Classic Albums

A series celebrating the classic albums that many of us have tucked away on vinyl at the back of a wardrobe. We say get them out, dust them off and give them a spin!

This series will remind you why you really, really should. Like cornflakes, you may have forgotten how good they are...

• Queen - A Night at the Opera

If ever there was an album worthy of inclusion in the Classic Albums series it is Queen’s breakout release A Night At The Opera.

Released in 1975, this was not only the band’s first platinum album, but also the one that catapulted them into the spotlight as one of the biggest rock acts in the world.


• Motörhead - Ace of Spades - listen to on Sky Songs >>

In 1980, Motorhead released their fourth album Ace Of Spades. Loud, fast and overwhelmingly heavy, Ace of Spades would propel Motorhead into the ranks of Heavy Metal's elite and 25 years later is still considered a benchmark album in its genre.

Ace Of Spades sees Lemmy, "Fast" Eddie Clarke and Philip "Philthy Animal" Taylor talk candidly about the writing and recording of the album and the goings on inside the MOTORHEAD camp at the time.

Watch "Fast" Eddie as he demonstrates how the riff for Ace Of Spades came about, and see the trio (with the help of modern technology) together on the same stage once again.


• Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon - listen to on Sky Songs >>

Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" Classic Album is the creative story behind the masterpiece: "Dark Side Of The Moon". "Dark Side Of The Moon" transformed Pink Floyd from art house favorites to global, stadium superstars.

Prior to 1973, Pink Floyd maintained a relentless gigging schedule and by the time they came to record "Dark Side Of The Moon" had already created many of the basic tracks. "Dark Side Of The Moon" would be the first Pink Floyd (post Syd Barrett) album where Roger Waters would supply all the lyrics around a concept: The Circle of Life.

With the timeless qualities of its production and musicality, allied to the hypnotic evocation of its central themes - alienation, paranoia, madness, war and death, "Dark Side Of The Moon" would become the album that would dominate the 70's and 80's (with a record number of 741 consecutive weeks in the Billboard 200).


• U2 - Joshua Tree - listen to on Sky Songs >>

Originally released in 1987, 'The Joshua Tree' is considered by many to be the seminal album from U2, one of the biggest bands in music history.

Bono's powerful lyrics are cemented by the virtouoso guitar playing of The Edge throughout the album, which never seems to sound out of fashion.


• Phil Collins - Face Value - listen to on Sky Songs >>

Here we explore the album's making in a one-hour documentary film, with Collins himself providing the bulk of the insightful commentary. From his home studio, he discusses how the lyrics to "In the Air Tonight" wrote themselves after his painful divorce and why a drummer would never use a drum machine.

Also interviewed are engineer Hugh Padgham, producer Ahmet Ertegun, Genesis colleagues Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, and many of the studio musicians.


• The Who - Who's Next - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The songs and story of the Who's classic album. Who's Next is viewed by many as the greatest testament to the songwriting talent of Pete Townshend and the musical power of the Who. When the album was released in 1971, it climbed to the Top 5 on the Billboard chart and remained in the Top 40 for five months.

The story of how the Who came to record the album is told by group members Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, and John Entwistle, together with contributions by those who were close to the group during this recording, also providing insight into the importance of the late great Keith Moon to the success of the Who.

The songs recorded for the Who's Next album are featured here, including such classics as "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Baba O'Riley," and "Behind Blue Eyes." Included in this documentary program are previously unseen performances of songs from the album that prove the longevity and lasting appeal of "Who's Next," a true classic album.


• Fleetwood Mac - Rumours - listen to on Sky Songs >>

One of the most popular albums of all times, Fleetwood Mac's 1977 album "RUMOURS" spent 130 weeks on the U.S. Billboard album chart and won the Album of the Year award at the 1978 Grammy Awards. It has been certified for sales of 19 million albums by the RIAA.

The record almost wasn't made. John and Christine McVie were in the process of seperating, the relationship of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks was on the fritz, and the turmoil between the five members was high.

These emotions were channeled into the songwriting process in Sausalito, California that became "RUMOURS". Featuring interviews with Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks, along with the studio engineers and producers, "Rumours - Classic Album" tells the story of the making of this smash album.


• Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The definitive story behind one of the classic albums from the British punk era. See surviving band members talk about how it all came together, along with classic tracks like "God Save the Queen" and "Anarchy in the UK."


• Bob Marley and the Wailers - Catch a Fire - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The songs and story of Bob Marley's reggae music masterpiece. The Wailers, featuring the legendary Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer, became the most influential band in the history of reggae music.

Catch a Fire, their first Island album, released in 1973, introduced them to an international rock audience. Here the principal figures in the creation of Catch a Fire tell the story of how this record was designed to "cross over." The programme features a unique interview and performance by Bunny Wailer, rare archival interviews with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, and contributions from many of those who performed on the record.


• Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The story of Jimi Hendrix's epochal 1968 double album is told in words, music, and rare archival footage. Also includedare interviews with Experience bandmates Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, as well as Steve Winwood (who played organ onthe album), and, in his last interview, Chas Chandler, the manager (and former Animals bass player) who nurtured Hendrix's career from its infancy.

Hendrix's most experimental album, ELECTRIC LADYLAND features the legendary guitarist using the studio itself as a major instrument to enhance his already adventurous sound. Unfortunately, this sprawling masterpiece would be Hendrix's final studio album before his untimely death in 1970.


• Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The songs and story of this classic album with contributions by Meat Loaf, Jim Steinman, Todd Rundgren, Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito. Since its release in 1977, Bat Out of Hell has gone on to sell an estimated 30 million copies and become one of the top five biggest selling albums of all time.

Released during the days of the disco boom and the advent of punk rock, Bat Out of Hell totally bucked those musical trends, yet as Meat Loaf recalls, the record is "more honest than 99% of all records released."

The remarkable story of Bat Out of Hell is told here by its leading contributors, including Meat Loaf himself, composer Jim Steinman, record producer Todd Rundgren, and backing vocalists Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito, together with others who helped in the construction of Bat Out of Hell's "wall of sound."


• Band - Band - listen to on Sky Songs >>

Comprised of Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson, The Band's self-titled sophomore effort spent 24 weeks in the Billboard Top 40.

The album was released at a time when the US album charts were taken over by the psychedelic rock movement, and despite this, the album had the aforementioned chart success and would go on to sell over one million copies.

This edition of the "Classic Albums" series focuses on The Band's follow-up to "MUSIC FROM BIG PINK". Featuring classics such as "Up On Cripple Creek", "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", and "Rag Mama Rag", the story of the album is told through interviews with surviving members of The Band, fellow musicians Eric Clapton, Don Was, and George Harrison, and vintage footage.


• Elton John  - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - listen to on Sky Songs >>

Goodbye Yellow BGgrick Road gave Elton John his second number one album in both the American and British charts and provided him with four top ten singles.

Interviews with Elton John himself, as well as with songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, there are contributions from musicians Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson, Gus Dudgeon (producer), David Hentschel (engineer), Del Newman (orchestral arranger) along with comments from Sir Tim Rice and Paul Gambaccini amongst others.


• Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The making of Stevie Wonder's seminal 1976 album is detailed in this Classic Album documentary featuring interviews with Motown founder Berry Gordy, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock and others. Includes a reunion of original album players highlighted by renditions of Sir Duke and I Wish.


• Metallica - Metallica - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The story of the making of this remarkable album is told here via exclusive interviews with band members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted, archive footage and performance, and contributions from producer Bob Rock.

We revisit the original multi-tracks of the album, as well as listen to previously unheard demo recordings.


• Nirvana - Nevermind - listen to on Sky Songs >>

There possibly isn't an album in history that is as genre defining as NIRVANA's "Nevermind." Released in 1991, it single-handedly was responsible for the birth of what became to be known as grunge and has gone on to sell over 8 million copies in the US alone.

"Nevermind" was the second album from the Seattle trio and the first on the DGC label (it's predecessor "Bleach" was released on the Sub Pop label). It was produced by Butch Vig (also the drummer for the band Garbage) and mixed by Andy Wallace.

Nirvana's surviving members Krist Novoselic (bass) and Dave Grohl (drums) talk candidly about their past, the recording of Nevermind and about Kurt Cobain and the legacy that he has left behind.


