On This Date, March 17th in 1978: Generation X, featuring lead vocalist Billy Idol, released its self-titled debut album, which contained the single, “Ready Steady Go” and featured the songs “Wild Youth, ” “Wild Dub,” “Your Generation” and a cover of John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth” – all of which got loads of airplay on Rodney Bingenheimer’s weekly, Sunday evening show, Rodney On The Roq on radio station KROQ in Los Angeles. Generation X is still one of my favorite albums of that era.
Meet Them!
On This Date, January 20th in 1964: The Beatles released the album Meet The Beatles! Every song on this album is a work of musical genius. Released on January 20, 1964, Meet The Beatles! was the first Capitol Records Beatles album, issued in both mono and stereo, but it’s actually the second Beatles’ album released in the United States, despite the “first album” claim on its cover. Ten days prior to the release of Meet the Beatles!, Chicago’s Vee-Jay Records released The Beatles’ first album, Introducing…The Beatles, which had been delayed for release from the previous summer. In 2003, Meet The Beatles! was ranked number 59 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
On This Date, January 12th, in 1969: Led Zeppelin released its debut album in the UK (the US release date was January 17th). The album’s iconic cover artwork, chosen by guitarist Jimmy Page, features a black and white photo of the 1937 Hindenburg airship disaster. Led Zeppelin!
RIP Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson
On This Date, December 10th in 1979: Industrial music pioneers Throbbing Gristle released their third album, 20 Jazz Funk Greats (Industrial Records). The album’s cover photograph was taken at Beachy Head, a chalk headland on the south coast of England. The cliff located there is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 530 feet above sea level.
Continue reading Classic Post Punk Album: Throbbing Gristle’s 20 Jazz Funk Greats
On This Date, November 26th, in 1976: The Sex Pistols released their debut single “Anarchy in the U.K.,” from the very excellent album, Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols. “Anarchy…” peaked at number 38 on the UK singles chart but did not chart in the US. In 2007, the band’s surviving members (not including Bassist Glen Matlock) re-recorded the song for the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock because the masters could not be found.