KirksNoseHair's Top 50 v. And the #1 album is........

[WebRaider]

I thought I'd be the only one listing a Dokken album but that is such a great release. Very glad to see it listed here!

You have lots of albums I very easily could have listed in my own Top 50.

[ronnibran]

I have mixed feelings...  I was patiently watching the list unfold wondering when I'd share a common love for an album...  And the first match was Def Leppard!!!!  Seriously, though, High and Dry is an awesome album!

[jingle.boy]

So far, this is the 2nd best Top 50 list.   

Three more quality albums.  Though I already knew it, it's real easy to tell you've got me by 4-5 years based on what had it's impact on you and when.

[wolfking]

This list is full of really good shit! 

[DebraKadabra]

So far, this is the 2nd best Top 50 list.   

Three more quality albums.  Though I already knew it, it's real easy to tell you've got me by 4-5 years based on what had it's impact on you and when.

I'm kind of noticing that too.

[jingle.boy]

So far, this is the 2nd best Top 50 list.   

Three more quality albums.  Though I already knew it, it's real easy to tell you've got me by 4-5 years based on what had it's impact on you and when.

I'm kind of noticing that too.

I'm really glad you liked my list DK!   

[DebraKadabra]

 
 
 

[lonestar]

I'm starting to see that my list will be disappointing to some, but fuck it, it's mine. Total props though Kirk, we definitely spilled the same blood in the same mud.

[jingle.boy]

I'm starting to see that my list will be disappointing to some, but fuck it, it's mine. Total props though Kirk, we definitely spilled the same blood in the same mud.

Unlikely.  That's the fun of all of this.

[KevShmev]

I'm starting to see that my list will be disappointing to some, but fuck it, it's mine. Total props though Kirk, we definitely spilled the same blood in the same mud.

Nice reference to The Rock!

[Kwyjibo]

Again classic records 
And like the rest I would specially recommend Def Lep's High n Dry since this is a real hard rock classic, after Pyromania they turned to hard pop.

[kirksnosehair]

OK, and here we go with another update.  I should be able to get in a couple of these updates today, so without further delay......











29. Saxon - "Power and The Glory"





Tracklist:


01 - Power And The Glory
02 - Redline
03 - Warrior
04 - Nightmare
05 - This Town Rocks
06 - Watching The Sky
07 - Midas Touch
08 - The Eagle Has Landed


In 1983, it wasn't just Judas Priest and Iron Maiden who were invading the United States with kick ass metal, Saxon had already been on the metal scene for quite some time having formed in 1976.  In the early 80's they became one of the biggest metal acts in Europe and had a moderate amount of success in Japan and the US.  While many will cite their 1981 album "Denim and Leather" as their best, I disagree because I think they brought some very cool new ideas to the table with "Power And The Glory."  I think part of the new sound can definitely be attributed to new drummer Nigel Glockler whose frenetic beats on songs like the title track and complex polyryhthms on songs like "Nightmare" set this album apart from the rest of the Saxon catalog at the time.  And of course, what prog metal fan wouldn't dig a tune about the US landing a man on the moon?  The closing track "The Eagle Has Landed" is, to this day, my favorite Saxon song.




28. Tesla - "The Great Radio Controversy"





Tracklist:


01 - Hang Tough
02 - Lady Luck
03 - Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)
04 - Be a Man
05 - Lazy Days, Crazy Nights
06 - Did It for the Money
07 - Yesterdaze Gone
08 - Makin' Magic
09 - The Way It Is
10 - Flight to Nowhere
11 - Love Song
12 - Paradise
13 - Party's Over


In 1989 Tesla released their second studio album on the heels of their very successful debut, "Mechanical Resonance." "The Great Radio Controversy" saw the band maturing and stretching out a bit further with 13 tracks clocking in at just under one hour.  The three opening tracks deliver some of the best hard-rock songs of the era, but it gets even better after that.  "Did It For The Money" "The Way It Is" "Flight To Nowhere" and the HUGE FM Rock Radio hit "Love Song" are all excellent tracks and this is an album that I could not stop listening to when it first came out and one that I still frequently take for a spin, especially when I'm working out.  Tommy Skeoch and Frank Hannon are two of my all time favorite guitarists and Tesla really had a knack for delivering interesting guitar riffs and solos.  One of the greatest bands to emerge in the 80's.




