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.

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.

Great Gigs

Mrs PM paid £120 to see Madonna at the Manchester Evening News Arena last week. Last night I paid £30 to see Nine Inch Nails and Jane’s Addiction at the same venue.

Why the difference in price?

Well you could argue that Madonna is, arguably, the greatest pop star in the world and has been for decades, especially after the recent death of Michael Jackson (did you know he’d died by the way? I think I saw something on the news).

I used to have a major crush on Madonna, though her music certainly didn’t float my boat. Mrs PM asked me if I wanted to see her and I would have gone had the ticket price been around £40, just to say that I had seen her. The £120 price tag put paid to that.

Mrs PM enjoyed the show but, because Madge danced around a lot, her voice suffered apparently. I don’t think Mrs PM would see her again, certainly not at that price.

As we talked about the show, I began thinking about all of the concerts I have been to over the years. I have lost count to be honest and I wonder exactly how much I have spent. I’ve decided to share some of the best with you. I have seen some amazing acts, not necessarily because of the music but the experience as well. Below are some of the greatest gigs and live performances I have seen (in no particular order):

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band – Bramhall Lane Sheffield (Sheffield United FC), 1988

Although I wasn’t a huge fan of “The Boss”, I thought that seeing him perform would be quite a good experience. I knew quite a lot of his songs, as I had a mate back in Walsall who was a huge fan. The album “Tunnel Of Love” had just been released and Bruce Springsteen was riding on a wave of popularity following “Born In The USA”. To be honest, I was just curious and my expectations were fairly low.

How wrong I was. Bruce Springsteen was magnificent. The first three songs he sang blew me away, the best being “She’s The One”, one of my favourite songs by the man. He was on stage for well over three hours (in two separate stints) and when the concert ended I wanted to stay for more.

Highlight: “She’s The One”

Alice Cooper – Manchester Apollo, 2000

I went to see Alice Cooper for the show rather than the music. I was only familiar with “Poison” and “School’s Out” and I had heard the title track of his current album “Brutal Planet”, which was enough to justify seeing him. The Apollo is a snug place and we had great seats at the front in the stalls with a perfect view of the stage.

And what a show it was. Alice Cooper is brutal and his show tells a story. By his own admission, the stage persona is a horrible person, who commits atrocities as he sings. Ultimately, he ends up in a strait jacket half way through the show and is punished by being brutally slain (in this case he was beheaded), before returning to life with “Feed My Frankenstein”. The great thing about this show was that I was introduced to classic Alice Cooper songs such as “Elected”, a song I had never heard before, but absolutely love.

Highlight: “Elected”

Def Leppard – Birmingham National Exhibition Centre, 1992

Def Leppard were the biggest rock band on the planet when I saw them in 1992. Unlike normal gigs, Def Leppard built the stage in the middle of the arena with the crowd all the way around, so absolutely everybody got a fantastic view of the band as they belted out all of their very best songs, up to and including the “Adrenalize” album.

During “Rocket”, the drum kit rose really high into the air, making me feel a little worried for Rick Allen. The encore was fantastic; Jo Elliott running around the immense stage whipping up the crowd to sing along to the extraordinary “Rock Of Ages”. This was Def Leppard at their absolute peak.

Highlight: “Rock Of Ages”

Queen – Knebworth, 1986

This is still, to date, the biggest gig I have ever been to. Supporting Queen were Big Country and Status Quo and they warmed the place up nicely. However, when Queen took the stage, it was as if we had been transported to a different place ruled by Freddie Mercury.

He was outrageous and absolutely mesmerising. The rest of the band played their part of course but Freddie was the leader; every one of us was in thrall and I have never seen such a great front man. We were quite a distance from the stage and had to rely on screens to see the band properly, which was a bit of a pain, but I enjoyed to concert nonetheless. I’m glad I can say that I saw Freddie Mercury before his sad death a few years later.

Highlight: “Radio Ga Ga” – 120,000 people clapping their hands in unison.

Foo Fighters – Manchester Evening News Arena, 2007

David Grohl is a legend and I leapt at the chance to see the Foo Fighters even though the ticket price exceeded my upper limit.

