An album heralded as a return from born-again proselytizing, the Mark Knopfler-produced 'Infidels' began Bob Dylan's journey back toward mainstream music making — and it may have been even better but for some last-minute tinkering.
As opposed to the marathon session that produced most most of the Beatles' first album, their follow-up, 'With the Beatles,' was recorded during a series of dates in the summer and fall of 1963. The final day of recording took place on the morning of Oct. 23, 1963 at Studio Two at Abbey Road.
The Grateful Dead went three years between studio albums in the period leading up to 'Wake of the Flood.' Over that time, blues-soaked keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan had died, and his replacement, Keith Godchaux, would take the group into jazzier territory on the 1973 return.
By the start of 1973, Fleetwood Mac were in a state of flux, trying to find solid footing and an identity for the band. The recent departure of longtime guitarist Danny Kirwin led to a fluctuating lineup, with the addition of guitarists Bob Weston and Bob Welch, as well as Dave Walker, who would supply some of the vocals on Mac's first 1973 offering, 'Penguin.' But the overstuffed lineup didn't last long, and by the time sessions started for their next album, 'Mystery to Me,' Walker was gone, and Welch had settled into his role as frontman.
One of the most highly regarded rock documentaries got its start 27 years ago this week, when director Taylor Hackford and musical producer Keith Richards filmed the two concerts held for the all-star Chuck Berry tribute 'Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll' in St. Louis on Oct. 16, 1986. The movie was released a year later.
There are so many albums in Neil Young's catalog that most fans wouldn't miss a stray out-of-print entry or two. But that isn't the case with his infamous "lost" 1973 live release, 'Time Fades Away.'
On their own, drummer Jeff Porcaro, keyboard player David Paich, bassist David Hungate, guitarist Steve Lukather and vocalist Bobby Kimball were some of the most in-demand session players of the '70s and '80s. Together, they formed Toto's original lineup -- and starting with the October 1978 release of their debut album, they kicked off a recording career that would soon see them topping the charts and selling millions of records on their own.
After releasing their elegantly titled debut album, 'My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair ... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows,' in mid-1968, Tyrannosaurus Rex quickly became fixtures on the U.K. underground scene. Their engaging live performances, and support from the likes of John Peel on his radio show, helped spread their reputation.
By 1978, AC/DC had packed their relatively short, half-decade career with five albums and hundreds of concerts. For their strenuous efforts they deservedly attained a considerable amount of success around the world. But they still hadn't cracked the platinum-sales mark in the U.S. That career benchmark was just around the corner, with the following year's 'Highway to Hell.' But before taking that next step, the band decided the time was ripe to celebrate its first few years with a live album, the now-classic 'If You Want Blood You've Got It.'