Classic Rock Bottom

I think we'll wrap up this 80's series with this post, seems like the best timing and style to do that with.  I was speaking with a certain someone about this playlist recently, I am pretty excited about this one, it feels good, but listen close, there’s a couple of real treasures here.

I was walking by Cobo hall this past week and was thinking about all the great rock and roll that building has seen and heard, so let’s do what I would hope a great band would do in Cobo, turn it up and get to it!


PLAYLIST VITALS...
LENGTH: 43 minutes 57 seconds
LINK: http://www.podsnack.com/playlists/fd0731ff1e0c2a434ac483a03a830408

 

TITLE: 1-2-3-4 Rock 'n' Roll
BAND: Rail
ALBUM: Adio (Originally released on a 4 song EP simply titled "Rail")
YEAR: 1984
LENGTH: 4:16
DID YOU KNOW: Rail was the original winners of Mtv "Basement Tapes" competition and this song was on their first release after that.

Maybe they weren’t ready for the machine that swallowed them up and then spit them out after releasing this, but the song is a great live track, and before you judge this, think about it in a live and loud context!  Loads of fun from a band that still enjoys local success in the American North West.

TITLE: Attack Of The Mad Axeman
BAND: Michael Schenker Group
ALBUM: MSG
YEAR: 1981
LENGTH: 4:22
DID YOU KNOW: This song is about an axe-wielding man who prowls through a town at night, although it is ambiguous as to whether the axeman is actually a guitarist playing his songs.

Really cool album!  Almost as good as Assault Attack (had to slip that in) but I love his geetar work, there’s always seems to be something innovative about his music around this time.  The remastered disc is a must.

TITLE: Spotlight Kid
BAND: Rainbow
ALBUM: Difficult To Cure
YEAR: 1981
LENGTH: 4:57
DID YOU KNOW: This albums cover design is by Hipgnosis though it was not specifically for this album. It had previously been put forward as a cover for Black Sabbath's 1978 album, Never Say Die!

Niels mentioned this album in this week’s VOTW, so it’s perfect timing to include this.  I promise there is no planning going on behind the scenes.  I have had this list put together for quite some time.  Anyway, this is my favorite version of Rainbow easily, and I love this album too.

TITLE: Easy Living
BAND: Fastway
ALBUM: Fastway
YEAR: 1983
LENGTH: 2:47
DID YOU KNOW: The band was formed by "Fast" Eddie Clarke, formerly of Motörhead, and bassist, Pete Way, formerly of UFO. (Get it?  FastWay).  Interestingly enough, Pete Way never recorded with the band because he could not get out of his contract at the time.

Short and to the point, no piddling around with this band, that’s what I like best about this whole album.  Cool Cool stuff.

TITLE: Flick Of The Switch
BAND: ACDC
ALBUM: Flick Of The Switch
YEAR: 1983
LENGTH: 3:13
DID YOU KNOW: Drummer Phil Rudd was fired midway through the album's recording sessions, although he had completed his drum parts. Former Procol Harum drummer B.J. Wilson was hired to help complete the recording if needed, but his contributions were not used.

OK, this was added some time ago when Niels was asserting his love for this album.  So this one was a nod to my overseas friend!  Besides its a cool album and a real hidden treasure as the album didn’t resonate with fans at the time. 

TITLE: Heading Out To The Highway
BAND: Judas Priest
ALBUM: Point Of Entry
YEAR: 1981
LENGTH: 3:47
DID YOU KNOW: This album tried to follow the same formula as British Steel, but critics generally panned it. However, the tour in support was successful and songs from POE are still considered some of their best "live" songs.

When this came out, I felt like I was the only Point of Entry fan around though almost everyone banged their head to this track at least.  The album has proved to be a classic in my mind anyway!

TITLE: Wasted Years
BAND: Iron Maiden
ALBUM: Somewhere In Time
YEAR: 1986
LENGTH: 5:07
DID YOU KNOW: This album, for the first time in the band's history, featured synthesized bass and guitars to add textures and layers to the sound.

My favorite Maiden album!  I know its arguable, but not for me, it was the second Maiden album I ever bought and quickly became the one I'd choose to listen to.  I don’t think the synthesized parts are over done or overwhelming.  This is a nicely balanced album loosely themed on time travel. 

TITLE: Eat The Rich
BAND: Krokus
ALBUM: Headhunter
YEAR: 1983
LENGTH: 4:14
DID YOU KNOW: Krokus was formed in 1974 as a prog rock act, but after seeing AC/DC in concert in the late 70s, they decided to change their musical direction and adopted a sound which was influenced by the band.

I first heard this album while my head was lying between two large speakers turned up very loud.  I highly recommend listening to music this way not just this album, but if you’ve never done it, try this as a launching point.

TITLE: Take You To The Limit
BAND: Y&T
ALBUM: Mean Streak
YEAR: 1983
LENGTH: 4:52
DID YOU KNOW: The band's first three studio albums, Earthshaker, released in 1981, Black Tiger, released in 1982, and Mean Streak, released in 1983, did not gain mainstream exposure, but are regarded as some of the band's best work.

