 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. Whole Lotta Rosie 2. Back In Black 3. You Shook Me All Night Long 4. If You Want Blood (You've Got It) 5. Shot Down In Flames 6. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) 7. Let There Be Rock 8. Highway to Hell 9. Thunderstruck 10. Riff Raff |
Bonus
cuts:
The 5-Disc "Bonfire" box set contains three discs of previously
unreleased live material from the Bon Scott era, one disc of studio
rarities featuring Scott, and the complete Back in Black album which
was Brian Johnson's first with the band. All of this stuff is excellent,
and as an added bonus the set comes with some goodies that Bon, who
drank himself to death, "would want you to have"...like
an AC/DC bottle opener!
Comments:
It's hard to say who the definitive vocalist in AC/DC is. Bon Scott
sang with the group from its inception (Dave Evens was actually their
first singer though he never recorded with the band) until his death
in 1980, and appears on most of the band's classic albums (Let There
Be Rock, Highway To Hell, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, High Voltage,
etc.) Brian Johnson, on the other hand has now been the band's singer
for just about 25 years,(more than four times as long as Scott) and
appears on the band's biggest success to date, the 15 million plus
seller, Back In Black. The way I handle this question personally is
to just shrug my shoulders and say that both singers are great, and
besides, guitarist Angus Young has always been the band's front-man
in my eyes!
Tracks compiled by Mike D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
 TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. What It Takes 2. Full Circle 3. Mama Kin 4. Back In The Saddle 5. Draw the Line 6. Chip Away The Stone 7. Amazing 8. Cryin' 9. Fly Away From Here 10. Dream On |
Bonus
cuts:
In a way, there are two Aerosmiths. There's the drunk and stoned, sports
car crashing, toxic twins Aerosmith of the 70's and early 80's. And on
the other hand, there's the clean and sober, hangin' with Run-DMC, bigger
and better than ever Aerosmith of the second half of the 80's and beyond.
Being truly one of the great American rock bands, Aerosmith has dozens
of great songs in their catalogue. Depending on which Aerosmith you're
into, there are different greatest hits albums out there for you to choose
from. Aerosmith's Greatest Hits 1973-1988 covers the early days (and despite
its title, doesn't really go up to 1988). The album Big Ones covers the
band's second phase, including 1986's Permanent Vacation album which,
as I mentioned, has no presence on the former collection. Finally if you're
into both incarnations of Aerosmith, there's Young Lust: The Anthology,
which truly covers the band's whole career, something even the 13-disc
box set Box of Fire fails to do.
Comments:
Amongst
the many similarities between Aerosmith and The Rolling Stones, is the
fact that they both play blues-based rock & roll. A difference between
the two is that the Stones began their recording career with albums of
essentially straight blues covers (they even recorded in the studios of
the legendary blues label, Chess Records in Chicago). Conversely, while
they spoke of a blues album for years, Aerosmith had never attempted such
a project. That is until early last year when Aerosmith released an album
of all blues covers called, Honkin' On Bobo. Unfortunately, unless you're
really into Aerosmith, the album is far from essential. It seems to me
that instead of Aerosmith playing blues songs, the band tried to make
the blues into Aerosmith songs. Much of the album sounds really forced
and doesn't have the loose natural feel of the blues - there's very little
raw emotion involved. I can say from experience that this is not the case
when the boys play this stuff live. It looked like a natural. I guess
just like that Dude they sang about in the 80's, looks can be deceiving.
Tracks compiled by Mike D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
||
TOP 10 TRACKS: With Duane Allman (1969-1972) 1. Blue Sky 2. Mountain Jam 3. Whippin' Post 4. Dreams 5. Statesboro Blues 6. It's Not My Cross To Bear 7. Revival 8. Midnight Rider 9. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed 10. Trouble No More Without Duane Allman (1972-present) 1. Ramblin' Man 2. Jessica 3. Southbound 4. Melissa 5. Ain't Wastin' Time No More 6. Back Where It All Begins 7. Seven Turns 8. Wasted Words 9. Come On In My Kitchen 10. Desdemona |
||
Bonus
cuts:
The Allman Brothers Band are a band that need to be experienced live to
be truly understood. While their studio albums are almost all excellent,
they all pale in comparison to what they do live. The band seems to know
this as well as anyone. Over their 35-year career, they've released more
live albums than they have studio albums. The best of the bunch (in my
somewhat controversial opinion) are the albums, An Evening with the Allman
Brothers Band 1st Set and 2nd Set. These albums recorded in the first
half of the nineties and featuring guitarists Dickey Betts and Warren
Haynes along with the late bassist Allen Woody, showcase some of the best
musicianship I've ever heard. Dickey and Warren continuously out do each
other, and the rest of the band never loses pace. Add to the mix that
the two discs cover many of the best songs from every era of the Allman
Brothers Band preceding them and you'll find that they are perfection.
Start there.
