Today in rock history 16th July

Thursday July 16th

1952 – Stewart Copeland of the Police is born in Alexandria, Egypt.

1966 – Eric Clapton forms Cream with bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker.

1969 – On TV tonight, it’s a meeting of the minds as Janis Joplin appears on The Dick Cavett Show.

1969 – The Who release their single “I’m Free” from Tommy. It goes to No. 37.

1976 – The Allman Brothers Band splits up.

1980 – No Nukes, a documentary film on the benefit concerts of the same name starring Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor, premieres in New York.

1984 – Roger Waters kicks off his Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking tour with Eric Clapton in Stockholm.

1992 – Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts walks off the set of Late Night With David Letterman with his quintet after a disagreement with the show’s producer.

1993 – Bob Dylan has to cancel a show in Lyon, France, due to his bad back.

1993 – In Buenos Aires, a judge throws out a case of drug possession involving Guns N’ Roses. The “drugs” were in fact just vitamins.

1996 – Drummer John Panozzo dies at the age of 49 this day in rock. John was the drummer for the band Styx.

2003 – Santana wraps up his Supernatural tour and donates $2 million to help conquer the AIDS crisis in South Africa.

2003 – Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde blocks traffic with fellow PETA protesters in front of a Paris Kentucky Fried Chicken. They also cover the restaurant’s windows in red blood.