bl5150's Top 50.........TOP TEN ...#1

[Lowdz]

Chickenfoot sucks.

I was looking forward to Chickenfoot. Satch can write a great song and Sammy Hagar can sing. Unfortunately it ended up being boring.

[bl5150]

Chickenfoot sucks.

I love Hagar and Satch but Chickenfoot..............meh.  Glorified jamming.

King - try something like The Forgotten Pt 2 off FIABD -  if you can't get into the way he makes the guitar wail on that then there's no hope for you 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rsdZHcRM9c

[King Postwhore]

I own a ton of his albums.  I got into him so early on but he faded for me fast.  Same with Vai.  Can't explain really.

[TAC]

I like Beast From The East a lot.

Never got into Satch or Vai. Not a huge fan of instrumental albums. Not sure why.

[Lowdz]

I own a ton of his albums.  I got into him so early on but he faded for me fast.  Same with Vai.  Can't explain really.

Similar for me. All the albums are good but the earlier ones were great. I think it was the lack of fun that changed.

[King Postwhore]

It just didn't catch me.  I played them but never had the "Wow" factor that makes you play the damn albums over and over and obsess on it and play it to all your friends.  I still try to force the music I love down my friends throats.

[wolfking]

Chickenfoot sucks.

I love Hagar and Satch but Chickenfoot..............meh.  Glorified jamming.

King - try something like The Forgotten Pt 2 off FIABD -  if you can't get into the way he makes the guitar wail on that then there's no hope for you 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rsdZHcRM9c

That's probably my fav from Flying in a Blue Dream.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Two of the benchmark guitar albums when I was a teenager learning the instrument were Steve Vai’s Passion and Warfare and , even more so, Surfing With The Alien by Satriani.  My guitar teacher at the time recommended that I check it out (or get my dad to buy it is more like it) and I can remember being floored at how good it was.  That cassette barely left the player for months but in the end I had total overkill on it because in my high school grad year 3 years later (so 16 or 17yo) I did electric guitar as a subject – the first time ELECTRIC had been offered which was cool – and my 3 feature performances at my exam were Circles,  Always With Me Always With You and Midnight.  Rather nervewracking in front of an examination board who seem like they'd never seen an electric guitar in their lives.   So I played stuff off that album every single day for a year and even though I’ve given the guitar away years ago I reckon I could almost still play most of that stuff it’s so ingrained into my head.  It probably deserves this spot but in the end I got sick of it.

The next album Flying In A Blue Dream –  I’d be giving that the gong if not for the vocal tracks which I didn’t like much at all.  Take them out and I think it’s his best album.  The Forgotten Pt 2 , the title track , One Big Rush etc.... are amazing but I struggle with the idea of having an album in this list where I skipped half of it.

The Extremist , like FIABD, is almost flawless ,has no vocal tracks and is a bit more polished and has a bit more feeling /depth than Surfing……………Satch was at the peak of his powers around this time but everything that came after this I either didn’t like (s/t as an example) or was half killer, half filler (Crystal Planet).  His first three albums are essential and he was also my first or second major gig , so he played a big part in my musical life.  I can also say that I saw Satriani live with hair!

It's like you're telling my all about my teenage years.  Passion and Warfare and Surfing With the Alien were like my bible.  FIABD, I didn't like AS much, probably because of the vocal tracks as well.  Then the Extremist?  Oh DAMN!  Killer from front to back.  Remember when Sony used Sumemr Song as the music for one of their commercials?  I was freakin' stoked!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29g0vMROK3I

I also didn't care for much that came after the Extremist, though the live disc from Time Machine was really good.  I think my favorite tune from any of those Satriani albums is still Crushing Day.

[bl5150]

Very cool Cozmo. Speaking of "crushing" the live version of Crush of Love on Time Machine is a fave too.   I can understand why some of this stuff is a bit hit and miss with some - being a guitarist helps you appreciate some of it ......not only the technical side but the emotion/feel in something like The Forgotten.

Some great guitar albums on the menu for tomorrow too............and the next day , and the day after that , and that.........

[BlobVanDam]

Satch is on of those guys that I just could never get into and seeing him live with DT cemented that.  I find his work with Chickenfoot generic.

Likewise. It's session guitarist rock backing tracks with Sammy Hagar singing over it. I like a few tracks on Surfing With the Alien, but in general his guitar playing does nothing for me. Not a huge Vai fan either, despite him playing with artists I'm a huge fan of.

