I never tire of this album, excitement, fantastic songs and Michael Schenker’s guitar playing is on fire. I played the vinyl to death when I was 14. I have the remastered cd but prefer and older cd version with the same running order as the original vinyl double album.
The first LP that I owned, bought for me as a birthday present by my brother… Little Richard was my first “hero” …unless I include a short lived obsession with Tommy Steele! I’d never heard anything like this before, still have it, plays really well…takes me right back to our mono auto change record player days, lifetime indeed.
Chris
The first album I owned. Perfect in so many ways and my copy has been very well looked after and so still surprises me each time I put it on.
Here are a few of my favourites that I’ve played regularly since buying them, although it is hard to keep the list short as I have many others too.
I bought this around 1980 so a few years after it was released. I was still living at my parents in Lincolnshire, and a friends older brother played it incessantly! Still sounds brilliant today.
Brilliant band! Tried to see them a couple of times, but weather and illness meant that I had to cancel concerts a couple of times. Finally managed to see them on ‘The End’ tour in Leeds. Whilst Ozzy wasn’t quite as ‘dynamic’ on stage, his voice was really good, and this was definitely a ‘grail’ concert for me!
Bought this in 1984. Had just started work, and was living in a bit of a dingy basement flat in Newcastle. Spent many a pleasant evening listening to this with my girlfriend of the time (wish I’d kept in touch with her, but alas she moved to France I think). Awesome album and brings back great memories every time I listen to it.
Not sure where I heard Incubus first, but bought this around 2002. ‘Are You In?’ is a track I use to ‘test’ new hi-fi. I just love the drums on the intro. Listen to this LP a lot and can’t imagine that’ll change.
I have loads more that I could mention (Janis Joplin - Pearl; BB King - Midnight Believer; Paul Weller - Wild Wood; Pixies - Doolittle; Prefab Sprout - Swoon; Sia - Some People Have Real Problems), but these are 4 of my all time favourites.
Nigel
My favorite prog metal band is of course also in this post. The Metropolis PT2 is one of the most brilliant concept albums in the scene. It completely blew me away from the first time I heard it. I have the pleasure to hear it live again this week Thursday, I can’t wait.
The other album also has one crazy 25 minutes saga on it and some really splendid covers of famous rock songs. Their Perfect Strangers of Deep Purple sounds to me better than the original - perhaps with exception of the vocal.
PJ Harvey. Dry. 1992.
The magnificent Polly Jean Harvey’s best album in my opinion. For me, the symbiotic relationship between interesting/unique poems/lyrics, raw emotion, raw voice and simple bare chested instruments all coming together in a collection of songs that seem to bring a strange musical clarity to me.
There was nothing like this album at the time. I saw them twice that year, the first time was one of the best gigs I ever had the pleasure of seeing.
Sinead O’Connor. The Lion and The Cobra. 1987.
Although very different…weirdly I could repeat the words mentioned above for this album, but Sinead’s voice at this time was untouchable.
I really love that “Change of Seasons’ album. I really need to try Metropolis again.
I’ve only seen them once, when I lived in England, so before 1998 - seems a lifetime ago now.
Some items but not exhaustive
Van Morrison Astral Weeks
Any of the Bach Violin Concertos especially the Double
Beethoven Violin Concert
Graceland
Ravi Shankar at Monterey
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails
Linda Ronstadt Heart Like A Wheel
Frank Zappa Hot Rats
Mahler 8th Symphony
Leonard Cohen I’m Your Man
Traffic John Barleycorn Must Die
Fairport Convention Leigh and Leaf
St. Matthew Passion
The Band - The Band
Peter Gabriel Passion
Ry Cooder M. Byatt A Meeting By the River
Caravan In the Land of Grey and Pink as mentioned earlier. Bought in 1972 after hearing it at a friend’s. Was the sound track to revising for my Highers at school. Still love it.
Some great albums in that list, just miaain5gq few Rush
Rush; a farewell to kings and Moving Pictures
Suzanne Vega self titled
Simon and Garfunkel greatest hits
Thin Lizzy Jailbreak
Shawn Mullins Souls Core
Nerina Pallot Fires
Black Sabbath Mob Rules and Heaven and hell
The Cars Heartbeat City
Carole King Tapestry
Def Lep Hysteria
Queen Queen 2
Dire Straits Brothers in arms and Love over hold
Marillion Clutching at straws and Misplaced childhood
Sheryl Crow Tuesday night music club and self titled
I don’t listen very often to many albums that were the mainstay of my youth as I think our tastes change with age. I’ve previously mentioned frequent returns to Davy Graham.
The one album/CD I’ve played over the years and continue to play frequently is the wonderful Kind of Blue. Has there ever been a better combination of top musicians? Has an album ever been so timeless and captivating?
This one is the real cover - the pic I put in my post was an advert when it came out I think. The new Steven Wilson mix / master is very good and its quite cheap at £6 for the CD on amazon.
Could be a very interesting thread by itself - “The first album I’ve owned”. Mine was a little rougher…
Claude
Fabulous. I love the narrative. I also love the interviews in “No Direction Home” with people leaving the concert where they completely fail to understand what a key moment in modern rock they just witnessed.
Jimi Hendrix - Concerts. A friend of mine at school copied this album for me from his brothers record collection. I was 16 and it blew my mind, still does. I never tire of it, every lyric and every note is embedded in me. Though many have tried no one comes close. The album highlights for me are the definitive Red House (you can hear the audience applaud in wonder after the main guitar solo), a majestic Little Wing and a stellar Hear My Train a Comin’. Would have given anything to see him live. Anyway, this is most definitely my lifetime album.
I bought this originally on LP because I loved the cover but had never heard of the band, then I played it!
It’s been a constant on my playlist since 1985, Les Morts Dansants being near the top of my all time favourite songs. ( but to be brutally honest I usually skip Just Like an Arrow the first single from it).
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