Great Metal Albums of 1980: The Scorpions- Animal Magnetism

One major advantage to listening to a band's later material first and then trawling back through their archives is that you get a deep appreciation for where they came from and what they did to get to where they were when you first heard them. This was definitely the case for me in regards to The Scorpions. The first Scorpions album I was treated to was "Blackout" in 1982. While that is my favourite album of theirs, when I listened to the "Animal Magnetism" album, I can say that I was very impressed with that one as well.

"Animal Magnetism" reveals a very hungry group on the album. Each song has the power that I would love so much on the next album. "Make It Real" is a great opener and the third track "Hold Me Tight," reminds me why I have always held the vocal ability of Klaus Meine in such high regard. Then there is the seemingly ballad "Lady Starlight." Yes, it sounds like a ballad and for all purposes it is, but I have to say that Mathias Jabs really nails it on the guitar solo. After that brief slow down, it is back to business with three more hard rocking jams before it gets to the final title cut. That track may appear to be a bit way out there but the riffs laid down by the band on it reassure the listener that it is still the Scorpions all the way.

Tack Listing:

1. Make It Real

2. Don't Make No Promises (Your Body Can't Keep)

3. Hold Me Tight

4. Twentieth Century Man

5. Lady Starlight

6. Falling In Love

7. Only a Man

8. The Zoo

9. Animal Magnetism

The Scorpions

Klaus Meine- lead vocals

Mathias Jabs- lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals

Rudolph Schenker- rhythm guitars, backing vocals

Francis Bucholz- bass, backing vocals

Herman Rarebell- drums, backing vocals

Like so many of the great metal bands back in 1980, The Scorpions would go onto even greater glories. Still, it's good to go back and appreciate where they came from and with "Animal Magnetism," they came from a good place.

Next post: 1980 Ends in Tragedy

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 Metal Albums of 1980: KISS- Unmasked

This is definitely one album I can blame the military on for letting slip past me. It was released around the time I was floating around the Indian Ocean on a ship. My first indication that KISS had released an album at that time was the news that Peter Criss was leaving the band, which he did shortly after. However, the album never made any waves in the sense that everyone was talking about it and as a result, it passed me by and became one of those many albums I had to discover in retrospect.

Listening to it again, I'm not sure how I would of reacted to it back then. Right now, I am saying to myself, "This isn't the hard rocking KISS I knew from the 70s." Then again, my adolescent experience with religion was still tugging at the coat tails of my consciousness back then when I believed all that Satan worshipper crap aimed at them. So, I might have liked it, but I can't say for sure.

"Unmasked" starts off ok with "Is That You" giving me the impression that KISS were remaining true to their roots. However, when I heard the next two songs, "Shandi" and "Talk to Me," I thought, "What the hell!" These songs make them sound like sound fresh faced top 40 band or a lounge act. "Naked City" is a slight improvement and fortunately the album makes a more traditional KISS return after that for the remainder of the album. It gets more harder with some decent rockers like "Tomorrow," "Two Sides of the Coin" and "She's So European" before going out with an all right closer. Unfortunately, those songs don't fully remove the unpleasant taste in my mouth put their by tracks two, three and four even with some good guitars solos from Ace.

Track Listing:

1. Is That You

2. Shandi

3. Talk To Me

4. Naked City

5. What Makes the World Go Round

6. Tomorrow

7. Two Sides of the Coin

8. She's So European

9. Easy As It Seems

10. Torpedo Girl

11. You're All That I Want

KISS

Paul Stanley- vocals, rhythm guitar

Gene Simmons- bass, vocals

Ace Frehley- lead guitar, vocals

Peter Criss- drums, vocals

Uncredited Musicians

Anton Figg- drums

Vini Poncia- backing vocals

Tom Harper- bass on Shandi

Holly Knight- keyboards

The jury is still out as to whether or not I should regret missing this album back in the day. I'm not saying it's a bad one, there are some good moments on it that remind me of their more golden years. However, even now there are some tracks that don't sit well with me.

Next post: The Scorpions- Animal Magnetism

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