Thread: The albums that helped shape ye old Northman

Originally Posted by Northman

Well, country does suck (IMO) and even though that mental midget hijacked my thread from the word go ill let him slide this one time. Country music does absolutely nothing for me but i realize other people enjoy it so if its something that helped shape their musical taste than thats fine.



I dont have a problem with Skid Row but by the time the band became famous i was already well versed in all things hair/hard rock at that point. The self titled debut is a fabulous record and Bach is on point with his vocal work but the album didnt really add anything for me in terms of shaping my tastes or stand out over some of the other rock bands i have/will have listed. In fact, 3 out of the next 4 will be what is remaining of the hard rock stuff before we start diving into the heavier material that i began to listen to towards the late 80's and early 90's. Then of course we have yet to really hit the Grunge/Alternative era yet.

That's right. You're a little older than me.

We listened to a lot of KISS too.

Originally Posted by Timmy!

I would have liked to see ol' Merle part of the Highwaymen.

Originally Posted by Nomad

Originally Posted by Timmy!

I would have liked to see ol' Merle part of the Highwaymen.

Pancho and lefty

Day 7- W.A.S.P.- S/T

From one end of the spectrum with Stryper to the other with W.A.S.P. There was probably no bigger target for the PMRC than this band. Even though Twisted Sister, Ozzy, and even Judas Priest took their fair share of grief from Tipper Gore and company it was W.A.S.P. that seemed to drive them the most crazy when it came to being deemed "offensive". They were one of the big reasons that warning labels became a standard on audio music to date.

Being lead by lead vocalist/bassist Blackie Lawless W.A.S.P.'s brand of music wasnt just shocking lyrically but also with outrageous stage shows and antics. W.A.S.P. were basically that bridge between Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson when it came to shock value. And thus what was a particular influence on me as i was looking to see what the controversy was all about at the time.

W.A.S.P. didnt just walk on the fence of shock rock, they dived headfirst into it from the music down to their image as musicians. To this day the first 4 full length records remain a top of my all time greatest albums lists. The sophomore album The Last Command further entrenched the band as one of the most hated by mainstream America but their debut was the one that bulldozed the door down on the heels of their initial release "**** Like a Beast".

Littered with some great great rock anthems such as "I Wanna Be Somebody", "L.O.V.E. Machine", "The Flame", "School Daze", "Hellion", "On Your Knees", and "The Torture Never Stops" the record is unrelentless in its approach. While W.A.S.P. often gets thrown in with the hair club for hair bands they were one of the early musical acts to border on the line of hard rock and heavy metal. If there ever was a band that became my gateway to heavy metal it would be this band.

Blackie Lawless is unappreciated in the evolution of heavy metal. QR too.

Day 8- Prince- Purple Rain

Uh oh, whats this you say? I can see the freak outs happening right now but this is no April Fools joke. Yes, this album had an impact on me despite not being my general type of listening pleasure. While i was no stranger to liking 80's pop music that dominated side by side with hair/hard rock during my teens Purple Rain stood out amongst the crowd because of everything that it brought with it.

Prince has some songs throughout his career that i like but this album is the best of them. The song writing and execution is monumental with a flair that only Prince himself could really achieve at this time. Mixing great guitar work with pop/r&b musical arrangements made this record not only interesting but showcased what an exceptional performer Prince was as a frontman.

While i dont spend as much time with this album or style of music as much as the rock/metal stuff i do find myself coming back to this record quite often when i am in the mood. With songs like "Lets Get Crazy", "Take Me With U", "Darling Nikki", "When Doves Cry", "I Would Die For U", "Purple Rain", and my favorite track "The Beautiful Ones", a very passionate and exquisitely written ballad.

I think on some level Purple Rain impressed me so much because even though there was a band behind the man it was still the man who was the main song writer and creator. Much like in the vein of Devin Townsend or Trent Reznor of NIN. And it was probably because of Purple Rain that i was unafraid to explore pop culture without feeling pressured into only accepting one style of musical taste for myself.

