Tag Archives: December

AC/DC: Highway To Hell

ACDC_Highway_To_Hell

On July 27, 1979, “Albert” label released “Highway to Hell”, the sixth Australian and the fifth international AC/DC album. It was recorded December 1978, at “Albert Studios” in Sydney; January – February 1979, at “Criteria Studios” in Miami, Florida; March – April 1979, at “Roundhouse Studios” in London, and was produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Highway to Hell” at number 200 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Bon Scott– lead vocals
  • Angus Young– lead guitar
  • Malcolm Young– rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Cliff Williams– bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Phil Rudd– drums
  • Mark Dearnley – engineer
  • Kevin Dallimore – engineer assistant
  • Tony Platt – mixing
  • Bob Defrin – art direction
  • Jim Houghton – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott.

  1. Highway to Hell
  2. Girls Got Rhythm
  3. Walk All Over You
  4. Touch Too Much
  5. Beating Around the Bush
  6. Shot Down in Flames
  7. Get It Hot
  8. If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
  9. Love Hungry Man
  10. Night Prowler

Queen: Same

Queen_Queen

On July 13, 1973, “EMI” label released the self-titled, debut Queen album. It was recorded December 1971 – November 1972, at “De Lane Lea” and “Trident Studios” in London, and was produced by John Anthony, Roy Thomas Baker, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and  John Deacon. “Guitarist” magazine ranked the album at number 19 on its list of the “Most Influential Guitar Albums of all Time”; in 2008, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album song “Keep Yourself Alive” at number 31 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitar Songs Of All Time”. The album was certified Platinum in Poland by “ZPAV”.

Personnel:

  • Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals, piano, Hammond organ
  • Brian May – acoustic and electric guitars, piano, vocal bridge, backing vocals
  • Roger Taylor – lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion, vocal bridge
  • John Deacon – bass guitar
  • John Anthony– backing vocals
  • Roy Thomas Baker– engineer
  • Mike “Clay” Stone – engineer
  • Ted Sharpe – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Keep Yourself Alive – Brian May
  2. Doing All Right – Brian May, Tim Staffell
  3. Great King Rat – Freddie Mercury
  4. My Fairy King – Freddie Mercury
  5. Liar – Freddie Mercury
  6. The Night Comes Down – Brian May
  7. Modern Times Rock’n’Roll – Roger Taylor
  8. Son and Daughter – Brian May
  9. Jesus – Freddie Mercury
  10. Seven Seas of Rhye – Freddie Mercury

Tim Buckley: Happy Sad

Tim_Buckley_-_Happy_Sad

On July 9, 1969, “Elektra” label released “Happy Sad”, the third Tim Buckley album. It was recorded in December 1968, at “Elektra Sound Recorders” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Zal Yanovsky and Jerry Yester.

Personnel:

  • Tim Buckley – vocals, guitars
  • Lee Underwood – guitar, keyboards
  • John Miller– acoustic bass
  • Carter Collins – congas, conductor
  • David Friedman – percussion, marimba, vibraphone
  • Bruce Botnick- engineer
  • William S. Harvey – art direction
  • Robert L. Heimall – design
  • Ed Caraeff- photography
  • Jac Holzman – production supervisor

Track listing:

All tracks by Tim Buckley.

  1. Strange Feelin’
  2. Buzzin’ Fly
  3. Love from Room 109 at the Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway)
  4. Dream Letter
  5. Gypsy Woman
  6. Sing a Song for You

Jethro Tull: A Passion Play

Passion Play

On July 6, 1973, “Chrysalis” label released “A Passion Play”, the sixth Jethro Tull studio album. It was recorded December 1972-January 1973,at “Château d’Hérouville”, in Val-d’Oise;  March 1973, at “Morgan Studios” in London, and was produced by Ian Anderson and Terry Ellis.

Personnel:

  • Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, soprano and sopranino saxophones
  • Martin Barre – electric guitars
  • John Evan – vocals, piano, organ, synthesisers
  • Jeffrey Hammond – narrator, bass guitar
  • Barriemore Barlow – drums, timpani, glockenspiel, marimba
  • David Palmer– orchestral arrangements
  • Robin Black – engineer
  • Brian Ward – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Ian Anderson, except where noted.

  1. A Passion Play, Part I”

Act 1 – Ronnie Pilgrim’s funeral – a winter’s morning in the cemetery.

  • Lifebeats
  • Prelude
  • The Silver Cord
  • Re-Assuring Tune

Act 2 – The Memory Bank – A Small but Comfortable Theatre with a Cinema-Screen (the Next Morning).

  • Memory Bank
  • Best Friends
  • Critique Oblique

VIII.  Forest Dance #1

  1. A Passion Play, Part II

Interlude – The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles.

