The Boys Next Door - Door, Door (1979)

Australia's Crow received high praise from Juice magazine as it was deemed "Australia's greatest band". The last band to hold that honor, according to that particular Australian music journal, was a post-punk outfit by the moniker The Birthday Party. The Birthday Party, however, was not always a post-punk outfit and it was not always called The Birthday Party. This once greatest Australian band began at Caulfield Grammar School with a group of boys that called themselves The Boys Next Door.

Nick Cave on vocals, Mick Harvey on guitar, and Phill Calvert on drums were the core of the band from its inception in 1973. Other students John Covivera (guitar), Brett Purcell (bass), and Chris Coyne (saxophone) were also one-time members, but only Chris Coyne had any input (as a non-member) on any Boys Next Door recordings. While still in school, the core's influences came from glam and art rockers like David Bowie and Roxy Music. As they graduated in 1976, the Australian punk movement exploded and the affects could be felt in the band's changing live sets. New Wave material also found its way into their act. Guitarist Rowland S. Howard joined the band in 1978 and became a catalyst in its sonic experimentation.

During the last years of their existence, The Boys Next Door toured Australia prolifically (bootlegs of their performances are common) and garnered both critical and moderate commercial success. In 1978, the group saw the release of their first two singles: a cover version of "These Boots Are Made for Walking" and "Shivers". They followed this up in 1979 with the release of their debut album Door, Door, a selection of slightly poppy, punkish songs from their concerts. The EP Hee Haw marked the last official release of the group as The Boys Next Door and is representative of the constantly shifting direction they would take as The Birthday Party.

Here is the discography surrounding The Boys Next Door's debut album:

These Boots Are Made for Walking (1978 single)
Shivers (1978 single)
Door, Door
Hee Haw (1979 EP)
Scatterbrain (1979 gig freebie)





If you have any ideas for where the musical history tour should go next, please give a shout.

Pass the Headphones!!

Crow - My Kind of Pain (1993)

No, I'm not doing the same band twice in a row. It turns out there are about eight bands (that I could find) that go or went by the name of "Crow" such as a prog-rock group from the UK, punk rock and visual kei bands from Japan, and a hardcore band from South Korea. Not to mention bands and artists like DJ Crow, Sheryl Crow, Bart Crow Band, The Crows, Counting Crows, The Black Crowes, and Russel Crowe's various bands. The band that caught my eye, however, was an Australian band called Crow.

Friends Peter Fenton and Peter Archer formed the band in 1986 in Canberra, Australia. The two would share guitar, vocal, and songwriting roles. They were joined by Jim Woff on bass and brother John Fenton on drums. The band moved to Sydney and gradually became renowned on the underground circuit for their explosive and confrontational performances.

Crow's first experience with a record label was in 1990 with EP and single releases under Phantom Records, but they were not able to capture the energy of their live set and found no commercial success. The band nearly broke up before Half A Cow Records were able to convince them into a new deal that resulted in their 1993 debut album My Kind of Pain. The album was successful on an underground level and considered one of Australia's greatest rock records of the nineties.

Here is the discography surrounding Crow's debut album:

Sunburnt Throats and Happy Thunderclouds (1990 EP)
Ravine (1992 single)
Crow (1992 EP)
Vermonstress (1992 live recording)
Railhead (1993 single)
My Kind of Pain
The Helicon Days (1994 EP)





If you have any suggestions for where the tour should go next, please give a shout.

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Crow - Crow Music (1969)

Black Sabbath's debut album was most notable for its original songs but did feature two well-executed covers. An extended version of The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation's "Warning" ends the album, and "Evil Woman", a 1969 hit by Minnesota band Crow, was the album's only UK single.

Many musicians of the mid-1960s Minneapolis music scene went in and out of band line-ups trying out different sounds and looking for that next top 20 hit that would propel the scene to a national audience. At the behest of local manager David Anthony, South 40 formed in 1967 as an amalgam of members from local favorites The Rave-Ons and The Jokers Wild. The group got their biggest break after winning an audience with Columbia Records in a "contest for rock bands" in Des Moines.

The band changed their name to Crow (after all, who doesn't love bands named for birds), but Columbia didn't pick up their option because they were "a little bit too funky for them" according to bassist Larry Wiegand. The band also featured David Wagner on vocals, Dave "Kink" Middlemist on organ, and Larry Wiegand on guitar. Harry Nehls originally contributed his skills on the drums, but he left to join another Minneapolis group T.C. Atlantic. The band replaced him briefly with Mike Malasgar and finally filled the vacancy with Denny Craswell previously of Minneapolis one-hit wonder (one of the many) The Castaways.

Their growing stock was noticed by Dunwich Productions A&R man Bob Monaco who began shopping the band around to potential record labels. Although they had a potential audience with Atlantic Records, Crow was signed with the much smaller Amaret records though they eventually proved unable to "cover" them. On top of that, Amaret overlayed a horn section to some of Crow's tracks in post-production against their will. Still, the group decided to play along just to get their first album on the shelves. The band's first single "Time to Make a Turn" was unsuccessful on the charts. Finally listening to the band's input, Amaret put out "Evil Woman" as the album's second single which went on to hit the top 20 of the Billboard 200 in 1969. Later that year, Crow would change its base of operations to Chicago, play every possible gig, and eventually tour on a national stage.

