Joe Walsh - There Goes the Neighborhood (35th anniversary)

Today (May 15th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the release of There Goes The Neighborhood, the fifth solo studio album from Joe Walsh. This 1981 release spent eighteen weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 20.

For my full review of this record, click here.

For more records featuring Joe Walsh, click here.

Urban Cowboy (soundtrack) (35th anniversary)

This month marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the release of the soundtrack from Urban Cowboy. The album spent forty-seven weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, including two weeks at its peak position of number 3. The film would open on June 6th of 1980.

For my complete lowdown on this country-rock hoedown, click here.

Ringo Starr - Old Wave

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Old Wave, the ninth solo studio album by Ringo Starr. Starr worked with producer Joe Walsh on this 1983 album; Walsh was just coming off of the disbanding of the Eagles.

Besides Walsh on guitar, Starr was also joined by Gary Brooker of Procol Harum, John Entwistle of the Who, Eric Clapton, and Waddy Wachtel on some of the tracks.

Joe Walsh - You Bought It - You Name It

Today (May 21st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of You Bought It - You Name It, the sixth solo studio album from American rocker Joe Walsh. It peaked at number 48 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and produced a couple tracks that were big on the US Mainstream Rock chart.

Joining Walsh on the record was Kevin Dukes (guitar), Don Felder (guitar and vocals), Don Henley (guitar and backing vocals), Michael Martin Murphey (vocals), George Perry (bass), Timothy B. Schmitt (vocals), Joe Vitale (various instruments) and Waddy Wachtel (guitar).

FM (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

In April of 1978, Universal Pictures released a film about radio station QSKY, where corporate management enacts an advertising push that the station manager and on-air personalities do not buy in on. The protest quickly escalates when the deejays use the airwaves to stir up the listeners to join in the conflict. The cast of the film included Michael Brandon, Eileen Brennan, Alex Karras, Cleavon Little and Cassie Yates.

While many might not remember the film FM itself, they would certainly be familiar with the songs that appear on the accompanying two-disk soundtrack album. The tracks read like a who’s who of artists that were appearing on album-oriented rock stations at the time. This soundtrack album peaked in the top five of the US Billboard Hot 200, was certified Platinum by the summer of 1978, and won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

Joe Walsh - There Goes the Neighborhood

Happy sixty-fifth birthday today (November 20th) to American singer-songwriter Joe Walsh. As a member of three bands (the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles) as well as a successful solo artist and session musician, he has been recognized by Rolling Stone magazine as number 54 on its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All-Time.

On May 15th of 1981, Walsh released his fifth studio album There Goes the Neighborhood. It reached number 20 on the US Billboard Album chart (with an eighteen week total time on the chart) and generated a trio of popular tracks on the US Mainstream Rock charts.

Don Henley - I Can't Stand Still

From 1972 to 1980, Don Henley served as the drummer and lead singer for the Eagles. When the band broke up, Henley embarked on a career as a solo artist.

Today (August 13th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of I Can’t Stand Still, his debut solo album from 1982. The Gold selling record went to number 34 in Sweden, number 24 in the UK, number 22 in Norway, number 14 in New Zealand and number 5 in Canada. In the US, it topped out at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (soundtrack) (30th Anniversary)

This week, we are doing Matinee Monday.

Today (July 30th) marks the 30th anniversary of the release of the soundtrack album to the seminal 80's teen film Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

For my review of this album, please click here.

So, let's all put on our checkered Vans and chill out with Spicoli, Brad, Stacy, Damone, and Mr. Hand.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

In 1981, Rolling Stone magazine writer Cameron Crowe went undercover to a San Diego, California, high school to research a book. In 1982, that book was adapted into the coming-of-age teen comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The film, which opened in August of 1982, helped launch the careers of young actors Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Renhold, Robert Romanus, Phoebe Cates, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, Anthony Edwards and Nicolas Cage. At a cost of $4.5 million to make, the film earned more than $27 million at the box office and has since become a TV/cable and video favorite the world over. It even spun off a short-lived CBS sitcom in 1986 that starred young actors Courtney Thorne-Smith and Patrick Dempsey.

The double-disk soundtrack album, released on July 30th of 1982, did fairly well; it peaked at number 54 on the Billboard 200 and several of the songs were released as singles.

Urban Cowboy (soundtrack)

Welcome to another Soundtrack Sunday.

After taking a spin in the disco and a nostalgic trip to the 50's, John Travolta donned a Stetson hat, a big belt and leather boots for 1980's Urban Cowboy. As Bud, he worked at an oil refinery by day and spent his nights at Gilley's honky-tonk. There he danced and fell in love with a cowgirl named Sissy (played by Debra Winger). There were bar fights and some mechanical bull riding too. Oh, and some amazing music which was released on a double-disk soundtrack record.