The Official Hard Rock / Classic Metal Music Discussion and Memorabilia Thread!

[Evermind]

I actually even used to wear metal shirts in my pharmacist gig - just with a white coat over the top....if some of the PC police knew that I would've been in strife.   Beats a shirt and tie any day

It's way more comfortable than shirt-and-tie as far as I concerned. And I tend to work best when I'm most comfortable and when nothing annoys me, so there's that too. In the end, getting the work done within the deadline is what matters most, so no one can complain about my t-shirt choices I think. 

And also with metal t-shirt on there's always the chance fellow metalheads from other departments will notice me and we'll get along nicely. That happened a few times already.

[BlobVanDam]

Luckily none of my band shirts are anything offensive. I've never really had any metal metal shirts anyway.
I have a GNR shirt that's just the big logo, and some DT shirts of album covers and such (and the same one as on the previous page with the little hangman guy, although in regular circumstances it wouldn't be offensive).
I have a Maiden shirt with Eddy on it (not sure if it's an album cover, as I'm not a huge Maiden fan). It's obviously a bit cheesy, but not offensive.

These days I mostly wear nerdy scifi shirts anyway.

[jjrock88]

I always loved the metal shirts that have the 3/4 white sleeves and the black middle section with the band logo. All old head bangers used to wear them but they don't seem to make too many of them anymore. Ebay has people selling them but they are usually very worn out and size medium

[TAC]

I always loved the metal shirts that have the 3/4 white sleeves and the black middle section with the band logo. All old head bangers used to wear them but they don't seem to make too many of them anymore. Ebay has people selling them but they are usually very worn out and size medium

I bought the baseball style shirts most of the time. But Never did I have a black one with white sleeves. Always white with black sleeves. And half the time, I trimmed the sleeves back to t shirt length.
Though I had a bunch of black T's, I generally was not and am not a black T shirt guy, always opting for the white ones, which unfortunately the baseball style was my only option.

Like I had posted previously at some point, I had 5 trash bags filled with them when I moved out of my parents' house, but I have only one left. I really wish I still had them. So many great memories tied to them.

[jjrock88]

Iron Maiden must have the biggest selection of shirts available. It's crazy

[TAC]

Iron Maiden must have the biggest selection of shirts available. It's crazy

When I was in college, I literally could've worn a different Maiden shirt for a month and not repeat.

[TAC]

One 2015 album that I am enjoying the hell out of is Lords Of The Trident-Frostburn.


It's got a couple of good reviews:
https://www.metalreviews.com/reviews/album/9092
https://bravewords.com/reviews/lords-of-the-trident-frostburn

The Longest Journey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnUdEHYcgmY

Shattered Skies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad0E-Skcc3U

It's heavy metal that is very easy on the ears. By no means original, it still hits the spot for me.

Of course, I expect this post to be met with a bunch of:

Didn't do a thing for me.

..and..

I agree with Paul actually, I thought it was average at best.

But I like it anyway.

[Lowdz]

Sounds ok to me TAC. 

[wolfking]

I actually didn't mind that.  It's pretty damn simple and the vox are a bit soft, but yeah, it does the job.  Sorta of reminds me of a softer Grand Magus and a little Dream Evil too.  Might check it out.

[bl5150]

I have Frostburn on The List (in TAC terms ) so I've already checked it out to some extent and liked it enough to follow up.

I have quite a number of those white 3/4 sleeve shirts in my VH collection (stashed away)  ....most of them are too small to wear .  I don't think I've ever seen one being worn in Australia .

One of the rarest I have would be the one from US Festival , which from memory is white with black sleeves.

[TAC]

 
You guys are right on cue.


It's quite melodic, and the lead guitar sound reminds me of the Powerslave album.

[wolfking]

Just checked one of their videos.  These guys were definitely the nerds in school.  Quite embarrasing really.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPdwj-IuYBY

EDIT:  Wait, haha this one is even worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuzxuKbVngM

[bl5150]

And here I was saying I was getting sick of the cartoonish side of metal fashion    They're actually pretty funny - even funnier perhaps than they intend to be.

