Chapter 56: New Rose (January 1976 - December 1977)

General Affairs for Apple Corps Ltd.

Margot Kidder as Lois Lane and Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent during the filming for Superman: The Movie, July 1977. The New York Daily News building would serve as the setting for the Daily Planet offices where Kent and Lane work in the film.

When Apple Corps Ltd. was first formed in 1968, people had no idea that one day, it would gradually boom into the company that shook up the world. In the past decade, it had morphed from starting out as a vanity label by the Beatles into a powerhouse company that handled not just music, but movies and television as well. Music released by the Beatles, the Ladders, and Paul McCartney & Smile were all originally distributed by EMI until January 1976, when Apple had decided to switch distributors to Warner Brothers instead, the company that also distributed Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, both from 1974. To this day, Apple has remained attached to Warner Brothers, although Apple still operated as an independent company.

Speaking of Brooks, his next two films under Apple Films, Silent Movie (June 17, 1976) and High Anxiety (December 25, 1977) were both critical and commercial successes, the latter film of which being his third collaboration with Madeline Kahn, who was credited for the first time as Maddy Lennon (the nickname had been given to her by her husband John).

Alongside with the production of the Bee Gees' Odessa film, planned for a summer 1978 release, there was great anticipation for a film adaptation of DC Comics' most famous character, Superman, being directed by Richard Donner. An up-and-coming actor by the name of Christopher Reeve had been cast as the titular Man of Steel himself, with Canadian actress Margot Kidder set to portray his love interest, Lois Lane, Marlon Brando as his biological father on Krypton, Jor-El, and Gene Hackman as his archenemy, Lex Luthor. A second movie was being filmed alongside the first and was planned for a 1979 release, featuring Terence Stamp as General Zod, who would also appear in the first movie. Behind the scenes, negotiations were being made that if both Superman films were successful, then Apple Films would co-produce other films based upon other DC properties, including the likes of  Batman and Wonder Woman. This would eventually pave the way for what many would refer to either as the "Donnerverse" or the "Appleverse".[1]

The Band performing for the film The Last Waltz, directed by Martin Scorsese, November 25, 1976.

On November 25, 1976, Thanksgiving Day in the United States, the Band had made their final live performance on stage, having decided to retire from touring. Richard Manuel had suffered a severe neck injury in a boating accident in Texas, resulting in several tour dates being cancelled in order to allow Manuel to recover. The performance was to be filmed and recorded for release, and would include several guest performers, including Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Bobby Charles, Ronnie Hawkins, and most famously, Bob Dylan.

Dylan was hesitant about being filmed, concerned that it would interfere with his own film project, Renaldo and Clara. Warner Brothers was intending to fund the project with the knowledge that Dylan would appear both in the film and its accompanying soundtrack; if he refused, then the label would pull out. George Harrison received a phone call from Robbie Robertson about the situation, and so Harrison offered to guarantee funding for the film following a meeting with Brian Epstein and Denis O'Brien. The Last Waltz would end up becoming an official Apple Films project, with filmmaker Martin Scorsese contracted to direct. (This would not be the last time that he would end up directing a film for Apple.)

George Harrison would appear on stage with the Band for their performance on "This Wheel's on Fire", and then he and Ringo Starr were among the guests for the celebrity finale of "I Shall Be Released". Harrison had also convinced Dylan backstage to allow his songs to be filmed and recorded, which ended up helping the success of The Last Waltz, later hailed as one of the greatest documentary concert films ever made. It was later selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for cultural and historical significance in 2019.

Apple Corps Executives, December 1977

Managing Director and Chairman of the Board: Brian Epstein

Vice Presidents: Peter Brown, Lord Beeching

Director Communications: Derek Taylor
General Counsels: Lee and John Eastman

Apple Records

President: Ron Kass

Vice President: Jack Oliver

Director of A&R: Jake Riviera

Director of Promotion and Marketing: Tony Bramwell

Director of Design: Josh Kosh

Studio Manager, Apple Studios: Geoff Emerick

Other Notable Figures: Mal Evans, Roy Thomas Baker

Apple Films and Apple Television

President: Denis O'Brien

Other Notable Figures: Michael Lindsay-Hogg, Mel Brooks, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Richard Donner

Apple Management

Director: Neil Aspinall

Associate Director: Mal Evans

Apple Publishing

Director: Alistair Taylor

Highway 61 Records

President: Jack Oliver

Vice President: Chris O'Dell

Directors of A&R: Pete Ham, Dennis Wilson

Swan Song Records

President: Peter Grant

Vice President: Alan Callan

Director of A&R: Dave Edmunds

The Artists of Apple Records

Old Signings

Kiki Dee and Elton John during the recording sessions for "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", 1976.

By the end of 1975, the roster for Apple Records was growing stagnant. Part of the blame fell onto Roy Thomas Baker due to prioritizing producing with Nazareth, Paul McCartney & Smile and Freddie Mercury, and so he voluntarily stepped aside from his position as A&R director with Mal Evans serving the role temporarily until a more permanent replacement could be found.

The artists who had stuck around since the late 60s/early 70s had varied success alongside the Beatles and their side careers, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Rolling Stones and Electric Light Orchestra. The most successful artists of the 1976-77 period were Fleetwood Mac with Rumours (along with singles such as "Go Your Own Way" and "Don't Stop") and Elton John with the duet "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Highway 61 artist Kiki Dee. In fact, Rumours would become Apple's biggest selling album of 1977.

On the flip-side of things, Billy Preston did not achieve Top 10 success with either of his 1976 eponymous album or 1977's A Whole New Thing. He later left Apple Records by the end of 1977, having fulfilled his contract, although he would still occasionally perform with the Beatles either individually or as a whole unit until his death in 2006. Following In the Pocket and the lead single "Shower the People", James Taylor would transfer to Highway 61 Records beginning with JT and its singles "Handy Man" and "Your Smiling Face".

Left to right: Michael Jackson as Scarecrow, Nipsey Russell as Tin Man, Diana Ross as Dorothy Gale and Ted Ross as Cowardly Lion in a promotional photo for The Wiz, released 1978. Despite being a critical and commercial failure, it has since become a cult classic among black audiences, Jackson's fanbase and enthusiasts of Oz.

Eric Clapton had modest success with No Reason to Cry, as did Splinter with Two Man Band, but only in the UK in the latter's case. Michael Jackson did not release anything during this period, as he was filming for The Wiz, an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, with a screenplay by Joel Schumacher, in which Jackson played the Scarecrow alongside Diana Ross as Dorothy Gale. The film would come out in 1978 as a joint production between Motown Productions and Apple Films, but it would not be a critical or financial success upon release.

Vangelis continued working on his own projects alongside his work with the Dark Horses, but as for Jimmy McCulloch, despite "Medicine Jar" not being a Top 10 hit in either America or the United Kingdom, he formed White Line with his brother Jack on drums and Dave Clarke on bass, keyboards and vocals. They released one other single in 1976, "Call My Name"/"Too Many Miles", and put out the album Too Many Miles that same year. The group would split up in 1977, with McCulloch also departing to join the reformed Small Faces. McCulloch died on 27 September 1979 from heart failure due to morphine and alcohol poisoning at 26 years old.

Despite the successes from that period, this would not have been a sustainable model for Apple Records, especially considering that its sister label Highway 61 was thriving due to an influx of new, young artists signed in by Pete Ham and Dennis Wilson. Ham was soon called home to his native England by Peter Brown to see if he could repeat the success that was had with Highway 61.

New Signings

Jake Riviera, the new A&R director of Apple Records beginning in 1976. The date of the picture is unknown, but is estimated to be around the mid-to-late 70s.

Upon arrival in London, Ham went to various clubs and bars to find young, up-and-coming acts, and made the discovery of a new musical movement similar to what he had initially heard in New York. This new sound was more back-to-basics compared to progressive rock bands such as Genesis, the Yardbirds and Pink Floyd, but it would gradually spawn punk, pub rock and new wave music, and Pete Ham figured that this would be the sound of the future. He met with singer-songwriter Nick Lowe in a London club and then Lowe's manager Jake Riviera.

Riviera also managed several other up-and-coming artists and was able to easily impress Ham with his knowledge of the rising punk scene. A week later, Riviera informed Ham that he was thinking of starting an independent label that would focus on the punk scene. Ham then informed Riviera about Apple looking for an A&R director and figured that he could help in refocusing the label on that scene. After meeting with several Apple executives such as Peter Brown, Ron Kass, and even Paul McCartney, Riviera was hired as the new A&R director for Apple Records.

