Classic Rock Bottom

The year 1987 in music...

  • February 6 – Sonny Bono announces his candidacy for mayor of Palm Springs, California.
  • February 14 - Los Angeles radio station KMET signs off after nineteen years on the air. The station had been a pioneer of underground progressive rock programming.
  • March 13 - In the US, Bryan Adams' "Heat of the Night" becomes the first single to be commercially released on cassette. Cassette singles become known as cassingles.
  • July 4 – The first joint rock concert between the United States and the Soviet Union is held in Moscow to promote peace. The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Santana and Bonnie Raitt share the bill with Soviet rock group Autograph.
  • July 21 – American rock group Guns N' Roses release Appetite for Destruction which, after initial slow sales will become the best selling debut album of all time with more than 18 million copies sold in the US alone to date
  • August 31 – Michael Jackson releases Bad, the first studio album after Thriller, the best-selling album of all time. The album would produce five number one singles in the USA, a record which has not been broken.
  • September 7 - Pink Floyd release A Momentary Lapse of Reason, their first album after the departure of and legal battle with bassist, Roger Waters. The subsequent tour grossed around $135 million worldwide, a sum that was only equaled by the earnings of Michael Jackson and U2 combined.
  • November 13 – Sonny and Cher reunite for a performance on Late Night with David Letterman.
  • December 16 – John Mellencamp performs two free shows in the small town of Chillicothe, Ohio after one-fifth of the population signed a petition asking him to play.
  • December 23 – Nikki Sixx of the rock band Mötley Crüe suffers a heroin overdose, but is revived shortly thereafter.
  • Also - Lynyrd Skynyrd reform and now have Ronnie Van Zant's little brother Johnny Van Zant as lead singer.

 

My Top 5 albums...

  1. Icehouse - Man of Colours
  2. Def Leppard - Hysteria
  3. Yes - Big Generator
  4. Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse of Reason
  5. Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation

 

PLAYLIST --> http://www.podsnack.com/CA69EFD9E8C/a1cibj3j

 

Aerosmith
Permanent Vacation

Hearts Done Time

The album marks a turning point in the band's career. It is their first album to employ professional songwriters, instead of featuring material solely composed by members of the band. This came as a suggestion of executive John Kalodner, who also pushed the band to work with producer Bruce Fairbairn, who remained with them for another two albums. It was also the first Aerosmith album to be promoted by heavy music video airplay on MTV. Though Done with Mirrors was intended to mark Aerosmith's comeback, Permanent Vacation is often considered their true comeback album, as it was the band's first truly popular album since their reunion. "Rag Doll", "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Angel" all became major hit singles (all three songs charted in the Top 20) and helped Permanent Vacation become the band's most successful album in a decade.

Foreigner
Inside Information

2 - Heart Turns To Stone

Heart Turns to Stone peaked at #7 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in an earlier non-commercial release only to rock radio but only managed #56 on the Hot 100 several months later, and the harder "Can't Wait", which matched the #18 Mainstream Rock Tracks charting of "I Don't Want To Live Without You" but failed to crack the Hot 100. It was the last album to feature the classic '80s core lineup of Gramm, Jones, Wills and Elliott. The following year saw a successful solo album and singles from Lou Gramm and found Mick Jones releasing an album and producing for artists including Billy Joel.

KISS
Crazy Nights

3 - Reason To Live

Stanley recalled when he played the "Reason to Live" demo to Simmons, "I remember calling up Gene and playing it to him down the phone... I played the song to Gene and obviously the bomb had gone off at the other end. He was speechless." Stanley was always okay with having power-ballads on Kiss albums, which first started with "I Still Love You" on Creatures of the Night. Stanley also said, "If a band was to be honest they would tell you that at that time the only hope for airplay was a ballad."[24] A music video directed by Marty Callner was made, and featured Playboy centerfold Eloise Broady. "Reason to Live" reached #64 Billboard Hot 100 and #34 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and #33 in the UK. The song managed to chart in the Netherlands, reaching a poor #89.

Roger Waters
Radio K.A.O.S.

