Shows / Dave's Side One
Dave's Side One
Talk about music, vinyl, classic rock, classic jazz, and whatever else comes to mind. Hosted by one of the founders of Art of Listening Records - Dave Gwilliam. https://artoflisteningrecords.com https://www.discogs.com/seller/artoflistening/profile
Episodes
Dave's Side OneSaturday Hot-Take: The 70s Had Too Many Ballads
My take: I love a well-placed ballad, but the 70s went overboard. Not every album needed a “we’re sensitive too” moment. Sometimes I just wanted the band to…
- Dave's Side One
Best Side A vs Side B Albums of the 70s
The beauty of the vinyl era was that Side A and Side B felt like two chapters of the same story. Flipping that record was part of the experience. You had time…
- Dave's Side One
When Bands Changed Singers — And Survived
Changing lead singers is one of the riskiest moves a band can make. It’s like replacing the main character in the middle of a long-running TV show. The voice…
- Dave's Side One
The Most Misunderstood Bands of the 70s
The truth is, these bands were misunderstood because they dared to be both popular and good. They bridged the gap between artistic ambition and mass appeal…
- Dave's Side One
The Evolution of Aerosmith in the 70s
What’s remarkable is how much ground they covered in one decade. They evolved from a scrappy, blues-based bar band into one of the biggest rock acts in the…
- Dave's Side One
Bands That Peaked Too Early
Artists who delivered incredible music right out of the gate but never quite sustained that momentum or got the long-term recognition they deserved
- Dave's Side One
Sunday Slow Down: Ventura Highway — Why It Feels Like Summer Forever
That opening guitar line is pure sunshine. Dewey Bunnell’s relaxed vocals and the breezy harmonies paint a perfect California daydream — palm trees swaying…
- Dave's Side One
Saturday Hot-Take: Double Albums Are Too Long… Or Perfect?"
Some double albums absolutely feel like self-indulgent marathons. You get halfway through the second record and think, “Okay, we could have cut two sides and…
- Dave's Side One
Best Opening Tracks of the 70s
Those first songs that didn’t waste a single second and immediately told you the album was going to be special
- Dave's Side One
Record Store Finds That Changed Everything
Some of the most important moments in rock happened because someone walked into a store and discovered something special
- Dave's Side One
Albums That Are Better on Vinyl Than Streaming
For me, these albums were designed with the turntable in mind. It’s all about the ritual. Bands would even tailor the sequencing on their albums to enhance…
- Dave's Side One
Why Vinyl Still Sounds Better (Or Does It?)
For many of us who grew up in the 70s, vinyl isn’t just a format — it’s part of the ritual. The crackle when the needle drops, the warmth and hiss of analog…
- Dave's Side One
Criminally Underrated Debut Albums of the 70s
Today we’re celebrating criminally underrated debut albums of the 1970s — records that announced major talent right out of the gate but somehow never got the…
- Dave's Side One
The Softer Side of “Corporate Rock”
These songs proved the bands weren’t just about volume and spectacle. They could slow down and touch the heart. For many of us, these ballads were the ones we…
- Dave's Side One
Saturday Hot-Take: “Corporate Rock” Label Was Just Jealousy
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…
- Dave's Side One
The Sound of Corporate Rock
The sound of so-called “corporate rock” was actually spectacular. Foreigner perfected the big, anthemic rock song with killer hooks and strong guitar work…
- Dave's Side One
Albums That Prove “Corporate Rock” Wasn’t Shallow
These records had ambition, strong songwriting, and emotional honesty. They weren’t shallow — they were accessible on purpose, and that made them powerful
- Dave's Side One
Critics vs Fans: Who Was Right?
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…
- Dave's Side One
What “Corporate Rock” Actually Meant
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…
- Dave's Side One
Mistreated Bands With the Corporate Rock Label
“Corporate Rock.” Critics loved to slap that tag on any band that had polished production, big choruses, and actual radio success.
- Dave's Side One
Sunday Slow-Down – Remembering Karen Carpenter
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…
- Dave's Side One
Saturday Hot-Take: Neil Peart is NOT the Greatest Drummer of All Time (There's No Such Thing)
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 —…
- Dave's Side One
The Greatest Drummers of the 70s?
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…
- Dave's Side One
70s Power Trios Part 4 – Cream
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…
- Dave's Side One
Power Trios Part 3 – ZZ Top
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…
- Dave's Side One
Power Trios Part 2 – The James Gang (Joe Walsh Era)
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…
- Dave's Side One
Power Trios Part 1 – Triumph
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…
- Dave's Side One
Sunday Slow-Down – The Saddest Songs of the 70s
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…
- Dave's Side One
Stop It About Journey Not Being Journey Without Steve Perry
Journey is bigger than any one singer. It’s the songs, the guitar melodies, the keyboard hooks, and the live experience
- Dave's Side One
The Best Prog Rock Albums of the 1970s
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…
- Dave's Side One
Prog Rock in the 70s Part 4 – Kansas
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…
- Dave's Side One
Prog Rock in the 70s Part 3 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
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…
- Dave's Side One
Prog Rock in the 70s Part 2 – Yes
Yes took prog to symphonic heights. Jon Anderson’s ethereal high vocals, Steve Howe’s endlessly inventive guitar (acoustic and electric), Rick Wakeman’s…
- Dave's Side One
Prog Rock in the 70s Part 1 – Genesis
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
- Dave's Side One
Sunday Slow-Down – Greatest Guitar Solo of the 70s?
