Historic events this week from Led Zeppelin, Counting Crows, Muse, The Jayhawks, Foo Fighters, Talking Heads, The Replacements and more
SEPTEMBER 13, 2000: CAMERON CROWE’S ALMOST FAMOUS
Stillwater, the fictitious band in Almost Famous, is a composite of the many artists Cameron Crowe covered as a journalist for Rolling Stone magazine.
One of those bands, Led Zeppelin, loved an early cut of the movie so much, they gave Crowe permission to use five of their songs in the final cut of the film.: “The Rain Song”, “Bron-Yr-Aur”, “Tangerine”, “Misty Mountain Hop” and “That’s the Way.”
“That’s the Way” would be included on the Grammy award winning soundtrack album.
SEPTEMBER 14, 1993: AUGUST AND EVERYTHING AFTER BY COUNTING CROWS
Counting Crows‘ debut album, August and Everything After, became a massive success, reaching number four on the Billboard 200 and eventually selling over seven million copies in the US. Its introspective lyrics and rich, roots-rock sound, led by the hit single “Mr. Jones,” captivated audiences and established the band as a major force in the alternative rock scene.
SEPTEMBER 14, 2009: MUSE RELEASE THE RESISTANCE
Muse‘s fifth LP, The Resistance, was their first produced by the band themselves and drew heavily on George Orwell‘s dystopian novel, 1984. Muse picked up their first Grammy award when The Resistance won Best Rock Album; beating out Pearl Jam, Jeff Beck, Neil Young and Tom Petty.
SEPTEMBER 15, 1983: SPORTS
Approaching 10 million records sold, Sports remains Huey Lewis and the News‘ biggest album.
Sports, the band’s third album, was their first of two #1 albums, and contained the hits “Heart and Soul”, “I Want a New Drug”, “The Heart of Rock & Roll”, “If This Is It” and “Walking on a Thin Line.”
SEPTEMBER 15, 1992: HOLLYWOOD TOWN HALL
The Jayhawks‘ Hollywood Town Hall is a landmark album that is often cited as a cornerstone of the burgeoning alternative-country movement. Featuring “Waiting for the Sun”, it was the band’s major-label debut and successfully introduced their signature blend of country-rock, folk, and melodic pop to a wider audience.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2017: FOO FIGHTERS RELEASE CONCRETE AND GOLD
Taking inspiration from The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s…, Foo Fighters‘ Concrete and Gold is a diverse collection of songs featuring an appearance from guest drummer Paul McCartney on the Taylor Hawkins sung track, “Sunday Rain.” Featuring the Grammy-winning “Run,” the album was the band’s second US #1 album after 2011’s Wasting Light.
SEPTEMBER 16, 1977: TALKING HEADS: 77
Honing their unique sound in the legendary New York City venue CBGB’s, Talking Heads translated their eccentric live performances into the critically acclaimed album Talking Heads: 77. The record’s fusion of punk and funk, anchored by the iconic single “Psycho Killer,” would become a blueprint for countless new wave artists.
SEPTEMBER 18, 1985: TIM BY THE REPLACEMENTS
Tim, The Replacements‘ fourth album, is a critical milestone that captured the band’s transition from raucous punk rock to a more polished, yet still emotionally raw, power-pop sound. Featuring staples like “Bastards of Young” and “Kiss Me on the Bus,” the album solidified the band’s reputation as one of the most important voices of the 1980s alternative scene.
SEPTEMBER 19, 1970: AFTER THE GOLD RUSH
Neil Young‘s third solo album was inspired by a film script written by actor Dean Stockwell.
Having been suffering writer’s block, Young became inspired and envisioned his new songs fitting in well with the movie.
The film was never made, but it resulted in After the Gold Rush. Neil Young‘s first masterpiece.
