My Favorite Ballads

I found this list difficult to put together. I am not a huge fan of ballads, and I think I may be cheating a little here. So someone can feel free to set me straight. Some of the songs on my list may not be true ballads. In rock and roll circles ballads, other than being slowed down, usually have themes of relationships and romance. Some of these songs do not fit that criteria, but there are many definitions of ballads out there. In any event, these are slower songs by rock bands and here are 5 of my favorites.

5. Ride On, ACDC. Question for you. Has ACDC ever recorded another slow song? I love this one. It's unmistakably ACDC, but still so different than most everything else they ever recorded. This slow song perfectly suits the mood if you are tired, wore out, haggard, and just want to crash out for a while.

4. Every Rose Has its Throne, Poison. An eighties classic ballad. I can’t count how many parties I have been at where someone strummed this one out on an acoustic guitar and everyone sang along. Pretty simple stuff too, I’ve seen non-guitar players learn this one in no time. My favorite memory of this song is from the movie Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. When Bill and Ted were asked the meaning of life, they looked at each dumbfounded for a moment and then proclaimed “Every rose has its throne, just like every night has its dawn…..”. Their answer was deemed acceptable. This song was a huge hit for Poison and reached number one. It seemed for a while the thing to do for a hard rock band in the eighties was to release an acoustically driven ballad. Many of them didn’t work for me, but for some reason this one did.

3. Wanted Dead or Alive, Bon Jovi. First question I will ask put forth to you all is this considered a ballad? It’s a slow rocker, but not a romantic one. It’s actually one of my all time favorite songs. Back in the day I loved the video and the lyrics. I still think the song is great.

2. Wheat Kings, The Tragically Hip. The Tragically Hip are known for their hard rock alternative music, but they have put out a few slower numbers that I have enjoyed (Long Time Running, Fiddler’s Green, Pigeon Camera, Scared, Ahead By a Century), but this one tops my list. It tells the true story of a man wrongfully convicted of murder. After twenty years in jail the verdict was overturned and he was released. As a teacher of English, I have often used this one with my students for an example of narrative poetry and the imagery throughout.

1. Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, Pearl Jam. And the award for the longest song title goes to….Pearl Jam. As a side note does anyone know a song title longer than this one? I lost interest in many of the alternative bands that burst onto the scene in the early nineties, but I did stick with Pearl Jam. From their second release comes this slow haunting acoustic track about….well, an elderly women behind the counter of a small town. Every now and again a song hits you and you can instantly relate to it. Growing up in a smaller town as a child I often visited a small convenience store to buy candy, hockey cards, etc. The same lady served me for years until I left town for the big city and college life. Years later I returned as an adult, only to find the same person serving me. We stared at each other, but didn’t really talk. This song describes that moment to me.

I have put forth a few questions throughout this post, please feel free to answer any of them or share your favorite ballads.

Barenaked Ladies Thoughts and Memories

Barenaked Ladies are back with a brand new…..Children’s album! This new collection of songs called Snacktime probably won’t interest any of you out there unless you have children, and maybe it won’t interest you then. My kids’ one and only uncle dropped by to see them a couple of weeks ago and as he usually does, gives them a little something. This time it was this CD.

On a recent outing we brought this one along in the car and much to the delight of the whole family it was an enjoyable experience. The kids got a kick out of the songs and so did we. Some of the CD’s 24 songs are not that far off a regular Barenaked Ladies lighted hearted tune.

I like Barenaked Ladies for the same reasons I like Great Big Sea, as I mentioned in my previous post. It is pop music they way I think it should be played, by songwriters, using real instruments, with great melodies and vocal harmonies. Barenaked Ladies got their break in Canada when they recorded a version of Bruce Cockburn’s Lovers in a Dangerous Time. At the time, they were not signed to a record label, but the song started to get major airplay across the country. The band toured extensively and quickly gained a reputation for a great live show.

I was still in college at the time and was at the campus bar one Friday afternoon after classes. Waiting for my friends to arrive I decided to have a game of pinball. When I finished the person waiting behind me to play was Tyler Stewart, drummer for the Barenaked Ladies who were in town for a show. I recognized him from the video for the Bruce Cockburn song, which was also getting a lot of play. I struck up a conversation telling him that I really liked their version of the song. He thanked me and asked me if I was going to their show that night to which I replied that I certainly was.

Truth be told, I didn’t even have a ticket and didn’t plan on attending. But when my friends showed up I convinced them that we should check it out and we were lucky enough to get tickets for the second of two shows that weekend for all of nine bucks a piece. We had a great time; the band sounded awesome, were humorous and energetic. I have followed their career ever since.

