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!