Historic events this week from Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Pink Floyd, Foo Fighters, U2 and more
JUNE 29, 1984: “DANCING IN THE DARK” VIDEO
Brian De Palma (Scarface) directed the video for Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” Filmed live in concert at St. Paul Civic Center, the song was performed twice to ensure De Palma had all the shots he’d need.
The video’s notable for featuring a 19-year-old Courteney Cox, who is brought on stage to dance with The Boss.
JUNE 30, 1992: SINGLES SOUNDTRACK
The soundtrack to Cameron Crowe’s Singles was a pivotal release, serving as a comprehensive introduction to the burgeoning Seattle grunge scene for mainstream audiences.
Featuring tracks from Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, The Smashing Pumpkins, Paul Westerberg and more, it was an instant hit selling over two million copies and peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart.
JULY 2, 1991: TOM PETTY RELEASES INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN
Tom Petty’s 1991 album Into the Great Wide Open reunited him with the Heartbreakers after going solo with Full Moon Fever.
The Jeff Lynne-produced album delivered a collection of polished, radio-friendly tracks like “Learning to Fly” and “Into the Great Wide Open” and sold over two million copies.
JULY 2, 2005: PINK FLOYD REUNITE AT LIVE 8
The classic Pink Floyd lineup reunited at Live 8 for their only concert with Roger Waters since 1981. Their 5-song set included “Breathe”, “Breathe (Reprise)”, “Money”, “Wish You Were Here” and “Comfortably Numb”.
With Richard Wright’s passing in 2008, Live 8 would prove to be the lineup’s final show together.
JULY 3, 2001: WHITE BLOOD CELLS BY THE WHITE STRIPES
The White Stripes’ White Blood Cells is a raw and energetic album that propelled the duo to wider recognition, cementing their garage rock revival sound with tracks like “Fell in Love with a Girl.”
The entire album was reportedly recorded in just three days to capture a “real tense feeling” and the band’s live energy.
JULY 4, 1995: FOO FIGHTERS’ DEBUT ALBUM
Foo Fighters’ self-titled debut album was almost entirely a solo effort by Dave Grohl, who recorded all the instruments himself.
The only exception was a guitar part on the song “X-Static,” played by fellow Backbeat Band member Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs. Foo Fighters spawned several popular singles, including “This Is a Call,” “I’ll Stick Around,” and “Big Me.”
JULY 5, 1993: U2 RELEASES ZOOROPA
Zooropa was an experimental departure that continued U2’s exploration of alternative rock and electronic music, highlighted by singles like the Edge-led “Numb,” the sprawling “Lemon,” and the emotive ballad “Stay (Faraway, So Close!).”
The album notably featured a guest vocal performance from country music legend Johnny Cash on the closing track, “The Wanderer,” as well as significant creative input from longtime collaborator Brian Eno, who contributed synthesizers, piano, backing vocals, and loops.
