The TAC Top 50! v. Old guys talking about music!

[Zydar]

Speaking of drum intros (Where Eagles Dare), one of my favourites are from Ozzy's Over The Mountain. Love that intro (and whole album).

I got goosebumps reading your post...

I have that effect on women

[DebraKadabra]

 

[wolfking]

Speaking of drum intros (Where Eagles Dare), one of my favourites are from Ozzy's Over The Mountain. Love that intro (and whole album).

I got goosebumps reading your post - I completely agree.  Diary of a Madman is my favorite Ozzy album, no contest.

Both those drum intros are incredible, but let's not forget Painkiller!!

[LudwigVan]

Tough one but I take Bain. The cool thing about Daisley was that he loved to play those big juicy fat-sounding bass notes, which made his sound unique.

Out of curiosity, what Bain work are you basing that on?  I've always held Daisly in the highest regard, and never thought much of Bain, despite being the ultimate Dio fan.  Even in Rainbow, I always felt Daisly kicked his ass.  Not giving you shit over your opinion, but I'm genuinely curious if I'm missing something. I'd love to find out I was wrong.

No, there's no right or wrong here. I just happened to love Bains's work on the first 2 Dio albums. I love when the bass sound is in-your-face. But yeah, it's hard to argue against Daisley's work on the Ozzy albums.

[Jirpo]

Speaking of drum intros (Where Eagles Dare), one of my favourites are from Ozzy's Over The Mountain. Love that intro (and whole album).

I got goosebumps reading your post - I completely agree.  Diary of a Madman is my favorite Ozzy album, no contest.

Both those drum intros are incredible, but let's not forget Painkiller!!

Yeah, Painkiller wins this contest!

[El Barto]

Speaking of drum intros (Where Eagles Dare), one of my favourites are from Ozzy's Over The Mountain. Love that intro (and whole album).

I got goosebumps reading your post - I completely agree.  Diary of a Madman is my favorite Ozzy album, no contest.

Both those drum intros are incredible, but let's not forget Painkiller!!

Yeah, Painkiller wins this contest!

Painkiller's a good intro, but Exciter is better.  I think it tops all the ones mentioned thus far. 

A fact that really can't be stated strongly enough is that Les Binks fucking rules. 

[TAC]

What? No mention of Dave Holland's incredible Living After Midnight intro?

[jingle.boy]

I'll just mention that I want another update to the list!

[TAC]

Thanks JB. I am working all day. Next update will be first thing tomorrow morning. We will be in the Top 20. Like the last few, they will be truly special albums to me. Nothing from this point on should surprise anyone.

[jingle.boy]

 

[King Postwhore]

What? No mention of Dave Holland's incredible Living After Midnight intro?

Buuu Daaa,  Buuu Buu Daaa,  Buuu Daa, Buu Buuu Daaa


I wanted to make you feel better.

[TAC]

What? No mention of Dave Holland's incredible Living After Midnight intro?

Buuu Daaa,  Buuu Buu Daaa,  Buuu Daa, Buu Buuu Daaa


I wanted to make you feel better.

I feel much buudaa now!

[King Postwhore]

That will be $5 for touching the budda belly.

[TAC]

I have a question for Bart, or anyone else that can answer. I am not up on my Judas Priest history, but what were the circumstances behind Les Binks leaving?

[jjrock88]

I think it was more or less just musical differences.  He was definitely impressive in his time with the band.

[El Barto]

They wanted somebody who was a more straight-forward player.  Binks was a very creative drummer, but they wanted that LLAM drum work that you were [rightly] making fun of.  Basically, Les Binks was too good for what they wanted, so they sacked him and brought in Holland.  Worst personnel move in the history of music, AFAIC. 

Priest was always one to change their style with the times.  Eventually, Holland was woefully inadequite for their new direction, so they canned him for Scott Travis. 

[TAC]

Eventually, Holland was woefully inadequite for their new direction, so they canned him for Scott Travis.

Which was one of the best personell moves in music history!

What did Binks do after Priest?

