My All Time Fave Albums Pt. 11

I've been a little lazy with the blog, trying to get some time to write something...I'll do my best to throw up some more classics this week. I will eventually get to some newer stuff, but I am for the most part the blog is about the old stuff, and we all know that is better than anything new ;)

I've been wanting to do this one for awhile, it has always been a fave...Balls To The Wall from Accept.

This was their 5th full length, and along with Restless And Wild (another fave), was their introduction to North America.  Accept for me was a perfect blend of heavy and melodic, great production and great guitar work.  A lot of people think the album title has some sort of sexual connotation, but really it is about being oppressed, essentially a take on having your back to the wall...at least that's what I get out of it!  Mind you, the album art although brilliant, may give some folks the wrong idea.

Back in the day, and even now this album gets a lot of play from me.  I love the twin guitars (the opening riff to Turn Me On still gives goosebumps.)  I love the heaviness and power of the title track. I love the speed and vocals in Fight It Back.  I love the commercial side in a track like Losing More Than You've Ever Had.  This is a perfect metal album. It also has a Euro flavor that only bands like Accept can deliver, as well as lyrics that aren't your standard party anthems.  Wolf Hoffman is one of the most underrated guitarists and songwriters for his time.  So many cool riffs...

I have never had the opportunity to see them live, but they are one of those bands I would go see in a minute.  Accept should be mentioned in the same breath as bands like Priest and Maiden, but they have always been a little under the radar.  The original lineup minus Udo returned last year with Blood Of The Nations, which was a pleasant return to form for these veteran musicians.  Welcome back!

Will be back soon with some more classics! Enjoy the vid for the title track, sure to induce major headbanging.

My All Time Fave Albums Pt. 10

Everytime I try to think of the next album to bring to the blog, I realize that there are ALOT of albums that are faves of mine.  I am not doing them in any particular order, just ones that come to the top of my head that particular day.  There are obvious ones for me for sure, and then then there are the ones that maybe I haven't spun in awhile. I always will be sticking with ones that have meant the most to me over the years.  Today pick is Ozzy's Diary Of A Madman from 1981.

This album was actually a gift from my Mom when she went on a trip in the Spring of 1982.  She knew what music I liked and asked the dude at the record store what was new that her son might like.  He gave her a copy of this.  I wasn't overly familiar with the first album, and knew some old Black Sabbath, so this one was really my true introduction to Ozzy.  

I'm gonna say it now, the first two Ozzy albums stand up against any of the classic Sabbath stuff. Period.  This is not the Oz we know now, this was a younger, hungrier Ozzy who had something to prove...and that he did.

It goes without saying that Randy Rhoads is the secret weapon here, but the performances and songwriting from the entire band are excellent on this album.  So many great songs to pick from, but my two faves are Over The Mountain, Believer, and the massive title track (possibly Ozzy's best). I have often wondered what the follow up to this would have been like if Randy had not died. Bark At The Moon was a solid follow up, but one can only imagine the heights that would have been reached with another record from RR.

 
Among hard rock fans this is an absolute classic.  For the casual fan, they may only know Flying High Again, but this is a record that brought more depth and class to an already budding solo career for Ozzy.  Check out Rudy Sarzo's excellent book Off The Rails for some true insight into the original Blizzard Of Oz.  For now, here is a classic clip of Ozzy from the era. I'll see you all soon! Enjoy!

My Fave Albums Of All Time Pt. 9

I figured that since I haven't done a KISS record yet, it probably time.  For anyone who knows me, I have always been a huge KISS fan.  Through the good and the bad, makeup or not, I've stood by them since I was about 7 or 8 years old.  The Originals was my introduction to the band in 1976, they were pretty much my introduction into real rock n' roll.  I have followed them throughout their career, collected the stuff, got the tattoo...maybe I have some issues...At any rate, nostalgia is a powerful thing, and today we go back in time to when KISS began their climb to fame, 1975's Alive!  

You wanted the best, you got the best, the hottest band in the land...KISS!!  That intro still gives me goosebumps. Like so many of my fave artists, there are a bunch of albums I could rave about, but this one is something special.  Not only was it a watermark moment in their career, not only is it probably their best album, it is possibly the greatest live record ever.  So what if there were studio touch ups and overdubs...does it sound great?  Is it full of energy? Is it powerful and raw?  Hell yeah!  If you are familiar with KISS's show at the time, this is pretty representative of that. And what live albums aren't doctored anyway??  Plus NO ONE put on show like KISS, Cooper was close...but not close enough.

I love old KISS and this is a prime example of how fantastic, heavy and hungry they were in 1975.  Stuff like Parasite, Got To Choose, Watching You and 100,00 Years have never been performed better.