Brian Epstein was left feeling very skeptical about bringing in some punk bands to Apple, but Paul McCartney convinced him that it was no different to Epstein himself first discovering the Beatles fifteen years prior during the beat movement. Just... newer. Epstein, still skeptical, agreed to give Riviera's new signings the benefit of the doubt.

The Damned, 1976.

With Pete Ham's help - who would later leave in June to resume his duties at Highway 61 Records - Jake Riviera had signed up a host of new artists to Apple from London's underground scene. These artists included the Jam, Motörhead, the Damned, the Clash, Wreckless Eric, Elvis Costello and the Sex Pistols. Nick Lowe had also been signed up not only to record music, but to serve as producer to some of the other artists as well, as was Dave Edmunds, another Highway 61 Records artist.

The first release from any of the new Apple signings came out on 18 October with the Damned's single "New Rose", backed with a cover version of "Help!". Epstein's skepticism seemed to be confirmed when the single only managed to reach #81 in the United Kingdom, worrying that this would mean the end of Apple Corps altogether by the end of the 70s. In later years, "New Rose" would become a cult classic and be acknowledged as the first punk single released in the United Kingdom.

Fortunately, Epstein's fears would be dissuaded the following year when releases such as Elvis Costello's "Less Than Zero" (#17), the Jam's "In the City" (#40), Wreckless Eric's "Whole Wide World" (#20) and the Clash's "Remote Control" (#17) would become Top 40 hits in their own right, as did their debut records. The fact that they were on the same label as the members of the Beatles certainly got people talking about them, as well as raising concerns from overprotective parents about the music being a dangerous influence on their children, much like they had over the behavior of the Rolling Stones in the 60s and the rock 'n' roll tone of the music of Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley in the 50s.

The Sex Pistols were perhaps the most infamous of the new signings, due to the behavior of the members throughout 1976 and 1977, such as swearing on the Today program, hosted by Bill Grundy, due to being last-minute replacements for Freddie Mercury due to a dental appointment. This made headlines on the Daily Mirror, as did their controversial single "God Save the Queen", coming out the same year as Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee. It reached #2 in the United Kingdom, being left off of the top spot by Rod Stewart's double A-side "The First Cut is the Deepest"/"I Don't Want to Talk About It", resulting in accusations that the chart positions were rigged.[2]

The Artists of Highway 61 and Swan Song Records

Old Signings (Highway 61 Records)

Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1977.

Once his business in England was completed, Pete Ham returned to Los Angeles to resume his duties at Highway 61 Records. Dennis Wilson and the rest of the team had managed very well in his absence, as a hands-off model had been set up by Apple, allowing artists to record on their own without label interference, often outside of Los Angeles, which was necessary for many of the bands based in New York. Pete Ham, Dennis Wilson, Peter Tork and Dave Edmunds (the latter of whom was also busy at Swan Song Records) were often kept busy producing for and with the likes of Kiki Dee, Harry Nilsson, Cliff Richard and Supertramp, often putting out Top 40 hits.

Ham was generally keeping busy working with up-and-coming acts such as Patti Smith and the Ramones, the latter of whom put out "Blitzkrieg Bop", which would later become their signature song. He also helped to produce Blondie's eponymous debut album, released towards the end of the year. Dennis Wilson, meanwhile, worked with Blue Öyster Cult on Agents of Fortune, which produced the big hit "(Don't Fear) The Reaper". The following year, BÖC would transfer to Swan Song Records along with Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Blondie and Dr. John, although they would continue to record future hits there as well.

Spotlight mainstays Bob Dylan (Desire) and Rod Stewart (A Night on the Town, Foot Loose & Fancy Free) each put out an album that was a Top 10 hit while Tina Turner took on a recording hiatus due to an ongoing divorce with her husband Ike, whom she accused of being abusive in the past. Boxer put out their third album Absolutely before dissolving in 1978 due to Mike Patto's health. Among the other departures included L.A. Express, Neil Sedaka, Stackridge, Tom Scott, Nigel Olsson and Solution. Lynyrd Skynyrd would also leave Highway 61 Records following a tragic plane crash on October 20, 1977, which killed lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant and the Gaines siblings Steve and Cassie as well as road manager Dean Kilpatrick and pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray. Ironically, it was three days following the release of Street Survivors. The surviving members went their own separate ways.

New Signings (Highway 61/Swan Song Records)

The Jacksons in Los Angeles, 1976.

Following the end of their contract with Motown, the Jackson 5, now called the Jacksons, were signed onto Highway 61 Records at the start of 1976, and both The Jacksons and Goin' Places (released 1977) were Top 10 hits on the Billboard R&B Charts. That same year, American-based rock bands Attitudes (Los Angeles), the Talking Heads (New York) and Cheap Trick (Rockford, Illinois) would be signed onto Highway 61 Records by Pete Ham, with the latter two putting out albums the following year and later obtaining chart success. Attitudes would later split up at the start of 1978.

In 1968, a Scottish pop rock band called Marmalade, formerly Dean Ford and the Gaylords, had covered the Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and it reached #1 in the United Kingdom, becoming the first Scottish act to do so. Eight years later, former Marmalade member Junior Campbell would be signed onto Highway 61 Records and put out a few singles. Although Campbell would not put out new singles after 1978, he would still remain attached to Apple and formed a partnership with bass guitarist Mike O'Donnell, which would become even stronger when it came to working on a certain children's show based upon a series of books by a clergyman...

Kate Bush, one of Swan Song Records' most successful artists, 1977.

Meanwhile, Swan Song Records had gained a few new artists itself, those being transferred from Highway 61 notwithstanding. These included a Scottish pop rock band called Blue, Anglo-American band Detective, Swindon-based band XTC, and a young singer by the name of Kate Bush. Despite being at the young age of sixteen (later seventeen) in 1975, Bush had written over fifty songs and her family produced a demo tape based on the compositions. David Gilmour had taken interest in the recordings after receiving the demo from mutual friend Ricky Hopper, and helped get Bush signed onto EMI.

However, Bush was put on retainer until she was nineteen years old, meaning that she wouldn't be able to record her own material until August 1977. Pete Ham had heard of Bush's talents and brought this up to Jack Oliver and Dennis Wilson, feeling that young Kate had great potential as a singer/songwriter, possibly being someone who could almost rival the Beatles in their youth when their songwriting developed. There was a bit of dispute between EMI and Apple over who should have the rights to have Bush's contract, but in the end, she was transferred over onto Swan Song Records and with her backing band Del Palmer, Brian Bath and Vic King, Kate began to record her first album in August 1977. David Gilmour was less than pleased with the development, but he couldn't think too much about it due to other matters at hand.

The only new artist signed onto Highway 61 Records in 1977 was Los Angeles-based band Toto, signed up by Dennis Wilson. While initially named for the dog Toto from The Wizard of Oz, in Latin, the words "in toto" translated to "all-encompassing". Band members Bobby Kimball, Steve Lukather, David Hungate, Steve Porcaro, David Paich and Jeff Porcaro had all played on so many records up to 1977 as well as many varied musical genres, and so the name "Toto" seemed appropriate for the band, who would go on to be one of the label's most successful artists.

