This Day in Rock History: August 12

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1964: The movie A Hard Day's Night, featuring all four members of The Beatles playing themselves, was released in 500 U.S. theaters. It was a huge success with both critics and the public, earning two Academy Award nominations.
• 1968: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham rehearsed together for the first time ever at a studio in London. Inspired by their initial chemistry, they would go on to form a band called The New Yardbirds before changing the name to Led Zeppelin.

 Cultural Milestones

• 1949: Dire Straits frontman, guitarist, and songwriter Mark Knopfler was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He formed the band in 1977 and recorded six successful albums before disbanding it in 1995. He then pursued a solo career. He's widely seen as one of the greatest guitarists ever.
• 2009: Guitarist Les Paul died at the grand old age of 94. He's one of the pioneers of rock, having enjoyed a successful career alongside his wife, Mary Ford, in the 1950s. He was also instrumental in creating one of the first solid-body electric guitars, the Gibson Les Paul. Its iconic shape and sound inspired legendary guitarists such as Jimmy Page, Peter Green, Eric Clapton, and Slash, and it's still popular with modern musicians.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1989: The Moscow Music Peace Festival took place in Russia at the Lenin Stadium (now called Luzhniki Stadium). It was a monumental event not just for rock but for history in general, as it was one of the first times that rock bands were allowed to play in the Soviet Union. It featured bands such as Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Skid Row, Scorpions, and Cinderella.
• 1991: Metallica released their self-titled album, also known as The Black Album, via Elektra Records. It was a huge success and became the band's best-selling album, spawning five hit singles: "Enter Sandman," "Nothing Else Matters," "The Unforgiven," "Whenever I May Roam," and "Sad but True."