Category: Bands

This week in 1975, Elton John released his ninth studio album and triple platinum selling hit Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.  It is famous for being the first album in history to debut in the #1 slot on the U.S. Pop Album chart and is currently ranked #158 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.  Don Kirshner featured Elton John’s videos for “Ego” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with KiKi Dee on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert. 

Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, he began playing the piano at the age of 3 and by the following year had quickly developed to the point where he was performing songs, such as Winifred Atwell’s “The Skater’s Waltz,” by ear.  Upon winning a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11, John began attending classes and continued his education there for five years.  It has since been said by one of his instructors that after hearing a four-page piece by George F. Handel for the first time, John was able to play it back as if it were coming off of a “gramophone record.” 

Shortly after his studies at the Academy, John became a weekend pub pianist and in 1964 formed the band Bluesology with several of his friends.  He would run errands in the daytime for a music publishing company to supplement his income.  After a failed audition for the lead vocalist spot in the band Liberty, he was given a stack of lyrics and asked to write music for them.  These belonged to Bernie Taupin, who would soon become a longtime collaborator with John.   It was around this time that he changed his name to Elton John, in homage to Bluesology band members Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.  

After teaming up with Taupin, the two signed on with DJM records in 1969 as staff writers.  They wrote material for artists such as Roger Cook and Lulu.  At the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, together they wrote and recorded John’s debut album Empty Sky.  His follow-up Elton John album reached number four on the Billboard charts, achieving gold certification by the RIAA and is listed among Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 greatest albums of all time.

Elton John has since sold more than 250 million records worldwide.  He has over 50 Top 40 hits, nine No. 1 hits, and seven consecutive No. 1 US albums.  He has also won six Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award.  In 1994, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Rolling Stone ranked him 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. 

Since the 1980s, John has been heavily involved with the fight against AIDS after the death of friends Freddie Mercury and Ryan White.  In 1992 he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation and has used it to raise money and awareness about the disease.

This past month marked the 39^th anniversary of the release of The Eagles’ first hit single “Take It Easy.”  Three weeks after its initial release, the single broke through the Billboard charts and peaked at #12.  The Eagles would later perform this song on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert on March 3^rd, 1974, joined by  Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt on stage.  Considered one of the most influential rock songs ever written and recorded, it has since been named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Formed in 1971 by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner, The Eagles have gone on to become one of America’s most successful and accomplished acts achieving five number one singles, six Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards and six number one albums.  They were a major force in popularizing the Southern California country rock sound.  By the year 2000, their albums Hotel California and Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) had been named two of the 20 best-selling records in the U.S. by the Recording Industry Association of America.  Selling over 100 million records, they are the highest selling American band in U.S. history.

Along with playing “Take It Easy” on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, throughout the years The Eagles also performed “Peaceful Easy Living” (the third single off of their debut album which charted at #22), “Already Gone” (showcasing the band’s harder edge sound and charting at #32), “Good Day in Hell,” “Silver Threads and Golden Needles,” “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” “Midnight Flyer,” “Twenty-One,” “OL’ 55” (Tom Waits cover), “James Dean,” “Desperado” and “Doolin-Daltin” on the show.  “Desperado” and “Doolin-Daltin,” both off of The Eagles sophomore effort, dealt heavily with the theme of Old West outlaws and drew many comparisons between them and the lifestyles of many modern rock stars.

After an eight-year run, The Eagles officially disbanded in 1980.  Each ex-member subsequently attempted to start a solo career.  The band then reunited 14 years later in April of 1994 and continues to tour around the world today.

In the fall of 1973, music producer Don Kirshner launched his own syndicated rock and roll television show on ABC.  On September 27, 1973, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert premiered with an unforgettable performance by The Rolling Stones.

By the early 1970’s, The Rolling Stones had recorded the albums Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St. and Goats Head Soup which included some of the band’s biggest hit songs like “Brown Sugar” and “Angie”.  These albums consistently topped the US and UK charts.  The band was also facing legal battles concerning drug use, which made for an interesting international touring schedule as they were denied permission to play in a couple of countries.  With great music and controversy swirling around them, The Rolling Stones were one of the hottest rock ‘n roll bands at this time.

Don Kirshner knew that his new rock series had to start off with a bang and The Rolling Stones was the band to help him do it.  The opening show featured a London performance by The Rolling Stones – their first appearance on American television in over four years!

On that episode of Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, The Rolling Stones performed an unforgettable and emotive version of “Angie” and the the rock series was off and running.  Over the show’s 8 year run, The Rolling Stones appeared on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert five times performing their hit songs Start Me Up, Angie, Silver Train, Dancin with Mr. D, Till The Next Goodbye, It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll (But I Like It), Ain’t Too Proud To Beg, All Down The Line, Bye Bye Johnnie, Love In Vain, Emotional Rescue and She’s So Cold.

It was a perfect match – one of the most epic bands in rock history on one of the greatest rock shows in television history.