In 1978, Dickie Peterson began rehearsing with Davis-based guitarist Tony Rainier, a younger brother of Peterson’s high school friend (and sometime Blue Cheer soundman and bodyguard) Larry Rainier. Michael Fleck was auditioned as drummer. The reformed Blue Cheer recorded an album with Jim Keylor at Army Street Studios. The album…
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Van Halen reached No. 19 on the Billboard pop music charts, one of rock’s most commercially successful debuts. It was regarded as both a heavy metal and hard rock album. The album included songs now regarded as Van Halen classics, like ” Runnin’ with the Devil ” and the guitar…
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In late 1978, the double-platinum Dog & Butterfly peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and produced hits with its title song (No. 34) and ” Straight On ” (No. 15).
The band then released another live album, Some Enchanted Evening (1978). Although it was intended as another double-live album in the vein of On Your Feet or on Your Knees , Columbia insisted that it be edited down to single-album length. It was a resounding commercial success, becoming Blue Öyster…
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In 1978, Beatrice was reorganized and another style change took place. Through Tibor Miklós, a writer, Feró Nagy became acquainted with the music of AC/DC and wanted to take Beatrice in this blues-based rock direction. The initial lineup consisted of Feró Nagy, Attila Gidófalvy (keyboardist), László Lugosi (guitarist) Miklóska Lajos…
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The album line-up never played live together as Blackmore was unhappy with Driscoll’s R&B influenced style of drumming and the funky bass playing of Gruber. While rehearsing for the tour, Blackmore decided to fire Gruber and bring in Jimmy Bain on bass, and after that he also fired Driscoll. As…
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At Christmas 1978, Ian Gillan turned down an offer from Ritchie Blackmore to join Rainbow , but Blackmore did make a guest appearance for Gillan at their Christmas show. It was the first time Ian Gillan and Blackmore had performed together since 1973.
After 1978, Foghat’s record sales began to slip, and their last album for the Bearsville label, Zig-Zag Walk (1983), only briefly touched the charts at number 192. MacGregor quit in 1982, and Jameson returned to play on In the Mood for Something Rude and Zig Zag Walk before being replaced…
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After the release of Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll and its extensive world tour in 1978, Blackmore decided that he wanted to take the band in a new, more mainstream direction, away from the “sword and sorcery” themes. Dio did not agree with this change and left the band.
In the late fall of 1978, a German promoter made an offer for the band to tour. The Metamorphosis lineup (Ingle, Bushy, Dorman, Pinera and Rhino) made preparations, but just before they were to depart for Germany, Dorman’s father took ill and another bassist, Keith Ellis (formerly of Boxer ),…
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