60 YEARS OF THE ROCK ERA. This update: 1978.

60 YEARS OF

ROCK

(1955-2015)

1978

    

 

      

    

-The Sex Pistols tour America.

-Johnny Rotten announces The Sex Pistols have called it quits.

-Sid Vicious is carried off a plane unconscious due to an overdose of drugs and alcohol.

-Punk and reggae groups lead the Rock Against Racism rally in London.

-Van Halen emerge with guitarist Eddie Van Halen. 

-The film 'Grease' opens and becomes a box office hit. 

-Grace Slick leaves The Jefferson Starship due to alcoholism.  

-Keith Moon of The Who dies from a drug overdose, aged 31.

-John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) releases a new single with new group Public Image Ltd.

-Steve Perry joins Journey.

-Sid Vicious' girlfriend Nancy Spungen is found dead. Vicious is arrested and arraigned.

   

        

     

When the 'Saturday Night Fever' soundtrack was unleashed in late 1977, many observers considered disco a fad that was on its way out. The movie became a box office hit and re-charged the genre to even greater sales. Disco was the dominant force, led by The Bee Gees and their associated acts such as Andy Gibb, Yvonne Elliman, Samantha Sang and Frankie Valli. The latter's "Grease", written by Barry Gibb, was the title song from another hit soundtrack album. Acts such as Wings, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow and Dolly Parton would score a hit with disco-flavoured singles. While The Sex Pistols imploded, more new wave acts such as Talking Heads, Patti Smith and The Cars emerged. British punk acts were influenced by reggae music and this helped Bob Marley raise his and the genre's profile among mainstream audiences. George Clinton took the aggression of punk and the beat of disco / funk to create his sound with the groups Parliament and Funkadelic. Soon, disco would be fused with punk on recordings by Blondie ("Heart Of Glass") and Ian Dury ("Hit Me With your Rhythm Stick"). The charts welcomed new talents such as Kate Bush, Rick James and Prince.