The Stones’ Swagger: “It’s Only Rock & Roll”
On this day in 1974, The Rolling Stones released It’s Only Rock & Roll, an album that lived up to its name with unfiltered energy and rebellious charm. The record featured the hit title track, a rallying cry for the band’s ethos, and their soulful cover of The Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.” It was the last album to feature guitarist Mick Taylor, whose bluesy precision added depth and fire to the Stones’ sound.
It’s Only Rock & Roll captured a band both evolving and reaffirming their identity. The title song, co-written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, playfully pushed back against critics and expectations, declaring that at its core, music doesn’t need justification—it just needs to move you. The album blended rock, funk, and R&B, showing the Stones’ versatility even as their internal dynamics shifted. Taylor’s departure after its release marked the end of an era, paving the way for Ronnie Wood to join and help define the band’s sound for decades to come.
In hindsight, the album feels like a bridge between their raw 60s rebellion and their more polished late-70s swagger—a reminder that, for the Stones, evolution was never about change for its own sake, but about surviving in rhythm.
Paul Kantner’s Battle and Survival
In 1980, Paul Kantner of Jefferson Starship suffered a severe brain hemorrhage during the recording sessions for Modern Times. The medical emergency left him hospitalized in Los Angeles for fifteen days, and doctors were uncertain whether he would recover. For a man whose music often explored the cosmic and the idealistic, the moment was a harsh confrontation with mortality.
Kantner’s recovery was nothing short of remarkable. He returned to music with renewed conviction, leading Jefferson Starship through a period of transformation that bridged the idealism of the 1960s with the arena rock of the 1980s. Known for his philosophical and political lyrics, Kantner was more than a musician—he was a visionary who believed that music could change consciousness and society.
His survival became symbolic for fans who saw Jefferson Starship as a continuation of the countercultural dream born from Jefferson Airplane. Even after his health scare, Kantner’s creative spirit remained unshaken, proving that the drive to make music often transcends the limits of the body. Rock, after all, has always been about endurance—about living loud and coming back stronger.
Under Pressure: When Bowie Met Queen
October 26, 1981, saw the release of “Under Pressure,” a collaboration between David Bowie and Queen that would go on to become one of rock’s most powerful anthems. The track emerged almost by accident—Bowie had stopped by a Queen recording session in Montreux, Switzerland, and what began as a jam evolved into something transcendent.
Driven by John Deacon’s unmistakable bassline and Freddie Mercury’s impassioned vocals, “Under Pressure” is a study in human vulnerability. Its lyrics, co-written by all members of Queen and Bowie, touch on compassion, fear, and the crushing weight of modern life. The song’s famous crescendo—where Mercury and Bowie’s voices intertwine—feels like a cry from the soul, urging listeners to “give love one more chance.”
Beyond its musical brilliance, “Under Pressure” stands as a moment of artistic unity. It brought together two of rock’s most visionary performers, each with a flair for the theatrical and a deep understanding of emotion. Four decades later, it remains as urgent as ever—a reminder that beneath fame and spectacle, rock at its best speaks to our shared humanity.
final note
From the Stones’ unshakable groove to Kantner’s resilience and Bowie and Queen’s transcendent collaboration, October 26 captures the full emotional range of rock and roll—swagger, struggle, and soul. Each story reveals a different facet of what makes this music endure: its honesty, its power, and its refusal to fade quietly.
The Stones reminded us that rock is both art and attitude. Kantner proved that creativity survives even when the body falters. And Bowie and Mercury turned a spontaneous moment into a timeless anthem. Together, these moments form a triptych of rock history—a celebration of spirit, sound, and survival.
