Arts and Music

Classic Albums

Celebrate the making of the greatest albums in pop, rock and heavy metal music. Each episode features interviews with band members, producers and others discussing the creation of the historic recording.

Don McLean – American Pie

58m 48s

Rediscover the landmark album on its 50th anniversary, with new interviews from McLean about its recording and legacy. Released alongside Carole King’s Tapestry, Joni Mitchell’s Blue and Neil Young’s After The Goldrush, American Pie is considered a vital part of what has been called “Rock’s golden year.” A product of its era, the album’s impact, poignancy and relevance have lasted to this day.

Episodes

  • Steely Dan - Aja: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Steely Dan - Aja

    1h

    Explore the making of one of the most outstanding jazz-rock albums of all time. Aja, the biggest successof Steely Dan’s career, was the result of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker’s relentless perfectionismin the studio. A year in the making, it was rewarded with a Grammy Award and three hit singles. Almost 45 years later, it is as fresh and memorable as it was upon its release in 1997.

  • Lou Reed - Transformer: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Lou Reed - Transformer

    49m 57s

    Re-live the Glam era with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of thegroundbreaking albumthat took Lou Reed from cult hero of The Velvet Underground to international superstar as a solo artist. Reed’s second LP, produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, featured the hits “Perfect Day” and “Walk on the Wild Side” and is considered to have been massively influential on generations of musicians.

  • Frank Zappa - Apostrophe and Over-Nite Sensation: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Frank Zappa - Apostrophe and Over-Nite Sensation

    49m 55s

    Discover the stories behind these two groundbreaking albums, produced in 1973 and 1974, that encapsulate the artist’s musicality and wit. Over 30 years, Zappa’s records embraced rock, jazz, funk, blues, doo-wop and classical influences. Lyrically tinged with humor, satire and wry political observation, they also featured excellent musicianship and faultless production.

  • Simply Red - Stars: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Simply Red - Stars

    48m 39s

    Explore the album that was a dominating force in 1991, with record sales that surpassed the likes of Michael Jackson, U2 and Dire Straits. Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall shares his musical vision and inspiration behind “Something Got Me Started,” “Your Mirror,” and the title track, while archival footage, promotional clips and exclusive interviews provide the key to its phenomenal success.

  • Don McLean – American Pie: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Don McLean – American Pie

    58m 48s

    Rediscover the landmark album on its 50th anniversary, with new interviews from McLean about its recording and legacy. Released alongside Carole King’s Tapestry, Joni Mitchell’s Blue and Neil Young’s After The Goldrush, American Pie is considered a vital part of what has been called “Rock’s golden year.” A product of its era, the album’s impact, poignancy and relevance have lasted to this day.

  • The Band - The Band: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Band - The Band

    1h 14m

    Dive into The Band’s eponymously titled second album, with its musical and lyrical take on America that resonates as strongly today as it did upon its release in 1969. It showcased their brilliant ability to merge a variety of influences and confirms for many music lovers why they will always be The Band. Features interviews with Eric Clapton, George Harrison and surviving members of the group.

  • The Sex Pistols –Never Mind The Bollocks: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Sex Pistols –Never Mind The Bollocks

    50m 22s

    Dive into the making of the1977 punk rock album that was —and remains today —an inspiration worldwide for the alternative music scene and one of the most influential and controversial rock albums of all time. Interviews with the band plus concert footage illustrate how the Sex Pistols created an iconic record while sowing chaos and mayhem in the music business establishment.

  • Carly Simon - No Secrets: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Carly Simon - No Secrets

    58m 33s

    Singer-songwriter Carly Simon and key collaborators lay bare the creative process of writing and recording her No Secrets album, including the classic single “You’re So Vain.” On this album, Simon perfected her unique style, an intimate and confessional form of song that spoke to a generation, especially young women.

  • Rush – 2112 & Moving Pictures: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Rush – 2112 & Moving Pictures

    58m 24s

    Explore the two albums that illustrate the lyrical ideals of Canadian band Rush, who invented the Progressive Heavy Rock genre and, to this day, remain its leader. Released in 1976, 2112 represents the zenith of the band’s concept phase, while Moving Pictures is the crystallization of their skills as songwriters.

  • The Who – Who’s Next: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Who – Who’s Next

    50m 18s

    Discover the story of an abandoned multimedia project that became what many critics call one of the greatest rock albums of all time. A testament to the songwriting talent of Pete Townshend and the musical power of The Who, Who’s Next was the 1971 follow-up to the ground breaking album Tommy. Features interviews with Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle, plus previously unseen performances.

  • Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell

    50m 25s

    Discover the arduous, but fateful story of one of the top-selling albums of all time. Meat Loaf and producer Jim Steinman recall the day they met and manager David Sonenberg discusses the many fruitless attempts to get a record deal. But perseverance eventually led to triumph when 1977’s Bat Out Of Hell became a phenomenal success.

  • Bob Marley & The Wailers – Catch A Fire: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Bob Marley & The Wailers – Catch A Fire

    50m 19s

    Explore the story behind one of the world’s most popular reggae albums, which brought Bob Marley international recognition in 1973. Featuring rare archival interviews with Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and Marley himself as well as never-before-seen performances and footage from the Jamaican recording sessions, this episode provides insight into the process behind the recording of this landmark work.

Extras + Features

  • Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon Preview

    31s

    Listen as all four band members tell the story behind one of the greatest albums ever made. Pink Floyd’s masterpiece and a monument of rock history, 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon claimed a place in the world’s record books when it sold more than 30 million copies and spent 740 weeks on the U.S. charts. It transformed Pink Floyd from a band with a cult following to global stadium superstars.

  • Fleetwood Mac - Rumours Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Fleetwood Mac - Rumours Preview

    31s

    Learn the definitive story of the making of an album that truly earned its place in the pantheon of rock music history. Fleetwood Mac’s hugely successful Rumours was released in 1977, selling 15 million copies worldwide and was christened Album of the Year at the 1978 Grammy Awards. The LP remained on the U.K. charts for a staggering 433 weeks and on the U.S. Billboard album charts for 130 weeks.

  • Queen - A Night At The Opera Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Queen - A Night At The Opera Preview

    31s

    Explore the story behind the album that made the band a global rock phenomenon in 1975. One of the most expensive, expansive and creative LPs of its time, it propelled them into rock and roll history. The mix of hard rock, pop, opera, music hall camp and traditional folk, utilizing multi-layered guitars, vocal harmonies, piano, a harp, a ukulele and ‘no synthesizers’ combine to make it a classic.

Schedule

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