This Week in Music History 11-24

Summary

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Takin' a Walk – This Week in Music History 11-24

Podcast: takin' a walk
Host: Buzz Knight
Guest: Harry Jacobs
Release Date: November 24, 2025

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Episode Overview

This week’s episode of "Takin' a Walk" takes a deep dive into the key events, legendary figures, and memorable anniversaries in music history connected to the week of November 24th. Host Buzz Knight is joined by the “master of music mayhem” Harry Jacobs, as they explore stories behind iconic artists, classic albums, landmark concerts, and the creative dynamics that shaped the world of music. The conversation is both insightful and filled with personal moments, anecdotes, and honest reflections on lost legends and ongoing influences in the industry.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Remembering Freddie Mercury (03:00–04:05)

• Harry recalls the anniversary of Freddie Mercury’s death on November 24, 1991.
  • Highlights Freddie’s massively influential role in Queen, his creative genius (especially on "Bohemian Rhapsody"), and his orchestral approach to composition.
  • Refers to Freddie’s passing as "a huge loss" for music and culture.
  • "He orchestrated it, no pun intended… was a musical genius in a lot of ways." – Harry Jacobs (03:33)
• Buzz agrees, noting the distinctive and lasting impact Mercury left on music and popular culture.

2. Eric Carr’s Passing & Darwin’s ‘Origin of Species’ (04:05–04:44)

• Eric Carr (KISS drummer) also passed away on November 24, 1991.
• A lighter historical aside: Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species was published November 24, 1859.
• The hosts joke about not paying enough attention to Darwin in school, bringing humor and personality to the segment.

3. The Band’s "The Last Waltz" (05:00–07:58)

• November 25, 1976: The Band performs their farewell concert "The Last Waltz" at Winterland Ballroom.
  • Guests included Dylan, Neil Young, Clapton, and Joni Mitchell.
  • Buzz and Harry discuss internal band conflict and the behind-the-scenes tensions, especially Levon Helm’s reluctance.
  • Buzz highlights Joni Mitchell’s appearance: “It's just so beautiful. … the majority of the band members really were not up for this.” (05:18)
  • They reflect on The Band’s first two albums as masterpieces, and discuss the impact of recent deaths among band members, especially Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson.
• An amusing anecdote about trying (and failing) to record an interview on The Band’s tour bus, summing it up: “It was like Willie Nelson's bus... Contact high.” – Harry Jacobs (08:38)

4. Michael Hutchence and Band Aid (08:44–09:39)

• November 22, 1997: Michael Hutchence (INXS) found dead in Sydney, in circumstances discussed frankly by Harry.
  • “I'm rarely at a loss for words, but this was an odd one to lose him.”
• November 1984: Band Aid records “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” noted for its speedy release and lasting cultural impact.

5. Cream’s Farewell, Guns N’ Roses, & More Milestones (09:39–13:40)

• November 26, 1968: Cream’s final concert at Royal Albert Hall.
• 1987/88: Guns N' Roses' debut album "Appetite for Destruction" (timing clarified in discussion) climbs to #1.
  • Harry quizzes Buzz about the use of "Welcome to the Jungle" in film:
    • The answer: The Dead Pool (Dirty Harry franchise), 1988, starring Clint Eastwood and Jim Carrey.
    • “Appetite for Destruction is the number one selling debut album by a band in U.S. history.” – Harry Jacobs (11:57)
• November 27, 1942: Jimi Hendrix’s birthday in Seattle, highlighting his “gone too soon” story.
• George Harrison’s solo work "All Things Must Pass" released in 1970—both hosts call it a masterpiece.

6. John Lennon’s Last Concert, Whitney Houston’s Reign, and Grand Ole Opry (13:40–15:07)

• November 28: John Lennon makes his final public concert appearance (1974) at an Elton John show, years before his death.
• 1992: Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” begins a 14-week #1 run, tying it to the film The Bodyguard.
• 1925: Grand Ole Opry debuts on Nashville radio, a foundational event for country music and radio.

7. George Harrison’s Death & Jerry Lee Lewis Story (15:07–17:00)

• November 29: George Harrison’s death in 2001; discussed close to the anniversary of "All Things Must Pass."
• November 1976: Jerry Lee Lewis shoots his bassist Norman Owens at a party; hosts recount the bizarre incident with their usual mix of shock and humor.

