Jim Steinman

I’ve just heard that Jim Steinman has died. People will know him as the man behind “Bat Out of Hell”, the iconic and best selling album by Meat Loaf but he dipped his creative fingers into various other musical pies too. 

My first memory of Jim Steinman’s music was around the time my old mate Wally (not his real name) bought his first car at the age of 18. He learned to drive as soon as he could and bought himself a red Ford Capri, an iconic car from the 1970’s. It was a great car and most importantly for me it had a decent car stereo that played tapes at high volume as Wally cruised around the streets of Walsall and West Bromwich with me as his passenger, looking for something interesting to do, or more accurately trying to be flash with young ladies. 

Wally was a good looking chap, unlike me, and his attempts to woo young ladies with the aid of his car usually worked. Sadly they weren’t interested in me, apart from when he was too scared to talk to them and he dropped me off just to chat to them on his behalf. 

One girl was gorgeous and he was a coward so I suggested that I break the ice for him. Bear in mind, I was quite shy and I kind of lived in Wally’s shadow. This girl, let’s call her Mandy, had noticed Wally’s car driving up and down the road, with Wally coolly leaning out of the window with sunglasses and blaring songs from Bat Out of Hell. She started waving but he didn’t think he stood a chance – which amazed me, given that he seemed so confident.

“Just stop the car and I’ll talk to her for you,” I said. 

He stopped, I got out and then he just drove off. 

I waited for about five minutes and Mandy looked at me , prpbably thinking "What is that idiot doing just standing there like a lemon?" 

In the end, I just strolled over and said “Hi – I’m Dave. I’ve erm erm erm erm been left here to talk to you for my mate.”

She laughed and said “Really?”

I warmed to her and said “He’s just a coward but he wants to talk to you.”

So we chatted for about ten minutes before Wally reappeared and drove past – again with Meat Loaf blaring out. 

“Why doesn’t he stop?” she asked. 

“Too scared,” I said. 

Eventually, Wally waited for me about two hundred yards away and in exasperation I ran to him jumped in the car and he sped off leaving Mandy waiting. 

Common sense prevailed and he eventually plucked up some courage and they had a bit of a fling for a few months. 

Jim Steinman reminds me of that time of my youth. I loved Bat Out of Hell and also Steinman’s solo album which appeared just after that. I also enjoyed his work with Bonnie Tyler and the Sisters of Mercy.

In honour of him, I present five songs that he has been involved in and that I love. I heard somebody say that Jim Steinman invented the power ballad. Whether that is true or not, I just love the rock songs so the songs below are not power ballads.

Bat Out of Hell from Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf (1977)

Bat Out of Hell is probably my favourite song by Jim Steinman. I love the concept and Meat Loaf’s voice is the best it has ever been in my opinion. It is a pure rock song, brilliant to drive to and the guitars are incredible, sounding like the most powerful motorbike on Earth revving up ready to hit the road at breakneck speed. I have driven in America when this song came on the radio and, for a moment, it was pure bliss; the open road in front of me and a fantastic song on the radio. 

Well I can see myself tearing up the road, faster

Than any other boy has ever gone

And my skin is raw, but my soul is ripe,

And no one's gonna stop me now, I'm gonna make my escape

Stark Raving Love from Bad for Good by Jim Steinman (1981)

Meat Loaf had vocal problems and the songs on Bad for Good were meant to be for his second album. Some of them appeared later on Bat Out of Hell II but the best versions were on Bad for Good in my opinion. Jim Steinman’s voice is nowhere near as good as Meat Loaf’s but he does his best to belt out some brilliant songs. Elements of this song were later taken to form Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler but this song is much better. If you skip to the 5:14 point in the video you will hear some amazing guitar, reminiscent of Bat Out of Hell itself. This is an amazing song.

Peel Out from Dead Ringer by Meat Loaf (1981)

This is the title track from Meat Loaf’s second album and the best song in my opinion. After the magnificence of Bat Out of Hell, I found this album slightly disappointing. I do love this song though.

Faster Than the Speed of Night from Faster Than the Speed of Night by Bonnie Tyler (1983)

I was stunned when I heard Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler singing rock songs. She started off with a few singles in the 1970’s which were basically pop songs. She had a voice that was rough and rocky and the songs she sang then didn’t do her justice. I heard Faster Than the Speed of Night and immediately recognized the epic nature of Jim Steinman. Another great song.

This Corrosion from Floodland by Sisters of Mercy(1987)

I love a bit of gothic rock and when I heard this song I dived in and bought the CD. Imagine my surprise when I heard that Jim Steinman was involved as the producer. Unlike a lot of songs by the band, it has epic depth and even includes a choir. It has Steinman stamped all over it. A surprising and brilliant addition to his portfolio.

And finally…

I’ll leave with a word from Jim Steinman himself that sums up his legacy.

I simply love the punchline.

Rest in peace, Jim and thanks for the memories.

Funeral Soundtrack

My uncle died earlier this year. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in September last year and given six months to live. With the aid of chemotherapy, he lasted a year, but sadly, the treatment took its toll and while it prolonged his life, he suffered badly as a result.

In the end, his condition was so bad that his immediate family regarded his passing as a blessing.

He was 68 years old and his name was Paul.

What I found amazing about him was the way he dealt with his condition. I went to visit him and I found a man who was surprisingly cheerful and even joked about his appearance and the treatment. He was very candid about how he felt but, with a smile on his face, he told us how he had remained optimistic. It was clear that he had accepted what was happening to him and the inevitable conclusion.

I was proud of him. He was a very brave man.

His immediate family held him in the highest esteem and effectively had a year to prepare themselves for his eventual loss. When I heard, I called my aunt and cousin to express my condolences and my own pain too and they seemed to be okay but understandably heartbroken.

Mrs PM and I went to funeral where the family turned up and a lot of friends.

Paul was a popular guy and the funeral was very moving.

During the ceremony, his coffin was present with a photograph of him with a cheerful smile that I will remember him by.

I liked Paul a lot.

But one of the main things I remember about the funeral was his choice of songs to play as we all celebrated his life, songs that might just accompany him onto the next phase, if such a phase exists. He chose three songs that he loved – one by Elvis Presley, one by the Beatles and another rock and roll number that I didn’t recognise but was totally upbeat.

Although we were all upset, it kind of made me feel positive in a strange kind of way. I’m too sceptical to believe in an afterlife and, although I am a Catholic, I don’t really buy the idea that we will all go to meet our maker if I’m honest. I realise that if God reads my blog (as he surely must – because he is omnipotent) he may be noting down things I’ve written about Purgatory and Heaven.

