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top 5 favorite Rock albums...

Vic Sage Dec 09 2005 05:13 PM

We've done threads like this over the years, but not in a while. I was watching the documentary about BORN TO RUN that came in the boxed set of the newly mastered 30th anniversary re-release, and i once again realized why its one of my all-time favorite rock albums. I then started thinking what my other faves are, and, off the top of my head, came up with my top 5. This is a list based PURELY on personal preference, and i make no representations that these are great albums, just that they're the ones i've liked most over the years. And i could imagine making a different list tomorrow. but today... In chronological order: 1) SGT. PEPPER (The Beatles) -- I could pick almost any Beatles album, but this is the one that came first to mind) 2) QUADROPHENIA (The Who) -- I thought about TOMMY and WHO'S NEXT after this one, but there's just something all-encompassing here 3) BORN TO RUN (Springsteen) -- It blows all of the traditional rock n roll cliches up to mythic proportions, and took the best rock writer of his generation to stardom. 4) BAT OUT OF HELL (Steinman/Meatloaf) -- I've taken enough crap from youse guys about this one, but i still love it, so there! 5) O, SUPERMAN (Laurie Anderson) -- I heard this in college and couldn't stop playing it. It changed my whole way of thinking about music, and theater, and performance, and art, and life. And its pretty damn funny. But i could see it not being classifiable as "rock" (i don't know WHAT you could classify it as), so, as an alternate, the first thing that comes to mind from this period is... LONDON CALLING (the Clash) -- this shook up everything. This only gets me up to the early 80s, but that's pretty much when i stopped listening to new music. Some stuff has snuck up on me over the last 2 decades, but none springs immediately to mind. Now, list the 5 records that come immediately to YOUR mind as your all-time favorite rock albums:

KC Dec 09 2005 07:21 PM

>>>Now, list the 5 records that come immediately to YOUR mind as your all-time favorite rock albums:<<< Not in any order, and only immediately ... I'd probably change my mind ten times if I had ten more minutes ... THE WHO - Live at Leeds, Quadrophinia close second THE RAMONES - It's Alive, All the Stuff and More close second THE CLASH - London Calling, The Clash close second LED ZEPPELIN - Physical Graffiti, Presence close second BLACK SABBATH - We Sold our Souls for Rock n Roll, Heaven and Hell close second

metirish Dec 09 2005 07:34 PM

Thin Lizzy....Live & Dangerous U2 - The Joshua Tree Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction Live - Throwing Copper This list changes but Lizzy are always on it..

TheOldMole Dec 09 2005 08:50 PM

Rubber Soul Elvis - the Sun Sessions Here's Little Richard London Calling The Pleasure Barons Live in Las Vegas

OlerudOwned Dec 10 2005 10:38 AM

Not in any order MINUTEMEN- Double Nickels on the Dime NIRVANA- In Utero BLACK SABBATH- Master of Reality SONIC YOUTH- Daydream Nation or Bad Moon Rising THE PIXIES- Surfer Rosa GANG OF FOUR- Entertainment! (I couldnt leave that out, no way)

abogdan Dec 10 2005 10:42 AM

Appetite for Destruction - GnR Led Zeppelin IV August and Everything After - Counting Crows Pearl Jam - Ten Sgt. Pepper

seawolf17 Dec 10 2005 10:44 AM

Some of these may not be "classics" in most folks' eyes, but these five are the first discs that spring to mind as having impacted me more than any others. Aerosmith - Pump Tesla - Psychotic Supper Dream Theater - Images And Words Counting Crows - August And Everything After Warrant - Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich

Johnny Dickshot Dec 10 2005 10:50 AM

This is impossible. Beach Boys -- Pet Sounds Bob Dylan -- Highway 61 Revisted Bruce -- Wild, Innocent... Beatles -- Revolver REM -- Murmur

Edgy DC Dec 10 2005 12:38 PM

That last one is lacking a B.

sharpie Dec 11 2005 05:48 PM

I like thinking in consecutive threes: Beatles -- Rubber Soul/Revolver/Sgt. Pepper Stones -- Beggar's Banquet/Let It Bleed/Stickyfingers Bruce -- Born to Run/Darkness/The River Dylan -- Bringing It All Back Home/Highway 61/Blonde On Blonde Clash -- The Clash/Enough Rope/London Calling

TheOldMole Dec 11 2005 07:37 PM

hard to argue with Sharpie here.

Frayed Knot Dec 11 2005 09:55 PM

I'd throw 'Blood on the Tracks' onto the pile there somewhere ... but it's not like there are any wrong answers here.

sharpie Dec 12 2005 07:34 AM

Blood on the Tracks is a masterpiece but I was looking for albums that were released consecutively. Between Blonde on Blonde and Blood on the Tracks were 5 albums (John Wesley Harding, Nashville Skyline, New Morning, Self Portrait and Planet Waves).

Vic Sage Dec 12 2005 10:28 AM

i had thought about BLOOD ON THE TRACKS originally, but dismissed it as Folk, not Rock. Which, of course, was pretty stupid on my part.

Edgy DC Dec 12 2005 10:39 AM

AC/DC: High Voltage AC/DC: '74 Jailbreak AC/DC: Back In Black AC/DC: Highway To Hell AC/DC: For Those About to Rock, We Salute You

sharpie Dec 12 2005 10:41 AM

Another 3-in-a-row: Who - Live At Leeds, Who's Next, Quadrophenia

HahnSolo Dec 12 2005 11:31 AM

Led Zeppelin I Pearl Jam - Ten U2 - The Joshua Tree Billy Joel - Glass Houses The Clash - London Calling

A Boy Named Seo Dec 12 2005 02:36 PM

U2 - Achtung Baby Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Stevie Wonder - Innvervisions Beach Boys - Pet Sounds Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger Nashville Skyline's probably my favorite Dylan album and would be on my top 10. So would Abbey Road, No Depression by Uncle Tupelo, and The Bends by Radiohead. There's about 20 other albums vying for the 10th spot on my list and in my heart, so I'm leaving that one open.