Comments:
Personally my favorite Allman Brothers song, my number one if I could
only make one list, would be Blue Sky, which was originally recorded with
Duane Allman just before his death. However, my favorite version of "Blue
Sky" is the one from the Evening with the Allman Brothers album (No
Duane) which I recommended above.
The reason I decided to give the Allman Brothers Band two separate top
ten lists was to make it clear that regardless of what the drunken know-it-all
sitting behind you in the Beacon thinks, the band was/is just as good
without Duane Allman as it was with him. People maintain the point of
view that the band was never great without Duane even though they had
the majority of their commercial success after his passing. I thought
if I pointed out that Ramblin' Man, Jessica, Southbound and the like were
recorded without Duane, some people might see the light.
This band has been amazing since it's inception, regardless of whether
or not Duane Allman, or Berry Oakley, or Chuck Leavell, or Warren Haynes,
or Allen Woody, or Dickey Betts were in the line up. They are the best
there is at what they do, and when they need to find a new member you
can bet they'll find the best person in the world for the job. They always
have.
Tracks compiled by Mike D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. Sister Golden Hair 2. A Horse With No Name 3. Lonely People 4. Sandman 5. Ventura Highway 6. I Need You 7. Tin Man 8. Daisy Jane 9. You Can Do Magic 10. Right Before Your Eyes |
Comments:
America is another great harmony pop/folk rock group in the tradition
of the Mamas & Papas, and like those great artists, America have
their own unique and pristine sound.
They
began in London as a quartet called Daze, but when they became a trio
– Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peak, and Gerry Beckley – they changed
their name to America. The first big hit, "A Horse With No Name"
not only sounded like a Neil Young tune, but in fact it knocked his
"Heart Of Gold" off the number one spot on the charts.
Legendary
Beatles producer George Martin began working with the band in 1974 and
produced seven of their albums. Dan Peek left in 1977 as Beckley and
Bunnell continued on. In 2007 they released " Here & Now,"
a double CD with a disc of new material produced by Adam Schlesinger
of Fountains Of Wayne and James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins, plus a second
disc that contains most of the tunes listed above performed live.
"Highway",
a boxed set that spans their entire career was released in 2000, and
t he
late Phil Hartman of Saturday Night Live fame did the illustration for
their Greatest Hits collection.
Tracks compiled by Ray D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. The Fortune 2. Tower 3. Feelin' Right 4. Can You Feel It 5. Feelings 6. Cast The First Stone 7. Mirrors 8. Long Time 9. Rock & Rollers 10. Don't Leave Me Lonely |
Bonus
cuts:
Broken
Dreams / Mariner /
On The Rocks / Telephone Exchange
/ She's A Mover / 20th Century Foxes
/ Better Days
Comments:
I can remember the Circus magazine's reader polls. First, it was the Best
New Band honor, and then for years after that Angel keyboardist Gregg
Giuffria became the ruler of the Best Keyboard Player award. I'm sure
guitarist Punky Meadows and the rest of the band got their fair share
of notoriety as well, but Angel was a band that revolved around keyboards.
Instead of shredding guitar solos, you had lightning fast synthesizer
solos with all of the coolest effects that were available at the time.
Besides Giuffria's keyboard brilliance, this band had a singer that was
the equivalent of a vocal arrow, with each song acting as his bow, and
the listener was the target. I got shot down many times by the shrill
of singer Frank Dimino, and I have always been fascinated by his voice.
Angel is a band that was always a "second fiddle" to the almighty
Kiss, with both bands on the now defunct Casablanca Records label. Frank
Zappa even ripped on the band's pretty guitarist Punky Meadows when he
wrote "Punky's Whips." This band may have been one of the most
underrated acts of all-time. With talented players and a stage show that
included the band dressed in white satin tights, Angel reached only moderate
success in comparison to their label mates, Kiss.
Listen to the first three Angel records, "Angel," Helluva Band,"
and "On Earth As It Is In Heaven" and you will find great songs
unlike anything else being played at the time. Songs like "Tower,"
which starts off with what sounds like a laser gun battle; or "The
Fortune" which has a sort of Egyptian feel to it; or "Feelings,"
which has a beautiful bouquet of classical poise and artistry. And, make
no mistake, all of these songs are indeed rock and roll. Angel had five
records of original material in the 70's, with their last two records
falling way short of their first three. The fourth release, "White
Hot," was weak yet yielded a few decent tracks ("Don't Leave
Me Lonely" appears here), but it was their fifth album, "Sinful,"
that was an outright catastrophe. The band also appeared in the Jodie
Foster flick, "Foxes," and recorded a disco-like tune for the
film called "20th Century Foxes." (The film also featured some
great acting from The Runaways lead singer Cherie Currie too. I do recommend
the movie for those of you that don't mind re-living the 70's.) Angel
released another record in 1990 called "In The Beginning." The
disc brought back Dimino and original drummer Barry Brandt, with special
guest performances by Punky Meadows and former bassist Felix Robinson.