This record opened the door and allowed me to approach my listening experiences with a wider sense of appreciation. Not everything i liked had to be in a particular set of circumstances musically and could reach me on a different emotional level. Purple Rain brought a little of both worlds with rock and pop culture without regrets. While this album does not hold my alltime favorite track from Prince it is the best collection of songs that he ever created in my mind.

A couple of years ago Prince passed away but his legacy still lives on. Irregardless of the style of music he performed and wrote, no matter that he was a short man by stature. He was still a giant among us mortals and a huge influence to my musical foundations for which i will always be thankful for. At a time when i was listening to angrier music his music brought a sense of calm that i also needed. He will be missed.

Day 9- Poison- Look What the Cat Dragged In

Need to play a little catch up today as i got busy yesterday. We are getting down to the last 2 hair/hard rock albums of my list before diving into heavier waters. There was probably no band that represented the glam era more than Poison. But looks can be deceiving when it comes to this band as they have some very talented musicians in their fold.

With vocalist Brett Michaels, guitarist C.C. Deville, bassist Bobby Dall, and drummer Ricky Rockett the band put a masterful debut with LWTCDI. With songs like "I Want Action", "I Wont Forget You", "Talk Dirty to Me", "Play Dirty", "Want Some, Need Some" and of course the title track the band was able to put forth some fun and rocking anthems during my late teens.

There were many imitators that followed Poison but none never really captured their energy or razzle dazzle. Later on in my life when i was able to see the band live for the first time (around 2000 ish) i learned just how good C.C. Deville really was at playing guitar. Sometimes when musicians write music they are not always showcasing all the talent they bring forth until you see them live and that was the case here.

Ratt may be my all time favorite hair/hard rock band but for a short time after the first two records Poison held that title because they just had that special something about them. For those who grew up with me know how much the band impacted me at the time especially when i utilized the moniker "Dr. Rad Rocker, the Poison Maker". Lol

Day 10- Dokken- Back for the Attack

Even though Dokken was familiar to me long before this record got released thanks to the video and song "Just Got Lucky" off their sophomore album "Tooth and Nail". It wasnt until this record that i felt the band had finally brought it all together and achieved their unicorn of a record.

With without a doubt consisting of one of the best guitarist music had to offer with George Lynch, vocalist Don Dokken, bassist Jeff Pilson, and drummer Mick Brown this record had showcased just how far the band had come towards the late 80's. Featuring hits like "Heaven Sent", "Burning Like a Flame", "Sleepless Night", and "Dream Warriors" a song that appeared on the Nightmare on Elm Street 3 soundtrack as well.

One of the best tracks is a instrumental solo piece by Lynch called "Mr. Scary" which is just flat out amazing. It wouldnt be long after this record that as a music fan i started to discover and get into far more heavier records that would begin to change and influence my listening habits but Dokken would be one of those bands that would get regular airplay from me during my youth.

Day 11- Savatage- Hall of the Mountain King

One of the first bands to start curving my appetite for heavy metal was Savatage. Featuring the high powered vocals of Jon Olivia and the excellent song writing and guitar work of his late brother Criss Olivia the band created one monster of an album here.

Featuring some great cuts like ""24 Hours Ago", "Beyond the Doors of the Dark", "Strange Wings", "The Price You Pay", "White Witch", and the title track "Hall of the Mountain King" which follows a fantastic version of Edvard Grieg's "Hall of the Mountain King" (Prelude to Madness) on guitar by Criss Olivia.

Even though the first album following Olivia's death Edge of Thorns is great in its own right HOTMK is without a doubt the benchmark for the band and for me as a fan. Even with Criss gone this album echoes within the chambers of my memory and is constant on my playlists.

Day 12- Metallica- Master of Puppets

Although i had a quick introduction to this genre when i picked up Slayer's "Haunting the Chapel" i didnt immediately connect with it. Perhaps it was the more punkish vibe that the record had that turned me off as im not a big punk music fan to begin with. But when i got a chance to hear MOP it put me on a whole other level when it came to my musical taste.

And it would set me on a course that would change my life forever in terms of musical direction. I remember just not being able to get over the riffs and the incredible fast playing (at least for that time period). I know now days i poke a lot of fun at Hetfield and company due to their change in sound and direction as a band but this record was a true hallmark of their passion and creativeness as a band.

