My All Time Fave Albums Pt.4

I realized with this blog I've been leaning towards the albums that turned me on to Metal.  The music that came from the early 80's in the world of hard rock was truly a golden era, and probably the best era for music ever. I'm going to continue with that theme for a while and keep picking the albums that really shaped my musical tastes.  Some you'll know, some a little obscure, but they are all great...Trust me.

There are not too many albums I have spun more that this one. I grew up a huge fan of KISS, and always loved a band with a cool image to go along with the music.One look at the inner gatefold of this record, and I was hooked.  Makeup, heels, blood, fire...it was KISS on 10. Motley Crue's 1983 Shout At The Devil, is one of my all time faves to this day.

I don't remember if I had heard their debut at this point, but this record turned me into a big fan of the band.  When I was in Grade 9, my brother and two friends did a fantastic airband for a parents luncheon at school.  Needless to say there were a few looks when we came out with our makeup, plywood guitars, some of our mothers clothing (!) and a backdrop complete with pentagrams.  We did Looks That Kill, and that continues to be my fave tune on the album.  The photo to the right was pasted in my locker for the whole year.  As far as I was concerned (and still am to an extent) this is what a band should look like.  Awesome photo.

About the music...

Well, in my mind there is not really a weak moment on the album. Side 1 may be the best recorded  side in the bands history: In The Beginning/Shout At The Devil, Looks That Kill, Bastard, God Bless The Children Of The Beast(Mick's guitar piece that is strangely reminicent of Brian May's guitar double tracking), and the Beatle's cover Helter Skelter.  Side 2 kicks off with the ultra quick Red Hot (still trying to get the drums right on this one), Too Toung To Fall In Love, Knock 'em Dead Kid (one of their best tracks ever), Ten Seconds To Love, and the closer, Danger.

Motley stayed true to their Glam roots, but also showed their metal influences on this one. This record pretty much opened the floodgates for all of the L.A. bands that were to be signed in the next few years. This is Motley Crue at their best, they never did anything as good as this again, IMO. I like most of their catalog, and I've seen them live many times over the years, but in 1983/1984 they were at the top of their game.  Here is a link to their performance at the US Festival in '83, before the record was released. Shout At The Devil!! 

Thanks for listening to me go on, I'll be back soon with some more classics and memories!