Classic albums: 1975-1980

album1_300px

Boston‘s self-titled debut album (Epic, 1976) is a landmark in the history of melodic hard rock, that showed how heavy rock guitars could be successfully combined with ultra melodic songs (review).

Futuristic motorcycle rider; the motorcycle has jet exhaust. A bat-like figure on the tower of a building.

Meat Loaf‘s second album, Bat Out Of Hell (Epic, 1977),  was extremely successful both artistically and commercially, not in the least because of Jim Steinman‘s stellar songwriting (review).

Van Halen album.jpg

Van Halen‘s self-titled debut album (Warner Bros, 1978) ‘rewrote the rules of rock guitar and hard rock in general’ as some put it. A very influential album (review). read more

Classic albums: the 1990’s

Stillgottheblues.jpg

Gary Moore‘s album Still Got The Blues (10 Records, 1990) gave blues rock a huge boost and was more proof for the versatility of the guitar hero (review).

TempleOfTheDog.jpg

In the 1990’s grunge ruled the world. Temple Of The Dog‘s only album (A&M, 1990) is an essential link between some of the bands that stood at its beginning (review).

PearlJam-Ten2.jpg

Pearl Jam‘s debut CD Ten (Columbia, 1991) is another one of grunge’s essential albums (review). Although initially a bit overshadowed by Nirvana, the band’s enduring influence is probably bigger. read more

Classic albums: the 1980’s

Black Sabbath Heaven and Hell.jpg

Black Sabbath‘s second life started with this albumHeaven And Hell (Vertigo, 1980). Ronnie James Dio‘s powerful vocals combined with Iommi ‘s riffs make it an almost unbeatable hard rock classic (review).

AC/DC Back in Black

AC/DC also needed a new singer on their 8th album Back In Black (Atlantic, 1980), because the charismatic Bon Scott had died. The album sold 50 million worldwide – the ultimate proof for the universal appeal of this uncomplicated and powerful rock machine (review). read more

Classic albums: 1970-1975

CactusCactus (Atco, 1970)

Black SabbathBlack Sabbath (Vertigo, 1970)

Deep PurpleIn Rock (Harvest, 1970)

Ursa Major – Ursa Major (RCA, 1972)

Lynyrd Skynyrd(Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Erd) (MCA/Sounds Of The South, 1973)

MontroseMontrose (WB, 1973)

Alice CooperBillion Dollar Babies (WB, 1973)

The New York DollsThe New York Dolls (Mercury, 1973)

Bad CompanyBad Company (Island, 1974)

Rick DerringerAll American Boy (Blue Sky, 1974)

Some fine Southern Rock bands

The US South is filled with proud, uncomplicated, honest and hard workin’ people with strong ethics. At least that’s the picture you get listening to most Southern Rock songs. Here we present some great bands from this genre.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is from Jacksonville, Florida. Their eponomous debut (1973) is a classic album. It stands at the beginning of the popularity of a new subgenre: Southern Rock. Lynyrd is best known for signature songs like Sweet Home Alabama and Freebird. But the lyrics of Simple Man, that’s on the debut album, sum up the  Southern man pretty clearly, or at least describes how the Southern man should ideally be. The lyrics can be found here. read more

Classic proto hard rock: Vanilla Fudge debut (1967)

Songwriting certainly isn’t the reason this LP is a classic. It consists entirely of half-speed covers and three short original instrumental compositions. The fact that the covers were played in a new, bombastic version however, makes it special. It’s an album that marks the start of a new era. The flower people were about to make place for Hard Rock. In 1967 the Fudge’s heavy version of You Keep Me Hangin’ On was a top ten hit in the US:

Vanilla Fudge was a big influence for bands like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. In 1969 the group broke up. Drummer Carmine Appice and bassist Tim Bogert formed the solid Hard Rock outfit Cactus and then Beck, Bogert And Appice with Jeff Beck. Lead singer and keyboardist Mark Stein turned up with the great Tommy Bolin and Alice Cooper. He wrote his autobiography in 2011. read more