Of course they went on to a record deal and ten releases later including a Christmas CD, live recordings and the most recent Children’s album. They have been in the news most recently for Steven Paige’s arrest for cocaine possession, ironically on the heels of the Children’s music. I wish Paige all the best and hope the band and gets back with a new recording for us adults and a tour to follow in the future.

Their on stage humor is often reflected in many of their songs, but they do range of music, both serious and funny. Here are my top 10 Barenaked Ladies’ songs:

10. *This is me in Grade Nine. From the album Gordon. A funny little number that takes me back to when I was in grade nine. Especially, the line “I guess I shouldn’t tell them that I like Duran Duran”. At the time a metal head like myself would never admit to liking some of their songs.

9. One Week, Their biggest hit from their biggest selling album, Stunt.

8. Who Needs Sleep? Also from Stunt. Finally, a song about something I have struggled with my whole life - insomnia.

7. Light Up My Room. Although One Week was the huge hit from the album Stunt, there were other great songs on this record, including this one.

6. *Jane. The lead off track from 1994’s Maybe You Should Drive.

5. *The Old Apartment. From 1996’s Born On a Pirate Ship. Moving around from apartment to apartment in my college years, this one was easy to relate to.

4. *What a Good Boy. Another one from Gordon. Barenaked Ladies show off their serious side here with this slow song.

3. *When I Fall. Another great serious slow song. This one from the Born on a Pirate Ship album.

2. Lovers in a Dangerous Time. The Bruce Cockburn cover that really put these guys on the map. It is a great song and one of my favorites to this day.

1. *Brian Wilson, From their first full length recording, Gordon. A great song, but my favorite version is the live version on the album Rock Spectacle.

* More than half of these songs above can all be found on my favorite Barenaked Ladies’ album, a live recording called Rock Spectacle. Although, I’ve indicated This is me in Grade Nine to be there, it is not listed on the track list. They do break into it for a few moments during the song If I Had a Million Dollars. The Rock Spectacle album captures the band at their best and the versions of the songs here are as good or better than the originals.

Great Big Sea

Great Big Sea's latest release, Fortune's Favour, is their most rockin' to date.

Hailing from Canada’s most easterly province, the beautiful Newfoundland and Labrador, come Great Big Sea, a great folk/rock band that are difficult to resist. Great Big Sea got their start playing traditional Irish sea shanties in what is known as a Newfoundland kitchen party, and from there moved in to local bars. Great Big Sea became known for their upbeat lively spins on the traditional music they were performing and quickly began winning over audiences. It wasn’t long before their audience expanded across Canada and recording deal was struck with Warner Music.

Although their recordings consist of traditional music, it also contains many original pop songs. It is hear, in my opinion that the band really shines. It is pop music as it should be, no techo beats, but played with guitars, base, drums and in Great Big Sea’s case, a multitude of accompanying instruments including tin whistle, violin/fiddle, accordion, piano, among others, not to mention their great vocal harmonies.

Over the years the band has released nine studio albums and 2 live recordings, many have which went gold and multi-platinum. But if you truly want to experience and appreciate Great Big Sea, you need to see a live performance. The band is known for their energetic concerts and their connection with their audiences. I’ve had the opportunity to see the band perform in small clubs and large sold out arenas. I can honestly say that of the many acts I have seen, I have not witnessed anyone connect to the audience like Great Big Sea. If you ever get a chance to see them live, even if you are not familiar with their music, I highly recommend it.

Their latest release, Fortune’s Favour, offers more rock/pop songs than traditional music. It is a fantastic album and really shows off the band’s musical and song writing abilities. Other albums have more of a traditional flavor with some originals mixed throughout. Only one of their recordings, The Hard and the Easy, contains all traditional music, which paid homage to the music of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Alan Doyle, one of the group’s front men, has become an accomplished producer and composer outside of the band as well. He has composed music for Canadian television and film and produced recordings of other local bands. However, most notably he produced and co-wrote songs for a recording by film star Russell Crowe. Apparently, Crowe was filming a movie and Great Big Sea was performing a concert close by. Crowe decided to check out the show and after the performance he became a huge fan and got in contact with Doyle when he set to record an album himself.

So go and see Great Big Sea if they are performing in your neck of the woods. They tour extensively through Canada, the United States and Europe. The size of the venue will likely depend on what part of the world you are seeing them in and how well known they are. But it doesn’t matter; you are likely in for a treat either way. If anyone out there does check them out for the first time, I’d love to hear their impressions. Also check them out on their official website: http://www.greatbigsea.com/

Here is my current top 10 list of Great Big Sea songs:

10. When I am King, (from the album Something Beautiful). Great Big Sea mostly use acoustic guitars, but they drive this one with the electric for a rock song about all of the things that would be different if “I were king”.

