Great Metal Albums of 1980: Ted Nugent- Scream Dream

I am not one of these redneck, fanatically patriotic, my country right or wrong Americans but I am glad that with all the great British heavy metal bands that thrilled us with killer albums back in 1980, there were some great American metal albums too. Note: I have always loved the fact how the US and UK have supported each other in regards to metal and how that has grown to include Canada and eventually the rest of the world. This is why it was so important that in the pivotal year of 1980, American metal got on the scene as well. Arguably one of the best American metal albums to come out that year was "Scream Dream" by the Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent.

"Scream Dream" is yet another album that makes me proud to shout out "I am a metalhead!" Of course the brilliant opening track "Wango Tango" opens this album with style and the title track is a great one to follow and so on down the line. Every song on this album is a winner and you would have to put two guns to my head to make me choose a clear cut favourite track and then I probably still couldn't pick one. One aspect that shows up very well on this album is Ted's versatility on the guitar and how he can wail or shred depending on the dictates of the particular song. "Hard As Nails" and "Flesh And Blood" are true shredders in the classic metal sense. But he is able to go into a more blues based melodic solo on "Spit It Out" and does so like the true pro that he is. Then there's the next to last song, "Terminus Eldorado" that to me sounds like an early forerunner to his future 1986 hit, "Little Miss Dangerous." On "Scream Dream," Terrible Ted proves that you can be versatile while playing some outstanding metal.

Track Listing:

1. Wango Tango

2. Scream Dream

3. Hard As Nails

4. I Gotta Move

5. Violent Love

6. Flesh And Blood

7. Spit It Out

8. Come And Get It

9. Terminus Eldorado

10. Don't Cry (I'll Be Back Before You Know It Baby)

Ted Nugent

Ted Nugent- lead guitar, lead vocals

Charlie Huhn- rhythm guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on tracks 4 and 10

Dave Kiswiney- bass, backing vocals

Cliff Davies- drums, lead vocal on track 8

There's not much more I can say about this album, only that it is metal as metal was intended and yet another great album that was made in a year of great metal albums.

Next Post: AC/DC- Back In Black

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Great Metal Albums of 1980: Iron Maiden

God, I still can't believe that as I go through this journey into metal history just how many magnificent albums, now considered classics there were in 1980. So with no further waffling from me, here's yet another great album from said year, the self titled debut album from none other than Iron Maiden.

I would not even hear of these metal legends for another two years so like so many of these albums I'm writing about, I didn't listen to it until after some of their later albums. Still, I can appreciate the fine quality of this album and I hear the hunger they had in their music. Each and every song in the album bears witness to this. There are the classics like "Running Free" and "Phantom of the Opera" but there are also the great non filler ones like "Prowler," "Iron Maiden" and the rather amusing, (well at least for me) "Charlotte the Harlot." Had I heard this album in the year I was supposed to have heard, I would have known to expect great things from Iron Maiden and history would prove me right.

I did note something rather interesting when I researched the story behind the album. This was the only Iron Maiden album to feature Dennis Stratton on guitar. From what I've read, he was fired because of musical differences in the band. It has been said that his guitar solos were more of the Wishbone Ash melodic sound. Don't get me wrong, I love long melodic solos from blues based guitarist but I have to agree that it definitely isn't the style for Maiden. Furthermore, the arrival of punk a few years earlier proved the point that most rockers were getting a little tired of 20 minute long guitar solos no matter how well they were played. Maiden and Priest gave us the shredding in your face guitar solo and I like those just as much.

Track Listing:

1. Prowler

2. Remember Tomorrow

3. Running Free

4. Phantom of the Opera

5. Transylvania

6. Strange World

7. Charlotte the Harlot

8. Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden

Paul Di'Anno- vocals

Steve Harris- bass, backing vocals

Dennis Stratton- guitar, backing vocals

Dave Murray- guitar

Clive Burr- drums

One thing that will be stating the obvious as I continue down this metal road as that Iron Maiden will eventually come to dominate the world in the 1980s and there will be many a good album to solidify it. The first piece in the foundation of their superstardom begins with their self titled debut album. Maybe it's not considered a masterpiece by many, but for Iron Maiden, it was a great place for them to start.

Next post: Ted Nugent- Scream Dream

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Great Metal Albums of 1980: Judas Priest- British Steel

Someone has already said that there were a lot of great heavy metal albums in 1980 and I wholeheartedly agree. I've covered two of them already (although this takes nothing away from the Sammy Hagar album) but there were more. One of these was "British Steel" by none other than Judas Priest. By 1980, they were finally breaking big and this album was proof of that fact. It was the album that got me into them as I suppose it did many others.