Methead Dec 12 2005 03:28 PM

Hmm.... in no particular order I'd have to go with: J. Geils Band - Freeze Frame I was in third grade and it was the first album I ever bought. It will always hold a place in my heart for that reason, even if it isn't a great record. Id did have a great single, though. Phish - Picture Of Nectar I was captivated by the end of the first song. This album quite literally changed my life, and started opening my mind to a lot of new music I maybe never would have considered, such as... Frank Zappa - Hot Rats I could include almost any FZ album here, since they're all so different. But this is the first one I heard, and it opened the door to all the others. And I mean ALL of them. I must have bought 30 of 'em in one summer. Beatles - Abbey Road I'll be listening to this one when I'm 85 and senile. Led Zeppelin - II Had this on tape, and used to listen to it over and over and over and over.

Willets Point Dec 12 2005 08:40 PM

Alphabetical by artists: Johnny Clegg & Savuka - Cruel Crazy Beautiful World The Pixies - Doolitle The Pogues - Rum Sodomy and the Lash They Might Be Giants - Lincoln Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One

vtmet Dec 13 2005 10:01 PM

my tastes are a little different than most people's... Judas Priest: Screaming for Vengence; AC/DC: Highway to Hell; Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind; Saxon: Strong Arm of the Law; Triumph: Allied Forces;

OlerudOwned Dec 13 2005 10:03 PM

\m/! Ahem. Maiden rules.

Edgy DC Dec 13 2005 10:03 PM

On the other hand, those five bands have sold about a billion albums among them. Heck, the first three have.

sharpie Dec 14 2005 09:40 AM

Not the music I associate with Vermont.

Centerfield Dec 14 2005 11:11 AM

In no particular order: Led Zeppelin II Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic Guns N’ Roses - Appetite for Destruction Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here U2 - Joshua Tree And for the record, I love Bat Out of Hell. If this were a Top 10, that's on my list.

Vic Sage Dec 14 2005 11:16 AM

bless you, my son. I knew there had to be at least ONE fellow traveler out there on the Meatloaf Highway.

Methead Dec 14 2005 01:20 PM

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Edgy DC Dec 14 2005 01:33 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 14 2005 01:43 PM

With sixty gajillion copies sold, I'm sure the highway is pretty packed. I think Todd Rundgren has noted that he makes so much money in Bat out of Hell royalties every month that he doesn't have the profit motive your typical mid-major artist has had --- to do something particularly accessible every now and then or to at least release his more creative projects regularly enough to maintain his market position.

Johnny Dickshot Dec 14 2005 01:37 PM

Meaning his new career as Cars lead singer can be an unexpected hit or the wreck most new-celebrity-lead-singer experiments ultimately turn out to be. Doesn't matter!

Edgy DC Dec 14 2005 01:45 PM

Exactly. he can make reckless career decisions without consequences. Most people in his position would be making reckless drug and women choices instead. Definitely a different type of Behind the Music episode.

HahnSolo Dec 14 2005 03:04 PM

After almost five days, I compiled an unofficial tally so far: 4 Votes The Clash - London Calling 3 Votes U2 - The Joshua Tree Guns n Roses - Appetite for Destruction 2 Votes The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds Beatles - Revolver ACDC - Highway to Hell Led Zeppelin II Beatles - Sgt. Pepper Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run Beatles - Rubber Soul Pearl Jam - Ten Counting Crows - August and Everything After And lots with one vote.

Edgy DC Dec 14 2005 03:05 PM

Keep in mind that my all-AC vote was a lot of crap. I don't know my favorites. Changes each week.

seawolf17 Dec 14 2005 03:06 PM

Which means that by bizzaro CPF logic, "London Calling" is the best album ever in the history of music.

sharpie Dec 14 2005 03:09 PM

Not the worst choice. Probably the double album with the least filler.

Vic Sage Dec 19 2005 11:56 AM

i think the coronation of LONDON CALLING is apt, considering the methodology was to name your 5 "favorite" (not necessarily "best") rock albums, off the top of your head. It's certainly a worthy choice to come forth from such a chaotic, ineffable procedure.

Willets Point Dec 19 2005 12:01 PM

I had trouble coming up with a fifth album I felt confident including with my top 4, but I gave London Calling serious consideration.

soupcan Dec 19 2005 12:32 PM

In no order... Led Zep - Physical Graffiti U2 - tie -Joshua Tree / Achtung Baby The Who - Who's Next Rolling Stones - Some Girls AC/DC - Back in Black

RealityChuck Dec 19 2005 02:06 PM

My favorites always change, but for today, I'll list these: 1. Allman Brothers Band Live at Fillmore East. 2. Traffic -- John Barleycorn Must Die 3. Spirit -- 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus 4. Soft Machine -- Third (I'm probably the only one here who's ever heard of this masterpiece) 5. Beatles -- Abbey Road

Willets Point Dec 19 2005 02:15 PM

RealityChuck wrote: t. 2. Traffic -- John Barleycorn Must Die Good album. I haven't listened to that one in ages. I will look for my cassette tonight (yes, I said cassette!).