But due to some weak songwriting, and even a weaker Dimino, the album
met with no acclaim.
I did find a real gem recently - a b-side track entitled "Better
Days." This is a song from 1977, just before the band recorded "White
Hot." The tune was left off of the "White Hot" record in
exchange for "The Winter Song." I highly recommend wrapping
your ears around this rare find. Here is a link to a download of that
single: http://www.angelrocks.com/intro.html
Besides having the best logo ever, the band name in a design that can
be read right side up or upside down, Angel had some of the best hard
rock songs of the 70's. If you are unfamiliar with this band, seek out
"Helluva Band" or the self-titled debut. You won't be disappointed.
Tracks compiled by Scott "Dr. Music" Itter / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. House of the Rising Sun 2. We Gotta Get Out Of This Place 3. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 4. It's My Life 5. Don't Bring Me Down 6. Bring It On Home To Me 7. Boom Boom 8. Monterey 9. San Franciscan Nights 10. When I Was Young |
Bonus
cuts:
I'm
Crying / See See Rider /
Help Me Girl / Sky Pilot, Parts 1-2
/ Baby Let Me Take You Home / Inside
Looking Out / Good Times
Comments:
Next to The Rolling Stones,
The Animals have been considered to be the best R&B-based band to
emerge from the British Invasion. Formed in Newcastle, England in 1964,
The Animals, with their raw, gritty blues/rock sound, were a hit almost
overnight. Featuring singer Eric Burdon on lead vocals, the band's first
single "Baby Let Me Take You Home" reached #21 on the British
charts, but it was their second release "House of the Rising Sun"
that blew the band wide open. Featuring the classic guitar riff by Hilton
Valentine, "House of the Rising Sun" has gone on to become one
of the greatest rock and roll records of all time. Over the course of
the next 2 years, The Animals went on to have a string of successful top
10 hits, the final being "Don't Bring Me Down" in 1966. The
original Animals split, but after relocating to San Francisco, Eric Burdon
regrouped the band with new musicians and ventured in a new musical direction,
having several more successful chart singles. In 1969 however, Burdon
decided to disband the group to become a member of the Los Angeles-based
soul band War, after which he went on to pursue a solo career. The original
Animals regrouped in 1976 to record "Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted",
an excellent album of rock, soul, and blues, which saw the band picking
up where they left off in 1966.
Tracks compiled by Brian McAlley / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. Rock Steady 2. Shooting Star 3. Live For The Music 4. Burnin' Sky 5. Bad Company 6. Simple Man 7. Rock and Roll Fantasy 8. Ready For Love 9. Seagull 10. Feel Like Makin' Love |
Bonus
cuts:
Movin' On / Pretty Woman
/ Silver Blue And Gold / Can't Get
Enough / Good Lovin' Gone Bad
/ Holy Water / Run With The Pack
/ Little Martha / Company Of Strangers
/ Hey Hey /
Dangerous Age
Comments:
Bad Company was always
the picture perfect classic rock band. A genuine singer with an extreme
amount of raw talent, a rhythm section that consistently laid down a
rock solid foundation, and a knack for writing great sing-along anthems
and heartfelt lyrics. They had it all. So, when the band lost its' "genuine
singer" and his "raw talent", things were expected to
go south in a hurry; but they really didn't. Original Bad Company singer
Paul Rodgers is one of the most talented singers in the business, and
one of my personal favorites. I would confidently say that the Bad Company
records with Rodgers as vocalist are the band's best efforts. But, when
the band hired Brian Howe to take over singing duties, the material
was not horrible. Howe wasn't nearly as talented as Rodgers, but he
gave the band a fresh, new sound. The songs weren't great, but they
weren't horrible either. In 1995, the band took in another singer by
the name of Robert Hart, and let me tell you, this guy had a set of
pipes! If you close your eyes and listen to this guy, you would swear
on the life of your wife it was Paul Rodgers. Hart did an amazing job
on the "Company Of Strangers" record, which I feel is one
of the strongest albums in the Bad Company catalog. Although I did not
choose any of the songs from "Company Of Strangers" for the
Top 10, you could put just about anything from that record at number
11 and I wouldn't argue it.
