George Crumb released Apparition for soprano and amplified piano and Celestial Mechanics (Makrokosmos IV) for amplified piano; he also revised his Star-Child (1977) for soprano, antiphonal children’s voices, male speaking choir, bell ringers, and large orchestra.
Gary Numan and Tubeway Army released Replicas, which featured the hit single “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?”
Numan soon quit the band to release his first solo album, The Pleasure Principle.
George Harrison released George Harrison.
George Miller directed his first feature-length film, Mad Max.
Gilbert Sorrentino was finishing Aberration of Starlight.
Gloria Gaynor released Love Tracks, featuring the hit single “I Will Survive,” which would win the first and only Best Disco Recording Grammy.
Goldie Hawn was starring in Private Benjamin.
Graham Chapman was preparing to publish (with Douglas Adams, Alex Martin, David Sherlock, and David A. Yallop) A Liar’s Autobiography (Volume VI) (1980).
Graham Greene was preparing to publish Doctor Fischer of Geneva (1980) and his autobiography, Ways of Escape (1980).
Guy Davenport published Da Vinci’s Bicycle: Ten Stories.
Hal Ashby directed Being There.
Harold Ramis was directing Caddyshack.
Harold Robbins published Memories of Another Day.
Henry Kissinger published his memoir The White House Years.
Henry Miller was nearing the end of his life (he would die on 7 June 1980).
Herbert Marcuse passed away (on 29 July).
Herbie Hancock who had just started using a vocoder on his hit single “I Thought it Was You,” released Feets, Don’t Fail Me Now.
Ian Dury & The Blockheads, capitalizing on the success of their single “Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick,” released Do It Yourself.
Ian Hunter (formerly of Mott the Hoople) released You’re Never Alone with a Schizophrenic.
Iggy Pop released New Values.
INXS was recording their first album, INXS (1980).
Iron Maiden released their debut EP, The Soundhouse Tapes.
Italo Calvino published his last book, Se una notte d’inverno un viaggiatore (If on a winter’s night a traveler).
It would not be translated into English until 1981.
3 thoughts on “What Were You Doing in 1979? (part 5)”