[Lowdz]

In your write up for Stariani you say the first 3 are essential. Are you missing out the 1st album Not Of This Earth? That was my first exposure to Satch and it left an impression after the shred I'd been listening to. Those first 4 are great. I agree about the S/T though I kknow lots of people like it. All his albums since have been half and half as you say.
Wish I could play those Satriani tracks and how cool that you got to study electric guitar. I would have done that if I'd had the chance, even though my playing is pretty shocking to say I've been at it 30 years now! 

[bl5150]

Yeah, you're right - i meant first 4.   I had three in my head as I'd been talking about my first three - I worked my way back to the debut later.  I think "Surfing" must've been my first guitar 'shred' album.  I would've been 13 when I got it and can't imagine I had much before that.   But I went crazy from that point .......

[wolfking]

Not of This Earth is very underrated and has some amazing songs.  Driving At Night and Memories are amazing.

[bl5150]

#14 Europe: The Final Countdown/ John Norum : Face The Truth (TIE)
Released 1986/1992
 

Ranking The Final Countdown was one of the harder ones to do -in terms of influence during my teens there's not too many bigger albums but ,   after listening to it today for the first time in years, I was pretty uninspired.  I suppose my tastes are changing and so on , but it also seems to have dated rather badly all of a sudden.  So it had to be Top 15 no doubt ,but I've put it back near the bottom of that range as a result of current taste.  And to cement its position I have tied it with a related project that could easily hold the #14  position itself and has dated a lot better - John Norum's Face The Truth , which is easily the best thing he ever did IMHO.

 

I imagine a few of you would’ve preferred to see Wings of Tomorrow or Prisoners In Paradise here but based on my criteria it’s pretty clear TFC deserves the spot.  Back in 1986 there was an extended period where 3 albums only were on rotation – TFC, Slippery When Wet and 5150. I actually think everything from Wings of Tomorrow through to PIP are great albums – even when they get a bit sappy you can usually be assured of some tasty guitar work from John or Kee  as compensation. These days perhaps I might make a compilation of the more rocking tracks from The Final Countdown , Out Of This World , and PIP along with some non-album tracks like On Broken Wings and Break Free. Come to think of it I did always tend use the Skip button a bit on all Europe albums but  TFC is the one I’d be most likely to play and enjoy from start to finish back in the day.

In revisiting the album I learned to my surprise that Carrie (#3) charted higher than The Final Countdown (song) – certainly not the case in Australia but it was in the US.

One weird thing to me is that John Norum bagged it and left , citing the whole “too fluffy” excuse , and then produced his solo album Total Control which IMO wasn’t really any heavier. 

Onto Face The Truth  – John's brilliant second (and last decent) solo album – he was at the absolute peak of his powers on this and , if I’m honest , it’s more consistent than any of the Europe albums .  Just a brilliant mix of heavy rockers, ballads and aggressive lead playing that we expect from John.  Sharing vocals is also a very in form Glenn Hughes, which I'm sure will impress Paul  .  For mine it's a melodic hard rock classic.  It's worth noting that there are two quite distinct editions of this album , each of which have two exclusive tracks.  It is a much better album if you put together the whole 13 tracks. Solid rhythm section too - basically the same as on the Don Dokken album (Baltes & Dee)

The Jap/Euro Disc from 1992 has Still The Night (which also featured on Hughes/Thrall) and We Will Be Strong - a cool ballady duet with Joey Tempest.  The US (1994) pressing drops those two and adds live versions of Don't Believe A Word (Lizzy) and Free Birds In flight (instrumental).  Norum likes his Thin Lizzy - another of the album tracks is a cover of Opium Trail.


Favourite Tracks (Europe) :  On The Loose ,Danger On The Track , Ninja , The Final Countdown ................no links.

Favourite Tracks(Norum) :  Face The Truth , Distant Voices, Nightbuzz, Time Will Find The Answer , Still The Night , We Will Be Strong






Honourable Mention :  Jaded Heart - Mystery Eyes ..........a few of you guys have been liking Michael Bormann on the new Silent Force.  This is the first album I owned with him singing - back in 1998.

