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Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 262 Today's Peep Enters the Vinyl Time Machine and Goes Back 50 YEARS to 1975's Greatest Rock Albums
Vinyl records weren't just music to us in 1975—they were essential investments calculated in hours worked. "How many albums will today's shift buy me?" was the perpetual question as I saved for treasures at The Record Factory, where $3.33 could purchase sonic worlds that would last a lifetime.
Fifty years later, 1975 stands as perhaps rock's most extraordinary year. Led Zeppelin's mammoth double album "Physical Graffiti" delivered deep cuts that reflected the band's evolving artistry while Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" captured melancholy perfection. Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" painted vivid American landscapes through cinematic storytelling, transforming a New Jersey kid into rock's poet laureate. Meanwhile, Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," David Bowie's "Fame" (featuring John Lennon's vocals), and Aerosmith's "Toys in the Attic" demonstrated rock's incredible diversity.
The heavy hitters weren't holding back either—Black Sabbath's "Sabotage" delivered what I consider "the hardest rock riff ever," Deep Purple introduced Tommy Bolin replacing Ritchie Blackmore (who formed Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio), and Ted Nugent released his bombastic debut. Innovation flourished with 10cc's groundbreaking production on "I'm Not in Love," while Jefferson Starship, Bob Dylan, Parliament, and ZZ Top all contributed classics that remain influential decades later. This cascade of creativity wasn't just impressive—it was unprecedented, as artists pushed boundaries while remaining commercially viable.
These weren't casual purchases played once and forgotten; they were soundtracks that defined our identities. When you saved your hard-earned money for an album, you discovered every groove, appreciated every lyric, and connected with artists in ways that streaming can never replicate. Share your favorite albums from this landmark year and join the conversation about rock's golden moment when the possibilities seemed limitless and the music truly mattered.
I'm still looking out my studio windows into the beautiful foothills of Northern California. It's still Wednesday, it's still May 14th. I did one earlier, a podcast number 261. Hi there, how are ya? Hey, thanks for dropping by, dropping by my studio here, and as we look out the windows, today, on this beautiful Wednesday, it's sunny, it's a springtime, it's a little cool. I said that earlier, so I know I'm repeating myself, because rarely do I do two in one day. But just so you know, this is Pat's Peeps 262, which I'm doing today, on Wednesday, the 14th day of May, two days before the dreaded birthday. Hey, it beats the other options. I promise you I'm happy, I'm doing well, thank God.
Speaker 1:But I did an earlier podcast, and what that is is I did a. I just I played a conversation that I had live on all your streaming platforms, just like this very podcast. Um, yeah, and so I talked a little bit about p. I talked a lot about pete rose. Last night we did talk about this, I think. Did we talk about this? Hey, who am I talking to? Last night night, by the way, on my show, someone called, cracked me up. They go hey, pat, which. This is really great too, because I keep getting calls on my show. I listen to your podcast. I'm starting to really listen to them now every day, thank you.
Speaker 1:And he goes as I'm driving, I listen, he goes. Can I ask you, who are you talking to when you're doing the podcast? Are you talking to someone or are you sitting there kind of just talking to yourself? Glad he brought that up. You know I'm sitting here talking to myself. I'm literally sitting here. I've got in front of the window, like I always tell you, I'm looking at the weather. I'm sitting here and it's just me. This is what you learn to do when you do radio for years, like I have. You just talk. You feel the audience that you know, hopefully, that they are there. If not, you need to do something else for a living. But I've been blessed knowing that people have been listening both to the podcast and their show. So, yeah, I answered his question. Yep, I just sit here by myself, you know. So if you get an opportunity, please check out. But if you haven't heard me my conversation with Pete Rose God rest his soul. You know we got into all of this stuff with the rock and roll. I mean not the rock and roll but the Baseball Hall of Fame and all that. He was reinstated yesterday. So it's a great conversation, okay, and I had some other things to talk about too here today, but I got. I did get right before I started the show. You know, I have all these things to talk about on this podcast Plus.
Speaker 1:I picked out a whole like I found a gold vein of records in my 45 collection that I love. Pulled the first one out. I said oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that'd be a good one. Wonder what the next one out? I said oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that'd be a good one. I wonder what the next one is?
Speaker 1:I pulled that one out and I looked at it. I went, actually, I can't stand this song. I can't stand this song or this. Sorry to say that this artist can't like them, all right, but I thought, you, this would be a good one for the audience, because I don't like it, other people do, and it's an interesting story, no doubt. Speaking of interesting stories, I pull that one out. I say, oh, yeah. Then there's this one, yeah, yeah. And then this one I don't even know Mystery record, I don't know if I've heard it. So I took one, two, one, two, five records out. So I you know I'm I was gonna get to some of those, or at least one.