• Steely Dan - AJA - listen to on Sky Songs >>

A vivid portrait of a '70s record that is still as fresh and memorable today as when it was released more than two decades ago. Pioneering pop/jazz band Steely Dan, formed by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker in the early seventies, had already secured five Top 40 albums before the release of Aja in 1977.

Aja, however, was to prove to be the biggest selling album of Steely Dan's illustrious career, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard chart and spending a year in the Top 40. Becker and Fagen, renowned for their relentless perfectionism in the recording studio, recall the history of an album that was a year in the making, but rewarded with a Grammy Award and three hit singles.

Steely Dan's Aja has proven to be one of the most outstanding jazz-rock albums in the history of popular music and now its story is told in this fascinating documentary.


• Def Leppard - Hysteria 

British rock band Def Leppard are one of the most successful hard rock bands of all time. The band, whose career was plagued by death and tragedy, released their most successful record, HYSTERIA, in 1987.

A worldwide phenomenon, the recordsold more than 17 million copies and elevated the band to notoriety. On this installment of the CLASSIC ALBUMS series, the surviving members of the band discuss the making of the record, as they sort through and explain the original multi track tapes.

In addition, some impromptu acoustic performances and musical demonstrations further dissect this classic album.


• Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The Number of the Beast was Iron Maiden's greatest achievement, and, accordingly it brought them their greatest popularity and notoriety. Revered by metal fans for their focus on music and reviled by critics for their supposed "satanist" leanings, this record represents the seminal British metal band at their peak.

Featuring a track-by-track examination of the record's original playlist led by album producer Martin Birch, as well as interviews with rock journalists that put accusations made against the band in perspective.


• Lou Reed - Transformer - listen to on Sky Songs >>

Lou Reed with the help of Andy Warhol at the 'Factory', made The Velvet Underground a massively influential band. However it was Transformer, Lou Reed's second solo album, which took him from cult hero of The Velvet Underground to international superstar status.

The program takes a track-by-track look at the album, which was produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson. In an exclusive interview in New York, Lou Reed talks of the making of the album and together with Ken Scott, the original engineer, takes us through the multi-track tapes of "Perfect Day" "Vicious", "Satellite Of Love" and "Walk On The Wild Side" amongst others.

The program is illustrated throughout with archive footage of Lou Reed in concert, The Velvet Underground, Andy Warhol and the 'Factory' and features exclusive new acoustic material from Lou.


• Paul Simon - Graceland - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The story of Paul Simon's landmark 1986 album, Graceland. Recorded in New York and South Africa, Graceland not only sold 14 million copies, but it was also named Album of the Year at the 1986 Grammy Awards. It brought the sound of South African music to audiences around the world.

This acclaimed film shows how a career setback for Paul Simon precipitated the inspiration for Graceland, how he learned so much from the South African musicians he met, and how, in collaboration, a triumphant album was created.


• Grateful Dead - Anthem to Beauty - listen to on Sky Songs >>

The Grateful Dead are a unique phenomenon. One of the most successful live touring bands in the world, their longevity is founded on their desire to play music their way, coupled with an extraordinarily close relationship to their huge following.

From Anthem to Beauty tells the story of the band and their journey from the experimental "Anthem of the Sun" (recorded in 1967/1968) to the accessible, countryish "American Beauty." It is told in the band's own words and includes a rare interview with lyricist Robert Hunter.

The film also features a wealth of rare vintage film footage of the Grateful Dead in their prime, including television appearances, home videos, and classic recordings like "Ripple," "Box of Rain," "Truckin'," and "Mountains of the Moon," and it all adds up to a riveting portrait of one of the rock world's most controversial bands.


• Judas Priest - British Steel - listen to on Sky Songs >>

Had Judas Priest released just this one album, it would still go down in history. Judas Priest was one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the 70's.

The welding of British Steel is told in this exclusive program in the band's own words, and by their once long-term producer Tom Allom. Featuring archive footage, interviews and rare live performances, plus all of British Steel's finest songs, including "Living After Midnight", "Breaking the Law", "Metal Gods", "The Rage", "United" and "Grinder".

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