He may know that when I openly say “Yes I believe in God”, that in my mind, my own scientific mind is analysing the whole idea of Christianity and thinking “Really?”.

But the whole point to this post is not to dwell on the religious aspects of death; I want to portray the positive undercurrent of the funeral, which, although is a desperately sad occasion, can also be and should also be a celebration of the person’s life.

And what better way to depart than to have people talk about the good things and celebrate his or her life with the music that they loved.

Of course, I realise that being a lover of heavy metal and rock music, some of my choices of the songs to accompany me on my way to the next dimension might be in poor taste but I think I might opt for three songs that were all positive.

In fact, I hope that my demise is a long, long way away – I plan to live forever – and that by then my collection of songs will be so enormous that I will it hard to choose.

I have well over 7000 songs in my collection and I could have gone through the entire lot and spent a month whittling them down to choose three songs to send me off. However, while I love my own music, I decided just to swiftly scan them.

I came up with the following, deliberately rejecting Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin because, as much as I love it, I think it is a little too corny.

So here they are:

Blue Öyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper

Okay – I know you may mock me for this choice because it sounds a bit corny, similar to Stairway To Heaven. The difference here is that I genuinely love this song and, while there is a theme of death, I personally think it is very positive, basically seeing, don’t fear death, we can fly and eventually we will all be together again in eternity.

Oh – and I love the guitar solo in the middle of the song.

Journey – Remember Me

I have been known to mock power ballads and AOR, and in the past Journey have been a great target because they personify the essence of what I dislike about this style of slushy, lovey-dovey nonsense. 

Yet, as much as I dislike Journey, they have produced three brilliant songs that I simply cannot mock. Remember Me is one of them – a beautiful piece of music that I wish they had embraced more often. 

The song is about somebody leaving a relationship, but I think that the lyrics apply perfectly to the loss of a loved one. This song would be directed at Mrs PM, but I think that the rest of the funeral congregation might also find meaning. It would effectively my dying wish imploring the people I love not to forget me.

Dream Theater – The Answer Lies Within


This is a beautiful song and while it sounds quite melancholy, once again the lyrics are wonderful and positive. While the last song may have been a little selfish (with me saying “Don’t forget me!”) this song would be my positive final message,  asking my loved ones to carry on and just be as brilliant as I know they can be:

You’ve got the future on your side

You’re gonna be fine now

I know whatever you decide

You’re gonna shine

And finally ...

Well that’s all a bit morbid, isn’t it? I’m sure that if I were to run through my music collection with an impish glint in my eye, I might choose this one – the lyrics are very funny:

I hope God has a sense of humour and forgives me on Judgement Day.

And, Paul, I’ll miss you! Say “Hi” to my Dad for me.

A Musical 2015

After last year, I didn’t think that 2015 would improve in terms of musical discoveries and new material but the truth is that it has been an awesome year.

There have been discoveries, rediscoveries and lots of new recordings. I spent a lot of money on music this year and could have spent a lot more.

Rediscoveries

Arena are a British progressive rock band and, thanks to a free CD on a classic rock magazine, I had two songs by the band in my collection. At the start of the year, I decided to check the band out a little more thoroughly. I now have three albums by the band: The Visitor, Immortal and Contagion and I have to say that they are all excellent albums, particularly Contagion which has a superb driving rock song called Witch Hunt, the highlight of three brilliant albums:

Way back in the early 1980’s Gary Numan was one of the most popular pop stars of the time, and has influenced a lot of fellow artists over the years including Nine Inch Nails, one of my favourite bands. In 2015 it came to my attention that he was still active when I caught an interview with him. I discovered that he had released an album in 2013 so I searched for it and had a listen. I was amazed. The album, Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind) is a triumph, dark, brooding and expresses the feelings of a mind in the deep throes of depression. Here is a brilliant song from the album called Love Hurt Bleed:

Discovery

Thanks to a chance search on Google, I found a collaboration between one of my favourite artists, Steven Wilson and a Polish artist I had never heard of called Mariusz Duda, who is the lead singer and bassist of a Polish progressive rock band called Riverside, who are absolutely magnificent.

I now have their first three albums, Out of Myself, Second Life Syndrome and Rapid Eye Movement all of which form a concept trio called the Reality Dream Trilogy. This band are and will be massive in my collection and I am amazed they are not more widely known in progressive rock circles. Here is a beautiful song called Conceiving You from the best of the three albums, Second Life Syndrome:

Old Favourites with New Material

A lot of old favourites have released new material this year and here are the cream of the crop. First, Joe Satriani, my favourite guitarist, is back with a cracking new album called Shockwave Supernova. Here is a great driving rock song from the album called On Peregrine Wings:

Old favourites Whitesnake also released a new album this year. Rather than writing new material, David Coverdale, the lead singer, went back to his days with Deep Purple and recorded cover versions from his time with the band in an album called The Purple Album. To be honest, I am pleasantly surprised at the result; he has brought them into the 21st century and they are superb. Here is their version of my favourite Deep Purple song with Coverdale at the helm:

Muse also returned with a great new concept album called Drones. The thing I like about Muse albums is that there is always one absolutely driving classic rock song on each album that I can use to drive Mrs PM up the wall with. Drones is no exception and that song is particularly annoying because it contains a lot of swearing. Here is the song, called Psycho – reader discretion is required:

Psycho was very nearly my song of 2015 – but two pipped it to the post.

The band I discovered last year, Nightwish, released a brand new album this year called Endless Forms Most Beautiful, and it is a symphonic metal masterpiece. The band has a new female lead singer called Floor Jansen who has an absolutely amazing voice, able to reach operatic levels and deep growling heavy metal snarls. The last track of the album, The Greatest Show on Earth is a magnificent 24 minute symphonic metal epic, complete with orchestra that would fit snugly into a classical music connoisseur’s collection. If you fancy something new, look it up on YouTube – you won’t be disappointed if you like classical music with a hint of majesty and a generous helping of heavy metal. My second favourite new song of 2015 is called Yours Is An Empty Hope – a down to earth heavy metal opus backed magnificently by orchestral arrangements. Get your air guitars and violins out:

What can top that, I hear you cry. Sadly, for Nightwish, Steven Wilson also released a new album in 2015 called Hand. Cannot. Erase. This guy is a genius and I was lucky enough to see him live earlier this year, performing the album in its entirety. The album tells the deeply sad story, based on fact, of a young woman who was found dead in her flat and despite being popular, nobody missed her for three years.

