Rock Stars from the 1960s/1970s Quiz

Answer: Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were formed in 1968; original members at that time were Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham. The band's debut studio album "Led Zeppelin" was released in 1969. In 1971 Led Zeppelin released their fourth studio album usually called "Led Zeppelin IV.". The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the US Billboard 200.

"Stairway to Heaven" is probably the most famous song ever recorded by the band, which is included on that album. The song was written by the band's lead singer, Robert Plant, and the arrangement was by Jimmy Page.

Answer: Jethro Tull

The English band Jethro Tull was founded in 1967 in Blackpool, Lancashire, and was fronted by the lead singer and flutist Ian Anderson. Ian's signature pose was standing on one leg while playing the flute.

In 1971 the band released their fourth album "Aqualung". The album was a top ten hit in several countries, including the UK and the US. The success of the album was the turning point for the band, which paved the way for future albums and tours. As the years have passed by, the album has been regarded as the band's best album, selling over seven million copies.

Personnel on that album were Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, Jeffrey Hammond, John Evan, and Clive Bunker. After the album was released, Clive Bunker left the band and was replaced by Barriemore Barlow.

Answer: The Who

The band formed in London in 1964. Original members of the band were John Entwistle, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, and Keith Moon. In the early days, the band was part of a new culture of Pop Art and the Mod brigade. At that time the band was known to destroy their instruments on stage.

The band's debut studio album was called "My Generation," released on 3 December 1965 in the UK. A track taken from the album, also called "My Generation", reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. The Who has had a very successful career with several top ten albums in the charts as well as singles.

It has been suggested for many years that Keith Moon drove a Rolls-Royce into a swimming pool; however, according to Pete Townshend, it never actually happened. Some say it was a Lincoln Continental that went into an empty swimming pool that was under construction because the handbrake was let off. I think it's safe to say we will probably never know the truth!

Answer: Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones were formed in London in 1962. The lineup consisted of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts.

Over the years, the band has seen considerable success at home and abroad, especially in the 1960s when the British Invasion took place. The trend continued throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Album-wise, the band has produced some outstanding albums with a mixture of sounds. Notable albums are "Beggars Banquet" (1968), "Let It Bleed" (1969), "Sticky Fingers" (1971), and "Exile on Main St." (1972). I've picked these four albums out as they give you an indication of what the band is all about. Later albums are just as good, but personally I do like their early recordings.

Answer: Creedence Clearwater Revival

As I'm sure most of you will know, the band was known as "CCR.". The band had a relatively brief musical career as a band, starting in 1967 and ending in 1972. However, between 1969 and 1971, the band was unstoppable, producing 14 top ten hits on the bounce and also releasing seven studio albums between 1968 and 1972.

All the band members were born in the US and had worked together before CCR was formed. Former names for the band were the Blue Velvets, and it was later changed to the Golliwogs. The band finally settled on the name Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1967.

The band disbanded in 1972 due to internal conflicts between John Fogerty and his brother Tom Fogerty, which then led to other members of the band getting involved. I think it was safe to say John was the force behind the band and on what direction the band should follow. Tom left the band in 1971, with John leaving in 1972 after disagreements with Doug and Stu. So that was the demise of the band. John went on to have a very successful solo career, as did Tom, who sadly died in 1990.

Answer: The Beatles

The Beatles formed in Liverpool in 1960. In 1961, Brian Epstein saw the band perform at The Cavern Club and became their manager in 1962. In 1962 the band signed a contract with EMI's Parlophone, and their first studio album was titled "Please Please Me," released in 1963.

The next seven years would see The Beatles as one of the biggest bands in the world, if not the biggest. The band spearheaded the British Invasion of the United States and experienced unprecedented success. Between 1963 and 1970, the band recorded 13 studio albums and released 63 singles. The band disbanded in 1970.

