"Classic" album appreciation thread - the '80s

[jingle.boy]

This band completely failed to register even the tiniest blip on my radar. I think the first time I ever heard of them was Bosk talking about them on this forum years ago.

I could've typed his word for word.

[King Postwhore]

This band completely failed to register even the tiniest blip on my radar. I think the first time I ever heard of them was Bosk talking about them on this forum years ago.

I saw them with Helix, Accept & Motley Crue in 1984.  Got sun poisoning that day.

[KevShmev]

Actually, I've been thinking about making a thread about 90s rock singles. I've just thought that usually KevShmev's been the guy for this kind of threads and I don't want to be stepping on his toes or anything.

I doubt I would do a 90's one, so have at it)  

[pg1067]

Y&T - Black Tiger

One of my favorite songs of all time is Mean Streak by Y&T.  However, I probably can't name more than three Y&T songs, and the other two are the very cheesy Summertime Girls and Lipstick and Leather.  I went to high school with a guy who was obsessed with Y&T and the fact that Dave Meniketti both sang AND played lead guitar.  One of these days I'll have to check out Black Tiger and Earthshaker.

[Stadler]

I've mentioned this before, but there was a metal radio show that I used to listen to back then. I knew Dio from Rainbow and Black Sabbath, but was not aware that he had a new album coming out. I remember Stand Up And Shout and Straight Through The Heart being played. I was really blown away. Don't Talk To Strangers is still my all time favorite Dio (Dio band) song.

Kinda similar for me too.  That album rocked my world for a while there.  Top to bottom it was a killer record; I loved the more trebly tone that Viv got, after the sludge-fest that was Mob Rules and Live Evil. 

Even though he's never heard it, TAC has Thriller right too: undeniable.  I don't like the title track (and I can't watch the video; schlock!) but the rest of the record is aces.  I LOVE Billy Jean (not the lyrics you'd expect from a man-child, eh?) and the Girl Is Mine is beautiful. I listen to Off The Wall more (though it's not like I listen to either very often) but this is a seminal record. 

[Lowdz]

Y&T are awesome. From the minute my mate played me Earthshaker I loved them. The only blip on the radar is Contagious.

Black Tiger is a great album but I lovedMean Streak more. From thecover to the music it was awesome.

Saw them live several times and they never disappoint,even now.

[KevShmev]

It's funny to think that Quincy Jones wanted to cut out the instrumental intro to Billie Jean because it was too long (29 seconds, OMG!!!).  Just goes to show you how clueless producers can be sometimes, even legendary ones.

[King Postwhore]

I never read about that. Cool!  Did Michael push back on that Kev?

[TAC]

Black Tiger is all kinds of damn awesomeness!

The run from Earthshaker-Black Tiger-Meanstreak is practically flawless.

[KevShmev]

I never read about that. Cool!  Did Michael push back on that Kev?

Yes.  I think I remember MJ telling him that the intro is what made him want to dance.  And who was going to argue with that??

[Ruba]

Actually, I've been thinking about making a thread about 90s rock singles. I've just thought that usually KevShmev's been the guy for this kind of threads and I don't want to be stepping on his toes or anything.

I doubt I would do a 90's one, so have at it)

Nice. I'll probably get started next week.

[bosk1]

Funny story.  I was thinking about what album to do next, and I was thinking that somewhere in the next few, it was time to go with a slightly obscure (for a metal forum) choice that was one of my ultimate favorite albums at the time and part of the soundtrack of my HS years.  And so even though I was probably otherwise going to drop this one in a couple of days, the fact that it showed up in Stranger Things 3, episode 1 brought it to the front.

Corey Hart - Boy in the Box

Songs:
-Boy in the Box
-Komrade Kiev
-Never Surrender
-Sunny Place, Shady People
-Eurasian Eyes
-Everything in my Heart
-Silent Talking
-Waiting for You
-Water from the Moon

Never Surrender was such a huge song for me.  Loved it to pieces.  But the rest of the singles and the deep cuts were top notch as well.  I'm kind of bummed that I really struggle to remember the songs from "side 2" now.  I need to find a copy of this album.

A bit of not-too-well-known trivia:  Lisa Dalbello (Gonna Get Close To You) sang backup on Sunny Place, Shady People.

[Cool Chris]

Never Surrender was such a huge song for me.  Loved it to pieces. 

Me too. Though besides that and Sunglasses at Night I can't say I was a big fan of him. Beyond those two and Boy in the Box couldn't even name another song off the top of my head.

[Stadler]

"Never Surrender" is a good track, but I despise "Sunglasses At Night".  I haven't heard the rest, but at least on SAN, he has this affectation to his singing that bugs the crap out of me.  I don't know what words to use, but it's sort of "sneering" or even "John Lydon-esque", but the song and the lyrics don't really lend itself to that approach. 

[hefdaddy42]

Interesting thread so far.

I loved the Cinderella album.

I love the Metallica album, but I didn't at the time.  I grew into a Metallica fan a little later.

Thriller is on the VERY short list of greatest albums of all time.

I can't stand Dio and never could.  Just never appealed to me.

