Rock Fusion

I’m off on my travels again on Monday and I can’t wait. I’m heading west across the pond again but this time, I’m heading south of the Equator to Brazil. We are starting off in Lisbon for a day before flying to Salvador, Iguazu Falls, Rio de Janeiro and finally a couple of days by the beach in Búzios.

We’ve never been to South America before and I am looking forward to crossing off another country from my travel bucket list.

I will post more details on my return but in the meantime I thought I would offer you a couple of rock songs that cross over into other genres. 

Regular readers know that I love rock music and I my quest to introduce new music to readers will continue (sorry about that). The songs below are all probably by artists you haven’t heard before but have been influenced by other musical styles.

Rock meets 1980’s Pop – Yes – Owner of a Lonely Heart

I love pop music from the early 1980’s and Yes, a progressive rock band, produced the perfect fusion of this style with rock. Many die-hard fans of Yes hate this song accusing it of being too commercial and that the band sold out. I totally disagree. I love it and it was of my favourite songs from the 1980’s.

Rock meets Reggae – Rush  - Digital Man

Regular readers will know that Rush are my favourite band and they often incorporate other musical styles into their songs, which is one of the reasons I love them so much. This particular song has a heavy reggae influence throughout.

Rock meets Blues  - Led Zeppelin – I Can’t Quit You, Baby

To be fair, Led Zeppelin started life as a blues band and evolved into something that many people think was the start of heavy metal. As you can see from the song below from their eponymous debut album the band’s roots are deeply embedded in the blues.



Rock meets Gospel – The Answer – Preachin’

I love a good bit of gospel and when combined with a bit of rock and a slide guitar, it is a recipe for a cracking feel good song. The Answer are a cracking British rock band who I first saw before they were famous in a tiny venue in Manchester. The next time, they were supporting AC/DC at the Manchester Arena. They are definitely worth checking out.

Rock meets Jazz – Nightwish – Slow Love Slow

Nightwish are a Finnish symphonic metal band who regularly cross musical genres. I am not a huge fan of jazz music at all but this particular slow and sensual song is just brilliant and wouldn’t feel out of place in a 1950’s jazz club. Here are the band performing it live at the Montreux Jazz festival:

Rock meets Latin American – Santana – Smooth

Okay – Carlos Santana is from Mexico so it’s hardly unexpected that his music is heavily influenced by his Latin American roots. However, he is a fantastic guitarist and in my humble opinion it makes his style of Latin American music much more enjoyable.

Rock meets Dance – Nine Inch Nails – Only

Nine Inch Nails have always flirted with electronica (which is the main reason they are one of my favourite bands). Only is a great little song that borders on being a pop song. It’s certainly a song that would persuade me to jump onto the dance floor and strut my funky stuff, even though these days I look like an embarrassing old man at a wedding.

Rock meets Mexican Mariachi – Rammstein – Te Quiero Puta!

Rammstein are always producing bizarre songs and this is arguably the most bizarre of them all. Most fans of the band hate the song but I find it quirky and intriguing. It is sung in Spanish and I won’t bother translating the words for you (because as you can guess they are offensive).

Rock meets Opera – Nightwish – The Passion and the Opera

The original singer of Nightwish, the fabulous Tarja Turunen, has an amazing and very operatic voice. To be honest, I could have chosen many more early songs by Nightwish to illustrate her vocal capabilities, but I selected this one because it focusses more on the operatic range of her voice. I’m not a fan of opera at all but somehow her voice fits in snugly with the heavy music. About two minutes into this song you can hear for yourself how operatic her voice is.

Rock meets Techno – Joe Satriani – Devil’s Slide

Joe Satriani is a brilliant guitarist, arguably the greatest rock guitarist in the world. The album Engines of Creation is probably the most experimental he has produced, with synthesisers and computer manipulation taking centre stage alongside his guitar genius rather than the traditional drums, bass and keyboards.



I hope you enjoyed the songs and I will see you in a couple of weeks.

