This Day in Music
On this day in music, February 24, 1968, Fleetwood Mac (popularly known then as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac) released their eponymous debut. At the time, the band (Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, Jeremy Spencer, and John McVie) was a blues-rock outfit. That style was reflected in the album’s tracklist, which included covers of blues standards by Howlin’ Wolf, Robert Johnson, and Elmore James, plus original material. Despite the lack of a hit single, Fleetwood Mac peaked at No.4 in the UK. The album also marks the only Fleetwood Mac LP to not include keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie (wife of John), who joined the group in 1970.
In 1969, The Jimi Hendrix Experience played their final UK show together. Held at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the set included covers of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” and Elmore James’ “Bleeding Heart,” plus an extended jam of “Room Full of Mirrors,” all of which appeared on the 1971 live album, Experience. The band would break up shortly after an appearance at the Denver Pop Festival that June.
In 1976, The Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits compilation became the first album to receive Platinum certification by the RIAA, marking the sale of one million copies. Released just one week earlier, the album contained favorites from the rock band’s first four albums – all of which were Top 40 US hits (except “Tequila Sunrise”).
In 2020, guitarist David Roback, a founding member of Mazzy Star, died from metastatic cancer at age 61. Before forming the dream pop band in 1989 with singer Hope Sandoval, Roback was an active member of Los Angeles’ Paisley Underground scene, with bands like Rain Parade and Opal (which morphed into Mazzy Star).
In 1982, the first annual BRIT Awards were held in London, four years after an inaugural event took place around the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. British broadcaster David Jacobs hosted the ceremony, as Adam and the Ants won British Album of the Year (for Kings of the Wild Frontier) and Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” earned British Single of the Year.
In 2004, 85-year-old Estelle Axton, who co-founded Stax Records, died in Memphis. Axton established the pioneering soul label with her brother, Jim Stewart, in the late 50s.
BORN ON FEBRUARY 24
1942: Paul Jones (Manfred Mann)
1947: Lonnie Turner (Steve Miller Band)
1947: Rupert Holmes
1950: George Thorogood
1959: Colin Farley (Cutting Crew)
1973: Chris Fehn (Slipknot)
1974: Chad Hugo (The Neptunes)