Apple Records discography, January 1976 - December 1977

Albums

• Red and Black Blues by The Rolling Stones - 23 January 1976 (#2 UK, #1 US)
• Rock 'n' Roll by The Beatles - 30 January 1976 (#1 UK and US) [EMI]
• Wind on the Water by Crosby & Nash - 30 January 1976 (#16 US)
• Stone Alone by Bill Wyman - 27 February 1976 (#166 US)
• In the Pocket by James Taylor - 18 June 1976 (#14 US)
• Long May You Run by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 6 August 1976 (#12 UK, #26 US)
• No Reason to Cry by Eric Clapton - 27 August 1976 (#5 UK, #12 US)
• Between the Ladders by The Ladders - 17 September 1976 (#6 UK, #1 US)
• A New World Record by Electric Light Orchestra - 24 September 1976 (#6 UK, #5 US)
• Too Many Miles by Jimmy McCulloch and White Line - 15 October 1976 (#29 UK)
• Blue Moves by Elton John - 22 October 1976 (#3 UK and US)
• Billy Preston by Billy Preston - 19 November 1976 (#17 UK, #22 US)
• Silly Love Songs by Paul McCartney & Smile - 26 November 1976 (#2 UK, #1 US)
• Albedo 0.39 by Vangelis - 3 December 1976 (#18 UK)
• Somebody to Love by Freddie Mercury - 10 December 1976 (#1 UK) [extended play]
• Rumours by Fleetwood Mac - 4 February 1977 (#1 UK and US)
• Damned Damned Damned by The Damned - 18 February 1977 (#36 UK)
• The Clash by The Clash - 8 April 1977 (#10 UK, #97 US)
• In the City by The Jam - 20 May 1977 (#17 UK)
• Yacht Folks by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 17 June 1977 (#23 UK, #2 US)
• A Whole New Thing by Billy Preston - 1 July 1977 (#30 US)
• Thirty-Three & 1/3 by The Dark Horses - 15 July 1977 (#20 UK, #2 US)
• Sound and Vision by David Bowie and Iggy Pop - 15 July 1977 (#2 UK, #11 US)
• My Aim is True by Elvis Costello - 22 July 1977 (#12 UK, #20 US)
• Motörhead by Motörhead - 19 August 1977 (#31 UK)
• Two Man Band by Splinter - 26 August 1977 (#19 UK)
• Concerto for a Rainy Day by Electric Light Orchestra - 23 September 1977 (#4 UK and US)
• Champions of the World by Freddie Mercury - 7 October 1977 (#1 UK, #3 US)
• Water Works by Paul McCartney & Smile - 28 October 1977 (#3 UK, #2 US)
• Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols by The Sex Pistols - 28 October 1977 (#1 UK, #106 US)
• Music for Pleasure by The Damned - 18 November 1977 (#65 UK)
• This is the Modern World by The Jam - 18 November 1977 (#20 UK, #198 US)
• Spiral by Vangelis - 2 December 1977 (#76 UK)

Notable Singles

• "Prison Song" / "Through My Sails" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 5 January 1976 (#38 UK, #15 US)
• "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" / "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" by Elton John - 12 January 1976 (#10 US)
• "Station to Station" /  "Crazy Mama" by The Rolling Stones - 19 January 1976 (#26 UK, #33 US)
• "Rhiannon" / "Sugar Daddy" by Fleetwood Mac - 4 February 1976 (#30 UK, #7 US)
• "Take the Money and Run" / "Out of the Darkness" by Crosby & Nash - 9 February 1976 (#52 US)
• "Medicine Jar" / "Wino Junko" by Jimmy McCulloch and White Line - 23 February 1976 (#35 US)
• "Pinball Wizard" / "Harmony" by Elton John - 12 March 1976 (#5 UK)
• "You're Sixteen" / "Stand By Me" by The Beatles - 15 March 1976 (#1 UK and US) [EMI]
• "Hot Stuff" / "Golden Years" by The Rolling Stones - 12 April 1976 (#8 UK, #10 US)
• "Say You Love Me" / "Monday Morning" by Fleetwood Mac - 31 May 1976 (#28 UK, #10 US)
• "Shower the People" / "I Can Dream of You" by James Taylor - 7 June 1976 (#16 US)
• "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" / "Snow Queen" by Elton John and Kiki Dee - 21 June 1976 (#1 UK and US)
• "Long May You Run" / "Time After Time" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 9 August 1976 (#71 UK, #24 US)
• "#9 Dream" / "This Song" by The Ladders - 23 August 1976 (#23 UK, #9 US)
• "Call My Name" / "Too Many Miles" by Jimmy McCulloch and White Line - 6 September 1976 (#45 UK, #58 US)
• "Silly Love Songs" / "Tie Your Mother Down" by Paul McCartney & Smile - 27 September 1976 (#1 UK and US)
• "Livin' Thing" / "Rockaria!" by Electric Light Orchestra - 4 October 1976 (#4 UK, #13 US)
• "New Rose" / "Help!" by The Damned - 18 October 1976 (#81 UK)
• "Hello Old Friend" / "All Our Past Times" by Eric Clapton - 25 October 1976 (#22 US)
• "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" / "Shoulder Holster" by Elton John - 1 November 1976 (#8 UK, #2 US)
• "Taken at All" / "Black Coral" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 1 November 1976 (#39 US)
• "Somebody to Love" / "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" by Freddie Mercury - 15 November 1976 (#1 UK, #9 US)
• "Crackerbox Palace" / "Move Over Miss L" by The Ladders - 15 November 1976 (#19 UK, #7 US)
• "I've Got the Spirit" / "Girl" by Billy Preston - 22 November 1976 (#39 US)
• "Anarchy in the U.K." / "I Wanna Be Me" by The Sex Pistols - 29 November 1976 (#38 UK)
• "Long Away" / "Let 'Em In" by Paul McCartney & Smile - 6 December 1976 (#10 UK, #2 US)
• "Go Your Own Way" / "Silver Springs" by Fleetwood Mac - 20 December 1976 (#22 UK, #4 US)
• "Leaving Here" / "White Line Fever" by Motörhead - 5 January 1977
• "Carnival" / "Hungry" by Eric Clapton - 24 January 1977
• "Crazy Water" / "Chameleon" by Elton John - 31 January 1977 (#20 UK)
• "Time to Hide" / "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)" by Paul McCartney & Smile - 7 February 1977 (#5 UK, #8 US)
• "Telephone Line" / "Do Ya" by Electric Light Orchestra - 14 February 1977 (#8 UK, #7 US)
• "So It Goes" / "Heart of the City" by Nick Lowe - 14 February 1977 (#70 UK)
• "Neat Neat Neat" / "Stab Your Back" by The Damned - 28 February 1977 (#74 UK)
• "Less Than Zero" / "Radio Sweetheart" by Elvis Costello - 10 March 1977 (#17 UK)
• "White Riot" / "1977" by The Clash - 17 March 1977 (#38 UK)
• "Dreams" / "Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac - 24 March 1977 (#10 UK, #1 US)
• "Wide Stride" / "Whole New Thing" by Billy Preston - 24 March 1977 (#29 US)
• "Don't Stop" / "Gold Dust Woman" by Fleetwood Mac - 14 April 1977 (#4 UK, #1 US)
• "The Goaldiggers Song" / "Brian, Jimmy, Elton and Eric" by Elton John - 21 April 1977
• "In the City" / "Takin' My Love" by The Jam - 28 April 1977 (#40 UK)
• "Remote Control" / "London's Burning" by The Clash - 13 May 1977 (#17 UK)
• "Alison" / "Welcome to the Working Week" by Elvis Costello - 21 May 1977 (#38 UK)
• "God Save the Queen" / "No Feeling" by The Sex Pistols - 27 May 1977 (#2 UK)
• "Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)" / "Out of the Blue" by Elton John - 3 June 1977 (#24 UK, #17 US)
• "Motorhead" / "City Kids" by Motörhead - 7 June 1977 (#19 UK)
• "Just a Song Before I Go" / "Run from Tears" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 14 June 1977 (#57 UK, #4 US)
• "You Make Loving Fun" / "Never Going Back Again" by Fleetwood Mac - 21 June 1977 (#26 UK, #8 US)
• "Pretty Vacant" / "No Fun" by The Sex Pistols - 28 June 1977 (#6 UK)
• "Stretcher Case Baby" / "Sick of Being Sick" by The Damned - 3 July 1977 (#58 UK)
• "Wonderful Tonight" / "Pure Smokey" by The Dark Horses - 11 July 1977 (#29 UK, #3 US)
• "Sound and Vision" / "Nightclubbing" by David Bowie and Iggy Pop - 18 July 1977 (#1 UK, #26 US)
• "All Around the World" / "Carnaby Street" by The Jam - 18 July 1977 (#11 UK)
• "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" / "Mystery Dance" by Elvis Costello - 29 July 1977 (#26 UK)
• "It's What You Value" / "Next Time You See Her" by The Dark Horses - 8 August 1977 (#16 US)
• "Whole Wide World" / "Semaphore Signals" by Wreckless Eric - 15 August 1977 (#20 UK)
• "Round & Round" / "I'll Bend for You" by Splinter - September 1977 (#26 UK)
• "Complete Control" / "City of the Dead" by The Clash - 23 September 1977 (#24 UK)
• "Problem Child" / "You Take My Money" by The Damned - 28 September 1977 (#35 UK)
• "Fair Game" / "In My Dreams" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 30 September 1977 (#30 US)
• "We Are the Champions" / "Spread Your Wings" by Freddie Mercury - 3 October 1977 (#2 UK, #4 US)
• "Watching the Detectives" / "Blame it on Cain" by Elvis Costello - 10 October 1977 (#15 UK)
• "Holidays in the Sun" / "Satellite" by The Sex Pistols - 17 October 1977 (#8 UK)
• "Turn to Stone" / "Wild West Hero" by Electric Light Orchestra - 17 October 1977 (#6 UK, #13 US)
• "The Modern World" / "Bricks and Mortar" by The Jam - 31 October 1977 (#30 UK)
• "I'll Still Love You" / "Lay Down Sally" by The Dark Horses - 7 November 1977 (#28 UK)
• "Mull of Kintyre" / "We Will Rock You" by Paul McCartney & Smile - 11 November 1977 (#1 UK, B-side #4 US)
• "Don't Cry Wolf" / "One Way Love" by The Damned - 5 December 1977 (#47 UK)
• "Mr. Blue Sky" / "The Whale" by Electric Light Orchestra - 12 December 1977 (#2 UK, #10 US)