Their debut album Crow Music sold well in due part to the success of "Evil Woman". Although the band complained about the alteration to their music, the horn section can only be heard on their two singles and b-side "Gonna Leave a Mark". The rest of the album ranges in style from heavy blues to R&B, but the sonic foundation comes from Crow's garage rock, Minneapolis roots.

Here is the discography surrounding Crow's debut album:

Baby Don't Love Me (1965 single as The Rave-Ons)
I Want You to Love Me (1965 single as The Rave-Ons)
Love Pill (1966 single as The Rave-Ons)
All I See Is You (1967 single by Jokers Wild)
Good Lovin' (1967 single as South 40)
Because I'm Free (1968 single by Jokers Wild)
I Want Sunshine (1968 single as South 40)
Live at Someplace Else! (1968 live album as South 40)
Peace Man (1969 single by Jokers Wild)
Crow
Time to Make a Turn (1969 single)
Evil Woman (1969 single)
Liquid Giraffe (2013 compilation album by Jokers Wild)



If you have any ideas for where the tour should go next, give a shout.

Pass the Headphones!!

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1970)

The departure of Mick Abrahams left a glaring absence in the guitar slot of Jethro Tull's lineup. It was promptly (though briefly) filled by a young guitarist Tony Iommi. He was a member of the band long enough to be featured in "The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus" (see Jethro Tull video clip) but left soon after due to leadership disagreements with Ian Anderson. Iommi then rejoined his old band Earth, which would rechristen itself as Black Sabbath.

Black Sabbath emerged from remnants of two fractured Aston bands. Tony Iommi (guitar) and Bill Ward (drums) came from the band Mythology while "Ozzy" Osbourne (vocals, harmonica) and Geezer Butler (bass) survived the band Rare Breed. The four merged in 1968 to form The Polka Tulk Blues Band, which would become Earth and finally Black Sabbath. They toured the West Midlands originally envisioning themselves as a heavy blues band, but as the band progressed in skill and style they began moving into uncharted territory. In particular, the ominous sound produced by the musical tritone and dark lyrics evident in their song "Black Sabbath" became the foundation for the sonic territory the band wanted to go in (which was counter to the prominent flower-pop of the time).

Signing to Phillips Records in late 1969, Black Sabbath released their first single in January the next year. "Evil Woman", a Crow cover, failed to chart. Sabbath was subsequently allotted two days in the studio with producer Rodger Bain to record their debut. Doing what they could with the limited time and budget, the band played the album live with minimal overdubbing and few second runs. The album Black Sabbath was released very quickly on Friday the 13th of February 1970 to surprising commercial success (23 on the Billboard 200).

Critics were not as favorable at the time, saying the band was a poor imitation of Cream and the "the worst of the counterculture on a platter" (Robert Christgau). Although this early Black Sabbath does not stack up in skill to Cream, reviewers failed to see the eponymous album as nothing but an imitation instead of as the divergence to a new style of rock and roll. Since then, the critical reaction to Black Sabbath's debut has improved dramatically, ranking with the best and most important recordings of all time. Despite the lingering heavy blues influences, the album's muddy sound, dark lyrics, and fascination with the occult mark its historical importance as the de facto origins of heavy metal.

Here is the discography surrounding Black Sabbath's debut album:

1969 Demo
Evil Woman (1970 single)
Black Sabbath





If you have a recommendation for what the next band in the Musical History Tour should be, please speak up.

Pass the Headphones!!

Jethro Tull - This Was (1968)

Pink Floyd gave the highlight performance for the first ever concert held at Hyde Park in London. The 1968 ticket also boasted three other young, talented bands of the time: Traffic, Fleetwood Mac, and Jethro Tull.

Jethro Tull officially formed in 1967, but Ian Anderson, the band's visionary, was active in Blackpudlian rhythm and blues bands since 1962 such as The Blades and The John Evan Band. These bands covered Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and Wilson Pickett in their live sets, which they infused with a rough, edgy Rock. They also featured several artists that would later become members of Tull, but they remained in Blackpool when Anderson moved to London in search of more gigs.

Ian Anderson joined forces with Mick Abrahams to form Jethro Tull. Anderson played the flute (which he had recently picked up, forsaking his guitar), harmonica, and the piano. Abrahams added his skills on the guitar. The two shared the vocals. Clive Bunker on drums and Glenn Cornick on bass rounded out the group. From the influence brought on board by Mick Abrahams, Jethro Tull's style reflected a unique mix between blues-rock and jazz.

It took a while for the band to gain momentum, but they were eventually signed by the Ellis-Wright Agency. They released their first single "Sunshine Day" in February 1968. Their debut album This Was was released later that year on Island Records and was a strong showing of their style at the time. Although it was a relatively successful debut, Anderson and Abrahams would eventually clash on artistic differences. Abrahams felt the band was falling away from its blues-rock/jazz roots while Anderson wanted to push the band into the burgeoning progressive scene. "Love Story" would be the last single featuring Abrahams in the line-up.

