My All Time Fave Albums Pt. 20

With all the graduations taking place at this time of year, I realized that this weekend marks 25 years since my own High School grad, and have been feeling a bit nostalgic and a touch sentimental.  I remember the friends I had, the sports we played, and the girls we liked.  I remember late night drives with the music way too loud, the cramming for tests (yeah right), and just the overall vibe that you were on top of the world (but didn't know it yet).  So this post is for all my fellow grads of 1987.  Some of you I still see, and some I haven't since the last day we left school.  I hope you are all well!  So for fun, this post will be my top 10 albums of 1987.  There are some from that year that I discovered later, so I'm only including the albums that touched me at the time, and were listened to ALOT in my final year of HS and 1st year of college.

10. Frehley's Comet - S/T

I remember my fellow KISS fans and I were waiting for this one to come out, and we weren't disappointed when it did.  The Space Ace was back with his first solo album after leaving KISS.  Ace has always been know for his guitar pyrotechnics, but this record (along with his 78 KISS solo album) shows he can write a catchy tune as well.  The record opens with the brilliant autobiographical Rock Soldiers, Breakout, and first single Into The Night.  The album is pretty much staight ahead hard rock, but contains some really cool moments like the poppy Dolls.

A record I haven't listened to in awhile, but have always dug it, and always takes me back to the summer of 1987.

9. Faster Pussycat - S/T

I'm pretty sure I picked this one up thinking the band looked cool (LOL).  Anyway, what you have hear is everything that was right with the whole Sunset Strip sound of the mid 80's.  A touch of Stones, a bit of Aerosmith, and a pinch of New York Dolls ,and you have Faster Pussycats debut.  Still gets regular spins from me today.  Stripped down production, and dirty attitude, this record is full of great songs like Babylon, Don't Change That Song, and semi hit Bathroom Wall.  Never did get to see them live, but they still tour although it's a completely different animal now.  In 1987, this kicked ass...and still does.

8. Dokken - Back For The Attack

Oh how I love this record.  The last great album from the original lineup.  This was Dokken at their peak.  Brilliant songs, catchy choruses, killer lead work...

Not a dud on the record, and contains some of Dokken's heaviest tracks like Kiss Of Death and Lost Behind The Wall.  Tunes like Prisioner and Burning Like A Flame show why Dokken were one of the better bands of the day, and why this baby sold 1,000,000+ copies (lets see some Amercian Idol crap do that now).  This album also contained the track Dream Warriors, which was the theme of the Nightmare On Elm Street movie from '87.  A fantastic record, without a bad track.  I would recommend this to anyone who likes their rock hard and melodic.

7. Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys, Pt.1

I discovered Helloween on Much Music, when music stations used to play videos (remember?). Halloween and Future World were in regular rotation on their Metal shows, and I was all over it.  Along the lines of classic Maiden and Scorpions, with elements of the then bubbling Thrash scene, Keeper Pt.1 is one of the unsung records of the day.  Helloween along with the aformentioned bands pretty much influenced a generation of European power metal that was to come in the following decade.  In the past couple of years, I purchased the special remaster of this record, and it still sounds great.  Michael Kiske is one of the better vocalists out there, and their blend of melody and speed was (is) right up my alley.

6. Great White - Once Bitten

This one has alot of great memories attached to it, and I still love listening to it today.  Great White was a band that probably were never given as much credit as they deserved.  Their roots were in 70's rock, Zeppelin, Free and Humble Pie, all bands that I love.  They mixed that up with a moden attitude, and came up with what I feel was their best record.  Originally the singles Rock Me and Lady Red Light, with their accompanying videos, turned me into a fan, but this record is full of solid tracks.  All Over Now, Mistreater, and one of the classiest ballads ever in Save Your Love.  Another platinium album from the day when bands wrote and performed their own music, and still continue to this day.  

5. Def Leppard - Hysteria

Remember the days when Def Lep ruled the world?  This is not my fave album from them, but it was the first album I bought when I moved away from home, and has alot of cool memories attached to it.  The first few spins of this album didn't grab me, but once I got into it, I loved it.  Alot of the tunes have been overplayed to death over the years (Pour Some Sugar On Me, Animal and Love Bites) ,but the beauty is in the deeper tracks like Gods Of War, Run Riot, and the excellent title track.  Went with my buddy Cliff (Hi!) to this show in the round and rocked out in the front row.  A great record from a great band that was one of my faves at the time.  In terms of production, songs and sales, Def Lep never even came close after this.  

4. The Cult - Electric

Outside of this album, and maybe the previous album, Love, I'm not a huge fan of The Cult.  However, this record might be in my Top 20 all time.  When I heard the Rick Rubin was producing it, I knew it would be good.  This album reminds me of summertime.  We listened to this on many road trips.  I went to see them live at the Max Bell Arena (with a then unknow band, Guns n' Roses opening!).  The band I played in at the time jammed out (Hi Greg!) to tunes like Wild Flower, Lil' Devil, and the albums best track, King Contrary Man.  A great hard rock album, brilliantly produced with its mind firmly in the 1970's...a cover of Born To Be Wild proves that.  Still gets regular spins!  I was disappointed with the followup, and watched them get booed off stage opening for Metallica...oh well.