Yet another quality act that almost broke big.  TO their credit they are still together and doing well, maybe more of West Coast favorite but if they ever make their way to your town, dont pass them up!

TITLE: Angel Of Death
BAND: Thin Lizzy
ALBUM: Renegade
YEAR: 1981
LENGTH: 6:16
DID YOU KNOW: This was the first album that keyboard player Darren Wharton was credited as a permanent member. However, even though he had officially joined the band, his picture was omitted from the album sleeve.

Heck, Wharton was even credited as a writer on this tune.  Poor guy!  Oh well...  This album is so underrated, it’s a complete masterpiece as I am discovering about the entire Thin Lizzy catalog.  Love the bass lines Lynott wrote, can you imagine if he was still around?


So... did you enjoy?  Next week I will try to bury a few things that I’ve had sitting around.

 

 

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Replies to This Discussion

The girls are getting hotter and hotter!!! This looks like a nice list, Scott. Some day, I'll get the time, and listen!!!

Man, you mentioned Cobo Hall and didn't include any Kiss material...how's that?  Just kidding.  Obviously, Kiss and Cobo Hall are synonomous (spelling?) with the mid 70's, not the 80's.  Looks cool, I'll listen when I can, busy week at work.

Thats the main reason I walked down there because of KISS Alive!  But ya, were in the 80's here so NA..  hahaha

Dude! Greatest list...EVER! I have all these songs except Rail. Great, great, great. Song # 2 is AWESOME!

 

Don't know album those album covers though...don't know why you have pictures.

The album covers are perfect!  not only in the content here but in the podsnack player too!

Freaky...

 

I'm crankin' this up at work tomorrow.

1. Never heard of this band, and I'll forget about them in 2 minutes. I would HATE seeing and hearing them live!!!This is a stinker. 2/10 (and that's being nice!!)

2. I remember this album. One of my friends had it. I agree that Assault Attack was/is a good album. I had it on vinyl, so it's been a few years, since I heard it the last time. This track has it's moments, especially the guitar-solo, but nothing I would buy nowadays. 5/10

3. I must be getting really old, because I don't recall mentioning this album in VOTW? I thought I only mentioned JLT?? Hmmm, I won't check it out, so you're probably right, Scott. I LOVE this album, AND this track!!! Have I ever told you about the time, where I had tickets for a Rainbow-concert (Difficult To Cure-Tour), and Def Leppard was suppose to warm up, with Pete Willis on guitar!!! They had just released High'N'Dry, for gods sake!!! Yeah, I think I've mentioned it somewhere more than once. Of course DL never showed up, but Rainbow were great!!! 10/10

4. Hmmmm, I can't help of thinking about Uriah Heep. I prefer their Easy Livin'. This is okay, but I don't really like the singer. He reminds me of Blackie Lawless, and I'm NOT a fan of W.A.S.P. 4.5/10

5. Oh yeah!! This is a GREAT album!! Some of AC/DC's best riffs are on this album. This is not one of the best tracks, but it's just fine. From then on, AC/DC only made (mostly) crap!! 8/10

6. AWESOME album!! There's not one bad track on that album. What a riff on this song!!! JP were the best at that point. 10/10 (easily!!) 

7. Judas Priest AND Iron Maiden on the same list!!! We've got a winner, Scott!!! This is a good song, from a not so good album. When I bought the album in '86, I thought it was the first time, I could spot some weakness on a Maiden-album. But this song is really good. Again a great riff and guitarsolo!! I've always preferred Adrian Smith's solo's. 10/10

8. Hmmmmm, I also bought Krokus-albums in the beginning of the 80's, but I was dissapointed in this one, and it was the last one I ever bought. This song bores the hell out of me. 3/10

9. Weird album, I think. The title-track was GREAT and I bought the single before the album was released and was REALLY looking forward to the album. Then the album came, and was so dissapointed. Just like this track, it has a fine beginning, but the chorus is booring. I still think, that Black Tiger was their best album. 5/10

10. I do enjoy, listen to Thin Lizzy. Yeah, what if Lynott was still around? When he died, he was going downhill. The last single he put out, Nineteen, was crap. Where would he have gone from there? Ah well, let's go back to this track. Who's on guitar? Snowy White? I've heard better, but it's good. 7/10.

 

Yeah, Scott, I enjoyed it. Very good list. Promise, it won't be the last time, you put Judas Priest and Iron Maiden on the same list!!

Ok...other than Rail which blew stale monkey chunks, what a fine, fine playlist. Cranked it at work. 

 

What I also realized is that the cover for MSG is actually kinda wrong (in a way). The original album cover is much, much better:

 

 

 

You know your right!  I have the remastered disc so thats probalby the difference

 

 

Just a friendly reminder...  Next week is ALL RAIL ALL THE TIME!  I mean since you all love them so much... 
How about this...Rail, Poison, Firehouse, Bon Jovi, Kiss? That would be an awesome list.
OOOHHH!!!!  A "Jon's Gonna Hate this"  hmmmmm...  to the batcave!

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