I Got The Music In Me - Part II

A continuation, enjoy.

ELTON JOHN

Elton John, or Reggie as his friends call him (probably not), has been churning out hit albums and songs for over 40 years.  If he's not the biggest selling artist ever, he's got to be close.  He started playing the piano at the age of three and could repeat songs by ear soon after.  He was enrolled into piano lessons at seven.  He began performing at school, pretending to be Jerry Lee Lewis.  He began playing in a nearby pub at 15 and formed his first band that same year.  In 1967, he answered an ad in a local magazine for musicians.  Bernie Taupin answered the same ad.  So started the most successful partnership in rock history, Elton John (a combination of saxophonist Elton Dean and piano man extraordinaire Long John Baldry) writing the music and Taupin providing the lyrics.

It was hard to decide on my favourite Elton John record, he's had so many great ones; Madman Across The Water, Honky Chateau, Captain Fantastic And The Dirt Brown Cowboy just to name three.  But Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is the one for me, and it has a lot to do with the very first song, lasting over eleven minutes, "Funeral For A Friend (Love Lies Bleeding)".  Such a fantastic arrangement that leads into a toe-tapping rocker.  "Candle In The Wind" was a beautiful homage to Marilyn Monroe (which turned into a beautiful homage to Princess Diana) that has been overplayed, but still great.  "Bennie And The Jets" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" are two more hits off the album.  It's a double album, too, so the great sounds keep coming.  The soulful "I've Seen That Movie Too", the risky "All The Young Girls Love Alice" and the phenomenal "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting".  Start to finish, just great!

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 30 (1969-2016)

Grammys: 5 (Best Pop Performance Group "That's What Friends Are For" - 1986)

                     (Best Instrumental, Other Than Jazz "Basque" - 1991)

                     (Best Male Pop Vocal "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" - 1994)

                     (Best Male Pop Vocal "Candle In The Wind 1997" - 1997)

                     (Best Musical Show Album "Aida" - 2000)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("Crocodile Rock" - 1973)

                                            ("Bennie And The Jets" - 1974)

                                            ("Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" - 1975)

                                            ("Island Girl" - 1975)

                                            ("Candle In The Wind 1997" - 1997)

ELVIS COSTELLO

Born Declan MacManus in London, Elvis Costello came by his musical talents from his father who played trumpet in a local jazz band.  In 1971, at the tender age of 17, he formed his first band.  A few years later he was in another band, and adopted part of his stage name.  He called himself D.P. Costello, a nod to his dad who would sometimes go by Day Costello.  When Costello signed his first record contract, his manager suggested he keep the last name Costello, to honour his father, but take Elvis Presley's first name.  Elvis Costello was born and almost immediately became an underground hit in his native U.K..  But it wasn't until Costello signed with Columbia Records that the U.S. would fall for him.

Costello's first album, My Aim Is True, is a great record containing hits like "Alison" and "Watching The Detectives", but he seemed to be more focused with his second album, the one I like best, Last Year's Model.  The frenetic punk-reggae songs on this album get you going, even if you're not a big fan.  "No Action", the first song, is pure Costello, fast and furious.  "The Beat" slows down the pace, showing off a more relaxed reggae feel.  Then, straight into "Pump It Up" that doesn't slow down for a second.  The wonderfully addictive "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" is just fantastic.  It all ends with "Radio Radio" which just makes you want to listen to it all again.  This was the first album that featured Costello's backing band, The Attractions, and the one I like best.

Band Stats 

Studio Albums:  24 (1977-2010)

Grammys:  1 (Best Pop Collaboration "I Still Have That Other Girl" - 1998)

Highest Charting Single:  19 ("Veronica" - 1989)

ERIC CLAPTON

Where would rocking Blues be without "Slowhand"?  Back in the '60's, he helped establish a new kind of Blues, an electric Blues, that was being perfected in his native England.  Not known to most, Eric Clapton is part Canadian!  It's true.  His father was a soldier from Montreal, stationed in Surrey, England during the second World War.  He was shipped off before Eric was born.  He got his first guitar when he was 13, but didn't start playing consistently until he was 15.  By the time he was 16 he was busking on the west side of Surrey.  By 18, in 1963, he was playing with The Yardbirds, Britain's number one Blues/Rock band.  He got his nickname while playing with The Yardbirds.  Whenever Clapton broke a guitar string on stage, he would sit and replace it while the audience waited, giving Clapton a "slow handclap".  He was given the nickname "Slowhand" as a result.  In 1965, Clapton left The Yardbirds to play with Blues aficionado John Mayall and his Bluesbreakers.  He stayed with Mayall for just one, very influential, album, leaving in July of 1966 (replaced by Peter Green, soon to be with Fleetwood Mac).  Drummer Ginger Baker asked him to play in his newly formed "supergroup" called Cream.  Baker, Clapton and Jack Bruce became a monster hit in the U.K. and in the States.  In 1969, Cream had broken up, but Ginger Baker, now part of a group called Blind Faith, invited Eric to come along and play with him and Steve Winwood.  There was also a stint with Derek And The Dominos, creating a hit known as "Layla".  Soon, by 1970, Clapton would release his first solo album titled simply Eric Clapton.

I became a lover of all things Eric Clapton not so long ago.  I discovered Cream late in life, but ever since hearing Disraeli Gears, I couldn't get enough of him.  His solo stuff was just as good, and I love his first solo album and the one four years later, 461 Ocean Boulevard.  But the one I like the most came out 20 years later, 1994's From The Cradle.  Although his previous albums had the Bluesy feel that we all adored about him, From The Cradle was an album devoted to Blues covers.  It was Clapton's take on some of the stuff that first got him to play in the first place.  Willie Dixon's "Third Degree" and "Hoochie Coochie Man".  Muddy Waters' "Stand Around Crying".  Sonny Thompson's "I'm Tore Down".  It's all amazing!  Sixteen cuts of some of the best Blues guitar you will ever hear!

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 22 (1970-2016)

Grammys:  17 (Album Of The Year "Concert For Bangladesh" - 1972)

                        (Best Male Rock Vocal "Bad Love" - 1990)

                        (Best Male Rock Album "Unplugged" - 1992)

                        (Album Of The Year "Unplugged" - 1992)

                        (Song Of The Year "Tears In Heaven" - 1992)

                        (Record Of The Year "Tears In Heaven" - 1992)

                        (Best Male Pop Vocal "Tears In Heaven" - 1992)

                        (Best Rock Song "Layla" - 1992)

                        (Best Traditional Blues Album "From The Cradle" - 1994)

                        (Best Rock Instrumental "SRV Shuffle" - 1996)

                        (Record Of The Year "Change The World" - 1996)

                        (Best Male Pop Vocal "Change The World" - 1996)

                        (Best Male Pop Vocal "My Father's Eyes" - 1998)

                        (Best Rock Instrumental "Calling" - 1999)

                        (Best Traditional Blues Album "Riding With The King" - 2000)

                        (Best Pop Instrumental "Reptile" - 2001)

                        (Best Contemporary Blues Album "Road To Escondido" - 2007)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("I Shot The Sheriff" - 1974)

FLEETWOOD MAC

How many of you knew Fleetwood Mac was a straight Blues band before Rumours??  I sure didn't!  But while downloading songs, I realized there was a whole "first act" to this great band.  Peter Green guitar), fresh out of playing with John Mayall, got together with a friend, Mick Fleetwood (drums), to form a new band.  John McVie (bass) had played with both.  In fact, Green came up with an instrumental song when all three played together and named it for the rhythm section, "Fleetwood Mac".  When the three started playing together again, they decided to keep the name of that song as their band name.  They were even referred to as Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac for some time.  They brought on another guitarist, Jeremy Spencer, and cut their first album in 1968, Fleetwood Mac, covering some Blues legends like Howlin' Wolf, Robert Johnson and Elmore James.  In 1969, Danny Kirwan came on as a third guitarist.  By 1970, Green had left the band, and for the next four years, Fleetwood Mac had to re-invent itself.  On New Years Eve of 1974, Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the band, and made a couple of pretty good albums.