[bl5150]

#13 Harem Scarem : Mood Swings
Released: 1993
Tracks
1.     Saviors Never Cry     4:00
2.     No Justice     4:33
3.     Stranger Than Love     3:57
4.     Change Comes Around     4:59
5.     Jealousy     4:08
6.     Sentimental Boulevard     4:22
7.     Mandy     1:53
8.     Empty Promises     4:16
9.     If There Was a Time     4:55
10.     Just Like I Planned     3:16
11.     Had Enough     3:54
    
If Giant and Red Dawn represent AOR perfection then this may well be the equivalent in harder melodic rock. I’m sure Chad is proud of his Canadian brethren because they’ve put out some of the best melodic rock of all time, especially the first two albums.   The first is more AOR and a classic in its own right but this is where they got the balance just perfect – it’s harder rock but with the melody and hooks of the debut.  And an enormous production job – wow. And all this in an environment where selling an album like this was as easy as pushing shit uphill with a pointy stick.

They learned their lesson though and lost the plot a bit with some of the releases that followed trying to move with the times(although I still like a few of those albums) but it was here that they hit their peak.  As the title suggests this has everything from ballads to acappella vocal tracks to a guitar instrumental  to heavy rockers and the performances are fantastic all round.  I’m going to end up repeating adjectives over and over – just check it out if you don't know it !! Huge !

Favourite Tracks:  Saviours Never Cry, No Justice, Empty Promises, Sentimental Blvd


Honourable Mention:  Toto- Mindfields..................not an obvious choice from this band but an under rated album and the linked track is immense.

[Lowdz]

3 stellar albums there Brent.
Europe featured in my top 50 with PiP - my go to melodic rock album. But as you say everything from WoT to Pip was essential, though I 'm not the biggest fan of Out Of This World as it's to weak sounding. Some good songs though.
Love that John Norum album. That cover of Opium Trail may even be better than Lizzy's version imo. I  enjoyed Total Control when it came out and was a fan of JN - I liked his cross pollination of Lizzy, Gary Moore and Yngwie.  Love Is Meant To Last Forever is a great song, and there are some others, but it had alot of filler. And some vocals from Goran Edman again 
Hated it when he went downtuned and "modern". Stops me from enjoying the new Europe albums as he's taken that sound with him.

Mood Swings is a classic. I'm not as in love with it as many as I didn't hear it back in the day and only tracked it down after hearing Weight Of The World and Overload, both of which I loved. I may even prefer the debut too, though it is a great album, no doubt. The only thing I don't like on it is the train chugging sound on the verses of Change Comes Around.
Saw them at Firefest a couple of times and they were only ok live.

The only Toto album I have, or have heard all the way through, is Falling In Between. I have never owned any of their other work and am not a fan of "the hits" at all, but this album has a prog metal lite edge to it. The title track sounds like they want to be DT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MP-JkSPfRg

Great update.

[jingle.boy]

Don't know the Norum album, so I got one to check out.  TFC and PiP for me is very akin to Harem Scarem s/t and Mood Swings.  TFC/s-t being on the softer side, but still filled with great songs start to finish.  PiP/MS is where both bands perfected themselves.  Mood Swings made #10 on my list - that album for me is absolute melodic rock perfection.  Their re-record of it last year is pretty good too.

Unfortunately, for both Europe and Scarem, I lost track of them.  After Voice of Reason and the subsequent Live in Japan release, I wasn't digging their attempt to transition of their sound with the times, and combined with being at University I simply didn't follow.  Then about 3 years ago, I stumbled on Weight of the World - I think Kade may have brought it to my attention.  Holy fuck, I missed 9 albums!  Well, went back and checked, and although I still would rather skip their late 90s output (and let's completely forget the Rubber years!), their 2000s stuff is top notch.  Ditto with Europe... missed that they reformed until a year or so ago.  Their four albums from this millennium are all pretty solid as well.

I too saw Scarem live - at a club with about 200 people last summer, their first show in 5 years.  I dunno if I just like them better, if they did perform better, or if it had something to do with being 5 feet from Pete and Harry, but my experience was way better than Paul's.  They were fantastic.



Met Pete after the show, he was a cool guy.

Also saw them a couple months later, over the Labour Day weekend in an even smaller club about 5 minutes from my house, with about 30-40 people.  It was nothing more than a glorified rehearsal.  'twas a shit club, and there was no promotion for it.

Mrs.Jingle actually knew the guys back in the day, hung out and traveled with them (I guess you might call her a groupie ) on some of their road travels. 