I liked Corey Hart's singles, but never enough to purchase the album.

[TAC]

Since when did this become the Obscure Album of The 80's Thread?

[pg1067]

I didn't know that Corey Hart had other songs besides "Sunglasses at Night."

[bosk1]

Since when did this become the Obscure Album of The 80's Thread?

Zip it, old man!  There were other bands besides UFO and AC/DC in the '80s.

[TAC]

I don't even know what this album is.

[bosk1]

Of course TAC never heard of a top 20 album with a #1 single.  I repeat:

Zip it, old man!  There were other bands besides UFO and AC/DC in the '80s.

[The Walrus]

I don't even know what this album is.

Is there anything you DO know?! 

[TAC]

I just youtubed Never Surrender. No wonder I have never heard this album.

I didn't recognize it by title but I actually hear Never Surrender on my work intercom all the time.

[KevShmev]

I didn't recognize it by title but I actually hear Never Surrender on my work intercom all the time.

That song being played at a brothel doesn't surprise me.

[TAC]

I didn't recognize it by title but I actually hear Never Surrender on my work intercom all the time.

That song being played at a brothel doesn't surprise me.

Wrong Cart Corrals.

[jammindude]

I know Sunglasses at Night.   Heard it many times.   Actually kinda like that song. 

I just YTed Never Surrender.    First time I've heard that in my entire life.   And it will be the last.

[jingle.boy]

I'm surprised that Corey Hart was this well known south of the border.  I figured that he was a big Canadian name, with little penetration in the US.  Clearly not.

[TAC]

MTV played the shit out of Sunglasses At Night. And I definitely remember hearing Never Surrender.

[bosk1]

Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime

Songs:
1.   I Remember Now
2.   Anarchy—X
3.   Revolution Calling
4.   Operation: Mindcrime
5.   Speak
6.   Spreading the Disease
7.   The Mission
8.   Suite Sister Mary
9.   The Needle Lies
10.   Electric Requiem
11.   Breaking the Silence
12.   I Don't Believe in Love
13.   Waiting for 22
14.   My Empty Room
15.   Eyes of a Stranger

Game changer.  At first, this album did not click.  I did not have any prior experience with Queensryche, and this album did not resonate with me.  It was the fluke of a cover band playing I Don't Believe In Love TWICE in their set that got me to revisit and take the album more seriously.  I was glad I did.  This was my gateway to Queensryche, and I totally immersed myself in this album.  After Empire's release, and playing Mindcrime in its entirety on that tour and released it on the Operation: Livecrime package, I was fully sold on Queensryche as my favorite band, which would last until 1999 when Dream Theater booted them out of that spot with SFAM.  But this album also definitely gets credit for being the band that opened me up from the more "normal" hard rock of the '80s and expanding my musical horizons.

[The Walrus]

Oh yeah. 

I didn't even bother giving Queensryche a chance until the start of 2018. The run from The Warning through Empire is just fantastic, RFO is my favorite - but Mindcrime is a very close second. Geoff's vocals blow me away on this album. I can take or leave the concept, but the music itself is just awesome. Great record.

[MirrorMask]

Total and utter masterpiece. Queensryche's crowning achievement, and one of the best prog metal concept albums ever. Every song is a classic and it's an album that never gets old. It's not that I listen to it regularly by now, but whenever it happens... it's always great.

A must-listen for every fan of prog, metal and prog metal. Absolutely essential 

[cramx3]

Since I just saw Geoff do this album live, I made my thoughts known in the QR (or was it the Geoff) thread but I've never really enjoyed any QR I've listened to, besides this album and I enjoy it a lot although my recent experience was the first time coming back to it in a long time.

[TAC]

A great album.

Even though I didn't take to Rage For Order, I still loved Queensryche based on the EP/Warning. So there was no question I wouldn't get their new album.

From the jump this album picks you up and never lets you go. I remember my first listen that it wasn't until after The Needle Lies that I stopped and took my last breath.

The album loses a bit of steam in the second half until Eyes Of A Stranger, which is an amazing track. But a damn near perfect album.

[Dublagent66]

O:MC clicked with me immediately and has aged incredibly well.  Even if I don't listen to it for months at a time, I can go back to it and the reward is waiting.  I also saw it live in its entirety on the Empire tour.  One of the best concerts ever. 

My favorite run is the EP through PL.
No matter what happened and all the crap they went through, my memories of classic QR will always be golden and cherished. 

[pg1067]

I know Sunglasses at Night.   Heard it many times.   Actually kinda like that song. 

I just YTed Never Surrender.    First time I've heard that in my entire life.   And it will be the last.

Ditto.  That song didn't sound at all familiar, and it was as boring as shit.

[jingle.boy]

O:M is a top-10 album of all time on my list.  Virtually flawless.  Sadly, I didn't get 'in' to QR until just a couple months after they'd rolled thru Toronto for the Empire tour, so never got to see this in its entirety.  I made up for it by watching the fuck out of O:L.  Easily my most watched concert DVD of ever.  I echo many of the statements already made, and don't have much more to offer.