This Day in Rock History: January 14

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1966: English musician David Jones released "Can't Help Thinking About Me," his first-ever song under his new stage name, David Bowie. The main reason for the name change was to avoid confusion with the Monkees band member Davy Jones.
• 1984: Paul McCartney's single "Pipes of Peace," from the album of the same name, got to No. 1 on the U.K. chart after climbing steadily over the previous few weeks. Although McCartney had enjoyed multiple chart-topping hits in the U.K. with The Beatles and Wings, as well as a hit collaboration with Stevie Wonder, this was his first solo effort to take the top spot.

Cultural Milestones

• 1969: Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl was born in Warren, Ohio. He started out as a musician at 17 by joining a punk rock band called Scream and became a member of Nirvana in 1990.
• 1970: Diana Ross officially left the Supremes to embark on a solo career. The legendary trio, including Ross, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, becoming the first all-female group to achieve this feat.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1977: David Bowie released his 11th studio album, Low, via RCA Records. Although it wasn't a major success, it still managed to sell over 2 million copies worldwide, and it's now seen by critics as an original and influential work.
• 1978: The Sex Pistols played their final show with their classic lineup at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The band's chaotic U.S. tour was marked by inner conflicts and substance abuse, leading them to disband even before returning to their native U.K.
• 1980: Rush released their seventh studio album, Permanent Waves, through Anthem Records. It sold well, earning Platinum certification in the US and paving the way for their hugely successful next album, Moving Pictures.