Cheap Trick | At Budokan – Classic Commentary

In 1978, if you wanted a copy of Cheap Trick's At Budokan, you had to plop down $11.99 for the Japanese import. Epic, in their infinite wisdom, eventually released the...

Eagles | Hotel California – Classic Commentary

The peaceful, easy feeling the Eagles exuded in the early 70s had, by 1976, given way to a darker, more ominous sentiment. To begin, the band parted ways with...

Al Stewart | Year Of The Cat – Classic Commentary

Released in 1976, Year Of The Cat is the album that put Al Stewart on the map, showcasing his lyrical prowess and musical finesse. The album encapsulates Stewart's distinctive...

Moody Blues | Seventh Sojourn – Classic Commentary

In November 1972, the Moody Blues released Seventh Sojourn, their aptly named seventh album. At the time, rock was becoming an extremely complex palette on which to navigate and...

The Rolling Stones | Beggars Banquet – Classic Commentary

So many musical puzzles fell together in 1968. The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix lead the way with career-defining albums released in November. Somehow, though, the Rolling Stones got in...

The Doors | The Doors – Classic Commentary

As debut albums go, The Doors packed a punch that still reverberates to this very day. Jim Morrison was young and hungry, ready to take a big bite out of the...

The Band | The Last Waltz – Classic Commentary

Considered by many to be the greatest rock film of all time, The Last Waltz is the last word on the Band's final concert that took place on Thanksgiving...

Deep Purple | Machine Head – Classic Commentary

Deep Purple's Machine Head was not made under favorable circumstances. The band was originally scheduled to begin recording at The Casino in Montreux, Switzerland, but, in their own words, "some stupid...

Creedence Clearwater Revival | Cosmo’s Factory – Classic Commentary

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s fifth album, Cosmo’s Factory, was arguably the peak of the Bay Area band’s commercial run. It dented the number one spot on the charts for an...

Black Sabbath | Sabbath Bloody Sabbath – Classic Commentary

When it comes to Black Sabbath albums, the go-to’s seem to be the first three — Black Sabbath, Paranoid, and Master Of Reality. There’s little argument that these early...