I know when people hear the name Fleetwood Mac, they almost immediately think of the album Rumours, and why not??  It was a monster hit, selling more than 20-million copies!!  It really is a great album, but I chose the early Blues oriented Fleetwood Mac as my favourite, specifically English Rose from 1969.  English Rose is actually a bit of a compilation album, mixing songs from some U.K. albums and British singles.  The album is almost all original songs, but they do cover Elmore James' "Coming Home", which is just brilliant.  The whole album gives one an image of the band playing in a smokey bar in Memphis somewhere.  Some slow, some fast, but ALL Blues!  Also on this record is the Peter Green written "Black Magic Woman".  Yes, Santana's version is a cover, something else I didn't know until downloading this album.  Although this Blues era of Fleetwood Mac wasn't as popular as the Rumours era, it was some fabulous music!

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 17 (1968-2003)

Grammys: 1 (Album Of The Year "Rumours" - 1977)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("Dreams" - 1977)

FOO FIGHTERS

When Nirvana was no more, after Kurt Cobain's death, their drummer Dave Grohl was offered a job as the drummer for Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers.  Grohl almost took the job, but he had a stack of songs he had been working on during his time with Nirvana.  He decided to make his own album, playing all the instruments himself, but calling the invisible band Foo Fighters.  He now needed to flesh out the Foo Fighters to tour.  He initially asked his Nirvana band mate Krist Novoselic to play, but eventually both thought it would be a bad idea, only because the public would compare them to Nirvana.  Soon he had Nate Mendel (bass) and William Goldsmith (drums) on board.  Grohl also asked Pat Smear (guitar) to come along, as Smear toured with Nirvana for a time.  Current drummer Taylor Hawkins joined the band in 1997 after Goldsmith left, unhappy that Grohl rerecorded some of his drum tracks on their second album, The Colour And The Shape.

It's that second album, released in 1997, that I would say would be my favourite of the band.  This was a fairly hard decision, as I'm a huge fan of the Foo's.  I love everything that they've released, but The Colour And The Shape seems to me like the album where we saw Grohl really hone his craft.  He was no longer a kid in a punk band.  He was the leader of a new, rockin' band that had legions of fans just from his debut album.  I also think that this album is their best in the way the songs flow into one another, almost like telling a continuous story.  The soft tones of "Doll" break through into the frenetic "Monkey Wrench".  The anger of "Wind Up" finds its way into "Up In Arms", which seems almost apologetic.  The wonderful "February Stars" is a perfect lead into to the popular, and fantastic, 'Everlong".  Through it all is Grohl's screaming vocals.  For me, The Colour And The Shape would be on my Top 10 list.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 8 (1995-2014)

Grammys: 10 (Best Rock Album "There Is Nothing Left To Lose" - 2000)

                       (Best Music Video, Short Form "Learn To Fly" - 2000)

                       (Best Hard Rock Performance "All My Life" - 2002)

                       (Best Rock Album "One By One" - 2003)

                       (Best Hard Rock Performance "Pretender" - 2007)

                       (Best Rock Album "Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace" - 2007)

                       (Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance "White Limo" - 2011)

                       (Best Rock Album "Wasting Light" - 2011)

                       (Best Rock Performance "Walk" - 2011)

                       (Best Music Video, Long Form "Back And Forth" - 2011)

Highest Charting Single: 18 ("Best Of You" - 2005)

HEART

Heart started out long ago, way back in 1970, when Steve Fossen (bass), Roger Fisher (guitar), David Belzer (keyboards), Jeff Johnson (drums) and Ann Wilson formed a band, originally called Hocus Pocus.  Fisher's brother, Mike, was a draft dodger who escaped to Canada to get away from fighting in Viet Nam.  Mike came back to the Seattle area, his hometown, to visit his family, when he met Ann and fell in love.  Ann and Mike both crossed back into Canada, soon followed by Roger Fisher and Ann's sister, Nancy, who were also an item at the time.  Pretty soon, the band started playing bars in Vancouver, known as Heart now, and had quite a following.  A great sounding rock band with the two sisters up front was something very new, and the band began to capitalize on their uniqueness.  They also played some great music!

Heart signed with Canadian company Mushroom Records and released their first album, Dreamboat Annie, which I picked as my favourite of theirs.  It was released in 1976 and had good sales and successes on the Charts.  Even though Heart would go on to have massive hits in the mid-'80's ("Never", "What About Love", "These Dreams") I still go back to their early, more Led Zeppelin influenced rock.  Dreamboat Annie starts off with "Magic Man" and goes right into one of their biggest hits, and a fave of mine, "Crazy On You".  Ann Wilson's vocals on that song have stood the test of time and sounds just as good 40 years later.  We get a little slower with the title song, "Dreamboat Annie" that goes into another "quiet" rocker "White Lightning & Wine".  The rest of the album slows down a bit, but still showcases the band's musicianship and Ann's great voice.

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  16 (1976-2016)

Grammys:  None

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("These Dreams" - 1986)

                                            ("Alone" - 1987)

IRON MAIDEN

Iron Maiden came to life when Steve Harris (bass) decided to form a new band in 1975.  After a couple of hits and misses with the folks he recruited, eventually Dave Murray (guitar) came on board in '76.  Murray and Harris have played on every Maiden album since.  In 1977, Doug Sampson (drums) and Bob Sawyer (guitar) were added to the mix.  A search for a lead singer ended when Paul Di'Anno signed on.  The band's first record, Iron Maiden, was a huge hit in their native U.K., and the band went out on tour with Kiss and Judas Priest, to name a couple.  After their next album, Killers, Di'Anno decided to quit, fearing he wouldn't be able to keep up the pace of a road tour and his cocaine habit.  Bruce Dickinson auditioned in September of 1981 and was hired immediately.

It's a shame that Paul Di'Anno felt he had to leave the group as he had a fantastic voice.  Just listen to "Murders In The Rue Morgue" from Killers and you'll get what I mean.  But surpassing his vocals was this guy they called Bruce.  Dickinson would be responsible for the band's rep as one of the best in Heavy Metal.  His first album with the band, The Number Of The Beast, has been touted as one of the best Metal albums ever, and is easily my pick as their best.  Dickinson shows off his speed and power with the first song, "Invaders", and with all-time hits like "Run To The Hills", "The Number Of The Beast" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name", the album just rocks top to bottom!!