9. Goin’ Up (from the album Up). An original song with a traditional flavor. It is a great party song that captures the essence of what is known as a Newfoundland kitchen party.

8. Ordinary Day (from the album Play). Another great original and feel good upbeat song.

7. Consequence Free (from the album Turn). A great original that sings about something we have all wanted to be at some point in time – free of consequences.

6. Old Brown’s Daughter (from the album Turn). Over the years Great Big Sea have done some great a cappella numbers showing off their ability to harmonize. These songs usually come from the traditional/Irish/Newfoundland genre. I have fond memories of singing my two children to sleep to this song when they were babies. My vocals are not nearly as impressive as the boys of Great Big Sea, but it got my kids to sleep.

5. Old Black Rum. (From the album Up) Another fantastic Great Big Sea spin on a traditional tune. It is possibly the ultimate party tune.

4. Here and Now (from the album Fortune’s Favour). A great rock effort from their latest release that sings of the importance of living life in the present.

3. General Taylor (from the Play album). Another fantastic traditional a cappella song. They do a great live version of this and it’s been a standard in their set list for many years.

2. Feel it Turn (from the album Turn). Not a sappy ballad, but a beautiful original slow acoustically driven pop song.

1. Straight to Hell (from the album Fortune’s Favour). This is a new one and a great rock and roll tune. Great Big Sea use far more electric guitars on this album than any other. I couldn’t get enough of this song over the last few months.

Bon Jovi Thoughts

This third album from Bon Jovi was a massive hit
and put them on the map to stay over 20 years ago.

My wife is a huge Bon Jovi fan. I’ve always liked the band, and although they never topped my list of favorites, I have enjoyed them over the years. I have seem them perform on two occasions, my wife zero. Both my concert experiences were before our marriage and both were amazing shows. We have to make an effort to see them sometime in the next couple of years for my wife’s sake, and I am sure I won’t be disappointed in the concert either.

I have begun to respect Bon Jovi more as a band over the years. There is no questioning their lasting power and their ability to release solid records and put off great live shows to large audiences. They have changed, but never in a sudden and drastic way. They have evolved, but are still Bon Jovi.

The first time I saw Bon Jovi was towards the end of their tour supporting the Keep the Faith album. I thought this was a strong recording and offered at least 4 or 5 radio friendly popular singles, all of which were played that night. The show I saw would have been one of the last base guitarist Alec John Such played with the band. There have been reports that the rest of the band was displeased with his performance and he was dismissed of his duties. One thing that has always annoyed me is that they have never officially replaced him. I think Hugh Macdonald has been playing base with them ever since. However, he is never listed as an official member of the band, he is always listed as “with Hugh Macdonald”. I like a band to be a band, a complete unit, and if there has to be a lineup change, then so be it.

Bon Jovi started the concert that night with the lead off track from the Keep the Faith album, I Believe. In addition to their singles from that record, they played all the hits from New Jersey and Slippery When Wet. Jon, by himself, played one from his first solo release and the band accompanied him for Blaze of Glory from the same album. They played a couple from their earlier efforts, Runaway and In And Out of Love, and because the show was in December, a holiday song was added to the setlist. There was no denying that it was a very entertaining show.

I don’t own every Bon Jovi recording, but in any event here are my top 10 Bon Jovi songs.

10. I Believe. This song from the Keep the Faith recording is, for the most part, what I like my Bon Jovi songs to be, just fun easy optimistic songs.

9. Livin’ on a Prayer. This song and You Give Love a Bad Name were massive hits from the Slippery When Wet album. I prefer this one.

8. Lay Your Hands on Me. It’s a great arena rocker from the New Jersey album. Sounded great both times I saw them live.

7. Have a Nice Day. I never owned this album of the same name, but I loved this single.

6. Keep the Faith. A bit of a different song for them. I was surprised it was released as a single. I really liked it and it was nice to hear them put out something that wasn’t as radio friendly for a change.

5. Raise Your Hands. One of my favorite rockin’ tracks from their breakout Slippery When Wet album.

4. Who Says You Can’t Go Home, Another single from the Have a Nice Day album. A great feel good happy song.

3. Lost Highway. A nice mid tempo title track from their latest release of the same name. Strangely enough I was hearing this song a lot during a rather dark period in my life when dealing with a serious family illness. During the many drives to and from the hospital this song somehow seemed just right.

