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Today in rock history: on this date in 1979, Athens, Georgia party band The B-52s released their self-titled, debut album. Riding the crest of the new wave explosion of the day, the five-piece band and its irresistible first album arrived at the perfect time. A bona fide good time pressed on two sides of wax, the album appealed to fans of many different ages and cultures and soon became the hippest album on the planet. Singles like “Rock Lobster," “Dance This Mess Around,” and “Planet Claire” were equal parts kitsch, sci-fi, and far out new wave all woven together in one fun, groovy package. Lead singers Fred Schneider, Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson all took turns on lead vocals and harmonized together to make this one of the best debut albums of all time.
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Today in rock history: on this date in 1964, the first film starring The Beatles, A Hard Day’s Night premiered at the Pavilion Theater in London, England. A mixture of a documentary-like day in the life look at the band mixed in with live performances, the film was an instant hit both the U.K. and in the U.S.
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Today in rock history: on this date in 1973, a brand new glam rock band called Queen released its very first single, “Keep Yourself Alive.” The single was a flop on British charts and would appear later on the band’s self-titled debut album. It wasn’t until the band’s third album in 1974, Sheer Heart Attack, that it would score a genuine worldwide hit single with their classic, “Killer Queen."
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Today in rock history: on this date in 1967, Pink Floyd made its British television debut when they appeared on weekly BBC music program, Top Of The Pops performing its current single, “See Emily Play.”
This article appears in Jul 6-13, 2017.