Monday, May 14, 2012

Favourite Albums

I had some very interesting comments from my mate Geordie Jim...(Damn Newcastle!) about my greatest movies...he had some beauties that I missed out on...but mostly, we like the same genre of movies...

Now, what about music? My favourite albums will probably cause more of a stir because music is so much more personal than movies...I find most of my favourite albums are  from my teens...I suppose that is because that is the most impressionable time of your life. But then again...I was a teenager throughout most of the seventies and there was some defining music made around that time. I often wonder if my son Jake, who is 16 and has some great taste in music, will include albums from his teenage years when he compiles his list of greatest albums in 30 years time?

When I was an impressionable teenager music really was my main influence. I mean there was Lillee, Thomo and Marshy from the Australian Cricket team. And Sammy Newman and Billy Goggin from Geelong Footy team...and of course my biggest influence, my Dad John. But music is the thing that sticks in my memory mostly from my teen years...so much great music from those days...

One interesting point here...some of the albums I have in my top 10 where only discovered by me in my 30's...I never really listened to the Stones or the Beatles when I was young...I was into Glam Rock, so much of my faves come from that Genre...but as I got older...I started to appreciate people like the Stones, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Beatles, Elvis, etc....funny huh?

I nearly put in some greatest hits albums...but they are not 'real' albums are they?

Oh well, here is my list of my favourite top 10 albums of all time. This is not definitive...there are albums I will miss out on like Dark Side of The Moon, but I only have 10 so here goes...

1. Slade Alive - Slade.
This was released in about 1972 and it completely blew me away. I had to buy a new copy every 6 months as I kept wearing it out. (It cost about $1:99 at the time I think) I love "Get Down and Get With It" as Noddy Holder screamed the words and demanded the crowd to "Get up on your feet and Get Down and Get With It" My Mum hated it "TURN THAT BLOODY THING DOWN STEVEN" ha ha ha. This definitely is my No 1 favourite album of all time.



2. Get Your Ya Ya's Out - The Rolling Stones.
Again a live album from 1969 I think.  This is a classic Stones Blues/Rock album. Every track is a classic. It has my number one all time song on it; "Honky Tonk Woman" plus "Street Fighting Man" and an amazing version of  "Midnight Rambler". This is the Stones at their absolute very top. Great album. You have to get a copy of Get Yer Ya Ya's Out.




3.Slayed – Slade
A hard rocking, blues inspired album from my all time favourite band. They do an amazing version of the Janis Joplin classic “Move Over”. Some great blues rock songs plus Slade greats “Gudbye to Jane” and “Mama Weer All Crazee Now”. Awesome!







4. Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones.
I think the Stones were at their best when Mick Taylor was in the band. So many great Stones classics on this album. “Brown Sugar”, “Bitch”, “Sway”, Wild Horses” and “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”.  Inspirational.






5. Welcome To My Nightmare - Alice Cooper.
The greatest concept album ever! Rock theatre at it’s best. This album is pure genius and a massive spectacle.  Incredible varied album and amazing live in concert.  My favourite tracks…the title track, “Only Women Bleed” “Department of Youth” “Cold Ethel” “Escape” and of course…”Steven”. 





6. Hysteria - Def Leppard.
Not from the 70’s but what a brilliant album. Every song was my favourite at the time and I still love every single track.  I seriously do not have a favourite track, they are all my favourites…








7. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John.
A classic double album from Elton John. I love this album as it has huge variation and it was done with EJ’s best band with Nigel Olsen, Dee Murray and Davey Johnson in his band. Every song is a classic but the biggies were “Candle in the Wind”, “Bennie and The Jets”,  “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “You’re Sister Can't Twist” and of course “Saturday’s Alright For Fighting”. 




8. Live - Status Quo.
I guess this is kind of a greatest hits but it is a live concert from 1975 and it is a belter! A double album that takes you right into the concert hall with them. This has the original ‘classic’ line up and like most live seventies album, they are recorded ‘real’ and I think sound so much better than modern ‘live’ recordings. Includes the hit "Roll Over Lay Down" plus all the other Quo classics.




9. Cosmos Factory - Creedence Clearwater Revival.
“Ramble Tamble”, “Before You Accuse Me” “Travelin Band” “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” “Run Through The Jungle”, Up Around The Bend”, “Who’ll Stop The Rain”, “ I heard it Through The Grapevine” and “Long As I Can See The Light”. Sounds like a greatest hits album right? But it’s not…it is just one of about 8 albums CCR recorded over a 4 year span in the late 60’s and early 70’s. These guys were releasing 2 albums every year!  Nowadays we are lucky to get one album from an artist every 2 or 3 years! Amazing album from 4 geniuses.

10. Abbey Road - The Beatles.
This was their last and I think best album. Although how the hell can you pick a best Beatles album?  I just love “Come Together”  “Something” “Oh Darling!” “Here Comes The Sun”, “Golden Slumbers” and Carry That Weight”. I mean …come on…this is a classic.






Well that is ten…but there are so many I have left out … Pump-Aerosmith, Made In Japan -Deep Purple, Rumours - Fleetwood Mac, Destroyer – Kiss, Schools Out – Alice Cooper, Alive – Kiss, Piledriver - Status Quo, Sweet Fanny Adams  - The Sweet, Ram - Paul McCartney, Frampton Comes Alive - Peter Frampton, Desperado - The Eagles, A New World Record – ELO, Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd, Black Butterfly -Buck Cherry, Glitter-Gary Glitter...ha ha ha...yep!, City to City -Gerry Rafferty, Let It Rock -Georgia Satellites - technically a greatest hits album but was one of their first records released in Aus...., Guns and Roses…a lot of great songs  but I’m not sure they had a decisive ‘great’ album,  The Lonesome Jubilee -John Mellencamp, Led Zeppelin again a great band with heaps of great songs…but I can't pick one ‘great’ album, 12 Pound Toothbrush -Madder lake, Midnight Oil… no one album but great songs..., Brood -My Friend The Chocolate Cake, Hot August Night -Neil Diamond, A Night At The Opera-Queen, Exile On Main Street -The Rolling Stones, Hello -Status Quo, Desolation Boulevard -The Sweet, Under A Blood Red Sky -U2, Right Here, Right Now- Van Halen, Slide It In –Whitesnake, Live...In The Heart of the City –Whitesnake, Tapestry- Carole King, Hotel California - The Eagles... Elvis...great songs...but one great album? I am trying to think of some recent classics but I am struggling...Michael Jackson-Thriller? But even that was 80's...

This is a very personal thing isn't it? Try it…this is an incredibly difficult thing to do…so much great music.

Interesting that from my top ten, seven are from the seventies, two are from the sixties and one is from the 80’s. I think you have to look very hard to find a classic album since the 80’s. I know this is showing my age but I honestly think pretty much everything great in music
was completed before the 90's...What do you think?






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