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'70s Holiday Gift Ideas - 2026

These recently released CD's and books are sure to please any
Seventies music fan on your shopping list this holiday season.

BOB DYLAN - The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1976 Live Recordings (Legacy Recordings, $159.99) The second leg of the legendary Rolling Thunder Revue tour saw Dylan welcome old friends and collaborators to his troupe. Dylan reunited with Joan Baez to perform a moving set of duets across many dates, including performances of "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Railroad Boy." Dylan's band included bassist Rob Stoner, violinist Scarlet Rivera, drummer Howie Wyeth (who had all worked on the chart-topping album Desire), guitarists Mick Ronson (of David Bowie's Spiders from Mars), Steven Soles, David Mansfield and T Bone Burnett. This 39-disc box set captures all professionally recorded shows from the 1976 second leg of the legendary Rolling Thunder Revue tour, all from original tape sources. The box includes 381 tracks, 371 of which have never been released, plus a booklet with liner notes by Mikal Gilmore and rare photographs.

THE BEATLES - Rubber Soul (Special Edition, Super Deluxe 4 CD) (Capitol, $132.09) This 4 CD Special Edition Super Deluxe Box Set includes the new stereo mix, a disc of the 28-track collection of Sessions recordings that includes early versions of songs that deepen and expand the story of the album, as well as the non-album single, "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out," the original mono album, and the original Capitol US album. Each disc sits in an individual album wallet within a 12" gatefold disc holder sleeve, alongside an 88-page hardback book with a John Lennon foreword, introduction by Paul McCartney, photos, in-depth album background and track notes, all housed in a 12" slipcase. Also available as a Deluxe 2 CD Special Edition, Blu-ray Audio Special Edition, and Deluxe Double Vinyl Edition.

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE - Magic Boy: Live At Berkeley First Show (Legacy Recordings, $16.92) Magic Boy presents Jimi Hendrix's legendary first show at the Berkeley Community Theater in May 1970. Hendrix fans first became aware of his Berkeley performance when two early posthumous releases featured a stunning "Hear My Train A Comin'" [1971's Rainbow Bridge] and his electrifying rendition of "Johnny B. Goode," [1972's Hendrix: In The West]. The shambolic 1971 film Jimi Plays Berkeley stoked the fires further by way of its inclusion of extracts of "Purple Haze" and "Star Banner." Magic Boy includes those two classics and finally assembles the performance in its running order for the first time. The album provides fans with the opportunity to hear new songs "Ezy Ryder" and "Freedom" in development before they had been completed in the studio by the guitarist, "Message To Love" and "Machine Gun" from his recent Band Of Gypsys album and high intensity renditions of Experience favorites such as "Fire" and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" -- all newly remixed by Eddie Kramer from the original multi-track tapes.

THE WHO - The Who By Numbers (Super Deluxe 5 CD/Blu-Ray) (Geffen, $118.99) The definitive edition of The Who By Numbers. This extensive collection features the original album newly remastered, alongside 11 Pete Townshend demos -- 10 newly mixed by Pete, including eight previously unreleased from The Who By Numbers era -- plus rare studio sessions, out-takes and early mixes. It also features recordings from the "Who Put The Boot In" concert at Swansea's Vetch Field in 1976. The accompanying Blu-ray features Pete Townshend's Dolby Atmos mix, high-resolution audio versions of the album, and video footage of The Who live at Metropolitan Stadium, Pontiac, Michigan. All packaged with 100-page hardback book, featuring extensive sleeve notes, rare photos, memorabilia and archival material.

THE DOORS - Unbound and Dangerous (Rhino Records, $12.99) The Doors live on their 1970 Roadhouse Blues tour. Compiled from several shows, this represents a full concert from the tour. Focused on hard-rocking performances, the collection sets a breathless pace, capturing The Doors at their menacing, bluesy best. Tracks include "Dead Cats, Dead Rats," "Break On Through (to the Other Side)," "When the Music's Over," "Roadhouse Blues," "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)," "Back Door Man," "Five to One," "Build Me a Woman," "Petition the Lord With Prayer," "Light My Fire," "Crawling King Snake," "Soul Kitchen," "Bring Out Your Dead," and "The End." Compiled and mixed by Bruce Botnick who also engineered the original recordings on the tour. Also available as a 2-LP color vinyl, 1-CD, and 1-Blu-ray with Atmos, Quad, and hi res stereo mixes.

TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS - No Sleep Til L.A. (UMe, $13.98) No Sleep Til L.A. captures the sonic formation of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers in the white hot '70s era. Chronicled through unheard and rare original songs from Tom Petty's first eight years as a recording artist, this 12-track collection features seven previously unreleased and five rare recordings, all newly mixed from the original multi-tracks by Ryan Ulyate. Highlights include the previously unreleased Heartbreakers songs "Parade of Loons" and "Sin City," new mixes of the earliest Mudcrutch recordings "Up In Mississippi Tonight," "Depot Street" and "Wild Eyes," plus never-before-heard gems including "Unheard of Kind of Hero" and "Satisfy Yourself." Other tracks include "You're Gonna Learn," "I Can't Fight It," "Unheard of Kind of Hero," "Since You Said You Love Me," and "Long Way." Available on 1CD in a jewel case with a booklet.