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  16 (1980-2015)

Grammys:  1 (Best Metal Performance "Dorado" - 2010)

Highest Charting Single:  Never Charted on Hot 100

JAMIROQUAI

Jamiroquai, a combination of "jam session" and the Iroquois tribe, got started in the early 1990's with their current lead singer, Jay Kay, Toby Smith, Stuart Zender, Nick Van Gelder, Wallis Buchanan and Alec Moran.  Through the years the lineup has changed, but Jay Kay has been the one constant.  Their combination of soul, funk, jazz, pop and disco was very original, and they took that originality into the age of the music video.  The song "Virtual Insanity" not only became a huge hit on the radio, but dominated video play on MTV and MuchMusic in 1996.

Although each album released by Jamiroquai has had it's share of inventive, dance worthy songs, I think their best came in 1996 with Traveling Without Moving.  Along with "Virtual Insanity" there are many great songs on the album, which, like many of their albums, feels like a cosmic trip through the ages.  "Cosmic Girl" (from a mother galaxy) comes on the heels of "Virtual Insanity".  "High Times", "Traveling Without Moving", the slow jam "Everyday", and the good times hidden track on the CD, "Funktion", all help to complete the greatness of this album.  There is a sore lacking of great funk bands these days, which makes me enjoy Jamiroquai all that much more!

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  8 (1993-2017)

Grammys: 1 (Best Pop Performance, Group "Virtual Insanity" - 1997)

Highest Charting Single: 78 ("Alright" - 1997)

JANIS JOPLIN

There were only three albums (not including a live album released after her death), but that's all we needed to realize Janis Joplin was one of the great rock voices in the history of the genre.  Filled with more soul than anyone could imagine, she burst onto the scene in the late '60's during the height of the peace and love era.  The first song she actually put on tape was "What Good Can Drinkin' Do" in 1962.  Singing wherever and whenever she could, she caught the attention of a psychedelic band called Big Brother And The Holding Company, in 1966.  Within a couple of years she had recorded an album with them that became a huge hit.

It's that first album I chose as my favourite, Cheap Thrills.  Each one of the Joplin's three studio albums had great songs and performances, but I try to place myself in 1968, hearing this soulful woman scream out those songs for the first time.  "Summertime" and "Peace Of My Heart" are obvious classics.  But every song is just chock full of feeling.  "Ball And Chain", in my opinion, is Joplin's finest hour.  Listen to "Turtle Blues" and you'll realize why Joplin is held in such regard as the best female soul/rock singers of the late 1960's.  It was the only record she made with Big Brother And The Holding Company, and they are sorely missed on the subsequent releases.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 3 (1968-1971)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single:  1 ("Me And Bobby McGee" - 1971)

JEFF BECK (THE JEFF BECK GROUP)

I first got into Jeff Beck when I was about 15 when someone showed me his 1975 album Blow By Blow.  Listed on the back was the song "Constipated Duck".  I immediately became a fan!  I joke, of course, but it wasn't long after that I started to fall in love with his rocking' rhythm and blues approach to music.  Beck became interested in the electric guitar around the age of 6 when he heard Les Paul play on the radio.  By the time he was 21, he was recruited into The Yardbirds, arguably England's most influential rock band, taking the vacant spot left by Eric Clapton.  Beck played with his buddy Jimmy Page, who became friends when they were teenagers.  Before two years were up, Beck would be kicked out of the group for his perfectionism and temper.  He quickly got his buddies Ron Wood and Rod Stewart to join him as the Jeff Beck Group.  They made two albums together, Truth and Beck-Ola, and were scheduled to play at Woodstock in 1969, before tempers flared, and Wood and Stewart would leave to join up with Faces.  

It's that first album of the Jeff Beck Group, Truth, that blows me away every time I hear it.  The first song, "Shape Of Things", which is a cover from Beck's old band, The Yardbirds.  Rod Stewart wails and Beck follows with his great guitar work.  Then straight into a great intro for "Let Me Love You", almost a call and answer between Stewart and Beck.  We have "Beck's Bolero" which was written by, and first played by, Jimmy Page for his old friend.  But the greatest pieces on this album are the retellings of a couple of Willie Dixon songs, " I Ain't Superstitious" and "You Shook Me", both featuring some of the best Rod Stewart you're ever gonna hear.  "You Shook Me" was very similar to Led Zeppelin's version, obviously arranged by Page, but was released about five months before Zeppelin's.

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  15 (1968-2016)

Grammys:  8 (Best Rock Instrumental "Escape" - 1985)

                      (Best Rock Instrumental Album "Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop" - 1989)

                      (Best Rock Instrumental "Dirty Mind" - 2001)

                      (Best Rock Instrumental "Plan B" - 2003)

                      (Best Rock Instrumental "Day In The Life" - 2009)

                      (Best Pop Instrumental "Nessun Dorma" - 2010)

                      (Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals "Imagine" - 2010)

                      (Best Rock Instrumental "Hammerhead" - 2010)

Highest Charting Single:  48 ("People Get Ready" - 1985)

JIMI HENDRIX

Johnny Allen Hendrix was his name when he was born.  James Marshall Hendrix was the name that was given to him when he was four to honour his father and his brother.  Jimi is how the world knew him.  Hendrix didn't get his first guitar until he was 15.  For the next twelve years, he continually worked on his craft and became, arguably, the greatest rock guitarist ever.  He was lucky enough to play with the likes of Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett and Jackie Wilson before creating his own band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, with Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums.  They would record only three studio albums together before breaking up in 1969.  The led the way for Jimi to create a new band, The Band Of Gypsys, with Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums.  This teaming would only release one album, Band Of Gypsys, a live recording from four shows at the Fillmore East in New York City that included one of the greatest guitar performances ever with "Machine Gun".  In less than a year, Jimi Hendrix would be dead.  Dozens upon dozens of songs would be released from his estate in the next 40 years.

I chose Jimi's first release, Are You Experienced, as my favourite, but really, it doesn't matter much.  If I hear any Hendrix song, on the radio, on my iPod, out at a bar, I stop and listen.  But the reason I picked Are You Experienced is for how huge it was when released.  Very few people had heard  Hendrix' genius in North America, as he played mostly in the UK.  When folks in the States heard what he was doing, he became an instant superstar!  Along with his groundbreaking performance at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967 would be the "Year of Hendrix".  The album has a slew of now classic tracks; "Purple Haze", "Manic Depression", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Foxy Lady" and "Are You Experienced?".  It also has, what I believe was, the first Hendrix tune I ever heard in "Fire".  I realize I didn't hear until about 17 years after it was released, but it had a profound effect on me, and I've been listening to everything "Jimi" ever since!

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  3 (1967-1968)

Grammys:  None

Highest Charting Single:  20 ("All Along The Watchtower" - 1968)

JOHN LENNON

I think everyone can agree that John Lennon was one of the most revered figures in music.  His years with The Beatles, writing hit after hit with Paul McCartney, then having his own successes as a solo artist or with The Plastic Ono Band, there is no denying his brilliance and his importance to the industry.  John met Paul way back in 1957, when he was 17 years old.  The began playing together in a band John started called The Quarrymen.  This teaming, of course, was the beginning of The Beatles.  They had some success playing with George Harrison and Ringo Starr (some...ha!), but the honeymoon had to end, and by 1970 it all came to a head.  The quartet all went their separate ways, releasing their own albums for years to come.  Lennon teamed up with his love, Yoko Ono, to produce some fantastic music.  Songs like "Instant Karma", "Give Peace A Chance", "Cold Turkey", "Mind Games" and, of course, "Imagine", which has been recognized as one of the greatest songs ever recorded.