Any longtime fan of this band is going to tell you that the self-titled
debut is where it's at. The heart of Bad Company lies within that first
record. I pulled four tracks from the record, and placed them on the
list above. Before every fan drives the first nail into my palm, let
me explain my omission of "Can't Get Enough". Let me first
say, I love the song. Secondly though, I must say that I've heard it
a bit too much in my lifetime. Almost every time I flip to a classic
rock station, I hear "Can't Get Enough". I guess, to put it
in simple terms, I got enough. With songs like "Rock Steady",
"Ready For Love", and the eponymous "Bad Company",
there were plenty of other rockers to choose from there. The other track
I yanked off of that debut was the delicate and soaring "Seagull",
which is a truly amazing ballad. The story of Johnny the schoolboy,
and his hardships in the world of rock excess landed at number two on
the list. "Shooting Star" is a beautifully crafted rock song,
with meaningful lyrics and a rousing chorus. Between this, and the band's
hard driving classic "Feel Like Makin' Love", their "Straight
Shooter" LP is adequately represented here. Another classic album,
"Run With The Pack", is represented with the explosiveness
of "Live For The Music", and the powerful eloquence of "Simple
Man", which just might be Rodgers greatest performance. The two
records in the Bad Company catalog that I think are inferior to the
rest would have to be "Desolation Angels" and "Burnin'
Sky", but even those two are represented here with two excellent
songs. The title cut from "Burnin' Sky" is one that still
gives me chills, and "Rock And Roll Fantasy" from "Desolation
Angels" still rocks me to my core.
For someone who is just being introduced to Bad Company, go get the
first record, and then start to explore. For the casual Bad Co listener,
get your hands on this list. You might not be so "casual"
after hearing these songs. And for the die-hard fan of the band - I
know you love "Desolation Angels" and "Burnin' Sky",
and I also know that "Can't Get Enough" is the band's "defining
moment." So, go ahead and start driving those nails, I can take
it.
Tracks compiled by Scott "Dr. Music" Itter / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. I Wanna Conquer The World 2. You Are The Government 3. We're Only Gonna Die of Our Own Arrogance 4. Hooray For Me 5. Stranger Than Fiction 6. Billy 7. You 8. Kerosene 9. Drunk Sincerity 10. No Control |
Bonus
cuts:
Fuck
Armageddon . . . This Is Hell, The World Won't Stop Without You, Suffer,
and pretty much everything else from 1980-1994 when founding member, lead
guitarist and 50% of the band's songwriting nucleus Brett Gurewitz left
the band. They had good stuff after that, but it wasn't as consistent.
Comments:
Newsflash
for those of you that gave up on B.R. after Mr. Brett's departure . .
. after three Brett-less albums in the late nineties and early 2000's,
Bad Religion welcomed Gurewitz back into the band, and have since recorded
two albums, The Process of Belief and The Empire Strikes First, with Brett,
Brian Baker (his replacement) and Greg Hetson (the band's other long time
guitar player) in a unique three guitar line-up.
Tracks compiled by Mike D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
 TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. The Weight 2. The Shape I'm In 3. Up On Cripple Creek 4. It Makes No Difference 5. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down 6. Acadian Driftwood 7. Life Is A Carnival 8. Tears of Rage 9. Rag Mama Rag 10. Chest Fever Photo: Elliot Landy |
Bonus
cuts:
Atlantic
City /
I Shall Be
Released /
King Harvest
/
Stage Fright
/
When I Paint
My Masterpiece /
DVD of the
concert film The Last Waltz (a must for every serious collection)
Comments:
'The
Weight' is probably The Band's best known tune, but if you really really
want to know what this group is all about listen to Rick Danko's emotionally
charged vocal on 'It Makes No Difference' from the LP 'Northern Lights
-Southern Cross.' No other group in history made records like that. That's
what the Band is all about. By the way, Robbie Robertson wrote both tunes.
The final line up of Levon Helm & the Hawks; Helm, Robertson, Danko,
Garth Hudson, and Richard Manuel were the guys who became The Band.
They spent years on the road mastering their craft as a back-up band for
rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins. Then Bob Dylan picked them to be his
group for his first electric tour. (Check out Dylan's Royal Albert Hall
concert from 1966).
Dylan
and the group ended up in Woodstock, N.Y. and spent a lot of time in a
rented house that became known as Big Pink. 'The Basement Tapes' album
was a collection of demos they recorded with Dylan in that house, and
The Band's first album was titled 'Music From Big Pink.' ('Tears Of Rage'
from that collection was co-written by Richard Manuel and Dylan).
Robertson is an amazing songwriter and his songs helped to define the
Band's sound with tunes like 'The Weight,' 'Up On Cripple Creek' and 'The
Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.' After the release of their first two
albums the group became superstars. Any and every Band album, including
'Cahoots,' 'Stage Fright,' 'Moondog Matinee,' and all the rest, are classics.
They hold up extremely well and each one contains gems.
The album and DVD, 'The Last Waltz,' documents the last concert by the
original line up along with many guest stars including Joni Mitchell,
Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, and Dylan. Several members reunited in the
early 80's and recorded under the Band name. (Springsteen's 'Atlantic
City' is a standout cut), but Richard Manual committed suicide, and a
few years later Rick Danko died.
Every rock fan knows the Band, they were big, very big, but as the years
roll on their music shines on brighter and brighter. The Band belongs
in rock's hierarchy with The Stones, and Beatles. (Dylan knew) they are
that good, and in the long run may be, arguably, the best of the best.
