Back in time

DAVID BOWIE Released His Cocaine Album ‘STATION TO STATION’ 50 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

23 January 2026

The thin white duke DAVID BOWIE (1947 – 2016) released his 10th LP
STATION TO STATION on 23 January 1976, today 50 years ago.

It peaked at #5 in the UK, and #3 in the USA.

During the sessions, Bowie was suffering from various drug addictions, most
prominently cocaine, and subsequently stated that he recalled almost nothing
of the production.

Bowie in 1987: “I was so blocked, so stoned. It’s quite a casualty case, isn’t it.
I’m amazed I came out of that period, honest. When I see that now I cannot
believe I survived it. I was so close to really throwing myself away physically,
completely.”

Rolling Stone wrote in retrospect: “An album that was both musically
accessible and lyrically elliptical, a transition between the plastic soul of
Young Americans and the chilly electronic hum of the Berlin trilogy that
followed.”

The cover art featured a still from the film
The Man Who Fell To Earth, in which Bowie
had the main role.

SINGLE

ALBUM


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Legendary Nightingales SIMON & GARFUNKEL Released Their 2nd LP ‘SOUNDS OF SILENCE’ 60 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

16 January 2026

Paul SIMON (now 84) and Art GARFUNKEL (also 84) are two of the most loved and famous voices in musical history. Together they recorded/released 6 LPs between 1963 and 1970. Then they went their seperate ways, but reunited countless times afterward to play live shows.

SOUNDS OF SILENCE was their 2nd LP. It came out 60 years ago
today, on 17 January 1966. Almost all tracks were written by Simon.

It peaked at #21 in the US and #13 in the UK. Over
the next few decades it would keep on selling copies.

The album cover photo features the duo on a trail looking back
towards the camera. It was shot at Franklin Canyon Park in L.A.

AllMusic said in retropective: “Tough a rushed effort, this was a far stronger album
than their debut, mostly thanks to Simon’s compositions; indeed, in one fell swoop, the
world learned not only of the existence of a superb song-poet in Paul Simon, but, in
Simon’s harmonizing with Art Garfunkel, the finest singing duo since the Everly Brothers.”

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Remember When PETER FRAMPTON Came Alive? It’s 50 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

15 January 2026

PETER FRAMPTON was only 16 when he was a member of British
pop band The Herd (1965-69), who scored a couple of top 10 hits
in the UK.

Afterward, he formed, along with Small Faces‘ frontman, the late Steve Marriott,
a group named Humple Pie (1969-1975). Frampton already left in 1971 and went
solo, but also worked, in between, with rock stars such as David Bowie, Bill Wyman
and Ringo Starr.

On 15 January 1976, today 50 years ago, he released his most successful LP,
a double one, in his career with PETER FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE!

It debuted on the charts at No. 191. Only weeks later, it reached No. 1 in the US, spending 10 non-consecutive weeks in the top spot. It was the best-selling album of 1976 and has sold over 8,000,000 copies in the United States.

AllMusic/Bruce Eder: “At the time of its release, Frampton Comes Alive! was an anomaly,
a multi-million-selling (mid-priced) double LP by an artist who had previously never burned
up the charts with his long-players in any spectacular way. The biggest-selling live album of
all time, it made Peter Frampton a household word.”

Peter Frampton: “I’m very aware that when I kick the bucket, the first paragraph will be,
‘The man responsible for Frampton Comes Alive! just dropped dead, after coming alive all
these years.'”

Frampton showed millions of screaming girls the way.

ALBUM

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DAVID BOWIE – Not Charting Single ‘HOLY HOLY’ Came Out 55 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

15 January 2026

DAVID BOWIE released a single, titled HOLY HOLY
on 15 January 1971, today 55 years ago.

A great glam groover that
didn’t chart. God knows why.

A different version of the song was recorded in
the same year for The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust
And The Spiders From Mars LP, but was dropped from
the album before the release. God knows why.