  • The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles – Ian Anderson, Jeffrey Hammond, John Evan

Act 3 – The Business Office of G. Oddie & Son (two days later).

  • Forest Dance #2
  • The Foot of Our Stairs
  • Overseer Overture

Act 4 – Magus Perdé’s Drawing Room at Midnight.

  • Flight from Lucifer
  • 10:08 to Paddington
  • Magus Perdé
  • Epilogue

Muse: Black Holes And Revelations

Black Holes

On July 3, 2006, “Warner Bros” label released “Black Holes and Revelations”, the fourth Muse studio album. It was recorded August – December 2005, and was produced by Rich Costey and Muse. The album design was by Storm Thorgerson. In 2008, in a “Q” magazine public vote, “Black Holes and Revelations” was ranked at number 34 on the list of the “The Best British Albums of All time”. The album was certified Platinum in Australia by “ARIA”; Platinum in Canada by “Music Canada”; 3 x Platinum in France by “SNEP”;  Platinum in Ireland by “IRMA”; Platinum in Italy by “FIMI”; Platinum in Switzerland by “IFPI Switzerland” and 3 x Platinum in UK by the “BPI”.

Personnel:

  • Matthew Bellamy– lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, piano, synthesizers
  • Christopher Wolstenholme– bass, double bass, synthesizers, backing vocals
  • Marco Brioschi – trumpet
  • Dominic Howard– drums, percussion, brief vocals, electronic drums
  • Edoardo de Angelis – first violin
  • Around Art – strings
  • Tommaso Colliva– engineer
  • Myriam Correge – engineer assistant
  • Max Dingle – mixing assistant
  • Tom Kirk – antique items crushed on “Exo-Politics”
  • Mauro Pagani– string arrangements, string conductor
  • Ross Peterson – engineer assistant
  • Audrey Riley– string arrangements, string conductor
  • Mark Rinaldi – mixing assistant
  • Ryan Simms – engineer assistant
  • Howie Weinberg– mastering
  • Roger Lian – mastering assistant
  • Vlado Meller – mastering
  • Derrick Santini – photography
  • Storm Thorgerson– cover photography
  • Rupert Truman – cover photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Matt Bellamy.

  1. Take a Blow
  2. Straight
  3. Supermassive Black Hole
  4. Map of the Problematique
  5. Soldier’s Poem
  6. Invincible
  7. Assassin
  8. Exo-Politics
  9. City of Delusion
  10. Hoodoo
  11. Knights of Cydonia

Cactus: Same

Cactus - Cactus

On July 1, 1970, “Atco” label released the self-titled, debut Cactus album. It was recorded October–December 1969, at “Ultra-Sonic Recording Studios” in Hempstead, New York, and was produced by Carmine Appice, Tim Bohert, Rusty Day and Jim McCarty.

Personnel:

  • Rusty Day– lead and backing vocals, harmonica
  • Jim McCarty– guitar
  • Tim Bogert– bass, backing vocals
  • Carmine Appice– drums, backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Carmine Appice, Tim Bogert, Rusty Day and Jim McCarty, except where noted.

  1. Parchman Farm – Mose Allison
  2. My Lady from South of Detroit
  3. Bill
  4. You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover – Willie Dixon
  5. Let Me Swim
  6. No Need to Worry
  7. Oleo
  8. Feel So Good

Madonna: True Blue

True_Blue

On June 30, 1986, “Sire” label released “True Blue”, the third Madonna studio album. It was recorded December 1985–April 1986, at “Channel Recording Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Madonna, Stephen Bray and Patrick Leonard. “True Blue” was global commercial success, reaching number one in record-breaking 28 countries worldwide, spending 34 consecutive weeks at the top of the “European Top 100 Albums” chart, longer than any other album in history. It became the world’s top-selling album of 1986,and the best-selling album of the 1980s by a female artist. In 1986, as recognition of her impact on the popular culture, Madonna became the first female artist to receive the “Video Vanguard Award” at the 1986 “MTV Video Music Awards”.

Personnel:

  • Madonna – lead and backing vocals
  • Bruce Gaitsch – guitar
  • Dann Huff– guitar
  • Paul Jackson, Jr.– guitar
  • John Putnam – acoustic and electric guitar
  • David Williams – guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Fred Zarr – keyboards
  • Stephen Bray – keyboards, drums, music programming, drum programming
  • Patrick Leonard– keyboards, drums, drum programming, programming
  • Jonathan Moffett – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Paulinho da Costa– percussion
  • Dave Boroff – saxophone
  • Keithen Carter – backing vocals
  • Edie Lehmann – backing vocals
  • Jackie Jackson– backing vocals
  • Siedah Garrett– backing vocals
  • Richard Marx– backging vocals
  • Billy Meyers – string arrangements
  • Michael Hutchinson – engineer
  • Michael Verdick – engineer, mixing
  • Dan Nebenzal – mixing
  • Ted Jensenat Sterling Sound, NYC – mastering
  • Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff – art direction
  • Jeri McManus – art direction, design
  • Herb Ritts– photography