Highway 61 Records discography, January 1976 - December 1977

Albums

• Desire by Bob Dylan - 5 January 1976 (#3 UK, #1 US)
• Below the Belt by Boxer - 9 January 1976 (#127 UK)
• Raw Power by Hunky Dory - 16 January 1976 (#7 UK, #20 US)
• Sandman by Harry Nilsson - 30 January 1976 (#96 US)
• A Trick of the Tail by Genesis - 2 February 1976 (#2 UK, #25 US)
• Gimme Back My Bullets by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 2 February 1976 (#30 UK, #18 US)
• Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India by Ravi Shankar - 6 February 1976
• Mr. Mick by Stackridge - 1 March 1976 (#66 UK)
• Steppin' Out by Neil Sedaka - 22 March 1976 (#35 US)
• Attitudes by Attitudes - 9 April 1976 (#117 US)
• Ramones by Ramones - 23 April 1976 (#99 US)
• I'm Nearly Famous by Cliff Richard - 7 May 1976 (#3 UK, #61 US)
• Rocks by Aerosmith - 14 May 1976 (#2 US)
• Agents of Fortune by Blue Öyster Cult - 21 May 1976 (#19 UK, #6 US)
• Illegal Stills by Stephen Stills - 21 May 1976 (#49 UK, #27 US)
• ...That's the Way It Is by Harry Nilsson - 4 June 1976 (#106 US)
• A Night on the Town by Rod Stewart - 18 June 1976 (#1 UK, #2 US)
• Yes We Have No Mañanas (So Get Your Mañanas Today) by Kevin Ayers - 18 June 1976 (#82 US)
• Alice Cooper Goes to Hell by Alice Cooper - 25 June 1976 (#17 UK, #19 US)
• Bloodletting by Boxer - 20 August 1976 (#93 UK)
• Hard Rain by Bob Dylan - 13 September 1976 (#3 UK, #17 US) [live album]
• One More from the Road by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 13 September 1976 (#8 US) [live album]
• Zuma by Neil Young and Crazy Horse - 8 October 1976 (#44 UK, #25 US)
• Rock and Roll Heart by Lou Reed - 8 October 1976 (#40 UK, #49 US)
• Radio Ethiopia by Patti Smith - 22 October 1976 (#63 US)
• The Jacksons by The Jacksons - 5 November 1976 (#45 UK, #20 US)
• American Girl by Tom Petty & Mudcrutch - 6 November 1976 (#20 UK, #36 US)
• Blondie by Blondie - 3 December 1976 (#68 UK)
• Wind & Wuthering by Genesis - 17 December 1976 (#4 UK, #13 US)
• Leave Home by Ramones - 10 January 1977 (#32 UK, #75 US)
• Kicks by Hunky Dory - 14 January 1977 (#11 UK, #23 US)
• Cheap Trick by Cheap Trick - 11 February 1977 (#193)
• Blow it Out by Tom Scott - 11 March 1977 (#82 US)
• Every Face Tells a Story by Cliff Richard - 18 March 1977 (#6 UK, #47 US)
• Good News by Attitudes - 25 March 1977
• Even in the Quietest Moments... by Supertramp - 10 April 1977 (#7 UK, #10 US)
• Kiki Dee by Kiki Dee - 24 April 1977 (#20 UK)
• Little Queen by Heart - 6 May 1977 (#21 UK, #4 US)
• Fully Interlocking by Solution - 10 June 1977 (#105 US)
• JT by James Taylor - 22 June 1977 (#2 US)
• Chrome Dreams by Neil Young - 1 July 1977 (#10 UK, #15 US)
• Knnillssonn by Harry Nilsson - 22 July 1977 (#99 US)
• The Idiot by Hunky Dory - 5 August 1977 (#6 UK, #38 US)
• Absolutely by Boxer - 12 August 1977 (#68 UK, #143 US)
• Pacific Ocean Blue by Dennis Wilson - 19 August 1977 (#96 US)
• Lust for Life by Iggy Pop - 29 August 1977 (#19 UK, #70 US)
• In Color by Cheap Trick - 12 September 1977 (#50 US)
• Talking Heads: 77 by Talking Heads - 16 September 1977 (#57 UK, #89 US)
• Street Survivors by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 17 October 1977 (#7 UK, #5 US)
• Goin' Places by The Jacksons - 18 October 1977 (#22 UK, #10 US)
• Seconds Out by Genesis - 21 October 1977 (#1 UK, #18 US) [live album]
• Foot Loose & Fancy Free by Rod Stewart - 4 November 1977 (#3 UK, #2 US)
• Rocket to Russia by Ramones - 4 November 1977 (#24 UK, #31 US)
• Without You by Heart - 2 December 1977 (#17 US) [extended play]

