Dave's Side One

Hot Take Saturday – Van Halen vs. Van Hagar (Why I Prefer the Latter) 22.02.2026 3:22 ↓

Roth era was wild youth; Hagar era was refined power

Don't Fear the Reaper and Why It Took So Long for Blue Öyster Cult to Hit 21.02.2026 4:10 ↓

One of the greatest “overnight success” stories that actually took ten years: Blue Öyster Cult and their monster hit “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.

RUSH in the 70s 20.02.2026 2:55 ↓

Rush in the 1970s—the ultimate Canadian underdogs who became progressive rock gods.

One-Hit Wonders from 1976 19.02.2026 2:37 ↓

Celebrating the one-hit wonders of 1976—songs that were everywhere for one brief moment, then disappeared from the charts forever

How Vinyl Record Collecting Has Changed Since the 1970s 18.02.2026 2:33 ↓

The thrill of the hunt is different now. It’s less about discovery and more about condition, pressing quality, and chasing rare variants.

Songs of the 1970s About Presidents & Politics 17.02.2026 4:08 ↓

Watergate, Nixon’s resignation, Ford tripping down the stairs, Carter’s peanut farm, and the whole “disco vs. rock” culture war. There was no lack of material back then.

Sunday Slow-Down – Jazz Influence on 1970s Rock Music 16.02.2026 3:03 ↓

Rock was exploding, but jazz sneaked in through the fusion of complex rhythms, melodic expansiveness, and even extended jams, making everything richer.

Greatest Love Songs of the 1970s 15.02.2026 2:49 ↓

The greatest love songs of the 1970s—that decade of heartfelt ballads and soulful confessions. These tracks defined romance on the radio and in our lives.

Raspberry Records, Smokey's Records, and Other Salt Lake Record Stores from the 1970s 14.02.2026 2:51 ↓

These stores weren't just shops—they were communities, where you'd chat with the kids behind the counter about the latest release or even trade stories

Vinyl Collecting 13.02.2026 3:30 ↓

There’s so much weird and wild stuff out there and I’m not above sitting on the floor digging through stack after stack looking for the crazy.

Billboard Top 10 Hits – Week Ending February 14, 1976 12.02.2026 4:51 ↓

Today, we're time-traveling to the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending February 14, 1976—Valentine's week, fittingly. Radio was king back then, and these top 10 tracks were everywhere

The Unsung Genius of John Curulewski and His Influence on Styx 11.02.2026 3:03 ↓

He was the original guitarist from 1970 to 1975, and his work set the stage for Styx's massive success from 1977 to 1983.

The Genius of Dan Fogelberg 10.02.2026 2:30 ↓

Fogelberg's genius was versatility: soft ballads, epic suites, lyrics about life, love, loss. He made introspective music feel universal.

Sunday Slow-Down – Musical Crushes from the 1970s 09.02.2026 3:04 ↓

These crushes weren't just looks—it was the music, the emotion they poured in. Made the 70s feel alive.

Hot Take Saturday – Not All Beatles Songs Are Good, and Why John and Paul Were Better Together 08.02.2026 2:43 ↓

John and Paul needed each other. John's edge—raw, cynical, like "Come Together"—balanced Paul's pop perfectionism.

Steely Dan – Perfectionism in the Studio and Changing Rock for the Better 07.02.2026 2:34 ↓

Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were perfectionists—obsessive about every note, every mix.

I Always Wanted to Be a DJ – Blame WKRP in Cincinnati 06.02.2026 2:47 ↓

WKRP captured the 70s radio spirit perfectly—rock transitioning to disco, FM rising, all the drama.

Utah Rock Radio in the 1970s – The DJs and Stations That Shaped Us 05.02.2026 3:05 ↓

Utah's radio landscape was smaller than LA or New York, but it felt personal—like these DJs were our guides through the rock explosion.

One-Hit Wonders – Sherbet's 'Howzat' and the Magic of the One-Off Hit 04.02.2026 2:28 ↓

The beauty of one-hit wonders is they don't overstay their welcome. You get one perfect song, it captures a moment, and it lives forever.

Electric Light Orchestra – The Beatles of the 70s 03.02.2026 2:27 ↓

ELO was Beatles-level melody + classical ambition + rock power.

Sunday Slow-Down – Bands I Pretended to Like in the 70s to Impress the Girls 02.02.2026 3:44 ↓

Looking back, it was funny how music was our social currency, and there was a bank for every taste.

Hot Take Saturday – Classic 70s Bands Touring with Zero or One Original Member 01.02.2026 4:11 ↓

If the people who built the legacy say it’s okay, who am I to gatekeep?

Three Dog Night – The Harmony Kings of the Early 70s 31.01.2026 2:43 ↓

They were the harmony machine of the early 70s—taking great songs and turning them into radio gold.

Kansas – America's Prog-Rock Pride 30.01.2026 4:19 ↓

Midwestern heart, and monster musicianship.

Foreigner – The Hook Masters of the Late 70s / Early 80s 29.01.2026 2:23 ↓

They were the kings of the perfect rock hook.