8. Landmark Album Releases (17:00–17:32)

• November 30, 1979: Release of Pink Floyd’s The Wall.
• November 30, 1982: Release of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
  • Both highlighted as watershed moments in music history.

9. Breaking News: The Passing of Pierre Robert (17:00–20:40)

• Buzz reports, in real time, the news of WMMR DJ Pierre Robert’s death—a beloved Philadelphia radio icon.
  • Shares a heartfelt tribute, recounting Robert’s generosity, legacy, and community involvement.
  • “He was a good soul and an icon who walked tall and… as he would say… goodbye, good citizen.” – Buzz Knight (20:02)
• Harry offers condolences, acknowledging Buzz’s connection: “This is a sad day for radio and for people that knew and loved him.” – Harry Jacobs (20:22)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He orchestrated it, no pun intended… was a musical genius in a lot of ways.”
  — Harry Jacobs on Freddie Mercury (03:33)
• “I graduated from the Worcester Public Schools on a plea deal with the district attorney.”
  — Harry Jacobs, joking about studying history (04:49)
• “I love Joni Mitchell’s part of [The Last Waltz]… It's just so beautiful.”
  — Buzz Knight (05:18)
• “Contact high.”
  — Harry Jacobs, on attempting to interview The Band (08:38)
• “Appetite for Destruction is the number one selling debut album by a band in U.S. history. Wow, that crazy.”
  — Harry Jacobs (11:57)
• “He was a good soul and an icon who walked tall… goodbye, good citizen.”
  — Buzz Knight, memorializing Pierre Robert (20:02)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Event | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:00 | Freddie Mercury’s illness, announcement, and passing | | 04:05 | Eric Carr’s passing; lighthearted reflections on Darwin’s "Origin of Species" | | 05:00 | The Band’s The Last Waltz, group dynamics, and lasting impact | | 08:38 | Attempts to interview The Band; “Contact high” anecdote | | 08:44 | Michael Hutchence’s death and reflection | | 09:23 | Band Aid and "Do They Know It’s Christmas" | | 09:39 | Cream’s final concert | | 10:26 | Guns N’ Roses’ "Appetite for Destruction" and its movie connection | | 11:45 | GNR song appears in The Dead Pool; Appetite’s chart feat | | 13:40 | Jimi Hendrix’s birthday, George Harrison’s "All Things Must Pass" | | 14:06 | John Lennon’s last public show with Elton John | | 14:36 | Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” at #1 | | 14:54 | Grand Ole Opry radio debut | | 15:07 | George Harrison’s death; Jerry Lee Lewis’ birthday shooting incident | | 17:00 | Pink Floyd’s The Wall and Michael Jackson’s Thriller released | | 17:00 | Breaking news: Pierre Robert’s passing; emotional tribute by Buzz |

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Tone & Style

The conversation is lively, personal, and filled with mutual respect and admiration for musical legends. Buzz and Harry move fluidly between reverence, nostalgia, humor, and heartfelt tribute—especially in the emotional closing tribute to Pierre Robert. The banter is candid and engaging, giving listeners both deep insights and memorable, real-life stories behind the facts.

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Summary

This episode is a rich, entertaining, and moving journey through the anniversaries and milestones that make up the week of November 24th in music history. With a balance of expert commentary, personal anecdotes, and genuine emotion, Buzz Knight and Harry Jacobs bring classic moments, albums, and artists vividly to life for listeners—while capping the episode with a heartfelt on-air tribute to a beloved radio legend. For both music history buffs and casual fans, this week’s installment is packed with stories, context, and unforgettable moments.

Transcript

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[B]

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[A]

This is the Taking a Walk podcast and I'm Buzz Knight. Welcome back.

[B]

And this is another look at this.

[A]

Week in music history for the week of November 24th. I have a feeling it's going to be a robust week. But just to verify that, I turned to the master of music mayhem, Harry Jacobs. Harry, what do you got?

[D]

Got a bunch of stuff. Robust is probably an apt description of this week. We're going to start with Freddie Mercury November 24th. We talked about this a little bit last time over the last couple of episodes that you know, this was the time that he had announced that he had AIDS. November 23rd. Actually the the day before yesterday technically that he had AIDS. And on the 24th he actually passed away. He lived with the illness. He knew, obviously, he knew he was sick. People close to him knew he was sick. I think we all knew there was something going on. And he passed away quietly on November 24th. A huge loss.

[A]

Huge loss.