Not only when you purchased this album did you get a double gatefold cover and 2 discs of incredible music, it also came with a book of live photos.  When I was 8 years old, that was it for me. I still have my original LP, as well as a newer one in mint for the collection, a cassette ,and of course CD.  At this point, I think Gene owes ME money LOL.  If anyone wanted to get a taste of KISS, I would not give them a greatest hits collection, I'd give them this record.

This record along with a few others was what got me into hard rock and metal.  I never tire of this album.  While KISS has had their ups and downs with me, their classic material always holds up.  I'm sure you'll be reading more about KISS in upcoming posts.  Here you go, some live KISS from 1975.

My All Time Fave Albums Pt. 8

I have always liked different types of Hard Rock and Metal.  I like Slayer, I like Stryper, I like Venom, I like White Lion...it's always been that way for me.  Good music is good music, and if it makes you feel good ,then crank it!  I am a big fan of what has become known in the past 10 years as "Hair Metal".  That term doesn't sit well with me because if you were there at the time it was just called Heavy Metal or Hard Rock.  If you're going to lump all those bands together, then every band that had big hair would be included...and that would be ALL OF THEM. When that term is used I understand what it is being used for...the hard rock acts that came out post '86/'87.  When the the bands started wearing "costumes", had a power ballad on every album, and had a blond lead singer.  I just find the term a little patronizing, and really there was a ton of great stuff that came out from '86 to '92 before the big Grunge wave came along and changed everything.  On a side note, where is Grunge now??? It essentially was to the 90's what disco was to the 70's.  A fad. And both sound dated now.  Anyway, that is a rant for another day (so there is no haters, I do like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and AIC, hell, I even like some disco lol)

On that note, and hearing the sad news of Jani Lane passing away, I would like to pay tribute to one of the best albums of that era.  Dirty Rotten Filty Stinking Rich by LA's own Warrant.

This album really captured a moment in hard rock music.  It sounds like 1989.  And that is a good thing.  I bought this right when it came out, and my old copy has a different version of the classic Heaven than the later releases.  This is a classic album for the time, great tunes, great vocals, and great choruses.  Not a stinker on the album.  I listened to this album alot back in the day, and it always brings back a ton of great memories.

Best tunes on the album for me are (and always have been) the opener; 32 Pennies, Down Boys, Big Talk, and the above mentioned Heaven. Actually, I like them all... What set these guys apart from alot of the other bands of the time was that they could write really good songs.  Anything off the first three Warrant records is a great example of how to write a catchy rock tune.  DRFSR did not go on to sell over 3 million copies on their good looks alone.  Jani Lane knew how to write a tune.

I saw Warrant on tour in support of this album, and thought they were great.  Lots of energy and a total party atmosphere (which is greatly lacking from todays acts).  I caught them a couple other times, and they  always put on a great show. 

So there is another one of my fave albums, the memories are grey but they're really comin' back...

Here's vid from '87 before they signed a major record deal.

Rest In Peace, Mr. Lane.  Thank you for the great music.

My All Time Fave Albums Pt. 7

I consider myself an old school metalhead.  Not even ashamed to say it.  The best music for hard rock and metal came out between 1975 and 1985. Period.  That is not to say there wasn't brilliant music put out before or after this decade, but the music in this 10 year period shaped pretty much everything I listen to, and was so influential to everyone who loves this kind of music.  Today I'm gonna do some quick thoughts on some of the best music ever made...Thrash.  What follows are my...I don't know...Top 5 Thrash Albums Of All Time. Early Venom and Motorhead are big faves of mine, but I'm gonna stick with some later stuff.

1. Metallica - Ride The Lightning

 Although Metallica's first 4 albums are all absolute classics, this is the one that really hit home for me.  This record has is all speed (Fight FireWith Fire), power (For Whom The Bell Tolls), grace (Fade To Black), and my fave tune by them; Creeping Death.

I still have my copy of this album released on an independent Canadian label (Banzai) before they signed with a major label.  They had not conquered the world yet, they were hungry, pissed off and full of energy.  This one, and it's follow up Master Of Puppets, are two of the greatest metal records of all time.  Well written songs, and incredible arrangements (they seem to have forgotten now).  This record has sold in the millions, but in 1984, there were only the handful of metal die hards who knew.

2. Megadeth - Peace Sells...But Who's Buying

Another record from the glory days...I would say that

Rust In Peace is my fave record from these guys, but this is a close 2nd and is in the decade of music I was raving about earlier.  This album is a little different from your general thrash record, the musicianship is a little "jazzier", and has a Nancy Sinatra (!) cover in These Boots.  Mustaine has always lived in the shadow of Metallica, but really, the music Megadeth was making at the time was as good or better.  Brilliant tracks like Wake Up Dead, The Conjuring, and the title track make this a true classic.  I remember buying the tape of this in High School and listening to it again and again.  The debut was good, but this was the beginning of Megadeth's real sound and legacy.  Classic.