Nine Inch Nails - The Meme

It’s that time of the month again, the time when I allow a little self-indulgence and pontificate about one of my favourite musical artists. This month it is the turn of Nine Inch Nails, the band fronted by Oscar winning musical genius Trent Reznor.

Yes, that’s right – Trent Reznor won an Oscar for the soundtrack to the Facebook film The Social Network, together with co-writer Atticus Ross.

In fact, quite a few Nine Inch Nails songs have found their way onto movie soundtracks and TV programmes.

Of all my music, Mrs PM finds Nine Inch Nails the least offensive and most palatable, probably because they incorporate elements of dance into some of their music. However, make no mistake, this is a band that produces angry songs ) sometimes very angry indeed) and that’s what I love most about them.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s plough into this.

1. How long have you been a fan?

I have been a fan since 1994 when I heard my first song by the band. In the early 1980’s, I was heavily into electronic pop music. Bands like Depeche Mode, Ultravox, Heaven 17 and Tears For Fears were huge favourites but they lacked the aggression I craved from heavy metal and rock music.

Nine Inch Nails bridged that gap. Their music is described as industrial but to me it is a fusion of that period from the early 1980’s with the menacing undertones that heavy metal and hard rock provide.

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

The first song I encountered was Closer (see below). I first heard it at a rock club in Manchester called Rockworld that is now, sadly, no longer there. It was the only night club in Manchester that I could bear to be in and the patrons of the club were fans of punk rock, hard rock, heavy metal, classic rock and any combination of all of them. The dress code was non-existent and allowed everyone to express themselves in any way they desired.

When I heard the song I asked a mate who the band was. It wasn’t long before I bought my first Nine Inch Nails CD.

3. What’s your favourite album(s)?

My absolute favourite is the first album I ever bought – The Downward Spiral, which many regard as the band’s magnum opus. To be honest though I love every last one of their albums with the following standing out:

The Downward Spiral (1994)

The Fragile (1999)

With Teeth (2005)

4. What’s your favourite song(s)?

This is an extremely difficult question, as always for a band that I love. My favourite songs are those that are the angriest. However, Nine Inch Nails have evolved over the years and while their music is quite heavy, I thought I would try to give a tour of the types of songs they produce.

Copy of A (from Hesitation Marks - 2014)

This is a recent song and is more electronic than some of the band’s earlier offerings. I find this to be a real earworm with it’s almost dance like beat. Recent songs seem to be less angry than earlier material because, perhaps, Trent Reznor is mellowing with age.

Discipline (from The Slip - 2008)

Moving back a few years, Nine Inch Nails offered an album for free on their website, an offer I simply couldn’t refuse. Nevertheless, I loved the album and this song is also a slightly dance-oriented song. I was watching a TV programme with a scene in a dance club and this song was playing in the background. Mrs PM didn’t believe it was Nine Inch Nails until Trent started singing.

Every Day Is Exactly The Same (from With Teeth  - 2005)

A while ago, when I was stuck in a bit of a rut, this song summed up everything I was feeling. The fact is I am still in a rut, but I can see a way out of it and I am a lot more positive. Every time I hear this song, it makes me consider what I want to do. I love it.

The Hand That Feeds (from With Teeth – 2005)

This is my favourite Nine Inch Nails song . It is angry but more subdued than the earlier material the band produced, which was full of rage and very heavy as a result. For me, this is the perfect Nine Inch Nails song.

Closer (from The Downward Spiral – 1994)

As I said earlier, this is the first song I heard by the band and I still love it. Mrs PM quite likes it too. However, be warned, the chorus is rather offensive with swearing. In fact, I was going to put up the official video, but I thought that might be a little offensive too. Despite all this, I think it is a fantastic song.

Warning - this song may offend.

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

Yes – I’ve seen them four times. The first time was probably the best because it coincided with the album With Teeth in 2005, but the most recent concert last year was another superb couple of hours.

6. Have you ever met them?

No. But I would love to.

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

Not really. Each album has its own merits.