In hindsight one could assume that the loss of late bassist Cliff Burton took a heavier toll on the band than one might have thought originally. While "And Justice for All" featured the song that would catapult the band to stardom it wasnt until the black album that the band would show its desire to move on from its thrash background and into a more rock oriented future. Im just not sure that had Cliff still been a live that the band would of ventured that far off the reservation but who knows.

The album is a masterpiece with great tracks like "Master of Puppets", "The Thing that Should Not Be", "Damage Inc", "Battery", "Disposable Heroes" and "Welcome Home". Even though i have love for Ride the Lightning and Kill em All this record is by far their best for me in terms of both song writing and sound. This album would be the gateway to the thrash genre for me and opened the floodgates so to speak.

Day 13- Megadeth- So Far, So Good, So What

While Rust in Peace may be the most celebrated album in Megadeth's catalog this record will always be my overall favorite because of how gritty and raw it is (not the remastered version). Featuring guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine who began career as part of the band Metallica before being shown the door he quickly found his way when he created this band.

And by the third album here he was starting to his his stride as a song writer despite still having problems keeping a solid lineup intact with the band. Some of the best tracks on this record are "Into the Lungs of Hell", "Set the World a Fire", "In My Darkest Hour", "Hook in Mouth", and a wicked cover of the Sex Pistols "Anarchy in the Uk" this album quickly took hold of me as a youngster.

Originally Posted by Northman

Day 13- Megadeth- So Far, So Good, So What

While Rust in Peace may be the most celebrated album in Megadeth's catalog this record will always be my overall favorite because of how gritty and raw it is (not the remastered version). Featuring guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine who began career as part of the band Metallica before being shown the door he quickly found his way when he created this band.

And by the third album here he was starting to his his stride as a song writer despite still having problems keeping a solid lineup intact with the band. Some of the best tracks on this record are "Into the Lungs of Hell", "Set the World a Fire", "In My Darkest Hour", "Hook in Mouth", and a wicked cover of the Sex Pistols "Anarchy in the Uk" this album quickly took hold of me as a youngster.

This is what really got Dave Mustaine into form. But inconsistencies with the lineup and that he couldn't stay sober messed them up beyond repair going bacy to Peace Sells.

Damn shame. To me Megadeth, Anthrax and Helloween were wrecked and the biggest casualties of the great 90s purge.

North, I already knew we had very similar taste in music, but I dont think I expected you to list pretty much EVERY SINGLE record that I would have on my list as well. Kind of frightening to be honest. Maybe one or two that I would change, but for the most part...spot on. Weird.

The big difference might be that I do like all kinds of music, so I'd surely add quite a few rap and country records to the list as well. Public Enemy, Fear of A Black Planet...NWA...Beastie Boys...and a handful of others. The country likes I cant say there are any specific records I liked or that shaped my musical interests, but it has evolved into a strong liking for Red Dirt music. For those not familiar, it's a genre that includes the likes of Stapleton and Simpson, but also check out bands like Casey Donahew, Reckless Kelly, Mickey and the Motor cars, Jason Boland. For those that live in Colorado, go see the Steamboat Springs MusicFest some year. Full of Texas/Red Dirt bands.

Originally Posted by CoachChaz

The country likes I cant say there are any specific records I liked or that shaped my musical interests, but it has evolved into a strong liking for Red Dirt music. For those not familiar, it's a genre that includes the likes of Stapleton and Simpson, but also check out bands like Casey Donahew, Reckless Kelly, Mickey and the Motor cars, Jason Boland. For those that live in Colorado, go see the Steamboat Springs MusicFest some year. Full of Texas/Red Dirt bands.

That's about the only country I like if we're talking the same thing. Mark David Meanders is my guy.

Originally Posted by Hawgdriver

That's about the only country I like if we're talking the same thing. Mark David Meanders is my guy.

Yep. A true country sound with a mix of folk and rock elements in it. And no mandatory twang in the voice. Check out the Texas/Red Dirt channel on Pandora. Pretty good sampling.