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".
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