This Month In Music
22 Jul 2024
This July, we're celebrating four monumental anniversaries in music history. Join us as we honour the enduring legacies of some of rock's greatest legends. It's the 55th anniversary of an iconic
Doors album, the 60th anniversary of The Rolling Stones' first US single, the anniversary of
Def Leppard's first concert, and the anniversary of
Eric Clapton joining rock's greatest supergroup, Cream.
Each milestone not only marks a significant moment in music history but also highlights the timeless influence these artists continue to have. Dive into their stories and rediscover the magic that changed the music world forever.
Not Fade Away
This July in 1964 united two titans of music, each celebrated in their own Genesis editions. The Rolling Stones climbed the US charts for the first time when their cover of Buddy Holly's 'Not Fade Away' peaked at #48.
Originally written by Buddy Holly and Norman Petty, the Stones' version showcased the band's raw energy and Mick Jagger's distinct vocals alongside a driving Bo Diddley beat.
In honour of this iconic connection, we invite you to explore
Words of Love, the ultimate document of Buddy Holly's career featuring exclusive contributions from members of
The Rolling Stones.
Tell All The People
This July also marks the 55th anniversary of The Soft Parade, the fourth studio album by the Doors.
Showcasing the band's unique blend of rock, jazz and orchestral elements, the album marked a departure from their earlier raw sound and incorporated brass and string arrangements for a richer, more complex musical experience.
'I think The Doors have remained popular because of the amount of great songs. We never let a song on an album unless we all loved it.' - Robby Krieger
Night Divides the Day delves deeply into the making of
The Soft Parade, offering exclusive insights, anecdotes and rare photographs of the band in the recording studio for this iconic album.
Rock of Ages
On July 18th, 1978, at the Westfield School in Sheffield, England, a local band by the name of Def Leppard performed to its first crowd of 150 students.
'I was desperate to play live, but the rest of the guys in the group wanted to keep rehearsing and polishing... I'd probably had one light ale too many and I threatened to leave if we didn't do a gig soon. Joe was very good about it. He said, 'All right, I guess that's it. Let's do our first show.'' - Steve Clark
'The teacher came in, said, 'Thanks, lad,' and gave us five quid out of his pocket. Then we heard chants of 'More! More!' coming through the gym, so the teacher said, 'I think you need to go out there and do another one.'' - Joe Elliott
Fresh Cream
Lastly, this month in 1966, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker formed their legendary band, Cream.
Clapton, already a guitar legend, teamed up with Bruce and Baker, both seasoned in jazz and blues. Together, they forged a band that revolutionised music, seamlessly blending blues, rock, and mind-bending psychedelia. Their sound was nothing short of groundbreaking.
'In a trio, I had to provide a lot more of the sound. My technique altered quite a lot, in that I started playing a lot more barre chords and hitting open strings to provide a kind of drone for my lead work.' - Eric Clapton
In his book
Six String Stories, Eric Clapton delves into his inspirational work and the guitars that he used to create and innovate with Cream.