Here is the discography surrounding Jethro Tull's debut album:

Live '66 (live 1966 recording as The John Evan Band)
Sunshine Day (1968 single)
A Song for Jeffrey (1968 single)
This Was
Love Story (1968 single)



If you have any suggestions for where the Musical History Tour should go next, give a shout. I'm open to anything as long as it follows an artist's chronological release history.

Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)

While Simon Dupree & the Big Sound were exploring Abbey Road Studios and recording their debut album by the cover of night, three other bands were busy recording important moments in rock history at the same time. The Beatles recorded Sgt. Pepper's, The Pretty Things recorded S.F. Sorrow, and Pink Floyd recorded their 1967 debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Pink Floyd began in 1963 with the friendship of Roger Waters and Nick Mason. They would head a constantly changing lineup of various band names until 1965 when The Pink Floyd Sound was solidified with Richard Wright on keyboards, Bob Klose on guitar, and Syd Barrett on vocals and as lead vocalist. Waters also sang and played bass (among other instruments) and Mason was on percussion. Bob Klose and "The...Sound" soon dropped. Pink Floyd stepped beyond their R&B roots and entrenched itself in the burgeoning underground psychedelic scene under the guidance of their managers Peter Jenner and Andrew King. Syd Barrett's performances as the frontman and lead guitarist imbued the group with a frenetic energy and extended the range of their musical experimentation.

As one of the leading bands of the underground music scene at the time, Pink Floyd soon perked the ears of the music industry and signed with EMI. Their first single "Arnold Layne", released early in 1967, reached number 20 on the UK Charts despite being banned by various radio stations for its references to cross-dressing. Their second single of that same year "See Emily Play" reached number six on the charts. Both songs were written by Syd Barrett whose life was now being affected by his regular use of LSD and bouts of depression. His influence was still enough to propel the band through their debut The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, considered one of the cornerstone recordings of the psychedelic sound. Although the album was able to capture the surreal elements of Pink Floyd's music, most fans at the time felt the recording didn't capture the band's energetic live performances.

Pink Floyd went on to record one more Syd Barrett penned single "Apples and Oranges" before realizing that they could no longer rely on him as they used to. Enter new member, guitarist David Gilmour (an old friend of Barrett's), who would make his first appearance on the 1968 single "It Would Be So Nice".

Here is the discography surrounding Pink Floyd's debut album:

Arnold Layne (1967 single)
See Emily Play (1967 single)
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Apples and Oranges (1967 single)
It Would Be So Nice (1968 single)
London '66-'67 (1995 EP of 1967 recordings)





If you like what you hear or have a good idea for where the musical history tour should stop next, feel free to holler. I'm open to any suggestions and any kind of music. Remember it has to be connected to this era Pink Floyd.

Pass the Headphones!!

Simon Dupree & The Big Sound - Without Reservations (1967)

Reg Dwight actually had the opportunity to join a couple of other bands before starting off on his solo career. He tried out for and failed to get a spot on the lineup of Robert Fripp's King Crimson, and he apparently asked to stay as a permanent member of Simon Dupree & the Big Sound after filling in for the role of keyboards during their 1967 tour of Scotland. The manager declined the partnership and the soon-to-be Elton John was sent back to writing songs with Bernie Taupin.

Simon Dupree & the Big Sound began in Portsmouth, England in the mid-sixties and was headed by three brothers: Derek, Phil, and Ray Shulman. The three would all take on the vocals with Derek acting as the lead. Phil took the lead guitarist role and occasionally supplied his playing on the violin or trumpet. Ray played the trumpet, as well as the saxophone. The band rounded off with Tony Ransley on percussion, Peter O'Flaherty on bass guitar, and Eric Hine on keyboards and the mellotron. If you haven't yet noticed, Simon Dupree is not a member of the band nor does he exist at all. The flashy name was given to them by a previous manager. When it came to their music, the Shulman brothers saw themselves as blue-eyed soul brothers and aimed the band's artistic output in that soulful direction.

Through connections with their manager John King, the band signed a five year recording contract with Parlophone in 1966. Their first single "I See the Light" just barely made the top forty charts. In 1967, their debut and only album Without Reservations also failed to make much commercial headway, but is still a good sonic reflection of what the band intended to sound like. Due to the lack of success of Simon Dupree's singles thus far, John King and Parlophone pushed the band away from soul towards the surefire success of psychedelia. "Kites" (which sounded more like exotica than psychedelia) scored the band's only top ten hit. But the group was uncomfortable with the imposed sound, and they moved (or were pushed) to a more conventional pop-rock sound. Still, Simon Dupree failed to chart.

The band's music, as a body of work, is eclectic. As mentioned before, they run the sonic gamut from exuberant soul to exotic psychedelia to fun pop-rock. Their singles boast a different kind of the same old sound, however, as the multi-instrumentalist Shulman brothers try to spice up each rock single with unconventional instruments whether it's a mellotron, flute, or violin.

Simon Dupree & the Big Sound would go on recording for two more years before breaking up after several years of little success and a lack of artistic freedom. The Shulman brothers presence on the rock scene did not end here, however, as they would soon found one of the most musically experimental and complex bands of the 1970s.

