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Today in rock history: On this date in 1979, Michael Jackson released his enormously successful solo album, Off the Wall. Produced by jazz mastermind and musician Quincy Jones, the album featured an intoxicating blend of soul, disco, pop and R&B and became Jackson's first massive, breakout success as a solo artist. After piles of hits with his brothers in The Jackson 5, a group that would later be renamed as simply The Jacksons, Michael was no stranger to successful records. He'd released popular solo records before, but none of this magnitude. Hits from the record included "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Rock With You" and the title track which were all incredibly successful on both pop and R&B charts. Off The Wall was critically praised and went on to sell more than 20 million copies worldwide. The album paved the way for Michael's next undertaking, the 1982 follow-up Thriller, which still stands as the best-selling album of all time.
DEAR JETHRO
A heart-to-heart with British rock legend Ian Anderson (w/playlist)
Today in rock history: On this date in 1947, Jethro Tull lead singer and songwriter Ian Anderson was born in the town of Dunfermline in the Scottish county of Fife. The recognizable and animated singer has fronted the band for its entire existence and has helped transform Jethro Tull from a blues-based rock band into one of the most decorated and beloved progressive-rock bands of all time. The band's breakthrough album, 1971’s Aqualung, introduced it to a wide array of listeners and benefited from the radio airplay it received. Anderson, who is also known for his flute playing on many Jethro Tull records, is also a multi-instrumentalist and also owns several salmon farms. Anderson has stayed active and busy with both music and personal side projects for most of his career. Read our recent interview with him here.
"ELEVEN" QUESTIONS
Vegan Bryan Adams admits wanting to duet with Beyonce, talks scoring Broadway’s Pretty Woman and more
Today in rock history: On this date in 1985, Canadian rocker Bryan Adams scored his very first U.S. No. 1 album with his blockbuster release, Reckless. The album had been steadily climbing the charts for a good portion of the year before it overtook the top spot on this date 33 years ago. Aided by a slew of hit singles that were both radio and MTV staples, the album went on to sell several million copies in the States alone and helped Adams move from playing theaters and being known as an opening act to headlining arenas all around the country. Songs like "Run To You," "Summer of '69," "Heaven" and "It's Only Love," a scorching duet with powerhouse singer Tina Turner, kept Reckless high on sales charts for the majority of 1985 and helped establish the singer and songwriter as a major worldwide star. The album topped sales charts in several countries around the world and was the first album by a Canadian artist to sell more than 1 million copies within Canada. Read our interview with Adams here.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1943, the unmistakable and infectious Ronnie Spector, former lead singer and focal point of the family singing group The Ronettes, was born in New York, New York. Born Yvette Bennett, Ronnie's career took off at a young age thanks to her distinctive voice and her dynamic stage presence. Highly influenced by another young singer, Frankie Lymon, the former lead singer of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Spector carved out her niche quickly and established herself as one of the most influential and dazzling vocalists of the girl group era. Her union with record producer Phil Spector helped Ronnie and her group score worldwide hits like "So Young," "Baby, I Love You" and, of course, the classic "Be My Baby." Spector has worked alongside admirers like Bruce Springsteen, Joey Ramone and Marshall Crenshaw over the years and is still busy and active as a touring artist.
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This article appears in Aug 9-16, 2018.