From the Desk of CLASSICKONG
Welcome back, music lovers, to another edition of This Day in Music History, coming to you from WTSG-DB — GREAT MUSIC, GREAT RADIO, GREAT COMMUNITY!
October 14 brings us some extraordinary music. We’re celebrating KISS at the height of their 1970s popularity, David Bowie’s experimental brilliance, Cyndi Lauper’s remarkable debut, and birthdays honoring some truly unforgettable voices and musicians.
We’ll also remember the legendary Leonard Bernstein, a man who helped bring the beauty of music into millions of homes.
But first, let’s celebrate a couple of our National Days!
National Dessert Day — And Something With Antennas?
Today is National Dessert Day, and frankly, that’s a celebration I can get behind!
Chocolate cake? Absolutely. Apple pie? You bet. A big slice of cheesecake? Now we’re talking!
Unfortunately, October 14 is also National Chocolate-Covered Insects Day.
WHAT?!
Buddy, who thought THAT was a good idea?
I can just imagine sitting at the WTSG-DB Diner when Honey brings me something special.
CLASSICKONG: “Honey, why is my dessert picking up AM radio signals?”
HONEY: “Well, sweetheart, you said you wanted something with good reception!”
CLASSICKONG: “I SAID GOOD CONFECTION!”
HAHAHAHA!
Folks, we have standards around here. If my dessert has antennas, it’s going back to the kitchen!
Now, let’s get to the music!
KISS — Alive II: The Soundtrack of a Childhood (1977)
Album: Alive II (1977)
Label: Casablanca Records
Producer: Eddie Kramer and KISS
October 1977 was an extraordinary time to be a KISS fan.
The band had become one of the biggest attractions in rock music, and following the success of Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over, and Love Gun, they delivered another explosive live album: Alive II.
The original U.S. vinyl release is documented as October 24, 1977, although some modern digital catalogs list October 14. Either way, this month marks the 49th anniversary of an album that meant the world to me.
And folks, this one is personal.
I was a kid when my mother bought me Alive II at Kmart.
You have to understand what that meant back then.
We didn’t have the internet. We didn’t have smartphones delivering music news every thirty seconds.
We had magazines, radio, record stores, and whatever information we could find about our favorite bands.
And for a young KISS fan, the anticipation surrounding a new album was almost impossible to describe.
I WAS HYPED!
Kmart was the place to buy records in our town. I can still remember the excitement of those days, even if I can’t recall every detail of opening that particular album.
What I remember most clearly is our family’s Marantz stereo.
My dad loved his equipment and took wonderful care of it. Our records were kept right there in front of the stereo, and I’d sit listening to KISS while studying the album covers, photographs, and liner notes.
Destroyer. Alive. Alive II.
Buddy, as a fan, it didn’t get much better than that!
And what an album Alive II was.
“Detroit Rock City,” “Love Gun,” “God of Thunder,” “Shock Me,” “I Stole Your Love,” and “Shout It Out Loud” captured the larger-than-life spectacle that made KISS such an attraction.
The original double album featured three sides of live recordings and a fourth side containing five studio tracks, including “All American Man,” “Larger Than Life,” and Ace Frehley’s “Rocket Ride.”
And let’s not forget the packaging!
The gatefold concert photography, the Evolution of KISS booklet, and the temporary tattoos made the album an experience beyond the music itself.
KISS understood something about being a fan: the excitement didn’t stop when the needle left the record.
Here’s something funny.
Just this past week, nearly 49 years later, I bought Alive II again on CD.
And I couldn’t help wondering whatever happened to all those original records I owned.
Who knows?
But here’s what I do know.
My mother bought me the music. My father provided the stereo. And KISS provided one unforgettable soundtrack to my childhood.
CLASSICKONG’S MUST HAVE: Alive II (1977, Casablanca Records), along with the original Alive! (1975).
Discogs: KISS — Alive II
David Bowie — Heroes: The Sound of Reinvention (1977)
Album: “Heroes” (1977)
Label: RCA Records
Producers: David Bowie and Tony Visconti
On October 14, 1977, David Bowie released one of the most adventurous albums of his career, “Heroes.”
Recorded in Berlin, the album became the second installment in Bowie’s celebrated Berlin Trilogy.
And look who’s back in our music-history conversations!
BRIAN ENO!
HAHAHA! Buddy, we’ve talked about this man so many times lately that I’m beginning to think he deserves his own parking space at WTSG-DB!
But there’s a reason his name keeps appearing.
Eno’s creative contributions helped Bowie explore unusual textures, synthesizers, and atmospheric arrangements that challenged conventional rock music.