27. AC/DC - "Back In Black"





Tracklist:
Side One:
01 - Hells Bells
02 - Shoot To Thrill
03 - What Do You Do For Money Honey
04 - Given the Dog a Bone
05 - Let Me Put My Love Into You


Side Two:
01 - Back In Black
02 - You Shook Me All Night Long
03 - Have a Drink On Me
04 - Shake a Leg
05 - Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution


On February 19, 1980, at the young age of only 33 years old, AC/DC vocalist Bon Scott died as a result of Pulminary Aspiration (choking on vomit) after a night of heavy drinking.  AC/DC who had been working on "Back In Black" at the time considered disbanding, but Bon Scott's parents urged them to continue.  Enter Brian Johnson as their new vocalist and lyricist.  The rest, as they say, is history.  "Back and Black" would go on to sell 49 million copies (to date) worldwide and several of the tracks remain staples of classic rock FM Radio, including "Hells Bells" "Back In Black" and "You Shook Me All Night Long"  This is another one of those albums that I listened to over and over as a kid and every guitar player who ever wanted to rock out had to learn a few of these tracks and I was no exception.  I have, at one time or another, played every song on this album on guitar and yes, while AC/DC is not very complicated and while they can certainly be a bit repetitive after a while, I definitely can appreciate them for what they are and I think "Back In Black" will probably go down as their crowning achievement. 

[Lowdz]

Three more crackers there.
P&G is a top 50 for me, same with tesla. Prefer Highway To Hell to BIB personally (though side 1 was the album I lost my virginity to so I may be biased! )

[kirksnosehair]

I'm starting to see that my list will be disappointing to some, but fuck it, it's mine. Total props though Kirk, we definitely spilled the same blood in the same mud.

Your list is YOUR list.  I don't think it's possible to produce a "Top 50 Albums" list that is going to be universally loved.  We're all (or most of us, at least) here because of Dream Theater so we share a common love for them, but the thing that makes a community like this cool is the diversity in tastes and opinions.  For me, that's how I find new stuff.  And this forum has certainly been a great source of "New Stuff" for me.  And of course, that stuff comes from seeing what other people like, even if I don't love all of it, I still want to hear about it.   

[Scorpion]

Well, this is the first time that I can say that I'm sorta meh with what you posted. I never got into Saxon and Tesla, and AC/DC is cool at times, but no album would ever crack even my Top 100, simply because I can't listen to more than two songs back to back before I get bored.

[lonestar]

Tesla will make my list a few times, most underrated American band ever. Saxon was at the core of a lot of my HS listening, and BiB, well, it's BiB.

[BlobVanDam]

The only one I'm familiar with from this group is Back in Black, which I think is one of the best straight up hard rock albums.

[Nekov]

Back in black is a great rock album

[Kwyjibo]

Back in Black needs no further introduction, a classic is a classic.

And to all those who haven't listened to Tesla: Do this right now!!! Great melodic hard rock band. Everything till their hiatus is brilliant stuff and the newer ones aren't that bad either. Also with Five Man Acoustical Jam they kind of invented the Unplugged Movement before MTV and everyone jumped on the bandwagon.

[kirksnosehair]

26. Mötley Crüe - "Shout At The Devil"




Tracklist:

01 - In the Beginning
02 - Shout at the Devil
03 - Looks That Kill
04 - Bastard
05 - God Bless the Children of the Beast
06 - Helter Skelter
07 - Red Hot
08 - Too Young to Fall in Love
09 - Knock 'Em Dead, Kid
10 - Ten Seconds to Love
11 - Danger


This is the second album from Mötley Crüe and they would never release anything heavier sounding than this one. Dropping on September 26, 1983 and clocking in a 44:10, "Shout At The Devil" produced huge hits in the title track, "Looks That Kill" and "Too Young To Fall In Love."  It also had a very well done cover of the Beatles song "Helter Skelter."  Indeed, the cover of the album was done as a tribute to The Beatles "Let It Be" record.  Although I enjoyed a few tracks from their other albums, this is the only Mötley Crüe album that I ever listened to regularly.