Here is the complete discography for Simon Dupree & the Big Sound:

I See the Light (1966 single)
Reservations (1967 single)
Day Time, Night Time (1967 single)
Without Reservations
Kites (1967 single)
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1968 single)
Part of My Past (1968 single)
Thinking About My Life (1968 single)
We Are the Moles (1968 single as The Moles)
Broken Hearted Pirates (1969 single)
The Eagle Flies Tonight (1969 single)
Kites (1978 compilation EP)
Amen (1982 compilation album)
Kites (1993 compilation album)
Part of Their Past (2004 complete anthology)

Don't forget to throw around any recommendations for where the Musical History Tour should stop next.

Pass the Headphones!!

Elton John - Empty Sky (1969)

The uncanny ability that the young Reg Dwight showed for reproducing any melody on the piano made him a social gathering stopper and eventually won him enrollment into the Royal Academy of Music. (This is where Dwight met future collaborator Paul Buckmaster who also arranged the orchestration on Rupert Hine's debut.) Although Reg Dwight learned and showed an appreciation for classical music, his love of Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, and Ray Charles started him down a different musical road. He continued cutting his chops by working as a pub pianist and eventually starting Bluesology, an R&B band, with some friends. Bluesology was successful to the effect that it released three non-charting singles and mainly worked as a backing band on tour for minor recording artists.

While moving toward a lesser role in the doomed Bluesology, Reg Dwight teamed up with Bernie Taupin, and the duo earned work as songwriters for music publisher Dick James. At the same time, Dwight adopted the stage name "Elton John" and began cutting demos at the Dick James Studio. This led to the release of his first single "I've Been Loving You" in late 1968. In the dawn of '69, it was his next single "Lady Samantha" that made the industry take a second look and was quickly followed up with his debut album Empty Sky in June of that year.

Releasing his debut at the young age of 22, his demos, singles, and album paint a good picture of the natural talent that Elton John had for melody and the potential waiting to be fulfilled. It also reflects the uncertainty of his voice; unsure of his own sound. Affected by the the triumph of Sgt. Pepper and the emerging dominance of psychedelia, Elton furnished a unique but bland form of psychedelic pop. This and his own unpolished piano pop make up his debut album, a testament of the classic music to come.

Here is the discography surrounding Elton John's debut album:

Come Back Baby (1965 single with Bluesology)
Mr Frantic (1966 single with Bluesology)
Since I Found You Baby (1967 single with Bluesology)
Elton 1968 (1968 demos)
The Unsurpassed Dick James Demos, Vol. 1 (1968 demos)
The Unsurpassed Dick James Demos, Vol. 2 (1968 demos)
The Unsurpassed Dick James Demos, Vol. 3 (1968-70 demos)
I've Been Loving You (1968 single)
Lady Samantha (1969 single)
It's Me That You Need (1969 single)
Empty Sky





If you have any ideas for where the tour should go next, feel free to speak up. Just remember that it has to be related to this time in Elton John's career, and the idea is to do an artist's discography in chronological order.

Pass the Headphones!!

Rupert Hine - Pick Up a Bone (1971)

Duncan Sheik leads into the career of Rupert Hine, Sheik's producer. Today, Mr. Hine is an established and in-demand producer, but he started out as folk singer in the mid-sixties. His career began as a member of the duo Rupert & David which culminated in coffee house performances and a failed cover single of Paul Simon's "The Sound of Silence"in 1965. It was not until 1971 that Rupert Hine released his first solo album Pick Up a Bone.

The album is made up of David MacIver's lyrics, Paul Buckmaster's strings, and Rupert Hine's compositions and vocals. Hine's voice, in particular, has a large range of texture which enables him to tackle different sound styles. The songs range from soft, pastoral, folk ballads to strange, rough, funk jams. Judging by the album's cover, Rupert Hine wants his music to be taken seriously, but instead the album quickly faded into obscurity.

Here is the discography surrounding Rupert Hine's debut album:

The Sound of Silence (1965 single as Rupert & David)
Pick Up a Bone





If you have any recommendations for where the Tour should go next, give a shout.

Duncan Sheik - Duncan Sheik (1996)

Daft Music's single "Da Funk" was featured in Phillip Noyce's The Saint along with songs by David Bowie, Duran Duran, Moby, and others. Also featured on the soundtrack is "In the Absence of the Sun" from Duncan Sheik's debut album Duncan Sheik.

Duncan Sheik got started as a singer-songwriter after moving to San Fransisco in 1993 with a degree from Brown University. After performing on the scene for three years including work as a backing musician, Duncan Sheik released his eponymous debut for Atlantic in 1996. The album's first single "Barely Breathing" reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the list for 55 weeks. The single's success propelled the album to Gold status.

Duncan Sheik is an album filled with love songs, unrequited love songs, and reflections rooted in Sheik's Buddhist beliefs and experiences. Sheik's acoustic guitar playing and soft voice lay the groundwork for the album's sound and is supplemented with the occasional electric guitar, backing strings, and constantly changing percussion. Duncan Sheik takes the role as the sensitive poet who tries to understand failed relationships, the world, and his role in them.

