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

[Niels (Mod)]

Second album in the catagory 1) Listen to 5 albums from a group named after a city, state or country (from Rjhog):

New York Dolls - New York Dolls.

Another album, that I haven't heard. At least not the full album. I don't like it as much as the Runaways-album. They sound like a cross between Rolling Stones and Iggy Pop & The Stooges, not surprisingly.

According to Wikipedia: "The New York Dolls influenced bands such as the Sex Pistols, Kiss, the Ramones, Guns N' Roses and the Damned." That was definitly when KISS was an interesting band. Not when they released The Elder, Jon.

I've just read Paul Stanley's book, and I seem to remember, that he wrote, he thought they sounded like shit, but off course, they had lipstick on.

Yet another album, that sounds much more Punk than "London Calling".

[Niels (Mod)]

Second album in the catagory 5) Listen to 5 albums from a group where at least one band member died (courtesy Scott B.)**:

Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado.

This is a a very, very good album. Much better than "Out Of The Blue", if you ask me. As good as, or even better than "A New World Record". I love this album!!! Nice to hear such good music, in between all the "punk" and disco/funk-albums.

Oh, and it's Mike Edwards, Cello, that died in 2010.

[Niels (Mod)]

Second album in the catagory

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

The Clash - The Clash (1977)

Now this is The Clash playing Punk-rock. It's a lot better than the very overrated "London Calling" (the song is great, though!)

[Niels (Mod)]

Second album in the catagory 6) Listen to 5 albums featuring a female lead singer ( but the album could work in 3 different catagories):

Girlschool - Demolition (1980)

Actually a NWOBHM-band, with a leadguitarist/singer, Kelly Johnson, who died of cancer in 2007. It's a pretty good album, and like The Runaways, it's all girls!!

[Niels (Mod)]

Third album in my own catagory (NWOBHM):

Quartz - Stand Up And Fight (1980)

I remember (if my memory ain't totally wasted), that I bought this album the same day in the spring of 1981, that I bought "Fair Warning". Man, it's been a long time, since I last heard this album. It's actually pretty good straight forwarded Heavy Metal ala NWOBHM. Why didn't this band get any bigger? Sounds a bit like UFO or a Metal-version of Nazareth.(if I say, they sound like Black Sabbath, I'll admit that Sabbath is Metal, but they are Heavy Rock, right? )

10 down, 20 to go.

[Matt Nadeau]

I'm using this one under the NWOBHM category.....LOVE this album! (The Grilschool album, that is)

[Niels (Mod)]

Yeah, it was surprisingly good. The only Girlschool-album, I bought at the time in '83 was "Play Dirty", and that album wasn't as good as this one. On PD, they wanted the "Pyromania-sound", because of the success of that album. This one is pure NWOBHM-gold.

[RJhog (Admin)]

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

1. Green Day - American Idiot (Punk)

2. MC5 - Kick Out The Jams (Punk)

3. Dropkick Murphys - The Warriors Code (Punk)

4. Dreams So Real - Rough Night In Jericho (Alternative)

5. Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man (Alternative)

[Jon]

Listen to 5 disco and/or funk albums, soundtracks included

1. Funkadelic--One Nation Under A Groove

2. Prince--Chaos And Disorder

3. Sly And The Family Stone--Stand!

4. Various Artists--Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack)

5. Various Artists--Xanadu (Soundtrack)

[Matt Nadeau]

I LOVE the Xanadu soundtrack! Actually, the ELO songs and the one that ON-J did with The Tubes, "Dancin' ". Great stuff!

[Jon]

Hell yeah! And the movie is AWESOME! I DON'T CARE WHO READS THIS!!!!!!

[Matt Nadeau]

OK, on to category #3!

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

Up to this point, this one's going to be my favorite and easiest category to complete...here's my first one!

Artist name: Fear
Album title: The Record
Year recorded/released: 1982

Like the reviewer says on Allmusic.com about this album.....it's the "punk equivalent of the movie Animal House...puerile, offensive, and often reveling in its own ignorance, but pretty entertaining on a non-think level while it lasts". Completely NOT politically correct. If swear words make you cry, you may want to avoid this one.