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Today in rock history: On this date in 1976, George Harrison released his seventh studio album, 33 1/3. The record was regarded as a return to form for the ex-Beatle who released a few not-so-critically-acclaimed records in the years after his 1970 classic All Things Must Pass. Harrison's latest contained a couple of hit singles including "This Song," which referenced a famous plagiarism lawsuit he was hit with. This warmly received album sold well (it went gold and reached No. 11 on American sales charts) and included guest artists like longtime Beatles collaborator Billy Preston, Gary Wright and David Foster.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1982, Led Zeppelin released its final album. Coda came two years after the death of drummer John Bonham ushered in the band's breakup; it was made up of cover tunes, unused tracks and previously unreleased songs. The record came as a bittersweet treasure trove of songs for those still mourning the loss of this incredible band. This multiplatinum-selling collection was a huge hit upon its release, climbing to the Top 10 on sales charts all around the world and producing singles "Ozone Baby," "Poor Tom" and "Darlene." A deluxe, 2015 reissue shed further light on this compilation album by adding another 15 tracks of rough mixes and alternate versions of songs.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1973, British progressive rock group Emerson, Lake & Palmer released its landmark fourth album, Brain Salad Surgery. Featuring ELP classics like "Jerusalem," "Still… You Turn Me On" and the "Karn Evil 9" suite, the record was popular upon its release and reached the Top 10 on sales charts in both America and Britain. Critical reception was mixed, however, with many rock journalists feeling that the record was too self-indulgent and over the top. The album's superb artwork and packaging was designed by renowned Swiss artist Hans Ruedi "H.R." Giger who went on to design album covers for Glenn Danzig, Debby Harry and the Dead Kennedys on the way to winning an Academy Award for his work on the 1979 sci-fi thriller, Alien.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1955, Carl Perkins recorded the classic "Blue Suede Shoes" at Sun Studios in Memphis. Within a year, the song became a U.S. No. 2 hit and a U.K. No. 10 hit for Perkins, and it has been covered by many acts including Elvis Presley and John Lennon.
This article appears in Nov 15-22, 2018.