The Ultimate Record Collection 1970 – 1974 David Bowie John Lennon Paul McCartney Elton John

This week, though, we launch the latest spin-off from our Ultimate Record Collection series – focussing on the rich, musically fertile albums released during the first half of the Seventies. 

The period 1970-4 was dominated by some culturally pivotal, huge-selling artists, and here you’ll be able to read thoughtful summations of the work of, to name a few, The Band, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, James Brown and many more. We’re also privileged to have been able to speak with Ken Scott, whose apprenticeship found him engineering at Abbey Road on Beatles records. Coming into his own in the 1970s, he then worked on albums by such cornerstones of the period’s music as John Lennon, Bowie and Elton John. As you’ll discover, Ken was well-placed to see what changed. Elsewhere, Roger Dean, whose fantastic sleeve art was synonymous with the early 1970s listening experience, tells us about how an album of the time was “an amazing gift”.