2. Summertime. A great upbeat feel good happy song. Probably the “happiest” song on the Lost Highway album.

1. Wanted Dead or Alive. I have always loved this song. Love to play it on guitar too. A great slow rock anthem.

My Summer Soundtrack

One thing I love about music is the memories associated with it; a song or an album can instantly take you back to a certain time and place. Often when I hear a particular track I will instantly remember a certain time and what was going on in my life.

One of the funniest examples for me was during the holiday season. My friend and I were just teenagers and at the time really into Def Leppard’s Hysteria album, and during the break from school we were really stuck on the song Armageddon It. That season we listened to that song over and over to the point that we starting calling it a Christmas song. Now, over 20 years later, anytime I hear that song I think of the holidays. In fact, it stirs up more festive feelings in me than most traditional holiday music.

As this summer winds down I (I hate to say that), any of the songs below may remind me of the previous few months.

10. Take Me Home, Danko Jones. I wasn’t a big fan of the album it came from, Never Too Loud, but this song stuck with me a little. If I was ever on a short drive by myself, and wanted to listen to one or two songs, I often played this one.

9. Never Walk Away, Journey. This double CD set surprised me. The lead off track from the disc containing new songs in the set is another I may have played on short drives. Journey delivered on this release, a lot of the songs were fun summertime music.

8. Cheap Champagne, Sloan. This song comes from their album titled Parallel Play. It is a fun summer sounding album all round. This is one of my favorite tracks on it.

7. The Pretender, Foo Fighters. I was a little late getting the Foo Fighter’s latest release, Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace. This is one great album start to finish and throughout the summer I have listened to it a lot. The lead off song here is just the first of many great ones on the record.

6. Longest Days, John Mellencamp. This is another album that surprised me. I played the entire disc through many times over the last couple of months. When we were camping during those quiet moments at night when the kids were sleeping, it sounded great. This lead off track is one of my favorites on the album.

5. Go, Def Leppard. Finally, one of my long time favorite bands come back with a great album of original songs. And as fate would have it, Joe Elliot got sick back in April and had to reschedule Def Leppard’s Ottawa show for August. As luck would have it I was planning on visiting this city in that same month. The song Go is the lead off track, and apparently they added it their set list the night before I saw them. I love the track and was delighted to hear it live.

4. Summertime, Bon Jovi This one came along for me in the early summer phases. We have a tradition here at my home; every July 1st we celebrate Canada Day with great food, drinks and good times with 50 plus guests. I always make a mix of music for the event and this track was included. I recall standing in front of the BBQ, with the sun shining down, a cold beverage in hand while surrounded by many good friends and family as Jon Bon Jovi declared, “Feels something like summertime!” It was a near perfect moment.

3. Runnin Wild, Airbourne. This is one of many great songs from their album of the same name. I played this CD a lot in July, especially in my car. Be warned: This album may cause speeding!!

2. Straight to Hell, Great Big Sea. For readers who are not aware of Great Big Sea, they are a great Canadian traditional/folk/rock band. Their latest release Fortune's Favour is probably their most rockin' effort to date. The final track on it is a great rock song that tells the story of someone who makes a deal with the devil and exhanges their soul for a great life of partying first. It is humorous and a lot of fun, and it does rock. A full post on Great Big Sea is something I am planning on doing.

1. Vengeance is Mine, Alice Cooper. If Airbourne’s Running Wild was the album of July for me, then Alice Cooper’s Along Came a Spider was the album of August. I love this album and every song on it. Vengeance is Mine is the second track on it. Once I am listening to this one, I know I want to let it play through to the end, and often do.

What about you? What were you listening to this summer? Speaking of summer, enjoy the rest of it!

My Favorite Cover Songs

Some cover songs stay true to the original and some totally reinvent the song. There are some that are far better than the original and some are much worse. Here are ten that stood out to me.

10. Pour Some Sugar on Me, Cover by Emm Gryner. Original by Def Leppard. Emm Gryner is a Canadian signer-songwriter, but on her album Girl Versions she covers a variety of rock and heavy metal songs. Pour Some Sugar On Me never sounded so sexy as she slows it down and sings it accompanied by a piano. It is probably the most interesting and different cover on the list.

9. Like a Rolling Stone. Cover by the Rolling Stones. Original by Bob Dylan. It was fate that The Rolling Stones would eventually cover this song. Although I also love Bob Dylan’s original version of this classic, I also like how the Stones liven it up. Mick Jagger sings through the songs many lyrics very well.

8. Turn the Page. Cover by Metallica. Original by Bob Segar. Not too different than the original, but the guitars are more powerful. The song is about the frustrations from being on the road, and Metallica makes it sound angrier, as it should. I can feel the emotion more from this cover version.