I enjoy most of Lennon's solo stuff; Imagine and Plastic Ono Band are awesome albums.  But my absolute favourite from Lennon is his tribute to the early rock that he grew up hearing.  The album is simply titled Rock N' Roll, released in 1975.  He takes on such classics as "Be-Bop-A-Lula" (first made famous by Gene Vincent in 1956), "Stand By Me" (first recorded by Ben E. King), a couple of Chuck Berry classics in "You Can't Catch Me" and "Sweet Little Sixteen", the Fats Domino hit "Ain't That A Shame" an so much more.  There are even a couple of medleys to enjoy.  With every song, one can hear the love Lennon had for these timeless tracks.  It's fantastic!

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  11 (1968-1984)

Grammys:  2 (Song Of The Year "Michelle" - 1966)

                      (Album Of The Year "Double Fantasy" - 1981)

Highest Charting Single:  1 ("(Just Like) Starting Over" - 1980)

JUDAS PRIEST

One of the most beloved heavy metal of all time got started way back in 1970 in Birmingham, England.  Kenny Downing (guitar), Ian Hill (bass) and John Ellis (drums) got together to play songs influenced from some of the bands they liked, such as The Yardbirds, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple.  They recruited singer Al Atkins, who actually had a band a couple of years earlier named Judas Priest.  The quartet decided to keep Atkins' old band name and played their first show in March of 1971.  After a few shows, Downing decided to shift the band's focus from rock/blues to hard rock.  Eventually, Atkins left the band.  Hill was dating a woman at the time who suggested that her brother join the band as it's lead singer.  Her brother was Rob Halford, and Judas Priest took off!  Except for a shot period in the mid '90's (when the singer of a tribute band to Priest was hired), Halford was the voice and power of Judas Priest.

The band made a pretty big splash in England with their first couple of albums, Rocka Rolla and Sad Wings Of Destiny.  They began to have a huge following, based on the speed of their songs and Halford's wonderful screams.  In 1980, the band released what is commonly praised as one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time, British Steel, which is easily my pick for my favourite.  It starts of with one of the band's big hits, "Breaking The Law".  Then the sped in the intro to "Rapid Fire" hits you like a ton of bricks.  The wonderful "Grinder" and the toe tapping "Living After Midnight" soon follow.  The album doesn't let up for a minute, all the way to the last tune, "Steeler".  The entire album was a blueprint for metal albums to come.

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  17 (1974-2014)

Grammys: 1 (Best Metal Performance "Dissident Aggressor" - 2009)

Highest Charting Single:  67 ("You Got Another Thing Comin'" - 1982)

I Got The Music In Me - Part 1

So I decided to make a list, 'cause I'm bored and I like making lists.  After many months of downloading music I have amassed nearly 10,000 titles.  Instead of just downloading songs that I know, or that I know I like, I download entire albums, which has introduced me to songs I had never heard.  Now I feel I must make a list of certain bands' best albums, in my opinion of course.  But maybe by listing these albums, you'll get turned on to something that you possibly never thought you would.  The list will be alphabetical and open to criticism if you so like.  Enjoy.  Oh, by the way, the Highest Charting Single data comes from Billboard U.S. Top 100 charts.

AC/DC

The first band I chose turns out to be a really tough decision.  I credit my high school buddy, Iain Mitchell, for turning me on to AC/DC.  They were "his" band, whereas Van Halen was "my" band.  At the time Brian Johnson was leading the band, and I had no idea there was another singer before him.  When I first heard songs by Bon Scott, I was completely hooked!  AC/DC was formed back in 1973 when brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, two Scottish-born lads transplanted to Sydney, Australia, recruited Larry Van Kriedt (bass), Colin Burgess (drums) and Dave Evans (vocals).  They played local spots and started to gain a pretty good following based on their live shows.  Angus had already adopted his schoolboy schtick and people loved it.  In 1974, the brothers Young relocated to Melbourne and started to really develop their blues-rock repertoire.  They quickly realized that Evans was not the singer they needed to vault them into fame.  Bon Scott was a friend of a friend of the oldest Young brother, George.  He came in to be the new singer, Phil Rudd became the new drummer, and Mark Evans was the new bassist.  The rest, as they say, is history.  

Now, why was this a hard decision for me?  Basically because 1980's Back In Black was a monster hit, and rightfully so.  It was Brian Johnson's first album with the band after Scott's untimely death.  It had huge hits, including "Hells Bells", "Back In Black" and easily the band's biggest hit, "You Shook Me All Night Long".  It's a great album, no doubt, but AC/DC's last album with Bon Scott on vocals is my choice as their best.  Highway To Hell, released in 1979, opened with the title song which peaked at number 47 on the Billboard charts.  The second song "Girls Got Rhythm" is just a balls-out rocker with Scott screaming his head off near the end, and you can feel it deep down in your soul.  "Touch Too Much", "Beating Around The Bush" and "Shot Down In Flames" could be interchangeable, but each one rocks.  But it's the 8th song "If You Want Blood (You Got It)" that pretty much defines the bad-ass attitude of the band, and Scott himself.  Screaming like a banshee, "YOU GOT IT!!!", Scott shows why he was one of the best heavy rock singers of all time.

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  17 (1975-2014)

Grammys: One (Best Hard Rock Performance "War Machine" - 2010)

Highest Charting Single: 23 ("Moneytalks" - 1991)

AEROSMITH

I'm 14 years old, working at the local IGA.  One of my co-workers, a few years older than me, was very excited to score tickets to the Aerosmith concert coming to town later in the year.  I remember asking him "Who's gonna sing the Run-DMC parts to 'Walk this Way'?".  He just about fainted away at my stupidity.  That was the only Aerosmith song I knew of at the time!  Not long after I realized Aerosmith was a pretty big band back in the day.  The year 1986 was the beginning of their comeback.  Back in 1970, two bands collided.  Steven Tyler was in a band Chain Reaction as the drummer and part-time singer.  Joe Perry (guitar) and Tom Hamilton (bass) were part of a band known as Jam Band.  Joey Kramer (drums) joined up with Jam Band later on.  In 1970, Chain Reaction and Jam Band played the same show.  Tyler loved Jam Band's sound and suggested they combine to make a new band.  They started writing songs and practised in one of their garages, and soon brought on Tyler's friend Ray Tabano (rhythm guitar).  The first concert as Aerosmith took place  at Nipmuc Regional High School in Mendon, Massachusetts.  Soon after, Tabano left the band and Brad Whitford took his place.  Tyler, Perry, Hamilton, Kramer and Whitford would be the core band members for the first of many successes Aerosmith had.