Holy Bowie.

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OASIS – Their Millionseller Album ‘(WHAT’S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY’ Topped UK Charts This Day 30 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

14 January 2026

Manchester‘s giants OASIS topped the UK Charts with their
2nd LP, millionseller (WHAT’S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY? .

The record jumped to No. 1 on 14 January 1996, today 30 years ago,
for 10 weeks. The album sold a record breaking 345,000 copies in
its first week and stayed in the charts for a phenomenal 145 weeks.

It also led to the band’s breakthrough in the US, reaching #4
on the Billboard 200 and being certified 4× platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Rolling Stone Magazine wrote: “What’s the Story is more than a natural
progression, it’s a bold leap forward that displays significant musical and
personal growth. Tension and instability have been inherent traits of great
rock teams. For Oasis, the addition of shared genes gives their songs extra
impact and dimension.”

TUTV: I saw Oasis 28 times (so far), including
Wembley Stadion, London, on August 3. I guess
I’m a fan.


Oasis, Wembley London, August 3rd – Photo by Turn Up The Volume

Noel Gallagher: “Those songs are just a privilege to be a part of. It’s like when
you do great gigs, you come off stage and say well it was a privilege to be at that
gig, regardless of my part in it. ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Don’t Look Back’ and ‘Champagne
Supernova’ when I play them sometimes I think ‘wow it is a privilege to be a part
of this.”

Liam Gallagher at the time: “Without my voice he’d still be ironing
Clint Boons knickers.” A reference to Noel’s past as a roadie for Inspiral Carpets.

SINGLES: Some Might Say / Wonderwall /
Don’t Look Back In Anger / Champagne Supernova

– SOME MIGHT SAY –

– WONDERWALL –

– DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER –

– CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA –

ALBUM

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JANIS JOPLIN – The Late Great Voice Had Her ‘PEARL’ Album Out 55 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from the past

11 January 2026

The late great voice and charismatic performer JANIS JOPLIN
(January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) had her second and final
solo LP, named PEARL, out on 11 January 1971, today 55 years ago,
3 months after she passed away following a drug overdose.

The LP went to No. 1 in the US and #20 in the UK.

Pearl features the number one hit ‘Me and Bobby McGee’, written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster (Joplin played acoustic guitar on this track); ‘Trust Me’ by Bobby Womack, Howard Tate wrote ‘Get It While You Can’. ‘Move Over‘ and ‘Mercedes Benz‘, the latter co-written by Joplin, Bobby Neuwirth, and Michael McClure.

Rolling Stone: “Pearl is a good record and Janis is often magnificent. The voice cut off was clearly in its prime. I suspect that some of the tracks are not in their final shape, but these are not scraps, and there is every indication that Janis was working toward a new maturity and confidence.”

Janis Joplin: “I’m one of those regular weird people.”

TUTV: That voice! A pearl of a record! Janis 4ever!

– SINGLE –

– ALBUM –

Short Bio

DAVID BOWIE Released His Final Album ‘BLACKSTAR’ This Day 9 Years Ago On His 69th Birthday

Posted on by JL

Back in time

8 January 2026

The late genius released his 26th and final album BLACKSTAR, stylised as ★,
on 8 January 2016, today, 10 years ago, on his 69th birthday. Two days later,
David Bowie passed away due to cancer.

The LP was recorded secretly in New York City with his longtime
co-producer Tony Visconti, and a group of local jazz musicians.

The artwork for Blackstar was designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, who
was also the artist who came up with the covers of other Bowie LPs.
Heathen (2002), Reality (2003) and The Next Day (2013). The cover’s
star image is credited to NASA in the CD booklet.

The record topped the charts in almost every country worldwide.

