hard rock

1968
Iron Butterfly ” In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida “, the 17-minute title track of Iron Butterfly’s

” In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida “, the 17-minute title track of Iron Butterfly’s second album of the same name , became a top-30 hit (edited down to 2:52 minutes) in the United States. The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in December 1968 for shipments of 1…
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Black Sabbath Iommi abruptly left Earth

In December 1968, Iommi abruptly left Earth to join Jethro Tull . Although his stint with the band would be short-lived, Iommi made an appearance with Jethro Tull on The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus TV show. Unsatisfied with the direction of Jethro Tull, Iommi returned to Earth by…
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The Who Christmas 1968 release

The album was projected for a Christmas 1968 release but recording stalled after Townshend decided to make a double album to cover the story in sufficient depth.

Cream (band) Cream’s farewell tour consisted of 22 shows at 19 venues in the US

Cream’s farewell tour consisted of 22 shows at 19 venues in the US from 4 October to 4 November 1968, and two final farewell concerts at the Royal Albert Hall on 25 and 26 November 1968. The final US gig was at the Rhode Island Auditorium on 4 November. The…
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Cream (band) From its creation, Cream was faced with some fundamental problems

From its creation, Cream was faced with some fundamental problems that would later lead to its dissolution in November 1968. The antagonism between Bruce and Baker created tensions in the band. Clapton also felt that the members of the band did not listen to each other enough. Equipment during these…
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Led Zeppelin secured a $143,000 advance contract

Grant secured a $143,000 advance contract ($1,324,000 today) from Atlantic Records in November 1968—at the time, the biggest deal of its kind for a new band. Atlantic was a label with a catalogue of mainly blues, soul, and jazz artists, but in the late 1960s, it began to take an…
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Led Zeppelin first show

Their first show as Led Zeppelin was at the University of Surrey in Guildford on 25 October.

Cream (band) At the beginning of the band’s farewell tour on 4 October 1968, in

At the beginning of the band’s farewell tour on 4 October 1968, in Oakland, California, nearly the entire set consisted of songs from Wheels of Fire : “White Room”, “Politician”, “Crossroads”, “Spoonful”, and “Deserted Cities of the Heart”, with “Passing the Time” taking the place of “Toad” for a drum…
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Led Zeppelin began their first tour of the UK

Still billed as the New Yardbirds, the band began their first tour of the UK on 4 October 1968, when they played at the Mayfair Ballroom in Newcastle upon Tyne .

Deep Purple released in North America

The band’s second album, The Book of Taliesyn , was recorded quickly and released in North America in October 1968 to coincide with the tour.