Of all their albums, 1975's Toys In The Attic has to be my fave.  They had bigger selling albums in Rocks, Permanent Vacation and Pump, and they all contain good songs, but I always go back to "Toys".  The album starts off strong with the rockin' "Toys In The Attic" and slides in to the almost hillbilly rock of "Uncle Salty".  But the record really gets good with songs 4, 5 and 6.  The fourth track is a tune called "Walk This Way", the song I heard in 1986 when they teamed up with Run-DMC, except this is the original.  Tune number five is a live version of "Big Ten Inch Record", a tongue in cheek nod to the groupies that would follow the band around for years and years.  Then the sixth song, "Sweet Emotion", is probably the one Aerosmith song that I can listen to again and again. Toys In The Attic has been certified 8 times Platinum (8,000,000 copies sold) and peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard charts.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 15 (1973-2012)

Grammys: 4 (Best Rock Performance "Janie's Got A Gun" - 1990)

                     (Best Rock Performance "Livin' On The Edge" - 1993)

                     (Best Rock Performance "Crazy" - 1994)

                     (Best Rock Performance "Pink" - 1998)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" - 1998)

ALICE COOPER

Alice Cooper has been on the rock scene since the late 1960's, and still going strong.  He's released 26 albums, some good, some not even worth mentioning.  Alice Cooper was the name for the band that was created by Vincent Furnier after his band, the Nazz, had to change their name because of Todd Rundgren's band, also called Nazz.  Furnier's band had just moved to Los Angeles and he thought they needed some sort of gimmick in order to make a name for themselves.  The name "Alice Cooper" did not come to the band from a Ouija Board as the urban legend suggests.  It actually came from a character on "Mayberry R.F.D.".  Furnier thought the juxtaposition of the saintly Alice Cooper and the demon induced show that they put on was cool.  Soon after, Furnier would legally take the name Alice Cooper, along with the image that went along with it.

Alice Cooper released some really good albums in the 1970's including Love It To Death, which contained the very famous "I'm Eighteen", School's Out and Welcome To My Nightmare, but 1973's Billion Dollar Babies has to be my pick.  It opens with "Hello, Hooray" which, if you are a listener of Q107's Psychedelic Psunday in Toronto, you know all too well.  Soon after, the great, and underrated, "Elected" comes on, melding it's way into the album's title song "Billion Dollar Babies".  The second side, or sixth song on your CD, starts off with "No More Mr. Nice Guy", one of my favourite Cooper tracks.  And it all gets wrapped up with the spooky ballad-like "I Love The Dead" which pretty much sums up the Alice Cooper image.  Billion Dollar Babies went certified Platinum in the US and reached number 1 on the Billboard charts.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 26 (1969-2011)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 7 ("School's Out" - 1972)

                                            ("Poison" - 1989)

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND

I got into The Allman Brothers Band late in life.  I was always a big fan of "Whipping Post" and "Ramblin' Man" and "Southbound", but I didn't become a huge fan of the band until I started downloading ALL their stuff.  Such a great, tight, inventive band.  The brothers Allman included Duane (guitar) and Gregg (vocals and keyboard).  They started to form what would become their band in the late 1960's, recruiting Dickey Betts (guitar) and Butch Trucks (drums).  They moved to Macon, Georgia and started recording for Capricorn Records.  Their first album, The Allman Brothers Band, was a commercial flop, but word of mouth coming from their sensational live shows started to spread.  Probably one of the most famous live albums ever was recorded in 1971 in New York, titled At Fillmore East.  This album solidified the band as one of the best live bands around.  The players would change every so often, but the brothers were always there.  That is until late in 1971 when Duane Allman died in a horrible motorcycle crash back in Macon.  Gregg would carry the torch for another 40 odd years.

Many folks would have chosen 1972's Eat A Peach as The Allman Brothers Band's finest album.  I do love that album, even the 33-minute tune "Mountain Jam".  But for me it's the 1970 album Idlewild South that really gets me going.  Blending R and B with good old Southern Rock perfectly, the album opens with the toe-tapping "Revival".  Song number 3 is the ever-popular "Midnight Rider" which I love to pieces.  But where things really get interesting is song number 5.  It's a brilliant re-imagining of the Willie Dixon tune "Hoochie Coohie Man" that has been done a thousand times before, but the brothers rock it out with that great Sothern twang.  It's fabulous!  It all ends with Gregg Allman showing off his vocal chops on "Leave My Blues At Home".  Just a great album from start to finish.  In 2014, Rolling Stone magazine listed Idlewild South as one of the 40 Most Groundbreaking Albums Of All Time.  It peaked at number 38 on the Billboard charts.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 12 (1969-2003)

Grammys: 1 (Best Rock Instrumental "Jessica" - 1995)

Highest Charting Single: 2 ("Ramblin' Man" - 1973)

THE ANIMALS (ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS)

The Animals came about in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1962.  Lead singer Eric Burdon (the blackest white man in music) joined forces with Alan Price (keyboards), Hilton Valentine (guitar), John Steel (drums) and "Chas" Chandler (bass) and began playing versions of Rhythm and Blues standards.  Some had said that they came up with the name "Animals" because of their crazy live shows.  Actually, they called themselves The Animals to pay tribute to a friend of theirs, "Animal" Hogg.  Once they recorded "House Of The Rising Sun" in 1964 they were able to ride the wave of the British invasion that took over the States in the mid-'60's.  The original members were together for only 4 years, when, because of terrible mismanagement of funds, they had to disband.  Burdon kept the name and found other musicians to become Eric Burdon And The Animals, but they only lasted a few years themselves.  Through the years there have been many incarnations of The Animals including reunions of the original members in the mid-'70's and '80's.

I chose Animal Tracks (the UK Version) as my favourite of The Animals' albums for two reasons.  One, they were still getting used to the fame that "House Of The Rising Sun" brought them, and two, they followed that success with amazing takes on some great Blues songs.  The Album starts with one of my favourites, "Mess Around", a version that seemed to be made for Eric Burdon.  Track number 3 is another fabulous take on Ray Charles' "Hallelujah, I Love Her So".  The next song is also a Charles song, "I Believe To My Soul" which Burdon sings from the depths of his soul.  The seventh tune, "I Ain't Got You", also shows off the incredible vocals of Burdon.  "Let The Good Times Roll" has Burdon having a bit of fun, and the last tune, "Roadrunner", makes you feel like you're at a party and The Animals just happen to be playing live in the corner of the room.  The whole able makes you want to sing and dance and have a good time!  

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 12 (1964-1983)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("The House Of The Rising Sun" - 1964)

BAD COMPANY

Paul Rodgers (vocals) and Simon Kirke (drums) used to be in the band Free, a group that had called it quits in 1973.  Rodgers quickly got more musicians to join him, Mick Ralphs (guitar) and Boz Burrell (bass), and formed Bad Company.  The band was an immediate hit.  Their debut album, Bad Company, was released in 1974 and went to number 1 on the Billboard Album chart.  They continued their hard rocking ways churning out hits like "Feel Like Making Love", "Shooting Star" and "Rock And Roll Fantasy".  They released their last album, Rough Diamonds, in 1982 and soon after disbanded, feeling they needed a break from the touring life they had.  Ralphs had said their breakup was "wrong from a business standpoint" but they all needed to stop for a while.  Different incarnations of Bad Company emerged in the 1980's, with Brian Howe and Robert Hart taking turns as lead singer, but they never reached the heights of their time with Paul Rodgers.  The original foursome reunited in 1999 for a tour, and still continue to play to this day, but never released a new album.