[D]

History. He was a. You know, he was a brilliant guy. We talked about Bohemian Rhapsody a couple of weeks ago and how much work he put into that song, how the whole thing was basically put together by him. He orchestrated it, no pun intended, and was really minus Radio Gaga. And Another One Bites the Dust, you know, was a. Was a musical genius in a lot of ways.

[A]

Yep, Agree.

[D]

Right, agree. And there was some. There was probably some genius involved. And Another One Bites the Dust, too. Simple, rhythmic, fun. 1991. On November 24th, Eric Carr, who was one of the guys that replaced Peter Chris, passed away. 1859. I know nothing about this. Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species. I'm not familiar with much of that. That's one of those things that. With Darwin and his theories. I never paid attention to much of that when I was growing up. I don't know why. And I love history.

[A]

Yeah, I love history. But I wasn't paying attention, apparently, to anything, as I look back.

[D]

Makes sense. November 25, 1962.

[A]

You're supposed to disagree with that. Sorry. Okay.

[D]

No, I agree. I agree, because I feel the same way. Like, my running joke, as you know, is I graduated from the Worcester Public Schools on a plea deal with the district attorney. I didn't pay attention to 1976. November 25th, the band performed the Last Waltz, the farewell concert at the Winterland Ballroom. Dylan, Neil Young, Clapton was a part of that. A big deal. You're a big fan of the Band and Robbie Robertson, and that was a big deal.

[A]

It really was. It's a great concert film to this day. I love Joni Mitchell's part of it as well. When she sort of appears in the background and comes out and is. It's just so beautiful. And then when you learn over time what was really going on, the majority of the band members really were not up for this. They had already become a fractionalized unit, certainly. And it didn't appear to us then that this was all going on, but the more we would learn years later, I think Levon in particular, Levon Helm, kind of went kicking and screaming to the Last Waltz because he just sort of felt like it wasn't his idea and really wasn't a fan of it, so. But it's a great film.

[D]

Yeah. There was angst in the ranks no doubt. Really at that point between the members, Robbie was notoriously difficult as well to, to do. I mean listen, we all have our personalities and when you're that close and you've got a band and you're working in close quarters like that. Yeah.

[A]

And you do then appreciate those, the first two albums even more when you, when you study what was going on with the band because of all the discontent that was happening and some of the, you know, the egos all colliding. So it really makes you. Further, I think at least me as a fan really appreciate those first two because those first two stand beautifully to this day and I think they are, you know, works of art. I like the rest of their catalog, don't get me wrong. But you really appreciate the first two. That's when it was fun. They were humming and it was, you know, it really was just a whole different thing. The Richard Manuel biography that came out in the last year is, is pretty intense in terms of getting a deeper understanding of, of the dynamics. When it was going well, you get this understanding. That's what you. That's more of what was in that biography. You know, the times that were going really well and how they were such a hard working, well oiled machine. The last one who, who passed was Garth Hudson who died I think in the last year and a half or so. He was, he was hanging on at a rest home somewhere in upstate New York. And so, you know, because Robbie passed fairly recently as well. Were we, were we working together at ZLX when we had them at the, the be in? Yeah.

[D]

You want to tell that story about Ken west on the, on the. Great Bob west on the, on the bus.

[A]

Well, I, I heard the story actually from Robert Mathers who described it, which I didn't by the way. I don't want to tell that story because I don't want to infringe on some people's. Let's just say lifestyle at the moment. So I'm going to respect that part. But let's just say our, our guys went on the bus to try to carry out an interview and record an interview. And it was like Willie Nelson's bus. Let's just call it what it was.

[D]

Hey listen, I got two words to describe the situation. Contact high.

[A]

That's it.

[D]

That's all.

[A]

Yep.

[D]

1997, Michael Hutchins of In Excess was found dead in Sydney. This one kind of hit me hard. I was an NXS fan and his death was clouded him. But his manner of death.

[A]

Oh God, yeah.

[D]

It, it's what they call auto erotic asphyxiation. He. I don't even know. I'm. I'm rarely at a loss for words, but this was an odd one to. To lose him. It was a big loss musically and he left us too soon. Yeah, they were.

[A]

Clearly had more. More in them, you know, musically.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. 1994. Do they know It's Christmas Time was recorded by Band Aid. Think about where we are. It's November 24th, we're a month away from Christmas and. And it was recorded and then it was released very quickly.

[A]

Yeah. A great, speedy release. Yep.

