Historic events this week from Radiohead, Paul Westerberg, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Foo Fighters and U2
FEBRUARY 22, 1993: RADIOHEAD’S PABLO HONEY
Radiohead‘s debut album, Pablo Honey, propelled them to global fame via the angst-ridden hit single “Creep” and the follow-up track “Anyone Can Play Guitar.” Despite the record’s Platinum success, the band members, particularly singer Thom Yorke, eventually distanced themselves from its straightforward grunge sound as they pivoted toward more experimental territory.
FEBRUARY 23, 1999: PAUL WESTERBERG’S SUICAINE GRATIFACTION
Paul Westerberg stripped back his sound for the deeply personal solo album Suicaine Gratifaction, moving away from his punk roots toward a somber, piano-driven atmosphere. The record contains the melodic single “Lookin’ Out Forever” and features notable guest appearances from Shawn Colvin, who sang on the standout track “Born for Me and Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum.
FEBRUARY 24, 1975: LED ZEPPELIN RELEASE PHYSICAL GRAFFITI
Led Zeppelin‘s Physical Graffiti was a big one. It’s their second biggest selling album behind their untitled fourth album (aka Led Zeppelin IV).
Despite only releasing “Trampled Under Foot” as a single, “Houses of the Holy”, “Kashmir” and “The Wanton Song” have all received significant radio air play.
The album has sold over 16 Million copies in the US alone.
FEBRUARY 25, 1998: BOB DYLAN IS SOY BOMBED
During the Grammy Awards, performance artist Michael Portnoy rushed the stage shirtless with the words “Soy Bomb” painted on his chest while Bob Dylan performed “Love Sick.” Despite the bizarre, rhythmic dancing of the intruder just inches away, Bob Dylan maintained his composure and finished the song without missing a beat, creating one of the most surreal moments in live television history.
FEBRUARY 25, 2022: FOO FIGHTERS’ HORROR FILM STUDIO 666
In the horror-comedy Studio 666, the Foo Fighters play fictionalized versions of themselves battling supernatural possession and demonic forces while recording in a haunted mansion. To accompany the film’s plot, Dave Grohl recorded a full-length thrash and death metal album titled Dream Widow, channeling the aggressive sound of the movie’s fictional doomed band.
FEBRUARY 28, 1983: U2’s WAR
U2‘s third album, War, was their first multi-Platinum album. Containing the well-known singles “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day,” the album has gone on to sell over 11,000,000 copies worldwide.