Speaker 1:And then, and I had this other thing about my birthday. Thank god I have a birthday coming up, but oh my god, I'm starting to feel like the numbers are racking up and I'm an old guy now and I'll promise you this man, I'm not Like. I feel like I can still get on my Schwinn bike. I swear, I guarantee you I could shoot hoop, I could still play ball, I could throw a fastball. I mean, god, I hope I don't have that old man syndrome, but that's going to take me down the wrong road. I'm just blessed to be here, but the time just keeps on ticking.
Speaker 1:Perhaps when I'm in a more contemplative, is it introspective mode? Am I getting that right? See, here I am. Who am I talking to? No one. Introspective, introspective, whatever. I was going to get into that. I was going to get into some. Well, there's a variety of things. And then I got to thinking and I thought you know, hey, this is what 2025?.
Speaker 1:And in the context of getting older, I started thinking about the records from 50 years ago. Let me count that up. Let me make sure I'm counting this right, because somehow that doesn't sound right to me. Let me go 75, 85, 95, 2005. Doesn't sound right to me. Let me go 75, 85, 95, 2005, 2015, 2020, 50 flipping years ago. When you I'll tell you this when you can remember records from 50 years ago, you're getting old. Now, again, I don't feel it. But I'm telling you, man, you know, when I got excited is when I looked at the albums. Now, if you were to ask me hey, pat, what albums came out in 1975? Just give me a variety of albums that came out in 1975. I promise you that I could do that. There's no doubt Right off the top of my head. I promise you I could do that.
Speaker 1:When I looked at the records that came out in 1975, I mean this. To me, this is like going through my record collection, my personal record collection, not my rare 45s. I'm talking about my personal record collection. These are the records that meant everything to me. These are the records that when I first started earning money, that I was using my own money to go and purchase. These are the records that I know, the deep cuts. People say, oh, I like the hits. You know what I've always? Yeah, the hits are okay. I like the deep cuts. The reason I know the deep cuts is because, again, I would spend my money that was hard-earned and the entire time I'm working, when I was 15 to, like you know, from, let's say 15 to maybe 19, 20 years old, but particularly between 17 and 19, let's say 18, 20 years old, but particularly between 17 and 19, let's say Everything I did in terms of work.
Speaker 1:I calculated in my mind how many records does that day work? How many records will that buy me? At the record factory which was my favorite record store? Yeah, there was Tower. Sorry, I mean, I love Tower too, don't get me wrong, I love them all. It just happened to be where I lived. But, uh, why I like the record factory the best and I'll tell you why. But but you know, because I lived in South Sac and it was convenient. It was right behind Florence Center, other than Parkway. Bam, right there I'm on my shoe and bike, bam, if I lived anywhere else Elk Grove, what have you? You jump on the regional transit, you get your bus pass. I'm there with my buddy, keith, keith, keith, welch, love you brother. And everything.
Speaker 1:I would calculate in how many albums I could buy if I worked. And the thing is it was $3.33 for the new album. That was what they cost, $3.33, all the brand new stuff. And you go in there and you smell the incense or whatever. They always have great music playing. I can remember that was the first time I ever heard raggae, bob Marley and the Whalers. I'm like, wow, what is this? Okay, I like this. It's different. I like it Reminds me of summer, going back to a previous conversation we had, where your musical taste is affected by climate. So, going back to 1975, the albums that came out that year are so personal to me. I started looking at the list. I'm like, oh my God, all of them. The first one that came to mind, for whatever reason, and I'd listen to this all day I just mentioned Keith Welch.
Speaker 1:So one day, you know, keith and his family lived out in this field it's kind of this field at the end of the street. Our family lived right in the middle, at the sort of towards the end of this neighborhood. Then a field started and his family lived kind of it was almost country kind of out there where they lived and the landlord of the house they lived in he had a big old trailer out there, a big truck trailer, and it was filled with newspapers Sacramento Bee, sacramento Union. They're all piled in there, magazines, all this stuff. It wasn't garbage, it was newspapers and magazines, anyhow. So he asked Keith, hey, keith, I'll give you now, how about this 1975, I'll give you 15 bucks maybe it was 15 bucks, something like that 15 bucks to you and 15 bucks to your friend.
