Back in time

NEIL YOUNG And CRAZY HORSE Released ‘ZUMA’ Album This Day 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

10 November 2025

NEIL YOUNG and his CRAZY HORSE released their 2nd collaborative LP
and Young‘s 7th one, named ZUMA on 10 November 1975, today 50 ago.

Zuma was the first album released after the so-called Ditch Trilogy,
consisting of the three LPs Time Fades Away, On the Beach and Tonight’s
the Night.

It wasn’t a huge commercial success.
It peaked at #25 in the US and #44 in
the UK.

All Music/William Ruhlmann wrote: “Having apparently exorcised his demons
by releasing the cathartic Tonight’s the Night, Neil Young returned to his commercial
strengths with Zuma, named after Zuma Beach in Los Angeles, where he owned
a house.

Young had abandoned the ragged, first-take approach of his previous three albums, but Crazy Horse would never be a polished act, and the music had a lively sound well-suited to the songs, which were some of the most melodic, pop-oriented tunes Young had crafted in years, though they were played with an electric-guitar-drenched rock intensity.”

Young: “It’s about the Incas and the Aztecs. It takes on another personality.
It’s like being in another civilization. It’s a lost sort of form, sort of a soul-form
that switches from history scene to history scene trying to find itself, man,
in this maze.”

Last year the record was reissued on vinyl, including 7 previously unreleased songs from the Zuma recordings sessions. For the re-issue occasion, the album was rebaptized DUNE and came in 2 LPs. Still available, right here.

KEY TRACK

ALBUM


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All NEIL YOUNG Albums

THE CLASH – Their Break-Up And Final Album ‘THIS IS ENGLAND’ Is 40 Today

Posted on by JL

5 November 2025

This wasn’t the original punk force that shocked the system, that
wanted a riot of their own, that made timeless music any more.

The band was falling apart. Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon
clashed with Mick Jones and Topper Headon who got kicked
out of the group.

Strummer went on to write all songs with manager Bernie Rhodes
for the final LP CUT THE CRAP. Unfortunately, most of the songs
were crap.

It ended up at #16 in the UK and #88 in the US.

Strummer said: “It was like when you’re younger and you’re trying
to make a date with a girl but she won’t have any of it. You keep going
back, trying to fool yourself that this time will be better.”

It was also Rhodes who titled the album, taking
the line “cut the crap” from a scene in the 1981
post-apocalyptic film Mad Max 2.

AllMusic/Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: “Unfortunately, they sound like a parody of
a classic punk band with the exception of the surprisingly nervy “This Is England,” this is all formulaic, tired punk rock that doesn’t have the aggression or purpose of early Clash records, let alone the hardcore punk that the new band was now competing with. It’s a sad end to one
of the greatest rock & roll bands, not even offering much of interest for the dedicated fans.”

SINGLE

ALBUM


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Bio – All Albums

DAVID BOWIE – 3rd Album ‘THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD’ Released In The US 55 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

4 November 2025


The American LP’s front cover

55 years ago today – on 4 November 1970 – the late genial starman
DAVID BOWIE released his third album THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD
in the US. Six months later, in April 1971, it came out in his home country.

The LP’s artwork – featuring a cowboy in front of a mental asylum – designed by a Bowie friend, an underground comics artist called Michael J. Weller wasn’t really a Bowie-style image. At first Bowie thought it was a ‘horrible‘ idea but later in 1999 he stated that he “actually thought the cartoon cover was really cool”.

Six months later the UK front cover artwork featured the iconic image we all know
with Bowie on a chaise longue in a cream and blue satin ‘man’s dress‘, an early indication
of his interest in exploiting his androgynous appearance.

Despite laudatory criticisms, the album wasn’t a big commercial success at first
but went on selling more copies over the years as Bowie became a superstar.

SINGLE

ALBUM


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DAVID BOWIE: Facebook – All Albums


The American LP’s back sleeve

U2 Released All Killers No Fillers Album’ ALL THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE BEHIND’ 25 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

30 October 2025

Irish pop giants U2 their 10th album ALL THAT YOU
CAN’T LEAVE BEHIND on 30 October 2000, today
25 years ago.

It went #1 in most European countries and #3 in the US

AllMusic‘s editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine said: “It’s U2’s return to the generous
spirit that flowed through their best ’80s records. A clever and craftsmanlike record,
filled with nifty twists in the arrangements, small sonic details, and colors.”

Turn Up The Volume: Along with ‘Achtung Baby‘ the Irish stadium rockers’
best work to mye ars. All killers, no fillers. They found what they were looking
for. Eat your heart out U2 haters and Bono mockers.

Top tracks: Elevation / Kite / Grace

– ELEVATION –

– KITE –

– GRACE –

ALBUM


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Instagram – Linktree – All Albums

Classic PULP Pop Album ‘DIFFERENT CLASS’ Released 30 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

30 October 2025

Sheffield‘s pop heroes PULP, fronted by voice/face/songwriter Jarvis Cocker,
who made a comeback this year with More, their first album in 24 years, scored
their biggest LP hit 30 years ago today, on 30 October 1995, with their 5th one
Different Class.

It came out at the height of Britpop.
It topped the UK Charts and won
the prestigious Mercury Prize.

Pitchfork wrote: “On 1995’s Different Class, Pulp and Jarvis Cocker
were arty outsiders worming their way into the lives of ordinary folk,
and they became pop in its most democratically widespread sense.”

TUTV: Perfect pulp pop for common people like you and me.

