DEC 26-JAN 1: Historic events this week from AC/DC, John Lennon, Dennis Wilson, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Fleetwood Mac
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DECEMBER 26, 1981: AC/DC’S FIRST US #1 ALBUM
Believe it or not, AC/DC’s Back In Black, didn’t make it to #1 in the US. It peaked at #4.
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) unseated Foreigner’s 4 for three weeks, before 4 regained the top spot.
For Those About to Rock would remain their only US #1 album until Black Ice in 2008 and Power Up in 2020.
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DECEMBER 27, 1980: (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER IS #1
Lennon had his first US #1 single when “Whatever Gets You thru the Night” topped the charts for one week.
Three weeks after his murder, the last single released in his lifetime sat atop the Billboard Hot 100.
“(Just Like) Starting Over” would spend 5 consecutive weeks at #1.
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DECEMBER 28, 1983: DENNIS WILSON DIES
With a BAC of 0.26, the Beach Boy dove from his yacht into the marina and began retrieving his ex-wife’s items he’d thrown overboard 3 years prior.
After several dives, he experienced shallow water blackout, and never resurfaced.
He was 39.
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DECEMBER 29, 1982: NEIL YOUNG RELEASES TRANS
The vocoder vocal effect had fans scratching their heads with the release of Trans.
“My son’s severely handicapped & was trying to find a way to communicate. That’s what Trans is all about. On that record, you know I’m saying something but you can’t understand what it is. That’s the exact feeling I was getting from my son.” – Neil Young
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DECEMBER 31, 1980: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN’S 4½ HOUR CONCERT
Bruce Springsteen’s Long Island New Years Eve Show consisted of 38 songs and 2 encores which included 12 from his masterpiece, The River, and a cover of CCR’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain?”
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JANUARY 1, 1975: STEVIE & LINDSEY JOIN FLEETWOOD MAC
After Mick Fleetwood heard “Frozen Love” from the album Buckingham Nicks, he knew Lindsey was the guy to replace the recently departed Bob Welch.
Buckingham agreed, as long as his music partner/girlfriend Stevie Nicks could join, as well.
Fleetwood Mac, the first album with the new lineup, became the band’s first #1 album.
