"Classic" album appreciation thread - the '80s

[Cool Chris]

Don't recognize any of those Depeche Mode songs but that wasn't really my thing.

Liked Whitesnake's MTV hits never bought anything of theirs.

[Stadler]

The thing about Whitesnake is that they're not Queen, they're more like AC/DC.  If you like Cryin' In The Rain, or "Still Of The Night", you're probably going to like the rest of the album.  The pre-American "Slide It In" (there is a UK version and a US version; the US version is the more "popular" one) era is all more bluesier, more Deep Purple-ish (and even had Jon Lord and Ian Paice for a while), while the post-American "Slide It In" era (to the present) is more what you think of when you think "Whitesnake", that is, Tawny Kitaen on the hood of a Mercedes.   

I happen to like both eras, because I like Coverdale's voice, but I find myself going back to the earlier stuff more frequently.  By the way, if anyone likes Whitesnake, find the "Starkers In Tokyo" CD; it's Adrian Vandenberg on acoustic guitar and David singing and his voice is just velvet, gold, silk, and macaroni and cheese all wrapped up in one.  That version of "Don't Fade Away" is one of my top five Whitesnake songs.

[King Postwhore]

And their highest charting song all the way to #21 on the Billboard charts.  B side to the single was Vital Signs live. 

[jingle.boy]

find the "Starkers In Tokyo" CD; it's Adrian Vandenberg on acoustic guitar and David singing and his voice is just velvet, gold, silk, and macaroni and cheese all wrapped up in one.  That version of "Don't Fade Away" is one of my top five Whitesnake songs.

Found on Spotify (disc 2 on an album titled Unzipped - Super Deluxe Edition).

God bless you, good citizen.

'87 is a gem of an album.  Not a bad song on the tracklist.  All 5* in my opinion.

[bosk1]

'87 is a gem of an album.  Not a bad song on the tracklist.  All 5* in my opinion.

I would give everything on side 1 5*.  Side 2 would be more along the lines of 4* songs with 5* riffs.

[KevShmev]

I had that Whitesnake album on cassette, but I've never owned it on CD or gone back to re-visit any of the non-hits.  The three big hits - Still of the Night, Here I Go Again and Is This Love? - are all still great.

I am unfamiliar with that record by Depeche Mode.

[Podaar]

Music for the Masses is okay but is still too much on the electro-pop side of DP for my tastes. I'm a big fan of the dark, sometimes evil, side of Depeche Mode and not very many of these songs have that aesthetic. To Have and to Hold is about the only song that clearly has it but it's too short to make the album worthwhile for me. That said, I do like Little 15, Strangelove, and Nothing. Their next album onward is where it's at for me.

As for Whitesnake, I'm a big fan of Still of the Night. The rest of the album is enjoyable for an occasional Spotify listen. It certainly made a big splash when it came out, so it is appropriately classic.

[max_security]

I never really dug Whitesnake too much but I did get to see John Sykes with Blue Murder back then and that was one of the best bands I have ever seen play.

[TAC]

To me, Whitesnake '87 is way overrated. Side 2 of it is quite forgettable. Still of the night is an amazing song, and I like the remade versions of Crying In The Rain and Here I Go Again, both on the earlier Saints And Sinners album.

John Sykes rules this version of Crying.

Also, Ainsley Dunbar is as solid as ever on this album.

Saw Whitesnake open for Motley Crue on this tour, but skipped the headlining tour. And honestly, IMO Whitesnake has been a revolving door shit show ever since.

[Kwyjibo]

Depeche Mode: They were really popular in Germany, so I know all of their hits because they were played on the radio all the time. I liked almost all of them, but never got beyind that.

Whitesnake: I am a big fan of the earlier bluesier Whitesnake, Ready an' Willing is my favorite. That said, 1987 is a great record although I agree with TAC that it's overrated. Still Of The Night is top notch, the rest ranges from great to passable. The new version of Here I Go Again is better than the original but the reworked Crying In The Rain has that absolutely silly shred solo section (look how fast I can shred, look how hard I can pound the drums - yeah I see, but can you do it interesting and musically?) that kinda ruins it for me.

And as often as I say that I don't care about lyrics, Coverdale has the most silly and bad lyrics of them all.

[Stadler]

And as often as I say that I don't care about lyrics, Coverdale has the most silly and bad lyrics of them all.

His lyrics are a walking #MeToo moment. 

[cramx3]

And as often as I say that I don't care about lyrics, Coverdale has the most silly and bad lyrics of them all.

His lyrics are a walking #MeToo moment.

So is his twitter 

[Kwyjibo]

And as often as I say that I don't care about lyrics, Coverdale has the most silly and bad lyrics of them all.

His lyrics are a walking #MeToo moment.

I'm convinced he writes his lyrics with his dick.

[bosk1]

I'm not sure why it took you so long to figure that out. 

[Kwyjibo]

I'm not sure why it took you so long to figure that out. 

When I first heard of Whitesnake I was young and naive. Now I'm not so young anymore. 

[King Postwhore]

 

Well, when we were younger we did think with it.  LOL

[bosk1]

Well, when we were younger we did think with it.  LOL

True.  I can honestly say that when I was young, I thought with David Coverdale's penis on many occasions.

[TAC]

Yeah, but I thought Coverdale's lyrics blew back then. I thought it held them back, honestly.


I remember buying Slide It In (when it came out) and I was like WTF??