Our seats were quite far from the stage but that didn’t matter too much as they did an acoustic set almost directly in front of at the half way point. I’m sure he looked at us when he said “I haven’t played a song for you guys yet” before playing “But Honestly”.

I’ve seen the Foos three times in total, the other two times were in sports grounds in front of huge crowds. However, paradoxically, the Manchester Evening News Arena, a huge venue in its won right, the show seemed much more intimate, and therefore the best of them.

Highlight: “But Honestly”

Aerosmith – Monsters Of Rock, Castle Donnington, 1990

The Monsters Of Rock festival in 1990 was headlined by one of my favourite bands, Whitesnake, with Aerosmith in support. I had discovered Aerosmith in the late eighties with the release of “Permanent Vacation” and had become a big fan. That year, I drove my ex-wife up the wall with “Love In An Elevator” – she hated it.

After Thunder, the Quireboys and Poison, we decided to get a little closer to the stage, just as Aerosmith appeared. They blitzed through their set so magnificently that I barely had time to catch my breath. They pumped out song after song with consummate ease; Steve Tyler had the audience in the palm of his hand.

Whitesnake were, to be honest, a disappointment after Aerosmith. The difference was that Whitesnake seemed to be a bunch of egotistical individuals but Aerosmith were a team. It was a real shame that Aerosmith weren’t the headline act.

Highlight: “Rag Doll”

Metallica – Manchester Evening News Arena, 2009

I was never into Metallica in the 80’s but in recent years the band has grown on me immensely. Last year, I bought “Death Magnetic” and I have to admit it is one of the best albums I own. With a little bit of apprehension, I allowed a mate to persuade me to see the band. I feared that they would be a little too thrashy for me. I was so wrong.

Like Def Leppard, the stage was in the centre of the arena so we had a fantastic view of the band. The laser show that kicked off the gig (to “That Was Just Your Life”) was breath-taking (see the picture above). The music was polished, professional and perfect, something I didn’t expect at all.

I will have no hesitation seeing them again on their next tour.

Highlight: “The Day That Never Comes”

Whitesnake – Liverpool Royal Court, 1984

I am a huge fan of early Whitesnake, particularly the early 80’s material. In 1984, a couple of years before Whitesnake became absolutely huge. I saw the band at the Royal Court in Liverpool, a relatively intimate venue for a band like this. The line up was the classic one, featuring Jon Lord (from Deep Purple), Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden. However, what made this special was the presence of Cozy Powell on the drums.

This was the first time I saw the band and it was the best by far. David Coverdale was immense on stage and his voice was perfect. Halfway through the gig, Cozy Powell was allowed ten minutes or so to turn the stage into a crazy zone. He performed an outstanding drum solo to my favourite piece of classical music, “Mars, The Bringer Of War” from The Planet Suite by Gustav Holst, complete with an amazing light show.

This really was Whitesnake at their very best.

Highlight: Cozy Powell’s drum solo

Rammstein – Manchester Evening News Arena, 2005

You haven’t lived until you’ve seen this crazy bunch of Germans live. Complete with flame throwers and a cooking pot (don’t ask) they produced one of the most mesmerising, strange yet enjoyable shows I have ever seen.

The music was superb and the heavy industrial rock music whipped the crowd into an absolute frenzy. Almost everybody in the English speaking audience was singing along with the German lyrics, including myself.

If you like pyrotechnics, flames and fun you will not be disappointed seeing this controversial band.

Highlight: “Feuer Frei” complete with flame throwers.

Rush – Manchester evening News Arena, 2004

Rush can do no wrong in my eyes; they are quite simply the greatest band on the planet. I have seen them four times (not nearly enough) but the best one was their 30th Anniversary Tour where they played most if not all of their greatest songs from their hugely successful career.

With eighteen albums behind them, they had a colossal number of songs to choose from, and I believe they got their set absolutely spot on. There were so many songs that they were on stage for well over three hours, including a short break.

The concert was clinical, spectacular and perfect. Long may they reign and, please guys, come back to Manchester again.

Highlight: “La Villa Strangiato”

Sometimes I think I’m getting a little too old for concerts, particularly since my music of choice is generally loud and heavy. Yet when I think back on the concerts above and the great music that these and other bands are producing, I reconsider and say, so what? You are as old as you feel, and these guys make me feel young.

