Category: Music

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A Bit of What You Fancy – The Quireboys

At sometime in the sixth form someone saw The Quireboys support another band. That’s all the memory I have about why I would know this band. I bought this album on vinyl and I would classify it as good old fashioned British pub rock and roll. This album is well worth a listen. I like the melodies and the singing. This is definitely a summer album. I can imagine playing this in the garden with the sun glaring down and saturating the whole village in glorious shine.

I listened to this album so much in my formative years that I think all the songs are ingrained. My favourites are:

  • 7 O’clock
  • Sex Party
  • Long Time Comin’

This was a great purchase.

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Biohazard – Biohazard

You go through life aware of some bands who really influenced other bands or perhaps they were there at the beginning. Then, you hear a collaboration song by that artist and think, hey, that’ll be good.

It’s ok. I’ve listened to it twice. Probably won’t listen to it again. Not fussed by it.

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Bind, Torture, Kill – Suicide Commando

If it is screwed up dance music with a twisted feel then this is the right place to come. Part of my journey into aggrotech, this album was the first Suicide Commando album I downloaded. It’s really good. All the songs have a great beat and excellent melodies. Some might find the content and vocals a little distressing but then perhaps that is what some art is about.

Much like some comedians try to “push” the boundaries and you sometimes find yourself laughing at things you find repulsive I think it’s like that for all art. There are those who like to think they are pushing the boundaries of taste and I guess they do. If you can cause a bit of controversy and get people talking then you have done your job. Can I often see what these people are trying to do? Yes. Do I find it bothersome? Sometimes but then that’s the point isn’t it? I also recognise it for what it is, people trying to shock. I used to think that I didn’t really have limits, but it might be an age thing or it might be that I do have limits but never really recognised them before.

I saw a band recently, Sheep On Drugs, they were ok, but they were also trying to be arty. They burnt paper with words printed on it and also ripped their t-shirts off. The female member of the group had black tape over her nipples and then sprayed black paint on her torso. Did I find it interesting? Not really, more a curiosity. What was she trying to say? Was I shocked? No, not really. Having read the transcripts of the of the COUM TRANSMISSIONS [and they did it 30 years ago!] I don’t often find lightweight stuff like this shocking.

Anyway, back to the music. I like this album. It’s good. It also falls into the category of new and my poor memory doesn’t bring the songs into my head from a list of titles but when I hear them I recognise them. Perhaps that is a problem with listening to things while I run. I can’t see the artist, what the song is called or the cover work. Years ago, I would listen while thoroughly reading and taking in the album artwork. not anymore.

Hey, I like this. OK?

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Big Sexyland – Revolting Cocks

The continuance of the transformation started by such electronica bands as Throbbing Gristle. The Revolting Cocks took samples and an industrial sound a little further and produced an album of lovely political songs that challenge perceptions of music.

Personal highlights:

  • 38
  • Union Carbide
  • No Devotion

This band led into Ministry, Nine Inch Nails and todays shouty metal. It’s very good.

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Best of Trust – Trust

So, there’s a band called Anthrax who did a song called Anti-Social. Then after a few years of listening to it I found out it was a cover version by a band called Trust. This was about 1989. Did I try and find out about Trust? No. I left it another 20 years before thinking about it.

So, I saw a band called Treponem Pal and while investigating them I find out about a band called Trust who are connected to them. So, I decide, I will download the “Best of”.

It’s in French because they are a French band. That seems fair enough. Also, they are connected to early AC/DC and Iron Maiden. That’s enough for me.

“Anti-Social” is an awesome song. Anthrax made it their own but the Trust version is better. The French language makes it all the better.

“Police Milice” – great.

“Le Mitard” – with quotations from Jacques Mesrine.

Les Brutes – about oppressive regimes.

So, this is a band with a NWOBHM sound and political lyrics and themes. Brilliant. Oh, don’t forget the cover of “Ride On” by AC/DC. It’s all brilliant.

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Best of Michael Schenker – Michael Schenker

I bought this on CD as I had a gatefold album on vinyl also called the best of Michael Schenker. Michael is the brother of Rudi who is one of the guitarists in the Scorpions and Michael played with them for a while but he’s also played with UFO and MSG. I really like the sound of 70s rock and this has lots of that. The riffs are really good and the songs are well written.