7. Signs, Cover by Tesla. Original by Five Man Electrical Band. I have fond memories of this song and the album it came from, Five Man Acoustical Jam. I recall being a teenager playing this one often on my old acoustic guitar while everyone else sang along. I definitely liked Tesla’s version better than the original.

6. Rock On. Cover by Def Leppard. Original by David Essex. I don’t like the original version of this song. And I didn’t like Michael Damian’s version of this song in the 80’s. I shuddered when I heard Def Leppard were adding this one to their cover album. However, this version of the song finally won me over. About half way through the guitars hit loud and heavy and I think it finally sounds like it should. This song went over well and sounded fantastic at a recent Def Leppard concert I attended.

5. Smooth Criminal. Cover by Alien Ant Farm. Original by Michael Jackson. A Michael Jackson song never sounded so cool. I found this cover hard to resist and fun to listen to every time.

4. Whiskey in the Jar. Cover by Metallica. The original is an old Irish song but probably best known by Thin Lizzy who made it famous in the 70’s. Metallica’s version of this song is not overly heavy for them, but it is the heaviest version of the song I ever heard. Coming from the east coast of Canada, it is common to hear this song sung as a sea shanty, so I loved the change in pace with the heavy metal version.

3. The Zoo. Cover by Bruce Dickinson. Original by The Scorpions. These two versions are not overly different. Bruce Dickinson makes it sound fantastic. Come to think of it, he makes everything sound great. Have I ever mentioned I love Iron Maiden?

2. Boys of Summer. Cover by The Ataris. Original by Don Henley. I enjoyed Don Henley’s original version of this hit in the 80’s and remember it well when it came out. However, add some powerful guitar to suit my taste and I like this one even more than the original.

1. Hurt. Cover by Johnny Cash. Original by Nine Inch Nails. Occasionally, I like to step outside the world of rock. This Nine Inch Nails cover was truly haunting. The rest of the album, American IV: The Man Comes Around was great too.

You know I am sure there are many great covers over the years that I am forgetting. What are your favorites? Or what was worst cover version of a song you ever heard?

Van Halen Thoughts

This self titled Van Halen debut remains my favorite of their many recordings.

Van Halen is up there on my list of favorite bands. But not so much the Sammy Hagar Van Halen, it was the David Lee Roth years that I enjoyed the most. To me, the band never recorded a great amount of strong material during the Sammy Hagar years. I did think their first effort with Sammy, 5150, was a great album, but after that I didn’t embrace their other releases. And I tried; I had them all and wanted to love it. All the albums had their moments, but none were raised to the level of my affection of their previous material.

I also found the solo releases of David Lee Roth to be the same. They all had some tracks I enjoyed, but didn’t come close to the original Van Halen albums.

I paid least attention to Van Halen during the brief Gary Cherone era. I remember when news broke that the former Extreme lead singer would be joining the band. I thought Extreme had released some good albums and Gary’s vocals were solid. However, when this Van Halen album came out, titled Van Halen III, it seemed to pass everyone by without much notice. I owned it, but found myself not really even giving it a chance or listening to it very much.

Finally, the much talked about reunion happened and Dave rejoined the rest of the clan for a very successful tour. Well, the rest of the clan minus bass player Michael Anthony who was replaced by Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang. There have reports of a rift between Eddie and Michael since the Van Halen III recording session. Although many die hard Van Halen fans would have liked to have seen the original lineup together again, apparently young Wolfgang held his own just fine keeping up with his Dad and company.

The David Lee Roth reunion was a great success, their highest grossing tour to date. Still, what I would love to see is Michael back in the band, a new album recorded and a world tour to boot. Hey, how about a tour with both Hagar and Roth, where the band performs a set with each. Well, that would be dreaming for most Van Halen fans and probably one of the most unlikely things to ever happen in rock. I'll take another tour with Dave that hopefully I can get a chance to see next time round.

While we’re on the subject, here are my top 10 favorite Van Halen songs:

10. Jamie’s Crying, from the very successful self titled debut
9. Best of Both Worlds, from Sammy’s debut with the band, 5150
8. 5150, title track off Sammy’s debut
7. Runnin’ With the Devil, Great lead off track from their debut album
6. Ain’t Talking bout Love, Like so many Van Halen songs, hooks you in with a great riff. Also from their fantastic debut album
5. Drop Dead Legs, Great song from the wildly successful 1984 album. This album was also David Lee Roth’s last full length recording with the band.
4. Panama, One of 1984’s popular singles.
3. The Cradle will Rock, Great lead off track from the album Women and Children First.
2. Hot For Teacher, The lead in drum intro, the guitar and Dave all sound great on this one. It’s another single from 1984.
1. Unchained, A solid heavy rocker from the album Fair Warning, which was actually one of their least successful releases with David Lee Roth.

