The One Album That the Band Heart Regrets Making and Why It Still Haunts Them
via Hideo Kadowaki / YouTube
Rock Bands Struggling With Change
During the late 1970s, many rock bands found themselves unsure of how to handle the changing music scene. Genres like disco, funk, punk, and new wave were starting to dominate, and the rock sound that once led the charts was beginning to fade. Some groups adjusted quickly, while others were caught between styles and struggled with their identity.
AC/DC, however, stood firm. When they released Let There Be Rock, they ignored the shifting trends. “I thought it was great because everyone else in the world was into whole other genres – there was punk music, there was new wave,” guitarist Angus Young said. “And I just thought, ‘This is pure magic.’ And that album defined AC/DC in my eyes. That’s when I went, ‘This is a great band’.”
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Heart’s Struggles in the 1980s
While AC/DC thrived during the shift, Heart had a different experience. In 1982, the band released Private Audition, a record that failed to reach the Top 20—something unusual for them. It was a tough moment, and both Ann and Nancy Wilson have openly said they regret the album.
Ann Wilson admits she wasn’t happy with the result but believes the experience was necessary. “The band was in a period of transition,” she said. “And that was reflected on the record. It wasn’t a bad record. It just wasn’t a commercial record.” To her, it was part of learning how to adapt, even if the album itself didn’t work out.
Nancy Wilson’s Honest Take
Nancy Wilson takes a stronger stance against the record. She not only criticized the sound but also pointed to the mindset the band was in during the recording process. “Probably weren’t in our right minds very well […] I know I was doing a lot of partying in those days,” she said. For Nancy, the problems went deeper than just the music. It was also about where they were personally at that point in their careers.
The record didn’t feel like the band’s true self. Instead, it felt like they were trying too hard to fit in with the current trends. The sound, the production, and the direction all missed the mark. Nancy didn’t hold back in saying the band simply wasn’t focused.
