There were many Frank Zappas: guitar virtuoso, studio tinkerer, writer of raunchy rock songs. But at his core, he was a legitimate composer, with ideas
Category: History
Love Over Gold was something of a calm before the storm for Dire Straits. Released on Sept. 24, 1982, the LP burnished their reputation as
Peter Gabriel became fascinated with found sounds while recording his fourth album at a home studio being overtaken by dry rot. New Fairlight synthesizer technology
Radiohead’s “Creep” may forever be regarded as one of the ’90s defining rock songs, but it was roundly dismissed by critics and U.K. listeners upon
Before R.E.M. was finished making Out of Time, they had begun crafting Automatic for the People. They just didn’t know it yet. In December 1990,
“Heroes” is the second album in David Bowie’s deservedly vaunted “Berlin trilogy” of the late ’70s, but it was the only one recorded in the
Success didn’t come overnight for INXS. Since its formation in 1977, the band had slowly but surely developed a following in its native Australia. Their third album, 1982’s Shabooh Shoobah, was their first
Billy Joel was on a roll as he began making his eighth album. The singer-songwriter was riding three consecutive multiplatinum triumphs – 1977’s The Stranger, 1978’s
“Shadows of the Night” endured a difficult route to becoming a global hit single in 1982 – and Pat Benatar, who made it happen, endured
“Try Not to Breathe” is a pretty bleak command. And, indeed, the second track from R.E.M.’s Automatic for the People is about death. But the