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…
- Dave's Side One
Unsung Rock Guitarists – Special Edition: Kerry Livgren and Rich Williams of Kansas
Kansas was never a guitar-hero band in the flashy 70s sense. They were a collective—six musicians making ambitious, classically influenced progressive rock…
- Dave's Side One
Unsung Rock Guitarists Part 5 – Davey Johnstone
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…
- Dave's Side One
Unsung Rock Guitarists Part 4 – Alex Lifeson
Alex Lifeson of Rush—one of the most versatile, inventive, and criminally underrated guitarists of the 1970s and beyond
- Dave's Side One
Unsung Rock Guitarists Part 3 – Buck Dharma
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
- Dave's Side One
Unsung Rock Guitarists Part 2 – Tommy Bolin
Tommy Bolin was one of the most versatile players of the 70s
- Dave's Side One
Unsung Rock Guitarists Part 1 – Ronnie Montrose
Ronnie never got huge like Eddie Van Halen or Jimmy Page. He was about tone, feel, and serving the song
- Dave's Side One
Sunday Slow-Down – Gary Wright's Dream Weaver – All Keyboards Except the Percussion Tracks – How Chill Was That?
"Dream Weaver" was the ultimate Sunday unwind. After a week of school, basement hangs with loud Styx or Kiss records, I'd put this on, close my eyes, and let…
- Dave's Side One
Saturday Hot-Take – Kiss in the 70s – Style over Substance or Were They Really That Good?
Kiss in the 70s was mostly style with substance. The image was the substance—they created an experience, a larger-than-life rock fantasy that made kids feel…
- Dave's Side One
The Terrace Ballroom in SLC Part 2 – Kiss in 1976 and the Night the Makeup Came to Salt Lake
Kiss in 1976 was peak spectacle—style, theatrics, and just enough rock to back it up. That night proved the Terrace could handle a big show without losing its…
- Dave's Side One
The Terrace Ballroom in SLC Part 1 – The Amazing Rock Bands Who Played There in the 70s
It wasn't the giant Salt Palace Arena, but it was intimate—close enough to see the sweat on the performers, loud enough to feel the bass in your chest, and…
- Dave's Side One
Elton John Part 3 – The Remarkable Songwriting on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Blue Moves
These albums show Elton and Bernie Taupin at the absolute peak of their partnership—storytelling, melody, emotion, and ambition all coming together in ways…
- Dave's Side One
Elton John Part 2 – The Amazing Duets of the 1970s
These duets showed Elton's generosity—he elevated others while shining himself
- Dave's Side One
Elton John Part 1 – The Killer Hard Rock Hits of the 1970s
Elton exploded in the early 70s with a sound that blended glam, rock, soul, and pure energy, and some of his biggest tracks were straight-up rockers
- Dave's Side One
Sunday Slow-Down – The Relaxing Complexities of 'I'm Not In Love' by 10cc
On the surface, it's a simple denial of love: a guy insisting "I'm not in love" while everything about the song screams the opposite
- Dave's Side One
Saturday Hot-Take – Led Zeppelin Is Overrated
The overrated part: They're often called the greatest rock band ever, but The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, and Pink Floyd had more innovation or consistency
- Dave's Side One
Fleetwood Mac – Were They Better Before Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham?
Fleetwood Mac—were they better before Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined in 1974? This is one of those debates that never gets old in record stores or…
- Dave's Side One
The Eagles Part 3 – Joe Walsh and Kicking It Up a Notch
Walsh wasn't just a replacement guitarist; he was a personality shift. Where Meisner brought high harmonies and country bass, Walsh brought danger and levity
- Dave's Side One
The Eagles Part 2 – Randy Meisner, Take It to the Limit, and How I Wanted to Sing High Like That
Randy Meisner's contributions—those high harmonies, that emotional lead vocal—defined the classic Eagles sound
- Dave's Side One
The Eagles Part 1 – The Linda Ronstadt Years
Without Linda Ronstadt's stage, audience, and influence, The Eagles might not have gelled as quickly. She was the catalyst—the big voice that showed them how…
- Dave's Side One
50th Episode Celebration – Top Selling Rock Bands of the 1970s and Their Influence Over Time
Let's look at the top-selling rock bands of the 1970s and how their influence still echoes today
- Dave's Side One
Sunday Slow-Down – Music That Got Me Through Tough Teenage Years
Being a teenager in the 1970s wasn’t always easy. School pressures, figuring out who you were, first heartbreaks, feeling like you didn’t quite fit in. When…
- Dave's Side One
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Over the years, it's turned into this catch-all for popular music, where "rock" is just a loose label. And this year's list? It's exhibit A.
- Dave's Side One
The Osmonds – Utah’s Homegrown Rock Heroes
They weren't just a band; they were a family phenomenon that put Utah on the musical map.
- Dave's Side One
Styx and the Night They Got Owned
Thin Lizzy deserved more love in the US—they were huge in Europe, but here they were often openers. That Salt Palace show proved why they were legends.
- Dave's Side One
Terry Kath – The Soul of Chicago and One of the Greatest Guitarists and Singers of All Time
Terry Kath deserves more recognition—he was a complete musician who elevated rock in the 70s.