October 2 Rock And Roll History

Click here for some great rock and roll history facts!

On this day in 1968, Motown Records filed a $4 million lawsuit against the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team for not delivering any new songs for a whole year. 

In 1970, Pink Floyd released their album Atom Heart Mother in the UK. It was their fifth album, but the first one to go to number 1. The original album cover art was of a cow standing in a pasture with no text or any indication of what the record might contain. Storm Thorgerson, who created album art for the band, was inspired by Andy Warhol's famous ‘cow wallpaper.’ The graphic designer said that he drove out into a rural area near Potters Bar, England and photographed the first cow he saw. The cow's name has since been revealed: ‘Lulubelle III.'

In 1971, Rod Stewart released a two-sided record, "Maggie May / "Reason To Believe,” that went all the way to number one in the U.S. Stewart later said he was surprised by how popular "Maggie May" was, and he was quoted as saying, "I still can't see how the single is such a big hit. It has no melody." Even so, the song ranked at #131 on The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004.

Also in 1971, John Lennon's "Imagine" LP entered the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. The album reached #3. Early editions included a postcard featuring a photo of Lennon holding a pig. This was making fun of Paul McCartney posing with a sheep on the cover of his album "Ram."

In 1977 on this day, Gene Simmons' solo LP received a Platinum record. This album was one of four released at the same time by the members of KISS. Simmons' went to #22 in the U.S., making his the one that charted the highest. 

And in 1982, Peter Gabriel and Steve Hacket joined their former Genesis bandmates for a benefit performance in Buckinghamshire, England to help raise money for Gabriel's WOMAD (World of Music, Arts, and Dance) project. The reunion was just a one-time event.