Tracks compiled by Ray D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
 TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. God Only Knows 2. California Girls 3. Good Vibrations 4. Surf's Up 5. Long Promised Road 6. Wouldn't It Be Nice 7. Don't Worry Baby 8. Help Me Rhonda 9. I Get Around 10. Fun, Fun, Fun |
Bonus
cuts:
Sail
On Sailor / Marcella /
In My Room / All Summer Long /
Sloop John B / Add Some Music To Your
Day / This Whole World /
Forever / Feel Flows
/ Cool Cool Water / You Need A Mess
Of Help To Stand Alone
Comments:
Compiling a list of the best
Beach Boys cuts is almost an impossible task given the enormous amount
of quality material the band has recorded over the years. Under the leadership
of Brian Wilson, the band rode the wave of popularity from 1964 to 1966,
but under increasing pressure from record company executives to keep producing
hit records, Brian succumbed to their demands. Suffering from nervous
exhaustion, he decided to quit touring and stay at home to concentrate
on the creation of their music. The band continued on however, but their
popularity began to suffer due to changing times and a shift in musical
taste. Surviving the upheaval of the 60s, The Beach Boys weathered the
cultural storm and triumphantly emerged years later as "America's
Band". Their remarkable catalogue of recorded works is one to marvel
at and is one that will definitely withstand the test of time.
Tracks compiled by Brian McAlley / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. So Whatcha Want 2. Fight For Your Right 3. Hey Ladies 4. No Sleep Til Brooklyn 5. Professor Booty 6. Shake Your Rump 7. Johnny Ryall 8. Flute Loop 9. An Open Letter to NYC 10. Intergalactic |
Bonus
cuts:
The
thing that has always appealed to me about the Beastie Boys is the way
they seamlessly blend different types of music together. Looking through
their albums, one finds hip-hop, punk, funk, Tibetan prayer, country,
and a slew of interesting instrumentals. The instrumentals were compiled
and released together on an album called The In Sound From Way Out. This
is a great way to enjoy the band if the back and forth yelling of "fight
for your right to party!" makes you want to do anything but.
Comments:
In the vein of historically
interesting but pretty piss poor musically, you may want to check out
the album Some Old Bullshit. The disc is a collection of, well of old
bullshit that the boys recorded before they're classic debut album Licensed
to Ill. There's a lot on here from when the boys fancied themselves a
hardcore punk act rather than a group of hip-hop pioneers. "Cookie
Puss" the song that answers the question, what would happen if we
just set a prank phone call to a beat, is the highlight of the disc...
"YO lemme talk to cookie puss!" In the vein of just plain cool,
check out the two DVD Beastie Boys Video Anthology released a few years
back by the good folks at Criterion. The set contains most of the guys'
videos, the old ones you really really want like Fight For Your Right
are not included because the band are now "embarrassed" by their
disrespectful attitudes back then (yes, that is as lame as it sounds).but
cooler than the videos themselves are the scores of ways you can watch
them. There are tons of remixes and acapella versions of the included
songs and you can watch each video with any version of the appropriate
track!
Tracks compiled by Mike D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. I Saw Her Standing There 2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (LP) 3. Yesterday 4. The Beatles (aka The White Album) 5. I Am The Walrus 6. Help 7. Let It Be 8. That Boy 9. Hey Jude 10. Abbey Road (LP) |
Bonus
cuts:
Eleanor Rigby / And I Love Her
/ Penny Lane / A Hard Days Night
/ Strawberry Fields Forever / Honey
Don't / All You Need Is Love /
We Can Work It Out / Free As A Bird
/ 8 Days A Week / Revolver (LP)
/ Magical Mystery Tour / Can't Buy
Me Love / Norwegian Wood
/ Mr. Moonlight / You've Got To Hide
Your Love Away / I Don't Want To Spoil The
Party / She's A Woman
/ Yellow Submarine / And if that's
not enough you may want to check out everything else they ever recorded.
Comments:
It's impossible to reduce The Beatles incredible body of work to this
or any other limited format. If you disagree or feel a particular favorite
has been omitted you are right. The Beatles are a very personal experience
and we can all enjoy our own magical mystery mix.
Some
insights into my selections:
1.
I Saw Her Standing There – A perfect example of their early mid-60's
days when their music was first released to the black and white post-JFK
assassination world. Their originals, She Loves You, Love Me Do, and the
R&B covers, Twist And Shout, Long Tall Sally were all part of the
excitement of early Beatlemania. In this tune when Paul sang, "She
was just seventeen, you know what I mean," and it was the first time
a rock star broke the fourth wall, winked at us, and indicated that we
were all in this together. From that moment on the world was divided into
those who knew what he meant and those who didn't.
2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
– The apogee of 60's rock, arguably the finest rock album start to
finish. Simply put, they upped the ante and changed rock forever. Even
the cover changed album art forever. Printed lyrics? Not until this one.
"I'd love to turn you on," explains it all.
