Great Rock Albums of 1980: Foreigner- Head Games

Call it karma, coincidence or whatever but it turns out the my 200th post here on 80smetalman's blog is the first album I visit in the golden decade. I chose "Head Games" by Foreigner because it was the first new album I listened to in that year. An old marine buddy had it on 8-track and it was one of our many cruising albums. I also remember every time I went into the Enlisted Men's Club in the January, "Dirty White Boy" or some other song from this album would be playing.    I thought now as I did then, it was a great way to begin the year or the decade for that matter.

Following one good album is tough enough for a band, but following two is a colossal challenge. Foreigner had to follow up their debut album and their fantastic second album "Double Vision," both great albums. "Head Games for me, does a great job in doing so. I love the hard rock, early metal sound of "Dirty White Boy" and "Women is also a classic rocker for me as well and of course the title cut. In the months that followed, the title cut became sort of my anthem song for the time as I concluded that the Marine Corps was good a playing those types of games.

Unlike some of their future albums, there is nothing really to what I would call a ballad. The closest is the track "Blinded by Science," but even that isn't really what I would call a proper ballad. Instead, you get the hard rocking sound that defined Foreigner in those early days. Not only with the classic songs but the rest of the album provides a feel good factor when you're rocking away to it.

Track Listing:

1. Dirty White Boy

2. Love On the Telephone

3. Women

4. I'll Get Even With You

5. Seventeen

6. Head Games

7. The Modern Day

8. Blinded by Science

9. Do What You Like

10. Rev on the Red Line

Foreigner

Dennis Elliot- drums, vocals

Lou Gramm- vocals, percussion

Al Greenwood- synthesizer, keyboards

Mick Jones- guitar, piano, keyboards, vocals

Ian McDonald- guitar, keyboards, drums, vocals

Rick Willis- bass, vocals

Foreigner have been described as an Anglo-American rock band because members come from both countries. History shows us what Anglo-American cooperation can do in wartime but in music, they can produce things even greater. Foreigner and the album "Head Games" is proof of that.

Next post: Styx- Cornerstone

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Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

1980: A Golden Decade Begins

You may be already or if not you will probably soon will be sick of me constantly broadcasting my belief that the 1980's was the golden age of heavy metal. One of my original motivations for beginning this blog was to trumpet that belief, with the intention of backing it up by portraying all the great albums, bands and other fantastic memories I have from that year. There were some down sides to that golden decade as well, especially with who the US and UK had as president and prime minister during that time, but that's another matter.

Golden decades have to start somewhere and for me it started in 1980. My life back then was totally different. First and most important, I was serving my country and had been in less than six months when it all began. As a new marine, I was longing to be sent to Iran and go and rescue the hostages single handed. Three days before the botched rescue attempt in the April, my battalion was woken up at two in the morning and driven to the air base forty miles away and put on a plane only to be told it was a drill. Three weeks later, President Carter sent us to Key West Florida to deal with the Cuban refugee crisis. I spent the last four months on a ship sailing around the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean where I got within 67 miles of the coast of Iran, but once again, wasn't allowed to go and kill anybody.

Enough of my life for that year, what about the music? In the first months of 1980, I can say I was a total convert to Molly Hatchet, playing the "Flirtin' With Disaster" album constantly.

I also found myself being led down the trail of other great bands that would make their mark that year in the form of AC/DC, Judas Priest and especially Van Halen. The first two mentioned would put out albums that would fully enshrine them as all time greats and although in the case of Van Halen, some would look down on the "Women and Children First" album, (I don't) they would still be one of the biggest names of that year.

Judas Priest

AC/DC

Van Halen

I will of course be visiting all of these albums when I cover the decade opening year as well as those who were up and coming like Iron Maiden and Saxon and visiting other classic albums as well. So, I hope that you will all join me for what looks like to be a glorious ride through rock/metal history.

Next post: Foreigner- Head Games

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

A Rock/Metal Poll: Who's the Greatest Rhythm Guitarist of All Time?

I have written much about guitarists during the two years I have been blogging, but it has all been about the great lead guitarists who have graced us over the years. So today, I thought it would be a grand gesture to pay homage to those unsung heroes, the rhythm guitarists. These are the ones who, while their much more noted and worshiped lead guitarists are cranking out the solos, are playing power chords in rhythm with the music that allows their compatriot to work their magic. Once in a while, they may be allowed to play the occasional solo, but often times just keep striking their chords without any adulation.

So I will not only honour these unsung heroes, I would also like to know who you, my readers, consider to be the best rhythm guitarist. I have put forward a number of candidates but by no means is this list exclusive.

Blackie Lawless- WASP

Brad Whitford- Aerosmith

Dave Mustane- Megadeth

James Hetfield- Metallica

Malcolm Young- AC/DC

Glen Frey- The Eagles

Paul Kantner- Jefferson Starship

Rudy Schenker- The Scorpions

Scott Ian- Anthrax

I know there are many more out there so all you have to do is comment who your favourite or favourites are. Meanwhile, when you listen to an album from any of the great bands these guys are from, strain your ears for the efforts they are putting in.

Next post: 1980- A Golden Decade Begins

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1979: Van Halen II

Since I finished the tour of 1978 with their first album, I thought it was only fitting that I ended my tour of 1979 with their second one. This was definitely one of the albums that converted me to metal and some might say I'm crazy, but VHII is my all time favourite Van Halen album. It could be argued that this is because I listened to this one before I listened to their first one but still, for me, this album is Van Halen at their very best.

This album goes back to a time when they were a tight outfit and the quality of the songs on it show why. Yes, there's the single "Dance the Night Away," which I was told got played in a disco. (Can't say for sure because I never went to those places.) Still, I know many a rocker, like me who really got into this song. Then there's one of my favourite metal drinking songs, "Bottoms Up." Great memories of trying to sing the chorus after sinking a few cold ones, okay many cold ones but you get my point. I still strain my ear when the instrumental "Spanish Fly" is played in order to appreciate the guitar work by one of the masters Eddie Van Halen. Of course, after all the other great tracks, what better way to end the album than "Beautiful Girls," even if David Lee Roth gets shot down at the end of the song.

Track Listing:

1. You're No Good

2. Dance the Night Away

3. Somebody Get Me a Doctor

4. Bottoms Up!

5. Outta Love Again

6. Light Up the Sky

7. Spanish Fly

8. D.O.A.

9. Women in Love

10. Beautiful Girls

Van Halen

David Lee Roth- vocals

Eddie Van Halen- guitars, backing vocals

Michael Anthony- bass, backing vocals

Alex Van Halen- drums

Before they would get entangled with in fighting and other things, Van Halen made some excellent music. Their second album is proof of this and for me, it was a great way to end the 7os. This concludes my tour of 1979 but stay tuned for we will now proceed to what I consider the golden decade of heavy metal and I hope you will come for the ride to see why I feel that way. But first, I thought I would take a little one post break, (see below).

Next post: A Rock/Metal Poll

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Froogle, Barnes & Noble and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London.