Unfortunately, I did not see Van Halen’s most recent tour with David Lee Roth and Wolfgang Van Halen, but would love to hear from anyone who has.

My Favorite Metal Bands

I love Heavy Metal, but I was a little late embracing this genre. Through the 80’s I was into the glam metal and the hair bands, but didn’t discover my love of true heavy metal until the latter part of the decade. I purchased Metallicia’s And Justice For All in 1988 and fell in love with the album. From there I started venturing out in to Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Helloween, among others. I still listened to all the other forms of music I had previously enjoyed, but added Heavy Metal to the list of musical styles that suited my personal taste.

I often have to defend metal more than other genres. There are those I have encountered who just can’t understand my fascination with this form of music. I try to explain that I love the energy, the lyrics and the unpredictability of a metal song. When listening to a metal song, you are often not sure what direction it will take, as it often doesn’t follow the formula of a ‘normal’ rock song. Sometimes, the number of riffs could be removed from one good metal song to make 3 or 4 rock songs.

Here are my five favorite metal bands.

5. Edguy
Hailing from Germany, they are the newest band on my list. They do borderline metal/hard rock and even have a touch of hair band sound in them. However, I clearly rank them as a metal band. They have lots of energy, great lyrics and big choruses. Perhaps the reason why I like them so much is because they sound like such a great blend of all my favorite musical styles.

Favorite Album: Rocket Ride. If you heard this album only, you would likely classify Edguy as a hard rock band. A close second for me is Hellfire Club. Their newest disc is due out in November.

4. Gamma Ray
Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter left an awesome metal band, Helloween, in the late 80’s to form another awesome metal band, Gamma Ray. They first appeared on the scene in the early 90’s when I was really embracing metal as hair bands were fading fast. Grunge was taking over, and although I bought into it somewhat, I still preferred the sounds of such bands as Metallica and Megadeath at the time. Gamma Ray came along at just the right time for me and has released a string of great albums since.

Favorite Album: No World Order released in 2001 is my favorite Gamma Ray effort from start to finish.

3. Metallica
These guys were the first for me. They have a wealth of great material. They have received some criticism from metal fanatics for becoming too commercial over the years. I am not so hard on them, even if the music was a little more commercial, it was still metal and Metallica moved it right into the mainstream.

Favorite Album: And Justice For All is still my favorite. Contains the great song One, which has a great music video, which is based on a great book called Johnny Got His Gun.

2. Judas Priest: They have been called metal gods and are one of the most influential acts of the genre. Few bands do it better, and many would argue that no one does. Famed singer Rob Halford had a lengthy hiatus from the band in which they continued to record and tour. However, with Halford’s return in recent years, the band is back as great as they ever were.

Favorite Album: Angel of Retribution. With the many fantastic albums they have put out over the years, I am putting this 2005 release at the top. It marked Halford’s return and one of the best metal albums I have heard from start to finish in a long time.

1. Iron Maiden
One of my all time favorite bands - period. They embrace everything I think is wonderful about Heavy Metal. I enjoy every Iron Maiden album; there is not one that I would give a poor rating. Famed vocalist Bruce Dickinson has also released some strong solo efforts too, all of which I think are great. I even like Dickinson’s first solo album Tattooed Millionaire, which was criticized for being a departure from metal. The band continues to thrive and perform in front of large crowds worldwide. And they are on top of my list of concerts I want to attend.

Favorite Album: It is tough for me to pick a favorite Maiden album, but I’ll go with Number of the Beast.

Rockin' Movies

There have been many memorable movies centered around the world of rock and other musical genres. Here is my personal top 10. I haven’t included musicals or documentaries (real ones anyway). Enjoy.

10. Rock Star
I was really looking forward to this one after seeing the trailers, but it didn’t live up to the hype for me. However, I did enjoy the idea of a regular guy, who could be any one of us who loves music, getting the chance to become the new lead singer of his all time favorite band. Also, the band in the movie, Steel Dragon, could have easily been one of several hair bands I listened to back in the 80’s. For those reasons, it makes my list.

9. High Fidelity
Although this movie’s plot centers around the main character’s breakup with his girlfriend and his other five most memorable splits, it is the conversations in the record store where most of the movie is set that gets it on my list. The banter between actor’s Jack Black and Todd Louiso and the customers in the store as they show off their musical knowledge and create their top 5 lists, make this one worth the price of admission.

8. The Doors
It’s been a while since I seen this movie. But what I remember most about the film is Val Kilmer’s haunting portrayal of Jim Morrison. Oliver Stone directs this movie that covers the rise and fall of the famous band and lead singer.