My highlights are:

  • Armed and Ready
  • Are You Ready to Rock
  • Attack of the Mad Axeman

It’s all real proper disco rock and very much a summer album. There’s something about the guitar sound which is lovely. It has that under-produced sound, probably due to the equipment of those days. Much like black and white movies tell us that the world only got colour after the second world war, we only got good sound for music during the 1980s. Mind you, most of the music produced in the 80s was rubbish!

Also, Michael is a blue-eyed German blond. He’s a good poster boy for rock music.

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The Best Of The Doors – The Doors

I’m pretty sure that albums by The Doors are bought because people think they should own them rather than want to own them. I’ve got LA Woman on vinyl and this on CD. I think that, along with The Beatles, they are over-rated.

It’s something I might play every couple of years when I’m sitting in the garden and it’s sunny. It’s just not me, but I can’t bring myself to delete it. Why?

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The Best Of Great White – Great White

I bought this when I was going through my 80s rock revival. I saw them once and I really appreciate the cover to the “Hooked” album which I have as a picture disk.
I think this album is ok. I’ve not deleted it from my phone but I don’t play it a great deal. It’s too easy listening! Not a lot else to say, it’s alright.

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The Best Of Diamond Head – Diamond Head

Diamond Head are one of the bands that influenced Metallica and that is how I became aware of them. I’m slightly too young for NWOBHM to have affected me directly but its sound is one that I find base. It affects me greatly and hits my emotions in all the right spots.
“Am I Evil” recorded by Metallica was on a tape I had and eventually I found out it was written and first recorded by Diamond Head. When I bought this I wanted the original versions of “Evil”, “Helpless” and “It’s Electric” which Megadeth used to play live. This album is great. I find all the songs enjoyable. Bizarrely this is another album that I consider easy enough listening to play to non-metal fans. Along with Audioslave this is, for me, easy listening.
I saw Diamond Head play with The Almighty, Megadeth and Metallica at the Milton Keynes bowl in 1992. It was a great concert for it was the first time Megadeth and Metallica had played on the same bill since Dave left Metallica. Diamond Head opened the concert and lots of the crowd obviously weren’t aware that “Evil” is not a Metallica original. Many of them rushed foward shouting Metallica. Idiots.

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The Best Of Budgie – Budgie

Garage Days Revisited. Breadfan. Loud, Metallica, crashing symbols and a great quiet centre part. What? It’s not written by them? Who else could have come up with such a wondrous song?

BUDGIE

A three piece band from South Wales. This is 70s rock at its greatest. Music for any season and intellectually written. I’m amazed at it each time I listen to it.

“Breadfan”, “In The Grip Of A Tyrefitter’s Hand” and “Napoleon Bona Part I&II” stand out but this is essentially a great album. It is the best of! I have another of theirs on vinyl but I don’t think I’ve ever played it. I just like looking at the cover. The production sounds a little tinny but then it was a while ago. Just listen to the musical masterpiece. It’s great.

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Best Of – Yngwie Malmsteen

Yngwie J Malmsteen

Why do I know this man’s work? Who got me into this stuff? I’m pretty sure that Andy Smith saw Yngwie play a concert and I didn’t go. Somewhere along the way I ended up with a couple of his songs on tape or heard them while at friends houses.

Eventually I bought a live album by the man. This was not that one.

Sometime later I downloaded a Best Album so that I had some studio versions of his work. I doubt that I’ve listened to it all the way through, in fact none of the song titles scream out at me.

Oh well. The guy is an awesome guitarist and I saw him play at Shepherd’s Bush. It was a good gig. Different, but good.

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Beast From The East – Dokken

Mark Hodges persuaded me to buy this album shortly after my sixteenth or seventeenth birthday. I had some record vouchers and wanted new vinyl. I’d only been into decent music for a short while and so it was important to make the correct choices.

This is a gatefold live album recorded in Japan. The cover illustration is a picture of a whole back tattoo. I really like the sound of a four piece band when the guitar does a solo. I like hearing the rhythm section keep the beat going while the guitarist just goes off on one. The sound of this album is perfect.

When I bought this on CD it didn’t come with my favourite song, “Sleepless Nights” and I’m a bit annoyed about that. For the last twenty five years the middle section of that song has stuck in my brain. George Lynch’s guitar makes an awesome screeching sound and it has sent shivers down my spine since around 1988.