[El Barto]

Eventually, Holland was woefully inadequite for their new direction, so they canned him for Scott Travis.

Which was one of the best personell moves in music history!

They lose points because Binks could have done everything they needed Travis for, better.  They needed Travis because Holland couldn't play double kick, since he was never a metal drummer to begin with.  Binks was doing it better than either of them back in the 70's.

And Binks didn't do anything after Priest, outside of local gigs around London.  When I was over there, I actually checked around for the unlikely chance that he was playing some club somewhere.  He's actually near the top of the list of people I'd like to buy a beer.

[wolfking]

Les has always been Priest's best drummer.

[TAC]

So, to recap 21-50:

50. Judas Priest-Screaming For Vengeance
49. Blackfoot-Siogo
48. Heavy Pettin' - Lettin, Loose
47. Heavenly- Dust To Dust
46. Led Zeppelin- Physical Graffiti
45. Y&T- Mean Streak
44. Anthrax- Stomp 442
43. Aerosmith- Night In The Ruts
42. Tesla- Mechanical Resonance
41. Hammerfall- Legacy Of Kings
40. The Sweet- Desolation Boulevard
39. Armored Saint- Symbol Of Salvation
38. Flotsam & Jetsam- No Place For Disgrace AND When The Storm Comes Down
37. Dream Theater- When Day And Dream REunite
36. Kiss- Hotter Than Hell
35. Megadeth- So Far So Good So What
34. Gary Moore- Corridors Of Power
33. Queensryche- Warning AND Operation Mindcrime
32. Saxon- Power And The Glory
31. Lucifer's Friend- Mean Machine
30. Dream Theater- A Dramatic Turn Of Events
29. Rush- Hemispheres
28. Metallica- And Justice For All
27. Def Leppard- High n Dry
26. Iron Maiden- Piece Of Mind
25. Ozzy Osbourne- Blizzard Of Ozz AND Diary Of A Madman
24. Waysted- The Good The Bad The Waysted AND the Waysted EP
23. AC/DC- Let There Be Rock
22. Thin Lizzy- Bad Reputation
21. UFO- Walk On Water

[TAC]

OK..into the Top 20 we go!


20. Rainbow- On Stage (1977)



Back during my 7th grade summer, I traded my cassette to led Zeppelin II to my much older cousin for his Rainbow On Stage. From that day on, I have been in love with this album, and especially Ronnie James Dio. This is a terrific live album by a powerful band. Yes, there's tons of Blackmore's noodling, and it's not even that annoying, as it actually helps set up the band's power. The rythym section of Cozy Powell and Jimmy Bain is incredible, with Powell's heavy drumming style pushing the band. But to me, the star of the show here is Dio. His performance on Catch The Rainbow is spectacular.

Fave tracks: Catch The Rainbow, Kll The King, 16th Century Greensleeves, Still I'm Sad

19. Accept- Metal Heart (1985)



I first heard Accept on a local heavy metal radio show in 1983 when they played Fast As A Shark. I was blown away. Really one of the first Power Metal songs, but this band was not a power metal band. They were a refined Bon Scott era AC/DC influenced 80's metal band. Throw in a huge UFO influence, particularly Wolf Hoffman's Michael Schenker induced melodic metal solos and you get Accept. Wolf Hoffman was probably the most underrated metal guitarist on the 80's along with Andy Laroque. Both are similar in style, especially the Schenker influence. But this music is not the progressive metal that King Diamond was playing. This was straight ahead in the pocket metal.
Accept would mature over the years from Restless And Wild ('83) to Balls To The Wall ('84) to ultimately making a great record in Metal Heart. Great songwriting (Dogs On Leads, Up To The Limit) along with a bombastic opener (Metal Heart) and closer (Bound To Fail), which if you have never heard this song, play it NOW, as it ends with the most glorious 2:20 in metal. The outro gives me chills even today.
I say Accept on this tour open for Maiden (Powerslave tour!) and they put on the second best opening set I have ever seen.

