destruction and sophistication could coexist across six decades of artistic ambition… We remember ZZ Top's silent bassist Dusty Hill on his birthday today in 1949, the bearded Texan whose melodic playing and backing vocals anchored the power trio's boogie-blues for five decades before his death in 2021 ended one of rock's most enduring lineups… We honor punk's founding heart Joey Ramone on his birthday today in 1951, the lanky frontman whose "Gabba Gabba Hey" and three-chord rebellion with the Ramones proved that rock could be stripped to its essence before lymphoma claimed him in 2001 just as punk's influence finally dominated mainstream rock… Jazz fusion's most versatile saxophonist Tom Scott was...