It is believed The Beatles have sold over 600 million albums and singles in their career and are the biggest selling band of all time. Paul McCartney and John Lennon are also regarded by many as the best songwriters of all time.

Answer: Queen

Queen formed in London in 1970. Members of the band were Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. The debut studio album from the band was called "Queen", released in 1973. The first single from the band was called "Keep Yourself Alive", also released in 1973. The single failed to chart, but the album peaked at number 24 on the UK Album Chart. All other albums released from the band made the top ten, with several reaching the number one position in the UK.

Freddie died in 1991. Freddie Mercury was born on 5 September 1946 in Stone Town, Sultanate of Zanzibar. As a solo artist, Freddie released one studio album "Mr. Bad Guy" (1985), and sixteen singles.

After the death of Freddie, John Deacon performed in the Tribute Concert for Freddie, but only made a few appearances after the concert. In 1997, John retired from the music scene.

Brian May and Roger Taylor continued to perform, and later Adam Lambert joined the band. Adam Lambert was the runner-up on the eighth season of "American Idol". As I'm sure you will all know, Queen had multiple album successes along with several singles that charted worldwide.

Answer: The Doors

The American band The Doors was formed in Los Angeles in 1965. The band consisted of Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. The lead singer was Jim Morrison.

The Doors struggled to make a huge impact in the UK but had a good following in the US with six top ten albums on the US Billboard 200 charts. In 1978, The Doors released their final studio album called "An American Prayer.". The album had recordings of Jim Morrison talking to different people, with the words added to music to make the tracks for the album.

Jim Morrison was born on December 8, 1943, and died on July 3, 1971, aged just 27 years old. How Jim Morrison died is unclear because no autopsy was performed, and although it was listed as heart failure, some people think it was an accidental heroin overdose.

Answer: Bee Gees

The Bee Gees were primarily three brothers, Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb and session musicians, although for a short time there was the "Bee Gees band."

It was between 1975 and 1979 that the Bee Gees were on top of the world. The disco era contributed to the band's success. One of the best albums ever recorded was the soundtrack for the film "Saturday Night Fever.". The double album was recorded between 1975 and 1977 and was released on November 15, 1977. The album was a worldwide hit, reaching number one in several countries.

Three singles from the album, "How Deep Is Your Love," "Stayin' Alive," and "Night Fever," also reached the top spot on both the UK and US charts. Despite its brief existence, the disco era was unstoppable in the US and the UK during that time. By the early '80s people had grown tired with the disco sound and moved on to other genres.

Maurice Gibb died on the 12th of January, 2003, from a heart attack while waiting for surgery for a twisted intestine, and Robin Gibb died on the 20th of May, 2012. Robin had been diagnosed with liver cancer and was in the hospital for intestinal surgery. Sadly, while in the hospital, he caught pneumonia and fell into a coma; he did recover from the coma but later died of kidney failure.

Answer: The Kinks

Another band to hail from London was The Kinks. The band formed in 1963 and released their debut studio album "Kinks" in 1964. The track from the album, "You Really Got Me", was a number one hit for the band on the UK singles chart and stalled at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100. This was the turning point for the band, which paved the way for them. For a very short time, they were part of the British Invasion but lost out because they lost their work permits. It took four years to get the permits back, but by then the band missed the trend.

In a career spanning 34 years, the Kinks have recorded 24 studio albums, five live albums, and released dozens of singles, with several being top ten hits in the UK. Well known songs from the band are "Sunny Afternoon", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", "Tired of Waiting for You", and "Waterloo Sunset". The Kinks disbanded in 1997.

Answer: ZZ Top

ZZ Top was formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. The turning point for the band was in 1983 with their eighth studio album, "Eliminator," which was a top ten hit in several countries. The band's next three albums, "Afterburner" (1985), "Recycler" (1990), and "Antenna" (1994), were all in the top 20 on the US Billboard 200 and UK albums chart. The albums received good reviews and sold well.