[King Postwhore]

I didn't know the Mrs. was into music Chad?!  I thought she did it for love!


BTW, I love TFC and Norum's solo album.  I have not heard it in decades.  I had it on album.  I should download it if available.

[jingle.boy]

I didn't know the Mrs. was into music Chad?!  I thought she did it for love!

She's not anymore.  I think she hung with them more for the drinking - hell, it was 25 years ago, so she was more of a partier.  I apparently settled her down.   

[King Postwhore]

I have proof my wife settled down. She did shots at a big party with all the girls there and when she mixes that with beer......not a good thing.  The porcelain goddess helped her 3 weeks ago.

[jjrock88]

Great picks!  Mood Swings is a melodic classic

[jingle.boy]

Great picks!  Mood Swings is a THE melodic classic

Fix'd

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

The Final Countdown ................no links.

Fear not.  I've linked one of the greatest live versions of the song I've ever witnessed.  Amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMWdI2IKiw

[King Postwhore]

 

[bl5150]

The Final Countdown ................no links.

Fear not.  I've linked one of the greatest live versions of the song I've ever witnessed.  Amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMWdI2IKiw

Haha - I remember that actually.  It gained a fair amount of exposure a few years ago................thanks for the reminder 

[King Postwhore]

Here's a great version of TFC live from 2013.  Very cool.  Also mad love for Mindfields!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyWajWueH2w

[jingle.boy]

The Final Countdown ................no links.

Fear not.  I've linked one of the greatest live versions of the song I've ever witnessed.  Amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMWdI2IKiw

What.  The.  Fuck.

[bl5150]

#12 Extreme II: Pornograffiti
Released 1990
Tracks
1.     Decadence Dance     
2.     Li'l Jack Horny     
3.     When I'm President     
4.     Get the Funk Out     
5.     More than Words     
6.     Money (In God We Trust)     
7.     It's a Monster     
8.     Pornograffitti     
9.     When I First Kissed You     
10.     Suzi (Want's Her All Day What?)     
11.     He-Man Woman Hater     
12.     Song for Love     
13.     Hole Hearted   

Extreme and their relatively unique brand of funky rock/metal infused with a healthy sense of humour and blistering guitar work were a huge favourite back in the day- and still are today.

I had a real hard time choosing between Pornograffiti and III Sides but in the end , as I stated in the criteria it comes down to which had the biggest impact on me and then it becomes fairly obvious.  Porno was my first album of theirs , I played it the most by far , I played the songs regularly in my band etc…….

I like the debut but the songs aren’t quite at the same level – still a great guitar album.  Porno is a bit more fun/cheeky and III Sides a great batch of more mature songs.   I’ve not liked much , if anything , that Cherone or Nuno have done outside of the band and that includes Van Halen.  Cherone fits so well into the funky metal/cheeky stuff and is a perfect counter to Nuno’s playing – ask him to sing with power and range……..not so much.

Very solid rhythm section behind them too.  This is clearly one of the best guitar rock albums of the 90’s and a big favourite of mine in my teenage years particularly. I like every track on it , even the ballads, but I tend to skip More Than Words purely because it's been done to death. 

 Like most bands in this list they have a unique sound and were really on their own in this style .  It’s always interesting when Extreme come up in conversation……………”oh yeah, More Than Words – nice song”.   Nobody other than diehards seem to even know what most of their material is like.

For anyone who doesn’t have them I can heartily recommend this album and III Sides , along with the Take Us Alive DVD which captures them live in peak form.


Favourites: Decadence Dance, When I'm President, It's A Monster,Get The Funk Out


Honourable Mention: Survivor- Too Hot To Sleep.....It’s hard to believe I couldn’t find room for Survivor in the Top50  – they recorded one of the most definitive AOR albums ever (Vital Signs) + an all time classic song that I loved as a kid (Eye of the Tiger). Too Hot To Sleep was the last album of their classic era and is a bit more rocked up than most of their other material.

[Lowdz]

The Final Countdown ................no links.

Fear not.  I've linked one of the greatest live versions of the song I've ever witnessed.  Amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMWdI2IKiw

What.  The.  Fuck.

I know what that is without looking. Ear abuse.

And Porno is a great album. Made my top 50. A song for every occaision on this album but it works as a whole (hearted  ) too. Made Nuno a star.