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

Strangely no. All of their albums appear frequently on my iPod and I like most of the songs I hear.

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

Let’s face it, Nine Inch Nails are the antithesis of happy-clappy music and that’s why I love them. Their music, on the whole, is dark and explores the negativity that exists in all of us. When I have had a bad day, I like nothing more than to pop on a good old angry Nine Inch Nails song because it has a cathartic effect and dissolves the negativity. You may think that’s a bit weird, and maybe you’re right, but it works for me.

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

Not many people I have met totally dislike them –even Mrs PM. So really, I don’t care.

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

Trent Reznor has collaborated with one of my favourite artists, David Bowie. I really wish this had been the start of more work between the two of them. Nine Inch Nails added something special to a typical David Bowie song – I’m Afraid of Americans is the result. Trent Reznor is the stalker in the video.

12. Are they underappreciated/unknown?

Not at all. In fact, they are more popular than ever, it seems.

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

No. I don’t really dislike any of their songs.

14. Do people think you are too obsessed with the artist?

I wouldn’t say so – unless they release a new album, in which case I do tend to overplay it.

15. Do you pre-order their new albums without having heard any music from it?

Absolutely.

And Finally ...

I hope you like some of the music above and thanks for allowing a little self-indugence.

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.

Top Ten Rock Bands

As you can see, I survived the first Christmas party – and jolly good it was too. Before the next one, tonight, I thought I would deviate from my usual inane drivel.

Every now and then I stumble across a blog post that lists the author’s favourite things and I find myself drawn in out of curiosity. I’ve read about favourite books, movies, bands, songs, cars – all sorts of things. In some cases I have actually investigated further by taking the time to see a movie because somebody recommended it in a Top Ten List.

I thought I would have a go myself and being a curious person (by that I mean a person who is curious not somebody who is weird – although I am weird – so maybe really am curious in more than one sense of the word – I’m rambling now so I’ll shut up), I thought I might give people an insight into the things that appeal to me and, hopefully, open doors for your curiosity to wander in and explore.

I’ll start off with a subject that is close to my heart – rock music.

Listed below are my ten favourite rock bands with a simple explanation about why I love them

Please feel free to comment on your favourites – my curiosity has a sense of adventure and I’m always willing to move into previously unexplored areas of rock music; I am the Starship Enterprise travelling through a universe of unexplored rock bands – willing to go where no plastic person has gone before.

For those willing to explore my strange world, here are my top ten rock bands:

(1) Rush – In my opinion, this band are the undisputed kings of progressive rock. I’ve praised this Canadian trio before so I won’t bore you too much with my sycophantic gushing. I have grown up with this band and their music never ceases to amaze me. Here is a song from the very first album I bought:

Subdivisions - from the album Signals

(2) Dream Theater – I’ve only recently discovered this band. They have been around for almost two decades and I am kicking myself that I only started listening to them this year. I bought “Images And Words” and haven’t looked back. Thanks to Spotify, I have heard their entire catalogue and I will have it in my possession by mid-2010. Here’s probably their most popular song:

Pull Me Under from the album Images and Words

(3) Nine Inch Nails – I am a huge fan of 80’s electronic pop music, particularly bands like Depeche Mode. Nine Inch Nails take that style of music and integrate rock and metal into it thus providing me with a style of music that fills the gap between pop and rock. I think Trent Reznor is a genius and the man can do no wrong in my eyes. Here’s a recent chart single:

The Hand That Feeds from the album With Teeth

(4) Rammstein – This bunch of German nutters are a joy to behold. I was converted when I saw them in the opening scenes of the film “XXX” performing “Feuer Frei” complete with flame throwers and other pyrotechnic mayhem. They are very controversial in their native Germany and a couple of Germans I have spoken to regard them with nothing but contempt. Having translated the lyrics I can see why. That said, however, they are incredible live and I am off to see them for the second time in February next year. Here is the song that started it all for me:

Feuer Frei from the album Mutter

(5) Deep Purple – Deep Purple are one of the key bands that made me fall in love with rock music. The legendary Mark II line up is still my favourite and songs like “Highway Star” still send shivers down my spine. The bad are still going strong after forty years – they must be doing something right.