Here is the discography surrounding Duncan Sheik's debut album:

Duncan Sheik
Barely Breathing (1996 single)
She Runs Away (1997 single)
Reasons for Living (1997 single)
At the Reservoir (1997 Live EP)
Wishful Thinking (1998 non-album single for Alfonso Cuarón's Great Expectations





Feel free to recommend possible next artists. Just remember that the connection's supposed to be directly related to Duncan Sheik's debut album era and the next artist's next chronological album.

Daft Punk - Homework (1997)

Weezer's Blue Album popularity is partially attributed to the wild success of their first two music videos featured on MTV. Spike Jonze directed both and has directed a fair number of others for artists such as R.E.M., Björk, and Kanye West. One of his other classic music videos starred an anthropomorphic dog walking around New York City with a radio blasting Daft Punk's "Da Funk", the first single off of their debut album Homework.

Daft Punk is a French electronic duo made up of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. The two met in secondary school and eventually formed an indie rock band with Laurent Brancowitz called Darlin'. The average effort lasted six months and broke during the latter half of 1992. Laurent joined his brother in a young band called Phoenix, while Thomas and Guy-Manuel began experimenting with drum machines and synthesizers and soon established themselves a new identity.

Daft Punk's early singles were quickly picked up by small record labels, but when it came time to make it big, they signed a deal with Virgin Records to whom they leased tracks for distribution, allowing the duo complete ownership and control over the master recordings. Daft Punk compiled enough singles and other songs by 1997 to release their first album.

It is important to note that electronic dance music is a DJ-centric class of music. It has a complex history and is divided into an innumerable quantity of genres and styles. Daft Punk comes from the French House scene (with its roots in the Chicago House scene of the early eighties) which makes use of a hard base drum on every beat ("four-on-the-floor"), a mid-range to fast tempo, cut-off and phaser synthetic effects, and obscure soul and funk tracks from the seventies. (To be frank, I'm largely ignorant of electronic music history, its numerous styles, and how Daft Punk fits into it, but I expect this murkiness to clear up the more I learn.)

Homework and Spike Jonze's music video are considered classics of the 1990s House scene. Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Roman Coppola, and Seb Janiak also directed music videos for Daft Punk. The album went double platinum in Canada, platinum in France, and Gold in the US and other countries.

Here is the discography surrounding Daft Punk's debut album:

 Darlin' (1992 single as Darlin')
The New Wave (1994 single)
Da Funk (1995 single)
Around the World (1997 single)
Homework Burnin' (1997 single)
Revolution 909 (1998 single)





The musical history tour trudges along, but it works best if there is input from others. If you have a good idea for where the tour should go next, give me a shout.

Weezer - Weezer (1994)

When I ask people if they have heard Buddy Holly, a common reaction is "I love that song." Buddy Holly is a legendary figure in rock and roll, but Weezer's catchy, geeky love anthem challenges him for the first thing to pop into people's heads at the mention of his name. "Buddy Holly" is the second single from Weezer's 1994 debut album Weezer, known more commonly as The Blue Album.

The LA band formed in 1992 around drummer Pat Wilson and lead singer, guitarist, and lyricist Rivers Cuomo. The two were soon joined by bassist Matt Sharp and guitarist Jason Cropper. Although Rivers was convinced of the band's quality, their variety of edgy power pop was not able to gain the band much local popularity during a time when audiences wanted grunge. Still, they persevered, largely self-managed, until Todd Sullivan signed them to Geffen Records in the middle of 1993.

The band immediately set to recording their debut, working from a catalog of songs they had been polishing in LA clubs. Not allowed to self-produce the album, Weezer and Geffen roped in Ric Ocasek (of The Cars) to work with them. During production, Jason Cropper was kicked out of the band (under unrevealed circumstances) and replaced with friend-of-the-band Brian Bell. The album was finished to satisfaction and without other turbulence but released without a single and with worry as to how the band would take with audiences.

The Blue Album saw a steady rise in popularity, helped amass a devoted fan base for the band, and received near-universal critical acclaim. The band's popularity and album sales were helped along by the music videos for their first two singles "Undone - The Sweater Song" and "Buddy Holly". Both are fun and memorable videos directed by Spike Jonze, and they gave the band extensive exposure through MTV.

The Blue Album gradually reached triple platinum, and its critical reception has only grown in grace and stature. It is often cited as one of the best albums of the nineties, and credited for rescuing power pop from the depths, bringing it back to quality and prominence in the midst of a grunge-laden music world. Their album of self-conscious, dissonant pop songs jarrs at first but ingratiates over time until you can't help but sing along or get it out of your head.

Here is the discography surrounding Weezer's debut album:

Weezer
Undone - The Sweater Song (1994 single)
Buddy Holly (1995 single)
Say It Ain't So (1995 single)

A deluxe version of Weezer was released in 2004 with a second disc (Dusty Gems and Raw Nuggets) of b-sides and studio outtakes.



Remember to shout out any recommendations for where the Musical History Tour should go next. The more diverse the input, the more interesting the journey. Many thanks to Tyson Badders, Weezer super fan (but not so much as of late), for his help and input on this update.

Buddy Holly and The Crickets - The "Chirping" Crickets (1957)

With the release of the song "Bo Diddley", Bo Diddley popularized a particular beat with which he would forever be associated. Several early rock songs that followed used the "Bo Diddley Beat" as a starting point in song composition including Buddy Holly's classic "Not Fade Away" released in 1957 with his band The Crickets.

