100 Rock Songs (41 to 50)

The next lot – again vaguely chronological …

(41) Guns’n’Roses – Paradise City

Forget the hype – G’n’R are/were a fantastic band and “Appetite For Destruction” was a landmark album. Initially I refused to be swept away with it all but when I heard “Paradise City” for the first time I realised that I had made a mistake. The song reaches its peak at the end when the tempo is switched to overdrive. Superb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsrDv3K7RNI

(42) Helloween – I Want Out

Helloween are a German rock band founded in the early eighties. “I Want Out” is a brilliant power metal anthem with driving guitars and screaming vocals – just the way I like it. Wonderful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjV8SHjHvHk

(43) Queensrÿche – Anarchy-X/Revolution Calling

“Operation Mindcrime” is the magnum opus of Queensrÿche, a brilliant concept album full of pure magnificence. It is certainly my favourite concept album and that includes everything produced by Rush. “Anarchy-X” and “Revolution Calling” need to be combined together in my view and start the album with an angry explosion that demonstrates the pure initial anger of the protagonist, Nicky. If you haven’t heard “operation Mindcrime” I urge you to borrow it or buy it. You won’t regret it. Revolutionary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJb3Lcvtn4M

(44) Yngwie J. Malmsteen – Heaven Tonight

“Heaven Tonight” features Joe Lynn Turner, the former Rainbow vocalist. The song is a big eighties metal anthem by Yngwie J. Malmsteen who is a fabulous guitarist from Sweden. I really love this song due to its bombastic nature and partly due to Joe Lynn Turner’s vocals. Typical of eighties metal but I love it all the same. Pounding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp2jNhZWxBM

(45) Blue Murder – Ptolemy

John Sykes played guitar with David Coverdale in Whitesnake and with Phil Lynott in Thin Lizzy. With a pedigree like that it was hard to ignore his subsequent band Blue Murder. I bought the album having just heard one song called “Valley Of The Kings”, which was a totally piece of rock pomposity. However, there was one song on the album that blew it away – the incredible “Ptolemy”. This is metal at its very best. Get that air guitar ready – you will wear it out. Grandiose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhIET6KwLq8

(46) Faith No More – From Out Of Nowhere

When Mike Patton joined Faith No More, the band became huge. “The Real Thing” was a superbly different album and Mike Patton added something special to the group. The opening track on the album is the brilliant “From Out Of Nowhere” and, in my opinion, the band have never written a better song. Belting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BusOupjBJaY

(47) Joe Satriani – Big Bad Moon

Joe Satriani is the greatest guitar player I have ever seen, end of story. The man is a genius. I have never seen a man play the guitar so well. Normally his albums a purely instrumental but, on the album “Flying In A Blue Dream”, he actually sings on a couple of the songs. One of them is “Big Bad Moon”. Now his voice may not be perfect but who cares? The song is outstanding and my favourite by the main man. Virtuoso.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK-slJC_2TY

(48) AC/DC - Thunderstruck

“Thunderstruck” is my favourite post-Bon Scott song by the brilliant AC/DC. It is real head-banging fist-pounder. It is another song requiring an air guitar. Thunderous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvoeeq-BH4w

(49) Queensrÿche – Silent Lucidity

Queensrÿche’s follow up to “Operation Mindcrime” was “Empire”, which actually sold millions more. While the album is not as good as “Operation Mindcrime” there are some great songs on it, including my favourite by the band, a power ballad called “Silent Lucidity” that features an orchestra. The singer Geoff Tate has a raw rock voice but on “Silent Lucidity” his voice fits the power ballad style perfectly. Beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC444i8tcyc

(50) Thunder – Backstreet Symphony

Thunder are brilliant. I have seen this band more times than any other and I still pop to see their annual visit to Manchester even now. The band has a lot of fun and has created some of the best rock songs to come out of the United Kingdom. They never fail to disappoint. “Backstreet Symphony” is the title track to their first album and is typical of the band. Keep going lads. Fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDL1iFX2Vm0

51 to 60 to follow …