Perfect Strangers from the album Perfect Strangers

(6) Foo Fighters – David Grohl is another musical hero of mine. I loved Nirvana but The Foo Fighters are superior and I’m still amazed at the sheer talent and charisma of the guy. If you haven’t already seen them live, I highly recommend it.

All My Life from the album One By One

(7) Judas Priest – There aren’t many famous people from my home town of Walsall but Rob Halford, the lead singer of Judas Priest, is one of them. They are the godfathers of heavy metal and, although they have courted controversy, I still love them. Again they are still going strong and their latest concept album, Nostradamus, is one of the best heavy metal albums of this decade.

Nostradamus from the album Nostradamus

(8) The Wildhearts – Ginger, the singer and main songwriter of the Wildhearts, is another unsung hero of mine. Believe it or not this band has been around since the early nineties and, despite self-destructing on a number of occasions, they are (incredibly) still around and producing some of their best music at the moment. If you like punky rock music with incredibly catchy tunes you will love this band.

The New Flesh from the album The Wildhearts

(9) Metallica – It wasn’t until “Enter Sandman” that I realised just how good Metallica are. For me that was the song that changed my perception of this incredible band. For those of you that are sceptical, just listen to the album “Master of Puppets”. If you are still not convinced, listen to their most reason masterpiece, “Death Magnetic”. These are two of the best heavy metal albums of all time.

The Day That Never Comes from the album Death Magnetic

(10) Ten – Yes, I’ve mentioned this melodic rock band before and I know that you will have never heard of them. It is an absolute crime that this band never reached the heights of inferior bands like Bon Jovi. Gary Hughes, the man behind the band, is a superb songwriter. If you like melodic rock, you will love this band.

Fear The Force from the album Spellbound

Do have a listen and let me know what you think. Even better, please let me know your favourite rock bands and I will investigate. Have fun.

100 Rock Songs (91 To 100)

The final ten …

(91) Foo Fighters – Come Back

As I have already said, there are hidden gems on most albums. Forget the singles; listen to the other tracks. From the album “One By One”, the Foos have written such a gem. I have to say that this song sends shivers down my spine, such is its appeal. The Foo Fighters just keep getting better and better. For those fans who have yet to buy an album or see the band live – just do it. They are one of the best bands around at the moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KlbLcvqG9Q

(92) Marilyn Manson – mObscene

I never thought I’d like Marilyn Manson. When I first encountered his music I assumed he was just another shock-jockey trying to be controversial to sell records as a poor Alice Cooper clone. Yet the more I hear him the more I realise that his songs are actually very appealing. “mObscene” is a great example of this. Criticize it if you will but you cannot deny it is a fantastic rock song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzjrkpYgpi0

(93) Velvet Revolver – Do It For The Kids

You can wait forever for a Guns ‘n’ Roses album but if you want something similar look no further than Velvet Revolver, a band made up of former members of the gunners and in many ways better. Okay, they’ve had their issues with Scott Weiland but you can’t deny that they are great. “Chinese Democracy” will only appear when Axl Rose pulls his finger out a certain orifice but in the meantime Velvet Revolver are still there. “Do It For The Kids” is a great song – hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjMZT4afIw8

(94) The Wildhearts – O.C.D.