I had to choose Bad Company's first album, Bad Company, as my favourite.  Their first album, released in 1974, shows what the band is all about.  The great rockin' start, "Can't Get Enough", starts off with a toe tapping drum and Rodgers' fantastic vocals.  Song number 2, "Rock Steady", leaves no doubt that he can wail!!  "Ready For Love" is an almost ballad, again showing the incredible of range of Rosgers' vocals.  "Bad Company" and "Movin' On" just keep the album going, featuring some fine guitar work, and, of course, Rodgers front and centre.  The album would hit number 1 on the Billboard Album chart with two Top 20 singles ("Can't Get Enough" and "Movin' On") and go on to be certified five time Platinum.  

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 12 (1974-1996)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 5 ("Can't Get Enough" - 1974)

THE BEASTIE BOYS

The Beastie Boys came on the scene right around 1986, when I was a young and impressionable 14 year old.  I was immediately hooked after hearing "(You Gotta Fight) For Your Right (To Party)".  It turned out to be one of the songs I hate to hear now because of heavy rotation on MuchMusic and on the radio.  Still, back then, I found a trio that would help shape who I am today.  Michael Diamond (Mike D), Adam Yauch (MCA) and Adam Horovitz (Ad Rock) would grow as I grew, mature as musicians as I matured as a man.  The 'Boys' were born back in 1981 when Diamond and Yauch teamed up with a couple of friends to play punk music.  They would play ahead of other more well known bands like The Dead Kennedys and Bad Brains.  Horovitz came on board in 1982 and the Beastie Boys released an EP called "Cooky Puss" which showcased their underground rap style along with their skilled sampling.  Rick Rubin came on to DJ their live shows.  Soon after Rubin left the group to develop his own record label along with Russell Simmons.  They called it Def Jam Recordings and brought the Beastie Boys on board right away.

The Beastie Boys' first album, Licensed To Ill, was put out by Def Jam, but all subsequent records were put out by Capitol Records.  It's that first album that got me hooked to the Beastie Boys, but their followup album, Paul's Boutique, is my favourite of all.  Where Licensed To Ill seemed like three kids having a good time, Paul's Boutique really saw the maturity of the trio, putting more thought into what they wrote and how it sounded.  "Shake Your Rump" is one of my favourite songs, "High Plains Drifter" and "Egg Man" are fun, and "Hey Ladies" became an instant classic.  The entire album has a rap-punk, 1970's funk sound to it.  Great sampling and an early showcase of the Beastie Boys' genius.  The album made it to number 14 on the Billboard Album chart.

Band Stats 

Studio Albums: 8 (1986-2011)

Grammys: 3 (Best Rap Performance "Intergalactic" - 1998)

                    (Best Alternative Album "Hello Nasty" - 1998)

                    (Best Pop Instrumental Album "Mix-Up" - 2007)

Highest Charting Single: 7 ("(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" - 1987)

THE BEATLES

How is it possible to select one's favourite Beatles album?  It's almost like asking what type of bacon you prefer; it's bacon, it's all great!!  Growing up I knew very little about the most famous, most influential, most copied band to ever exist.  Sure I knew the hits that got regular air play (and it's now those that I dislike hearing the most from overplay).  As I grew, my appreciation for the Fab Four grew and grew, and I started to think long and hard about the questions "Early Beatles?" or "Late Beatles?".  It was a bit of a game I played, asking others their preferences.  My preference developed into "Late Beatles", which is not to take away from any of their massive hits in the early '60's.  "Please Please Me", "Love Me Do", "Twist And Shout", "Eight Days A Week" and so on would always be ingrained into our consciousness, but I was more interested in the band when they experimented, using more instruments and effects.  

When I began this post, I knew I would have to decide which album I liked best and why.  It's taken me a few days to think about.  Why not Revolver or The White Album or Abbey Road or Sgt. Pepper's??  Truthfully, I found reasons to say "Yes, that one".  But ultimately I went with their last studio album, Let It Be.  I think I choose this one because of what the world knew was happening at the time, that is, their favourite band was in the midst of arguments and turmoil.  It came out in their songs, too.  Apart from the title song (which was about Paul's mother, but fit well with what The Beatles were going through at the time) there was "The Long And Winding Road", a song that Paul wrote specifically about the tensions within the band.  The album starts with "Two Of Us", written by Paul about he and his wife Linda, but could have been about him and John Lennon.  "Across The Universe" is an all-time classic, but my absolute favourites are the great rocking duo of "I've Got A Feeling" and "Get Back".  Whenever I hear those songs I think of the band on the roof of Apple Records.  "Get Back" was the last song the band would ever play together, as the cops shut down the free concert just after.  Thinking of them singing those songs, easily clear they were at odds with their feelings (having a great time but knowing it was the end) makes them forever special in my mind.  There will never be another "Beatles", and it's perfectly fine that way!

Band Stats:

Studio Albums: 22 (1963-1970)

Grammys: 8 (Best Pop Performance "Hard Day's Night" - 1964)

                     (Best New Artist - 1964)

                     (Best Pop/Rock/Other Contemporary Album "Sgt. Pepper's" - 1967)

                     (Album Of The Year "Sgt. Pepper's" - 1967)

                     (Best Instrumental Composition For Movie Or TV "Let It Be" - 1970)

                     (Best Music Video, Short Form "Free As A Bird" - 1996)

                     (Best Pop Performance By Group "Free As A Bird" - 1996)

                     (Best Music Video, Long Form "Beatles Anthology" - 1996)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("I Want To Hold Your Hand" - 1964)

                                            ("She Loves You" - 1964)

                                            ("Can't Buy Me Love" - 1964)

                                            ("Love Me Do" - 1964)

                                            ("A Hard Day's Night" - 1964)

                                            ("I Feel Fine" - 1964)

                                            ("Eight Days A Week" - 1965)

                                            ("Ticket To Ride" - 1965)

                                            ("Help!" - 1965)

                                            ("Yesterday" - 1965)

                                            ("We Can Work It Out" - 1966)

                                            ("Paperback Writer" - 1966)

                                            ("Penny Lane" - 1967)

                                            ("All You Need Is Love" - 1967)

                                            ("Hello Goodbye" - 1967)

                                            ("Hey Jude" - 1968)

                                            ("Come Together/Something" - 1969)

                                            ("Let It Be" - 1970)

                                            ("The Long And Winding Road/For You Blue" - 1970)

BILLY JOEL

I grew up during a time when Billy Joel was all over the airwaves.  From 1973 to 1983 it was almost impossible to listen to the radio for an hour and NOT hear a Billy Joel song.  He decided to pursue a career in music after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 at the impressionable age of 15.  He joined a band the next year, Echoes, who specialized in covers from the big British bands of the day.  In 1967 he left the Echoes and joined another band called The Hassels.  They released a couple of albums, but were commercial failures.  He recorded his first solo album, Cold Spring Harbor, in 1971.  He's been going at it ever since.

