Today in rock history: On this date in 1977, while riding on a crest of enormous success and massive record sales, Fleetwood Mac scored its first (and only) No.1 Billboard pop single with “Dreams." The song hailed from the band’s record-breaking album Rumors, which occupied the No. 1 slot on album charts for the majority of 1977. Although three other Top 10 hits were culled from Rumors (“Don’t Stop,” “Go Your Own Way” and “You Make Loving Fun”), none were able to reach the top like the Stevie Nicks-penned "Dreams." As the rest of the band worked on the recording of the album and Nicks was not needed at the moment, she slipped into an adjoining studio that once belonged to funk pioneer Sly Stone and wrote “Dreams” in just under 10 minutes. When presented to the band, legend has it that the other members weren’t too thrilled with it but Nicks was adamant that the song be recorded and succeeded in convincing her bandmates to do so. “Dreams” held the top spot for only one week but still remains the one and only Fleetwood Mac single to make it as high as No. 1. The band — sans Lindsey Buckingham — will play Tampa's Amalie Arena on February 18.
MOSTLY MAC
Fleetwood Mac is playing Tampa's Amalie Arena on February 18
Today in rock history: On this date in 2011, longtime E Street Band member Clarence Clemons passed away as a result of a stroke he’d suffered about one week prior. Although Clemons seemed to be on the mend after undergoing two surgeries following the stroke, he unfortunately took a turn for the worse and died due to complications. Springsteen’s constant right-hand man and onstage foil, Clemons was a fan favorite for decades thanks to his overwhelming onstage presence, his charisma and the incredibly powerful sax work he added to the rich E Street Band catalog. Dubbed “The Big Man,” Clemons usually always received the biggest and grandest onstage intro whenever Bruce would introduce band members during his live concerts. Adding his recognizable, distinct talents to Springsteen classics like “Jungleland,” “Sherry Darling” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” (which also includes a line about Clarence’s addition to the band in its infancy), Clemons’s absence from Bruce Springsteen shows has been glaringly obvious since his death. In his place, his nephew Jake has taken over the role of Bruce’s sax player and has done a fine job filling his famous uncle’s shoes ever since.
Today in rock history: On this date in 1948, the Columbia Record Company introduced the creation of the Long Play, or LP, at a press conference in New York City. As a reaction to the limited amount of music that was able to fit on the prior format, the larger, bulkier 78 RPM records, Columbia conceived a 12-inch vinyl record that played at 33 revolutions per minute. The LP was able to fit 23 minutes of music per side as opposed to the three minutes that each side of a 78 RPM was limited to. The format would become an instant success and proved to be more durable and economical than 78s. Sixty years later, the 33 RPM, 12-inch LP remains a favorite for music purists and audiophiles. Here's a list of Tampa Bay record stores that sell 33s.
Today in rock history: On this date in 1942, rock music legend Paul McCartney was born in Liverpool, England. As half of the most successful rock and roll songwriting duo of all time, McCartney — along with former bandmate, the late John Lennon — rose to enormous fame and success in the early 1960s thanks to his work with The Beatles. After the band broke apart, McCartney embarked on a solo career and soon conceived another hit-making band, Wings, which also featured his late wife Linda. Among McCartney’s many accolades and awards are two separate inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; one as a Beatle and the other as a solo artist. Paul has been awarded 18 Grammy Awards throughout his multi-decade career and has written or co-written a whopping 32 songs that have gone on to be No. 1 hit singles. McCartney has also been awarded knighthood in England making his title Sir Paul McCartney. Still musically active, McCartney turns 76 years old today and has recently announced plans to soon release a brand new album in the not-too-distant future. Read our review of McCartney's 2017 Tampa show here.