[bosk1]

You think EVERYTHING blows.  Honestly, I don't even know why you bother to comment and wish you'd keep your thoughts to yourself.

[The Walrus]

Yeah, but I thought Coverdale's lyrics blew back then. I thought it held them back, honestly.


I remember buying Slide It In (when it came out) and I was like WTF??

You bought an album called Slide It In and you were shocked by the lyrics that came with it? 

[TAC]

You think EVERYTHING blows.  Honestly, I don't even know why you bother to comment and wish you'd keep your thoughts to yourself.

WOW!

That's not true at all.  Seriously. There's plenty of Whitesnake I like. I was actually a big fan until this album, which I do like a lot. I just think this album rides a huge halo effect of a couple of songs.

I thought the Vai thing was weak though and could never really follow them after that. Just seemed like Coverdale And Random Dudes from that point on.

[pg1067]

I'm not sure why it took you so long to figure that out. 

So...Slide It In and Slow and Easy aren't about auto repair?  And Spit It Out isn't about a bad experience at a fine restaurant?

[TAC]

You think EVERYTHING blows.  Honestly, I don't even know why you bother to comment and wish you'd keep your thoughts to yourself.

We're about to head out for the day, so I don't have time to quote, but I did just go through this thread, and suffice to say...

I've only said one thing blows in this entire thread...Keel. And I stand by that.
I called Don't Know What You've Got puke worthy...
I said I didn't care for The Thing That Should Not Be and I never cared for Khutulu either
I gently ribbed you on Corey Hart...But c'mon..Corey Hart?
I questioned Prince's genius...but basically accepted his influence.


I have been complimentary on bands not in my wheelhouse like U2 and Duran Duran, and I think most of my comments in this thread have been pretty positive on the whole.




However, I have just noticed that this thread is an "appreciation" thread and not a "discussion" thread, so I will keep that in mind moving forward.

[The Walrus]

Someone please sit TAC down and have him catch up on the past 30 years of entertainment Austin Powers style so he can find something that doesn't blow.  

[bosk1]

I've only said one thing blows in this entire thread...Keel. And I stand by that.

Yeah, well...okay, I'll totally give you that one.  And I'll double down on it. 

I gently ribbed you on Corey Hart...But c'mon..Corey Hart?

Corey Hart is awesome.  But given that this is a metal forum, I'll give you that one too. 

I called Don't Know What You've Got puke worthy...

Well, I wouldn't say this if I didn't consider you a friend.  And I mean this with all due love and respect.  But you are an idiot.

[TAC]

Well, I wouldn't say this if I didn't consider you a friend.  And I mean this with all due love and respect.  But you are an idiot.

Aw...and that's all that matters!

[jingle.boy]

I'll *partially* side with Bosk on this... It seems more things 'blow' (or worse) for Tim is deemed as good (or better) - across all threads.  The only difference between him and most of us is he'll never miss an opportunity to tell everyone.   

[TAC]

Too late.

We've already kissed and made up.


Pot stirrer..

[Stadler]

Yeah, but I thought Coverdale's lyrics blew back then. I thought it held them back, honestly.


I remember buying Slide It In (when it came out) and I was like WTF??

Whether TAC is an idiot or not is up for discussion (I kid!! I kid!!) but this is not.  I thought this then too.   You could sort of explain away Number Of The Beast ("it's a dream!") or Suicide Solution ("it's a metaphor!") and for the most part, Diamond Dave and AC/DC had an element of humor, but there was no grey area about songs like "Spit It Out" (some of Scorpions lyrics - particularly those by Herman Rarebell - were the same way, though again, you could sort of explain it away as "something was lost in translation"). 

[Lowdz]

Love 1987 but I was a huge Whitesnake fan anyway when that came along. I’d probably take Slide It In and Saints & Sinners over it but it’s a great album. Unfortunately, David’s voice had had its troubles by that time.

And Keel were a decent band, and their 1987 album is excellent, even if I’m the only one who thinks so 😀

[King Postwhore]

TAC Rating Scale.

BLOWS- 10%
BLOWs - 20%
BLOws - 30%
BLows - 40%
Blows -  50%
Blows -  60%
blows -   70%
meh   -   80%
FUCKING BLOWS!! - 90% (Tip of the hat to 90's music)
Fantactic - 100% (Made of metal)

[Stadler]

That's classic. 

[TAC]

 

That scale blows!

[bosk1]

Motley Crue - Shout At the Devil

Songs:
-In the Beginning
-Shout at the Devil
-Looks That Kill
-Bastard
-God Bless the Children of the Beast
-Helter Skelter
-Red Hot
-Too Young to Fall in Love
-Knock 'Em Dead, Kid
-Ten Seconds to Love
-Danger

Never cared for this album myself.  But it was definitely a landmark.  Crue were the new "bad boys" of rock, and I don't think anyone else really contended--at least, nobody else who was nearly as huge a commercial success--until GnR came along. 

Notwithstanding that I didn't really like the album or the band as a whole, it did have some cool moments.  Mick's guitar tone was incredible.  And it really shone on the riffs in Looks That Kill and Too Young.  The solo in Too Young is also pretty killer.  I also liked the Beatles cover.  But overall, these guys weren't my thing.

[King Postwhore]

I remember the buzz over the first Crew album.  We all bought it and while it was good, it had that "garage" recording feel to it.  Shout At The devil was polished.  Loud and dark which as a teen was right up my alley.