The prevailing theory in 2003 seemed to be, "Let's throw a bunch of [stuff] against the wall and see if any of it sticks." The volume of new releases from classic rock artists was high. The same could not be said of the quality in many cases.
None Since
Bel Chiasso
The last new material from several artists came in 2003. Warren Zevon's final album, The Wind, was released just a couple of weeks before he died. David Bowie's Reality was praised by critics and sold well in the U.S. and Europe, but he hasn't released a studio album since. Pat Benetar's Go, on the other hand, barely made it into the Top 200, and is her last studio release. The Curse Of Blondie was Blondie's eighth studio album, and is still their most recent. King Crimson's The Power To Believe struggled to chart in the U.S. and U.K. and is, to date, their last studio recording. Steely Dan have toured almost constantly since, but Everything Must Go is their most recent studio album.
Playing Doubles
Atlantic Records
Led Zeppelin hit the jackpot twice in '03, with the simultaneous release of a CD of live performances from 1972, How The West Was Won -- which became the band's first #1 album since 1979 -- and a DVD of live performances between 1969 and 1979 -- which was the best selling music DVD in the land for three years running. Cyclorama, was Styx's first effort after co-founder Dennis DeYoung left the band, and 21st Century Live was a CD/DVD release. Kickin' It At The Barn was Little Feat's 14th studio release, and the two-disc Down Upon The Suwannee River was their seventh live album. Both came 32 years after the band released its first album.
Southern Rock Revival
Sanctuary Records
Four years had passed since southern rock stalwarts ZZ Top had released new material. Mescalero was the band's 14th studio album, and revived their earlier tradition of injecting Tejano into their album titles, artwork, and some tracks. Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Leon Wilkeson died while the band was in process of recording 2003's Vicious Cycle. No strangers to adversity, they completed the album and included a tribute to Wilkeson, "Mad Hatter."
Prog Rock Lives
Eagle Records
Progressive rock continued to prove its durability in 2003. In addition to King Crimson's 13th studio album (see above) we saw Procol Harum's The Well's On Fire and Jethro Tull's The Jethro Tull Christmas Album. Mike Oldfield completely reworked his original masters and released Tubular Bells 2003 to commemorate the original's 30th anniversary.
Hits and Misses
Sanctuary Records
Jeff Beck's Jeff, a fusion of hard rock and electronic music, contained a Grammy-winning instrumental track, "Plan B." Say You Will turned out to be a hit for Fleetwood Mac, on the charts for 23 weeks and reaching #3. Ringo Starr's 12th solo album featured Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Timothy B. Schmit, and a tribute to George Harrison. Greendale was a rock opera and movie by Neil Young dealing with life in small town America. Couldn't Have Said It Better was not his most successful album, but Meat Loaf considered it one of his best. John Mellencamp created a stir with Trouble No More on which he reworked the traditional folk song "To Washington" into an antiwar anthem.
Bits and Pieces
Rounder
There were more live albums: Rush's Rush In Rio, Frank Zappa's Halloween, Gary Moore's Live At Monsters of Rock and Motorhead's Live at Brixton. And there were more studio albums: The Eyes Of Alice Cooper, North from Elvis Costello, Iggy Pop's Skull Ring, Iron Maiden's Dance Of Death, Doll Revolution from The Bangles and Sting's Sacred Love.
