1979 Archives

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Van Halen II 45th- Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, the late Eddie Van Halen

Van Halen's 1978 debut probably guaranteed their election to the Rock 'n'Roll Hall of Fame on the first ballot. Six years later they even topped that with "1984". Every one of the four Van Halen albums in between, "II" released in March 1979, " Women and Children First", "Fair Warning", and "Diver Down" would all sell a million-plus and chart Top 6 on Billboard album sales. The late Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, & original bass player/background singer Michael Anthony join me In the Studio.

Cheap Trick- At Budokan 45th- Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander

Rockford, Illinois's Cheap Trick proved to be no joke on the live, Japan-only "At Budokan", but the story of how the rest of the world ever got to hear it in February 1979 is a total fluke. Hear the story In the Studio from Cheap Trick's Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen.

Live Tracks

The Babys- Run to Mexico- NYC 3-23-79

The Babys took the New York City Bottom Line's stage in March 1979, they had released their strongest effort to date, "Head First", and added up-and-coming American keyboard player Jonathan Cain to the outfit fronted by singer John Waite. Here is a very rare recording of The Babys doing "Run to Mexico".

Classic Rock Interviews, Medium Rare

The Police- Outlandos d’Amour @45- Sting, Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland

"Outlandos d'Amour' has a certain grotesque, naive charm about it," Sting confesses in this 45th anniversary interview about the Police debut,"but 'Regatta de Blanc' was infinitely a much better record." Police founding drummer Stewart Copeland, guitarist Andy Summers & Sting join Redbeard here In the Studio.

Live Tracks

Tom Cochrane- Lunatic Fringe- Dallas 1989

From its release in 1979 on the Red Rider album As Far as Siam ,"Lunatic Fringe " was always a popular song on North American rock radio . However , in a post-9/11 world , Tom Cochrane's lyrics are now even more chilling . This performance in a Dallas Mexican restaurant- January 1989 . No stage , no P.A. , no monitors , just Corona beer & the radio feeding back . That's a lot of intense music just by two very talented guys .-Redbeard

Live Tracks

Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes-Waiting on Your Reply- Asbury Park 1979

Tuned up like a Packard V-12, the sonic assault of the original Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes was a thing to behold, blowin' and goin' on the New Jersey shore. Here's "Waiting on Your Reply" from 1979 in Asbury Park.

Medium Rare

Triumph- Allied Forces- Rik Emmett, Gil Moore, Mike Levine

If you've ever been in a band, you need to listen to this honest, heartwarming, hysterically funny interview with Triumph ... 1979 breakthrough "Just a Gam"e with the songs "Hold On" and "Lay It on the Line", plus the even bigger seller "Allied Forces" forty years ago with "Magic Power" and "Fight the Good Fight".

Medium Rare

Cheap Trick- Essential- Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander

On a maximum scale of five stars, the 1977 debut by Cheap Trick receives AllMusic.com's highest rating, and the even more melodic, better sounding sophomore effort "In Color" in the same year earns 4 1/2 stars. Then Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, and Bun E. Carlos wrote and recorded the masterpiece "Heaven Tonight" in May 1978, yet again scoring a critics' perfect five star rating. So in hindsight it would appear that recording the Rockford IL quartet's set while performing the strongest material from these three killer studio albums, in front of an adoring audience in one of the world's premiere venues, would be as obvious as a sumo wrestler in your shower stall.