3. Yesterday – There were only two Beatles
working on this cut. Paul McCartney singing and playing acoustic guitar,
and the only real fifth Beatle, producer George Martin who added the string
quartet. How does a 20 something McCartney come up with a lyric only a
60-year-old could possibly conceive? Genius, pure and simple.
4. The Beatles – Known as The White
Album. This was the first sign of what the lad's solo work would sound
like since basically they all brought in the stuff they wrote individually.
Eric Clapton becomes the first non-Beatle guest star on George Harrison's
While My Guitar Gently Weeps, a tune that stands up to any Lennon/McCartney
composition.
5. I Am The Walrus – Where John takes
everything accomplished on Pepper and condenses it to a single track.
The Egg Man, by the way, is Eric Burdon.
6. Help –
One of the great Beatle rockers featuring their unique harmonies. Now
it's John's turn to be wiser beyond his years. When he was young he never
needed help. Now "I've changed my mind. I've opened up the doors"
and "I do appreciate you bein' 'round." He was teaching us major
life lessons years before most of us understood his message.
7. Let It Be
– McCartney the guru with advice that really works if you let it.
"There will be an answer…let it be." He wasn't fond of
Phil Spector's lush production, but a Beatles-Spector collaboration had
to be. This is a perfect record.
8. That Boy
– Features John Lennon's most passionate and greatest vocal
performance, including his post Beatles work.
9. Hey Jude – How do you follow Sgt.
Pepper? With an amazing and long single. We spent that summer trying to
figure out what it was about. Turned out it was about a classic Beatles
single.
10.
Abbey Road
– If an extraterrestrial landed and I could only play her one thing
to explain The Beatles it would be this album. Come Together, George's
Something, the medley…it is a sampler of all the things they do best…"and
in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make."
Tracks compiled by Ray D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. Rock & Roll Music 2. Roll Over Beethoven 3. Johnny B. Goode 4. Reelin' and Rockin' 5. No Particular Place to Go 6. Maybellene 7. School Days 8. Sweet Little Sixteen 9. Around and Around 10. You Can't Catch Me |
Bonus
cuts:
Brown
Eyed Handsome Man / Too Much Monkey Business
/ Beautiful Delilah /
Carol / Memphis /
Sweet Little Rock & Roller / Little Queenie
/ Almost Grown /
Back in the U.S.A. / Let It Rock /
Down the Road a Piece / Nadine
Comments:
Chuck Berry is arguably the
single most important artist in the development of rock and roll. Born
on
October 26, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, Charles
Edward Anderson Berry developed an interest in music at an early age,
and in 1954, formed the Chuck Berry Trio and began writing his own songs.
After a conversation with his idol, Muddy Waters, it was suggested that
he approach Leonard Chess, the head of Chess Records in Chicago who, after
hearing Berry's demo tape, was particularly interested in a song called
Ida Red. Chess scheduled a recording session for Berry and on May 21,
1955, rock and roll history was born when the name of the song was changed
to Maybellene. The record was a huge success and was the first rock and
roll recording to appeal to both black and white audiences alike. Maybellene
was the first of many Top 10 singles for Berry over the next few years,
and just when his own star was beginning to fade, his music reemerged
once again becoming a major influence on The Beatles, The Rolling Stones,
The Beach Boys and many others. Chuck Berry will always have the distinction
of being known as one of the great innovators of rock and roll, and as
John Lennon once said' "If you were going to give rock & roll
another name, you might as well call it 'Chuck Berry'."
Tracks compiled by Mildred Brisbane / Back to index
 |
 TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. My War 2. Nervous Breakdown 3. Beat My Head Against the Wall 4. Rise Above 5. TV Party 6. Fix Me 7. Can't Decide 8. Black Coffee 9. Wasted 10. Six Pack |
Bonus
cuts:
A few
years ago, Henry Rollins organized a benefit cd called 24 Black Flag Songs
to Benefit the West Memphis Three. The disc was made up entirely of new
recordings of classic Black Flag songs. The band for all of these new
songs was the Rollins Band. However the vocalists varied from track to
track and included Black Flag alumni Kira Roessler, Chuck Dukowski, Keith
Morris and Henry himself as well as Tim & Lars from Rancid, Iggy Pop,
Ice-T, Lemmy from Motorhead, Exene Cervenka from X and many others. The
disc is great, and if you dig it as much as I do you may be interested
in Henry's book, Broken Summers, which is essentially his journals from
the time spent recording the album and on the subsequent tour.
Comments:
While Henry Rollins is probably
the most well known Black Flag singer, he was actually the fourth guy
to hold the job. An essential but often overlooked Black Flag disc, right
up there with the My War and Damaged albums, is the compilation The First
Four Years, which contains most of the band's pre-Rollins era music, including
four tracks with lead vocals by future Circle Jerks frontman Keith Morris.
Also, for an amazing read and tons of insight into Black Flag, check out
Rollins' award winning book, Get In The Van: On the Road with Black Flag.