Glass Houses was one of the first albums I can remember listening to over and over again.  In fact, I still have a copy of it but no record player to play it on.  It was released in 1980 on the heels of some great successful albums, most notably The Stranger and 52nd Street.  But for me it was always Glass Houses that kept me loving Joel.  Even during the '80's with huge hits like "Uptown Girl" and "Tell Her About It", I still kept coming back.  The first four songs are all hits in my eyes; "You May Be Right", "Sometimes A Fantasy" (oh, oh, oh, oh), "Don't Ask Me Why" and "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me".  "All For Leyna" is rough and tough and heartbreaking all at once.  That was the first side.  The second side was still good, but the first side was the one that got worn out on our player.  And the album cover is awesome, too.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 13 (1971-2001)

Grammys: 5 (Song Of The Year "Just The Way You Are" - 1978)

                     (Record Of The Year "Just The Way You Are" - 1978)

                     (Best Male Pop Vocal Album "52nd Street" - 1979)

                     (Album Of The Year "52nd Street" - 1979)

                     (Best Male Rock Vocal Album "Glass Houses" - 1980)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" - 1980)

                                            ("Tell Her About It" - 1983)

                                            ("We Didn't Start The Fire" - 1989)

BLACK SABBATH

It was 1968 and guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward broke free of their band, Mythology, in order to start a new band that focused more on heavy blues-oriented rock.  They enlisted the help of bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne who played together in a band called Rare Breed.  After a few throw away names, they decided to call their band Earth.  Iommi actually left the band for a short time to play with Jethro Tull, but by 1969 the foursome were back together.  While playing around England in '69 they realized they were being mistaken for another band called Earth.  They needed a new name.  While rehearsing they noticed people lining up to see a Boris Karloff horror film called Black Sabbath.  They decided to write the song "Black Sabbath" using heavy tones and evil sounding lyrics, which, in 1969, was quite dark and original.  All four members loved the new sound and decided to call the band Black Sabbath.  They became probably the most influential heavy metal band to ever exist!

The band released two albums in 1970; Black Sabbath and Paranoid.  The former was a great introduction to the band's heavy sound including songs "Black Sabbath" and "The Wizard".  But Paranoid really showed the world what they could do and was a huge hit as a result.  "War Pigs", "Paranoid", "Iron Man", "Electric Funeral", all huge hits within the heavy metal scene.  It was loud and ominous.  You could feel the heavy strings of Iommi and Butler ripping your soul apart.  And at the centre of it all was the madman Ozzy Osbourne.  The group would see other singers join up (Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes and Tony Martin) when Ozzy decided to go solo but the foursome reunited in 2011 to tour and release one more album.  Although their last album was good, shockingly so, there was no way they could rekindle the magic of Paranoid.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 19 (1970-2013)

Grammys: 2 (Best Metal Performance "Iron Man" - 1999)

                     (Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance "God Is Dead" - 2013)

Highest Charting Single: 52 ("Iron Man" - 1972)

THE CARS

Here's another band that was huge when I was growing up.  They were all over the radio and video shows in 1984.  It took some time for me to realize that they had been around for several years before that, and what I heard from those albums got me liking The Cars a whole lot!  Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr met in the late '60's in Cleveland and played in a few bands together before moving to Boston.  They recruited Greg Hawkes (keyboards), Elliot Easton (guitar) and David Robinson (drums) and formed a band.  

Their first album, The Cars, was released in 1978 and, in my opinion, was their best.  They would find a lot more airplay and video play in 1984 with the release of Heartbeat City which contained a few monster hits, "Magic", "Drive" and "You Might Think".  But their first album introduced the listener to their pop/rock melodies with great songs such as "Good Times Roll", "Best Friend's Girl", "Just What I Needed" and "You're All I've Got Tonight".  Track number 8, "Moving In Stereo", should be very familiar to anyone that has seen the movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High, specifically the scene where we all fell in love with Pheobe Cates! 

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 7 (1978-2011)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 3 ("Drive" - 1984)

CHICAGO

Chicago has been releasing big hits for more than 40 years, starting in 1969 when they were known as the Chicago Transit Authority.  It all started in, well, Chicago, Illinois.  Many of the original members attended DePaul University, a private school in Chicago.  Terry Kath (guitar), Danny Seraphine (drums), Walter Parazaider (saxophone), James Pankow (trombone) and Lee Loughnane (trumpet) all went to that school.  They got together and recruited Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals) from a neighbouring school.  They played a bunch of shows as The Big Thing, playing mostly covers.  After a while they thought they needed another singer to compliment Lamm's baritone, so they recruited Peter Cetera, a bassist with a tenor voice.  together they decided to call themselves the Chicago Transit Authority, but cut their name down to just Chicago after their first release.

It's their first album that I pick as my favourite.  Titled simply Chicago Transit Authority, it was released in 1969, and was a double album!  How many times have you heard of a band releasing a double album as their first???  What they did was pack the album with some radio friendly pop tunes like "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" and "Beginnings" which really let's people know how incredibly well the horns played with the rest of the band.  The sound was rocking and easy all at once.  "Questions 67 & 68" let us hear the high tone of Cetera, as the brilliant Terry Kath plays in the intro.  "Poem 58" also let's us discover the brilliance of Kath, a guitarist that Jimi Hendrix once said was "better than me"!!  The real joy of this debut album, for me, is the band's rendition of "I'm A Man", the great Spencer Davis Group song written by Steve Winwood.  They really let it all loose on that track, and it remains one of my favourite Chicago songs.  In 1978 Terry Kath tragically died, courtesy of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.  The band would go on, with many changing members, and have huge hits in the '70's and '80's, but the first, for me, is still the best!

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  24 (1969-2014)

Grammys: 1 (Best Pop Performance By A Group "If You Leave Me Now" - 1976)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("If You Leave Me Now" - 1976)

                                           ("Hard To Say I'm Sorry" - 1982)

                                           ("Look Away" - 1988)

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL

Creedence Clearwater Revival, or CCR, had huge hits back in the late '60's and early '70's.  Every once in a while I'd hear a song on the radio with that familiar country/rock twang, such as "Born On The Bayou" or "Green River" or "Down On The Corner".  In fact, I liked the songs played on the radio so much that I bought a "Best Of" CD, a two disc set that had hit after hit.  CCR came to be back in the early '60's when Junior High buddies John Fogerty, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford began jamming together, calling themselves The Blue Velvets.  Soon they would join up with John's brother, Tom Fogerty, and sign with Fantasy Records.  They changed their name at that time to The Golliwogs.  John Fogerty and Doug Clifford were drafted into the military in 1966, but were discharged in 1967, around the time that a new owner of Fantasy Records wanted to change the band's name.  They settled on Creedence (named for a friend of Tom's, Credence Newball) Clearwater (from a commercial for Olympia Beer) Revival (for the four members of the band getting back together).  Within a year the band would put out their first album, Creedence Clearwater Revival, an introduction that was well received and spawned many hits.

