Pluto (1971): From Record Bin Oddity to Cult Classic

Pluto (1971): From Record Bin Oddity to Cult Classic

Author: Beyond the hits—exploring the albums, bands, and moments that shaped the heavy 70s & 80s metal November 14, 2025 Duration: 56:08

Ever wondered why some killer 70s rock albums slipped through history’s cracks? This week, Dig Me Out listeners unearth Pluto’s self-titled 1971 LP—an overlooked slab of psychedelic hard rock, boogie vibes, and vintage cosmic groove. Join us as we dig up the story of the London band with festival creds, a jaw-dropping album cover, and a sound that’s part Blue Öyster Cult, part proto-metal pioneers, but all obscurity.

Pluto wasn’t a household name, but they were closer to the big leagues than you’d think: opening for Thin Lizzy and T. Rex, dropping a record with colored vinyl (ultra-rare for the era!), and chasing UK stardom with ace basslines and fuzzed-out guitars. In this episode, we debate the lost art of 70s rock vocals, the magic of live-in-the-room dynamics, and why some racks collect dust while others become classics. If you’re into Deep Purple, Blue Öyster Cult, early Rush, or chasing forgotten bands through dusty record bins, this is your episode.

Episode Highlights

0:00 – Theme & Intro – Welcome to the 70s Rock spotlight; how Pluto edged out Trapeze, Julian’s Treatment, and Dr. Z in the October poll

7:30 – Band Origins & Album History – London roots, the Foundations connection, gigging with scene legends, and a wild album art backstory

15:20 – The Sound of the Era – Acid rock vs. proto-metal: where Pluto lands, and why categories were still blurry in ‘71

22:45 – “She’s Innocent” – Acoustic/electric interplay and why this track defines Pluto’s subtle power

27:10 – B-Side Deep Dive – From “Beauty Queen” to “Mr. Westwood”: the grooves, the jams, and the dream of finding this record for $8

33:50 – “Ragabone Joe” – The oddball campfire sing-along that splits the hosts—endearing or skippable?

39:00 – Better Album, EP, or Single? – The ultimate verdict: trimming, sequencing, and fantasy resurrections with a killer vocalist

Ready to keep the needle moving? Subscribe, tell your friends, and dig even deeper with us at digmeoutpodcast.com and dmounion.com. Suggest the next lost classic for our polls, join our Discord, and fuel our record hunts across decades. Let’s keep unearthing rock’s forgotten gems—together!



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.digmeoutpodcast.com/subscribe

There's a whole world of heavy music beyond the radio staples, and that's exactly where Dig Me Out: 70s & 80s Metal lives. Hosts J, Chip, and Tim are your guides, moving past the greatest hits to explore the full albums, influential bands, and pivotal moments that built the sound of an era. Each episode focuses on a single record, digging into the riffs, the production, and the cultural context that makes it matter. You'll hear about the giants like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, of course, but the conversation also celebrates the unsung heroes and delves into the glam and excess of acts like Mötley Crüe. This isn't just a track-by-track review; it's a deep, engaging commentary on the stories behind the music. The podcast thrives on the hosts' shared passion and knowledge, making each discussion feel like a conversation among friends who genuinely love turning over every stone in metal's formative decades. If you've ever wondered about the album that came before a band's big breakthrough or wanted to understand the scene that made a particular sound possible, you'll find a home here. It's a dedicated, thoughtful excavation of the hard rock and metal that defined the 70s and 80s, designed for listeners who believe the deep cuts are often where the real magic lies.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Dig Me Out: 70s & 80s Metal
Podcast Episodes
Hawkwind Made Proto-Stoner Rock Before Anyone Had a Name for It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:48
A Swedish band nobody outside Scandinavia ever heard live sounds like it was mixed by people who actually understood 80s post-punk instead of just imitating it. This episode, guest Darren Leach brings his first pick from…
Tora Tora Sounds Like Judas Priest Fighting Aerosmith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:37
Tora Tora beat Metallica in a poll. That alone should tell you something about how this show works.This 80s Metal episode covers Tora Tora's 1989 debut Surprise Attack, the surprise winner of a four-way Patreon poll agai…
The 1970 Billy Joel Metal Album That Time Forgot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:00
Billy Joel in a metal band sounds like a late night joke, but Attila’s lone 1970 album is a lot stranger and heavier than the punchlines suggest. In this episode, we dig into the self titled organ driven proto metal reco…
Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force Turns 41: Why It Still Matters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:56
A nineteen year old singer, a guitarist who barely wanted him there, and a record that split guitar playing into two schools for the rest of the decade. This week our 90s specialist Jeremy Amend crosses into 80s metal fo…
1976: The Year Guitar Rock Split In Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:15
1976 was supposed to belong to disco, soft rock, and singer‑songwriters. Yet in the shadows of “Disco Lady,” “A Fifth of Beethoven,” and “Silly Love Songs,” guitar bands were quietly rebuilding what hard rock and metal c…
1986: The Year Glam and Thrash Both Peaked at the Same Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:10
On daytime MTV, Bon Jovi was becoming the biggest pop-rock act on the planet. Poison was setting the blueprint for everything pop culture now calls hair metal. At the same time, Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth: were buil…
Gang of Four’s Entertainment!: Punk, Funk, and the Politics of Rhythm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:05
Gang of Four’s Entertainment! is the moment post‑punk stopped being a scene and started sounding like a threat. This 1979 debut didn’t just tweak punk’s formula—it rewired it, turning guitars into percussion, bass into a…
The Hummingbirds Gave the Lemonheads Their Biggest Hit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:51
Returning Dig Me Out Union patron Josh Page is back from Australia with his second pick, and this one is geo-locked to his home country for most of the world. The Hummingbirdsformed in Sydney in 1986, signed to rooArt Re…