[jingle.boy]

#43 on my list.  I agree with pretty much everything you said Brent - except for the favourites.  Nothing wrong with those you called out, but He-Man, and Money would top my list.  I wish More Than Words wasn't so overplayed, because I think it would be a great song... I just can't stand it because I've heard it no less than 17,000 times.

Survivor slipped by me, and I think they are a band (along with Giant) I really need to take a look at.

[Lowdz]

Funny thing is i put this on the car stereo earlier on, before your update.  I played the shit out of this album back in the day. I bought the debut on release as it got a great review in Kerrang. Wasn't wowed by it but it was ok. Porno though, jeez, blew it out of the water.

I'm with you on nothing after III Sides does anything - although I quite like the Dweezil Zappa album Nuno produced and played/sang on. I really didn't like Punchline. At all. And Saudades was ok I guess but nothing that makes me want to revisit it.

I missed your HM too. THTS is a great album. I went with Vital Signs in my top 50 but this isn't far behind.

[bl5150]

#11 WASP : The Headless Children
Released 1989
tracks
1.     The Heretic (The Lost Child)     7:22
2.     The Real Me     3:20        Cover: The Who
3.     The Headless Children     5:46
4.     Thunderhead     6:49
5.     Mean Man     4:47
6.     The Neutron Bomber     4:10
7.     Mephisto Waltz     1:28
8.     Forever Free     5:08
9.     Maneater     4:46
10.     Rebel in the F.D.G.     5:08

It would’ve been easy to do the obvious thing and pick The Crimson Idol here  - great album and no doubt one of the best few metal concept albums.   But if I’m honest , the s/t debut and The Headless Children got far more play from me.  I consider all three as metal classics , but for me The Headless Children is the ultimate combination of the carefree , debauched “up yours” attitude of the first few albums (sans the over the top theatrics/shock rock) and a progression to a more serious and thoughtful (often political) lyrical content as seen on The Crimson Idol…….all with a diversity of music not seen on either of the others.  It’s beautiful , haunting and brutal at the same time.  I don’t normally bother to comment on drum sounds but the drum sound of Frankie Banali here is HUGE and gave the whole album an extra kick in the ass.

Leading up to this album Blackie had been in a neverending battle with the PMRC and he was majorly pissed off – something that comes through very clearly in what I think is his most aggressive, passionate vocal performance.  It’s quite likely the best lineup of the band too. In fact I think it’s their heaviest , most musical and catchiest album over all ……………I say that without having taken much notice post Crimson idol.  I bought Still Not Black Enough and didn’t like it and nothing I’ve heard since has made me want to follow through.   


Favourite Tracks:  The Heretic , Mean Man (ultimate fire up song for power sports I found  ), The Headless Children, Forever Free,  Rebel In The FDG


Honourable Mention;   Stage Dolls:s/t  ...........Norway's Bon Jovi - sort of .  Quality melodic rock/AOR.

[BlobVanDam]

Too Hot To Sleep is an amazing album. One of my favourites from the genre, and definitely my favourite Survivor album. Shame on you not finding a place for it in your top 50!
Never liked Extreme's music, outside of the Bill and Ted soundtrack. Cherone's voice often just bugs the crap out of me.

[Lowdz]

Wow you're throwing them out now Brent 
You haven't cost me any money for a few days either.
Another excellent pick. Great album and a big step up in the quality stakes whilst retaining most of what made them WASP. I found Inside The Electric Circus to be disappointing but this was WASp back on form. I did do the obvious and went with Crimson Idol, but the first 2, this and Idol are awesome slices of 80s metal.
They were great live to, but Blackie stole all his moves from Paul Stanley.

And I bought that Stagedolls on release and was disappointed in it. Couple of good songs but not great for me. SInger's voice was a bit weak, like a camp Bryan Adams. Not listened to it in years.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

It’s always interesting when Mr. Big come up in conversation……………”oh yeah, To Be With You – nice song”.   Nobody other than diehards seem to even know what most of their material is like.

Edited to cite another example.  That used to irritate the hell out of me.  I always wanted to blast Addicted to that Rush and He-Man Woman Hater for people like this.  "THIS is the band that wrote that insipid little ballad.  Still like them?" 

EII:P was SOOOOO good.  My favorite is probably It's a Monster.  Song for Love is pretty f*cking amazing as well.  I played the crap out of that disc for a very very long time.  Hell, I think it may be time to dig it out and give it another spin.  Haven't done so in a while.