 
25. Van Halen - "Van Halen"





Tracklist:
Side One:   
01 - Runnin' with the Devil
02 - Eruption" (Instrumenta)
03 - You Really Got Me
04 - Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love
05 - I'm the One


Side Two:   
01 - Jamie's Cryin'
02 - Atomic Punk
03 - Feel Your Love Tonight
04 - Little Dreamer
05 - Ice Cream Man
06 - On Fire


In February of 1978 a sea change came to the rock music genre that would, in my opinion, have a profound and permanent impact on how lead electric guitar was both played and perceived in modern rock music.  That sea change was Eddie Van Halen.  The self-titled debut album featured what was, at the time, an almost unheard of virtuosity on the guitar.  Guitar players all over the world and especially in the US were suddenly getting into multi-finger fretboard tapping and whammybar divebombing.  The first time I heard "Erpution" I thought it had to have been faked with some kind of studio trickery.  Nobody could possibly move their fingers that quickly!  This album, in my opinion, is Van Halen's masterpiece.  While they would go on to have huge international success, both with David Lee Roth as lead vocalist and later with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals, I found the vast majority of their subsequent albums to be extremely uneven.  Every track on this debut, however, is killer.






24. The Cars - "The Cars"





Tracklist:
Side One:
01 - Good Times Roll
02 - My Best Friend's Girl
03 - Just What I Needed
04 - I'm In Touch With Your World
05 - Don't Cha Stop


Side Two:
01 - You're All I've Got Tonight
02 - Bye Bye Love
03 - Moving In Stereo
04 - All Mixed Up


The Cars came out of nowhere in 1978 with a slightly different take on the traditional rock and roll sound that people were calling "new wave" and it became extremly popular practically overnight.  Songs like "Just What I Needed" "My Best Friend's Girl" "Good Times Roll" "Bye Bye Love" and "All Mixed Up" became and remained staples on FM Rock and AOR radio and are still played fairly regularly on classic rock radio to this day.   This is another album that spent many, many days spinning away on my record player and I would later play several of these tunes in at least two rock cover bands. 

[KevShmev]

Some gal I worked with many years ago's oldest daughter was named Tesla.  I swear.

[BlobVanDam]

Back in Black, VH1, and Shout at the Devil? I think I'm going to have to save the rest of this list as future album suggestions.

[Lowdz]

Well, this is the first time that I can say that I'm sorta meh with what you posted. I never got into Saxon and Tesla, and AC/DC is cool at times, but no album would ever crack even my Top 100, simply because I can't listen to more than two songs back to back before I get bored.

Have you tried this Saxon album Scorp? There is a bit more to it than their earlier ones (though I love them too).
And i'm surprised your not a fan of Tesla, and this album was better than the debut for me. I love the track Makin' Magic.

I was a fan of the Crue from the first album, and loved this one but they went downhill with TOP and GGG. The only other album I like by them is Dr Feelgood, which I'd rate higher than either of  the first two.

VH1 is a classic but I never really was much of a fan until Fair Warning, which would be in my top 50. Short albums with lots of filler on each. I'd take Dave's first 3 solo albums over any VH (apart from said FW).

And I've never heard the Cars so can't comment.

[Scorpion]

Well, to be fair, it was a long time ago, so maybe I'll enjoy it more nowadays. I'll give both of them a try. 

[Lowdz]

I seem to remember not being too impressed with the production on The Great Radio Controversy and it was quiet on vinyl. Probably because of it's length. I didn't rate the first couple of tracks either and was initially a bit disappointed in it on first hearing after loving MR so much. Grew to love it though. They were great live too.

[Jaq]

Tell you what, the next time you list an album I don't own, I'll let you know. 

[lonestar]

Tell you what, the next time you list an album I don't own, I'll let you know. 

I don't own them all currently, but I sure as hell lived them. Still trying to see if Crue makes my list, they're in the grey range.

[DebraKadabra]

Gotta admit - I'm more into the second grouping than the first one (well... except for Back in Black - first cassette I ever bought with my own $$$ back in the day).  I daresay that Shout At The Devil is the best Crue album ever - I flat out wore that thing OUT when I discovered it in 1985/1986.  Good times.

The Cars' first few albums (before they went full-blown pop) are so criminally underrated.  Good stuff.

And Van Halen?  Yeah, slam dunk right there.

[kirksnosehair]

23. Boston - "Boston"





Tracklist:


Side One:   
01 - More Than a Feeling
02 - Peace of Mind
03 - Foreplay/Long Time


Side Two:   
01 - Rock and Roll Band
02 - Smokin'
03 - Hitch a Ride
04 - Something About You
05 - Let Me Take You Home Tonight


In July 1976, Epic records released the self-titled debut "Boston" and it was an instant classic, sparking a half-dozen eventual radio hits and selling 17 million+ copies (to date) worldwide.  Songs like "More Than a Feeling" "Piece of Mind" and "Foreplay/Long Time" have been rock radio mainstays for almost 40 years now.  An interesting piece of trivia is that Tom Sholtz insisted on recording the album in his basement and because that was unheard of at the time, record execs hatched a plan - I will let Wikipedia take it from here:


Scholz was satisfied with the demos to the point that he wanted to finalize them to a real album. Unfortunately, Epic declined. "The material had to be recorded in a 'professional' studio in exactly the same way!" Scholz later wrote. Scholz insisted on doing the re-cuts in his basement. Epic producer John Boylan, who had worked with the Little River Band among many others, made a deal with Scholz. Boylan would have the rest of the makeshift band record some studio arrangements in Los Angeles, to "create a diversion" while Scholz made his multitrack recordings at home.


