Rock History covering Bon Jovi, Grateful Dead, Dee Snider, Frank Zappa, John Denver and Lita Ford

September 19th, 1988 Bon Jovi at home, 1987 Grateful Dead colorized, 1985 Dee Snider testifies, and happy birthday to Lita Ford.

Bon Jovi's New Jersey | Today in Rock September 19

September 19th, 1988, Bon Jovi released their album, “New Jersey.” The leadoff single from the album is “Bad Medicine”, and then there’s other hits from the album like “I’ll Be There for You”, “Born to Be My Baby”, and “Lay Your Hands on Me.”

Today in 1987, the Grateful Dead hit number 10 on the charts with “Touch of Grey.” This is the only top 10 single the band ever has, and really, if you think about it, it’s the only legitimate hit that the band has scored.

Today in 1985, a Senate hearing. Frank Zappa, John Denver, and Dee Snider of Twisted Sister testify because the Parents Music Resource Center, the PMRC, is leading a campaign to get albums labeled when they have explicit lyrics. The record industry agrees to voluntarily label records. But it kind of backfires on them because the records with the labels seem to sell better than the records without.

Dee Snider testifies before the US Senate |Today In Rock September 19

And then we take a look at the calendar. We find a rock birthday on it, born today in 1958. One time guitarist from The Runaways and a solo artist, the one and only Lita Ford.

Happy Birthday Lita Ford | Today In Rock September 19

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