Chapter 01 — Today in music
On a day like today June 9
1915
Les Paul is born, the inventor who gave rock its solid body
On June 9, 1915, Les Paul was born in Wisconsin — a virtuoso guitarist and tireless inventor. His solid-body guitar, marketed by Gibson under his name, and his pioneering experiments with multitrack recording are two pillars without which rock as we know it would not exist. From Jimmy Page to Slash, half the genre's history was played on his invention.
Les Paul
1972
Bruce Springsteen signs with Columbia: the future of American rock officially begins
On June 9, 1972, an unknown Bruce Springsteen signed with Columbia Records, brought in by John Hammond, the same talent scout who had discovered Billie Holiday and Bob Dylan. The 'new Dylan' label nearly buried him, until 'Born to Run' proved in 1975 that he was something else: the great electric storyteller of the American working class.
Bruce Springsteen
One ephemeris a day, one editorial a week. Zero spam, pure archive.