The album is a triumph and, as the concept suggests, deeply sorrowful and thought-provoking. Perhaps the most poignant song on the entire album is a song about a woman who uses her daily household routine to keep her sane after suffering a real tragedy in her life. When this song was performed live, the beautiful animation you are about to see was played on a screen at the back of the stage and I am sure that there were a few years shed at the end of it. The song is called Routine and is a beautiful, yet deeply tragic song. Prepare to have your heart strings well and truly tugged:

I’m really looking forward to 2016 as it promises to be even better. New albums are due from Steven Wilson and Dream Theater and I have already discovered a new artist that will almost certainly feature heavily on my playlist when I next visit a music shop.

Here’s to a musical 2016 and I wish every single reader a wonderfully Happy New Year.

Rush - The Meme

Following on from my last rant about music, I thought I would be a little more positive in this post. I don’t expect this to be a post that people will enjoy too much because it is a little self-indulgent. In these deep dark January days I need a little self-indulgence.

Regular readers will know that I often mention my favourite band, the progressive rock power trio from Canada called Rush. Well, I have discovered a meme that allows me to explain why they hold this lofty position in my musical world and, hopefully, to introduce the band to anybody who has not heard of them.

This year is their 40th anniversary and they have somehow survived with a cult following for all this time despite receiving very little, if any airplay. Mrs PM, for one, was stunned two years ago that this band sold out the Manchester Arena, the largest music venue in the city. She would never have heard of them if it hadn’t been for me.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the meme and hopefully it will give a little insight into why I love the band and a little history of how they rose to the throne in my musical world.

1. How long have you been a fan?

I have been a fan since 1982, when a friend at university lent me a tape of their latest album at that time called Signals.

I had heard of the band before, when I was at school, because a lad in my school urged people to listen to, what he then described as, the greatest band on the planet. Being a hormone-fuelled arse at the time, I chose to ignore him.

At university I mellowed and grew up a little. I remember putting the tape on and listening to the first song, Subdivisions, a song about dreamers living in suburbia and being regarded as pariahs for not living the mundane “cool” life that suburbia demands:

Subdivisions

In the high school halls

In the shopping malls

Conform or be cast out

Subdivisions 

In the basement bars

In the backs of cars

Be cool or be cast out

I was totally blown away. This was a band that wrote intelligent songs about interesting things. On the strength of that one album I paid a fortune, as a poor student, to travel about 80 miles from Liverpool to Birmingham to see them live. That concert, way back in the early 1980’s, was when I handed my soul to Rush.

I’ve been a fan ever since.

2. Do you remember the first song of theirs you heard?

Strangely the first song I heard was a radio friendly song that somehow crept into the back end of the UK charts in 1978 called Closer To The Heart. It didn’t really appeal to me as I was just drifting into heavy metal at the time and, compared to bands like Black Sabbath, it was just a short vaguely pleasant rock song.

3. What’s your favourite album(s)?

I have all of their studio albums apart from the first three – that’s 17 albums if you count the extended play album called Feedback. I love them all but the following stand out:

Signals (1982)  - the first album I really loved by the band – it was their 9th album!

Power Windows (1985) – this album was my best friend on long distance commutes every other weekend to London during my long distance relationship with my ex-wife.

Counterparts (1993) – I just love this album; it has some great songs.

Clockwork Angels (2012) – Their most recent studio album is a return to their progressive rock roots and pays tribute to their earlier work while maintaining a modern forward looking feel.

4. What’s your favourite song(s)?

This is a really difficult question as there are simply so many to choose from. Here are three off the top of my head (ask me tomorrow and I will pick three more).

Red Barchetta (from Moving Pictures (1981):

Stick It Out (from Counterparts (1993):

Headlong Flight (from Clockwork Angels 2012):

5. Have you ever seen them live? (How often?)

I have seen Rush five times live. The first time I have mentioned above and was back in 1982 at the NEC in Birmingham. I travelled down to Birmingham again in 1989 to see them on the Presto tour. All of the other times were at the Manchester Arena, in 2002 for the Vapor Trails tour, for their 30th anniversary tour in 2005 and finally in 2013 for the Clockwork Angels tour.

6. Have you ever met them?

No I haven’t, sadly, but I would love to meet them and discuss their music and the inspiration behind it.

7. Do you have a favourite era of their career?

Die hard Rush fans may disagree with this but from 1982 to 1993, keyboards and synthesisers played a major part in their music. While I love all of their music, I have a particular soft spot for the albums of that period.

8. Do you have their autograph or a photo with them?

As I said, I have never met the band so the answer is no.

9. Is there a song or album of theirs you dislike?

There are a couple of songs that I am not too keen on; I am not such a die-hard fan that I love every single piece of music they have composed. A couple of albums disappointed me, although not all of the songs on them are bad. My least favourite albums are Roll The Bones (1991) and Test For Echo (1996).

Having said that, I still listen to them occasionally.

10. What do they or their music mean to you?

Rush have provided a soundtrack to my life since 1982 – and before if you count my old school friend who I should really have listened too in the 1970’s. For every major event in my life since that time, I can mention one or more Rush songs that remind me of those times, both good and bad. If they ever make a movie out of my life, Rush will feature heavily in the soundtrack.

11. Would you pay £200 for a front row ticket?

No. Having said that, I have a limit on ticket prices, which I rarely exceed, but did so for the last concert I saw them play in 2013. I paid £84, mainly because I thought that I may not get the chance to see them again, but also because Clockwork Angels was such a great album.

I have to say that a Rush concert is worth every penny normally because the band has no support and, since they have so much material, they play for around three hours.

12. Do you get annoyed when other people don’t like them?

Not really. I may rant about music but I don’t try to enforce it on people. I am just keen for people to explore outside the box that we find ourselves in thanks to the greedy music industry. One thing does surprise me about Rush; a lot of people are closet fans. A friend of mine heard that I was going to see Rush in 2005 and actually phoned me up asking me to get him a ticket. I didn’t even know he was a fan. That’s the good thing about Rush – there are lots of secret Rush fans out there, despite the fact that they are unfashionable.


13. Which artist do you want them to collaborate with?

I don’t want them to collaborate with anybody because there music would be diluted. Having said that, many other artists have performed their songs, like Dream Theater. When the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I discovered that the Foo Fighters are huge fans of the band and actually performed live with them, impersonating the band at first before Rush joined them on stage. If you are a Rush/Foo Fighters fan you will find this video entertaining, with Dave Grohl impersonating a younger Alex Lifeson:

Also from that same induction, Alex Lifeson’s speech is quite memorable and quite embarrassing for his fellow band members who had no idea about what he was going to say (he is the last member of the band to speak). You can see their amused discomfort (start at 4:36 if you don’t want to see the first speeches):

The audience seemed to like it anyway.

