ON THIS DATE IN 1991, AN EPIC ROCK TOUR KICKED OFF IN MADISON WISCONSIN…BUT I HAVE TO WONDER IF EVERYONE AT THOSE SHOWS, INCLUDING THE BANDS, KNEW IT WAS AS EPIC AS IT WAS. IT WAS LA FUNK METAL ROCKERS THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS’ BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK TOUR…AT THAT POINT, THE PEPPERS HAD MADE THEIR MARK ON THE MUSIC WORLD BUT THE BANDS THAT THEY CHOSE TO SUPPORT THEIR TOUR HADN’T MADE AS BIG A DENT…YET…BEFORE THE TOUR, FRONTMAN ANTHONY KEIDIS SAW THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR A SONG CALLED “RHINOCERES” ON MTV FROM A CHICAGO BABY BAND CALLED THE SMASHING PUMPKINS,  KIEDIS CALLED THE BAND’S MANAGER AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD PLAY THE TOUR…THEY SAID YES. JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER THE PUMPKINS SAID YES, FORMER PEPPERS’ DRUMMER JACK IRONS CALLED ASKING THEM TO ALLOW HIS FRIEND EDDIE VEDDER’S NEW BAND PEARL JAM TO OPEN THE SHOW…LEGENDARY! THE FIRST SHOW OF THAT NOW EPIC TOUR KICKED OFF AND WAS A RAGING SUCCESS ACCORDING THE AN ARTICLE IN THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL, QUOTE, THE AUDIENCE WAS A SWIRLING MASS OF AIRBORNE CUPS, ICE CUBES, SHOES, SHIRTS, POGO DANCERS, BODY PASSERS AND STAGE DIVERS, END QUOTE. THE TOUR FOUND ITS WAY TO NORMAL ILLINOIS’ BRADEN AUDITORIUM IN NOVEMBER, AND WHILE I REGRET NOT GOING…YOUR MORNING X DUDE BAHAN WAS THERE! TODAY’S ROCK REWIND IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS SONGS, A STEVIE WONDER COVER FROM THEIR 1989 ALBUM MOTHER’S MILK AND PLAYED ON THAT EPIC HISTORY MAKING TOUR…”HIGHER GROUND” IT’S 105.7 THE X…CRANK IT UP AND GET FUNKY!