[TAC]

I have Frostburn on The List (in TAC terms ) so I've already checked it out to some extent and liked it enough to follow up.

I have quite a number of those white 3/4 sleeve shirts in my VH collection (stashed away)  ....most of them are too small to wear .  I don't think I've ever seen one being worn in Australia .

One of the rarest I have would be the one from US Festival , which from memory is white with black sleeves.

I bought the black sleeve baseball style jersey at the 1984 show.
This was the back:


I couldn't find an image of the front.

I think the baseball style jersey with the white sleeves were sold by the dudes out in the parking lot.

[TAC]

Just checked one of their videos.  These guys were definitely the nerds in school.  Quite embarrasing really.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPdwj-IuYBY

EDIT:  Wait, haha this one is even worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuzxuKbVngM

And here I was saying I was getting sick of the cartoonish side of metal fashion    They're actually pretty funny - even funnier perhaps than they intend to be.

I think both reviews I linked, which is how I learned of the band, state that they should just lose the shtick and play. There are a few cheesy lyrics on the album, but musicly, it's pretty good. Like I said, very easy on the ears.

[bl5150]

By referring to them as "baseball style" perhaps you've explained why they don't seem to exist much in Australia. 

You're right too -most of my "parking lot" ones tend to be black with white sleeves.

That's a nice shirt TAC.   I'll have to find my "Hide Your Sheep Tour" shirt     We missed that tour too - perhaps they were overwhelmed in NZ.

[jjrock88]

With that shirt you could have fit in nicely in the doc "Heavy Metal Parking Lot"

[Jaq]

Just checked one of their videos.  These guys were definitely the nerds in school.  Quite embarrasing really.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPdwj-IuYBY

EDIT:  Wait, haha this one is even worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuzxuKbVngM

Second one gets fire and desire rhyming in the first verse. 

[TAC]

With that shirt you could have fit in nicely in the doc "Heavy Metal Parking Lot"

Heavy Metal Parking Lot was great and brought back so many memories. Saw that very same tour within a few days of that filming.

[bl5150]

I hadn't seen that before - I now have a better insight into why metal fans are often viewed as morons    I only had a quick look but I thought 20 year old Dave and his 13 yo girlfriend were interesting   Where on Earth was that filmed ?......or is that representative of everywhere?

I'll admit that the crowd experience (including the crazies and the clothes)is one of the reasons I decided to go see KISS one last time in October.  It's always an hilarious experience - a bit like a time machine.

[jjrock88]

It doesn't paint metal heads in a very positive light.

I believe it was a Judas Priest/Dokken show in summer 86 in LA.

[wolfking]

I always meant to check that film out.

[jjrock88]

I always meant to check that film out.

Its worth it.  Funny stuff and only about 15 min long

[wolfking]

15 minutes?! I've seen the DVD around for like $20, what the hell?

[bl5150]

Just search on Youtube - it's there in full.   Is this seriously out there in Aussie stores?

[jjrock88]

It got rereleased a few years ago in dvd with around two hours of bonus footage and new interviews from the people involved.  The doc itself is great but the bonus footage is a one time watch and that's it

[wolfking]

Just search on Youtube - it's there in full.   Is this seriously out there in Aussie stores?

I think this must be the re-release Jason is talking about.

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/documentary/heavy-metal-parking-lot/323886/

[bl5150]

I don't expect any of you guys to ever question me now on whether I'm "metal to the core."    I was in this morning for x-rays and here's my knee...........the ankle looks basically the same.       

[wolfking]

Damn man, that's a hell of a piece of metal.  I can't believe how long this injury has taken you to recover.  Do they eventually come out, or are they there for good?

[bl5150]

You could say my leg is screwed     

Damn man, that's a hell of a piece of metal.  I can't believe how long this injury has taken you to recover.  Do they eventually come out, or are they there for good?

