May 2

Rock history was made today in 2005 when Cream reunited after 36 years for the first of four nights at London's Royal Albert Hall, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker proving that age and decades of animosity couldn't diminish their power trio chemistry despite this being their final collaboration before Bruce's death…

 

Pop's most defiant teen voice Lesley Gore was born on this day in 1946, the singer whose "You Don't Own Me" became a feminist anthem decades before that term entered pop music while her closeted lesbianism remained hidden until late in life before her death in 2015…

 

Arena rock's most powerful voice Lou Gramm celebrates his 76th birthday today, the Foreigner frontman whose soaring vocals on "I Want to Know What Love Is" and "Cold as Ice" made the band MTV staples while his departure and health battles proved even the strongest voices could falter…

 

We remember rock guitar's most influential primitive Link Wray on his birthday today in 1929, the guitarist whose instrumental "Rumble" pioneered distortion and power chords while getting banned from radio for its supposed gang violence connotations before his death in 2005…

 

 

New wave's most reliable bassist Prescott Niles turns 72 today, the Knack member whose playing on "My Sharona" helped create one of the late 1970s' biggest hits while the band's Beatles-esque power pop proved that simplicity could still dominate radio in the punk era.