Notable Singles

• "Acid Queen" / "Let's Spend the Night Together" by Tina Turner - 19 January 1976 (#78 UK)
• "Ain't Love Enough" / "The Whole World's Crazy" by Attitudes - 19 January 1976
• "Entangled" / "A Trick of the Tail" by Genesis - 2 February 1976 (#29 UK, #36 US)
• "Double Trouble" / "Gimme Back My Bullets" by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 9 February 1976 (#62 US)
• "Mozambique" / "Oh, Sister" by Bob Dylan - 16 February 1976 (#41 US)
• "Blitzkrieg Bop" / "Havana Affair" by Ramones - 16 February 1976 (#85 US)
• "Gloria" / "My Generation" by Patti Smith - 8 March 1976
• "Love in the Shadows" / "Don't Let It Mess Your Mind" by Neil Sedaka - 8 April 1976 (#16 US)
• "Sail Away" / "Moonshine Bandit" by Harry Nilsson - 15 April 1976
• "Devil Woman" / "Love On (Shine On)" by Cliff Richard - 22 April 1976 (#5 UK, #2 US)
• "Carabino Lady" / "Southern Man" by Junior Campbell - 22 April 1976
• "Get It up for Love" / "Girl We've Got to Keep On" by Nigel Olsson - 23 May 1976
• "Last Child" / "Combination" by Aerosmith - 27 May 1976 (#10 US)
• "Honey Don't Leave L.A." / "Lend a Hand" by Attitudes - 3 June 1976 (#76 US)
• "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" / "Tattoo Vampire" by Blue Öyster Cult - 5 July 1976 (#10 UK, #4 US)
• "I Never Cry" / "Go to Hell" by Alice Cooper - 12 July 1976 (#8 US)
• "Heartless" / "Just the Wine" by Heart - 19 July 1976 (#11 US)
• "I Can't Ask for Anymore Than You" / "Junior Cowboy" by Cliff Richard - 23 July 1976 (#10 UK, #37 US)
• "Here Comes the Band" / "Pick Up" by Junior Campbell - 6 August 1976
• "Sweet Summer Music" / "If We Want To" by Attitudes - 20 August 1976 (#99 US)
• "Home Tonight" / "Pandora's Box" by Aerosmith - 27 August 1976 (#26 US)
• "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright" / "The Ball Trap" by Rod Stewart - 3 September 1976 (#5 UK, #1 US)
• "Gimme Three Steps (Live)" / "Free Bird (Live)" by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 10 September 1976 (#38 US)
• "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" / "California Sun" by Ramones - 10 September 1976
• "This Ain't the Summer of Love" / "Debbie Denise" by Blue Öyster Cult - 24 September 1976 (#57 US)
• "Pissing in a River" / "Ask the Angels" by Patti Smith - 24 September 1976 (#47 US)
• "Lookin' for a Love" / "Drive Back" by Neil Young - 8 October 1976
• "American Girl" / "The Wild One, Forever" by Tom Petty & Mudcrutch - 22 October 1976 (#30 UK, #14 US)
• "Enjoy Yourself" / "Style of Life" by The Jacksons - 29 October 1976 (#42 UK, #6 US)
• "Without You" / "Devil Delight" by Heart - 1 November 1976 (#59 UK, #18 US)
• "Back in the Saddle" / "Nobody's Fault" by Aerosmith - 5 November 1976 (#21 US)
• "Hey Mr. Dream Maker" / "No One Waits" by Cliff Richard - 6 November 1976 (#19 UK)
• "Loving and Free" / "Amoureuse" by Kiki Dee - 20 November 1976 (#13 UK)
• "The Killing of Georgie" / "Fool for You" by Rod Stewart" - 6 December 1976 (#2 UK, #26 US)
• "Pumping (My Heart)" / "Distant Fingers" by Patti Smith - 6 December 1976 (#54 US)
• "Show You the Way to Go" / "Blues Away" by The Jacksons - 6 January 1977 (#1 UK, #15 US)
• "I Remember You" / "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" by Ramones - 10 January 1977
• "Breakdown" / "Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll" by Tom Petty & Mudcrutch - 17 January 1977 (#38 US)
• "Baby Hold On" / "Long Long Road" by Junior Campbell - 31 January 1977
• "The First Cut is the Deepest" / "I Don't Want to Talk About It" by Rod Stewart - 11 February 1977 (#1 UK, #21 US)
• "Your Own Special Way" / "It's Yourself" by Genesis - 18 February 1977 (#11 UK, #15 US)
• "My Kinda Life" / "Nothing Left for Me to Say" by Rod Stewart - 25 February 1977 (#12 UK)
• "Love Goes to Building on Fire" / "New Feeling" by Talking Heads - 25 February 1977
• "Swallow My Pride" / "Pinhead" by Ramones - 18 March 1977 (#31 US)
• "In a Stranger's Arms" / "Good News" by Attitudes - 25 March 1977
• "First Thing in the Morning" / "Night Hours" by Kiki Dee - 7 April 1977 (#25 UK)
• "Oh, Candy" / "Daddy Should Have Stayed in High School" by Cheap Trick - 21 April 1977
• "Barracuda" / "Kick It Out" by Heart - 9 May 1977 (#47 UK, #5 US)
• "Give a Little Bit" / "Downstream" by Supertramp - 16 May 1977 (#20 UK, #6 US)
• "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" / "I Don't Care" by Ramones - 23 May 1977 (#13 UK, #8 US)
• "Nightbird" / "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers" by Genesis - 6 June 1977 (#14 UK, #6 US)
• "All I Think About Is You" / "Who Done It?" by Harry Nilsson - 13 June 1977 (#43 UK)
• "When Two Worlds Drift Apart" / "That's Why I Love You" by Cliff Richard - 13 June 1977 (#39 UK)
• "Handy Man" / "Bartender's Blues" by James Taylor - 20 June 1977 (#4 US)
• "Give Me Some More" / "Empty Faces" by Solution - 20 June 1977
• "Little Queen" / "Treat Me Well" by Heart - 25 July 1977 (#16 US)
• "Your Smiling Face" / "If I Keep My Heart Out of Sight" by James Taylor - 12 September 1977 (#19 US)
• "I Want You to Want Me" / "Oh Boy" by Cheap Trick - 12 September 1977 (#61 US)
• "What's Your Name?" / "That Smell" by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 3 October 1977 (#5 US)
• "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" / "You Got a Nerve" by Rod Stewart - 7 October 1977 (#3 UK, #4 US)
• "Chicago" / "Stay With Me Baby" by Kiki Dee - 14 October 1977 (#23 UK)
• "Goin' Places" / "Do What You Wanna" by The Jacksons - 21 October 1977 (#19 UK, #32 US)
• "Rockaway Beach" / "Locket Love" by Ramones - 31 October 1977 (#5 UK)
• "Babaji" / "From Now On" by Supertramp - 14 November 1977 (#40 UK)
• "You Got That Right" / "I Know a Little" by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 5 December 1977 (#41 US)
• "Psycho Killer" / "I Wish You Wouldn't Say That" by Talking Heads - 5 December 1977 (#74 US)
• "Southern Girls" / "You're All Talk" by Cheap Trick - 19 December 1977

Swan Song Records discography, post-Apple takeover, January - December 1977

Albums

• The Night Tripper by Dr. John - 11 February 1977
• Burnin' Sky by Bad Company - 4 March 1977 (#15 US)
• Detective by Detective - 8 April 1977 (#135 US)
• Lace and Whiskey by Alice Cooper - 29 April 1977 (#25 UK, #29 US)
• Get It by Dave Edmunds - 29 April 1977 (#209 US)
• Another Night Time Flight by Blue - 15 July 1977 (#51 UK)
• Fanx Ta-Ra by Sad Café - 9 September 1977 (#39 UK)
• Malcolm Rebenneck by Dr. John - 7 October 1977
• Spectres by Blue Öyster Cult - 18 November 1977 (#32 UK, #15 US)
• Draw the Line by Aerosmith - 9 December 1977 (#8 US)

Notable Singles

• "You and Me" / "It's Hot Tonight" by Alice Cooper - 11 April 1977 (#9 US)
• "Juju Man" / "What Did I Do Last Night" by Dave Edmunds - 25 April 1977
• "Burnin' Sky" / "Everything I Need" by Bad Company - 21 May 1977 (#78 US)
• "(No More) Love at Your Convenience" / "I Never Wrote Those Songs" by Alice Cooper - 13 June 1977 (#35 UK)
• "I Knew the Bride" / "Little Darlin'" by Dave Edmunds - 27 June 1977
• "Recognition" / "Grim Reaper" by Detective - 4 July 1977
• "Gonna Capture Your Heart" / "Bring Back the Love" by Blue - 18 July 1977 (#10 UK, #75 US)
• "Get Out of Denver" / "Worn Out Pockets, Brand New Suits" by Dave Edmunds - 22 August 1977
• "Black Rose" / "Immortal" by Sad Café - 12 September 1977 (#46 UK)
• "Draw the Line" / "Bright Light Fright" by Aerosmith - 7 October 1977 (#30 US)
• "Science Fiction" / "Dance Band" by XTC - 7 October 1977 (#37 UK)
• "Godzilla" / "I Love the Night" by Blue Öyster Cult - 28 October 1977 (#23 US)

Apple Artists, as of December 1977

• The Beatles (since 1968; contracted to EMI from 1968-1976)
• George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr as The Ladders (1970-1976)
• George Harrison and Ringo Starr as The Dark Horses (since 1977)
• Paul McCartney (since 1971; affiliated with Smile since 1972)
• David Bowie (since 1971; member of The Rolling Stones 1969-1976)
• Eric Clapton (since 1968; member of Cream 1968-1971, member of the Dark Horses since 1977)
• The Clash (since 1976)
• Elvis Costello (since 1976)
• Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (since 1968)
• Stephen Stills & Manassas (1971-1973; solo albums released on Highway 61 Records 1975-1976)
• Neil Young (1971; solo works released on Highway 61 Records since 1973)
• David Crosby and Graham Nash as Crosby & Nash (1972-1976)
• The Damned (since 1976)
• Electric Light Orchestra (since 1970)
• Fleetwood Mac (since 1968)
• Michael Jackson (since 1971; contracted to Motown from 1971-1975)
• The Jam (since 1976)
• Elton John (since 1969)
• Nick Lowe (since 1976)
• Freddie Mercury (since 1973)
• Motörhead (since 1976)
• The Rolling Stones (since 1970)
• Bill Wyman (1974, 1976)
• Sex Pistols (since 1976)
• Smile (since 1969; affiliated with Paul McCartney since 1972)
• Splinter (since 1973)
• Vangelis (since 1972; member of Aphrodite's Child 1967-1972, member of the Dark Horses since 1977)
• Wreckless Eric (since 1976)