Buddy Holly began playing music at a young age with a strong background in bluegrass music. As the young Holly began performing in 1955, he picked up influences from rising acts he'd tour with like Elvis Presley and Bill Haley & His Comets shifting his act to rock and roll. He eventually formed his own band The Crickets which consisted of himself as lead guitarist and vocalist, drummer Jerry Allison, bassist Joe B. Mauldin, and rhythm guitarist Niki Sullivan. This lineup for the rock and roll band would eventually hold as the basic blueprint for all rock and roll bands to follow.

Although Buddy Holly started releasing singles as a solo artist in 1956, 1957 was the breakout year for Holly. He rose to prominence with a chart-topping hit "That'll Be the Day" and two other top ten hits "Peggy Sue" and "Oh, Boy!" (the latter with The Crickets). Oddly enough during this rush of releases, Holly released singles through three different record labels: Decca, Coral, and Brunswick. At the end of the year, it is with Brunswick that Buddy Holly and the Crickets would release their debut album The "Chirping" Crickets.

The album is a great collection of original songs and covers of Roy Orbison, Chuck Willis, and others. Buddy Holly was the principal songwriter for The Crickets, but the album features songs from Allison and Mauldin as well, giving it the feel of a work by the group rather than by just Holly.

Here is the discography surrounding Buddy Holly and the Crickets's debut album:

Blue Days, Black Nights (1956 single by Buddy Holly)
Modern Don Juan (1956 single by Buddy Holly)
That'll Be the Day (1957 single by Buddy Holly)
Words of Love (1957 single by Buddy Holly)
Rocking Around With Ollie Vee (1957 single by Buddy Holly)
Peggy Sue (1957 single by Buddy Holly)
Oh, Boy! (1957 single)
The "Chirping" Crickets





The Musical History Tour keeps on plugging along (albeit slowly) but feel free to suggest possible next courses of action. A great recommendation can easily sway the project into a new direction. Just remember, it has to be related to Buddy Holly and the Crickets (and their debut album) in some/any way.

I hope you like what you hear.

Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley (1957)

We've seen our fair share of imitators; time to sound off with The Originator. Getting his hit start and stage name from his debut single, Bo Diddley was one of the performers responsible for the transition from blues to rock and roll. He held a huge influence on British blues/rock bands like The Rollings Stones and The Pretty Things (whose name is taken from Bo Diddley's 1955 single "Pretty Thing").

His 1957 debut album Bo Diddley is a collection of his earliest singles. Bo Diddley starts with the blues format and sound, gives it more kick, drive, and guitar, and kicks off rock and roll with that blues foundation remaining.

Here is the discography surrounding Bo Diddley's debut album:

Bo Diddley (1955 single)
Diddley Daddy (1955 single)
Pretty Thing (1955 single)
Diddy Wah Diddy (1956 single)
Who Do You Love? (1956 single)
Cops & Robbers (1956 single)
Hey! Bo Diddley (1957 single)
Say Boss Man (1957 single)
Bo Diddley
Hush Your Mouth (1958 single)
Bo Diddley (1958 EP)





Try comparing Bo Diddley's compositions to covers of his compositions (which there are plenty) and get an idea for rock and roll's historic progression. Also, feel free to suggest some bands for the Musical History Tour's next step.

The Pretty Things - The Pretty Things (1965)

Dick Taylor, Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger, before the formation of The Stones, performed in a group together called Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys. After Brian Jones joined the band, its name changed to The Rolling Stones. The young Mr. Taylor left The Stones very early on to attend the London Central School of Art where he met Phil May. Mr. Taylor's guitar and Phil May's vocals and harmonica would end up forming the core of The Pretty Things. They had some early success in the UK with three charting singles ("Rosalyn", "Don't Bring Me Down", "Honey, I Need") and a top-ten charting album in their 1965 debut The Pretty Things, a series of Rhythm & Blues covers with a couple original songs.

The Pretty Things had everything it needed to be a solid blues-rock band: a fierce vocal gnarl, a vibrant beat, and creative musicianship. They, however, did not have enough of any quality to separate itself from the pack of other blues-rock inspired bands to come out of England. They had early success in England, but they were unable to "invade" America, the international bar of success and popularity, like early contemporaries The Rolling Stones or Them.

Here is the discography surrounding The Pretty Things's debut album:

Rosalyn (1964 single)
Don't Bring Me Down (1964 single)
The Pretty Things (1964 EP)
Honey, I Need (1965 single)
The Pretty Things
Roadrunner (1965 single)
Big City (1965 EP)



Remember to speak up if you have a good idea for where the Musical History Tour should go next.

The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones (1964)

The story continues with George Harrison and Dick Rowe meeting up again (after The Beatles stormed the charts) on the television program Juke Box Jury. Young Mr. Harrison reportedly raved about his favorite unsigned band The Rolling Stones. Not long after, Mr. Rowe signed The Rolling Stones to Decca Records and promptly recorded a handful of hit singles and their debut album The Rolling Stones.

