January is a busy and auspicious month in music history:
- Legendary hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash celebrated his 66th birthday on January 1
- Led Zeppelin‘s and Them Crooked Vultures‘ John Paul Jones celebrated his 78th birthday on January 3
- French touch pioneer Thomas Bangalter, best known for his work in Stardust and the multi-Grammy Award-winning duo Daft Punk celebrated his 49th birthday on January
- R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe celebrated his 64th birthday on January 4
- Joy Division and New Order founder Bernard Sumner celebrated his 68th birthday on January 4
- Cocteau Twins‘ co-founder, multi-instrumentalist and producer Robin Guthriecelebrated his 62nd birthday on January 4
- Portishead frontperson Beth Gibbons celebrates her 58th birthday on January 4
- The 65th anniversary of singer, model, actress and Prince protegé Denise Katrina Matthews, a.k.a. Vanity was on January 4
- Blondie co-founder and guitarist Chris Stein celebrated his 74th birthday on January 5
- AC/DC co-founder, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and backing vocalist Malcom Young was born 71 years ago on January 6
- Sister Sledge‘s Kathy Sledge celebrated her 65th birthday today on January 6
- The Doors‘ Robby Krieger celebrated his 78th on January 8
- The legendary David Bowie was born 77 years ago on January 8
- Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page celebrated his 80th birthday on January 9
- Steely Dan co-founder, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Donald Fagen celebrates his 76th birthday on January 10
- Mary J. Blige, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul celebrated her 53rd birthday on January 11
- Rage Against the Machine‘s Zack de la Rocha celebrated his 54th birthday on January 12
- Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon celebrated his 54th birthday on January 12
- The 69th anniversary of Earth Wind and Fire’s Fred White was on January 13
Today is another auspicious day in music history:
- Nirvana‘s and Foo Fighters‘ Dave Grohl celebrates his 55th birthday today.
One of the greatest, most commercially successful emcees ever, LL Cool J celebrates his 56th birthday today.
His influence on hip-hop and pop culture is massive — and it shouldn’t be surprising that he’s a Kennedy Center Honors recipient and an inductee into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
When I was 12 Mama Said Knock You Out was the album: I bought a copy of it on cassette at the Nobody Beats the Wiz. I remember going to a girl’s house party: I bought my tape, because — well, it was a party and that was the album, to have at a party. So at some point, my tape was played . . . and the tape wound up getting caught in her tape player, permanently fucking up my copy of Mama Said Knock You Out. I played that warped, fucked up copy for years after that party. I still have that tape!
Happy birthday, LL! May there be many, many, many more!
Discover more from The Joy of Violent Movement
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.