Departed Apple Artists

• Aphrodite's Child (1970-1972)
• Badfinger (1968-1975)
• Brute Force (1969)
• Delaney & Bonnie (1969-1972)
• Cream (1968-1971)
• Chris Hodge (1972-1973)
• Mary Hopkin (1968-1972)
• Hot Chocolate (1969)
• Radha Krishna Temple (1969)
• Jackie Lomax (1968-1975)
• Jimmy McCulloch and White Line (1975-1977)
• Nazareth (1972-1975)
• Yoko Ono (1969-1973)
• Billy Preston (1969-1977)
• Ronnie Spector (1971-1972)
• The Sundown Playboys (1972)
• White Trash (1969)
• Doris Troy (1969-1971)
• Lon and Derrek Van Eaton (1972-1973)

Highway 61 Artists, as of December 1977

• Attitudes (since 1976)
• Boxer (since 1975)
• Junior Campbell (since 1976)
• Cheap Trick (since 1976)
• Kiki Dee (since 1973)
• Bob Dylan (since 1973)
• Dave Edmunds (since 1973; also contracted to Swan Song Records)
• Heart (since 1975)
• Hunky Dory (since 1976)
• Kevin Ayers
• Iggy Pop
• Lou Reed
• Robert Wyatt
• The Jacksons (since 1976)
• Harry Nilsson (since 1975)
• Tom Petty & Mudcrutch (since 1974)
• Ramones (since 1975)
• Cliff Richard (since 1973)
• Ravi Shankar (since 1973)
• Patti Smith (since 1975)
• Rod Stewart (since 1975)
• Stephen Stills (since 1975; also contracted to Apple Records)
• Supertramp (since 1974)
• Talking Heads (since 1976)
• James Taylor (since 1976; part of Apple Records 1968-1976)
• Peter Tork (since 1973)
• Toto (since 1977)
• Tina Turner (since 1974)
• Dennis Wilson (since 1975)
• Ronnie Wood (since 1974; member of the Rolling Stones since 1975; member of the Dark Horses since 1977)
• Neil Young (since 1973; also contracted to Apple Records)

Departed Highway 61 Artists

• L.A. Express (1973-1976)
• Lynyrd Skynyrd (1973-1977)
• Nigel Olsson (1974-1977)
• Tom Scott (1973-1977)
• Neil Sedaka (1974-1976)
• Solution (1974-1977)
• Stackridge (1973-1976)

Swan Song Artists, as of December 1977

• Aerosmith (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1973-1976)
• Bad Company (since 1974)
• Blondie (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1976)
• Blue (since 1977)
• Blue Öyster Cult (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1975-1976)
• Kate Bush (since 1977)
• Alice Cooper (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1974-1976)
• Detective (since 1977)
• Dave Edmunds (since 1977; also contracted to Highway 61 Records)
• Dr. John (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1975-1976)
• Genesis (since 1977; part of Highway 61 Records 1975-1976)
• Sad Café (since 1976)
• XTC (since 1977)
• The Yardbirds (since 1974)

Departed Swan Song Artists

• Maggie Bell (1974-1976)
• The Pretty Things (1974-1976)

Various Artists - The Best of Apple Records Vol. 5: 1976-1977

Released: 21 August 2009

Recorded: 1975-1977

Producer: Various

Track listing

Medicine Jar [Jimmy McCullloch]
You're Sixteen [The Beatles]
Hot Stuff [The Rolling Stones]
Shower the People [James Taylor]
Don't Go Breaking My Heart [Elton John and Kiki Dee]
Silly Love Songs [Paul McCartney & Smile]
New Rose [The Damned]
Somebody to Love [Freddie Mercury]
So It Goes [Nick Lowe]
Less Than Zero [Elvis Costello]
Don't Stop [Fleetwood Mac]
In the City [The Jam]
Remote Control [The Clash]
God Save the Queen [Sex Pistols]
Motorhead [Motörhead]
Just a Song Before I Go [Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young]
Wonderful Tonight [The Dark Horses]
Whole Wide World [Wreckless Eric]
Round and Round [Splinter]
Mr. Blue Sky [Electric Light Orchestra]

The fifth Best of Apple Records compilation (#5 UK, #2 US) was seen by many as even better than the fourth, perfectly showcasing how much the label had evolved in the past decade. The new artists signed onto the label at the time would later be called the first of Apple's Generation 2 artists, which spanned from 1976 to 1984, while the Generation 1 artists consisted of those signed onto the label between 1968 and 1975.

Footnotes

1. The "Donnerverse" refers to the four Superman movies released between 1978 and 1987, as well as the related spin-off film from 1984, Supergirl. 2006's Superman Returns was not included despite director Bryan Singer taking a lot of cues from the older films. Other universes based upon DC properties have also been given their own fan nicknames; for example, the DC Animated Universe from 1992 to 2006 has often been referred to as the "Timmverse" or the "Diniverse", referring to Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, respectively, who first worked together on Batman: The Animated Series and together created the character of Harley Quinn.
2. In TTL, Glen Matlock never left the Sex Pistols, with the band having never gotten Malcolm McLaren as their manager. As a result, Sid Vicious never joined the band to replace Matlock. The Sex Pistols will put out at least one other album at some point during 1978-1979, but we will also hear from Sid Vicious in the near future.

Author's Comments

Has it been six months since I last did an Apple Corps update? Holy cow! But at long last, I've finally got the 1976-1977 update completed! From this update onward, there won't be much to discuss regarding every artist individually (barring those that have already had story arcs taking place), but I think that the discographies featured should give you an idea on how well they fared.

And what a variety of artists I've featured! I should note that many of the artists I've had signed onto Apple, Highway 61 or even Swan Song were associated with the members of the Beatles at various points in history. For example, Steve Lukather has played on some of Ringo's albums and Elvis Costello co-wrote an album's worth of songs with Paul McCartney. Splinter was even signed onto Dark Horse Records in OTL, but now they're proper Apple artists.

And yes, there was a bit of intentional foreshadowing to a certain 80s project that Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell have worked on. That will also happen in TTL, and it'll become an Apple Television project. ;)

Chapter 55: Solsbury Hill (July 1975 - December 1977)

July - November 1975

Genesis, 1974. This photograph was taken the year prior to Peter Gabriel's departure.

TONY BANKS: "After Peter Gabriel left Genesis for reasons relating to looking after his family, we were soon signed onto Highway 61 Records courtesy of Dennis Wilson. The label was barely two years old at the time, but it was practically an extension of the Beatles' Apple Records, focusing mainly on the American market, and had brought in the likes of Bob Dylan and Alice Cooper. We kind of felt out of place there, and it didn't help that by the following year, the roster was practically bloated." (1997)

The first thing that Genesis had done since signing onto Highway 61 Records was notifying Jack Oliver, president of the label, about looking for a lead singer to replace Peter Gabriel. Oliver then arranged a meeting with Brian Epstein, Peter Brown and Lord Beeching about the band's problem, and then Brown made a call to Charisma Records to see if they had any artists on their label that were currently out of work.[1]

PETER BROWN: "Within a week or so, they'd found what Tony, Mike, Steve and Phil were looking for." (2007)

Kim Beacon performing live with String Driven Thing, 1975.

KIM BEACON: "String Driven Thing had recently broken up around the time that Peter [Gabriel] had left Genesis, and in a strange way, it seemed a bit like destiny that I was called up by Peter Brown of Apple Records about what was going on. Despite that we were on the same label, I hadn't had much interactions with Genesis, except maybe for a few meetings with Tony." (2015)

MIKE RUTHERFORD: "We tried Kim out on a few songs for a soundcheck, and my God, his voice just blew all of us away! His vocals were terrifically commanding, but they also had an angelic vibe to them. Right out of the gate, we clicked with him, and later made the announcement that he would be taking over vocals from Peter." (1995)

With Kim Beacon having passed the audition for Genesis, the group began recording that October in Trident Studios for their seventh studio album, A Trick of the Tail. The music was mostly composed by keyboardist Tony Banks and bassist Mike Rutherford, with drummer Phil Collins, guitarist Steve Hackett and Beacon occasionally providing their own contributions, with a couple of tracks - "Dance on a Volcano" and "Los Endos", the first and last tracks on the album, respectively - being written by all five members. The sessions went by pretty quickly, with Banks and Rutherford fondly recalling them as being some of the most fun Genesis had ever had.

2 February 1976

Genesis - A Trick of the Tail

Released: 2 February 1976

Recorded: October - November 1975

Producer: David Hentschel and Genesis

Track listing[2]

Side A

Dance on a Volcano

Entangled

Squonk

Mad Man Moon

Side B

Robbery, Assault and Battery

Ripples...

