Jon McClause, reporting...

May 6th:
-In 2005, Audioslave became the first American rock group to perform a free outdoor concert in Cuba.
-Led Zeppelin broke their own concert attendance record at a show in Michigan in 1977. More than 76000 fans enjoyed the performance. Previously, 57000 had attended one of their concerts in Florida, which was a record at the time for the largest audience at a single-artist event. It had surpassed The Beatles’ mark from 1965 at Shea Stadium.
-Mock group, Spinal Tap, played a real concert in 1984 at CBGBs club in New York. They “reformed” in 1991 and released 1992’s, Break Like the Wind.
-In 2005, US coffee shop chain Starbucks banned the sale of Bruce Springsteen's latest album Devils and Dust over concerns about its adult content. The retailer - which stocked CDs at its branches in the US - said it would be promoting other albums instead.
-In 1982, former manager of The Bay City Rollers Tam Paton, was convicted on a charge of gross indecency with boys and was sentenced to three years in jail.
May 5th:
-In 1997, management company Ignition sent emails to over 100 Oasis unofficial websites threatening legal action over their alleged unlawful breach of copyright over Oasis music featured on the sites.
-In 1996, Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan received both a public apology and a donation of $12,750 to the Warchild charity from The Sport newspaper after they ran a story claiming she had performed a gig in Hamburg without wearing any underwear.
-In 1995, Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler was arrested on a felony count of possession of heroin, as well as two misdemeanour drug charges.
-Happy Birthday Bill Ward, drummer for Black Sabbath, born 1948.
May 4th:
--Four students were shot and killed by the National Guard at Kent State University in Ohio during an antiwar demonstration in 1970. Neil Young reacted to the senseless slayings by writing and recording the song, “Ohio,” with Crosby, Stills & Nash, the very next day. “Four dead in Ohio...,” David Crosby apparently wept, as the recording of the song faded out.

- In1997, Courtney Love placed an advert in The Seattle Times selling the house she had shared with Kurt Cobain. The five bedroom four bathroom house was on the market for $3m. The carriage house where Kurt Cobain died had been knocked down during refurbishment.
-HAPPY B-DAY:
Bob Deal AKA Mick Mars, guitarist for Motley Cure, born 1951
Mike Dirnt, bassist for Green Day, born 1972
May 3rd:
-In 1972, Les Harvey of Stone The Crows died after being electrocuted on stage during a gig at Swansea University, Wales.
-In 2004, the US Supreme Court rejected an appeal by two musicians who claimed they were owed royalties from Ozzy Osbourne. Bassist Robert Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake had fought a long-running battle since 1997 with the Osbourne family claiming they were entitled to money from the albums ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ and ‘Diary of a Madman.’ Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and manager, said that the pair had "harassed" her family and had had their contributions removed from the albums because of their "abusive and unjust behaviour".
-HAPPY B-DAY:
James Brown born in 1933
Steve Jones, guitarist for the Sex Pistols, born 1955
Josey Scott, vocalist/rythm guitarist for Saliva
May 2nd:
-In 1991, Nirvana booked into Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California for 16 days. On a budget of $65,000 and with Butch Vig producing the band started recording what would become the ‘Nevermind’ album.
-Also, in 1992, little known UK duo Nirvana filed a suit against the American band of the same name claiming that they had been using the name since 1968. The dispute was settled out of court in the British bands favour.
-In 1989, a security guard alerted the police after a man wearing a wig, fake moustache and false teeth walked into Zales Jewellers, California. Three squad cars arrived and police detained the man, who turned out to be Michael Jackson in disguise.
-1991, The video for the R.E.M. song 'Losing My Religion', was banned in Ireland because its religious imagery was seen as unfit for broadcast.
-In 2004, Total Guitar magazine's readers voted Guns N' Roses' anthem ‘Sweet Child O' Mine’ as the greatest guitar riff ever ahead of Nirvana's grunge anthem ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. Led Zeppelin's ‘Whole Lotta Love’ came third, followed by Deep Purple's ‘Smoke On The Water’. Total Guitar editor Scott Rowley said: "To a new generation of guitarists, Guns N' Roses are more thrilling than the Sex Pistols."
-In 2006, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was released from hospital in New Zealand after the 62 year-old guitarist suffered "mild concussion" when he fell out of a coconut tree while on holiday in Fiji. He was airlifted to Auckland's Ascot Hospital for observation, where he underwent a brain scan.
-In 2007, almost 2,000 musicians gathered in the Polish city of Wroclaw to play a rock anthem by Jimi Hendrix. The guitarists were aiming to set a new Guinness World Record by gathering 1,876 guitarists in the city's market square to play 'Hey Joe'. Organisers say it was the biggest guitar ensemble in recorded history.
May 1st:
-HAPPY B-DAY:
D'arcy Wretsky-Brown, original bassist for The Smashing Pumpkins, born 1968
Johnny Colt of The Black Crowes, born 1966
Bernard Butler, guitarist/vocalist for Suede born in 1970
-1980, the South African government banned Pink Floyd's single 'Another Brick In The Wall' after black children adopted the song as their anthem in protest against inferior education.
-In 1984, Fleetwood Mac drummer and founder member Mick Fleetwood filed for bankruptcy.
-In 1997, the house where Kurt Cobain committed suicide went up for sale. The asking price for the five-bedroom house built in 1902 was $3 million. The carriage house where Nirvana guitarist died had been demolished.

3 swingin 6 @ champs in sterling on friday and saturday

cal stage @ the r&r in rock falls on friday and saturday and @ jeffs refs in polo on sunday

kizmaz @ fat jacks in bloomington on saturday

2 guys 1 cup @ yellow creek inn in pearl city on saturday

down 24 @ time out in clinton on friday and @ kj's in morrison on saturday

the souls @ the rockbox in rockford on friday (avatars cd release party w/ the avatars and homaloantoo. show starts @ 7pm, $5 admission, all ages)& @ cjs lounge in rockford on saturday (w/ pine and rending the self. admission $5, show starts @ 10)

12 pack pretty @ fuel in dixon on saturday & polo bowl in polo on saturday