14. Are they underappreciated/unknown?

They are not unknown but I think they are underappreciated for the same reasons that I ranted about in my last post, that is, they are rarely played on the radio.

15. Is there a song of them that everybody likes but you dislike?

They have a song that is a token rock song. You may have heard it:

Actually, I still like it.

And Finally ...

I liked this self-indulgent meme and I think I may repeat it for some other bands I like that are unknown or underrated.

Sorry about the self-indulgence.

I needed it.

A Musical 2014

2014 was a great year for my music collection. Several old favourite bands released new albums and I also explored a relatively new genre more extensively, discovering two new bands on the journey.

A couple of years ago, I discovered a new band called Within Temptation, a Dutch symphonic metal band, fronted by the wonderful Sharon den Adel. This year I decided to explore symphonic metal just to see if there were any other similar bands.

I discovered two absolute gems.

The first is Nightwish, a Finnish band who has been around for years and have produced some fantastic music. Ultimately I ended up buying six of their albums – and they are all fantastic. The first few albums are fronted by a woman with the most incredible voice in rock music. You will almost certainly never have heard of her but she is a legend in the genre. Her name is Tarja Turunen and her operatic voice, in my view, defines exactly what symphonic metal is – a mixture of classical music and heavy metal.

Nightwish with Tarja

Here are two of my favourite examples featuring Tarja:

Tarja has since left Nightwish and her replacement, Anette Olzen, although she has a different style of voice, added a new element to the band. In particular, the last album they produced, called Imaginaerium, explores other styles of music. 

Nightwish with Anette

Here are a couple of songs that illustrate this:

The great news is that in 2015, Nightwish are back with a new album.

Also, this year, Within Temptation released their follow up to the brilliant The Unforgiving, my album of the year in 2011.

Within Temptation

The new album is called Hydra and, once more, is a masterpiece. It features a few guest artists including Tarja Turunen. Here is a beautiful song from the album:

I went to see Within Temptation at the Manchester Apollo earlier this year and discovered the second symphonic metal band I mentioned. Within Temptation were supported by another Dutch band called Delain, again fronted by a woman with a fantastic voice. As a result of their 45 minute set, I bought three of their albums and saw them on their own headline tour towards the end of the year.

Delain

Here is a great song by the band:

Other old favourites released new albums. First, I was delighted that Judas Priest are still producing new music. Their previous album, Nostradamus, seemed to get mixed reviews, although I have to say that I loved it. This year, they got back to basics with Redeemer of Souls, which will definitely keep their hard core fans happy. This is heavy metal at its best. Here’s my favourite song on the album:

Last month, the Foo Fighters returned with their new album Sonic Highways. I’ve always loved this band and I think Dave Grohl is one of the world’s great rock stars. The first single from the album is brilliant and sums up exactly why I love the band. Here is Something From Nothing, a song which builds up from a mellow beginning into a great rock song. It includes a couple of swear words, if you are easily offended:

Finally, one of my favourite bands released their eleventh album this year; the problem is that you won’t have heard of them, unless you have read this blog before. The band is called Ten and they are a melodic rock band from Manchester who have produced some truly magnificent songs in their eighteen year history. 

The new album is called Albion and is a real return to form, Here is a song from the album:

I would like to mention one final album I acquired this year. I have been writing this blog now since 2008 and one of the people who has read and commented on my blog in the past is an American lady known as Bingkee, originally from the Philippines, who is married to a guitar player. This year he released his first album and Bingkee was kind enough to send me a copy all the way across the pond from the US.

It is an instrumental guitar album in the style of Joe Satriani and it is really rather good.

Here is a live performance of one of the songs I found on You Tube.

I hope you enjoyed the songs.

Happy New Year to one and all and see you in 2015.

Ambient Rock

I’m off on my travels again next week, this time a short holiday to Berlin. I’ve only been to Germany once, a visit to the Oktoberfest in Munich way back in 1983, when I took on German beer and lost spectacularly.

I thought that it was about time I revisited the country to practice my German again (as poor as it is), and I think it might be nice to start a tradition where I share some of my thoughts about music before trips, before sharing some photos and experience of my visit on my return.

I was going to post some music about Hallowe’en since it’s 31st October today, but rather than encourage something I don’t really believe in, I’ve decided to go to the other extreme and prove to people who hate rock music, that some of the loudest and most obnoxious bands (in their eyes anyway) can be a source of calming pleasure.

Here are five glorious rocks songs that you can relax to with a glass of wine in a candlelit room with your loved one in your arms.

Steven Wilson – Veneno Para Las Hadas




Regular readers will know that I am a huge fan of progressive rock maestro Steven Wilson. He seems to improve with every album, and while his music wouldn’t really be described as “heavy”, his band Porcupine Tree have produced some fantastic rock music. This particular track is from his first solo album called Insurgentes and is a beautiful, slow and mesmerising masterpiece.

Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts 1 – 9

  

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails is another musical maestro in my view and his music forms a large percentage of my collection. A few years ago, he produced a double album entitled Ghosts I to 4, containing 36 instrumental tracks, nine for each Ghost part. This is the final part of Ghosts I and is a very pleasant little tune.

Foo Fighters – Still

I’m really looking to the new Foo Fighters album in November and I daresay it will have a dominant position in my car for the next few months or so. While the band can produce some magnificent rockers, they are very good at taking it easy and producing a mellow ambient song. In fact, this is one of my favourite songs by the band.

Black Sabbath – Fluff

People who hate rock music hate Black Sabbath in particular. Yet, if you had never heard of the band and listened to this song first of all, you would find it very difficult to imagine that they were the founders of heavy metal with Ozzy Osbourne at the helm. This is a beautiful song and shows just what great musicians they are.

Rammstein – Ein Lied (A Song) 



It seems fitting that the final song comes from a German band. Rammstein are controversial and sometimes very heavy. Yet they too can turn the volume down and produce a lovely little ambient piece. Again, if this was the first song by the band you had heard, you would have no idea of their reputation nor would you imagine there explosive antics on stage.

Anyway, I hope you like the songs and I shall return with photos of Berlin in due course.

Jon Lord - Rest In Peace

It’s a sign that I am getting older myself because the rock stars that I love are starting to fade. Yesterday I found out that another of my rock heroes had died.

The world has lost Jon Lord, keyboard player extraordinaire, a founding member of Deep Purple who also played with Whitesnake, two of the bands that have accompanied me on the trials and tribulations of my life.