Yeah it was a year this weekend just passed.

Those are the sort of questions I'm trying to get my head around.  The surgeon is "vague as" which doesn't help.  I'm walking around okay but still have a lot of trouble taking any weight on a bent knee (squatting , going down hills etc....) and also getting a lot of irritation around that "head" on the plate at the top -right which is right under the skin with scar tissue etc......

He seemed to be encouraging me to get the plates out , but that creates further weak spots until the holes in the bone heal again.  Apparently it's just a day surgery , you walk out and a couple of weeks off your feet.

But I pressed him on it again on the way out and he said" of course it's better to leave the plates in if you can"   

I'm going to get a second opinion before I do anything.  And just keep working hard on strength in the mean time.

I assume your toe is okay now?

[wolfking]

Yeah, they are very vague and never seem to be able to give you a definite answer.  I
'd definitely get a second opinion, but after all you have been through, I'd probably look at getting them out. It shouldn't take long for the bone to fully recover once they are out.  But saying that, you'd be guided by a definite proper medical answer.

Yeah, the toe is good.  It's only been the last two or three weeks that I can say it's 'almost there'  Still can't really stand on my tip toes or kneel with the toe bent, and I still can't bend the toe, but I don't think I ever will.  It still swells up a little after a big day, but i'd say it's 95%.  I can't believe mine has been 9 months in 3 days, crazy.  Nothing like what you have been through though.  Credit to your mental toughness, it's hard, but you just gotta keep going.

[jjrock88]

Brent youre a rocker and heavy metal to the core!!

[TAC]

It doesn't paint metal heads in a very positive light.

I believe it was a Judas Priest/Dokken show in summer 86 in LA.

It was the Judas Priest /Dokken tour but it was in Landover MD.

[bl5150]

Brent youre a rocker and heavy metal to the core!!

 

Almost at jj levels of metal-ness 


Okay..........let's get some of these long talked about Top 10's up and running.  My focus will shift from the Best of Year stuff to this and we'll see if we can change the band/topic on a weekly basis.   When we run out of ideas I might try and do a big special like 100 Best All Time Rock/Metal Guitarists but I'm a bit over compiling huge lists for the moment.

So what we want here in a band list is a Top 10 favourite songs (ranked or not - up to you) and a ranking of the albums that you're familiar with.  No need to bother with certain albums if you don't have them or not overly familiar etc......


I'm sure that you'll all be shocked to see that the first band is Van Halen.    I think it might be easier to split "classic" DLR Van Halen and Van Hagar (+ VH3) into 2 separate weeks.   In honour of both singers I managed to squeeze them both onto one shirt.  This is one from the short lived "Sammy and Dave" tour in 2002 and is one of the rarer ones I have that's not in storage.




OK - DLR era Van Halen




Album Ranking:

1. Van Halen
2. Fair Warning
3.1984
4. Van Halen 2
5 Diver Down
6 Women and Children First
7 A Different Kind Of Truth

I almost forgot ADKOT as I've thought of it as the DLR "six pack" for so long.  I haven't spent as much time as I'd like with that album - it has the potential to move up a spot or two over time.

I love all those albums and fwiw , although I'm a big fan of both eras,  the only Sammy era album that I would rank higher than some of those is 5150.

As far as songs go I tend to go for some deep cuts .  Choosing 10 songs is almost impossible for me where this band is concerned but here's my attempt.   Apologies to just about everything else.

Top Ten Songs

Light Up The Sky
On Fire
Atomic Punk
Little Guitars
Secrets
One Foot Out The Door
Mean Street
Romeo Delight
Girl Gone Bad
Ain't Talkin 'Bout Love


Fire away.......

[BlobVanDam]

1. Van Halen
2. Fair Warning
2. 1984 (tied)
4. Van Halen 2
5 A Different Kind Of Truth







6 Diver Down















lol. Women and Children First




Boy it is hard to separate some of those VH albums. So many great songs, not just the obvious choices.