A Trick of the Tail

It's Yourself/Los Endos

In light of Peter Gabriel's departure in 1975, shortly after their tour for The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, many critics assumed that Genesis would break up as a result, with Gabriel having been part of the group since its formation in 1967. They were proven wrong when A Trick of the Tail came out on Groundhog Day 1976, with many praising Kim Beacon's vocals, with some even saying he was a better vocalist than Peter Gabriel. The album soon hit #2 in the United Kingdom, with the Beatles' Rock 'n' Roll keeping it out of the top spot, but it still sold extremely well. It also reached a respectable #25 in America. The sole single was "Entangled" backed with "A Trick of the Tail" (#29 UK, #36 US).

Genesis soon went on tour for A Trick of the Tail lasting from 26 March to 11 July, with performances taking place in Canada, the United States and various European countries including France, Belgium, Switzerland and Denmark. The tour was very much a coming out party for Kim Beacon, being the first time that he was touring the world, especially with a big name group such as Genesis, and he had to learn the material they had recorded with Peter Gabriel from 1969 to 1974. That didn't make the tour any less a success, however, and his performances were widely praised, especially "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)", originally from 1973's Selling England by the Pound. As the tour went on, Beacon would notice Phil Collins slouching during the performances and reminded him about this, suggesting that he sit up straighter so as not to ruin his back, which Collins would soon take to heart. This was one of the first moments between the pair that would eventually cement a friendship that would last for years to come.

PHIL COLLINS: "Thank God Kim Beacon was there to take over lead vocals. I don't want to imagine what might've happened to Genesis if we hadn't brought him into the group." (2003)

January - July 1976

Nancy and Ann Wilson, 1976.

Following the success of Dreamboat Annie, Pete Ham and Heart set to work on making the band's sophomore effort, tentatively titled Magazine, intended for a July 1976 release. The Wilson sisters Ann and Nancy were enjoying this newfound success and had a good working relationship with Ham and Highway 61 Records.[3] What could possibly go wrong?

ANN WILSON: "I don't know who it was that made up that article for Rolling Stone, but what happened was that they used a photograph of me and Nancy topless - from chest up, of course - and the public ran with the story that we were in an incestuous relationship. We and those in charge of Apple were outraged with the tabloid." (1985)

"It was only our first time!" Rolling Stone magazine had claimed, taking the Wilson sisters' quote out of context. What they had actually meant to say was that the success of Dreamboat Annie had been their first, not whether or not they were incestuous lesbian lovers. Pete Ham was so infuriated by the tabloid that he wanted to have Rolling Stone sued for libel and the journalist who wrote the article fired and blacklisted.

JACK OLIVER: "Pete just wouldn't let up about what Rolling Stone had claimed. Nor would Ann and Nancy. Michael [Fisher, Ann Wilson's then-boyfriend] was also angered by the tabloid. They were so caught up in the controversy that they ended up putting their follow-up album on hold. We've tried getting Pete to calm down, even saying that a lawsuit would only draw more attention. He did eventually settle down, of course." (2009)

A barracuda is a snake-like predatory fish that can be found in tropical and subtropical oceans. In Heart's famous 1977 single, the metaphorical barracuda refers to anyone on the dark side of music business, whether they be the local promotion person or the president of a record company.

PETE HAM: "Those goddamned journalists didn't do their fucking research. I swear, they're nothing more than a bunch of snakes. No, scratch that - barracudas would be a more accurate depiction of those fuckers!" (1976, to Jack Oliver)

Only five planned tracks for what could have been Magazine had been recorded - "Heartless", "Just the Wine", "Magazine", "Devil Delight" and a cover of Badfinger's 1970 hit "Without You". But rather than simply leaving them on the cutting room floor, four of the tracks were released as non-album singles - "Heartless"/"Just the Wine" (#11 US) on July 19 and "Without You"/"Devil Delight" (#59 UK, #18 US) on November 1. The overall affair had left everyone involved feeling very drained, especially after a radio promoter asked Ann Wilson about her lover (whom she thought was Michael Fisher, but the promoter had actually meant Nancy), causing Ann to storm back to her hotel room. Frustrated, she began work on what would become one of Heart's biggest hits, and had also taken inspiration from a remark made by Pete Ham concerning journalists.

17 December 1976

Genesis - Wind & Wuthering

Released: 17 December 1976

Recorded: September - October 1976

Producer: David Hentschel and Genesis

Track listing[4]

Side A

Eleventh Earl of Mar
One for the Vine

Your Own Special Way

Pigeons

Side B

Inside and Out
Blood on the Rooftops
Nightbird
In That Quiet Earth
Afterglow

Throughout September and October, Genesis had relocated to Hilvarenbeek in the Netherlands to record their next album, Wind & Wuthering. Nearly seventy minutes' worth of music had been recorded for possible inclusion, but they could only include less than sixty minutes' worth, which caused a bit of friction in the band, most notably for Steve Hackett, who felt that his contributions would end up being overlooked in favor of Tony Banks' instead.

STEVE HACKETT: "I hadn't been feeling all that happy since Peter had left to look after his family, and then eventually, a solo career. Kim did everything he could to serve as the peacemaker for the band, even suggesting we put out a double album. I know his heart was in the right place, but the last time we put out a double album [The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway], it didn't make the numbers we were expecting. I did end up getting a couple of more contributions on the final album, it wasn't enough to make we want to leave." (1989)

KIM BEACON: "I know I was barely in Genesis for a year when we started work on Wind & Wuthering, but I did feel a bit sorry for Steve. He wanted a quarter of his material on the album, but Tony and Mike insisted on having the best material for it. Phil agreed with them, even saying that splitting the writing equally was a bit of a dumb idea. But even then, Phil and I tried to help Steve, but there wasn't anything more we could have done to keep him around. We still wished him well, however." (2003)

The most notable contribution on the album was Kim Beacon's first solo contribution to Genesis, "Nightbird", a slow waltz track about a couple in the moonlit night following a rainstorm. The rest of the band was astounded by the beauty of the track, with Phil Collins calling it one of his favorite Genesis songs. The first single off of Wind & Wuthering, "Your Own Special Way" and a full version of "It's Yourself" (#11 UK, #15 US), was released under Highway 61 Records on 18 February 1977, with "Nightbird" and the non-album B-side "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers" (#14 UK, #6 US) being released as a single in June, quickly reaching the Top 10 in America in the midst of Bee Gees domination.

Steve Hackett performing live with Genesis, 1977. Phil Collins is barely visible from behind Hackett.

Wind & Wuthering had been released two weeks before New Years' Eve and was a commercial success on both sides of the Atlantic (#4 UK, #13 US), with "Nightbird" and "Your Own Special Way" being acclaimed as the best songs from the album. "They're ballads that are destined to become timeless classics for years to come," New Musical Express wrote in its review on the album, also praising Kim Beacon's vocal performances.

KIM BEACON: "I'm glad I had my big break with Genesis in the 70s. If I hadn't been invited to sing for them, I don't know where I'd be today. Mind you, Genesis has always been a unit, not just a front man and a band. Just because I'm the front man doesn't mean I'm the most important member. We're all important in our own ways, and that's something I've always believed in since first joining. I'm just glad that most of our fans have understood that." (2015)

Despite this success, not all was well in the Genesis camp. After being part of the band since recording for 1971's Nursery Cryme, Steve Hackett left the band after seven years as Genesis' guitarist following the Wind & Wuthering tour, lasting from 1 January to 3 July. Recordings from the tour would be used for their live album Seconds Out, released 14 October on Highway 61 Records, primarily sourced from the 11-14 June shows at Palais des Sports in Paris, France.

MIKE RUTHERFORD: "Now that we were reduced to a quartet once again, I ended up taking on both bass and guitar duties, but we needed a replacement for Steve on guitar whenever we went on tour. Alphonso Johnson auditioned for us but didn't make the cut. However, he knew someone called Daryl Stuermer and put his name forward." (1992)[5]

The rest of Genesis was impressed by Daryl Stuermer's guitar work, and from 1978 to the present, he became the band's touring guitarist. The main lineup now consisted of Banks, Rutherford, Collins and Beacon, although they would only end up making one album together as a quartet before the current, iconic lineup would be born...

1 January 1977

Dennis Wilson, 1977.

As 1976 drew to a close, Highway 61 Records had a healthy roster that was a mixture of seasoned veterans and up-and-coming music stars. But perhaps it was a little too healthy, as there were more artists signed up to Highway 61 Records than there were on their sister label, Apple Records, almost at a ratio of two to one.