In 1970, CCR released Cosmo's Factory.  Even though their previous albums contained many of their biggest hits, their best work, in my opinion, lies within this album.  The first song is a perfect intro to what lies ahead, the seven minute "Ramble Tamble".  We get some more radio friendly hits in "Travelin' Band", "Looking Out My Back Door" and "Run Through The Jungle".  A great rendition of Arthur Crudup's "My Baby Left Me" slides right into the wonderful "Who'll Stop The Rain".  But the best song is the eleven minute cover of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", a song that wish could go on for days!  You really can't lose with any of CCR's first 5 or 6 albums, but Cosmo's Factory is a definite stand out.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 7 (1968-1972)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 2 ("Proud Mary" - 1969)

                                            ("Bad Moon Rising" - 1969)

                                            ("Green River" - 1969)

                                            ("Travelin' Band/Who'll Stop The Rain" - 1970)

                                            ("Looking Out My Back Door/As Long As I Can See The Light" - 1970)

DAVID BOWIE

What else can be said about David Bowie??  He was a true icon of music, fashion, celebrity, movies, and how we see the world through the arts.  Just a ridiculously talented man that left us far too early.  Through the years he took on many identities; The Thin White Duke, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane.  It didn't matter what you called him because you knew his latest album would be something special.  Not all of them worked (does anybody remember 1987's Never Let Me Down??) but more times than not, he soared!

Of all the great albums we got from Bowie (The Man Who Sold The World, Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane, Let's Dance) i would have to go back to where Ziggy was born, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.  The album tells a story of a man and his alter ego, really, Bowie himself.  You may even call it a rock opera, in the vein of The Who's Tommy.  You can hear Bowie's emotions come through in the first song, "Five Years", the sadness and hopelessness.  "Moonage Daydream" introduces the antagonist.  The beautiful, yearning, "Starman" takes us to the outer limits.  Hope is restored with "Star'.  Then we get to "Ziggy Stardust" himself, where rock n' roll can save us all.  Probably Bowie's best rocker comes in "Suffragette City".  All the songs make you feel something, which is what music should be all about.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 25 (1967-2016)

Grammys: 1 (Best Short Form Video "Blue Jean" - 1984)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("Fame" - 1975)

                                            ("Let's Dance" - 1983)

DEEP PURPLE

One of the front-runners of heavy rock, along with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple are certainly one of the most underrated bands I know of.  Sure they came up with one of the greatest riffs in rock n' roll history with "Smoke On The Water", but they were so much more.  The band started with the recruitment of John Lord (organ) and Ritchie Blackmore (guitar).  Lord suggested his buddy, Nick Simper, come in to play bass.  Auditions for a singer, won by Ron Evans, also landed a drummer in Ian Paice.  Success came quickly after the release of their first album, Shades Of Deep Purple, and they were booked to support Cream on a tour.  Before the end of the next year, Ian Gillan was brought on as lead singer, and the band's success just continued to grow.  David Coverdale came in to sing for a few years in the '70's (about 1973 to 1976) and came out with a really good album in 1974's Burn, but the band would fall apart soon after.  The band reformed years later, broke up again, and reformed one more time.  As of this writing, a brand new studio album is due out in April.

Before Machine Head, Deep Purple had a pretty avid following due to some hit singles in "Hush" and "Speed King", but nothing came close to the success they would have after the release of this album.  Starting off with "Highway Star", it was a good indication that this album needed to be listened to LOUD.  The pulsating guitar, the fantastic Hammond Organ played by John Lord, the screaming vocals of Gillan, the song makes you want to get into a muscle car and drive 100 miles per hour!  "Maybe I'm A Leo" sounds like it could've been a hit single for Cream.  But the real brilliance of this album comes in the last three songs.  "Smoke On The Water"'s recognizable beginning, telling the story of a rather large firs in Lake Geneva, the slow buildup of "Lazy" with Gillan's screaming soul vocals, and "Space Truckin'" which is just a balls out rocker from start to finish.  This album would easily be in my Top 10 of all-time.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 20 (1968-2017)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 4 ("Hush" - 1968)

                                            ("Smoke On The Water" - 1973)

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS

The Doobie Brothers have had a couple of successful eras which most people split as pre-Michael McDonald and during Michael McDonald.  The band first got together in 1969 and 1970 with four main players: Tom Johnston (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Simmons (vocals, guitar), Dave Shogren (bass) and John Hartman (drums).  They began to play live gigs and got a huge following behind them for their rocking R and B style.  Their first album didn't do so well, partly because they couldn't replicate their live shows.  In 1971, they brought in a second drummer, Michael Hossack, and improved their sound on stage and on vinyl.  In 1975, the band had to replace Tom Johnston, who was hospitalized due to exhaustion, and found a gem in Michael McDonald.  The McDonald era went away from the band's Blues roots a bit, but they were never more successful, churning out hit after hit.  The Doobie Brothers kept a revolving door of musicians after the McDonald era, continuing to release albums, but being way more successful with their tours.

Toulouse Street was the second album the Doobie's released, back in 1972, and is my pick as their best.  They had much more success with the Michael McDonald albums, but, for me, the true rock and soul of the band before Michael McDonald is what I loved.  "Listen To The Music" became a bit hit and is still played on many rock-oriented radio shows.  "Rockin' Down The Highway" really shows off the melodic strength of their singing.  But the kicker, a song that is almost synonymous with The Doobie Brothers, is "Jesus is Just Alright".  It's a rollicking rocker that slows down and builds back up for a great ending.   Even though the band released much more popular and successful albums, the bare bones roots of Toulouse Street keep me listening over and over.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 14 (1971-2014)

Grammys: 2 (Record Of The Year "What A Fool Believes" - 1979)

                     (Best Pop Performance By Group, Album "Minute By Minute" - 1979)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("Black Water" - 1975)

                                            ("What A Fool Believes" - 1979)

THE DOORS

I used to be a HUGE Doors fan!  I still enjoy their stuff, but I ate it all up as a teen.  I couldn't get enough of Jim Morrison's voice, or Ray Manzarek's keyboard.  I thought their songs were all at once fun and deep.  The band got together in 1965.  Manzarek was in a band with his two brothers, along with others, and when he met Morrison, brought him on to sing.  Manzarek's brothers decided to quit, as did their guitarist and drummer.  Manzarek knew John Densmore from some classes they had together and brought him into the new band as it's drummer.  Robby Krieger joined up in mid-1965 and the quartet was set.  "If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: infinite", and The Doors were born.

The Doors released some really great albums in a very short time, but had a couple of duds as well.  L.A. Woman and Morrison Hotel are fabulous albums, but I always go back to their first, the one that introduced The Doors to the world, The Doors.  It starts off with a good indication of what you're gonna get, "Break On Through", Morrison's deep voice and Manzarek's whirling keyboards.  "Soul Kitchen" and "The Crystal Ship" are more examples of Morrison's great voice.  The sixth song, written by Robby Krieger, is the one that shot the band into super-stardom, "Light My Fire".  Morrison plays with the listener on Willie Dixon's "Back Door Man", a wonderful re-imagining of the song.  It all comes together at the end with the eleven-plus minute "The End", a mesmerizing song that's impossible to turn away from.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 9 (1967-1978)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("Light My Fire" - 1967)

                                            ("Hello, I Love You" - 1968)

Ok, that's a lot to take in for now.  Stay tuned for Part II of "I Got The Music In Me".