It’s September 23rd and here are some reasons why this day matters in rock history:

In 1969, the Northern Illinois University school newspaper ran a story that Paul McCartney had been killed in a 1966 car crash and was replaced by a lookalike. A Detroit radio station ran the story and it went viral.

In 2004, Slipknot singer Corey Taylor issued a statement denying that he was dead. A DJ in Iowa had started a rumor that the rocker died of a drug overdose, but there were also reports he was killed in a car crash.

In 1980, David Bowie took over the title role in The Elephant Man on Broadway.

In 1997, the Rolling Stones kicked off the North American leg of their Bridges to Babylon tour in Chicago.

In 1977, David Bowie released the single, “Heroes.”

In 2003, British rockers The Darkness made their West Coast debut at LA’s Roxy Theatre. Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and Jack Osbourne were in the crowd.

And in 2008, Weezer kicked off their Troublemaker tour in Lowell, Massachusetts with opening act Angels & Airwaves.

And that’s what happened today in rock history.

(H/T This Day in Music)

Stacy