Speaker 1:If you guys unload this trailer thing of news, this trailer of newspapers, into this other trailer over here, and both of us are like, yep, anytime we can make money to buy records, we said yes, so I'm working all day, working. This is 1975. I'm like calculating, so I can buy. Essentially I can buy probably three records. Being realistic, I don't want to overshoot my budget. And the number one album I wanted to buy that day and the number one album I wanted to buy that day Zeppelin double album, physical Graffiti I didn't own the license then I don't own them now. I'm just telling a story educating Led Zeppelin, physical graffiti and again, I'm a deep cut guy. So I'd go with like custard pie, yeah, yeah, the Rover I would sit in my room listen to In my Time of Dying.
Speaker 1:I was always fascinated at the song Houses of the Holy which was on this album, I'll be like, hey, wait a minute now. Why is the song Houses of the Holy on the album Physical Graffiti and why is it not the title track to their album, houses of the Holy? Are they trying to mess with this? I maybe had another word for it back then. But yeah, but that's on here. You had Kashmir, which, of course, kashmir everyone's favorite Trampled underfoot in the light, bronyar, oh yeah, down by the seaside, 10 years gone. Night flight the Walton song Boogie with Stu. Remember that. 10 Years Gone. Night Flight the Wanton Song Boogie with Stu. Remember that, remember that. And that would lead into Black Country Woman.
Speaker 1:And he'd be like hey, man, hey, let's see, see, start laughing not even yet remember that.
Speaker 1:Oh, sick again. What a great album, you know. And then I. But then I'm looking at the list of albums from that year, and it's not the only one. I mean you must be kidding me. I mean, if you look at that year oh man, I got a mosquito flipping in my face now, rascal. Anyhow, you go back to 75. Again, just to my way of thinking, one of the best years ever for rock and roll albums. 1975, you have Shine On you, crazy Diamond, pink Floyd. I mean, if you think about that album, not only do you have shine on you, crazy diamond, you have to have a cigar. Welcome to the machine. Wish you were here. I mean, what an album.
Speaker 1:And I start looking through, oh my gosh, just the ones that are closest to me in terms of oh, I remember I had this, okay, so I had a album by uh, must have been Tommy Bolin maybe, and I think it was Tommy Bolin, and I traded, traded with this dude named Derek, or something like that, because I was really getting into this artist that I had just discovered and he says, well, I'll trade you this record, the guy you're liking and that you're just discovering, and I'll trade you that for your Tommy Boland and I said, yeah, okay, yeah, I'll do that. And I didn't know this album, but I was going to take a chance, no matter what. And boy am I glad that I did, because I put the record on the turntable and it's Frank Zappa's one-size-fits-all album and when I put it on the turntable, that confirmed that, yes, this dude right here.
Speaker 2:I'm going to end up being a huge fan.
Speaker 1:He sings about people. I see now all the time he's saying about society. I'm always seeing people now out in public in their pajamas, frank knew that was going to happen.
Speaker 2:Pajama people are boring me to pieces.
Speaker 1:Pajama people.
Speaker 2:Feel like I am wasting my time. They all got flannel up and down A little trap, doll back around them Some cozy little footings on their mind. Ha ha, pajama people, pajama people, yeah.
Speaker 1:I loved Frank man Singing about pajama people and now you walk through to you go somewhere, to the grocery store. There they are and I always think there's the pajama people. 1975, desperado the Eagles again. Being a deep cut guy, yes, they had. Desperado was on here on this album, tequila Keyless, sunrise, but I used to love Outlaw man. Bitter Creek 75,. What a great year. What a great year for rock and roll albums.
Speaker 2:I am an outlaw. I was born an outlaw son. The highway is my legacy. On the highway I will run. In one hand I have a Bible, in the other I got a gun. Don't you know me?
Speaker 1:I'm the man of one one woman don't try to love me, don't try to understand. A life upon the road is the life of an alpha man. Yeah, I always loved that one by them within 75. I mean, how about Springsteen doing the album Born to Run? Yes, I could have played Born to Run, yes. I mean, of course, there's all the great hits on this record, but again, I always liked the album the deep cuts, jungleland, one of my favorites from that album.
Speaker 2:The Rangers had a homecoming In Harlem late last night and a magic rat drove his sleek machine Over the Jersey state line Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a Dodge Drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain. The rap pulls and the town rolls up his pants. Together they take a stab at romance and disappear down Flamingo.
Speaker 1:Lane, the thing about Bruce and his music. I've never been to New Jersey. I've never been to this part of the United States.
Speaker 2:Will a maximum lawman run down Flamingo chasing me?
Speaker 1:But when I listen to him, this guy can take me there just by you know his music and by the lyrics. Yeah, this had 10th Avenue Freeze Out, had Thunder Road Born to Run. I mean, I'm certain that that is considered to be, you know, one of the great rock and roll albums of all time. It's Pats Peeps 262. If you go back to 1975, another great record still stands the test of time of time.