SINGLES

ALBUM

Instagram – Linktree – All Albums

PJ HARVEY – Her Sterling 5th Album ‘STORIES FROM THE CITY, STORIES FROM THE SEA’ Came Out 25 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

24 October 2025

Singer-songwriter heroine PJ HARVEY (aged 56 now) released her sterling 5th LP
STORIES FROM THE CITY, STORIES FROM THE SEA, her love tribute to New York City,
on 24 October 2000, today 25 years ago.

Upon its release, the album received acclaim from most music critics and earned Harvey several accolades, including the 2001 Mercury Prize. It spent 17 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, and has been certified platinum in the United Kingdom and Australia.

NME said: “A magnificent, life-affirming opus.”

Singles/clips.

– GOOD FORTUNE –

– THIS IS LOVE –

ALBUM


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PJ: Bio – Discography – Instagram

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS Released Their Magnum Opus ‘MELLON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS’ 30 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

24 October 2025

Rock giants THE SMASHING PUMPKINS (1988–2000, 2006–present)
released their 3rd LP, a double one, titled MELLON COLLIE AND THE
INFINITE SADNESS released on 24 October 1995 in the US, 30 years ago
today.

It went straight to #1 on the US Charts
with first-week sales of 246,500 units.

Pitchfork said: “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was one of the most generous
records of the 90s. Smashing Pumpkins took it upon themselves to make a record that
only teenagers could love and for many it was the only one they needed.”.

Musically, the album has been described as featuring alternative rock, Grunge, alt metal, art rock and heavy metal. Its sprawling nature resulted in diverse music styles from song to song, contrasting what some critics felt was the “one dimensional flavor” of the previous two albums.

The artwork was conceived by American illustrator and collage artist John Craig.
He worked from Corgan‘s scribbled notes and crude sketches, most of which
arrived via fax.

The woman on the front cover is a collage made from two paintings: the face was taken from a work by French painter by Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725 – 1805), and a portrait of Saint-Catherine Of Alexandria by medieval Italian painter Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino.

Jean-Baptiste Greuze

Saint-Catherine Of Alexandria

Billy Corgan: “Do I belong in the conversation
about the best artists in the world? My answer is
yes, I do.”

Singles/clips: Bullet With Butterfly Wings / 1979 / Zero

– BULLET WITH BUTTERFLY WINGS –

– 1979 –

– ZERO –

Full album…


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Instagram – Linktree – All Albums

ROXY MUSIC – Glamourus Masterwork ‘SIREN’ Turns 50

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from the past

23 October 2025

Iconic art-glam rockers ROXY MUSIC (1970–1976, 1978–1983, 2001–2011)
fronted by ladies man Bryan Ferry (who turned 80 last month), released
their 5th LP SIREN on 24 October 1975, tomorrow 50 years ago.

The cover artwork features famous model Jerry Hall
crawling on rocks near South Stack, Anglesey in Wales.

Melody Maker (legendary British music weekly) wrote at the time:
“A superb album, striking the listener immediately with a force and invention
reserved only for the most special musical experiences with crispness and
vitality.”

Bryan Ferry: “Women? I have no idea. I don’t know
anything about women at all. They’re a complete mystery
to me.”


Singles/clips: Love Is The Drug / Both Ends Burning

– LOVE IS THE DRUG –

– BOTH ENDS BURNING –

ALBUM


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Instagram – All Albums

TOM WAITS – The Genial Barfly Released His 3rd LP ‘NIGHTHAWKS AT THE DINER’ Today 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

21 October 2025

Crooner and barfly legend TOM WAITS (75 now) released his 3rd LP, titled
NIGHTHAWKS AT THE DINER today, 50 years ago, on 21 October 1975.

It was recorded over four sessions in July in the Los Angeles Record Plant studio
in front of a small invited audience, set up to recreate the atmosphere of a jazz club.
The album got very positive critics but didn’t score commercially well at first, as it
peaked at #164 on the Billboard 200. Over the years it went silver.

The title was inspired by Edward Hopper‘s 1942 painting Nighthawks. See here.

Jim Hughart, who played upright bass on the recordings
recalled the experience of preparing for and recording the
album:

“Preparing for this thing, we had to memorize all this stuff, ’cause Waits had nothing on paper. So ultimately, we spent four or five days in a rehearsal studio going over this stuff. And that was drudgery. But when we did actually get it all prepared and go and record, that was the fastest two days of recording I’ve ever spent in my life. It was so fun.”

Join the bar crowd.


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Instagram – All Albums

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Released His RAMONES Single ‘HUNGRY HEART’ Today 45 Yeasr Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the post

21 October 2025

THE BOSS earned his first Top-5 hit in the US with HUNGRY HEART.
The single was released this day 45 years ago, on 21 October 1980.

The song was part of his fifth album The River.

One day Springsteen met Joey Ramone in Asbury Park, New Jersey, who asked
him to write a song for the Ramones. He then composed ‘Hungry Heart‘, but
decided to keep it for himself on the advice of his producer and manager,
Jon Landau.

Previously, upbeat and catchy Springsteen songs such as ‘Blinded by the Light’,
‘Because the Night’, and ‘Fire‘ had been given away and become hits for others,
and Landau preferred the trend not continue.

Too bad, I really would have known what
the Ramones would have done with
the song.

The title is drawn from a line in Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
famous poem Ulysses: “For always roaming with a hungry heart”.

“Everybody’s got a hungry heart
Lay down your money and you play your part
Everybody’s got a h-h-hungry heart”

Discography