Historic events this week from Stevie Nicks, Bryan Adams, The Smashing Pumpkins, Mick Jagger, Tom Petty and Alice In Chains.
JULY 27, 1981: STEVIE NICKS’ BELLA DONNA
Stevie Nicks‘ solo debut, Bella Donna, became her biggest album outside of Fleetwood Mac, achieving a #1 spot on the charts and selling over 4 million copies. This multi-platinum success was driven by hit singles such as “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” featuring Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Edge of Seventeen,” and “Leather and Lace” with Don Henley.
JULY 27, 1991: BRYAN ADAMS’ MASSIVE #1 HIT
Bryan Adams had his second US #1 hit (after “Heaven”) with the release of “(Everything I Do) I Do it for You.” The massive hit appeared on the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves soundtrack, as well as Adams’ sixth studio album, Waking Up the Neighbours. The single made Bryan Adams a Grammy winner and an Oscar nominee.
JULY 27, 1993: THE SMASHING PUMPKINS RELEASE SIAMESE DREAM
The Smashing Pumpkins‘ Siamese Dream is celebrated for its incredibly dense and layered guitar sound, with frontman Billy Corgan reportedly overdubbing dozens of guitar tracks on some songs to achieve its signature expansive sonic landscape. Despite the album’s polished sound, its creation was fraught with internal band tension, including drug addiction and Corgan’s intense perfectionism, which led to him playing nearly all guitar and bass parts.
JULY 28, 1970: MICK JAGGER STARS IN NED KELLY
Mick Jagger made his feature film acting debut as the infamous iron outlaw, Ned Kelly. A year before Ned Kelly’s release, Jagger told The Australian Women’s Weekly: “I am taking this film very seriously. Kelly won’t look anything like me. You wait and you’ll see what I look like. I want to concentrate on being a character actor.”
JULY 29, 2014: TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS RELEASE HYPNOTIC EYE
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers‘ Hypnotic Eye marked a career high by becoming their first and only album to reach #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This Grammy-nominated album, celebrated for its return to a more raw, rock sound, achieved its chart-topping success 38 years into their recording career. Hypnotic Eye holds the bittersweet distinction of being the final studio album released by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers before Petty’s passing in 2017, serving as a poignant capstone to their prolific discography.
JULY 30, 1996: ALICE IN CHAINS RELEASE UNPLUGGED
Alice In Chains‘ platinum-certified Unplugged album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. This impactful live acoustic session, one of the band’s last major appearances with Layne Staley, was famously attended by members of Metallica. Bassist Mike Inez humorously decorated his instrument with “Friends Don’t Let Friends Get Friends Haircuts…” a jab at Metallica‘s recent decision to cut their famously long hair.