Jon died at the age of 71 having been diagnosed last year with pancreatic cancer.

I have seen Jon perform four times live; three times with Deep Purple and once with Whitesnake and all of the gigs are memorable in their own way.

Although many readers will not have heard of Jon Lord, I want to present ten of my favourite song featuring this keyboard wizard. Jon Lord was capable of turning a Hammond organ into a powerful rock instrument. The songs are chronological order. Please feel free to follow the links and judge for yourselves. Some of the songs are actually quite beautiful - though some are quite heavy.

Deep Purple – Child In Time

Ian Gillan’s vocals on this song are incredible, as is the sparring between Ritchie Blackmore on guitar and Jon on keyboards. From the album Deep Purple In Rock, released in 1970, but some eight years later I was discovering it for the first time. It also drove my dad to say “if this is the future of music then God help us.

Deep Purple – Highway Star 

Highway Star is probably my favourite track by Deep Purple. When I first heard this song I was a rebellious teenager and it was one of the songs that helped clear my head of those unruly thoughts, although my parents probably didn’t think so when I played it full blast at home. The song is from 1972 but I was irritating my parents with it in 1978.

Deep Purple – Woman From Tokyo

Woman From Tokyo isn’t a particularly heavy song but I really like it, particularly the mellow section in the middle. From the album Who Do We Think We Are.

Deep Purple – Burn 

Before Deep Purple’s self-destruction in the mid 1970’s Ian Gillan was replaced by David Coverdale who eventually formed Whitesnake, and Roger Glover made way for Glenn Hughes. Of course, by the time I discovered Deep Purple all of this had happened and Whitesnake existed in their own right. Sadly, the loss of Gillan was the beginning of the end for Deep Purple (at least until they rose again from the ashes in the mid-1980’s). Burn is the best Deep Purple song featuring David Coverdale.

Whitesnake – Take Me With You

  

Before Whitesnake became a huge big haired rock band in the mid 1980’s, they were a kind of blues rock band and the music from their early albums is my favourite by the band.  Jon Lord was a member of the band for six years and played keyboards on what, in my opinion, are their best albums. Take Me With You is from Whitesnake’s first album, Trouble.

Whitesnake – Blindman 

Blindman is one of my favourite songs. It is a beautiful mellow bluesy song and Jon Lord’s keyboard playing adds to the emotion of the song. It is from the album Ready An’ Willing released in 1980.

Whitesnake – Don’t Break My Heart Again

At the time this song was released, a lot of girls were breaking my heart again and again. It was a frustrating existence for me.  The song, from the album Come An’ Get It  was one of Whitesnake’s first chart songs and reminds me of getting ready to go out on a Saturday night all dressed up to attract women and failing spectacularly. I should perhaps have sung it to the girls I met.

Whitesnake – Crying In The Rain

Saints & Sinners is the last really good Whitesnake album before they finally cracked America. The band line up was in flux with band members leaving, though Jon Lord did stay for one more album after this. Crying In The Rain is a great bluesy track that was unfortunately rerecorded on the album 1987 when Whitesnake became huge. The version on Saints & Sinners, featuring Jon Lord is the best in my humble opinion.   

Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers 

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Deep Purple reformed in the mid 1980’s with their classic Mark II line up including Ian Gillan and Roger Glover.  They produced a wonderful album called Perfect Strangers. This is the title track of that album. The song reminds me of when I moved to Manchester where initially every person I met was a perfect stranger.

Deep Purple – Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming 

Deep Purple were still going strong in the mid 1990’s despite the departure of Ritchie Blackmore. Steve Morse filled the gap perfectly adequately on the album Purpendicular. This is one of my favourite songs because at that time of my life I really did feel like screaming and this song gave me a little bit of solace.

Rest in peace, Jon - we will miss you. Thanks for some fantastic music.

Top Ten Supertramp Songs

I have another music top ten for you, dear reader. This time it will not alienate those of you who dislike rock and heavy metal.

You may be surprised to know that I am a huge fan of Supertramp. Their music rekindles a moment in my life when I was about to break free of the reins of childhood and embark on the road to the big bad world and all of its dangers and rewards.

At that time in the late seventies, I loved heavy metal but was still influenced by other major artists of the day. Supertramp in particular were one of those bands that wrote intelligent, meaningful and poignant music that was technically brilliant, yet managed to delve below the surface and touch my heart in ways that still resonate within, bringing great memories flooding back.

The moment a Supertramp song appears on my magic music machine (otherwise known as my mp3 player), I break into a huge smile and am overcome by a euphoria that few bands can summon. It is rumoured that Supertramp were one of the favourite bands of Princess Diana – at least we have that in common.

If you haven’t listened to Supertramp, I would urge you to just follow the links below and give them a try.

I present to you my top ten Supertramp songs. Here they are.

(10) Bloody Well Right (from Crime Of The Century)

I am indeed bloody well right - most of the time anyway. And I am tempted to alter the lyrics to this song, ever so slightly, in order to accommodate numerous rants that bubble beneath my laid back façade. For a laugh – let’s just have a go (please indulge me, dear reader).

So you’re seeking fame and money

But you’ve no talent I can see

Your singing voice is really funny

It’s like a cat with dysentery

You know I’m bloody well right, I’ve got a bloody right to say

And me, I don’t care anyway!

(9) Give A Little Bit (from Even In The Quietest Moments)

I love the sentiment in this song. Supertramp were very good at writing feel good songs that give people a warm fuzzy feeling inside and this is a perfect example. I think perhaps if you look up the phrase “warm fuzzy feeling” in the musical dictionary of moods you will find Supertramp performing this song. Ah – a “musical dictionary of moods” – now there’s a concept for another post if ever I conceived one. More on that later, I think.

(8) The Logical Song (from Breakfast In America)

A friend of mine was obsessed with Supertramp and used to sing this song quite a lot, when he thought nobody was watching or listening. The problem was, he didn’t quite know the lyrics and occasionally he got them wrong – spectacularly wrong. I just wish I had had the foresight to try to catch him unawares with a cassette recorder and let you know what he actually sang. It certainly made me howl with laughter as a youth.

(7) Take The Long Way Home (from Breakfast In America)

When I was eighteen, three friends and I drove off to Bala in Wales, to spend a week at a cottage owned by one of the guys’ parents. All of us were unleashed for the first time, spending a crazy week isolated in a cottage in the middle of nowhere, a mile from Bala Lake and three miles from Bala itself (the nearest town). We had an absolute scream, doing the things that eighteen year olds do (drinking and playing stupid games) but also doing sensible things like hiking in the beautiful Welsh countryside, rowing on Bala Lake, fishing and all sorts of other activities.

