What Came Next...

Episode 50: Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

It took a while for Pink Floyd to regain their focus but, when they did, it eventually resulted in the 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon.  One of the most popular and well-known albums in the world, it shot the band to a level of stardom they previously failed to achieve.  After a long tour, a long recording session and Roger Waters coming more to the forefront of the band, Wish You Were Here was released in 1975.  Partially a tribute to Syd Barrett, partially a warning about the music industry, it gives their previous album quite a challenge for the best in the group's catalog. 

Episode 49: Genesis - We Can't Dance

The three-piece version of Genesis became increasingly popular from 1978 onward, with 1986's Invisible Touch being their biggest yet.  Phil Collins managed a successful solo career starting in 1981 and was popular enough that Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks expected him to leave.  However, he came back for one more album, We Can't Dance, in 1991.  It again spawned a number of hits, but also was their longest since The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. 

Episode 48: Deep Purple - The House of Blue Light

After nearly a decade apart the Mark II version of Deep Purple reformed and made a successful comeback album with Perfect Strangers.  It wasn't long before the same tensions that led to lineup changes previously resurfaced and, between a long tour behind the album and slow-going coming up with new ideas, it was three years before The House of Blue Light was released.  The album was a blatant attempt to sound like the bands they had influenced.  

Episode 47: Aerosmith - Get a Grip

After leaving for two albums Joe Perry returned to Aerosmith for 1985's Done with Mirrors, which also saw the band moving to Geffen Records.  The band was clean and sober, but the album didn't click with the public.  In order to change that Bruce Fairbairn, the producer behind Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet, was brought in, as well as an army of writers to make Permanent Vacation in 1987.  The pattern was repeated with Pump in 1989, which solidified the band's comeback, and on Get a Grip from 1991.  The latter became the band's bestselling album, but was filled with even busier production, more guests and more outside writers.  For better or worse it solidified the direction Aerosmith would take for the rest of their career. 

Episode 46: The B-52's - Good Stuff

The B-52's suffered a major tragedy with the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson and, though they managed to get 1986's Bouncing Off the Satellites put together and released, it appeared that may be their final album.  In 1989, however, they came back in a big way with Cosmic Thing and the hit "Love Shack".  Cindy Wilson left to focus on her family in 1990 and, tired, with one member down and under pressure to replicate the success of "Love Shack", the B-52's went into the studio and recorded 1991's Good Stuff. 

Episode 45: The Residents - Animal Lover

Molly Harvey became both a recognizable voice for the Residents beginning with 1999's Wormwood and the ensuing tour, singing lead on many songs from 2002's Demons Dance Alone.  Her influence and vocals are still heavily felt on her last album with the band, Animal Lover, from 2005, which is often considered one of the best of the latter-day Residents recordings. 

Episode 44: The Cars - Door to Door

There was a three-year gap between Heartbeat City and Door to Door, and in the 1980s that might as well have been an eternity.  Though the hits from the former still got played on the radio the sound was now considered dated and the band itself was more interested in pursuing their solo careers.  Still, they made one last album before calling it quits for the next 24 years. 

Episode 43: Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses

After the success of 1977's Song from the Wood Ian Anderson decided to do another song based on English country traditions.  However, with Heavy Horses, he left the fantasy and nostalgia behind for a look at the more realistic side of rural England.  It doesn't have as many great songs as its predecessor but it is a worthwhile companion. 

Episode 42: Alice Cooper - Hey Stoopid

After the success of Trash Alice Cooper continued his comeback with 1991's Hey Stoopid.  Although it didn't sell as well it continued to produce songs that received airplay on hard rock stations and videos that got attention on MTV.  Featuring guests such as Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx and Elvira, the album is overproduced but has still manage to give us a number of Cooper classics. 

Episode 41: Yes - Big Generator

After the success of the 1983 Yes comeback album 90125 guitarist Trevor Rabin found himself under pressure to come up with another hit single.  He also found himself trying to hold the band together as well as make something decent out of the recording sessions for their next album Big Generator.  The album was released in 1987 and, though successful, still remains controversial among fans of the group.