Fave tracks: Bound To Fail, Dogs On Leads, Metal Heart

[Scorpion]

Metal Heart

[Dream Team]

Metal Heart has an all-time great rhythm guitar tone. Love Wolf's playing.

[TAC]

Metal Heart has an all-time great rhythm guitar tone. Love Wolf's playing.

That TONE! Yes, indeed. And those solos! He has carried that tone on the two current Accept albums.

[jjrock88]

The video for midnight mover will give you a seizure; besides that, cool picks.

[LudwigVan]

Blasphemy... I love Ritchie Blackmore's noodling!   

I got into Accept big-time with Restless and Wild.  Back in the 80s, that album was on my turntable for months.  But I have to admit that I now have a difficult time listening to Udo Dirkschneider for a full album. 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

I am so, SO hoping to see in the top 10.

[Lowdz]

Blackmore 

Accept are one of those bands I would love if they had a different singer, and now they have. I can't abide Udo's voice and even though the new guy sounds like him he's so much better. Love hoffman's playing. Saw them at the Monsters Of Rock at Donington in 1984 and enjoyed them but on record Udo kills it (in a bad way).

[TAC]

Absolute Fuc#ing Jibberish!

You crazy, fool!

[King Postwhore]

Great live album.  Man I haven't heard it in years.  I know my cousin has the CD. 

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Dimmu Borgir's cover of Metal Heart is awesome.

[wolfking]

Love Metal Heart.  I'm a Rainbow fan but never checked out that live album.

[TAC]

I'm a Rainbow fan but never checked out that live album.

I cannot believe that!

[TAC]

18. Riot- Narita (1979) and Fire Down Under (1981)



I first heard of Riot while theyu were tourng with Rainbow and Scorps here in 1982. They were touring their current album Restless Breed and its hit, Showdown. I bought this and loved it. But I found out they had earlier albums with a different singer. I would buy Fire Down Under and Narita (the same day I bought Piece Of Mind when it came out!) One of the greatest hauls of my life! at 14!!
Anyway, I would say that Narita has been my favorite of the two, but Fire Down Under has definitely caught up to it.
This is good turn of the decade New York City club rock. Great songs, great solos, and the vocals of the late Guy Speranza, who had a unique style, sounding something like Bon Scott. I am not sure that much of this will resonate on DTF, but I would say that if you like Tesla, you may like this, as it is a earlier sounding version of them. Just good hard rock.
Check this band out!!!!

Fire Fave tracks: Fire Down Under, Outlaw, Alter Of The King, Swords And Tequila
Narita fave tracks: Waiting For The Taking, Here We Come Again, 49er, Road Racin


17. Alice Cooper- Welcome To My Nightmare(1975) AND Go To Hell (1976)



OK, finally we get to some Alice Cooper!
Welcome To My Nightmare was Alice's first solo album after he left the original Alice Cooper Band. Seems he wanted to continue with the rock "show" and the band was lessinterested in becoming his backup band...so they split. But Alice had it right, certainly on these first two solo albums, before his career would deteriorate in the late 70's due to his drinking.
Both albums are fairly similar in storylines. Alice has a nightmare. But there are definitely musical journeys. Alice gives a great vocal delivery on both. You cannot have one without the other. DTFers will find it interesting that Tony Levin plays on a few tracks on Go To Hell. Alice is a great storyteller who influenced so many. These are two classic rock albums, both very theatrical.
On Welcome To My Nightmare, the Steven Trilogy has to be heard to be believed! Years Ago-Steven-The Awakening are the 3 tracks. If you have never heard them, please give them a try. Unforgettably haunting.
Go To Ends with a great track called I'm Going Home. The ending sounds very similar to The Razor's Edge section of Octavarium.

Nightmare fave tracks: The Steven Trilogy,The Black Widow, Some Folks, Title track
Go To Hell fave tracks: Go To Hell, Didn't We Meet, I'm Going Home

[King Postwhore]

Never got into Riot.  but I will give them a spin.

Those 2 Alice albums are top notch.  WTMN was a standard spin for my cousin and I many a days hanging out after school.