Here is the discography surrounding The Rolling Stones's debut album:

Baby What's Wrong (1963 demo)
Come On (1963 single)
Fortune Teller (1963 unreleased single)
I Wanna Be Your Man (1963 single)

The Complete British Radio Broadcasts - Volume 1 1963 (compilation album)
The Rolling Stones (1964 EP)

You Better Move On (1964 single)
Not Fade Away (1964 single)

The Rolling Stones
England's Newest Hitmakers (1964 US album)

Carol (1964 single)
Tell Me (1964 single)

Pass the Headphones!!

The Beatles - Please Please Me (1963)

It was only a matter of time before we got around to everybody's favorite Liverpudlian band. Their connection to Them is a bit indirect, but fun, and follows this wayward path: Dick Rowe, a producer at Decca Records, is notorious as being one of the individuals to not sign The Beatles to a recording contract. The foursome auditioned at Decca Studios (an audition paid for by the band's manager Brian Epstein) and were rejected since "guitar bands are on their way out, Mr. Epstein". After The Beatles shot that theory down and shot to the top of the world, Dick Rowe was given a poor recording of Them's live act. Not willing to let another potential chart-topping band go unsigned, Mr. Rowe rushed to one of Them's concerts, liked what he heard and immediately signed them/Them to a recording contract.

The Beatles's debut album Please Please Me, released in 1963, is a solid collection of original songs by Lennon/McCartney and covers of songs they regularly performed at their concerts in Hamburg and the UK. But honestly, what else is there to say about "The World's Greatest Band" that hasn't been said a million times before?

Here is the discography surrounding The Beatles's debut album:

Love Me Do (1962 single)
Please Please Me (1963 single)
Please Please Me
From Me to You (1963 single)
Twist and Shout (1963 EP)
She Loves You (1963 single)
The Beatles' Hits (1963 EP)
The Beatles No. 1 (1963 EP)





Pass the Headphones!!

Them - The "Angry" Young Them! (1965)

UB40's song "Burden of Shame" from their debut album was co-written by Van Morrison. Although Mr. Morrison is known and revered for his solo output, he actually started out in a number of garage rock bands with the only notable one being Them. Can you find him on the cover?

Them's debut album The "Angry" Young Them! only opens a small window as to how the band truly sounded. Van Morrison put it that, while performing, the band fed off each other's energy and the energy of the crowd. Performances of their classic songs "Gloria", "Mystic Eyes" or "Here Comes the Night" could stretch to 20 minutes or longer depending on how Van Morrison felt, often ad-libbing new lyrics.

The group held a healthy amount of popularity while they were active and their live act often outshone their contemporaries: the early years of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Animals,... They melded garage rock and blues seamlessly and were one of the few bands that exhibited "genuine soul" in their music.

Here is the discography surrounding Them's debut album:

Don't Start Crying Now (1964 single)
Baby, Please Don't Go (1964 single)
Them (1965 EP)
Here Comes the Night (1965 single)
Gloria (1965 EP)
The "Angry" Young Them!
Mystic Eyes (1965 single)
One More Time (1965 single)
(It Won't Hurt) Half as Much (1965 single)

(at least it's something like this)

Pass the Headphones!!

UB40 - Signing Off (1980)

Randy Newman's wonderful song "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" was covered by British reggae band UB40 for their debut album Signing Off.

This is the first time I've heard of UB40 and the first time I've seriously listened to reggae, so I don't feel I can say much about the album's nature.

Here is the discography surrounding UB40's debut album:

Food for Thought (1980 single)
My Way of Thinking (1980 single)
Signing Off
The Earth Dies Screaming (1980 single)



Don't forget to speak up if you have any ideas for where the tour should go next.

Randy Newman - Randy Newman (1968)

Alongside many other musicians such as Tom Waits, performing at The Troubadour night club in West Hollywood helped along Randy Newman's career. Listeners probably know him better now as a film composer, but he got his start in the recording industry. He began by writing songs professionally in 1960, but it wasn't until 1968 that he pulled off his first album Randy Newman.

You can tell after the first song ("Love Story (You and Me)") that Mr. Newman would eventually transition to movies. In fact, a majority of the songs on the album are heavily orchestrated with the help of about 75 session musicians. These songs are not often moved on by traditional pop/rock chords. Rather, they reflect the emotions and environment (sometimes "Mickey Moused") of the verse being sung with the underlying themes and melodies as a foundation. The other minority of the songs are the traditional pop songs. Stripped of the orchestra, Mr. Newman sticks to a simplified lineup of percussion, bass, piano, and guitar to perform blues-influenced tunes and a quick pop jaunt ("Beehive State").

Here is the discography surrounding Randy Newman's debut album:

Golden Gridiron Boy (1961 single)
Randy Newman



Remember to throw a few recommendations my way if you see a few good ones. I'm always looking for new artists to delve into that I normally wouldn't.

Tom Waits - Closing Time (1973)

At the age of 21, Tom Waits signed with manager Herb Cohen who also managed Tim Buckley, Lenny Bruce, Alice Cooper, and Frank Zappa among others. After several attempts in the recording studio, Tom Waits, working with Jerry Yester, finally came out with his debut Closing Time.