Pitchfork wrote (on Jan 7th, 2016): “Blackstar has David Bowie embracing his status
as a no-fucks icon, clutching onto remnants from the past as exploratory jazz and the
echos of various mad men soundtrack his freefall. This tortured immortality is no gimmick: Bowie will live on long after the man has died. For now, though, he’s making the most of his latest reawakening, adding to the myth while the myth is his to hold.” Full review here

Still goosebumps when listening to this stunning opus.

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BLACK SABBATH Released Their 2nd LP ‘PARANOID’ In The US 55 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

7 January 2026

Metal pioneers BLACK SABBATH released their 2nd LP, titled
PARANOID in the US, this day 55 years ago, on 7 January 1971.

The longplayer was originally titled War Pigs, but the record company allegedly
changed it out of fear of a backlash from supporters of the ongoing Vietnam War.

The front cover, with the original title in mind, was designed and shot by Keith McMillan
in Black Park, Buckinghamshire. His assistant, Roger Brown, was the weirdo with the sword. It was a choice by Vertigo Records with the potential visual and commercial impact in mind, and was designed by Tony Iommi.

Ozzy: “What the fuck does a bloke dressed as a pig with a sword in his hand
got to do with being paranoid, I don’t know, but they decided to change the
album title without changing the artwork.”

It featured 3 of their epic hammers, Paranoid,
War Pigs (highly relevant again) and Iron Man.

The LP peaked at #4 in the UK and hit the top spot in the US.

Rolling Stone Magazine said in a retrospective review: “Sabbath ruled for bummed-out
kids in the Seventies, and nearly every heavy-metal and extreme rock band of the last three decades, including Metallica, Nirvana and Slipknot, owes a debt of worship to Iommi’s crushing” guitar riffs, Ward and Butler’s visigoth rhythm section and Osbourne’s agonized bray.”

TITLE TRACK
More than 1,542 billion
streams on Spotify.

Geezer Butler: “‘Paranoid’ was about depression, because I didn’t really know the difference between depression and paranoia. It’s a drug thing; when you’re smoking a joint you get totally paranoid about people, you can’t relate to people. There’s that crossover between the paranoia you get when you’re smoking dope and the depression afterwards.”

ALBUM


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BOB DYLAN Released His 17th LP ‘DESIRE’ 50 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from the past

5 January 2026

Living, 84-year-old, singer-songwriter icon BOB DYLAN released one of his
best longplayers in his illustrious career, with DESIRE, on 5 January 1976,
today 50 years ago.

Seven of the songs were co-written with Jacques Levy.

It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart for five weeks, becoming
one of his best-selling LPs, and was certified double Platinum. It reached
No. 3 in the UK.

It’s one of Dylan‘s most collaborative efforts, featuring the same caravan of
musicians as the acclaimed Rolling Thunder Revue tours the previous year.


Back sleeve

Rolling Stone said: “Love songs aren’t the focus of Desire, which is one of the things
that differentiates it from Dylan‘s other post-rock work. On the best songs, he returns
to the fantastic images, weird characters and absurdist landscapes of the Sixties.”

The record opened with the single Hurricane.

A song about the imprisonment of boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter (1937–2014).
It describes acts of racism and profiling against Carter, which led to a flawed trial
and a murder conviction that was eventually overturned.

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EMMYLOU HARRIS – Country Shero Released Her Third Album ‘ELITE HOTEL’ Today 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

29 December 2025

Country shero EMMYLOU HARRIS (aged 78 now) released
her classic third LP ELITE HOTEL on 29 December 1975,
today 50 years ago.

It topped the US Country Albums Chart.

AllMusic said in retrospective review: “In addition to the usual eclectic mix
of covers — which includes the Beatles’ “Here, There and Everywhere” and Hank
Williams’ “Jambalaya” this time out — Elite Hotel offers renditions of the country
perennials “Together Again” and “Sweet Dreams,” which were, respectively, Harris’
first two number one chart hits.”

The album featured her first 2 No. 1 singles. Together Again and Sweet Dreams.

ALBUM


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Still touring.

UK/Europe 2026

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