DENNIS WILSON: "Highway 61 Records was not even five years old by then, and already, there was the issue about some artists being sidelined in favor of others. No disrespect to those involved at the time of formation, but I don't think the likes of Elton John or Neil Young could've foreseen that the label would face the problem of having a bloated roster. So I did some searching and requested an audience with Peter Grant and the Yardbirds about the issues facing Highway 61." (2001)

Swan Song Records had a very small roster; the Yardbirds, Bad Company, and the recently-signed Sad Café. Two other artists, Maggie Bell and the Pretty Things, would depart by the end of 1976; counting them, that was a total of five artists (soon to be three) compared to Highway 61's thirty to forty artists. Dennis Wilson concluded that Swan Song could not sustain itself simply for having two big-selling bands, and he worked out a strategy so that both Highway 61 and Swan Song could share the load of artists between them, and therefore kill two birds with one stone.

PETER GRANT: "Dennis seemed very pleased with this proposal, and so the two of us arranged for a meeting with several other executives at Apple and Highway 61." (1989)

Blue Öyster Cult, 1975. They were among several artists initially signed onto Highway 61 Records who decided to transfer to Swan Song Records.

It was a very lengthy meeting, and a lot of discussions took place, but by the end of it all, it was agreed that beginning on New Year's Day 1977, Swan Song Records would officially become a subsidiary of Apple. Those who were signed onto Highway 61 Records were given an advance reminder that they had the opportunity to transfer to Swan Song Records. Some artists such as Alice Cooper, Aerosmith and Blue Öyster Cult were eager about the transfer; others such as Bob Dylan, Kiki Dee and Tom Petty chose to stay at Highway 61. (A select few like Nigel Olsson and Tom Scott would depart the following year.) Dave Edmunds would stay as record producer for Highway 61, but he would also release his own material on Swan Song Records.

TONY BANKS: "Genesis was among those who chose to transfer to Swan Song Records, and I think it was very symbolic in retrospect; we had brought in a new guitarist, and now we were part of another label under Apple. This marked the beginning of what the press would call 'Phase Two' of Genesis." (2003)

With a lot of hard rock and punk artists being signed onto Swan Song Records, the label would inevitably be branded as a hard rock label, given it had the likes of the Yardbirds, Bad Company, Aerosmith and Blondie on their roster. Those who were part of the label at any given period of time would dismiss these claims as "stereotypical bullshit" and that "there's more to Swan Song if you listen more closely!" Parents even tried to prevent their children from buying any album off of Swan Song Records, saying that their music was dangerous and could corrupt, with the odd exception, but even that didn't stop sales.

May 6, 1977

Heart - Little Queen

Released: May 6, 1977

Recorded: 1976, February - April 1977

Producer: Pete Ham

Track listing[6]

Side A

Barracuda

Love Alive

Sylvan Song

Dream of the Archer

Magazine

Side B

Little Queen

Treat Me Well

Say Hello

Cry to Me

Go On Cry

Not wanting "Magazine" to be left on the shelves, Heart added in overdubs so that it could blend right in with the new recordings from February to April. These recordings resulted in the long-awaited followup to Dreamboat Annie, Little Queen (#21 UK, #4 US), released that May alongside the lead single "Barracuda" (#47 UK, #5 US) alongside the non-album B-side, "Kick It Out". The album received mixed to positive reviews from critics, while the "Barracuda" single got a more positive reception, earning Heart another Top 10 hit. The follow-up single, "Little Queen"/"Treat Me Well" (#16 US) did not sell as much, but it was still a reasonable enough hit that Heart, along with several of their stablemates at Highway 61 Records (as well as those on Swan Song Records), were starting to grow a following among rock music groups.

That December, Heart put out an extended play, Without You. Side A consisted of both sides of the "Heartless"/"Just the Wine" single as well as "Kick It Out", and Side B featured their cover of "Without You", as well as "Devil Delight" and "Here Song". Later CD releases of Little Queen would feature the extended play as bonus tracks.

Nobody could explain why at the time, but with Apple, Highway 61 and Swan Song Records having the respective talents of the Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Yardbirds under their belts, people would end up talking about who just got signed up under any of the three labels. Even if these new artists were relatively unknown by the public, they would certainly get people talking and wondering what they had to offer.

Footnotes

1. Phil Collins was part of jazz fusion band Brand X from 1975 to 1977 as well as 1979. He left the band at various times due to his commitments with Genesis in OTL. In TTL, he leaves Brand X for good before Unorthodox Behaviour is released, meaning he is committed full time to Genesis and even devotes more time to his family. Bill Bruford became the new drummer for Brand X before leaving at the end of July 1976. Joe Blocker then takes over between August and October before being replaced by Chester Thompson. Thompson is then followed up by Kenwood Dennard (1977-1978), Chuck Burgi (May-October 1978) and Mike Clark (October-December 1978) before returning in 1979, occasionally being swapped out for Clark. Brand X breaks up in 1980 per OTL and their future after that remains unchanged.
2. The track listing remains unaltered for A Trick of the Tail, with the exception of "It's Yourself", an outtake from said sessions, preceding "Los Endos". For TTL, all tracks are sung by Kim Beacon with Phil Collins providing secondary vocals on "Robbery, Assault and Battery".
3. Heart was planning on releasing another studio album for Mushroom Records, but they were dropped by the label who deemed Heart as a one-hit wonder.
4. Once again, all tracks for TTL's Wind & Wuthering are sung by Kim Beacon, barring the instrumental track "In That Quiet Earth". "Pigeon" and "Inside and Out" from the Spot the Pigeon EP are also included; for TTL, Phil sings lead on the verses to "Pigeons" and the chorus of "Inside and Out". Kim Beacon sings lead on "Inside and Out" while doing backing vocals for "Pigeons". "Nightbird" is sourced from Beacon's 1979 solo album Ravenna; I simply pretended that it had been written as early as 1976. "Match of the Day", "Wot Gorilla?" and "All in a Mouse's Night" end up being part of an extended play called Spot the Gorilla, released May 1977.
5. Daryl Stuermer was indeed recommended as a replacement for Steve Hackett in late 1977. Like in OTL, he isn't a full-time member of Genesis, but he did at least perform live as both lead guitarist and bass player between 1978 and 1992. Stuermer later rejoined Genesis for their Turn It On Again Tour in 2007 and is planned to reunite with them for The Last Domino? Tour in early 2021 (originally scheduled for 2020, but it has been delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic). In addition to touring with Genesis, Stuermer has also played on Mike Rutherford's Acting Very Strange, three of Tony Banks' solo albums (The Fugitive, Still and Strictly Inc), and all of Phil Collins' solo studio albums barring Both Sides and Going Back.
6. All tracks are sourced from Little Queen, excluding "Magazine", taken from the 1978 release of the album of the same name.

Author's Comments

Before I get to the commentary on this chapter, I'd like to say this; I'm sure you know this by now, but a new Blogger format has been introduced. I suppose it works fine on mobile phone, but I don't think it works at all for personal computers. (I write these posts on my laptop, so I probably wouldn't know and could be wrong.) I'm sure there's good intentions behind this, but not everybody uses a mobile phone; there's probably more out there who prefer to use social media on computer, but again, I could be wrong. I don't want Blogger to make the wrong choices in the future; I've seen it happen before on DeviantArt, and this happening to Blogger as well is a potential worse case scenario.

Okay, that aside, I bet you didn't expect to see this chapter coming, huh? I personally was not expecting to write this chapter either, but here we are. Yep, Genesis is now a big part of the story, and they've brought in a new vocalist in the form of Kim Beacon. He's probably one of the most obscure artists out there, and despite being part of String Driven Thing, there's hardly much information about him. He sang on Tony Banks' A Curious Feeling in 1979 and released two solo albums before dying in 2001. That sounds like a pretty cruel fate, doesn't it? Dying without even making a dent in music history. Thankfully, this story has him survive to at least 2016 (and still lives to this day) and gives him a proper chance in the spotlight. We'll see how this affects Genesis in the near future.

Another unexpected bit was Swan Song Records becoming part of Apple; that label had a similarly cruel fate of shutting down in 1983 and didn't have that many artists under its belt, but hopefully we'll be able to fix both problems. Apple is really dominating the music scene, isn't it? Not much to say about Heart, though, and there probably won't be much happening for them in future chapters.

Thanks to danielmartin273 for helping in writing this chapter out, mainly suggesting ideas on what should happen.