Music Memories during my 3rd Year. From my 2nd Birthday on Wednesday, the 20th of February 1974, through to Wednesday, the 19th of February 1975
Pilot
Magic
Charting in the year of 1974, on the 27th of October, are Pilot with the single Magic.
For me,..
…this was the first time I’d hear something I would personally describe as power-pop, a type of music which would really come into its own during the eighties. I remember the first experiences of this track, which would have been on the radio, and it hitting me hard.
There was something so effectively potent, but also utterly compelling about it that I just couldn’t ignore, and it fascinated me how something could send me into a place which at first seemed to go towards menacing, but then, when the vocals kicked in, would soar into elation. It was like an audible roller-coaster.
It pushed boundaries, felt a little dangerous, but would then sweep into somewhere bigger and better than anything I’d ever heard before. I loved it.
This was the band’s…
…first hit, produced by Alan Parsons, who had recently worked his magic (pardon the obvious pun) fingers with the knobs and faders on Pink Floyd‘s “Dark Side Of The Moon“.
Part of the group’s pre-Pilot forays of this four-piece, I’ve recently mentioned before when introducing the other mighty Scottish pop-force who were also just now experiencing their own first real taste of chart success, the Bay City Rollers; but whereas that group were definitely more pop than rock, Pilot prioritised the rock part first.
Although this dynamic new group…
…would be ultimately short lived, what they did create seared into the hearts of the UK listeners (and with this song, quite a substantial part of the U.S. audience as well), and they left an indelible mark on the musical landscape, and myself, for all time.
The Single…
…makes its entrance into chart at No.40 as the UK’s clocks fall back, and everyone prepares for the winter months on the 27th of October 1974, and by the following week has gained ten places to reach the Top 30.
As the month of November moves onward, so the track breaks the Top 20, eventually reaching a peak just outside the Top 10 at No.11, and settling there for a couple of weeks as the year moves into December.
From there,..
…it slips a place back to No.12 in the second week of that month, before it drops more dramatically as the Christmas singles most probably begin to take over the chart.
Eventually, this single will drop out altogether after the 11th of January 1975, most probably due to their next release now beginning to invade the chart at that exact moment (more of which in a later post), with a respectable 11 weeks to show for it.
The “A” Side
The “B” Side
“Top Of The Pops” TV Appearance
Promo Video.
“TopPop” TV Appearance.
Live Performance
Many thanks go to the following YouTube Channels for providing the chance to hear these songs and watch the footage once again.
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