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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.
 
In Definitely: The Official Story of Def Leppard, the band reveals that it was Steve Clark who encouraged this decision while the band were rehearsing in a local spoon factory.
 
'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.
Definitely (Publisher's Copies) The Official Story of Def Leppard

Definitely (Publisher's Copies)

Def Leppard

£115

Night Divides the Day The Doors Anthology

Night Divides the Day

Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Robby Krieger

£345

Six-String Stories (Publisher's Copies) The Crossroads Guitars, 1999-2011

Six-String Stories (Publisher's Copies)

Eric Clapton

£125

Words of Love

Words of Love

Buddy Holly

£945



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