Speaker 2:Toys in the Attic, aerosmith, talk about things that nobody cares, wearing out the things that nobody wears. You call my name, but I gotta make clear.
Speaker 1:I can't say baby, well, I'll be in a year, so I mean, if you go back to that album, I mean how often did you hear Walk this Way? I mean you heard it all the time. I mean it was on the radio constantly. And then so was this man. It's good stuff from 75. You go up and down the list. All kinds of different, all kinds of different styles of popular music Fleetwood, mac Rhiannon. I can still hear all of these songs coming out of the AM radio as I was learning to drive a car, so you had stuff lighter like that.
Speaker 2:Rest in peace, Christine McVie, by the way.
Speaker 1:Will you ever win? She is like a cat in the dark and then she is the darkness. Wow, that got played all the time. I was into harder stuff. So in 75, I would crank this one up to Ted Nugent, his first debut. All right, that's redundant. His debut album from ted nugent oh yeah. So if you were scanning the am dials back then Self-titled debut album from Ted Nugent, oh yeah. So if you were scanning the AM dials back then, back in 1975, you go to the other end of the spectrum and you might hear this popular song, or any of these popular songs actually Uh, let's see, uh, let's see, uh, let's see. How about this one? You would hear this one a lot on the radio.
Speaker 2:Very good to see you down in New Orleans, man. Yeah, harry, yeah, yeah 1975.
Speaker 1:Paul McCarty and Wings Pat's Peeps 262.
Speaker 2:Anytime, any day, you can hear the people say that love is blind.
Speaker 1:Well, I don't know, but I say love is kind. On the radio every hour on the hour, this song. Listen to what the man said. Remember that? Paul McCartney man. How could that be 50 years ago? I mean, it's just incredibly. I don't even know what the word is. I don't even know what the word is. I know that 50 years ago this classic came out. Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? They're more popular than ever. Caught in a landslide.
Speaker 2:No escape from reality. Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see, I'm just a cool boy. I need no sympathy Because I'm easy. Come, easy go Little high little low.
Speaker 1:Who knew they would be this popular? Now I would. I would say that they are again probably more popular than they have been. I mean, maybe ever. 75, this one always reminds me of 1975. Always, every time I hear it From the album Young Americans, david Bowie. Tell me who's singing the second part of Fame. Who says it? Who says Fame the higher, no, the higher key range? Tell me who's singing the second part of Fame? Who says it? Who says Fame the higher, no, the higher key range. I always did like this. So he goes fame and he goes fame. Who does the fame? And loose hard to swallow Fame.
Speaker 2:So he goes fame, and he goes fame who?
Speaker 1:does the fame A couple of more times.
Speaker 2:And I'll tell you some of you probably already know John Lennon.
Speaker 1:In case you don't know, john Lennon does. That second one I always thought that was really cool growing up. You know from 1975, an album came out that to me. An album came out that to me has the hardest rock riff of any song ever to me and it's my favorite album by this band. The album Sabotage by Black Sabbath. I mean from start to finish, finish is my favorite from that band. Some people might say paranoid. I mean people will debate which is the best Sabbath. Some people might not even care, but for me it's this one. The band was on top of it. I mean Ozzy was sounding great too.
Speaker 2:I'm looking through the hole in the sky. I'm seeing nowhere through the eyes.
Speaker 1:I want someone. I'm going to play that hardest riff for you To me. See, I love this one too. Symptom of the Universe is off of this one Thrill of it all. So in the thrill of it all. So it's in this song. And, yeah, I wish I could do a. I'd love to do a show on that sometime, but you'd have to be. It'd be an audience of hard rock aficionados picking their hardest rock riff. But I've always considered this one coming up, maybe my favorite and the hardest. I don't own the music, I'm just going to play it. Okay, as soon as the tempo, as soon as the song changes, that's the riff I'm talking about. I don't want to interrupt it Right here.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:See you Anyhow, because I get to oh my gosh, I get into that song that is so good to me. So this is a you know, oh, I have to do one. I have to do a couple more because Because if I didn't do this then I would just kick myself. So in 1975, there was another. There was an album by Deep Purple and this album Richie Blackmore was now out of the band and I believe it was Coverdale was singing. David Coverdale was now singing instead of Ian Gillian.
Speaker 1:I believe I have to go back and listen to this, which I'm going to do and, um, but it was Tommy Bolin. You know, I just mentioned Tommy Bolin trading for that Zappa record. Tommy Bolin replaced Richie Blackmore in the band at this time and Tommy Bolin had a very different sound than Richie Blackmore. Uh, I do believe it was Coverdale singing this one I'll know, I'll correct myself if I'm wrong, but who eventually sang with Whitesnake, just as a terrific singer. But of course so is Ian Gillian, but in the song this album is Come Taste the Band.