My highlights on this album are:

  • Unchain The Night
  • Kiss Of Death
  • Mr Scary
  • It’s Not Love

Mr O would say this is an album of pure cockrock and he wouldn’t be wrong. The 1980s produced some great sounding bands and I’ve spent quite a bit of time and money buying proper versions of the albums friends had taped for me.

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Batman – Prince

I went to see the film Batman [the Tim Burton version] with Alan Barnett when it came out. He thought it was great but I was somewhat underwhelmed. I think I had expected a rather realistic film rather than the dark and glossy beast that Burton produced. Also, I didn’t like the helicopters at the end, can’t remember why, I just remember I didn’t like them. I have had similar problems with most superhero films, they don’t seem to work. Mind you, I will now say that I really liked the original [Burton] Batman as I dislike the recent versions even more, they are over hyped and I just don’t find them interesting.

At this time SJR was into Prince and I had listened to a few of the albums and taped some also. Lovesexy and Sign O The Times. I bought this album on CD and I’m pretty sure it came in a rather nifty tin case with the Batman logo on it.

The songs are really good. It has a certain funk and style that I associate with Prince and it’s good summer music. “The Future” and “Batdance” stand out to me.

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Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell – Meat Loaf

This was the return of Meat Loaf. I’m pretty sure that after having one of the all time greatest selling albums he ended up skint, although I would imagine that Jim Steinbeck who actually wrote the songs is rather well off. I could be wrong on this matter and I can’t be bothered to check.

“I’d do anything . . . . “ was the main single released from this album and it’s a good song but it was over played in the 90s. I can’t remember another song from this album. It probably plays well though. I imagine 50 year old men driving their Rovers listening to this, or the presenters of Top Gear.

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Bat Out Of Hell – Meat Loaf

In the fourth year at school I used to quiz Michael Francis about a band I knew called Bachman-Turner Overdrive. He did seem aware of them and their one main hit which is also one of their worst songs! The reason I would quiz him is that he was the music guru. Every class must have one and he was ours. He regularly bought NME and we would look at the charts and wonder at the music. I hadn’t really reached my musical maturity. Anyway, I can remember seeing an album in the charts that had been in the charts for nearly 10 years! This always struck me as an administrative error. What sort of music would stay popular for that long? The answer is, of course, Bat Out Of Hell.

I can’t remember when I bought this, but I did get it on music cassette. After 1995 I lost the cassette and I think I have finally figured out that I left it with RC. I didn’t mind too much but every now and then you need some operatic rock. The riff of the title song would play in my head and eventually I bought the CD version when digitising my collection.

Bat Out Of Hell – a song that is 9:50 long. It was always a good song to play at Imperial College Radio to give you some time to make a coffee and visit the gents! Not only that but it is a great song. I

really like the 70s sound of rock and this takes it to a whole new level. Operatic themes and ear crunching riffs. “Paradise” and “You took the words” are a couple of my favourites. The CD version I have includes the song “Dead Ringer For Love” which I am pretty sure isn’t on the original release. But every song here is a stunner. It’s retro and fantastic. Well worth listening to. Very much a summer album. Just had a closer look at my iPhone and I can see that I have the wrong artwork associated with this album. That’s something to change this evening!

I bet you say that to all the boys!

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Ballbreaker – AC/DC

There are some excellent and classic AC/DC but this album is not one of them. I could probably count the number of times I have played this using my thumbs! Hey, it’s still AC/DC and just what they always write. The video for “Cover You In Oil” is rather amusing.

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Backtracks – AC/DC

There’re two parts to this album. Live Rarities and Studio Rarities. I haven’t really played it much. I just bought it to make sure that I own the entire AC/DC collection. Which I don’t as I haven’t bought the album: Live At The River Plate.

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Back In Black – AC/DC

The first album recorded by AC/DC after Bon Scott died choking on his own vomit. A fitting title. One of the world’s highest selling albums and deservedly so. It’s hard to give enough praise for this collection of ten songs. I honestly am not sure what else I can write about this album. Oh, I know. When I first bought this on music cassette there was a production error on my copy which meant that the bells at the beginning of “Hells Bells” had an echo and so did much of the first few songs. For some reason I never took the tape back to be changed. I just put up with it.

“You Shook Me All Night Long” is my favourite song on this album. Great riff, great drums and great lyrics.

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