Then there’s guitarist Robert Fripp, whose extraordinary sustained guitar lines helped make the title track so distinctive.
And Tony Visconti’s production brought these elements together with remarkable imagination.
The title song, “Heroes,” remains one of Bowie’s most moving recordings, building from restrained beginnings into an emotional, soaring performance.
What’s particularly fascinating is that the album wasn’t a massive American commercial success upon release.
Yet its influence continued growing over the decades.
Sometimes great music doesn’t follow trends.
Sometimes it helps create them.
CLASSICKONG’S MUST HAVE: “Heroes” (1977, RCA Records).
Discogs: David Bowie — Heroes
Cyndi Lauper — She’s So Unusual Changes Pop Music (1983)
Album: She’s So Unusual (1983)
Label: Portrait Records
Producer: Rick Chertoff
October 14, 1983, brought the release of Cyndi Lauper’s extraordinary debut solo album, She’s So Unusual.
And buddy, when Cyndi Lauper arrived, she ARRIVED!
With her colorful appearance, unmistakable voice, and enormous personality, Lauper became one of the defining performers of the MTV generation.
The album delivered an incredible collection of songs, including “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” “All Through the Night,” and “Money Changes Everything.”
It also included her interpretation of Prince’s “When You Were Mine.”
But behind the colorful presentation was a seriously talented vocalist.
Lauper could be playful, powerful, vulnerable, and emotionally convincing, sometimes within the same performance.
“Time After Time” remains one of the great pop ballads of the decade.
And while it came later, from her 1986 album True Colors, I have to mention the title song “True Colors.”
That one has always been a favorite of mine and my wife.
Some songs simply find a permanent place in your heart.
Cyndi Lauper has given us more than a few of those.
CLASSICKONG’S MUST HAVE: She’s So Unusual (1983, Portrait Records) and True Colors (1986, Portrait Records).
Discogs: Cyndi Lauper — She’s So Unusual
Dan McCafferty — The Unforgettable Voice of Nazareth (1946–2022)
Born: October 14, 1946
Died: November 8, 2022
Today we remember the birthday of one of hard rock’s most distinctive singers, Dan McCafferty.
Born in Scotland, McCafferty became the unmistakable voice of Nazareth.
And WHAT A VOICE!
Rough, powerful, emotional, and instantly recognizable.
Nazareth’s 1975 album Hair of the Dog, released on A&M Records in the United States, remains a hard-rock classic.
The title track delivered plenty of attitude, but the band’s version of “Love Hurts” demonstrated something entirely different.
McCafferty could take a tender ballad and fill it with enormous emotional intensity.
That recording became a radio staple, and for good reason.
His voice carried both the power of hard rock and the vulnerability of a great blues singer.
Dan passed away in 2022 at age 76, but those recordings remain as powerful as ever.
Happy heavenly birthday, Dan. Thank you for the music.
CLASSICKONG’S MUST HAVE: Hair of the Dog (1975, A&M Records in the U.S.).
Discogs: Nazareth — Hair of the Dog
Justin Hayward — The Voice and Heart of the Moody Blues (1946)
Born: October 14, 1946
We’re also celebrating the 80th birthday of Justin Hayward, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the Moody Blues.
And talk about beautiful melodies!
Hayward helped give the Moody Blues their unmistakable sound through recordings such as “Nights in White Satin,” “Tuesday Afternoon,” “Question,” and “The Voice.”
His songwriting combined rock, orchestral arrangements, and deeply emotional melodies.
The 1967 album Days of Future Passed, released on Deram Records, remains one of the defining examples of rock music embracing symphonic ambition.
And Hayward’s voice was a perfect match for that musical vision.
Some singers impress you with sheer power.
Others reach you through phrasing, tone, and emotional sincerity.
Justin Hayward has always belonged in that second category.
Happy 80th birthday, Justin!
CLASSICKONG’S MUST HAVE: Days of Future Passed (1967, Deram Records).
Discogs: The Moody Blues — Days of Future Passed
A.J. Pero — A Powerhouse Behind the Drums (1959–2015)
Born: October 14, 1959
Died: March 20, 2015
Today we also remember the birthday of A.J. Pero, the powerhouse drummer best known for his work with Twisted Sister.
And buddy, this guy was a BEAST behind the kit!
His thunderous drumming helped drive Twisted Sister classics like “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock.”
But here’s something that tells you how highly regarded Pero was among fellow musicians.
When Adrenaline Mob needed a drummer following the departure of Mike Portnoy, who did they bring in?
A.J. FREAKIN’ PERO!
Think about that!
Portnoy is one of the most accomplished progressive-metal drummers of his generation. Replacing him was no small assignment.
