Musical Interlude: The Music of 1974
It was about two years ago when I realized that many of my favorite albums were released in 1974, the year I was born. King Crimson's best two albums, Brian Eno's first two solo albums, two of Queen's best albums, my favorite James Brown, Roxy Music and Herbie Hancock. The list goes on. Inspired to learn as much about the music of 1974 as I could. I foraged for months, turning up some wonderful rarities and overlooked classics. To share some of the fruits of that labor, I've compiled a list of notable albums (posted below).
(A live version of Brian Eno's "Baby's On Fire," with Eno on vocals and synthesizer, John Cale on piano, Olie Halsall on guitar, Kevin Ayers on bass, and Robert Wyatt on percussion.)
If 1974 was not quite the end of a musical era, it was a transformation, an explosion of vast and diverse areas of musical inspiration. Maybe people hadn't come down from the high of the '60s, the cultural victory of the Civil Rights movement and the rock n' roll revolution. The Vietnam War was coming to an end. Music wasn't quite as political or social as it had been in the late '60s, though sometimes there was a sociopolitical agenda, such as when James Brown made bladders splatter in Zaire (for the "Rumble In The Jungle," when Muhammad Ali splattered George Foreman).
For the most part, musicians weren't trying to change the world; they were trying to change music, and they succeeded in spades. Across genres, across the world, new forms of music were enjoyed solely for the pleasure of music, for aural inspiration and journey, for dance and play as well as revelation and innovation. Glam rock, progressive/art rock, experimental rock, electronica, funk, fusion, disco, heavy metal, and even rap . . . So many genres that define the history of late 20th century music had just been born and were still coming to fruition. Queen even planted the seeds for thrash metal with "Stone Cold Crazy." The Ramones and Talking Heads (then "The Artistics") started playing in New York City, establishing the foundations for the punk and new wave movements. Less monumental, though also interesting: 1974 is also the year Van Halen started performing in California.
Some of the most influential bands of the time did not release albums in 1974. Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath were touring after the 1973 releases of what are arguably their best albums (Dark Side of the Moon and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath). The Who was also touring after 1973's Quadrophenia. Led Zeppelin had released Houses of the Holy in 1973, but instead of touring, spent '74 launching its own record label (Swan Song) and finishing Physical Graffiti, which would be the band's last legendary album.
There were also some great televised performances in 1974. For example, 'The Midnight Special' featured great performances by Labelle, Marvin Gaye, Sly & The Family Stone, Aerosmith, and much more.
1974 also saw tragedy and loss. In May, Duke Ellington died at the age of 75. (Miles Davis' deep and introspective "He Loved Him Madly," from the 1974 album Get Up With It, is a 32-minute tribute to the lost legend.) In July, after two sold-out performances at the London Palladium, 'Mama' Cass Elliot died of a heart attack at the age of 32. In November, Nick Drake overdosed on antidepressants at the age of 26. Earlier in the year, Drake had cut four tracks for what would have been his fourth album.
Before I get to the list, here are a few notable singles from '74:
- "Seven Deadly Finns," Brian Eno
- "Hey Joe /Piss Factory," Patti Smith
- "Dancing Machine," Jackson 5
- "TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)," MFSB
- "Kung Fu Fighting," Carl Douglas
Just a couple more I gotta share, the first because it's easy to forget how amazing Al Green was, and the second because Tom Jones surprised me with this solid cover of "Right Place, Wrong Time" on the otherwise forgettable album, Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like.
("Ctrl"+click to open links in a new tab.)
- Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), Brian Eno
- Starless and Bible Black, King Crimson
- Red, King Crimson
- Slaughter On 10th Avenue, Mick Ronson
- Here Come the Warm Jets, Brian Eno
- Thrust, Herbie Hancock
- Inspiration Information, Shuggie Otis
- Fulfillingness' First Finale, Stevie Wonder
- They Say I'm Different, Betty Davis
- Country Life, Roxy Music
- Sheer Heart Attack, Queen
- Apostrophe, Frank Zappa
- In For The Kill, Budgie
- La Finestra Dentro, Juri Camisasca
- Crime Of The Century, Supertramp
- Nightbirds, Labelle
- Expansions, Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes
- Walls And Bridges, John Lennon
- Rocka Rolla, Judas Priest
- One, Bob James
- You, Gong
- Rejuvenation, The Meters
- Tudo Foi Feito Pelo Sol, Os Mutantes
- Hell, James Brown
- Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley, Robert Palmer
- Burn, Deep Purple
- Phaedra, Tangerine Dream
- Blue Jeans & Moonbeams, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
- Yèkatit: Ethio Jazz, Mulatu Astatke
- Aerolit, Czeslaw Niemen
- Bridge Of Sighs, Robin Trower
- Unrest, Henry Cow
- Fly To The Rainbow, Scorpions
- Rock Bottom, Robert Wyatt
- Get Up With It, Miles Davis
- Desolation Boulevard, Sweet
- Autobahn, Kraftwerk
- New Skin For The Old Ceremony, Leonard Cohen
- Where Have I Known You Before, Return To Forever
- Alagbon Close, Fela Kuti
- Luiz Gonzaga, Jr., Gonzaguinha
- Queen II, Queen
- Clic, Franco Battiato
- Fear, John Cale
- Average White Band, Average White Band
- The Conversation Motion Picture Soundtrack, David Shire
- Skin Tight, Ohio Players
- The Psychomodo, Cockney Rebel
- The Civil Surface, Egg
- Death Wish Motion Picture Sountrack, Herbie Hancock
- Us, Maceo Parker
- Back To Oakland, Tower Of Power
- Seligpreisung, Popol Vuh
- Angelo Branduardi, Angelo Branduardi '74
- Cincinnato, Cincinnato
- Everyone Is Everybody Else, Barclay James Harvest
- Rags To Rufus, Rufus & Chaka Khan
- The Man In The Bowler Hat, Stackridge
- L'Incendie, Brigitte Fontaine & Areski
- Anima Latina, Lucio Battisti
- Live, April Wine
- The Colours of Chloe, Eberhard Weber
- Kwanza, Archie Shepp
- Caution! Radiation Area, Area
- Casablanca Moon, Slapp Happy
- The End, Nico
- Court And Spark, Joni Mitchell
- Now We Are Six, Steeleye Span
- Afro Blue, Dee Dee Bridgewater
- Meet The Residents, The Residents
- Apocalypse, Mahavishnu Orchestra
- On The Beach, Neil Young
- The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, Genesis
- Pick A Dub, Keith Hudson
- Hijack, Amon Düül II
- Relayer, Yes
- Body Heat, Quincy Jones
- Caught Up, Millie Jackson
- Cartola, Cartola
- Up For The Down Stroke, Parliament
- Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan
- Green, Steve Hillage
- The Power And The Glory, Gentle Giant
- Malicorne 1 ("Colin"), Malicorne
- Sama Layuca, McCoy Tyner
- The Blackbyrds, The Blackbyrds
- Gambler's Life, Johnny "Hammond" Smith
- Hero And Heroine, The Strawbs
- Mirage, Camel
- The Elements, Joe Henderson & Alice Coltrane
- Ptarmigan, Ptarmigan
- Amancio Prada, Vida E Morte
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Motion Picture Sountrack, David Shire
- Zinc Alloy And The Hidden Riders Of Tomorrow - A Creamed Cage In August, Marc Bolan & T. Rex
- Invitation, Andrew Hill
- Zuckerzeit, Cluster
- Power Of Soul, Idris Muhammad
- Upon This Rock, Joe Farrell
- The Storm, The Storm
- Sun Supreme, Ibis
- Mourner's Rhapsody, Czeslaw Niemen
- Truck Turner Motion Picture Soundtrack, Isaac Hayes
- Power, Stanley Clarke
- Contrappunti, Le Orme
- Todd, Todd Rundgren
- Musik Von Harmonia, Harmonia
- Blackdance, Klaus Schulze
- Temporada de Verão, Gal Costa
- Desitively Bonnaroo, Dr. John
- Winter Light, Oregon
- Together Brothers Motion Picture Soundtrack, Barry White & Love Unlimited Orchestra