I never fathomed why the US version of "British Steel" put "Breaking the Law" as the opening track. Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic song and I was glad they played it when I saw them live in 2009. Still saying, listening to the original version, I think that "Rapid Fire" is a damn good opener. It gets you in the right frame of mind for listening to the rest of the album. Boy, what a rest of the album it is. "Metal Gods" provides the right bridge between the opener and the aforementioned hit. "Grinder" is an excellent song in its own right with some great guitar work before going into the anthem "United." Of course, after "You Don't Have to be Old to be Wise" is a great lead into my third favourite Priest song of all time, "Living After Midnight." I was slightly disappointed when they didn't play that one back in 09. It leads beautifully to the pen-ultimate "The Rage" before "Steeler" takes it home with style. So with "British Steel," you have nine hard metal bang your head tracks that don't disappoint and leave you reeling in your seat.

Track Listing:

1. Rapid Fire

2. Metal Gods

3. Breaking the Law

4. Grinder

5. United

6. You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise

7. Living After Midnight

8. The Rage

9. Steeler

Judas Priest

Robert Halford- vocals

Glen Tipton- guitar

KK Downing- guitar

Ian Hill- bass

Dave Holland- drums

"British Steel" is one cracking album from start to finish. For me, it got me listening to Judas Priest and was yet another stepping stone in my journey to becoming the full fledged metal head that I am today. Many will argue that this is their all time best, I won't argue for it but I definitely won't argue against it.

Next post: Iron Maiden

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Great Metal Albums of 1980: Motorhead- Ace of Spades

When I first started this blog, I intended it to be a trip down memory lane for old metal heads like me and a metal history lesson for younger ones. But I must admit that while I take this journey, I am learning a hell of a lot myself. Cue this album "Ace of Spades" by Motorhead. We can all be rest assured that whenever anyone mentions the name Motorhead, the obvious response is their most known song "Ace of Spades." A few of those may know that the song was the title track for their kick ass 1980 album. What even fewer people may know was that how far ahead of their time Motorhead was in regards to heavy metal.

Why is this album so ahead of this time? The answer is quite simple: one cracking metal tune after another bombards your ear drums into submission. It's everything that heavy metal was to become just a few short years later, it's just that Motorhead did it first. "Ace of Spades" is loud with fast guitars, cranking solos and of course that unmistakeable voice of one Lemmy Kilmister. Every track is a celebration but the ones that stand out for me the most (other than the title track) are: "Shoot You in the Back," "Jailbait," "Bite the Bullet" and "The Chase is Deadlier Than the Catch."

Track Listing:

1. Ace of Spades

2. Love Me Like a Reptile

3. Shoot You in the Back

4. Live to Win

5. Fast and Loose

6. (We Are) The Road Crew

7. Fire Fire

8. Jailbait

9. Dance

10. Bite the Bullet

11. The Chase is Deadlier Than the Catch

12. The Hammer

Motorhead

Lemmy Kilmister- bass, vocals

Fast Eddie Clark- guitar

Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor- drums

It's a hard fact that Motorhead were the early pioneers of thrash and speed metal. Their fast, aggressive style would be copied by many a band in the mid 80s. If I had a time machine I would go way back in my archives and put them in my category of "Other Great Metal Influences" or give them an honourable mention at the very least. So, I curse myself for not hearing this great album until a few years after it's release and even more so for not fully appreciating it for many more. "Ace of Spades" song or album represents what metal would become and what it should always be.

Next post: Judas Priest- British Steel

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Great Metal Albums of 1980: Sammy Hagar- Danger Zone

At first, I wasn't sure if I should put this album into the metal category as many out there don't classify Sammy Hagar has heavy metal. Then again, I never gave two stuffs about silly arguments over what should be categorised where. Besides, the first song I ever heard from the "Red Rocker" had the same title as the genre of music I love so much. It was on a soundtrack from a film of the very same name which I will be visiting when I get to 1981.

So onto this album "Danger Zone." Listening to it only confirms to me that it should be called a metal album as there are some serious rocking tunes on it. "Mommy Says, Daddy Says," "20th Century Man," "Love or Money" and "Bad Reputation" are all great melodic metal tunes that stand the test of time. Even the bluesy "The Ice Man" where Journey singer Steve Perry provides the backing vocals is a cooker. There is some great crunching guitar sounds on this album and another Journey member in the form of Neil Schon lays down some killer solos on "Love or Money." I get the impression that Hagar is still hungry on this album and it definitely shows in the music.

Track Listing:

1. Love or Money

2. 20th Century Man

3. Miles For Boredom

4. Mommy Says, Daddy Says

5. In The Night, (Entering the Danger Zone)

6. The Iceman

7. Bad Reputation

8. Heartbeat

9. Run For Your Life

10. Danger Zone

Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hagar- vocals, guitar

Bill Church- bass

Gary Pihl- guitar, keyboards

Chuck Ruff- drums

Geoff Workman- keyboards

Guest Musicians

Steve Perry- backing vocals

Neil Schon- guitar solos on "Love or Money"

In 1980, Sammy Hagar was still making his way in the rock world. Kick ass albums like "Danger Zone" paved the way to the greatness he would eventually achieve.

Next post: Motorhead- Ace of Spades

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