[D]

Yeah, great, great song. November 26, 1968, Cream played their final concert at Royal Albert Hall.

[A]

I feel like we just talked about that, but that was one year ago when we did the episode. So that's why.

[D]

That's right. And we did talk about the. The release of the live album, I think.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

So that's how. How it came up. There was. There was. There's been a bunch of Cream and over the last month or so.

[A]

Not complaining.

[D]

No. This is an interesting one and this will tax your memory because I'm going to go somewhere, I'm going to ask you a question about something.

[A]

Oh, boy.

[D]

And I've given you the answer already. Another open book test. This is similar to the. Was Dwayne Almond killed by Pete's truck?

[A]

Oh, boy.

[D]

1988, Guns N Roses debut album comes out Appetite for Destruction. You remember that?

[A]

I do. I'm Frightened, by the Way, so I'm Listening.

[D]

Hit number one after a year of climbing the charts. Opening track was welcome to the Jungle. I mean, great stuff that, right? Mr. Brownstone, Paradise City. Sweet child. Welcome to the Jungle was featured in a movie. It was featured in a movie which had been a series of movies starring a famous actor. 1988 was its final chapter. Jim Carrey was in the movie. He played a movie star and a rock star and. And that's the first place that we heard welcome to the Jungle. Do you remember either the star of the movie or the name of the movie?

[A]

Is the star have the first name Arnold?

[D]

No, sir.

[A]

Oh, darn.

[D]

I thought. I thought you're in the. You're in the right side of the country for where he lives now. I'm going to just give it to you.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

You know this because we talked about it.

[A]

Yeah. I'm going to. I'm going to like. Slammed the mic down in disgust.

[D]

The last Dirty Harry movie was the Deadpool. Yes, right.

[A]

It was. I knew it was a franchise of sorts. But it wasn't Arnold, it was Clint Eastwood.

[D]

Clint. And I will tell you, I remember seeing this movie somewhere in 1988 in Worcester with our friend Chuck Nolan. Oh, and we heard the song for the first time in the movie. It was before it was, you know, getting played on rock radio. And we, we were, we left talking about welcome to the jungle, hearing it for the first time. But the, the deadpool was about a celebrity death list and Jim Carrey's character was on it. And this by the way, to date, Appetite for destruction is the number one selling debut album by a band in U. S. History. Wow, that crazy. Yeah. That is 2003. November 26th. This is another one where I think you're going to say no to it. We ever fan of the Lord of the Rings? No, same, same here. Lord of the Rings, the return of the king, premiered in New Zealand. I just had to ask if it was something you were close to. I knew, I guess I knew the answer. November 27, 1942, Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle. And another one that just as we say all the time, just went too soon. Part of the 27 Club. Interesting that he was born on November 27th. George Harrison in 1970 released All Things must pass. This thing was a masterpiece as far as albums are concerned. You're a fan of obviously Harrison and this album.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely, totally.

[D]

November 28th, we skip to the next day. John Lennon made his final public concert appearance. Did you know that? Do you know the, the year that thinking about the fact that he died in 1981, the last time he made a public concert appearance, was that the benefit? It was on stage with Elton John during an Elton John concert.

[A]

Oh, was it an Elton concert?

[D]

Oh, in 74. Think about it. He went from 74, never got on stage again.

[A]

Incredible.

[D]

And lived, you know, a fair amount of time after that. In 1992, I will always love you began a 14 week run at number one by Whitney Houston. That was part of a bodyguard movie. Kind of a hokey movie, but really good. Whitney Houston, Kevin Costner. Whitney was a, you know, a superstar, no doubt.

[A]

I mean I, and I know you and the pop stuff. I, I, I, I know you love the pop.

[D]

Not so much Whitney. For me it's not just pop, it's more disco.

[A]

Well, but songs, Whitney's pop, good songs, you know.

[D]

Yeah. I want to somebody.

[B]

I said it.

[A]

Yeah, you said it.

[D]

You said it. You said it was good.

[A]

I said it, yeah.

[D]

1925, the grand old Opry debuted on radio in Nashville. This was a A big event for. For country in general and for radio at that time.

[A]

Yes, for sure.

