STEPHEN STILLS – Thoroughfare Gap

Following the release of Crosby, Stills and Nash’s excellent ‘CSN’ LP in 1977, Stephen Stills returned to his solo work. He’d made some excellent albums before [1970’s self-titled album and 1975’s ‘Stills’ are both essential listening, and 1976’s ‘Illegal Stills’, while marred a little by a thin sound, is very enjoyable], so there was no need to think that his next solo LP wouldn’t be of a certain standard. However, in comparison to almost everything he’d put his name to previously, his 1978 release ‘Thoroughfare Gap’ can be seen a big misstep.

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The Great 70s Project: 1976

The mention of 1976 for most people over a certain age in the UK will invariably invoke remembrances of one of the hottest summers on record. There’s more to the year than just drought, though. There’s disco, classic rock and pop.

It was also the year that punk broke into the mainstream.  A whole new world of music was born.

It was the year we checked into ‘Hotel California’ for the first time…and with it becoming a radio staple, true as the song’s tale, we never really left. Queen followed their ambitious ‘Night At The Opera’ with the equally grand ‘A Day At The Races’ and Jeff Beck continued his voyage into fusion with ‘Wired’.  As Real Gone’s Great 70s project reaches 1976, we take a dip into those classic albums and far more besides.

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