4 - Radio Waves

Like his previous studio album and many works of his during his time with Pink Floyd, this is a concept album. The album is based around a number of key factors of politics in the late 1980s – monetarism, and its effect on citizens. It also makes criticisms of Margaret Thatcher's government, much like Pink Floyd's The Final Cut, another album Waters was the author for. Other influences also include popular culture of the 1980s, and the choices and consequences of the Cold War and its effect on world politics and society.

Internationally, the album only charted in two countries, peaking at number 25 in the United Kingdom and number 50 in the United States. The album spawned four singles in 1987. "Radio Waves" was released as the lead single from the album, charting at number 74 in the UK. "Sunset Strip" charted at number 15 on the United States mainstream chart, "The Tide Is Turning" charted at number 54 in the UK, and "Who Needs Information", which failed to chart.Waters also made a Video EP for this album featuring the songs:Radio Waves,Sunset Strip,Fish Report,Four Minutes,The Tide Is Turning (After Live Aid)

Pink Floyd
A Momentary Lapse of Reason

5 - One Slip

The album is noticeably different in style and content from its predecessor, The Final Cut. Gilmour presented A Momentary Lapse as a return to the Floyd of older days, citing his belief that toward the end of Waters' tenure, lyrics were more important than music. Gilmour claimed that "The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here were so successful not just because of Roger's contributions, but also because there was a better balance between the music and the lyrics [than on later albums]". He also stated that with A Momentary Lapse, he had tried to restore the earlier, more successful balance between lyrics and music.

A Momentary Lapse of Reason was certified Silver and Gold in the UK on 1 October 1987, and Gold and Platinum in the US on 9 November. It went 2× Platinum on 18 January the following year, 3× Platinum on 10 March 1992, and 4× Platinum on 16 August 2001, easily beating sales of the band's previous album, The Final Cut. The album was reissued in 1988 as a limited edition vinyl album, complete with posters, and a guaranteed ticket application for the upcoming UK leg of the band's UK concerts. The album was digitally remastered and re-released in 1994, an anniversary edition was released in the US in 1997, and the album was remastered and re-released a second time on the 2011 Discovery box set.

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My Top 5 back then:

5. Night Ranger - Big Life

4. Whitesnake - Whitesnake

3. Def Leppard - Hysteria

2. Guns 'n' Roses - Appetite For Destruction

1. Kiss - Crazy Nights

My Top 5 now:

5. Night Ranger - Big Life

4. Whitesnake - Whitesnake

3. Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night

2. Guns 'n' Roses - Appetite For Destruction

1. U2 - The Joshua Tree

All (?) of the "new" albums, I bought back in 1987:
Hysteria - Def Leppard
The Joshua Tree - U2
Appetite For Destruction - Guns'n'Roses
Clutching At Straws - Marillion
Whitesnake - Whithesnake
Electric - The Cult
Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith
Girls,girls, girls - Mötley Crüe
The Lonesome Jubilee - John Mellencamp
Hold Your Fire - Rush
Crest of a Knave - Jethro Tull
The Eternal Idol - Black Sabbath
The House Of The Blue Light - Deep Purple
Wild Frontier - Gary Moore
Into The Fire - Bryan Adams
Big Life - Night Ranger
Live In The City Of Lights - Simple Minds
Bad Animals - Heart
Contagious - Y&T
Pride - White Lion
Priest Live - Judas Priest
Faster Pussycat - Faster Pussycat
Frehley's Comet - Ace Frehley
Dream Evil - Dio
Perfect Timing - MSG
Go On - Mr. Mister
Crazy Nights - KISS
Back For The Attack - Dokken
Inside Information - Foreigner
Eye Of The Hurricane - The Alarm
Stan Bush & Barrage - Stan Bush
The best albums was VERY good in 1987, but there were also a lot of crap! This was probably the last good music-year in the 80's, if you ask me.
My top 5 in 1987 would probably had been:
1. The Joshua Tree - U2
2. Hysteria - Def Leppard
3. Hold Your Fire - Rush
4. Eye Of The Hurricane - The Alarm
5. Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith
Though it was a tie between U2 and Leppard. Even though I bought "Appetite for destruction", when it was released, I didn't really like it at first. It wasn't until '88, that I discovered how great the album was/is.
Today it would be:
1. The Joshua Tree
2. Appetite For Destruction
3. Hysteria
4. Hold Your Fire
5. Clutching at straws - Marillion
That's an amazing top-3!! Maybe the best top 3 in the 80's at all!!

