Historic events this week from Television, Van Halen, Dire Straits, Blondie and The Jayhawks
FEBRUARY 8, 1977: TELEVISION’S MARQUEE MOON
Television pushed the boundaries of the New York scene on Marquee Moon by centering the record around the complex, spiraling guitar duels of Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. Their unique chemistry created a cerebral “art-punk” masterpiece that was perfectly complemented by Robert Mapplethorpe’s iconic cover portrait of the band.
FEBRUARY 8, 2009: RAISING SAND WINS BIG AT THE GRAMMYS
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss‘ Raising Sand is the highest charting album for Plant outside of his work with Led Zeppelin.
The album won 5 Grammys; sweeping all categories in which it was nominated:
Record of the Year, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album, and Album of the Year.
FEBRUARY 10, 1978: VAN HALEN’S DEBUT ALBUM
Van Halen‘s self-titled debut was recorded in 3 weeks for $40,000. Containing “Jamie’s Cryin’”, “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love”, “Runnin’ with the Devil” and a cover of The Kinks‘ “You Really Got Me”, it has sold well over 10 million copies in the US alone.
FEBRUARY 10, 1979: “SULTANS OF SWING” BY DIRE STRAITS
Dire Straits catapulted to global fame with “Sultans of Swing” from their self-titled debut album, which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track helped drive the album to double-Platinum status in both the US and the UK, solidifying Mark Knopfler as one of the most respected guitarists in rock history.
FEBRUARY 12, 1977: BLONDIE’S SELF-TITLED DEBUT
Blondie bridged the gap between 1960s girl-group pop and the gritty New York underground with their self-titled debut album, Blondie. While the record initially saw more success overseas, the effortless cool of Debbie Harry and the band’s sharp songwriting eventually earned them a Gold certification as they became icons of the New Wave movement.
FEBRUARY 14, 1995: TOMORROW THE GREEN GRASS BY THE JAYHAWKS
The Jayhawks solidified their place as alt-country pioneers with Tomorrow the Green Grass, an album defined by the flawless vocal harmonies of Mark Olson and Gary Louris. The record features the beloved single “Blue” and includes soulful keyboard contributions from special guest Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.