3. Slayer - Reign In Blood

 I know the albums I'm picking are fairly obvious if you're a fan, but these are classics for a reason.  Slayer was one of the heavier bands at the time, and most of my friends didn't (and still don't) get it.  The first two albums are absolute classics in their own right, but this record is what really got me into Slayer.  Fast, heavy, scary...it's all here.  29 minutes of pure fury unleashed.  Their signature track, Angel Of Death kicks the album off...the drums...oh those drums...I also always dug it when they slowed it up a bit on tracks like Criminally Insane, Epidemic and Postmortem.  Now, Slayer has a bunch of classic albums as well, but this was really the beginning for me (along with the Haunting The Chapel EP), and is a quintessential metal record.  Maybe don't play it for your girlfriend...;)

4. Anthrax - Spreading The Disease

This and Among The Living are two desert island albums for me.  Spreading leads by a hair due to A.I.R. and Medusa...This is a band that never really got the credit they deserve.  The rest of the Big 4 gets all the acclaim, but Anthrax stands with them in my eyes.  Not a bad track on the album, riff upon riff, and Benante's drumming make them one of the best thrash bands of all time.  Joey Belladonna is one of the only thrash vocalists who actually sings, rather than screams (niether is a bad thing), and gives them a unique edge over many of their contemporaries. Released in 1985, one of the albums in their catalog that gets repeated play from me. With different bands touring and playing albums in their entirety, this is my pick for Anthrax to play live.  Front to back their best record.

5. Exodus - Bonded By Blood

I have some vivid memories of seeing this one on the shelf at our local record store.  I didn't get it until a few years later, and was pissed I missed out the first time around.  If you are into some fast tunes with killer guitar work, you have found mosh heaven.  I think Exodus missed out a bit because this album wasn't released until 1985 ,when by then the other bands I have mentioned were starting to break.  Exodus still continues to tour and make records ,but nothing touches this one.  This record sits alongside other classics of the genre.  I have always compared it to Metallica's debut in terms of style and vibe.  The title track, Piranha, and my personal  fave, A Lesson In Violence are great examples of how thrash should sound.  Fast, great vocals with some melody and time changes to keep you guessing.  

That's it for today, I'll be back with some other classic albums and memories soon!  Thanks to everyone for the comments and for reading the blog. MUYA!

My All Time Fave Albums Pt. 6

A band like Iron Maiden is just so good, and so legendary it's hard to pick one album.  My Blog is more about the albums that mean the most to me, rather than maybe a bands most identifiable works.  My fave Maiden disc is 1983's Piece Of Mind.

I had really discovered Maiden the year before when I had seen Run To The Hills and The Number Of The Beast on The New Music (remember?). I purchased a copy of Killers (still a fave) around that time and that became my intro to the mighty Maiden.  A friend of mine had The Number Of The Beast, and I loved the vocals, just a little more metal, and less punk.

When I did get my copy of Piece Of Mind, it became an album I couldn't stop listening to.  It was heavy, and melodic.  The guitar solos were fantastic. Oh yeah, and the imagery...still just a brilliant cover.  Much the same as many of the albums from my formative years, I have a ton of memories of locking myself in my room and REALLY listening to them.  When you're a kid, you couldn't really afford alot of music, so when you did get something new, you listened to it to death, and really absorbed it.

At this point in my life (junior high), Maiden became my fave band (along with KISS, Rush and Judas Priest).  Hell, they're still my fave bands LOL

Side 1 of  Piece Of Mind  has always been where it's at for me.  Kicking off with Where Eagles Dare, and leading into my all time track Revelations, it's a perfect example of how Maiden had really created something special.  The melodic Flight Of Icarus and heavy Die With You Boots On complete the first side in classic Maiden fashion.  Just Brilliant.  Side 2 opens with what would become a signature tune for them, The Trooper.  Still Life from Side 2 is a bit of a deep track, and another one of my faves from Maiden.  Quest For Fire, Sun and Steel and the epic To Tame A Land close out the album.  Not a bad track to be found.

Maiden had been through our neck of the woods on the previous tour, and showed up again in September of 1983 on the World Piece Tour.  I unfortunately missed this, and actually didn't get to see Maiden live until 1987.  Hey, when you live 2 hours from a major city ,and you're 13 years old, it's kinda tough.  I also remember Def Lep started to break with Pyromania around the same time, and a few friends liked that better.  That was (is) a great record, but it's no Piece Of Mind.

Iron Maiden has so many great albums to pick from over their career, but this was the one that really hit home for me.  At this point I've seen them live 4 times, and they always prove that they are one of the greatest bands in rock history.  The fact they still sell out arenas in North America, and stadiums all throughout the rest of the world proves that.  And for a kid who liquid embroidered their logo on my gym shirt in 1983, that is cool with me. Up The Irons!