Some of the txt dissapeared somehow:

 

This was probably the last good music-year in the 80's, if you ask me.

 

 Even though I bought "Appetite for destruction", when it was released, I didn't really like it at first. It wasn't until '88, that I discovered how great the album was/is.

Then:
GnR--Appetite For Destruction
Def Leppard--Hysteria The
Cult--Electric
Jethro Tull--Crest Of A Knave
U2--The Joshua Tree


Now:
The Cult--Electric
Prince--Sign O The Times
Foreigner--Inside Information
Grateful Dead--In The Dark
Warren Zevon--Sentimental Hygiene



Honorable Mentions:


David Bowie--Never Let Me Down
Marillion--Clutching At Straws
The Hooters--One Way Home
Yes--Big Generator
Savatage--Hall Of The Mountain King
Joe Satriani--Surfing With The Alien
Wendy & Lisa--Wendy & Lisa

Before I start, Lou Gramm's solo album was also released in '87, well before the Foreigner album.

And now my review and assorted thoughts:

1. Aerosmith--Well, at least you picked the one decent song on this (almost) complete and utter waste of vinyl. Yep, this album definitely marked a turning point in their career, pushing them down the road to suckiness. Will not waste my money on this album again, and yes, I did have it in my hands when it was in the $5 bin at Wally World, but while looking at it I threw up a little in my mouth and then spit it into the bin on top of this album.   

2. Foreigner--Not a bad track on this album, so whatever you posted would have been ok in my book. I remember that the vinyl copy sounded very, very good. A nice full sound.

3. Kiss--Uhhhhh.....I had this, yes? I didn't like this? After liking the previous albums I thought again that Kiss sucked? Are there any good songs on this album? I don't remember....

4. Roger Waters--Kinda like Foreigner, not a bad track. Better to listen to the album as a whole. One bad thing is the album cover, his previous album cover was much, MUCH better. 

5. Pink Floyd--I got really tired of this album, and we're talking quickly. Don't know what it was and is, I just cannot get into this at all. Definite step down from "The FInal Cut", this album and the followup are two I listen to sparingly. If anything, I would have picked "On The Turning Away". Kinda like that song.

Final score:

2/4*

*Can't count Kiss. Don't think there's anything good on that album and don't care to find out.

 

Smith - I think Permanent Vacation is pretty good.  This song is pretty good too.  If I were to pick a favorite off of the album, it would be Magic Touch.

Foreign - I have this album, but I've really never invested any time in it.  I don't remember this song by name, but I do remember hearing it.  It has a really good hook.  Totally dig it.  Need to listen to this album.

Wicked Lester - I loved this album back in 1987.  Even the gosh-awful songs like Crazy Crazy Nights, Bang Bang You and My Way.  Can't say it has had staying power, but I do still dial it up every once-in-a-while.  The song you picked is fantastic.  I also like I'll Fight Hell To Hold You, Good Girl Gone Bad and Hell Or High Water (the latter two are two of Gene's better 80's tracks).  By the way, this is the type of song Paul should be working on today with the new and improved Kiss.  For me, his best songs come from him getting his heart broken.

Rog - Don't know this one.  I don't think I've ever heard a single one of his solo tunes.  I've seen the hitchhiker album cover at the used CD store a couple of times but passed it by.  No, wait a minute, that may be David Gilmour.  Can't remember.  I can barely hear this at the same volume as the previous tracks.  This sounds like Talking Heads a bit to me.  Can't say I care for this track at all.

Pink - I don't have this album either.  I used to never give Pink Floyd the time of day.  I like them much more now than back then, but I still don't have much of their catalog.  I want that Discovery Box, but I'm waiting on the price to decrease.  I wouldn't call this stellar, but it's better than the Waters track.

Good job Scott.

Are you talking about the nekkid lady hitchhiker? That's Waters.

Yeah, that's the one.  

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