[D]

Just a couple days after, historically, the release of All Things Must Pass, which are on the 27th, November 29th, George Harrison passed away, 58 years old. Sad day. 1976, Jerry Lee Lewis. You know, if I'm talking Jerry Lee Lewis, there's going to be some sort of crazy ass story that's going to accompany it. He shot Norman Owens, who was his bassist. They were celebrating his birthday, Jerry's. And Jerry pulls out a handgun and he's shooting in a Coke bottle. Somehow he shoots his bassist. He. He wasn't charged with shooting the bassist. He was charged with discharging a firearm within city limits. He never got it. Was it his birthday party? He pulls out his gun and starts shooting at a door at a Coke bottle. And Owens was around there. And by the way, the relationship between he and Owens didn't go well after that. As you can imagine. You get shot by somebody, probably not on talk. Owens survived and then he won a lawsuit a couple years after that. $125,000 in damages was a misdemeanor charge for Jerry. And that $125,000 would probably be about $800,000 today. But there's your crazy Jerry Lee Lewis story. We get a couple of them a year that pop up on this little program of ours. November 30th, 1979, is when the Wall was released finally in the US and on the same day in 1982, Thriller was released. And with those two, that's this week in music history. And next week, Buzz, it's already going to be December.

[A]

Harry, I do want to report something really sad here, that the day we're recording this, actually, which is the last Wednesday in October, just for full disclosure, even though this is the November week that we're over. So the passing was just announced of one of the great DJs in. In rock radio history, no less Philadelphia radio history. Pierre Robert passed away from wmmr.

[D]

Oh, wow.

[A]

And I just saw the news. I was. As we were recording this, I was seeing an influx of some people calling. And it was a bit odd to me that they were all. It didn't seem like a good thing that people were calling as we were recording this. So reading this from Radio Inc. Philadelphia radio has lost one of its most enduring local voices. WMMR midday host Pierre Robert was found dead at his home on Wednesday. Robert joined WMMR in 1981, and he became synonymous with the city's rock identity for More than decades, his generosity was, was well known. He regularly hosted and supported community events from the AIDS Walk to the Pie in the sky fundraiser. Championed countless local charities. In 2019, his legacy was cemented with his inclusion of Philadelphia's Music Alliance Walk of Fame, which I was able to be there for that. And I don't even know. I'm, I'm, I'm in shock from this announcement what, what he meant to Philadelphia and what Philadelphia meant to him. He was a transplant from out, out west, so he was not.

[D]

I didn't realize that.

[A]

Not, not, you know, born and raised in Philadelphia, but love Philadelphia with all his heart. I just saw something on social media a week or two ago of him and one of his co workers seeing David Byrne. I mean, went to shows. Probably if he could go to a show every night, he would go to a show every night and was, was approachable to all the, the fan base was, was always there with, with, with an open arm and a hug when I went through, from my time working with that station, that great people. So I, I'm so saddened by the news. So I thought, you know, in real time. Like I said, let's just announce that we're recording this, this episode at the end of October, but rest in peace, Pierre Robert. There's. There's nobody like him. And, and a sad, sad moment to.

[D]

Report you've had a relationship with him.

[A]

Yeah, this, this guy, this guy was, was not just a radio icon. He was just a, he, he was a, he was a good soul and an icon who, who walked tall and as he would say, I'll use his term, goodbye, good citizen.

[D]

Yeah, I, you know, I never got to meet him, but I heard you talk about him often over the years from, you know, from time to time and always spoke so highly of him. So this is, this is a sad day for radio and, and for people that knew and loved him.

[A]

He will not be forgotten. Rest in peace, Pierre Robert. So ending it on that note. Harry, thank you for, for everything for this Week in Music history. This is the week of November 24th.

[D]

And we will have another episode on, on Monday the 1st and we're going to kick it off with something about the birds.

[A]

Thank you, Harry, and thanks to all you for listening to this Week in Music history on the Taking a Walk podcast.

[B]

This episode of Taking a Walk is brought to you by Chase Sapphire Reserve. Whether I'm booking my next vacation or going to a concert, Chase Sapphire Reserve is my gateway to, to the world's most captivating destinations. When I use my Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. I get eight times points on all the purchases I make through Chase Travel and even access to one of a kind experiences like music festivals and sports events. And that's not even mentioning how the card gets me into the Sapphire Lounge by the club at select airports nationwide. No matter where I'm walking, travel is more rewarding when with Chase Sapphire Reserve. Discover [e-mail] Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank, NA member FDIC subject to credit approval terms apply.

[E]

What a matchup we got, y'.

[A]

All.

[E]

This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beat everybody showing that school pride. A game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there. Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere and an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo no matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work so grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast.