What a Concept (# 021)

What a Concept (S2-E6)

The JabberGuys discuss some of the iconic ‘Concept’ albums from rock history.  

• Listen to the episode playlist on SPOTIFY

Pink Floyd
“The Wall” (1979)
The trials of a depressed rock star called ‘Pink’, whose dad was killed in WW2, raised by an overbearing mother, tormented by his teachers, cheated on by his wife, and he builds a wall around himself for protection.
“Another Brick in the Wall”

 “Dark Side of the Moon” (1973)
Each side of the album is a continuous piece of music, and was recorded in just two sessions at Abbey Road Studios.
The album portrays greed, depression, conflict, mental illness, and death.
Iconic album cover - Prism
“Dark Side of the Moon” 

The Beatles
“Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967)
Question: What 2 popular songs didn’t make the first cut of the album?
Answer: Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields
An unintentional ‘concept’ album
“A Day in the Life” 

The Who
“Tommy” (1969)
A Pete Townshend masterpiece
Developed into a rock opera/movie
“Pinball Wizard” - with Elton John 

David Bowie
“Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” (1972)
Ziggy, a sexual ambiguous alien, comes to earth to help humankind
The Ziggy persona pushed Bowie’s sanity to the brink
Many songs including “Suffragette City” 

The Five Man Electrical Band - “B” side: “Doin’ the Best We Can Rag”
Terry Jacks - “B” side: “Put the Bone In” 

Klaatu
“Hope” (1977)
Canadian rock band
Citizens of Earth explore space and discover new lands ending up finding Politzania.
“We’re Off You Know”
“Hope” 

Alice Cooper
“Welcome to My Nightmare” (1975)
Played in sequence, the songs form a journey through the nightmares of a child named Steven.
“Department of Youth” 

“From the Inside” (1978)
After his time in a sanitarium, Alice Cooper compiles material for an album and enlists the assistance of Bernie Taupin
“The Quiet Room” 

Genesis
“A Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” (1974)
A Peter Gabriel creation.
The concept: A Puerto-Rican juvenile delinquent named Rael, who lives in New York City, is swept underground to face bizarre creatures and nightmarish dangers in order to save his trapped brother John.
“Fly on a Windshield” 

• Listen to the episode playlist on SPOTIFY

Watch for a JabberGuys in-depth analysis of just one concept album - on deck … Klaatu’s “Hope”

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