It’s October 22nd and here are some reasons why this day matters in rock history:

In 1966, Chain Reaction, a band that would later be known as Aerosmith, opened for The Yardbirds at Staples High in Westport, Connecticut.

In 1969, after issuing a statement denying that he was dead, Paul McCartney went to Scotland for a vacation.

In 1990, Pearl Jam played their first-ever concert when they took the stage as Mookie Blaylock at Seattle’s The Off Ramp.

In 1988, Phil Collins started a two-week run at number one on the singles chart with “Groovy Kind Of Love,” his sixth song to top the chart.

In 1969, Led Zeppelinreleased Led Zeppelin II, featuring songs like “Whole Lotta Love,” “Ramble On,” “Moby Dick” and “Heartbreaker.”

In 2000, R.E.M. returned to their hometown of Athens, Georgia to perform as part of a local festival called Land Aid that benefited the community.

And in 2008, Guns N’ Roses released their first new material since 1999 when the title track of their new album, Chinese Democracy, came out as a single.

And that’s what happened today in rock history.

(H/T This Day in Music)

Craig Stevens