The Wildhearts keep self-destructing and still come back – and thankfully they are still around despite the ups and downs. From the album of “B-sides” called “Coupled With” comes a typical barn-storming Wildhearts classic that gets the crowd leaping around like crazy folks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSSTV91H-s8

(95) Ginger – Drinking In The Daytime

Nowadays, the Wildhearts seem to have settled down and are still together but these days Ginger has produced a few solo albums. The best so far is “Valor Del Corazon”, a double album recorded at a turning point in the great man’s life with some of the best songs he has written. From that album comes “Drinking In The Daytime”, a song that would fit snugly on a Wildhearts album. Epic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbfES6bua-c

(96) Ginger – My Friend The Enemy

From the same album comes “My Friend The Enemy”, another cracking song worthy of the Wildhearts. As is typical of Ginger’s output it is highly contagious and will have you singing away with your air guitar. Sadly the snippet below doesn’t do it justice – trust me, listen top “Valor Del Corazon”. You will love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywlBapG3eE8

(97) Nine Inch Nails – The Hand That Feeds

Trent Reznor has become quite prolific in recent years. It all started with the album “With Teeth”, which some fans didn’t rate as highly as his previous masterpieces. I beg to differ. I regard it as a work of genius and “The Hand That Feeds” is the best song on the album. At the moment I just can’t get enough of Nine Inch Nails and the more prolific Trent Reznor becomes the better. Long may he reign.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk7SKP4PJ2w

(98) Rammstein - Benzin

“Benzin” comes from the latest album from Rammstein called “Rosenrot”. While not quite as heavy as the earlier offerings it is still a great CD. Accompanied by a great video it is the best song on the album. Rumour has it that the band are working on their next album. Personally I can’t wait. BENZIN!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jwXQFFLSHo

(99) Queensrÿche – Signs Say Go

Queensyche went off the boil for years and I was delighted to hear that they had recorded a follow up to “Operation Mindcrime” called imaginatively “Operation Mindcrime 2”. I’m pleased to say that it is a welcome return to form and though not as good as the original, it stands up on its own merits. “Signs Say Go” is a cracking track and the link below doesn’t do it justice. A piece of trivia – I was at the gig below so I witnessed this performance first hand and I have to say it was magnificent (I didn’t do the filming though).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIOtyHKCQ1o

(100) Ten – The Elysian Fields

The final song is from the latest Ten album called “The Twilight Chronicles”. It is a mellow piece of melodic beauty that generates goosebumps and shivers for a whole seven minutes. A true masterpiece – check out the album if you can – sadly there are no links to it. Stunning.



Well – that’s it. The problem is now that as I buy new albums I may have to revise both lists. Maybe I will in a few years time – its too soon now. I hope there are people out there who find my list of songs agreeable – let me know if you so desire.

100 Rock Songs (71 to 80)

… and the next cluster

(71) Nine Inch Nails - Closer

“Closer” was the first song I heard from Nine Inch Nails and is the reason I love the Trent Reznor’s music so much. It has everything you would expect from Trent Reznor including the most memorable chorus, which of course includes very explicit lyrics. The album this song comes from is “The Downward Spiral”, a superbly dark and menacing album that pulls no punches. Thankfully I found a copy of the video and song that removes the expletives for those who may easily be offended. However, I think that for once the language is necessary and the song is worse without it. Enjoy the darkness and depression.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4VAv8y2hHM

(72) Ten – The Name Of The Rose

“Who?” I hear you ask. The band is a local Manchester band called “Ten” and is the brainchild of Gary Hughes, a singer/songwriter with a unique talent to write epic melodic rock anthems. The band have released several albums since the mid-nineties but have definitely not had the recognition they deserve, which is a real shame. Gary Hughes has a great voice and writes songs that are quite frankly superb. The very best is “Name Of The Rose”, a beautiful song that switches between being a melodic ballad and a supreme hard rock anthem. A beautiful masterpiece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsQVoZ1C-fU

(73) The Wildhearts – Do The Channel Bop

“Do The Channel Bop” from “Fishing For Luckies” is a wonderfully catchy song that really makes you want to dance around with your air guitar. At a cool seven minutes long, it is one of the longer offerings from Ginger and company. Sadly you will have to buy or borrow a copy of “Fishing For Luckies” to hear the song in all of its glory, something I would recommend because it is a great album.

