Dave's Side One

These bands worked hard, wrote great songs, and gave fans what they wanted — big melodies, emotional choruses, and exciting live shows. The jealousy came from seeing “commercial” success labeled as a sin. In reality, these bands kept rock alive for the mainstream in a way that mattered

The sound of so-called “corporate rock” was actually spectacular. Foreigner perfected the big, anthemic rock song with killer hooks and strong guitar work. Boston created that massive, layered guitar sound that felt like a wall of melody. Toto brought incredible musicianship, smooth grooves, and sophisticated pop-rock

These records had ambition, strong songwriting, and emotional honesty. They weren’t shallow — they were accessible on purpose, and that made them powerful

Critics often rolled their eyes at Styx’s theatrical concept albums and REO’s big power ballads, calling them formulaic and overproduced. Fans, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough

To the critics, the Corporate Rock label meant music that was too polished, too accessible, and too successful. It meant bands that worked with top producers, spent serious money in the studio, and aimed for radio play and arena tours instead of staying in small clubs

“Corporate Rock.” Critics loved to slap that tag on any band that had polished production, big choruses, and actual radio success.

Let’s remember Karen not just for her struggles, but for the incredible gift she gave us — a voice that still comforts millions decades later. Her music remains a gentle reminder to be kind to ourselves and to others

Calling anyone “the greatest” turns music into a competition instead of an art form. Drumming is about feel, groove, power, creativity, and serving the song — and different players excel at different things

The 70s gave us so many players who redefined what a drummer could be — not just keeping time, but driving the song, adding texture, and becoming stars in their own right

Their short lifespan made their legend even stronger. They burned bright and fast, broke up at their peak, and left behind a body of work that influenced everyone from Led Zeppelin to Rush to the entire hard rock scene that followed

What made ZZ Top special was how simple yet perfect their formula was: blues riffs, clever lyrics about cars, women, and Texas life, and a relentless rhythm section

They had a raw, bluesy edge with rock muscle and a sense of humor. Walsh’s slide work and wah-wah solos were distinctive, and his songwriting had both swagger and vulnerability

What made Triumph special was their live reputation. They put on massive productions with lasers, pyrotechnics, and a rotating drum riser for Gil Moore. In a decade full of big arena acts, Triumph proved a three-piece could headline arenas and sound enormous

Today, let's sit with the saddest songs of the 1970s — the ones that didn’t need bombast or long solos to break your heart. They used simple arrangements, honest lyrics, and raw emotion to make you feel less alone in whatever you were going through

Journey is bigger than any one singer. It’s the songs, the guitar melodies, the keyboard hooks, and the live experience

The Best Prog Rock Albums of the 1970s. This is completely subjective, of course, but these are the ones that defined the genre for me and still reward deep listening decades later.

Today is Part 4 of our series on progressive rock in the 1970s, and we're talking about Kansas — America's proud contribution to the genre. While Yes and Genesis brought English eccentricity and theatrical flair, Kansas brought Midwestern heart, violin, and a distinctly American ambition to progressive rock

Today is Part 3 of our series on progressive rock in the 1970s, and we're talking about Emerson, Lake & Palmer — the most extravagant, showy, and unapologetically ambitious trio in the entire prog world

Yes took prog to symphonic heights. Jon Anderson’s ethereal high vocals, Steve Howe’s endlessly inventive guitar (acoustic and electric), Rick Wakeman’s virtuoso keyboard runs, Chris Squire’s thunderous bass, and the drumming of Bill Bruford (later Alan White) created music that felt like classical compositions played with rock power

Genesis formed in 1967 at a boarding school in England, and by the early 70s they had become masters of concept albums and live performance art

What was the greatest guitar solo of the 1970s? This is the kind of question that can start a three-hour conversation in any record store, and I've spent plenty of Sundays pondering it myself

Kansas was never a guitar-hero band in the flashy 70s sense. They were a collective—six musicians making ambitious, classically influenced progressive rock with American heart. But without Kerry Livgren and Rich Williams, that sound wouldn't have existed

Davey wasn't just a sideman—he was a co-arranger and co-writer. His parts were always melodic, tasteful, and perfectly supportive—never stealing the spotlight from Elton or the songs

Alex Lifeson of Rush—one of the most versatile, inventive, and criminally underrated guitarists of the 1970s and beyond

Buck is one of the most melodic, tasteful, and technically gifted players of the 70s who somehow never got the massive solo-star treatment he deserved