1974
The biggest rock and metal albums of 1974: Sheer Heart Attack and Queen II.
1974 was a year of resignations. Richard Nixon left the White House after Watergate, Willy Brandt quit as West German Chancellor over a spy scandal, and Golda Meir stepped down in Israel. Portugal's Carnation Revolution ended a 41-year dictatorship, West Germany won the World Cup on home soil, and Ali beat Foreman in Zaire.
Rock was busy taking up more space. In April the California Jam drew some 200,000 people, with Deep Purple and Emerson, Lake & Palmer co-headlining and Black Sabbath on the bill. Elsewhere the groundwork was being laid for later scenes: Van Halen played their first Sunset Strip show, and Ramones, Krokus, Raven and Y&T all formed. Queen were the vault's big story. Queen II arrived in March, and a month later they played their first North American show, supporting Mott the Hoople in Denver. Sheer Heart Attack followed in November, a blend of hard rock, glam and progressive ideas that turned a promising band into a serious proposition.
The year also had its share of upheaval. King Crimson and The Stooges both broke up, while Iron Butterfly, MC5 and Steppenwolf reformed. Rush lost drummer John Rutsey to health problems and found Neil Peart, a change that would shape the band for decades. There was real sadness too: Lucifer's Friend drummer Hans-Joachim Rietenbach died aged 25.
