An Essential Guide to 70's Albums
E to J
The Eagles - Hotel California
The title track from this album became a massive hit for this American
band and, although some critics have complained that The Eagles
had become something of a MOR band this opus makes for good listening.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Pictures At An Exhibition
This 1971 live album found ELP at their best. Based on a stage version
of Moussorgsky's classical piece of the same name.
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
After moving on from their blues period, and after several personnel
changes, Fleetwood Mac went on to record a number of hugely successful
albums of which Rumours is rated as the best.
Genesis - A Trick Of The Tail
The first album that Genesis issued after the departure of Peter
Gabriel and one of their best. Formed by Gabriel from a group of
friends at Charterhouse public school this band went on to become
one of the best-selling and long lasting Britsh bands.
Gong - Camembert Electronique
This loosely linked group of avant-garde musicians were THE festival
band of the 1970's and managed to survive until 1977. The main creative
mind in Gong was Australian Daevid Allen although founder members
included Robert Wyatt and Kevin Ayers.
The Grateful Dead - The Grateful Dead
This 1971 double, live album captures the Dead at their peak as
a hippie/drug culture house band. Centred around Gerry Garcia the
Dead were superb live and widely rumoured to be the 'band to get
stoned by'.
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
George's first album after the break up of the Beatles and the best
he ev er made. This triple album was superbly produced by Phil Spector
and contained the huge selling single My Sweet Lord.
Hawkwind - Space Ritual
This is the album that epitomised the "space" rock that
the Hawks were leading exponents of. Famous also for their light
shows and nude dancer (Stacia) Hawkwind have endured many line-up
changes.
Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland
The self-taught, left-handed guitarist Hendrix was a star that burned
brightly but faded away all too early.
Electric Ladyland contains some of his greatest moments including
two completely different versions of Voodoo Chile and the Bob Dylan
penned All Along The Watchtower. It was also (in)famous for the
cover photo of a number of naked females.
Incredible String Band - The Hangman's Beautiful
Daughter
Although their roots lie in Scottish folk music this band (revolving
around the songwriters Robin Williamson and Mike Heron) evolved
to gain widespread critical acclaim from a variety of important
sources including the growing acid generation. Hangmans Daughter
is widely accepted to be their best album, being very rich in texture
because of the influences that the aforementioned band members gained
on their travels.
It's A Beautiful Day - It's A Beautiful Day
This San Fransisco band was based around the violin playing of David
LaFlamme and this, their first album was a real tour de force, garnering
acclaim from the hippy-trippy music lovers of the era. The best
track on this 1969 album is the beautiful White Bird.
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
The "hippy" band of the 60's and early 70's with the drug
anthem of the time "White Rabbit" this San Fransisco based
entourage, with lead singer Grace Slick, cut Surrealistic Pillow
in 1967. It also contained other classic "singles" includin
Somebody To Love, Plastic Fantastic Lover and Today. Airplane changed
their name to Starship in 1974.
Jethro Tull - Stand Up
This 1969 album was the band's second and was recieved with great
warmth by the critics and consumers alike.
Tull revolved around the penmanship and showmanship of lead singer
and flautist Ian Anderson and their music could best be described
as riffy, melodic tunes with witty lyrics. The album contains the
UK top 5 single Living In The Past.
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Quite simply the best album from the pens of Bernie Taupin and Elton
John released in October 1973. Elton has had massive success on
both sides of the Atlantic in both the singles and album charts
but this album was released when his creativity (and showmanship)
was hitting one of the many peaks of his career.
Janis Joplin - Pearl
Released posthumously this album found Janis at the peak of her
singing prowess. This Texas born songstress could sing the blues
with the best of them but unfortunately she found stardom hard to
take and overindulged in many toxic substances - she died of a heroin
overdose in 1970. Pearl contains the classic track Me and Bobby
McGee.
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