This Week In Classic Rock History

June 14-20: Historic events this week from The Beatles, Billy Joel, David Bowie and Neil Young.

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JUNE 14, 1966: THE BEATLES\’ BUTCHER COVER

The Yesterday and Today compilation largely featured tracks from Rubber Soul and Revolver.

It\’s notable for its controversial cover featuring the band draped in meat and doll parts.

The album was recalled when stores refused to sell it due to the offensive cover art.

The cover was replaced with a photo of the Beatles and a steamer trunk

In 2016, an original \”butcher cover\” sold at an auction for $125,000.

• • •

JUNE 14, 1980: GLASS HOUSES IS #1

Glass Houses was Billy Joel\’s second US #1 album in a row, after 52nd Street.

Thanks to hit singles \”You May Be Right\” and \”It\’s Still Rock and Roll to Me\”, the album was #1 in the US for 6 consecutive weeks.

Glass Houses earned Joel a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance in 1981.

• • •

JUNE 16, 1972: THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS

Bowie\’s 5th album was a big one for him, introducing the world to his most famous and beloved stage persona, \”Ziggy Stardust\”.

With nearly 8 million sold worldwide, it remains Bowie\’s second best-selling album behind 1983\’s Let\’s Dance.

In 2017, the Library of Congress deemed the album \”culturally, historically, or artistically significant\”.

• • •

JUNE 20, 1975: TONIGHT\’S THE NIGHT

Neil Young\’s sixth album, Tonight\’s the Night, is a dark album about loss and grief.

Young\’s guitarist, Danny Whitten, and roadie Bruce Berry both died of overdoses within several months of one another.

Early releases of the deeply cathartic album contained liner notes from Neil Young: \”I\’m sorry. You don\’t know these people. This means nothing to you.\”

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