The band certainly hit a purple patch between these years. In total, ZZ Top released 15 studio albums and several singles, some of which had mixed results. When Dusty Hill died in 2021 Elwood Francis replaced Dusty. Elwood Francis had been involved working with the band for many years as a guitar technician.

Answer: Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd was formed in London in 1965, consisting of Roger Waters, Nick Mason, Syd Barrett, and Richard Wright. David Gilmour joined the band in 1967, and Syd Barrett left the band in 1968 for health reasons.

The debut studio album from the band was "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn," recorded and released in 1967. The album reached number six on the UK Albums Chart. Psychedelic music in the 1960s was common, which led to psychedelic rock, acid rock, and experimental rock.

Three albums from the band, "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973), "Wish You Were Here" (1975), and "The Wall" (1979), were all worldwide hits with number one positions in several countries. The final album from the band was "The Endless River" (2014). The majority of the album is instrumental, with old recordings of previous album "The Division Bell" and new material that was recorded in 2012 and 2014.

Waters left Pink Floyd in 1985, and Richard Wright died in 2008.

Answer: The Moody Blues

The Moody Blues were formed in Birmingham in 1964. In the early days, they were known for embracing the sound of psychedelic rock and progressive rock. The band's first album was "The Magnificent Moodies," released in 1965. Two of the original members of the band, Denny Laine and Clint Warwick, featured on the debut album but by 1966 both left the band and were replaced by John and Justin.

The 1960s and 1970s were, in my opinion, when the band was at its best. Singles, "Go Now", (1964), "Question", (1970) and "Nights in White Satin", (1972) were all top ten hits in the UK. The band also had several top ten album hits in the UK and the US. Albums that charted in the top ten were, "A Question of Balance", (1970), "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour", (1971), "Seventh Sojourn" (1972), and "Long Distance Voyager", (1981).

The Moody Blues disbanded in 1974 but rejoined in 1977, which saw a change of personnel between 1977 and 2018, when the band disbanded permanently. Graeme Edge was the longest-serving member, 1964-2018; Graeme died in 2018. Both Heywood and John were part of the lineup between 1965 and 2018.

Answer: Ramones

The Ramones formed in New York in 1974 and were one of the first punk rock bands. Although all the members have the surname of Ramone, none of the members were related. The surname was just an adopted pseudonym. Joey, Dee Dee, Johnny and Tommy were all original members of the band.

The Ramones were active between 1974 and 1996. The band never really achieved the commercial success they hoped for. Although they had a good following within the Punk scene, they never achieved the sales from their albums they hoped for. The singles also failed to make an impact on the singles chart, as the only top ten hit in the charts for the band was in 1980 with the song "Baby, I Love You," which reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart.

The final album from the band was "Adios Amigos," released in 1995. Chart-wise, the album reached number 62 on the UK Albums Chart and number 147 on the US Billboard 200.

Answer: T Rex

Marc Bolan was the lead singer and frontman for the band, with Mickey Finn on the drums. Steve Currie and Bill Legend later joined the band. T Rex had a large following in the glam rock scene. From 1970 until 1973, T. Rex had hit after hit in the UK singles chart, with eleven reaching the top ten. The album, "Electric Warrior," reached number one on the UK Albums Chart in 1972. "The Slider," 1972, and "Tanx," 1973, both peaked at number four in the UK charts.

Some of the top songs from the band were "Ride a White Swan" 1970, "Hot Love" 1971, "Get It On" 1971, "Telegram Sam", and "Metal Guru" both from 1972. By the end of 1975, the glam rock era was coming to an end, so bands moved on to other genres. T. Rex moved to RB and blended rock, which is a mix of different genres.

Marc Bolan died in a car crash in 1977 while being driven by his girlfriend Gloria Jones. The 1275 cc mini hit a tree, and Marc died at the scene. Gloria Jones sustained serious injuries but recovered. The site where they crashed is now marked with a plaque to commemorate the life and music of Marc Bolan.