I can think of no better way to kick off the weekend than with a smorgasbord of good records. I am going to need some help with Depeche Mode and Elvis Costello from you rock and roll rabble as I am familiar with those bands but was never really into them.
Today in 1979 (Wikipedia says it was June 22 but my usual source says it was today) Neil Young and Crazy Horse dropped a crazy good live album, "Rust Never Sleeps". During touring the prior year the band would play an acoustic and live set and the album follows the same format. Most live albums are a collection of hits with a few rarities or new songs thrown in, but not this one. Most, if not all, of the songs were first released to the public as live songs on this album and the public responded positively, sending the album to #8 on the chart.
Today in 1981 Foreigner released a monster of an album called "4". This record held the #1 slot on the chart for 10 weeks and sold over seven million in the United States alone. Powered by classic cuts like "Jukebox Hero", "Urgent", and "Waiting for a Girl Like You", "4" marked the high water mark of Foreigner's career. A young Thomas Dolby (She Blinded Me With Science) provided the keyboard work prior to finding success on his own.
Today in 1982 Elvis Costello and The Attractions released "Imperial Bedroom". I don't know much about Elvis and the band but the critics all loved it and regular folks did, too, as the album cracked the top-40. Sadly, the one Elvis Costello song I know and love, "Pump It Up", is not on this record.
Today in 1984 The Time released "Ice Cream Castle". If this album reminds you of Prince that's because he wrote or co-wrote all six songs on the record. Recorded while The Time was still touring with Prince in support of "1999", this disc contains The Time's two biggest hits, "Jungle Love" and "The Bird", which were also featured in the movie "Purple Rain". On the strength of those two jams the album reached #24 on the chart.
Also in 1984 Depeche Mode released "People Are People". I never liked these guys but any kid that watched MTV that year certainly knows the title track. I don't know if this album is any good because I have never listened to it.
In 1991 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released "Into the Great Wide Open". Coming two years after Petty's solo debut, "Full Moon Fever", the Heartbreakers were in top form once again. The title track and "Learning to Fly" were both hit singles and the video featured Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway, Matt Leblanc, and Terrence Trent D'Arby (Wishing Well). Jeff Lynne (ELO) produced the album, which reached #13 on the chart, and also co-wrote two songs, including the one featured below.
