It’s February 12th and here are some reasons why this day matters in rock history:

In 1995, Van Halen scored their first number one album, when Balance topped the chart.

In 2003, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh – the surviving members of The Grateful Dead– changed their name from The Other Ones to The Dead.

In 1977, The Ramones, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Blondie all performed at LA’s Whisky a Go Go.

In 2003, ex-Doors drummer John Densmore sued his former bandmates, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger, for breach of contract, trademark infringement and unfair competition after they reformed the band with Ian Astbury of The Cult and Stewart Copeland of The Police and called it The Doors.

And in 1997, U2 held a press conference in the lingerie department at the Greenwich Village Kmart store in New York City to announce their Pop Mart world tour.

And that’s what happened today in rock history.

(H/T This Day in Music)

Kevin Cruise