Category: Milestones

Video: Midnight Oil rocks Exxon building in Valdez protest 20 years ago this weekend

Video: Midnight Oil rocks Exxon building in Valdez protest 20 years ago this weekend

With BP’s disastrous Gulf of Mexico oil leak now surpassing the Exxon Valdez as the worst oil spill in U.S. history, it’s only fitting that we mark Sunday’s 20th anniversary of the Midnight Oil ‘guerrilla action’ in front of the Exxon building in New York City.

Milestones: Siouxsie Sioux is 53 today; watch a complete Banshees concert from 1981

Milestones: Siouxsie Sioux is 53 today; watch a complete Banshees concert from 1981

Today we observe another dark-hued milestone, as goth queen Siouxsie Sioux — aka Susan Janet Ballion, erstwhile leader of The Banshees and The Creatures — turns 53.

Unhappy birthday: Morrissey is 51 today; watch entire ‘Live in Dallas’ concert film

Unhappy birthday: Morrissey is 51 today; watch entire ‘Live in Dallas’ concert film

Morrissey turns 51 today, and in honor of that milestone, we present, in its entirety, his 1992 concert film ‘Live in Dallas,’ which, while still not available on DVD in the U.S., is floating around on YouTube.

Milestones: Ian Curtis died 30 years ago today, ending Joy Division, giving rise to New Order

We mark today’s 30th anniversary of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis’ death by posting this clip of what’s arguably his most transcendent moment: ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart,’ appearing here in a version recorded Nov. 26, 1979, for a Peel session — the first time the song ever was recorded.

Milestones: David Byrne is 58 today; watch quirky ‘Music for the Knee Plays’ live

Milestones: David Byrne is 58 today; watch quirky ‘Music for the Knee Plays’ live

Former Talking Heads leader David Byrne turns 58 today, and we mark his birthday with one of his quirkier solo projects: ‘Music for the Knee Plays,’ a 1985 brass-band-and-vocals album Byrne composed for Robert Wilson’s opera ‘the CIVIL warS.’

Milestones: U2’s Bono turns 50 today

Milestones: U2’s Bono turns 50 today

Today we commemorate Bono’s 50th birthday, knowing full well the frontman, and U2 itself, are somewhat divisive forces in the annals of ’80s college rock. Check out the band’s epic performance of ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ from ‘Rattle and Hum.’

Milestones: World Party’s ‘Goodbye Jumbo’ was released 20 years ago today

Milestones: World Party’s ‘Goodbye Jumbo’ was released 20 years ago today

Karl Wallinger’s second album under the World Party banner — ‘Goodbye Jumbo,’ a ’60s-soaked pop-rock gem featuring hit singles ‘Put the Message in the Box’ and ‘Way Down Now’ — was released 20 years ago today.

Milestones: R.E.M. turns 30 today; band made live debut April 5, 1980, at St. Mary’s Church

Milestones: R.E.M. turns 30 today; band made live debut April 5, 1980, at St. Mary’s Church

Thirty years ago today, R.E.M. played its first-ever concert — reportedly billed as Twisted Kites — performing to several hundred friends and Athens townsfolk at a birthday party inside St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

Milestones: Depeche Mode’s classic ‘Violator’ released exactly 20 years ago today

Milestones: Depeche Mode’s classic ‘Violator’ released exactly 20 years ago today

In this installment of Milestones, we look at Depeche Mode’s classic ‘Violator,’ released exactly 20 years ago today. The record found the band at its commercial and artistic peak, and even sparked a near-riot in Los Angeles when the band showed up for an autograph session.

Milestones: Depeche Mode’s ‘101’ live double album released 21 years ago this week

Milestones: Depeche Mode’s ‘101’ live double album released 21 years ago this week

Depeche Mode’s live double album ‘101,’ recorded at the band’s massive Rose Bowl concert in 1988, was released 21 years ago this week. To mark the occasion, we look back, and offer up clips from the accompanying ‘101’ film.

Milestones: Minutemen, Black Flag recorded ‘Minuteflag’ EP 25 years ago this week

Milestones: Minutemen, Black Flag recorded ‘Minuteflag’ EP 25 years ago this week

The four-track ‘Minuteflag’ EP was recorded 25 years ago this week as a one-off jam by the members of Black Flag and the Minutemen, but not released until a year later following the death of the latter band’s D. Boon.

Milestones: The Smiths’ ‘Meat is Murder’ released 25 years ago today

Milestones: The Smiths’ ‘Meat is Murder’ released 25 years ago today

The Smiths’ classic second album, ‘Meat is Murder,’ was released Feb. 14, 1985 — exactly 25 years ago today. To mark the occasion, we’ve assembled live video of nearly every track on the album (“Well I Wonder” being the missing link).

Milestones: New Order’s ‘Technique,’ flavored by Ibiza, released 21 years ago today

Milestones: New Order’s ‘Technique,’ flavored by Ibiza, released 21 years ago today

Revered as an iconic singles band, New Order delivered, with its fifth album “Technique,” what now holds up — alongside 1985’s “Low-Life” — as its strongest front-to-back effort. The album was released on this date in 1989.