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Today in rock history: On this date in 1969, Let It Bleed, one of the greatest and most beloved Rolling Stones albums was released. Featuring Stones classics like "Gimme Shelter", "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and “Midnight Rambler,” the album is one of the strongest and most consistent from the band’s lengthy body of work. Reaching No. 1 in England and climbing as high as No. 3 in the United States, Let it Bleed was also the last Stones album to feature founding member Brian Jones who passed away four months before the record’s release.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1981, Damaged, the debut (and integral west coast punk) album by legendary California outfit Black Flag, was released; it has remained one of the most influential and vital albums of the era. Voiced by powerhouse frontman Henry Rollins, the landmark album, released on famed punk-rock record label SST Records, was a vital part of the well-deserved exposure the onslaught of California-based punk bands so richly deserved. Standout tracks include “Rise Above,” “Six Pack” and “Padded Cell,” among so many more. The importance of this record cannot be understated and it truly belongs in every punk-rock record collection.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1975, reggae superstar Bob Marley released his highly regarded concert album, Live!. Backed by his mighty band The Wailers, the performances were recorded at London’s Lyceum Theatre in mid-July of 1975. The record brilliantly showed off Marley’s strong vocals, his fine compositions and the versatility of his band. A stupendous version of Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” was released as a single from the album which was the introduction to reggae music for many listeners worldwide. While originally released in truncated form, the album was eventually expanded to include much more from the triumphant performances captured at the height of Marley’s career.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 2012, jazz giant and pianist Dave Brubeck passed away. A fine composer and musical innovator, the Concord, California-born Brubeck had a near-death experience while diving off the coast of Hawaii in the early 1950s. After surviving the incident, Brubeck lived with continual neck pain, but it didn't stop him from forming a quartet that featured saxophone giant Paul Desmond. Known primarily for his 1959 jazz standard album Time Out, Brubeck — who was born in 1920 — instantly became known for intricate arrangements and his unique interpretation of time signatures (listen to his legendary number “Take Five”). After releasing a steady string of important and groundbreaking albums throughout his career, heart failure killed Brubeck one day before his 92nd birthday.