Take The Long Way Home was a firm favourite and it seemed very apt at the end of the holiday because we all wanted to take the long way home.

(6) Dreamer (from Crime Of The Century)

Dreamer is another feel good song and we are entering “heart string” territory now. What am I talking about? I’m talking about songs that tug on your heart strings and make you almost tearful with delight. I can’t listen to this song without sniffling slightly – and with a huge grin. Why? Because I am a bit of a dreamer.

(5) School (from Crime Of The Century)

School is the first of the countdown to really grab my heart strings and yank them mercilessly. At the time this song was around, I was about to leave school myself and had a bit of a problem with authority – so the lyrics kind of struck a chord with me. Looking back, the guidance I received was fabulous but my school, in my opinion, tried to make me into something they could boast about rather than allowing me to do the thing I wanted to do in my own way. I can thank them for the “don’t do this and don’t do that” mentality now but I felt that although they were “old and wise” they were actually wrong about me in more ways than they can ever perceive. This song sums that up for me perfectly. Sniffle.

(4) Crime Of The Century (from Crime Of The Century)

Lyrics are meaningful to me and when combined with a fantastic tune you have a recipe for the perfect song. Crime Of The Century is high in my top ten mainly because of the music. I can’t put my finger on what appeals to me but the combination of piano, saxophone and violins at the end of the song elevates this song above most of the others. Many Supertramp fans I have spoken too don’t rate this song as highly as I do. Perhaps it’s just a personal preference.

(3) Child Of Vision (from Breakfast In America)

Now, dear reader, we are entering “shiver” territory, by which I mean songs that send a shiver up and down my spine. This song has everything I like about Supertramp; great lyrics and mesmerising keyboards and piano. Again, there are people who like Supertramp who don’t rate this song highly and I can’t understand that at all. It is almost the perfect Supertramp song – and it is only number three. Why? Because there are two songs that are even better (no shit Sherlock!). Here they are…

(2) A Soapbox Opera (from Crisis? What Crisis?)

On that trip to Bala, I mentioned earlier, Supertramp were high on the playlist chart and a lot of the time we chatted and sang when they appeared. Yet there were two songs we simply had to listen to and this was one of them. At the time I couldn’t drive so I sat in the back of the car listening to A Soapbox Opera and struggling to contain my emotions. You simply cannot allow yourself to blart in front of your mates – and I nearly did every time. This song is beautiful; as simple as that. But there is a song that is even better …

(1) Fools Overture (from Even In The Quietest Moments)

I am a massive fan of progressive rock; songs that experiment with sound and, typically, last for at least ten minutes. Fools Overture is, in my opinion, a progressive pop song that is an absolute triumph. Coming in at just under eleven minutes long, it captures everything I love about music; astounding music, incredible lyrics, experimentation and a massively catchy tune. If you have ten minutes, just relax, close your eyes and enjoy a true masterpiece. And yes, I am welling up as I am listening to it – what a big Jessie I am.

So that’s it, dear reader and over to you.

Do you like Supertramp? If so, do you agree with my selection?

I’d be very interested to hear what you think.

By the way, do you have a hankie? I think I have something in my eye.

Comedy Rock

Some people say that rock music is offensive nonsense. Others claim that it is a loud dirge with meaningless lyrics and hoarse unintelligible vocals.

I don’t care what people say – I still love it.

And, contrary to popular belief, rock music can be funny. Here, for you amusement , are a few examples of funny rock music.

Note – some a little naughty and puerile and that’s why they appeal to an immature arse like myself.

(1) Big Balls – AC/DC

You can guess by the title that this song is totally full of innuendo in a “Carry On” kind of way; a rather strange addition to the excellent AC/DC catalogue – but fun nonetheless.

(2) Learning To Fly – The Foo Fighters

This isn’t really a comedy song but the video is really funny. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth a look. It features Jack Black and Kyle Gass (aka Tenacious D – more from them later) and gives the band a chance to dress up a bit.

(3) Break Like The Wind – Spinal Tap

The lyrics to “Break Like The Wind” are fantastic. This song is a rock cliché from the start to the finish and features the guitar talent of Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani and Slash reaching a massive crescendo that seems never to finish. As funny as it is – it is also a great song.

“We are the thumbs on a stranger’s hands”

(4) Master Exploder - Tenacious D

This is taken from “Tenacious D – The Pick of Destiny” featuring Jack Black and Kyle Gass. It is the high spot of the film for me because not only is it a great song, the comedy around it is fabulous, particularly the expressions on Jack Black’s face as he sings.

A word of warning – the clip has bad language and some scenes that may be a little unsuitable for anybody who might easily be offended.

(5) Death To All But Metal – Steel Panther

Talking of being offensive – this is totally offensive but absolutely hilarious. I present the “radio edit” for those of a sensitive nature. Thankfully the offensive words have been replaced by weird noises. I saw the uncut video on late night TV and I was stunned at the appalling language. The good thing is that Steel Panther are a comedy band but also extremely disgusting. I saw them live and it was hilarious. If you dare to dig out the uncut video, watch the ending:

“Death to all butt metal”

“No – I said Death to all but metal”

“That’s what I said – Death to all butt metal”

(6) The Offspring – The Worst Hangover Ever

If you have ever been drunk this will make you laugh. We’ve all been there. I certainly have.

(7) Love and Death and an American Guitar – Jim Steinman

I’m not sure whether this is supposed to be funny – but it makes me laugh. It comes from Jim Steinman, the brains behind Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out of Hell”. Weird but I love the ending.

(8) The Majesty of Rock – Spinal Tap

Another classic from Spinal Tap – with very funny lyrics.

“When we die do we haunt the sky? Do we lurk in the murk of the seas?

What then? Are we born again, just to sit asking questions like these?”

(9) Tribute – Tenacious D

I love this video – if you haven’t seen it you really should. Jack Black and Kyle Gass are hilarious. And the devil is played by Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters. Wonderfully funny.

(10) An Englishman on Holiday – Thunder

My final offering is from Thunder and tells the tale of English thugs on holiday in Spain. Of course, the message is clear, but it is told in a funny way.

“We like to sing and shout out “Here We Go!” ‘cos they’re the only words that we all know.”

Marvellous.

Gary Moore - RIP

On Sunday we lost another rock legend. Gary Moore, one of the world’s greatest guitarists died of a heart attack while on holiday in Spain.

He was 58 years old.