(74) The Foo Fighters – New Way Home

Everybody raves on about Nirvana – and I can see why; I like them a lot too – but the Foo Fighters are vastly superior in my humble opinion. The second album by Dave Grohl and his mates, “The Colour And The Shape” is truly superb. However, if you listen to the songs that weren’t released as singles, there are some true gems there, none better than the last track “New Way Home”. I love the way it begins like any other song and then half way through simply stops and starts again very quietly before building up to a tremendous crescendo that makes you want to stomp around the room in bliss. Fantastic.

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

(75) Rammstein – Du Hast

I am so glad that I discovered Rammstein. For the uninitiated, they are a very loud and very heavy German rock band, who have chosen to sing in their native language and are not afraid to court controversy. That aside, they also produce some of the best rock songs I have heard. “Du Hast” is a typical offering, a real stomper. I went to see the band a couple of years ago at the MEN Arena and the crowd were jumping up and down and singing in German despite not knowing what the words meant. I have tried to translate with my limited German and sought the true meaning from the internet. I can see why they are regarded with such disdain in some quarters. Personally though I couldn’t give a damn. They are a fantastic band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm2eT-sTVys

(76) Skin – The Only One

Skin were a great British rock band of the nineties who faded after three albums. Personally I thought they improved with each album so I was disappointed when it came to an end. They had a measure of chart success but as is usually the case, there were plenty of gems that only die-hard fans like myself were exposed to. “The Only One” is a great example and if you follow the link below you will hear a snippet that hopefully will convince you that they faded before their time.

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

(77) Ten – The Robe

“The Robe” is another epic rock anthem from the brilliant Gary Hughes and his band Ten. Clocking in at a cool nine minutes, this song is from the album of the same name and is one of their greatest contributions to the rock world. I’m sure that if this band had had the airplay they deserved then they would be playing to vast crowds worldwide. It’s such a shame. And of course the only way you can appreciate this great song is by launching an expedition for the album. Well worth the effort in my opinion since there are many other classic songs to be found.

(78) Nine Inch Nails – Star[s]uckers, Inc

As you can imagine it is difficult to tell you about this song simply because it doesn’t leave a lot to the imagination. Needless to say the title above is slightly inaccurate and bizarrely I’ve managed to find a video where the many expletives and explicit lyrics are “replaced”. That said, I can’t help but love the song. Trent Reznor at his very best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hclkb76IvY

(79) Ten – The Alchemist

“Spellbound” by Ten is one of my favourite albums, with a distinctive Celtic feel to it. “The Alchemist” is a wonderful rock song that requires an air guitar to appreciate it fully. Sadly, once more, you will need to embark upon a trek to discover the majesty of the album. Good luck – once more it is worth it.

(80) Alice Cooper – Brutal Planet

After all of these years, Alice Cooper is still out there scaring audiences and young children to death with his tongue firmly implanted in his cheek. The marvellous news is that he is till producing great music. In 2000, I saw the man live for the first time for the “Brutal Planet” tour. The title track is so heavy it is brilliant and is my favourite song. Brutal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA3OWll_Das


81 to 90 to follow …

100 Rock Songs (51 to 60)

The next ten …

(51) Guns ‘n’ Roses – You Could Be Mine

In my opinion, “Use You Illusion II” is the greatest album created by Axl Rose and his buddies. “You Could Be Mine”, featured on the soundtrack of “Terminator 2: Judgement Day”, is the best song on the album. A true rock song. Superb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlzptZ9wieQ

(52) Kingdom Come – Should I?

Kingdom Come were condemned as “Led Zeppelin-clones” and its not difficult to see why. The German singer, Lenny Wolf, has a very similar voice to Robert Plant and the great band’s influence on Kingdom Come is there for all to see. That said, when I heard “Should I?” I was so impressed that I immediately bought the album. The song is terrific and is so similar to Led Zeppelin it is uncanny. Led Zeppelin fans may hate them but I think this song is a classic. Brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjDXd8XhtZg

(53) Metallica – Enter Sandman

Metallica were always too heavy and thrashy for me. Their early stuff, to me, was a wall of deafening noise that had no direction. That’s just my opinion. “Enter Sandman” changed all that. The song is loud and heavy but it shows that the band are essentially great musicians. It is one of my favourite songs of all times. Scary.

