CLASSIC ROCK BOTTOM MAY MUSIC CHALLENGE

[Jon]

Since the inaugural version was such a rousing success*, the power that be (there can be only one!) has decided it's time for another music challenge.

The rules are simple:

Starting 5/1/14 (that's May 1st of the year 2014 for those that have problems with numbers), you will have 31 (thirty-one) days to listen to 30 (thirty) albums. No, not just ANY albums, but a specific genre of albums.

Last November's challenge was easy. Five (5) albums each from the 60's (sixties), 70's (seventies), 80's (eighties), 90's (nineties) and 00's (umm....zeroes zeroes?). Simple. Those that completed that challenge were given to opportunity to pick a specific genre for the next challenge, which is THIS challenge. 

So, you're probably asking yourself "What are the categories, or genres, this time?" Well, we don't know yet. We're making you wait and giving you ample time to get prepared. We're like that. 

For those that complete the challenge, you'll be given the opportunity to pick a category for an upcoming challenge, just like those that completed the inaugural challenge. Yep, we're nice like that. 

You can keep a running tally of your albums in this post. The only requirements are the album title, artist and what challenge category it falls into. You can also wait to post until you're done with the challenge. Either way is perfectly fine. We're easy like that. 

All you need to do now is wait. Wait for the categories to appear below. Wait, but breathe. Always remember to breathe.   

MAY CHALLENGE

1) Listen to 5 albums from a group named after a city, state or country (from Rjhog)

COMPLETED #1: Matthew N., Jon, Scott G., Niels, Rjhog, Mike M., Noah M.

2) Listen to 5 disco and/or funk albums, soundtracks included (per Scott G.)

COMPLETED #2: Jon, Matthew N., Rjhog, Niels, Scott G., Mike M., Noah M. 

3) Listen to 5 punk and/or alternative rock albums but 2 of the 5 MUST be Punk (so says Mike)

COMPLETED #3: Rjhog, Matthew N., Jon, Niels, Scott G., Mike M., Noah M.

4) Listen to 5 NWOBHM albums from the years 1980 and/or 1981(request from Niels)

COMPLETED #4: Niels, Matthew N., Jon, Rjhog, Mike M., Scott G., Noah M.

5) Listen to 5 albums from a group where at least one band member died (courtesy Scott B.)**

COMPLETED #5: Jon, Matthew N., Rjhog, Niels, Scott G., Mike M., Noah M.

6) Listen to 5 albums featuring a female lead singer

COMPLETED #6: Rjhog, Niels, Matthew N., Jon, Mike M., Scott G., Noah M.

* with the exception of Scott, who tried to ruin the fun 

**for example, you can listen to an AC/DC album but it will need to be an album featuring Bon Scott

ONLINE COUNTDOWN CLOCKS

[Matt Nadeau]

Listen to 5 punk and/or alternative rock albums, but 2 of the 5 MUST be Punk #2:

Artist name: U.K. Subs
Album title: Endangered Species
Year recorded/released: 1982

The Subs were a great punk group! Guns N' Roses covered their song "Down On The Farm" on their Spaghetti Incident album....the original is found on this album.

[Matt Nadeau]

Listen to 5 punk and/or alternative rock albums, but 2 of the 5 MUST be Punk #3:

Artist name: The Buzzcocks
Album title: Singles Going Steady
Year recorded/released: 1979

These last 3 slots in this category will be my 3 favorite punk albums of all-time. This album and the next one I post were both my entryway into the world of punk, via a small group of friends that I attended school with. Great album!!

[Matt Nadeau]

Listen to 5 punk and/or alternative rock albums, but 2 of the 5 MUST be Punk #4:

Artist name: The Sex Pistols
Album title: Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols
Year recorded/released: 1977

The foundation of punk. For myself and many others, the one that started it all. In my opinion, the greatest punk album from the beginning of the punk movement. A classic!

[Matt Nadeau]

Listen to 5 punk and/or alternative rock albums, but 2 of the 5 MUST be Punk #5:

Artist name: Green Day
Album title: American Idiot
Year recorded/released: 2004

Yes, there are original punks that don't like them (Johnny Rotten is one of them). Yes, they do record on a major label (but so did the Pistols). And yes, they are not incredibly original (in fact, they're quite derivative, even ripping themselves off occasionally). But they brought punk to the mainstream in 1994 and then exploded into a worldwide smash, then became the purveyors of their own album-inspired Broadway musical with this album. Quite simply, punk rock perfection. Easily one of my favorite albums of all time, regardless of genre.

CHALLENGE #3 COMPLETE!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Well, I listened to American Idiot for the first time yesterday.  I thought it was quite good.  I had heard maybe 3 songs from the album on the radio.  I thought the drumming was really good.  My only problem is that the vocalist always sounds like he has a cold.

[Niels (Mod)]

I'm with Rotten on this one. I certainly don't like Green Day either. They are not Punk in the original way. If you want original american Punk, then it's the Ramones, The Stooges or MC5.

[Matt Nadeau]

I love all 3 of them (Ramones, Stooges & MC5), but Green Day has been my favorite since 1994. They did kind of lose it a bit after the Warning album came out....I think they were getting tired of being Green Day, which is why they used the time in between the Warning album and American Idiot to do other projects, like The Network and Foxboro Hot Tubs. But I think they're great! I don't love everything they do (I thought the follow-up to American Idiot, 21st Century Breakdown, was kind of boring), and the three albums they released after that (Uno, Dos, Tre) has a lot of hit-or-miss moments, but I'm looking forward to whatever they do next. They are a great band to see live as well!

[Jon]

Listen to 5 albums from a group where at least one band member died

1. Threshold--Critical Mass (Lead singer Andrew "Mac" McDermott passed away in 2011)

Killer chorus in this song!

[Jon]

Listen to 5 albums from a group where at least one band member died

1. Threshold--Critical Mass (Lead singer Andrew "Mac" McDermott passed away in 2011)

2. Fleetwood Mac--Mystery To Me

[Niels (Mod)]

Fourth album in my own catagory NWOBHM:

Samson - Schock Tactics (1981)

Third best album ever feautering Bruce Dickinson. As I've said before, for me Dickinson is the lead-singer of Samson and Paul Di'anno is the lead-singer of Iron Maiden. Actually an import, when I bought the album in '81, so it was quite expensive, but worth the price.

[Niels (Mod)]

Third album in the catagory "..female leadsinger":

The B-52's - Cosmic Thing

Ahhhh, Kate Pierson. She's HOT!!! But actually, I think that Cindy Wilson's got a sexier voice. I bought this in '92, I think. Reminds me of summer.

[Niels (Mod)]

Fifth and final album in my own catagory NWOBHM:

Angel Witch - Angel Witch. (1980)

Another original NWOBHM-band/album. Lars Ulrich was also a fan of this genre, and bought albums the same place as I did in the late seventies/start eighties in Copenhagen (Bristol Music Center) by our "mutual acquaintances" Ken Anthony. I think, that this album is one of the those albums, he got some inspiration from. The track "Angel Of Death", sounds very much like Metallica, 3 years before their debut-album.