7. The Commitments
Set in Ireland, it follows a group of unemployed people who form a band. It also features great performances, both acting and musical. The Commitments, containing at least some of the actors in the film, are now a real touring band.

6. Walk the Line
Great acting, great singing, great story, this movie had it all. The Johnny Cash biopic was popular with critics and audiences alike, and it was easy to see why.

5. School of Rock
I just loved Jack Black in this movie as he portrayed a man obsessed with rock music and refusing to let it go even in the slightest way. Jack Black’s rants on the real and true purpose of rock and roll – stickin’ it to the man, are priceless. Apparently there is a School of Rock 2 in the works.

4. Wayne’s World
If there was a character I ever related to in the movies it was Wayne Campbell. For a few years in my life, I was very similar to Wayne, including his musical interests, and fashion choices (hat, hair, t-shit and jeans). I saw this one on opening night and the theatre was full of enthusiasts. There were moments of applause and cheers; it was almost like being at a rock concert. The sequel was not as strong, but also provided a lot of laughs and was a memorable film as well.

3. Almost Famous
I loved this movie. The plot covers the adventures of a teenage boy who gets a chance to write a story for Rolling Stone on an up and coming band, Stillwater. It is a coming of age movie, but it’s also fun to watch the portrayal of the band, and the boy’s interaction with them and their crew. It features a great scene when everyone on the tour bus, tired and haggard from the road, breaks into Elton John’s Tiny Dancer.

2. Hard Core Logo
This is a fantastic Canadian movie. It is a mock documentary that follows the trials of a punk rock band called Hard Core Logo. The movie is a dark and tragic tale, and stars Hugh Dillon as the band’s troubled lead singer. Dillon is also known for fronting the Canadian band The Headstones, who had some success in the 90’s. An awesome movie!!

1. Spinal Tap
This is not only my favorite movie on this list, but possibly my favorite of all time. I have seen this movie many many times. If I see it on TV, my initial reaction is – oh no, not this again. But after I watch for 30 seconds I am hooked and usually finish it right to the end. It is hilarious and contains one classic scene and line after another. I actually had the chance to see Spinal Tap perform in the early 90’s and they sounded great and were as funny as ever.

Oh Canada

There has been no shortage of great rock produced by Canadian talent. Although there are many, here is my personal top five.

5. Our Lady Peace.
I got to see this band play live in their early days and although the show had some interesting moments, I wasn’t wowed. I plan on sharing this show’s experience with everyone at a later time when I write about other past concert experiences. Over the years Our Lady Peace won me over as they continued to produce good music that I started to like more and more. They have no one album that I can say is super, but they are all at very least good. I have pulled tracks from each disc and made up my own Our Lady Peace compilation. If you are new to their music, check out their greatest hits package called A Decade. It also contains a DVD featuring some great concert footage, unlike my experience.

Favorite Album: Clumsy. A great effort containing mostly all strong songs.

4. Neil Young
To be honest, I debated even putting Neil Young on this list. One may question that, but this is a list of personal favorites only. I can go months and months without even listening to Neil Young, or ever wanting to. Many people either love or hate Young’s music. But there have been periods in my life where I have listened to a lot of his music and enjoyed it thoroughly. Some nights, when sitting and relaxing on the deck on a clear and quiet summer’s evening, there is nothing else that should be played other than a Neil Young album. There is no question of his uniqueness as an artist, ability as a songwriter and influence on many other musicians. Because there were periods in my life when I thought Neil Young was the best thing to happen to music, he has to go on my list.

Favorite Album: Harvest Moon. My favorite simply because I listened to this one the most on many an evening as described above.

3. Blue Rodeo
They might not seem to fit with most of the other bands on this blog, as they do cross over into country and folk-rock. However, when listening through Blue Rodeo’s body of work you can also hear influences of Neil Young, The Band and when that organ gets going at times, it even sounds like the Doors. They are one of those bands with the ability to take you away with a haunting song, stir up some old emotions and take you back to a certain time in your life, as if a song was written just for you. Jim Cuddy and Geoff Keelor are crafty songwriters and storytellers. I have a mix CD comprised of my favorite Blue Rode songs, and when the mood is right, it’s just about the most perfect thing I can play.

Favorite Album: Five Days in May. Captures those haunting and emotional songs at their best.

2. Rush
It’s also hard to describe in words Rush’s musical style. They are often labeled as a progressive rock band, although over their thirty plus years in the business there is evidence of other styles and influences as well. I simply classify them as a great rock band, and one of Canada’s longest and most well known success stories. I first started listening to Rush in the 1980’s when Hold Your Fire was released. The track Time Stands Still on that album remains one of my favorite Rush songs to this day. Rush, of course, is also known for their famous and one of the world’s greatest drummers, Neil Peart. Rush continues to tour successfully and record and I am just waiting for them to come round these parts to see the show.

