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

[bl5150]

Hey folks- it seems to me that we have a thread for just about every prog metal band of note , there's threads for Power Metal , melodic rock/AOR , Thrash (not active) and a few classic metal bands like Accept, Judas Priest etc..... have their own threads but for the most part there's a big gap when it comes to a general thread/discussion on classic hard rock and metal and uh.........I hope to fill it        When I say "classic" hard rock and metal I'm talking about bands both past and present that play rock and metal in a style that was popular from late 70's through early 90's before the epidemic of flannelette flu devastated the music world. 

Hopefully a few of the fogeys and fogeys-in- waiting who followed my Top 50 will use this thread to help to keep the discussion going here.  So Chad, Kade, Paul, Tim, JJ , King ,Gaz etc......get yo' asses over here and get posting 

So from now on there's no need to chat melodic metal/hard rock and so forth in the AOR thread (as a few of us do) and as far as I'm concerned this thread can encompass everything from hair metal/bluesy hard rock through to the more melodic end of thrash like Megadeth/Metallica .  Some bands have their own threads of course and there's inevitably some crossover between melodic rock/hard rock etc.....   but at least now there can be a place for just general  chat

Seeing as I've started the thread I'll try and take some ownership over keeping things humming and so at least once or twice a month I intend to go back into the archives and post some scans of everything from music magazine covers , rare albums/merchandise , concert photos (TAC posted some goodies in my Top 50)  and memorabilia.  Hopefully we can stir up some good memories.  My memorabilia collection is rather heavily weighted towards Van Halen but I'll do my best - hopefully others can contribute in that regard from time to time and lessen the reliance on me - even if it's just a cool shirt or something. 

I've stumbled up a step ladder earlier today and found a few mags to get me started (back with that in the next day or so once I've done some scans ) . In the meantime here's a nice item of kitchenware I like to serve nibblies in 








PS  Once I opened up the first magazine I have in mind and saw the contents ..OMG    - the photos and articles are just so good/funny and bring back so many memories.  I wish I could scan you guys some of the articles and photos within but I don't want any copyright trouble for myself or anyone on DTF and so I'll refrain and stick to covers , funny ads etc....     I'll try to make a couple of notes here and there on any points of interest from the articles to help generate some chat.


Top Tens Index

The thread now includes Top Tens on a variety of topics (years/bands etc....) and I will index them here , noting who the original list was contributed by and the page of the thread to refer to if you wish to view it.

Best Albums of 1980 (bl5150) pg 8

Best Albums of 1981 (bl5150) pg 9

Best Albums of 1982 (bl5150) pg 10

Best Albums of 1983 (bl5150) pg 12

Best Albums of 1984 (bl5150) pg 16

Best Albums of 1985 (bl5150) pg 20

Best Albums of 1986 (bl5150) pg 25

Best Albums of 1987 (bl5150) pg 40



PODCASTS: (note : the sound improved dramatically from around #4 or 5 onward.  I hope to find time to go back and "remaster" #1-3/4)

#1 (Nov 23 2015) https://mega.nz/#!WV0nFBba!mFUfjV-xqzSS9brPbOulj29RHRkyZbcqaDGLHZPsijQ
#2 (Dec 4 2015) https://mega.nz/#!zZ1SwSpC!SOkbATnvNMJEl3Ig90WvQuAeOS7vHol60ehFylXAqOk
#3 (Dec 28 2015) https://mega.nz/#!vE0zyYbJ!960qxiulRjNVuOiOMuurYSOGLLI3inEkXrp9IkVfSTQ
#4(May 2016) https://mega.nz/#!uY800aIC!wauNkzX-lRcHE-5XqbeYmPMpHdA_1SKPZwe8Gos2pvs
#5(Sep 2016) https://yadi.sk/d/RKEPh6_av3fFD https://yadi.sk/d/347TnXFfv8pU4
#6 (Oct 2016 - Best of 1988 Pt 1)  https://yadi.sk/d/V_2qYHdxwfuUe
#7 (Nov 2016 - Best of 1988 Pt 2) : https://yadi.sk/d/mgjVQWkuy4M7g
#8 (Feb 2017) 2016 - The Rest  https://yadi.sk/d/RZpP75UQ3CPL6z    TRACKLIST: https://yadi.sk/i/GCjYFSj23EFLPq
#9 (Mar 2017)  Best of 2016 Countdown https://yadi.sk/d/_CM9gsFK3FXJgg  TRACKLIST : https://yadi.sk/i/5Z6Z9g-s3Fvyvi
#10 (April 2017)  Hard Rock Rarities #-B's  https://yadi.sk/d/umAMRDez3HRyAA
#11 (May 2017)  https://yadi.sk/d/vKRZGE0k3JkKHt
#12 (Sept 2017)  includes Hard Rock Rarities U-Z  https://yadi.sk/d/psG_0fIs3N2G3n   TRACKLIST: https://yadi.sk/d/WCXdPt-P3Nximk
#13 (Dec 2018)  https://yadi.sk/d/7H7xuIZ-zRG6NA  TRACKLIST:  https://yadi.sk/i/j6z4DLzjlqyskQ
#14 (Jan 2019)   Best of 2017 - Top 40  https://yadi.sk/d/CfyozDrRUiyGhQ
#15 (Jan 2019)  Best of the Rest 2017  A-K  https://yadi.sk/d/1EmCkBnyo-slCg TRACKLIST : https://yadi.sk/i/MElBI6hCxuX7-A
#16  (Feb 2019) Best of the Rest 2017  L-Z