As well as playing guitar for Thin Lizzy on the momentous Black Rose album, he had a wonderful solo career, first as a rock guitarist and later, returning to his beloved blues.

I was fortunate enough to see Gary live in 1990 when he toured with his first blues album called “Still Got The Blues”. Initially I was disappointed because I expected him to play some of his rock classics, but as the concert progressed I was struck by how good a guitar player he was – in fact, one of the best I have seen.

It is a sad loss to the world of music and at such a relatively young age.

To help his memory live on in my own small way, I present to you my favourite songs featuring Gary Moore.

10. Led Clones – Gary Moore and Ozzy Osbourne

“After the War” is one of my favourite albums and features heavily in this top ten. “Led Clones” features the vocal talents of Ozzy Osbourne and one of my favourite drummers, Cozy Powell. The song bemoans the number of bands at the time who sounded like Led Zeppelin – hence the title. A great tune.

9. Thunder Rising – Gary Moore

“Wild Frontier” is my favourite album by Gary Moore and “Thunder Rising” is a magnificent rock anthem featuring Gary at his best. A wonderful excuse to get out your guitar.

8. After The War – Gary Moore

This is the title track to “After the War” and once again demonstrates that Gary could write a fabulous tune. Again it features the talents of Cozy Powell on the drums and offers you yet another excuse to haul out your air guitar.

7. Waiting For An Alibi – Thin Lizzy

This song is taken from the album “Black Rose”, one of the best albums by Thin Lizzy.

6. Midnight Blues – Gary Moore

When Gary Moore turned to the blues I was quite shocked but the album, “Still Got The Blues” is a superb album. My favourite song is “Midnight Blues” and is so solemn and tuneful that it brings a tear to my eyes, particularly given his passing. This is a superb song.

5. Take A Little Time – Gary Moore

Another powerful rock song from “Wild Frontier”. Time to get out that air guitar again.

4. Out In The Fields – Gary Moore and Phil Lynott

This was one of the last songs recorded by Phil Lynott and was quite sad just because of that fact. Nevertheless, it is a wonderful song featuring two absolute legends.

3. Friday On My Mind – Gary Moore

I love “Friday On My Mind”, particularly the version from “Pin Ups” by David Bowie. Gary Moore covered the song on “Wild Frontier” and turned it into a cracking rock song that surpassed both Bowie’s version and that of the Easybeats.

2. Blood Of Emeralds – Gary Moore

“Blood of Emeralds” is a masterpiece. It has a very Celtic feel to it, as you can probably guess from the title of the song. One of the best rock songs of the 1980’s. Sadly it nestled on the album “After the War” and, in my opinion would have made a superb single.

1. Over The Hills And Far Away – Gary Moore

“Over The Hills…” was the song that got me into Gary Moore. It was a single and I loved it from the moment I heard it. It is the first and best song on “Wild Frontier”. The album contains a longer version of this song with some blistering guitar.


Rest in peace , Gary – we’ll miss you.

15 Albums That Will Always Stick With You

Two friends on Facebook challenged me (separately) to name 15 albums that will always stay with me. Here was the challenge:

The rules: Don't take too long to think about this. List 15 albums you've heard that will always stick with you.

There’s a lot more crap about tagging people etc. but you get the gist. I decided to have a go and actually managed to find 15 albums out of my collection. But it was hard, dear reader, very, very hard.

I published the note on Facebook but the note simply contained the albums. I have decided therefore to give you, dear reader, a bit more background into why each of the albums will always remain close to my heart. In many cases, the music on the album invokes memories and emotions that simply cannot be replaced; in others cases the album is listed simply because it is a classic.

Here they are (in roughly the order that they came to my attention):

Supertramp - Crime of the Century (Released 1974)


I love Supertramp and this is quite simply my favourite album by the band. At the tender age of eighteen, I escaped the clutches of my parents with three mates and spent a fun filled weekend at a cottage in Wales. There are many classic tracks on this album, like School, Crime of the Century and Hide in Your Shell. My favourite song is Dreamer.

Click here to listen to Dreamer.

U.F.O. - Strangers in the Night (Released 1979)


“Hello Chicago! Would you please welcome from England – U.F.O!!!!”

These are the words that send a shiver down my spine even to this day. Strangers in the Night is a double live album from a British rock band called UFO and it has pride of place as the very first rock album I ever bought. It changed my musical direction and for that alone it will always remain in my heart. And of course it contains Rock Bottom one of the best live rock songs ever.

Click here to listen to Rock Bottom in all its glory

Deep Purple - Made in Japan (Released 1972)



“What’s that bloody screaming racket?” howled my father when he heard Ian Gillan screaming on Child in Time.

“It’s the future,” I decreed.

“Well if that’s the future then God help us,” he replied in disgust.

This is Deep Purple at their very best, performing in Japan, live and raw, with the Mark II line up.

Click here to listen to Highway Star

Rainbow - Rising (Released 1976)

The greatest rock album of the 70's is Rising by Rainbow. You only have to look at the line up on this magnificent magnum opus: Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James Dio and Cozy Powell, arguably the greatest guitarist, singer and drummer of that time.

The opening bars to Tarot Woman send shivers down my spine and the Stargazer and Light in the Black combination portray rock music in its purest and best form.

Rest in peace Ronnie James Dio.

Click here to listen to Stargazer

David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (Released 1980)

There had to be a David Bowie in my list and I really struggled to decide which one. Aladdin Sane almost made it but it was edged out by Scary Monsters simply because it reminds me of a transitional time in my life when I was studying for A-levels and hoping to go to university but having to juggle life with mates who wanted to drink and chase girls.

I wanted to do that too but my dad led me on the right path. I hated him for it because I thought I was missing out. Of course, in the long term I can’t thank him enough.

It was just such a shame I never got to tell him – he died in 1981.

This was the last great David Bowie album.

Click here to listen to Scary Monsters

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (Released 1969)


Led Zeppelin’s debut album is the greatest blues rock album of all time in my humble opinion. I didn’t really get into Led Zeppelin until university so I was a late developer in that sense. When I had finished my final exam in my final year, I went back to my room and played Communication Breakdown at full volume – all the stress of revision and hard work was unleashed with Robert Plant’s magnificent vocals.

Dazed and Confused is one of the greatest blues rock songs of all time.

Click here to listen to Dazed and Confused

Rush - Signals (Released 1982)

Regular readers will know that Rush are my favourite band and Signals will always be special because it was my first real exposure to the power trio from Canada.

On the strength of this album I blew a large amount of money to see the band for the first time in 1982 as a student. They have been with me ever since.