And Pero stepped into that role alongside one of my favorite hard-rock vocalists, Russell Allen of Symphony X.
The band’s 2014 album Men of Honor, released through Century Media, showcases that combination of tremendous vocals and hard-hitting musicianship.
Sadly, Pero died in 2015 after suffering a heart attack while touring with Adrenaline Mob. He was only 55.
His fellow musicians remembered not only his drumming but also the person behind the instrument.
A remarkable musician, a powerhouse performer, and a man whose contributions to hard rock deserve to be remembered.
Rest in peace, A.J.
CLASSICKONG’S MUST HAVE: Twisted Sister’s Stay Hungry (1984, Atlantic Records) and Adrenaline Mob’s Men of Honor (2014, Century Media).
Discogs: A.J. Pero — Recordings and Credits
Leonard Bernstein — A Lifetime Devoted to Music (1918–1990)
Born: August 25, 1918
Died: October 14, 1990
On October 14, 1990, the world lost one of the most extraordinary musical figures of the twentieth century.
Leonard Bernstein.
Composer. Conductor. Pianist. Educator.
And above all, a man whose musical achievements crossed boundaries.
Bernstein helped introduce generations of Americans to classical music through his work with the New York Philharmonic and his celebrated Young People’s Concerts.
But his contributions reached far beyond the concert hall.
Consider his magnificent score for West Side Story, which premiered on Broadway in 1957, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
“Maria.” “Tonight.” “Somewhere.” “America.”
Good grief, what beautiful music!
And this is another personal one for me.
As a young pianist, I served as the full-time accompanist for our high school concert choir, beginning in my freshman year.
We performed music from West Side Story, and those melodies have stayed with me all these years.
There’s something special about music that challenges you as a performer and still moves you decades later.
Take “Maria,” for example.
Bernstein uses the tension of an unusual musical interval, the tritone, and transforms it into one of the most soaring and romantic melodies in musical theater.
That’s extraordinary craftsmanship.
Bernstein’s legacy also reminds us of something important about music education.
Great teachers don’t simply demand excellence. They help students discover what makes music worth pursuing.
And Bernstein spent much of his life sharing that passion with audiences of all ages.
He was 72 when he passed away, leaving behind a musical legacy that continues to inspire performers and listeners throughout the world.
Thank you, Maestro.
CLASSICKONG’S MUST HAVE: West Side Story — Original Broadway Cast Recording (1957, Columbia Records).
Discogs: West Side Story — Original Broadway Cast
Prince — Controversy (1981)
Album: Controversy (1981)
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Producer: Prince
On October 14, 1981, Prince released his fourth studio album, Controversy.
Blending funk, rock, pop, and new wave, Prince continued developing the musical identity that would make him one of the most innovative artists of his generation.
Songs such as “Controversy,” “Let’s Work,” and “Do Me, Baby” demonstrated his remarkable range as a performer, writer, and producer.
And this was before 1999 and Purple Rain would take his popularity to another level.
CLASSICKONG’S MUST HAVE: Controversy (1981, Warner Bros. Records).
Discogs: Prince — Controversy
Final Spin — The Music We Carry With Us
You know, folks, something occurred to me while preparing today’s edition.
Music has an extraordinary way of bringing the past back to life.
An old KISS album can take me straight back to my childhood, sitting in front of my father’s Marantz stereo, studying the album cover while the music played.
A beautiful Bernstein melody can remind me of sitting at a piano accompanying a concert choir.
And sometimes, a familiar song brings back memories of the people who encouraged us, believed in us, and helped us become who we are.
My father loved music. He spent years working on his guitar playing, particularly the jazz music he admired so much.
He taught me something important without ever having to explain it.
Practice can make you better. But loving what you do is what makes you a craftsman.
And I think that applies to more than music.
Whatever your passion may be, give it your attention, your patience, and your heart.
And never underestimate the encouragement you can give someone else along the way.
Because sometimes the greatest gift we can give another person is simply helping them believe in themselves.
Until next time, keep the music playing.
Listen to Today’s Broadcast/Podcast
Listen to the October 14, 2026 edition of This Day in Music History on WTSG-DB.
References
- Apple Music — KISS: Alive II
- KISS Concert History — Alive II Original Release and Recording Details
- David Bowie Official Website — Heroes
- David Bowie Official Website — Heroes Album Focus
- Apple Music — Cyndi Lauper: She’s So Unusual
- Library of Congress — She’s So Unusual
- The Guardian — Dan McCafferty Obituary
- Moody Blues Official Timeline
- AllMusic — A.J. Pero
- Leonard Bernstein Official Timeline
- Apple Music — Prince: Controversy
- Food Reference — October 14 Observances
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