The book, like most of Henry's literary output, is made up of his journal
entries from his time in the band, but it also features dozens of incredible
photographs of the legendary group covering many of it's various line-ups.
Tracks compiled by Mike D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. Black Sabbath 2. WASP/Behind The Wall Of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B. 3. War Pigs/Luke's Wall 4. Heaven And Hell 5. Symptom Of The Universe 6. Sweet Leaf 7. The Wizard 8. Iron Man 9. Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath 10. Children Of The Grave |
Bonus
cuts:
Paranoid / Sabbra Cadabra /
Neon Knights / Fairies Wear Boots
/ Snowblind / Into The Void /
Junior's Eyes / Children Of The Sea
/ Never Say Die / The Mob Rules
Comments:
Some things in life are just not fair. Picking only ten tracks from the
greatest band to ever exist is just cruel. Yes, I am a huge Sabbath fan.
If I had to pick a favorite band of all time, this is the one. Sabbath
invented heavy metal. The gloom and doom, the Satanic lyrics, the ominous
bombast of sound; this is metal at its finest. Black Sabbath released
their debut album in the midst of a "peace and love" movement,
and at a time when little yellow happy faces were everywhere. They took
"peace and love" to the opposite end of the spectrum and delivered
"war and hate" to the masses. Every little happy face started
to weep as Sabbath pissed on the "peace parade." With the lyrics
of the song Black Sabbath preaching "Big black shape with eyes of
fire, Telling people their desire, Satan's sitting there he's smiling,
Watches those flames get higher and higher," it was like listening
to a horror movie musical. With the sound of falling rain, and Ozzy Osbourne's
deep pleading of "Oh no, please God help me," this is the definitive
Sabbath song. I remember hearing Iron Man for the first time, and feeling
like I was worshipping Satan just by listening. I felt like this band
were direct representatives of the devil. They were evil, I just knew
it. Nobody could write songs like Children Of The Grave or War Pigs and
be of this Earth. Every Sabbath song early on resonated with angst, fear,
and intensity. It wasn't until the Technical Ecstasy release in '76 that
Sabbath started to falter.
Although,
the follow-up to the Technical Ecstasy record, 1978's Never Say Die!,
had a few keepers - these last two records with the original lineup are
far inferior than anything prior. Sabbath went through lineup after lineup,
with guitarist Tony Iommi frequently the only original member, never really
hitting the mark. Great vocalists like Glenn Hughes, Ian Gillan, and Ray
Gillen came and went, but nobody could capture that magic that Ozzy had
brought to the band . . . except, possibly, Ronnie James Dio. Two of the
three records released with Dio are superb. Heaven And Hell and The Mob
Rules are great records. The Dehumanizer album with Dio, that came years
after Heaven And Hell and The Mob Rules, is far inferior to those first
two; but Dio was, by far, the closest the band had come to recapturing
the glory days they had with Ozzy. As you will notice, I have left the
ever popular Sabbath classic Paranoid off the list. We all know this is
a great song. We also know that it is overplayed on radio. And, at least
I know, that I skip over it when listening to the album of the same name.
Sabbath had so many great songs, don't waste your time with one you can
hear every three minutes on the radio. In exchange, listen to the brilliant
vocals of Symptom Of The Universe or Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath, the sledgehammer
riffing of Sweet Leaf, or the thunderous rhythm section of Children Of
The Grave. You won't regret it, believe me.
Arguably,
there has never been a more influential force in music history, except
possibly The Beatles, than Black Sabbath. Every single Hard Rock/Metal
artist will tell you, if there was no Sabbath, there would be no Heavy
Metal. They truly are the Godfathers of Metal, and a band that revolutionized
music forever.
Tracks compiled by Scott "Dr. Music" Itter / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. Change 2. Tones of Home 3. No Rain 4. Soup 5. Life Ain't So Shitty 6. All That I Need 7. Galaxie 8. Hell 9. Vernie 10. Lemonade |
Bonus
cuts:
The
song "Soup" on the above list, appears on the album Nico, a
collection of unfinished and demo tracks released after vocalist Shannon
Hoon's untimely death in 1995. The song's first official release however
was on a compilation of tracks recorded live at Woodstock 94. The Woodstock
version is amazing, and is a must have for all Blind Melon fans. Another
great bonus cut is the opening tune on Nico, a cover of Steppenwolf's
"The Pusher".
Comments:
In 1991, a full year before
Blind Melon soared into the charts with the their song "No Rain",
singer Shannon Hoon hooked up with an old friend of his sister's from
back in Indiana..W. Axl Rose. Shannon joined Guns N Roses in the studio
and added backing vocals to many cuts from their epic double album Use
Your Illusion I & II. One of the tunes Hoon sings on is the hit single,
"Don't Cry". Shannon can even be seen in the video for the song.