[TAC]

*goes up to attic and down to basement*

[Lowdz]

I'll follow. I've never really been one for memorabilia, despite being a KISS fan. I used to pick up limited editions and maybe picture disks/coloured vinyls but not since I went the cd route in 1987.

I don't have any pictures from gigs - never had a camera back in the day and I'm there for the  music I suppose. TAC's pics are usually very cool - I'll look forward to those.

The drawback to this lack of collecting behaviour is that I can't remember half the gigs I've been to - who supported who, where I saw bands or even if I saw them.

- cool plate by the way Brent. I initially took it for a clear vinyl disc. My only DLR "collectable" would be the Spanish version of this very album. Thinnk I played it once and "filed" it!

[bl5150]

I'm a bit the same Paul - I've never been one for carrying phones/cameras around with me and , with only a couple of exceptions, I don't have much in the way of good concert photos and records of who I've seen etc...   I really regret this in many cases - especially things like hanging out with someone like Jeff Scott Soto and his (then) missus before and after a gig and not even a photo to show for it ......stupid    Having said that many of the gigs I went to back in the day frisked you for cameras and the like .

 I do have one great photo of me shaking hands with some guy called Eddie which I hope to find (and post) on this journey through the archives.  No idea where it is as it was filed God knows where during a house move.

Don't worry too much about memorabilia - it's a discussion thread which I reckon fills a gap on DTF and I'm just using memorabilia and old mags etc...... as a way to jump start things and generate some discussion/reminiscing.

[TAC]

I don't have a lot of time today, but I can get some things up here tomorrow.
I took a lot of pics back in the day.

Love eat 'Em And Smile. Though Van Hagar won the war, that first battle easily went to DLR. Saw Tesla for the first time open his show.

[jjrock88]

This is already my all time favorite thread!

[Lowdz]

I'm a bit the same Paul - I've never been one for carrying phones/cameras around with me and , with only a couple of exceptions, I don't have much in the way of good concert photos and records of who I've seen etc...   I really regret this in many cases - especially things like hanging out with someone like Jeff Scott Soto and his (then) missus before and after a gig and not even a photo to show for it ......stupid    Having said that many of the gigs I went to back in the day frisked you for cameras and the like .

 I do have one great photo of me shaking hands with some guy called Eddie which I hope to find (and post) on this journey through the archives.  No idea where it is as it was filed God knows where during a house move.

Don't worry too much about memorabilia - it's a discussion thread which I reckon fills a gap on DTF and I'm just using memorabilia and old mags etc...... as a way to jump start things and generate some discussion/reminiscing.

Yeah the camera thing was pretty difficult here in the UK. They would be confiscated if found. Kinda put me off trying.

I love this DLR album. Vai's guitar is just so cool sounding. This was a young guy going toe to toe with the recognised metal guitar hero and winning - by a landslide.

[TAC]

This is already my all time favorite thread!

 

[jjrock88]

How about starting this thread with a  discussion on a man who unfortunately doesn't get mentioned much around DTF; the mighty Ronnie James Dio! What is everyone's top five Dio fronted albums?

