Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for April 30th

It's the recording session for what turns into one of the greatest rock singles in the history of the universe(!) -- A fantastic lesson in true rock star behavior -- A birthday for a ridiculously overlooked American rock pioneer -- Yes, we're in "Rock" mode today...

4/30/1957 (63 years ago today) - Ready? Roll tape...: Elvis Presley records the Leiber & Stoller song "Jailhouse Rock", which is also planned to be the title of Elvis' third motion picture -- It tops the U.S. singles chart (of course) and it becomes not only the biggest selling single of 1957 and the most played song by DJ's on the radio that same year, it turns out to be the first song ever to debut in the Number One spot in Great Britain!!! How strong was "Jailhouse Rock" ? Even the B-side ("Treat Me Nice") would go on to be a U.S. No. 1 for seven weeks in a row later in the fall! An extremely potent and vital link in the ultimate classic rock chain...

4/30/1976 (44 years ago today) - How to act like a "Rock Star", Lesson #9: Keith Moon of The Who pays nine cab drivers to block off the ends of a New York street so he could throw the contents of his hotel room out the window. True story!

4/30/1948 - Born on this date, MC5 lead guitarist Brother Wayne Kramer, 72 years old today -- The racket these guys made in 1969 was beyond belief...or categorization! It's true, though: punk rock would have never happened at all were it not for artists like The Stooges and The MC5 -- Just for funzies, take a few and go back, listen to Wayne freakin' shreddin' it. Kinda scary.

Share your rage with the Calendar here on our web site and on the WBLM Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #TommysCoffeeBreak.

"I want to stick around a while and get my kicks...", xoxo!