Track listing:

  1. Papa Don’t Preach – Brain Elliot, Madonna
  2. Open Your Heart – Madonna, Gardner Cole, Peter Rafelson
  3. White Heat – Patrick Leonard, Madonna
  4. Live to Tell – Patrick Leonard, Madonna
  5. Where’s the Party – Madonna, Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard
  6. True Blue – Madonna, Stephen Bray
  7. La Isla Bonita – Madonna, Patrick Leonard, Bruce Gaitsch
  8. Jimmy Jimmy – Madonna, Stephen Bray
  9. Love Makes the World Go Round – Madonna, Patrick Leonard

 

 

Neil Young: Tonight’s The Night

Neil_Young - Tonight is the Night_cover

On June 20, 1975, “Reprise” label released “Tonight’s the Night”, the sixth Neil Young studio album. It was recorded March 1970, December 1972, August–September 1973, at “Studio Instrument Rentals” in Hollywood, “Fillmore East” in New York City, “Broken Arrow Ranch”, and was produced by David Briggs , Neil Young, Tim Mulligan and Elliot Mazer. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” label ranked “Tonight’s the Night” at number 331on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Neil Young— vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica, vibes
  • George Whitsell — vocal
  • Ben Keith— pedal steel guitar, vocal, slide guitar
  • Nils Lofgren— piano, vocal, guitar
  • Danny Whitten— vocal, electric guitar
  • Jack Nitzsche— electric piano, piano
  • Billy Talbot— bass
  • Tim Drummond— bass
  • Ralph Molina— drums, vocal
  • Kenny Buttrey— drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Young, except where noted.

  1. Tonight’s the Night
  2. Speakin’ Out
  3. World on a String
  4. Borrowed Tune
  5. Come on Baby Let’s Go Downtown – Neil Young, Danny Whitten
  6. Mellow My Mind
  7. Roll Another Number
  8. Albuquerque
  9. New Mama
  10. Lookout Joe
  11. Tired Eyes
  12. Tonight’s the Night

Roger Waters: Radio K.A.O.S.

Radio Kaos

On June 15, 1987, “EMI” label released “Radio K.A.O.S.”, the second Roger Waters studio album. It was recorded October – December 1986, at the “Billiard Room” in London, and was produced by Roger Waters, Ian Ritchie, and Nick Griffiths.

Personnel:

  • Roger Waters– vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, shakuhachi
  • Graham Broad– percussion, drums
  • Mel Collins– saxophones
  • Nick Glennie-Smith– DX7 and Emu
  • Matt Irving– Hammond organ
  • John Lingwood– drums
  • Andy Fairweather Low– electric guitars
  • Suzanne Rhatigan– main background vocals
  • Ian Ritchie– piano, keyboards, tenor saxophone, Fairlight programming, drum programming
  • Jay Stapley– electric guitars
  • John Phirkell – trumpet
  • Peter Thoms – trombone
  • Clare Torry– vocals
  • Paul Carrack– vocals
  • Katie Kissoon, Doreen Chanter, Madeline Bell, Steve Langer, Vicki Brown– backing vocals
  • Eric Jones – choir arrangement
  • Chris Sheldon– engineer
  • Kevin Whyte – engineer assistant
  • Paul Batchelor – engineer assistant
  • Noel Davis – choirmaster
  • Kate Hepburn – cover design

Track listing:

All tracks by Roger Waters.

  1. Radio Waves
  2. Who Needs Information
  3. Me or Him
  4. The Powers That Be
  5. Sunset Strip
  6. Home
  7. Four Minutes
  8. The Tide is Turning

 

Duran Duran: Same

Duran Duran

On June 15, 1981, “EMI” label released the self-titled, debut Duran Duran studio album. It was recorded in December 1980, at “Red Bus Studios”, “Abbey Road Studios”, “Utopia Studio” and “Chipping Norton Recording Studios”, and was produced by Colin Thurston. In December 1982, the album was certified Platinum in UK by the “BPI”, and Platinum in the US by the “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Simon Le Bon– lead vocals
  • Andy Taylor– guitar
  • Nick Rhodes– keyboards
  • John Taylor– bass guitar
  • Roger Taylor– drums
  • Colin Thurston– engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Simon Le Bon, Andy Taylor, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor.

  1. Girls on Film
  2. Planet Earth
  3. Anyone Out There
  4. To the Shore
  5. Careless Memories
  6. Night Boat
  7. Sound of Thunder
  8. Friends of Mine
  9. Tel Aviv