Today in rock history: on this date in 1983, Irish rock band U2 released its third album, the bold and triumphant War. Following the moderate success of the band’s first two records, 1980’s debut album, Boy and its follow up, October, released the following year, the band had already acquired significant critical praise in America and Great Britain. But with the release of its third album, U2 achieved massive success thanks to the adulation this breakthrough record received. Regarded as the group’s very first record to delve into political subject matter, the album was not immediately received warmly by British rock journalists. While some viewed the shift in focus and the album’s topical songs as a misstep, the band’s increasing fan base responded by making this U2’s most popular and best-selling record of their still budding career. War was U2’s first No. 1 album in England where it accomplished the almost unfathomable by knocking Michael Jackson’s record-breaking album Thriller out of the top spot on British sales charts. Containing the hit singles “New Year’s Day,” “Two Hearts Beat as One” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” War was also U2’s first record to achieve gold sales status in America. Its success afforded the band the opportunity to undertake their very first headlining tour around the world and officially began U2’s meteoric rise to global fame.
Today in rock history: on this date in 1979, Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones released her self-titled debut album. Jones had built quite a following around L.A. thanks to her unique compositions, her distinctive voice and her uncommon delivery. Signed to Warner Brothers Records based on the popularity she’d gained around the L.A. scene, Jones was highly successful with her very first recorded effort. Resembling a free-spirited beatnik on the album’s front cover, Jones certainly didn’t look or sound like any other female singer-songwriter from the era. A surprise hit, the album became a platinum seller and reached No. 3 on Billboard’s pop albums chart, thanks in great part to the success of its first single, the jazz-inspired “Chuck E’s in Love” which became a top ten hit for Rickie. Featuring an impressive cast of guest musicians like Michael McDonald and Randy Newman, the album helped get Rickie Lee Jones recognized for which she was awarded with the Grammy award for the best new artist of 1979. Another single, “Young Blood” also received radio airplay and helped this fine album achieve sales of over 2 million copies sold in the United States alone.
Today in rock history: on this date in 1986, the soundtrack album for popular teen film Pretty in Pink was released. Another successful film directed by John Hughes (who was also responsible for other popular films Sixteen Candles and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), the music that was played throughout pivotal parts of the film made for a highly desired soundtrack album. The title of the film, a nod to a 1981 hit by British new wave band Psychedelic Furs, prompted the band to re-record the song by request in more of a pop-friendly style rather than the ragged, noisier fashion in which it was originally recorded. Created specifically for the film and the soundtrack were two signature songs by a pair of leading new wave bands of the day: O.M.D.’s “If You Leave” played a major role in the film’s story line and became the English band’s biggest hit in America thanks to its inclusion in the film. Post-punk leaders Echo & the Bunnymen supplied another landmark tune to the film and its soundtrack: its classic “Bring on the Dancing Horses.” Also appearing on the soundtrack were songs by The Smiths, INXS and New Order making it one of the favorite soundtrack albums of the decade.
Today in rock history: on this date in 1942, Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. Shortening his name to simply Brian Jones, the young musician’s love of blues music inspired him to begin a rock band that relied heavily on its blues influences. The Rolling Stones, one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time, was the brainchild of Jones who worked tirelessly to put the group together and get the Stones most of its early gigs which would lead to the band’s worldwide success. Initially playing a variety of instruments like slide guitar, harmonica and keyboards, Jones would expand his musical talents by also taking up wind instruments, sitar and marimba. Officially the band’s leader in the early days, Jones’ role in the band started to lessen as lead singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards forged a songwriting partnership and took more control of the direction the band would travel in. Not happy with the band abandoning its blues roots, Jones became disillusioned with the group he’d created and started to become more reliant on drugs. In 1969, when his addictions caused Jones to miss rehearsals, recording sessions and become less reliable he was kicked out of the band he’d created. Within a month of his departure from the band, Jones drowned in his pool at his home in a drug-related incident. While Jones was no longer a significant part of the Rolling Stones beyond the decade in which the group was formed, his influence and his contributions to the band and its success cannot be understated.
This article appears in Feb 22 – Mar 1, 2018.