Mine

1) Heaven & Hell 2) Holy Diver 3) Last in Line 4) Mob Rules 5) Rising

[bl5150]

This is already my all time favorite thread!

 

 

 


OK - here's my first attempt at bringing back a few memories and what a choice I made.  This magazine is the tits.   Powerline was around from mid 80's - mid 90's and aside from my AOR tastes it pretty much covered everything I like with its motto of "from Glam to Slam". Check out those names on the cover    and a very boyish looking Zakk Wylde.  I actually had a Gibson done in that design back in the day .

The edition here is March 1989 and it was a really amazing read.   The are feature interviews w/cool photos with all the bands listed on the front.  The reviews section has a rather glowing review for a new band with a debut album out : Dream Theatre (spelt wrong of course) .      There's also an interesting ad for King Diamond's album "Them" .........King Diamond was the first Billboard charting artist for Roadrunner who are listed here as "Roadracer Records" due to a few trademark issues with a rather speedy cartoon character at the time.

The interview with Europe is rather interesting - things were obviously pretty raw between them and John Norum at the time as there's a few backhanders flying.

There's all those Colombia Record Club ads and the t-shirt company ads that I used to drool over.    There's a profile on a young up and coming guitarist called Jason Becker.   I could go on ...............this could be the best magazine in my collection and I grabbed it first up.


Re JJ's question.............

1) Heaven &Hell 2) Lock Up The Wolves (yeah,yeah...  )  3) Holy Diver 4) Sacred Heart 5) Rising

My most played would probably be LUTW.....unsurprisingly that was my first Dio album.   I find that most Dio fronted albums have anywhere from 1-3 classics for me and plenty of filler.   Rising gets there purely because of Stargazer, Holy Diver mostly based on Stand Up and Shout, Don't Talk To Strangers and Rainbow In The Dark (the rest I don't play) and so on.   I love Dio and his best songs are among my favourites of all time -  the lack of a full album of classic material to my ears is the only reason he didn't make my Top 50 albums.  Top 50 songs?? .........could be a different story.

[WebRaider]

Very cool mag and plate!



Top five Dio fronted albums?

1. Heaven & Hell
2. Holy Diver
3. Mob Rules
4. Dehumanizer
5. Strange Highways

[BlobVanDam]

I never got into Strange Highways, and still don't have his Sabbath albums (I just know the more well known tracks), but Holy Diver and The Last in Line are among my favourites.

Keeping in mind my lack of Sabbath from the list, I'd maybe go with-

Holy Diver
The Last in Line
Dehumanizer
Killing the Dragon or Lock Up The Wolves
Long Live Rock n Roll

[jjrock88]

Dehumanizer is a very underrated heavy metal album.

"I" is phenomenal!

[Big Hath]

still cannot believe that version of ZW is the same person as the current model

[BlobVanDam]

Dehumanizer is a very underrated heavy metal album.

"I" is phenomenal!

That's a good one, although my favourites would be Letters From Earth, Master of Insanity, and Time Machine. It's a very underrated and solid album though. Buried Alive is the only track I don't like.

[Kwyjibo]

This sounds like a cool thread, so I'm in.

The only memorabilia I have though, is a guitar pick from White Lion's Vito Bratta which I caught at a concert. It was the tour for Mane attraction with Mr. Big as co-headliner. Cool concert. Oh, and I have the CD booklet of Tesla's Psychotic Supper signed by the whole band.
Zakk Wylde on that cover looks more like a young Bon Jovi than JBJ himself.
Can't comment much on Dio, as I never got around to really listen to his albums, I only know the hits.

[TAC]

Did someone say Dio?

June 18, 1986
Providence Civic Center







Oh, and Accept opened!

How about starting this thread with a  discussion on a man who unfortunately doesn't get mentioned much around DTF; the mighty Ronnie James Dio! What is everyone's top five Dio fronted albums?

Mine

1) Heaven & Hell 2) Holy Diver 3) Last in Line 4) Mob Rules 5) Rising

Awesome idea!!

For me:
1. Holy Diver
2. Heaven And Hell
3. Rainbow On Stage
4. The Last In Line
5. Heaven And Hell :Neon Knights Live Over Europe

Brent, Lock Up the Wolves is awesome. Wish he would've kept Rown around for a few albums. The Traci G years were a waste. Strange Highways is OK I guess but Angry Machines is his worst album.