- The Loud Minority, Frank Foster
- Cosmic Vortex (Justice Divine), Weldon Irvine
- But Beautiful, Bill Evans Trio w/ Stan Getz
- Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On, Funkadelic
- Discipline 27-II, Sun Ra
- Dark Magus, Miles Davis
- Jaco, Jaco Pastorius / Pat Metheny / Bruce Ditmas / Paul Bley
- The Cosmic Jokers, The Cosmic Jokers
- Hatfield & The North, Hatfield & The North
- Feel, George Duke
- Point Of No Return, Funkees
- Galactic Supermarket, The Cosmic Jokers
- The Silent Corner & The Empty Stage, Peter Hammill
- Crystals, Sam Rivers
- Virtues & Sins, Kin Ping Meh
- Elis & Tom, Elis Regina & Antonio Carlos Jobim
- The Giants, Oscar Peterson / Joe Pass / Ray Brown
- I'm In Need Of Love, Lou Courtney
- Visions Of The Emerald Beyond, Mahavishnu Orchestra
- Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, Rick Wakeman
- Sally Can't Dance, Lou Reed
- Sweet Bitter Love, Marcia Griffiths
- Flying Start, The Blackbyrds
- Total Eclipse, Billy Cobham
- Damn Right I Am Somebody, Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s
- Rocking Time, Burning Spear
- Paradise And Lunch, Ry Cooder
- Aqua, Edgar Froese
- The Jewel In The Lotus, Bennie Maupin
- Einsjäger & Siebenjäger, Popol Vuh
- Big Fun, Miles Davis
- Burglar, Freddie King
- Palle, Squallor
- Belonging, Keith Jarrett with Jan Garbarek
- Loki?, Arnaldo Baptista
- Phases & Stages, Willie Nelson
- It Is Finished, Nina Simone
- Sweet Exorcist, Curtis Mayfield
- Al Green Explores Your Mind, Al Green
- From The Album Of The Same Name, Pilot
- Prelusion, Patrice Rushen
- Dreams, Toad
- Okie, JJ Cale
- Not Fragile, Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- Eléctronique Guérilla, Heldon
- Fare Forward Voyagers, John Fahey
- Seasons In The Sun, Terry Jacks
- Kimono My House, Sparks
- Radio City, Big Star
- From The Mars Hotel, Grateful Dead
- I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, Richard & Linda Thompson
- Hamburger Concerto, Focus
- Kansas, Kansas
- Plume Pou Digne, Plume Latraverse
- Rush, Rush
- A Tabúa de Esmeralda, Jorge Ben
- Breakaway, Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge
- Green Mango, Tommy McCook & Bobby Ellis
- Twet, Tomasz Stanko
- In The Beginning, Roy Buchanan
- First Of The Big Bands, Ashton & Lord
- Mo' Roots, Taj Mahal
- In Camera, Peter Hammill
- Perfect Angel, Minnie Ripperton
- Light Of Worlds, Kool & The Gang
- Preservation Act 2, The Kinks
- Bad Company, Bad Company
- The Hall Of The Mountain Grill, Hawkwind
- Too Much Too Soon, New York Dolls
- The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits
- Soon Over Babaluma, Can
- Rambler, Gabor Szabo
- Symbiosis, Bill Evans
- Natty Dread, Bob Marley & The Wailers
- 461 Ocean Boulevard, Eric Clapton
- Waterloo, ABBA
- Captain Lockheed & The Starfighters, Robert Calvert
- The Butterfly Ball & The Grasshopper Feast, Roger Glover
- Goodbye, Gene Ammons
- Cup Full Of Dreams, Don "Sugarcane" Harris
By way of contrast, I rather dislike these notable albums from 1974:
- David Bowie - Diamond Dogs
- Aerosmith - Get Your Wings
- Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping
- Jackson Browne - Late for the Sky
- Kiss - Kiss
- Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
- Carly Simon - Hotcakes
- The Bee Gees - Mr. Natural
- Billy Joel - Streetlife Serenade
- Elton John - Caribou
- The Eagles - On The Border
- Damião Experiencia - Planeta Lamma
- Dr. Feelgood - Down by the Jetty
- Van Morrison - Veedon Fleece
- Graham Parsons - Grievous Angel
- Raspberries - Starting Over
- Father Yod and the Spirit of '76 - Expansion
- Father Yod and the Spirit of '76 - Contraction
- Yahowa 13- Savage Sons of Yahowa 13
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