Speaker 1:It was never really on the charts or anything, just a personal favorite from 75. And when you listen to it, that's total Tommy Bolin, right there, I mean you would think this is a Tommy Bolin album listening to that David Coverdale. So this was the last studio album or studio record yeah, the Deep Purple made before their initial disbandment or breakup in 76 and thus the only studio album their initial disbandment or breakup in 76. And thus the only studio album by the band's Mark IV lineup, tommy Boland on guitar. The last three albums that feature David Coverdale on lead vocals, glenn Hughes on the bass and guitar vocals, and both of those guys were on the band, or I mean on the album Stormbringer by Deep Purple, which is the first album I ever bought with my own money. So I want to just listen for a second here. Listen to Tommy Bowling on the guitar and then the way the song breaks down in the middle typical Tommy Bowling, not Deep Purple.
Speaker 2:Oh, oh Woo.
Speaker 1:Right there, that's Tommy Boland, straight up influencing Purple. I could go on. 1975, great year for records. I know I didn't get to all of them. My God, blood on the Tracks, bob Dylan, come on. I could go on and on with these Roxy Music, siren, the who by Numbers, red Octopus, jefferson Starship, oh my gosh. Oh yeah, all right, I am going to go on for a second. Here's another one. Come on now. This one, 1975. I'm sorry, I see I could not do the show without doing this one. 1975. Talk'm sorry, I see I could not do the show without doing this one. 1975. Talk about representing Come on, foghat Fool for the City, take it easy, slow ride, take it easy, slow ride, take it easy. Of course that's going to be there in 1975.
Speaker 1:I mentioned the record factory. I'll never forget walking into the record factory so I could buy this record. And when I walked in, whatever record they were playing in the store, they would have it sitting, uh, on a little shelf so you could see and it would say now playing. When I walked in, this was playing and it was mine within seconds. I was buying this record. So I just talked about tommy boland being in deep purple.
Speaker 1:Well, what was richie blackmore doing? The deep purple guitarist? He was doing his solo stuff. This album, richie blackmore, blackmore's Rainbow, his new group, ronnie James Dio, singing I'm a wheel, I can roll, I can feel. You can't stop me turning, cause I'm the sun. I'm the sun, I can move, I can run, but you'll never stop me burning. So I bought everything that Richie Blackmore did Richie Blackmore's Rainbow, everything. Lift my spirit higher. Someone scream in my name, come and make me holy again. I'm the man of the silver mountain. Ah, I knew the entire thing and still do by heart. 1975 gave us this completely innovative tune by 10cc that everyone would copy. Everyone copied this. Remember this I'm not in love. Pat's Peeps 262.
Speaker 2:Thank you for listening. I'm not in love, so don't forget it. It's just a silly phase I'm going through.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, yeah, great. One Great tune Kind of reminds me of, you know, same kind of a feel as another 1975 big song that came out that year, this one, that 10cc song, the production value where they built on the vocals and multi-tracked so many. That was very, very, very different and innovative. Remember this one Miracles, jefferson Starship, red Octopus from 1975.
Speaker 2:Believe in miracles, so would I. If only you believed like I believed, like I believed, we'd get by.
Speaker 1:If only you believed in, if only you believed in miracles, so would I, as I'm looking at 1975, I'm going to wrap it up because I know this. I know I'm going to wrap it up because I know this. I know that I could go on and on. I'll say one, and another one will pop in my head. So I'm just going to play one more. And this was a great tune, classic, of course. I wish I had a radio station where I could just play all of these. I just really do. I just think that would be so fun to just sit and be able to play the entire thing. And oh, but alas, I am tangled up in blue. Oh, it's Bob Dylan. There's so many good ones Mothership Connection, parliament, blues for Allah the Grateful Dead, the first dead I ever got into. I became a huge fan. Why Can't we Be Friends by War?
Speaker 2:Came out in 75.
Speaker 1:The Great Fandango, fandango by ZZ Top 75. Even though I wasn't, and have not been, a big fan of Kiss Kiss.
Speaker 2:Alive came out in 75.
Speaker 1:Captain Fantastic Brown, Deer Cowboy, Elton John, Aerosmith, Hair of the Dog Horses. Patti Smith, thank you for listening to me go on and on about 1975. 50 years ago these great albums came out. We'll see you next time. Thanks for listening to my Pats Peepseps. We'll see you on the radio.
