Why Seattle Icons Make September 24th Matter in Rock History

September 24th in rock history has Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana leading the way, today.

Jimmy goes to Jimi and well, Nevermind, just a little Nirvana album that turned rock on its ear came out today in 1991.

Today in 1966, Jimi Hendrix arrived in London in the company of his new manager, Chas Chandler. Chandler was a bassist with the original Animals and discovered Hendrix playing in a Greenwich Village go-go club. On the flight to England, Hendrix changes the spelling of his name from “Jimmy” to “Jimi."

Today in 1988, James Brown led police on a high-speed chase through Georgia and South Carolina while high on PCP.   His day started with his brandishing a shotgun inside an insurance office wondering boisterously to the forty-odd salesmen present who would have the audacity to use his personal washroom? His day ended after a two-state pursuit where at least a dozen rounds were fired into his pickup. He was arrested and sentenced to six years in prison for weapons possession and assaulting his wife. Although he was offered a deal to plead guilty and spend ninety days in jail, he refused and was sentenced instead to two concurrent six-year terms. He served three years and got out on good behavior, being paroled on February 27th, 1991.

And speaking of 1991, the Red Hot Chili Peppers released their 5th LP, and it's arguably their best, "Blood Sugar Sex Magick" this day, but one of the true game changer releases gets top billing today as 29 years ago Nirvana released "Nevermind".

September 24th will basically never be forgotten by original Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler, for one of the wildest up and down swings on one anniversary day you could imagine. Today in 1993 Adler reached a $2.5 million settlement in his lawsuit against G N' R and the group's managers. Adler was thrown out of the band because he couldn’t kick his heroin habit. The agreement was reached shortly before the lawsuit would have gone to the Superior Court jury. Then on the 5th anniversary of that day, as in today, in 1998,  Adler, then 33-years of age, is sentenced to 150 days in jail for beating two women he dated and for violating his probation from an earlier domestic violence conviction.

Catch Toni Gonzales tonight for a lot more on these topics 7:00 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday on the Columbia Basin's Rock Station, 97 Rock!