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

(54) Nine Inch Nails - Wish

Trent Reznor is an innovative genius who can do nothing wrong in my view. I discovered “Wish” very recently, although it was released fifteen or so years ago. It is wonderfully dark and heavy and represents Trent Reznor at his very best. Fast drums, wailing guitars and extreme angst – pure ecstacy! I can’t stress how much I love the guy’s work. Deep, dark, nasty and brilliant!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68KxXeeHXHk

(55) Ozzy Osbourne – No More Tears

Ozzy has blossomed since leaving Black Sabbath. The self-proclaimed “Prince Of Darkness” is at his menacing best in “No More Tears”, the title track of the album of the same name. The song is dark and heavy yet has an orchestral interlude that slots in perfectly. A great rock anthem. Menacing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHNmyN6mPsM

(56) Brian May And Cozy Powell - Resurrection

Somebody bought Brian May’s solo album “Back To The Light” as a Christmas present and I was not bowled over until I heard the brilliant “Resurrection”. Brian May as part of Queen has performed on many of the band’s heaviest anthems but with the aid of Cozy Powell I don’t think Queen have produced anything as good as this song. Cozy Powell’s influence is there for all to see and with Brian May at his very best as a guitarist we have a stormer of a song. Blistering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9BgCvNz1jA

(57) Joe Satriani – Summer Song

I saw Joe Satriani for the first time when he toured with the album “The Extremist”, probably his most successful album to date. “Summer Song” is the big hit from that album and is as the name suggests a feelgood rocker touched with Joe Satriani’s guitar virtuosity. Performed live, the entire audience jumped up and down. A wonderful tune. Heavenly

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

(58) Thunder – Empty City
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“Empty City” from the album “Laughing On Judgement Day” is my favourite song by Thunder. It begins slowly and gradually mutates into a thoroughly decent rock monster. I love it but sadly is not available to view, sad because some of Thunder’s inferior songs can be heard all over the internet. Never mind. As before, if you get a chance to listen to “Laughing On Judgement Day” go straight to “Empty City”. You will not be disappointed.

(59) Ugly Kid Joe - Neighbor

Ugly Kid Joe came to prominence thanks to with “I Hate Everything About You”. From the same album, comes “Neighbor”, a much better song with the same tongue in cheek lyrics. The accompanying video captures the essence of the song perfectly. Very amusing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtNW88sgO04

(60) Coverdale/Page – Whisper A Prayer For The Dying

When David Coverdale and Jimmy Page got together for a one off album in 1993 they created a work of genius. I was sceptical to be honest but after listening to it, I found that the two men had combined the very best of Whitesnake and Led Zeppelin to produce something special. “Whisper A Prayer For The Dying” is typical of the album, a larger than life rock anthem. Jimmy Page’s guitar is exquisite and David Coverdale’s voice is as good as it has ever been. Colossal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7ryUDF_uK0

61 to 70 to follow …

Nine Inch Nails - Giving The Slip

It’s not often you get something for nothing these days and I’m glad to say that Trent Reznor, the man behind one of my favourite bands, Nine Inch Nails, has done just that. In the past releases by the enigmatic frontman have been few and far between but in recent years we have been treated to a couple of superb albums and tours. And now with the new album The Slip we have yet more brilliance from the man at no cost whatsoever.

There was a mild feeling of apprehension because I thought that maybe the standard of the music would dip, given that the album was free; on the contrary, it is a hugely enjoyable album and typical of the high quality output I normally associate with the band.

Highlights for me are:

1,000,000
Letting You
Discipline
Echoplex
Corona Radiata
Demon Seed

That said, the remaining tracks are all good in their own way.

I have just ordered the album Ghosts I-IV, yet another release that I discovered on the back of The Slip. Trent certainly is becoming more prolific in his middle years. I look forward to more of the same and sincerely hope that he doesn’t forget Manchester next time he ventures out on the road.