Most of the instrumentation was performed by Scholz and recorded at his basement studio in Massachusetts. After Scholz recorded the instrumentation the tracks were then transferred from his 12 track tapes to a 24 track machine in a remote recording truck outside his basement studio to make them compatible with standard professional studio equipment. Delp's vocals were then recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood with producer Boylan. The album was then mixed by Scholz, Boylan and Warren Dewey at Westlake Audio in Los Angeles. Drummer Sib Hashian plays on all but "Rock & Roll Band", and only two tracks feature the contributions of Goudreau and Fran Sheehan, "Foreplay/Long Time" and "Let Me Take You Home Tonight". This quintet would perform and tour under the name Boston.




22. Guns -n- Roses - "Appetite for Destruction"





Tracklist:


01 - Welcome to the Jungle
02 - It's So Easy
03 - Nightrain
04 - Out ta Get Me
05 - Mr. Brownstone
06 - Paradise City
07 - My Michelle
08 - Think About You
09 - Sweet Child o' Mine
10 - You're Crazy
11 - Anything Goes
12 - Rocket Queen


Released in July 1987 to widespread critical acclaim and accolades from rock and metal fans, Guns -n- Roses featured the hard-hitting Les Paul and Marshall Stack-soaked (and some would say "cleverly sloppy") guitar work of "Slash" and the screatching, scrotum-crushing vocals of W. Axl Rose, but somehow, it all worked to create one hell of a compelling hard rock album.  Songs like "Welcome To The Jungle" "Paradise City" "Mr. Brownstone" and "Sweet Child o' Mine" were favorites and an interesting note about the intro to Sweet Child, according to Slash that bouncy riff was a warm up exercise he used to use to get his fingers going before gigs and it eventually became the famous intro to what is likely the most popular song on the album.  One of the best debuts ever, to date it's sold over 30 million copies worldwide.




21. Metallica - "Ride The Lightning"





Tracklist:




01 - Fight Fire with Fire
02 - Ride the Lightning
03 - For Whom the Bell Tolls
04 - Fade to Black
05 - Trapped Under Ice
06 - Escape
07 - Creeping Death
08 - The Call of Ktulu (Instrumental)


The last Metallica album to credit former guitarist Dave Mustaine with writing credits, and Metallica's second overall, this was the beginning of a run of albums that are often referred to as Metallica's "golden years."  While "Kill 'em All" (their debut) showed promise, "Ride The Lightening" demonstrated muscular riffing, and ass-kicking heavy thrash metal that would define the genre and set the bar for many others who followed.  Key tracks here are the title track, "For Whom The Bell Tolls" "Fade To Black" "Creeping Death" and the closing instrumental.  This is essential metal for any enthusiast of the genre.  (good music, terrible album cover!    )

[Scorpion]

Three great albums again. 

[lonestar]

Interesting that you have Boston and GnR together, arguably the two greatest debut albums ever. I would have had Boston higher myself, and Brad Delp will always be one of the greatest rock voices ever, RIP.

[DebraKadabra]

  on Boston's debut and Ride The Lightning

  on Appetite - never liked GnR, and I've given them plenty of chances

[theseoafs]

Boston's tracklist is so good is unbelievable.

[kirksnosehair]

Yeah, that Boston album is amazing.  I saw them live just a few years before Brad Delp started having problems vocally and they sounded incredible.


The second album was pretty good (it won't make this list) but I didn't care much for anything after that.

[jjrock88]

Kirk you get an A for your effort on this list and the list itself.  Saxon, ACDC, Boston, VH, and the Metallica discs are all classic.  So Is Shout at the Devil by the Crue; I would say this and the 94 self titled are my favorite from MC.  Casual fan of both Tesla and The Cars.  But I would say The Cars tune "You're all Ive got Tonight" is one of the coolest songs of the late 70's- early 80's.