This Day in Rock History: November 11

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1965: The Beatles completed recording their sixth studio album, Rubber Soul. They had started laying the groundwork on Oct. 12 and released it a few weeks later, on Dec. 3.
• 1966: The Who released their first-ever extended play, called Ready Steady Who, via Reaction Records. It was released a month before their second studio album, A Quick One, and featured five songs.
• 1995: The Smashing Pumpkins' third studio album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, got to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart. Helped by huge hits such as "1979" and "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," it went on to sell over 10 million records in the U.S. alone.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1968: John Lennon and Yoko Ono released their first album, called Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins. The experimental work was the result of an all-night music session at Lennon's home studio, while his wife at the time, Cynthia Lennon, was on holiday.
• 1973: Rory Gallagher released his fourth studio album, Tattoo, via Polydor Records. It showcased his skill as a blues-rock guitarist and was a moderate commercial success in the U.K., selling around 100,000 copies.
• 1978: David Bowie played in Australia for the first time, at the Adelaide Oval. It was part of his Isolar II Tour, which ended later that year with a show in Japan's Nippon Budokan.