QUEEN - Budapest (Legacy Recordings, $24.98) Queen Budapest celebrates the 40th anniversary of a pivotal moment in the band's history. This release includes newly remixed audio from the original multitrack recordings which delivers the most immersive presentation of the performance to date. Captured on July 27, 1986, at Budapest's Népstadion, during the band's "The Magic Tour," the concert was a groundbreaking moment, as Queen became the first Western rock band to perform behind the Iron Curtain during a period of profound cultural and political change. In addition to 80,000 tickets selling out, an estimated 45,000 people listened to the group outside, and some fans had travelled from as far away as Russia and Poland to see the concert. With the scale of the achievement, it would have been impossible to imagine that Queen would go on to play only a further five shows, ending forever their touring days with Freddie only one month later, with their final show played at Knebworth Park in England on August 9, 1986. Queen Budapest is the last filmed live performance of the band with Freddie Mercury, showing the band at the height of their powers as a live act. This release captures the band performing iconic hits such as "We Will Rock You," "We Are The Champions," "A Kind Of Magic," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "Under Pressure," "Who Wants To Live Forever," "Hammer To Fall" and "Bohemian Rhapsody."

NEIL YOUNG & THE CHROME HEARTS - As Time Explodes: Live Album (Reprise / Wea, $11.99) Shortly after the release of Neil Young & the Chrome Hearts album Talkin To The Trees in June 2025, the band embarked on a 31-date tour of Europe and North America. This live album includes selections from several shows. The European dates included performances at the legendary Glastonbury Festival, London's Hyde Park and the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. The 13-track album includes songs that span Young's entire career; including "Ohio" and "After The Gold Rush" from 1970 to "Silver Eagle" from Talkin To The Trees. Also in the set list are Young classics such as "Harvest Moon," "Like A Hurricane," "Cortez The Killer," and "Vampire Blues." Making this album extra-special is the new song "Big Crime," plus songs that have rarely been featured on recent Neil Young live albums, including "Long Walk Home," "Daddy Went Walking," "Be The Rain," and "Name of Love,"

ALICE COOPER - Devil on My Shoulder: A Memoir (Da Capo, $28.67) No stranger to doing things his own way, Alice Cooper has cast a long shadow over rock music with an unrivaled live show and timeless anthems like "School's Out," "No Mr. Nice Guy," and "Poison." Selling over 50 million albums worldwide, he earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him as part of its class of 2011. Boasting one of the most influential catalogues in history, Rolling Stone cited 1971's platinum-certified Love It To Death among the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time," while other platinum releases spanned the seminal Killer [1971], School's Out [1972], the Billboard 200 #1 Billion Dollar Babies [1973], Welcome to My Nightmare [1975], and Trash [1989], to name a few. The latter even graced Rolling Stone's "50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time."

MARTIN POPOFF: Kiss '76: Twelve Months That Defined the Hottest Band in the Land (Motorbooks, $18.52) In Kiss '76, Martin Popoff presents month-by-month narratives following the band around the world, across stages and through studios. The book features detailed analyses of both the Destroyer and Rock and Roll Over albums from that year, including the recording sessions, sleeve art, and more; info panels detailing the albums' personnel, key dates, and track listings; listings of tour dates and venues; exclusive author interview material from figures like guitarist Ace Frehley, producer Bob Ezrin, and collaborator Kim Fowley; month-by-month sidebars offering concurrent world, entertainment, and music news; putting the band's impressive achievements in the context of that momentous year. Stunningly illustrated pages featuring performance and offstage photography, as well as period memorabilia and flat art, Kiss '76 is a nostalgic and handsomely produced book that offers a unique look at a critical chapter in the band's career, and is sure to appeal to the legions of Kiss fans.  

Flashback to 1979!

From People's Oct. 22, 1979, issue.

CHER FEELS LIBERATED AND IN LOVE WITH KISS BASSIST GENE SIMMONS

t the start of her autobiographical cabaret show, Cher, 33, says, "What you see up here may look like an adult, but it's really a child with very long legs." That self-perception suggests that the long-legged kid really is growing up. Surprisingly, the liaison that may have brought her the greatest solidity is with, of all people, Gene Simmons, the 30-year-old fire-breathing bass guitarist for the rock group Kiss. We share, she says, "the best relationship I've ever had with a human." Which does not necessarily mean monogamous. "I'm going through a very liberated phase right now," she says. So she doesn't mind if her prince charms others. As for Cher, she goes with other men, but only "for companionship," she says. "Gene is the only one I'm crazy about." For Simmons (inset, with Cher), the feeling is mutual. "I'm crazy about Cher, nuts about her. She's my first love," he gushes. They call daily, jet to each other occasionally and have started planting roots outside of L.A. Does this imply a more permanent attachment? Answers Cher: "I'm not saying marriage would never happen, but I'm not planning on it. For once I don't feel I have to get married."

IN THE NEWS: OCT. 1979

Kicking Back: "When you're up at 5 in the morning and get home at 8 at night, the last thing you want to do is start playing Suzy Homemaker." - 1941 actress Nancy Allen.

Wedding: Director Martin Scorsese, 36, and actress Isabella Rossellini, 27 -- the daughter of Ingrid Bergman -- tied the knot. It was his third marriage and her first.

Concert: Singer-songwriter Mimi Fariña, 34, hosted a music festival benefiting her troupe Bread and Roses, which performs for free in prisons, hospitals and nursing homes around San Francisco. The lineup included Peter, Paul and Mary, Pete Seeger, her older sister Joan Baez and more.

PICKS & PANS

Rockit by Chuck Berry  While Chuck Berry's classic songs hold up well, his old-time guitar-playing, against a modern studio sound, seems insubstantial.

Just for the Record by Barbara Mandrell  Barbara Mandrell might profit from more varied material then trendy country pop. Still, she sings with energy and control.  

The Best of EXTRA!