I always thought vocally that Dio's best album was Mob Rules followed by Holy Diver. That was his peak/prime if you ask me.
But I do have a soft spot for the first Rainbow album. Love that young Ronnie voice.

I actually have a Top 30 Dio songs ranked on my computer. Gotta find it.

[Lowdz]

DIO is the voice of Metal for me 

1 Rainbow - Rising

2 DIO - The Last In Line
3 Rainbow - Long Live Rock n Roll
4 Black Sabbath - Heaven & Hell
5 DIO - Dream Evil

And I just don't get the love for Lock Up The Wolves. Poor album for me.

[TAC]

And I just don't get the love for Lock Up The Wolves. Poor album for me.

You know when they say that Lowdz is right 99% of the time? Well, here's the other 1%!
 

[Lowdz]

And I just don't get the love for Lock Up The Wolves. Poor album for me.

You know when they say that Lowdz is right 99% of the time? Well, here's the other 1%!
 

That's not a bad record to have  though - unlike Lock Up The Wolves 

[wolfking]

I'm not much into memorabilia, but I am into classic metal and hard rock. 

Top 5 Dio albums, that's tough;

1. Sacred Heart
2. Holy Diver
3. Magica
4. Last In Line
5. Lock Up the Wolves or Maybe Killing the Dragon

[jjrock88]

Great concert pics Tim!  What row were you in? That would have been a great show

[bl5150]

1. Sacred Heart

I reckon that album is under-rated - I actually rate it higher than Holy Diver on my % ratings due to less filler but I gave Holy Diver a higher position for "intangibles" 

Brent, Lock Up the Wolves is awesome. Wish he would've kept Rown around for a few albums.

Great photos man - and I totally agree re Rowan.   I was blown away by his playing on this album , especially given his age.  It was a damn shame he just faded away.    I'm not a huge fan of the Sabbathy plodders on that album but stuff like Walk On Water , Hey Angel, Wild One and Why Are They Watching Me are right up there with my favourite Dio songs.


When I was playing the one my band really enjoyed playing was this.........(good DVD this with Doug - fairly low budget but good nonetheless)   Note the JP/Boston style editing stuff up at the end of the solo

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

[wolfking]

Sacred Heart is very underrated IMO, it's brilliant.

[jjrock88]

Sacred Heart is very underrated IMO, it's brilliant.

agreed.

[TAC]

I'll say this, Sacred Heart has aged quite well. But I clearly remember the disappoinent when it came out. It was a definite step back.
Saw both legs of the tour. The first with Vivian and then with Craig Goldie. Rough Cutt opened in '85 and the the mighty Accept opened in '86.

[Lowdz]

Sacred Heart is very underrated IMO, it's brilliant.

agreed.

I agree with this. A couple of less stellar tracks but they aren't bad enough to bring the album down. Dream Evil is even better though  I never liked the guitar sound nor rated Craig Goldy.

[TAC]

 

[Kingly Gizz & Liz Wiz Bizzy]

Man I lived of Kerrang as a teen.  So much better than Circus and Hit Parader that had the same pics and the same quotes.

[Lowdz]

Man I lived of Kerrang as a teen.  So much better than Circus and Hit Parader that had the same pics and the same quotes.

Bought Kerrang from the first Gene Simmons fronted issue until they abandoned the music that made them and embraced Grunge - and they gave Def Leppard so much stick for "going American". Hypocrits.

[jjrock88]

The only Dio album that I could never fully get into was "Angry Machines". I still listen to it once in awhile, but it would be my least played album from him.

Also have to say that one of his catchiest and most underrated gems has to be " Lady of the Lake" from Rainbow. Love that song and could listen to it on loop

[wolfking]

Master of the Moon was the only one that I didn't really dig.  I should get it out and have another listen though.

[TAC]

1. Holy Diver
2. Last In Line
3a. Lock Up The Wolves
3b. Dream Evil
3c. Sacred Heart
6. Magica
7. Strange Highways
8. Killing The Dragon
9. Master Of The Moon
10. Angry Machines

[wolfking]

1. Holy Diver
2. Last In Line
3a. Lock Up The Wolves
3b. Dream Evil
3c. Sacred Heart
6. Imagica
7. Strange Highways
8. Killing The Dragons
9. Master Of The Moon
10. Angry Machines

Don't know that one. 

[TAC]

Fixed!