3. White Lion - Pride

2,000,000 people bought this record, so I know I'm not alone.  I'm ranking this one high because I still listen to it often, and again, it has lots of great memories attached to it.  Featuring the one two punch of vocalist Mike Tramp and guitar wizard Vitto Bratta, Pride ia a record that just about anyone can listen to.  There are hard rockers like Hungry and Lonely Nights, there is a great ballad in When the Children Cry, and a tour de force in the classic Lady Of The Valley.  This is one of those albums that could sing every word of.  Listened to it alot then, and listen to it now.  Never did get to see them live, but had the opportunity when they opened for AC/DC and Aerosmith (didn't go though).  I like all of their stuff, but Pride is their best record IMO.  Rock n' Roar!

2. Anthrax - Among The Living

Wow...did we listen to this one ALOT.  Their breakthough album, and with good reason.  A perfect thrash album.  Speed, melody, and more than one reference to the brilliant mind of Stephen King.  The boys and I rocked out with this one on many occasions, and it usually involved beer.  Still one of my fave albums, and was lucky enough to see them open for KISS on this tour.  Fave tunes include Caught In A Mosh, A Skeleton In The Closet, and speed fest, Imitation Of Life (I still hear you singing Pat!) . A great record from a great band I follow to this day.  With this record, and it's predecessor,  Spreading The Disease, Anthrax stood aside Metallica, Megadeth ,and Slayer as the Gods Of Thrash.  I might listen to this on my next run!

1 .Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction

Really?  Is there any other choice for my fave album of 1987?  Has their been a better hard rock album since? NO.  As mentioned earlier, I was lucky enough to catch G n'R opening for The Cult on their first tour.  We had no idea about the band, but I can tell you, I bought the cassette the next day.  Again, this record was listened to probably far too much, and the singles have been overplayed.  This is a record that defined a generation, and is one of the top 10 most important records in the history of rock.  Not a dud on the album, you all know the songs, an album that captures the essence of rock.  I'm not a fan of the band now, but this record can come with me to my grave as a document of my 1987, and of an example of what rock and roll should be. 

So to all my fellow classmates of 1987, I wish you all well, and hope you are all happy.  High School was a long time ago, but feels like yesterday...maybe 'cause I'm never growing up. Enjoy!!

My All Time Fave Albums Pt. 19

For me, the years 1980-1985 yielded so much fantastic music, and was literally the soundtrack to my life (and still continues to be lol).  For those checking out my blog it's pretty obvious I lean to this era of music.  This record is no different.  From the golden age of hard rock, another true classic, and not to be forgotten. From the year 1984, Dokken's sophmore release, Tooth And Nail.

What grabbed me initially about Dokken was hearing their first single, Breaking The Chains, on a compilation.  I'm pretty sure it was an album review for this in the back pages of Circus, along with that single that made me want to check them out.  I would definitely list Dokken amongst my fave bands, and the stretch they had through the 80's was as good (or better) than any of the acts of the day.  They did have some success, but not to the level of say, Ratt or Motley Crue, but I will put those records up against anything from that time period.  Dokken was the perfect blend of heavy and melodic.  Although Don Dokken was the voice, the secret weapons in this band were guitarist George Lynch, and bassist/vocalist Jeff Pilson. "Wild" Mick Brown would be listed as one of my drum influences as well.

This record just flat out rocks, with brilliant songwriting ,vocals, and possibly one of Lynch's best performances on vinyl (check out the solo in Into The Fire).  It has great metallic tunes in the title track and When Heaven Comes Down.  It has great commercial appeal in tunes like Just Got Lucky and uber ballad, Alone Again. It does not have a bad song.  This one got alot of play back in the day, and I'm actually spinning it right now.  A reminder of when music was real, and of a band that was on to bigger and better things (before it all came apart).  A great time for music, and I'm glad I was there.  For the old schoolers who follow my blog, dig this one out and play it LOUD.  Hold your lighters aloft and enjoy Alone Again. Dokken!

My Fave Albums Of All Time Pt.18

Well, it's been awhile... I didn't mean to go for so long without posting, but I have been pretty busy and have not been inspired enough to write anything, so now I'm back.  I'll try to be more regular with my posts.  I did get some feedback from friends telling me it's time to do some more, so here we go.  This album is a blast from the past, and was a fave in High School in our little circle of metalheads...this one is for you, Steve.

 A band you don't hear too much of outside of hard rock circles, they have a string of brilliant records that all started with the debut from 1984, W.A.S.P.

In 1984, metal was truly at it's commercial peak, and Los Angeles was a hotbed for new acts being signed to major labels. W.A.S.P. had been going for a few years, and had already built a reputation for their live shows (we'll get to that in a bit). As I've mentioned before, I always loved a band with an image, and here was a band that had elements of KISS, Alice Cooper and early Motley, with a touch of horror...but they also had the songs, and that is why I love this record.  I remember picking up the cassette of this, and their first 12 inch single, Animal (F#@k Like A Beast) at WEM in the fall of 1984.

One of the things that set W.A.S.P. apart for me, other than the visual aspect, was lead vocalist Blackie Lawless.  That voice, or maybe a roar if you will, was the soundtrack to many Friday nights.

The album is full of  great hard rock, and contains two of their most famous songs in I Wanna Be Somebody and L.O.V.E. Machine.  But it's the deep tracks such as my fave, The Flame, and full out crusher, Hellion, that really light up this album.  Add to that, the infamous stage show that included a torture rack, fire and smoke, and throwing raw meat into the audience, and you have a recipe for controversy and album sales. And we all loved it.

The debut record will always be my fave, but the band did go on to do a string of great albums including the follow up, The Last Command, as well as Inside The Electric Circus, The Headless Children and The Crimson Idol, all of which I highly recommend.  Here is a video of some classic W.A.S.P.  I'll be back sooner than later with another great record from my (and probably your) past. Horns Up!