Favorite Album: Moving Pictures. Their biggest selling and I agree with the masses on this one.

1. Tragically Hip
My favorite Canadian band bar none. I own every Hip CD and they all rank from very good to awesome. There is the odd song that I could leave or take, but I can’t say this band has put out anything that deserves to be permanently shelved. The band has reached superstar and legendary status in Canada, but never found that same level of success elsewhere. Back in the mid 90’s they did appear on Saturday Night Live and were introduced by fellow Canadian, Dan Ackroyd, as the next big thing. However, it didn’t happen in the US. In Canada, despite the fact of being a much smaller market, their popularity did not wane, and they continue to thrive. If you like hard, but not heavy, alternative rock and great lyrics, you can't go wrong with The Hip.

Favorite Album: Road Apples. Although Fully Completely is regarded by many as their best, for me is a close second. Road Apples sounds more raw compared to the production value Fully Completely and all the songs are great.

Entertainment Weekly and the 1980s

Entertainment Weekly recently published a copy of their popular magazine that revealed their choices for the “new classics”. The top 100 movies, albums, TV programs, and books in the last 25 years were ranked.

The choice for their number one classic album in the last quarter of a century was Prince’s Purple Rain. After some reflection, this was a decent selection. Prince is not normally of my personal taste, but I do respect the man’s musical ability. Purple Rain was also a strong album, a rockin’ album, and I admit to having owned the cassette. It is the only Prince album I have ever purchased.

However I write this entry to take exception to the lack of true 80’s hard rock on the list. For a time hard rock and hair bands reigned supreme and if you are going to pay tribute to the last 25 years, you should acknowledge all of the fads and phases. The only album I can find in the top 100 from this genre is Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction coming in at number 30. Definitely should be on this list, perhaps even higher.

I can understand this is a list of 100 albums from all musical genres over the last 25 years and must have been difficult to put together. But I thought a few more from the “hair band generation” should have been presented. What about Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet or one of the biggest selling albums of the time, Def Leppard’s Hysteria? The only heavy metal album I can find there is Metallica’s self titled 1991 release. What about an Iron Maiden or a Judas Priest entry? They were, and continue to be, highly influential metal acts. The complete list of Entertainment Weekly’s choices can be found here.

Without our further ado, here are my top 10 hard rock/heavy metal albums released in the 80’s. My list is different than Entertainment Weekly’s, in that it covers the 80’s only and it is strictly a personal top 10 list of favorites from that time.

10. Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi. Being a teenager at the time it was hard not to get into this. Still the most fun record they’re ever put out.
9. Open Up and Say Ahhh, Poison. This band doesn’t have a lot of strong albums, but this one plays start to finish as a great party record. And I partied to it often.
8. Permanent Vacation, Aerosmith. Successfully launched the band’s comeback and another great party album. One of the band’s strongest efforts too.
7. Appetite for Destruction, Guns N’ Roses. Gun’s N’ Roses exploded onto the scene while supporting this release. This is a fantastic hard rock album. For me, it was the only strong release the band ever put out, I did not embrace another G N’R record after this debut.
6. And Justice for All, Metallica. This is the one that turned me onto metal. I heard this and was immediately addicted. From here I went back and started listening to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and have been in love with metal ever since.
5. Road Apples, The Tragically Hip. No other band has a complete body of work that I thoroughly enjoy as much as the Hip’s (with the exception of Iron Maiden). Road Apples was the first for me and is still one of my favorites.
4. Pyromania, Def Leppard. If you’ve read some of my other posts you’ll know of my affection for Def Leppard. This is the one that got me hooked on the band and hard guitar driven rock.
3. Turbo, Judas Priest. They are Masters of Metal. After Metallica got me into the genre this album, as well as others by Priest, soon followed.
2. Number of the Beast, Iron Maiden. One of my all time favorite bands. Once I started listening to this album I wanted all the rest of their material. Like the Hip, this band also has a huge collection of work, all that I enjoy thoroughly.
1. Hysteria Def Leppard. The long wait between Pyromania and this record did not disappoint. The album did represent the transition from a hard rock band to more of a pop/rock sound. However, it was the CD of my youth and the one disc I have listened from start to finish more than any other.

I’ve just decided lists are hard to do, so I can appreciate Entertainment Weekly’s efforts even more. I am looking at my list above and I can’t believe that Motley Crue’s Shout at the Devil and Van Halen’s 1984 are not there. Difficult, but still fun, what are your favorites from that time?