Click here to listen to Subdivisions

Tears for Fears - Songs From the Big Chair (Released 1985)

I loved Tears for Fears in the early 80’s. Their first album had some great pop songs that still remind me of my time at university.

Nevertheless, it was nothing compared to their second album, Songs From the Big Chair, which in my humble opinion is the greatest pop album of the 80’s.

There are so many great tracks on it including Shout, The Working Hour and Mother’s Talk.

However, I think my favourite is Head Over Heels which is a wonderful song that quite simply stirs my emotions and brings a tear or two to my eyes.

Click here to listen to Head Over Heels

Rush - Power Windows (Released 1985)

In 1985, I had a touch and go long distance relationship with W (who ultimately became my wife).

I lived in Manchester and she lived in Harlow (a town about 30 miles north of London). The relationship was struggling because of the distance and each of us commuting alternate weeks.

Power Windows helped me to cope with the train journey to London every fortnight and I played it over and over again and it allowed me to forget the trauma of this challenging relationship. I knew every second of every song on the album and it was probably the first album that caused embarrassment for me, when I sang it aloud without thinking.

Eventually W moved up to Manchester and all was well – until the divorce some years later that is.

Anyway, every song on the album is legendary. Particular favourites are Marathon, Territories and The Big Money. My overall favourite is Mystic Rhythms.

Click here to listen to Mystic Rhythms

Queensrÿche - Operation Mindcrime (Released 1988)



I love a good concept album and concept albums do not come any better than Operation Mindcrime by Queensrÿche.

It tells the story of a man who becomes a political assassin and is accompanied by some of the finest music you will hear from a heavy metal band. It spawned a sequel a few years ago which, while good in its own right, didn’t quite live up to its predecessor.

If you love progressive heavy metal and haven’t heard Operation Mindcrime, you simply MUST. I urge you. You won’t regret it.

Click hear to listen to the introduction and Anarchy-X/Revolution Calling

Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (Released 1994)



Trent Reznor is a genius. I love the guy – he can do no wrong. His band, Nine Inch Nails, first crossed my radar when I heard Closer, a very intense and controversial song that was a single containing a few expletives.

It was a fusion of the electronic music I loved from the early 80’s with a hard rock edge and I instantly became a huge fan. Closer is just one of a plethora of powerful songs that appear on The Downward Spiral, a wonderfully dark and malevolent album that takes no prisoners.

It is Trent Reznor’s finest masterpiece.

Every song is brilliant, from the opener Mr Self Destruct through to the wonderful Hurt, a song so enthralling that it was covered by the legendary Johnny Cash with an accompanying video will make you cry (well it made me cry anyway – but I can be a soppy git sometimes). My dad was a huge fan of Johnny Cash and I think he would have loved it.

Click here to listen to Hurt by Nine Inch Nails

Click here to listen to Johnny Cash’s incredible version of Hurt

Metallica - Master of Puppets (Released 1986)

I dismissed Metallica as “too thrashy” in the 80’s mainly because they were a little too heavy for my taste. However, with the release of the Black album, I decided to have another peek at them.

A mate recommended Master of Puppets as their magnum opus – I gave it a try and realised that Metallica were more than just a thrash metal band – they were fantastic musicians. Master of Puppets is quite simply one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all times.

Yes it’s heavy but it is in places extremely tuneful and shows that the band are quite diverse.

Highlights include Battery, Master of Puppets, Welcome Home (Sanitarium) and the instrumental track Orion, which shows the musicianship of the band.

Click here to listen to Orion

Air - Moon Safari (Released 1998)


As I get older, I am drifting more and more into mellow music, the kind of chill out tunes that you can listen too in a dimly lit room full of candles and watch your stress fade into a cloud of ecstasy.

It all started in Hong Kong when I first heard La Femme d’Argent on a CD that came with Q magazine. I listened to it while doing some work in the hotel room and I found myself floating away with the subtle tune. Before I knew it, I was lying on the bed and smiling.

Mrs PM remarked that the song was totally unlike anything I championed in the music world. And I agree. It isn’t loud andheavy and it doesn't have a stomping beat. It is mellow, tuneful and wonderful.

I was so struck by this new style that I bought the album the next day – and it blew me away. Songs like All I Need, Talisman, You Make It Easy and New Star in the Sky will destroy stress and tension in a heartbeat. La Femme d’Argent is still my personal favourite.

Click here to listen to La Femme d’Argent, preferably in a dimly lit room with candles and a glass of wine.

Watch the tension vanish.

Rammstein - Mutter (Released 2001)


In complete contrast to Air, I present to you Rammstein, a German industrial rock band who are as brilliant as they are controversial. Most of their songs are sung in their native German and their lyrics can be offensive. I have met two German people, both women, who found them objectionable and told me their opinion in no uncertain terms. That said, their music is wonderfully heavy and utterly crazy.

The album Mutter is the best of their albums and includes Feuer Frei (from the movie XXX) and Sonne.

The less said about Zwitter the better (in terms of lyrics).

My favourite is a storming tune called Links 2-3-4 and I personally think that even if you claim not to like heavy metal or German lyrics sung in a growling voice, you will deep down at a primeval level put the song in that vault labelled “Guilty Pleasures”. Trust me – I know what I am talking about.

Click here to listen to Links 2-3-4

Dream Theater - Images and Words (Released 1992)


For many years friends who love heavy metal or progressive rock have been urging me to listen to Dream Theater. I capitulated last year and listened to Images and Words on Spotify.

Not since Rush has a band had such a profound effect on me.

After listening for the second time, I bought it and I still haven’t stopped playing it almost a year later. In fact, I have gradually been buying all their albums ever since and only have two to go to complete my collection. Like Rush, Dream Theater are masters of progressive rock but with the added bonus of having a more metallic tendency (some have called their style progressive metal).

Also like Rush they are virtuosos and play their instruments technically and flawlessly. Each song is a mini symphony (and some are very long, lasting ten minutes or more in a lot of cases).

Images and Words is one of the greatest rock albums of all time with Pull Me Under, Take the Time, Learning to Live and Metropolis Pt 1.

Here for your listening pleasure is another classic song from the album: Under a Glass Moon

And now, dear reader, over to you.

That just about wraps it up from me. Finding 15 albums from my collection that will always stick with me was very difficult to be honest and could really have been 100 albums.

I challenge you, dear reader, to name 15 albums that will always stick with you either in a comment or on your own blog if you have one. I don’t care whether you like Abba or Eminem; Beethoven or Black Sabbath, Jazz or DJ Jazzy Jeff – name your albums and then let me know.

I think you will find it very difficult.