This Day in Music
February 8th
Discussing two lesser-known but highly-influential albums from the 1970’s, and Elvis keeps making movies, on this day in music.
Releases
1977: American rockers Television release their debut studio album "Marquee Moon" to widespread critical acclaim, earning a small but dedicated audience.
Though seen as part of the late-70's punk movement, Television's technically-proficient improvisations produced a new and unique sound they had developed over several years in New York's new wave music scene.
Becoming fixtures at CBGB and Max's Kansas City, Television influenced many contemporaries such as Talking Heads and Blondie, plus several successful groups that followed, including Pixies, Sonic Youth, U2, REM, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and Echo & The Bunnymen.
The debut album abandoned punk-style power chords for more nuanced communication between the instruments. The result was a hook-driven, yet instrumentally complex, collection of songs about adolescence, discovery, and transcendence.
Critics raved about the album, with the Village Voice assigning it an A+ at the time, and today carrying a MetaCritic score of 100/100. The critical acclaim did not translate into commercial success, however, with the album failing to chart in the United States, but reaching No. 28 on the UK Albums list, where it was certified Gold. Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time gives the record its due, placing it at No. 128 on the 2003 edition of the list.
Fred Smith, bass player who joined Television after leaving Blondie, sadly passed away just a few days ago, on February 5, 2026 at the age of 77.
If you’ve never heard of this album, or even this band, today is a good day to start.
1974: English composer, musician, and record producer Brian Peter George St. Jean le Baptiste de la Salle Eno, or simply Brian Eno, ex- of glam band Roxy Music, releases his first solo studio album, "Here Come the Warm Jets," under the mononym Eno.
With an avant-garde approach to blending pop and glam elements, this excellent record also features many prominent musicians of the era, including Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay of Roxy Music, and John Wetton and Robert Fripp of King Crimson. Eno and Fripp would work together occasionally throughout their careers, making four albums together, and famously performing on David Bowie's "Heroes,” in addition to other projects.
The album was highly-praised by critics, who universally declared its experimental elements to be a success. Graded A by Christgau’s Record Guide and 9.5/10 by Pitchfork, the LP also ranks No. 308 on Rolling Stone's 2020 edition of the 500 Greatest Album of All time.
Solvers of The New York Times daily crossword puzzle will know Eno’s name for the frequency with which editor Will Shortz uses it to fill in small sections of the grid, but might not know his music. Today is a perfect day to put “Here Come the Warm Jets” on the ol’ Victrola and have a listen!
The Daily Elvis
1963: Elvis films the "Bossa Nova Baby" scene for the movie "Fun in Acapulco." Presley never stepped foot in Mexico for the entire production of the movie, nor ever again for the rest of his life. Outdoor scenes were filmed at a distance using a stand-in.
Pictured: Marquee Moon and Here Come the Warm Jets each taking a spin on the phonographical transductionator.
