This Day in Rock History: October 1

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1966: Hendrix made his first-ever live appearance in the United Kingdom at the Regent Street Polytechnic. He was invited by Cream to jam with them on stage, as Eric Clapton and the rest of the band were in awe of Jimi's skill and unique approach to guitar playing.
• 1970: Janis Joplin completed her last day of recording, as she passed away just three days later. The session consisted of an a cappella version of "Mercedes Benz," which she nailed in one take, and a birthday message to John Lennon.

Cultural Milestones

• 1970: Hendrix, electric guitar's biggest talent and innovator, was buried near his mother's grave at the Greenwood Cemetery in Renton, Washington. A memorial was established there in 2002.
• 1982: Sony released the world's first compact disc player, the Sony CDP-101, in collaboration with Philips. It's seen as a huge moment in music history due to the excellent durability, sound quality, and capacity of CDs.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1984: U2 released their fourth studio album, The Unforgettable Fire, via Island Records. It represented a major sonic shift for the band, as they moved away from the traditional hard rock sound of their previous album and experimented with new sounds and styles.
• 1996: Nirvana released the live album From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah, which is a compilation of 17 live performances recorded between 1989 and 1994. The album's purpose was to showcase the band's heavier side after their highly successful MTV Unplugged in New York release two years prior.