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Today in rock history: on this date in 1990, California-based alternative rock band Concrete Blonde released its third (and most successful) album, Bloodletting. The record found the band heading in more of a gothic rock direction as opposed to the heavier, more raucous sound of its two previous albums. The album fared extremely well and wound up achieving gold sales status marking sales numbers exceeding 500,000 copies sold. Bloodletting was propelled by “Joey,” a surprise hit that cracked the Top 20 on Billboard’s pop albums and topped the publication’s modern rock tracks chart. Enlisting Paul Thompson, original drummer for British art-rock band Roxy Music, on this fine record, Bloodletting helped introduce the talents of lead singer and chief songwriter Johnette Napolitano to a wider audience. Featuring a guest appearance by R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, Bloodletting is often considered to be Concrete Blonde’s strongest and most consistent album of its tenure.
WHO RUN?
Today in rock history; Meet Run-DMC, U2 stops the streets (have no name) and more
Today in rock history: on this date in 1986, pioneering New York City hip-hop group Run-DMC released its third album, Raising Hell. This legendary album set a new precedent for hip-hop album sales and was a tremendous hit on pop charts as well as on hip-hop/R&B charts. At the forefront of this album was the band’s collaboration with members of veteran rock band Aerosmith on the rock/rap remake of the band’s 1975 hard rock hit, “Walk This Way” which was a Top 10 single on Billboard’s pop, R&B and dance charts simultaneously. Other singles from Raising Hell included Run-DMC classics like “My Adidas,” “It’s Tricky” and “You Be Illin’.” Raising Hell sold more than 3 million copies in America alone and is regarded as one of the best hip-hop albums of all time and the breakthrough record by one of the most significant and groundbreaking hip-hop groups of all time.
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Today in rock history: on this date in 1995, exuberant British pop band Supergrass released its infectious, hook-laden debut album, I Should Coco. One of the brightest spots in the Britpop explosion of the mid-90s, this album showed the band to be a fun, playful, cheeky group at a time when many of its contemporaries were more consumed with being earnest, serious artists. I Should Coco is British Cockney slang for the phrase “ I Should Think So” and it wonderfully displayed the undeniable charm of this dynamic trio. A No. 1, platinum selling album in England, I Should Coco featured the band’s most recognizable single, “Alright” along with its very first single release, the ultra-catchy “Caught By The Fuzz” and three other singles that all charted well in England. Drawing heavily on the pop-punk influences of British bands Buzzcocks and The Jam, Supergrass became one of the leading bands of the Britpop movement and released several significant, strong albums before disbanding in 2010.
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Today in rock history: on this date in 1983, The Creatures, an offshoot band of British goth legends Siouxsie and the Banshees, released its debut album, Feast. Recorded in Hawaii, the album is an amazing collection of highly percussive songs that flirt with tribal rhythms, world music and lush arrangements. The slinky, soaring vocals of Siouxsie Sioux blend marvelously with drummer Budgie’s innovative, always intriguing, drum work and clever usage of an array of percussion. One single came from this sterling piece of work: the rhythmic, Japanese influenced, sparse “Kiss The Girl” which was a Top 20 hit in England. This daring, ambitious work from one of England’s most intriguing female vocalists and her one-time husband and accomplished drummer, racked up rave reviews for its originality and its departure from the Banshees sound. The Creatures would go on to release three more full length albums and several EPs, but Feast, its first proper album, remains the favorite among longtime Siouxsie and the Banshees fans thanks to its inventiveness and unconventionality.
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