1975.
In 1971, Jim Morrison sang the lyrics, "Let's change the mood from glad to sadness." No turn of phrase better personifies that transition from the height of the 1960s, through to the middle of the 1970s. Turn out the lights, indeed.
The Vietnam War officially ended on April 30 with the fall of Saigon. North Vietnamese forces captured the city, leading to the unification of Vietnam under communist control. But, as we well know, there were many who never stopped fighting that war.
August 8, 1974, President Nixon resigns. January, 1975, former chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, former domestic policy advisor John Ehrlichman, and former attorney general and Nixon campaign manager John Mitchell are tried and convicted of conspiracy charges arising from Watergate. In total, 41 people will receive criminal convictions related to the Watergate scandal.
Global Recession sets in, with the effects of the 1973 oil crisis lingering, and high inflation and unemployment affecting many parts of the nation, and the world.
The Malaise era, indeed.
The upside, as always, is the music. We are starting to see the birth pangs of Disco start to ring out, with hits like "Love to Love You Baby" by Donna Summer, and the above Patti LaBelle scoring big.
Punk rock and all its offshoots were emerging as a response to the perceived excesses of progressive and arena rock. Bands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash loom just over the horizon.
Led Zeppelin were arguably the biggest band on the planet. And rightly so.
Southern Rock bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, and ZZ Top continued to gain traction and influence, Glam Rock was still thriving, with David Bowie, Elton John, and T. Rex making sure the music looked as good as it sounded. Hard Rock and Proto-Metal bands like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and KISS kept hard rock and heavy metal surging forward. Meanwhile, folk rock artists and influences like James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and the Eagles were making sure everyone, at the end of the day, were having their own peaceful easy feelings.
Hot damn, 1975 was a pretty great year for music.