Tracks compiled by Mike D'Ariano / Back to index
 |
TOP 10 TRACKS: 1. Foreplay/Long Time 2. More Than A Feeling 3. Don't Look Back 4. Feelin' Satisfied 5. Peace of Mind 6. Smokin' 7. Rock & Roll Band 8. Hitch A Ride 9. Dreams* 10. Cool The Engines |
Bonus
cuts:
Party / Amanda /
We're Ready /
I Think I Like It /
Cant'cha Say (You Believe In Me) /
I Need Your Love /
Hard Luck* /
What's A Fella To Do?* /
Mean Woman Blues*
* Denotes a selection from the "Barry Goudreau" album
Comments:
If you think that guitarist and engineering genius Tom Scholz is the only
member of Boston that matters, this article is not for you. Yes, the MIT
grad that patented 24 electronic and mechanical designs and sold them
all to Dunlop Manufacturing in 1995 is definitely the brains of the outfit,
but it took a lot more than Scholz to make the booming sonic blast that
became Boston. Now, if you think I am going to sing the praises of vocalist
Brad Delp and tell you that he was the "other half" of Boston,
it's now your turn to hit the door. Brad Delp was also a major force to
the sound that was created by the band, but it was the other guitar player,
Barry Goudreau, that I want to focus on here. You see, it was Barry's
band back in 1969 when they cut their earliest demo tapes. Goudreau played
all of the rhythm and lead guitar parts, Delp sang, and Scholz played
keys. Boston was formed out of Goudreau's college band, Mother's Milk,
when Scholz signed on as the keyboard player. It wasn't until a second
set of demos was re-recorded and re-worked by Scholz, who had now become
proficient on guitar, that the band started to attract attention from
Epic Records. But it was Barry that composed and performed the lead guitar
work on the list topper, "Foreplay/Long Time." It would be Barry
doing the same for "Don't Look Back" as well. It is Barry Goudreau
that is the root of the complex Boston family tree, and I will prove it
to you.
In
late 1979, Scholz became involved in legal and contractual battles with
the band's manager, and later on, with CBS. Because of the situation that
had unfolded, he informed the other members of the band that he would
not be working on Boston material for at least a year and that they should
feel free to do solo projects. So, in 1980, Goudreau released "Barry
Goudreau" for Epic. He had Boston drummer Sib Hashian with him, and
he had Boston singer Brad Delp recording with him as well. Epic started
to promote the record as if it was a Boston record, and by golly, why
shouldn't they?! You would never know that Scholz was at home watching
soaps. This record – for all practical and unpractical purposes –
is a Boston record. The album contains "Dreams," which got some
early airplay. Ultimately, Scholz got his undies in a bunch about the
promotion of the record, and threatened to withhold the third Boston album,
which he had now written, if Epic did not cease all support of Goudreau's
solo LP. The label abided by Scholz harsh threat, and Goudreau's solo
album was put to death. Scholz would ultimately ask Goudreau to leave
the band in 1980, and Goudreau would never return.
Goudreau
would form another band in 1984 called Orion The Hunter. This time Brad
Delp would co-write 5 songs on the album and sing backing vocals only.
Singer Fran Cosmo, who sang lead on the first solo LP, and ironically
would become Boston's lead vocalist in 1990 when Delp would leave to join
Goudreau's RTZ project, would return to do all of the lead vocals on the
Orion album. The album yielded a great hit called "So You Ran."
In 1990, Goudreau formed RTZ with Delp, and they have recorded as Delp
And Goudreau since that time also. It is said that Goudreau, Delp, Hashian,
and original bassist Fran Sheehan can be found playing small clubs in
the greater Boston area to this very day.
Now
that that's out of the way, let's talk about the greatest debut record
in the history of rock and roll. The Boston debut record was far ahead
of its time in 1976 and it still sounds like we haven't caught up to it.
I hate to focus these lists around any one album. I usually like to draw
many different time periods and aspects of a particular artist when I
do these lists - but Boston's debut record is definitely where it's at.
With six of the eight songs on the album making the list here, it was
still very difficult to leave the other two off. Boston's second album,
"Don't Look Back," is not nearly as dynamic as the first, but
there are three excellent songs to be had ("Party," "Feelin'
Satisfied," and the title cut). "Third Stage" is much better
than that with quite a few memorable moments ("Amanda," "We're
Ready," "Cool The Engines," "Cant'cha Say (You Believe
In Me) / Still In Love," "I Think I Like It"). Future releases,
"Walk On" and "Corporate America" would prove to be
extremely inferior to anything previous, with nothing really worth mentioning
except possibly "I Need Your Love" from "Walk On."
Boston
will always be known for their incredible debut and their "sound."
I think it's just a matter of opinion as to where that "sound"
comes from. Personally, I think the best formation of Boston was, of course,
the lineup for the first two records. With Goudreau and Scholz having
finally spoken to each other after some twenty years of bitter silence,
who's to say that we won't see that lineup again sometime in the future?
Tracks compiled by Scott "Dr. Music" Itter / Back to index