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 (81 To 90)

The penultimate bundle …

(81) Arena – The Butterfly Man

The great thing about “The Butterfly Man” is the idea of a being wandering around collecting the souls of people and leaving them in timeless oblivion. That aside, the song is a superb piece of progressive rock, the kind I love. Well done Arena – scary. The link below plays only half of the song but hopefully it will give you some idea of just how good the song is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgO_UYvGO5k

(82) Black Sabbath – Spiral Architect

Slightly out of order (because I forgot about it) is “Spiral Architect” an enigmatic song by the classic Black Sabbath line up. It is different from most of their offerings and has the most bizarre lyrics by the band. When I first heard the song I was unsure who the band was until Ozzy’s unique voice joined in. A great, if not strange song from the brilliant “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCgoE_eAW0I

(83) Silver Ginger 5 – Take It All Why Don’tcha?

In one of his many breaks from the Wildhearts, one of Ginger’s side projects was a one off album called “Black Leather Mojo” released under the name “Silver Ginger 5”, an album of pure brilliance, better in fact than a lot of Wildhearts albums. There is not a single bad song on the album – all of them are almost perfect. All of them are infectious and leave you wanting more. I almost wore out the CD. The best song is “Take It All Why Don’tcha?”, a real stomping rock song that is pure brilliance. I can’t say more than that.

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

(84) Silver Ginger 5 – More Is The Law

“Black Leather Mojo” contains a bonus CD with live tracks and three demos. One of those demos is a song called “More Is The Law”, a belter of a song that is raw and a true fist-pounder. To be honest if Ginger ever decides to polish it and pop it onto a Wildhearts album it will be a classic. Sadly you’ll just have to take my word for it.

(85) Ten – Thunder In Heaven

One of Ten’s greatest albums is a concept album called “Babylon” featuring the legendary Don Airey on keyboards who was a guest for that one release. It is a highly polished offering full of fantastic songs, culminating in a climax with “Thunder In Heaven”, a great storming rock song with superb guitars augmented by Airey’s keyboard wizardry. Unbeatable. Sadly once more, you will have to take my word for it but, trust me, if you get your hands on “Babylon” you will love it.

(86) Queens Of The Stone Age – No One Knows

Although the band had been around for ages, “No One Knows” was the first song I heard from the album, played all the time on rock music channels and rock radio. On the strength of this one song, I bought the album “Songs For The Deaf” and saw the band live. Wonderful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnyRUzgqj7k

(87) Rammstein – Links 2 3 4

“Mutter” is my favourite album by the magnificent Rammstein and the strongest song on that record is “Links 2 3 4” a total chunk of metal ecstasy. I don’t headbang but this song certainly tempts me to stomp around the room bellowing in a deep guttural German voice. It doesn’t get much better than this. Wunderbar!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6XrKN16cuc

(88) Terrorvision – D’Ya Wanna Go Faster

Just when I thought Terrorvision were no more, I heard this highly infectious explosion of rock from the boys from Bradford. When I saw the badn recently on yet another reunion tour, this song was the one that had the crowd jumping up and down most – myself included (sadly). Top tune.

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

(89) Foo Fighters – All My Life

“All My Life” is without doubt my favourite song by the Foo Fighters. It is a diamond amongst gems and has resulted in me howling in glee in my car, much to the amusement of fellow drivers. If you haven’t been lucky enough to see Dave Grohl’s boys live, believe me when I say the crowd erupt into a frenzy of ecstasy when the distinctive guitars introduce the song. Done, done and I’m on to the next one …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXlF6waTUKE

(90) Rush – Secret Touch

After the slightly disappointing album “Test For Echo”, Rush had an enforced hiatus due to a double personal tragedy for the drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. For a few years I thought that my favourite band were no more. Imagine my delight when they finally got back together in 2002 and released a glorious album called “Vapour Trails”. It was a true return to form and is one of my favourite albums. The best song is “Secret Touch”, a wonderful rock song that borders on being a headbanger – unusual for Rush. And the good news is that the band are still going strong! Splendid!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxL7x2AHgs0

91 to 100 to follow …

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 …