My All Time Fave Albums Pt.13

Hi again! It's been awhile, been busy and not overly motivated to blog...but here I go again!  This time around I'm going with Black Sabbath, and I'm going with two albums instead of one because both eras with Ozzy and Dio are pretty damn good.  Both eras and vocalists are legendary, and I like both, so today's faves are 1972's Volume 4, and 1980's Heaven and Hell. 

My first real introduction to Sabbath was through their classic comp, We Sold Our Souls For Rock And Roll.  I got it in the mail one day through Columbia House (remember them?) by accident, and decided to keep it.  I'm glad that I did.  Black Sabbath really opened the doors of Metal for me, and to this day I still believe every great Metal riff has been stolen from one of Sabbath's first 6 albums, and from Priest as well, but that is another story.

I was just spinning Vol 4 the other day, and am still blown away that this album was recorded 40 years ago.  It is still as fresh, exciting and as relevant as it was then.  The early Sabbath stuff is great for sure ,but I have always leaned towards the holy trinity of Vol 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage.  They really started to take some chances and try some unique ideas.

The songs that really set me on fire from on Vol 4 are: the first single, Tomorow's Dream (a classic), Changes (probably the best ballad ever written), Supernaut (that riff!), Cornucopia (the template for every stoner/doom band since) and Snowblind (it's not about winter).

As we all know, after Ozzy left the band they continued on with the mighty Ronnie James Dio.  What we were not expecting was the absolute tour de force they would release in Heaven and Hell.  The big improvement here is that RJD is probably the greatest Metal vocalist of all time (along with Rob Halford), and he shines all over this album.  Heaven and Hell is the perfect blend of Rising and Master Of Reality.

I remember actually being a bit afraid of this album, just with the spooky imagery, and the original videos.  But once I got it, I got it.  Side 1 of this album may be the best side of music Sabbath ever did.  Neon Knights, Children Of The Sea, Lady Evil and the classic title track. Die Young and Lonley Is The Word from Side 2 are two of the bands best tunes as well.

Again like Vol 4, this album hasn't aged.  It is still is a brilliant listen to this day.  It is so heavy, yet there is a bit of something else that makes it a bit more special than some of the Ozzy records.  Could be that I was really getting into Metal when this record came out.

So for any younger fans of Hard Rock and Metal ,I suggest you look these two up.  Totally different in sound and scope, but both are essential listening.  I'm going to listen to them both now.  Until next time!  Here is a clip of Sabbath performing Snowblind.

My All Time Fave Albums Pt. 12

When is comes to the music that really grabs me, especially when I was younger, it was always the bands that had a great image to along with the tunes.  Stuff like KISS, Bowie, Queen...then later stuff like Motley Crue, W.A.S.P. and Twisted Sister. All very talented acts who knew how to put on a show and deliver kick ass songs.  But the Granddaddy of them all is this band...great image, incredible tunes, and a stage show that brought theatrics into rock, in which we have never seen since.  Ladies and Gents, one of the greats, the legendary Alice Cooper, and his 1973 masterpiece Billion Dollar Babies.

I have always loved Alice Cooper.  Like alot of my fave bands, I may not listen to them all the time, but when I do, it's usually the entire catalog!  So I have been on an Alice kick lately (again!), and driving my girlfriend and family crazy...I enjoy almost all of his stuff, from the mid to late 70's solo career, to his experimental early 80's, even his comback in the late 80's hard rock scene.  As well, his past few records have been pretty solid, and a little more "Alice".  However, the string of albums in the early 70's from Love It To Death to Muscle Of Love is my fave era, and is some of the most groundbreaking and creative music in all of rock music history.  Hard rock, jazz, glitter, vaudeville, it's everywhere on those early records.

To pick a best of those is a pretty tricky task for me, because Killer and School's Out are up there too, but I am trying to stick with some of the records that had an effect on me I haven't forgotten.  The photo to the right is on the insert of the original LP, and that is my earliest Alice memory.  A friend of mine in Grade 4 was showing me his olders brother's albums, and when we found the Alice records it was all over.  It was like KISS, but somehow creepier, and we had to check it out.  When the first notes of Hello, Hooray came out of the speakers, I was a fan.  It was hard rock, but different.  That photo to the side is still a reminder of that afternoon, and still as cool as ever.

There was a reason B$B was the Alice Cooper Group's biggest seller in America....it has incredible tunes.  It went to Number 1 ,and had 3 Top 40 singles (No More Mr. Nice Guy, Elected, and Hello, Hooray). It also contains other gem that would always be his trademark. The theatrical Unfinished Suite, the twisted and creepy I Love The Dead and Sick Things, and the straight ahead rock of Generation Landslide and Raped and Freezin'.  All of them done with Alice's sense of humour.  He has taken alot of crap over the years for some of his material and stage show, but if you don't get the humor and showmanship, you are missing out.  Trust me, flip on CNN and tell me what's more frightening.

So this week I will continue my Alice Cooper marathon, and you will probably see another one of his albums pop up on the blog.  A true American rock hero, who has seen and done it all, and who continues to remind us that rock n' roll should be fun, entertaining and ROCK!  Here is a clip from the tour, the pinnacle of the original bands theatrics.  Enjoy!