Closing Time is an album best played during the dark of the morning when the calendar shifts from Saturday to Sunday without notice. Mr. Waits collects a series of lonely ballads, remorseful blues, and contemplative jazz strung together by his rough, drunken croon and soft melodies. The album is quiet and subdued and acts as a retrospective on the memories of the days before while dwelling on those lingering emotions as the night deepens.

Here is the discography surrounding Tom Waits's debut album:

Closing Time
Ol' '55 (1973 single)
The Early Years, Vol. 1 (1991 compilation)
The Early Years, Vol. 2 (1993 compilation)

The two "Early Years" albums are a collection of two recording sessions done for Herb Cohen's Bizzare/Straight record labels in August and December of 1971.



Remember to throw your recommendations for the next band this way. The next band has to be connected to Closing Time era Tom Waits in some way.

The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out! (1966)

Les McCann is the bridge between Lou Rawls and The Mothers of Invention. As I mentioned before, he led the backing band for most of Stormy Monday. He also performed as one of the many session musicians on The Mothers of Invention's debut album Freak Out! It was released in 1966 and is considered both one of the first rock double albums and one of the first concept albums.

Here is the discography surrounding the debut album:

Jungle Dreams (1960 single by Roy Estrada & The Rocketeers)
Freak Out!
Trouble Every Day (1966 single)
How Could I Be Such a Fool? (1966 single)

Pass the Headphones!!

Lou Rawls - Stormy Monday (1962)

I couldn't leave 1962 behind. Nick Venet is the connection between The Beach Boys and Lou Rawls, our next stop. Mr. Venet produced both of their debut albums. Although there were several other possible bands and artists to choose from, I could not resist the interesting direction Lou Rawls would take me in. Mr. Rawls's jazz vocals are an immediate change from the surf rock melodies of The Beach Boys, and that's always a good way to keep my ears perked.

The debut album Stormy Monday is a collection of blues and jazz standards featuring (They Call It) Stormy Monday by T-Bone Walker, God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday, and See See Rider by Ma Rainy. These songs are not only standards, they're classics. Mr. Rawls gives these staples his own presentation backed by a jazz trio headed by Les McCann.

Although I'm positive there are singles out there by Mr. Rawls before 1962, they have not surfaced in any places I can find them. The debut album discography:

Stormy Monday



Pass the Headphones!!

The Beach Boys - Surfin' Safari (1962)

I grew up on The Beach Boys.  Listening and singing along to music on a car trip was inevitable with my family.  Although we enjoyed a limited variety of music from Bing Crosby to various kids' cassettes, The Beach Boys's compilation album Endless Summer is what stood out to me the most.  Since then, The Beach Boys have always been one of my family's favorite listens.  There's a nostalgia rooted in my relationship with that band and a foundation to my modern taste in music that has me choosing their 1962 debut album Surfin' Safari to kickstart the Tour.

Here's the discography surrounding their debut album:

Surfin' (1961 single)

Barbie (1962 single as Kenny and The Cadets)

Surfin' Safari (1962 single)

Surfin' Safari

Ten Little Indians (1962 single)

Lost & Found 1961-1962 (1991 compilation album)

"Surfin' Safari" by The Beach Boys

Pass the Headphones!!

An Introduction to the Musical History Tour

I was not always a fan of music. In high school, I often boasted, whenever it came up, that I did not listen to music at all. That was not true because I did follow a few bands and cycled through a few CDs (exactly four), but there was no active discovery of new or old music.

When I got to college, I was granted a new access to music that I never had before. Free music, paid for through the institution, was at my fingertips. The floodgates burst open and there was no resistance. I was helped along by several friends that helped point me in a good direction. It soon became my mission to discover as much new music as possible and share it with whomever would appreciate it. As my musical library grew, I also took an interest in history. In this case, it was the history of rock and roll. I'd delve into the discography of a particular band or musician and read up on how they impacted the growth of their art. Still, there was no order.

I lost my digital library in a move. Taking advantage of the clean slate, I marked out a plan to organize my musical discovery. What resulted was a project called, at the time, the Musical Adventure and has since evolved into the Musical History Tour. Here's the idea:

1. I start out with any band or musician.

2. Get access to their first album and any other related material (EPs, demos, singles, etc.)

3. Listen (and Research).

4. Then, find a new band or musician related in anyway to the last one.

5. Repeat starting with 2.

This can be a slow and winding process, but there is always the potential of returning to a previously considered band in order to listen to their second, third, or nth album.

I also find that discovering music this way always works better when other people have a say. People's different libraries, knowledge, and preferences can take you into uncharted musical genres. So, part of the idea is for those who follow along with the tour to help recommend the next band/musician/composer. Connections that I've used so far in finding the next artist include: producers, song covers, record labels, influences (very broad, seldom used), location, birthdays, guest appearances, etc. The potential is out there to cover a lot of ground.

I have actually been doing this project for over a year now. At the varied suggestions of putting the project online, however, I've decided to wipe the slate clean once again and start again on the internet.

I have no idea how this project will turn out or grow or if anyone will bother to follow it. There will certainly be kinks in the project I will have to work out. I even have a few ideas on expanding the blog, but for now, I think it's best just to get it started. I hope that the Musical History Tour will help expand my music library and yours as well.

If you have any questions or need some clarification on the project, feel free to use the comments box.