DEC 29-JAN 4: Historic events this week from Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, George Harrison and more
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DECEMBER 29, 1982: NEIL YOUNG RELEASES TRANS
The vocoder vocal effect had fans scratching their heads with the release of Trans.
“My son’s severely handicapped & was trying to find a way to communicate. That’s what Trans is all about. On that record, you know I’m saying something but you can’t understand what it is. That’s the exact feeling I was getting from my son.” – Neil Young
DECEMBER 30, 1999: GEORGE HARRISON ATTACKED
A paranoid schizophrenic broke into the Harrison home and stabbed the Beatle with a knife.
He survived the attack but suffered a collapsed lung and over 40 stab wounds.
DECEMBER 31, 1980: BRUCE’S 4½ HOUR CONCERT
Springsteen’s Long Island New Years Eve Show consisted of 38 songs and 2 encores which included 12 from his masterpiece, The River, and a cover of CCR’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain?”
JANUARY 1, 1975: STEVIE & LINDSEY JOIN FLEETWOOD MAC
After Mick Fleetwood heard “Frozen Love” from the album Buckingham Nicks, he knew Lindsey was the guy to replace the recently departed Bob Welch.
Buckingham agreed, as long as his music partner/girlfriend Stevie Nicks could join, as well.
Fleetwood Mac, the first album with the new lineup, became the band’s first #1 album.
JANUARY 2, 1971: ALL THINGS MUST PASS IS #1
Though McCartney was the first Beatle to have a US #1 solo album, Harrison was the first to go to #1 after the Beatles officially broke up.
All Things Must Pass features many songs “rejected” by The Beatles.
The classic album remained #1 in the US for 7 consecutive weeks
JANUARY 4, 1967: THE DOORS’ DEBUT ALBUM
The Doors’ classic debut album remains their biggest seller with 4 million copies sold in the US alone.
The album peaked at #2 on the charts thanks to #1 single “Light My Fire” and “Break on Through (To the Other Side)”.
JANUARY 4, 1975: “LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS” IS #1
Elton John’s cover of the Beatles’ psychedelic classic became his fourth US #1.
Featuring John Lennon on guitar and backing vocals, the single spent 2 weeks at #1 and sold over 1,000,000 copies.
