The eighth studio album from Pink Floyd was released on this day in 1973. Songs included on Dark Side of the Moon already had their early origins as the band embarked on tours of the UK, Japan and the US before being committed to vinyl. Roger Waters developed the early demos in a small studio he'd installed in a garden shed adjacent to his home. Enough of the songs on the album had been developed fully enough for the band to preview them at a concert in Brighton toward the end of January in 1972. A February press preview performance followed in February. As high as expectations were for success, none anticipated that what the band was working on would go on to become one of the most critically acclaimed and best selling albums in history. Following its release, Dark Side of the Moon occupied a place on the Billboard album chart for 736 weeks during a span of years lasting from 1973 - 1988.
Other Noteworthy Classic Rock events on March 1 include...
1944 Roger Daltrey is born.
1966 Gene Clark announces he is leaving the Byrds.
1967 Beatles start recording Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.
1969 Jim Morrison gets arrested and charged with exposing himself during a Doors concert in Miami.
1972 US grants John Lennon an extension on his visa.
1974 Queen opens its first headlining tour.
1977 Bob Dylan marries Sara Lowndes.
1980 Patti Smith marries Fred 'Sonic' Smith
1981 Steve Miller releases Circle of Love.
1985 Surviving Beatles grant Lincoln Mercury commercial right to use Help! in a commercial.
1989 R.E.M. open Green tour in Louisville.
1990 Bob Dylan joins Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty on stage at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, CA.
1994 Nirvana’s last concert takes place in Munich, Germany.
1995 Bruce Springsteen's title song for the film Streets of Philadelphia picks up Grammy awards for Song of the Year, Best Male Vocal and Best Rock Song.
1995 R.E.M.'s Bill Berry suffers a brain aneurysm while on tour.
2005 Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Brian May meet with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
2009 Fleetwood Mac open Unleashed tour in Pittsburgh.
2016 Cream drummer Ginger Baker announces he's retiring from performing due to heart problems.
2023 Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon book is published...
