Great Rock Albums of 1983: George Thorogood- Bad to the Bone

 

Here's another album that was released in 1982 but didn't come to my attention until 1983 on account of my military commitments. Then it was very late in the year and only because of the film, "Christine," a film about a possessed car based on the book by Stephen King. The title track to this album from George Thorogood and the Destroyers was the main single from the soundtrack. I can't remember anything else appealing to me from the soundtrack so I didn't get it but because I only associated "Bad to the Bone" with the film, the album nearly passed me by, nearly.

I've always been a rather big fan of George Thorogood and his unique-ish guitar style. Then again, I've always been a fan of blues based guitarists. "Bad to the Bone" is no departure from this. His guitar and vocal style is present throughout the entire album. While he only pens three of the ten songs himself, he definitely leaves his stamp on the other seven.

"Bad to the Bone" opens with one of his own. "Back to Wentzville" is a 1950s style boogie blues jam and it is perfect to open this album. The next two songs are more in line with George's traditional blues-riff style and I'm sure the Isley Brothers wouldn't be too upset over the way he jams on their song, "Nobody But Me." "It's a Sin" is more of a slower song but the George and his band inject a great deal of power into it. Next comes my second favourite track, "New Boogie Chillun." This was a classic John Lee Hooker song and again, the performance of it is phenomenal. After that is the title track and possibly my favourite on the album. Wow, that's two albums in a row where my favourite track is the single, I'm hope I'm not starting a trend here. Anyway, it is the second song he writes on the album and I think the main reason I like it so much is that I have been listening to that one separate from the rest of the album way too much. Still, it's a great tune.

"Miss Luann" is the third and final song he writes on the album. This along with the other two, shows that he can definitely write songs which has me wondering why he has used so many covers on the album. Then again, he does each and every cover total justice. For instance, the very next song, "As the Years Go Passing By" is the closest thing to a ballad on the album. However, it also highlights the fact that George's voice has a little bit more range than what he is usually given credit for. Still, he lays down yet another grand guitar solo on it. After a classic Chuck Berry number, the album closes with a Bob Dylan tune, "Wanted Man." Even though you can clearly hear the Thorogood stamp on it, you can still work out that this is Dylan through the lyrics. Nevertheless, it's a great one to go out on.

Track Listing:

1. Back to Wentzville
2. Blue Highway
3. Nobody But Me
4. It's a Sin
5. New Boogie Chillun
6. Bad to the Bone
7. Miss Luann
8. As the Years Go Passing By
9. No Particular Place to Go
10. Wanted Man

[caption id="attachment_1885" align="aligncenter" width="294"] George Thorogood[/caption]

George Thorogood- vocals, guitar

Billy Blough- bass

Jeff Simon- drums, percussion

Hank Carter- saxophone

Ian Stewart- piano, keyboards

Besides the fact it was a rubbish film, I think that the soundtrack to "Christine" was the first of a long list of film soundtracks back in the 1980s to try to incorporate different forms of music in an attempt to appeal to everyone. I don't know for sure as I have no intention of listening to it. Why should I? After all, the best single on it can be found on a far more superior album.

Next post: Planet P Project

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Great Rock Albums of 1983: Golden Earring- Cut

 

Here goes my memory haunting me again. The major attribute about the band Golden Earring I have constantly forgotten over the years is the fact that they are Dutch. I won't bore you by preaching to the choir that this is further proof that good music isn't limited to any one nation, but you know. What my forgetfulness is forcing me to do is to change the post I wrote several months ago about my choices for National Anthems. For those familiar with the post, I chose the song "Down in the Silver Mine" by Diesel for The Netherlands. That is still a great song but there is a far better and more deserving song to represent Holland. That song is none other than "Radar Love" by Golden Earring. So, if nobody has any objections, I will go back to that post and amend this.

Unfortunately, many people, including a good number in the rock and metal world have Golden Earring down for being one hit wonders. They only know "Radar Love." While I never had them down for that, I didn't realize that they have an extremely rich discography which I am salivating over having a listen to. Some will argue that they are two hit wonders because of the single from this album in 1983, "Twilight Zone." Believe me, the "Cut" album alone is too good to dismiss Golden Earring as such.

Without any of the flowery wording, let's just say that "Cut" is a very good hard rock album. One could go as far as to say that they are melodic hard rock in respect to the album. The horns in the opener, "The Devil Made Me Do It" remind me slightly of their all time classic but there is some good rock to be had. The next three tracks are all melodic hard rock tracks with "Baby Dynamite" being the best of them. "Lost and Found" is more of a straight forward rock tune with some decent harmonizing by the band. I think "Chargin' Up My Batteries" influenced later new wave artists but I can't quite put my finger on who would sound like the song and "Secrets" is just simply a good closer.

Normally, I get a little nervous when the hit single is the best track on the album. If you heard "Twilight Zone" back in the day, please forget the shortened down radio/MTV version. The proper version is nearly eight minutes long and with some really cool long guitar solos. It makes a catchy radio oriented song that much better. Hey, there's even a bass solo in it. A great song but while it is the best track on "Cut," it doesn't stand so far above the other tracks that it diminishes them. What this combo does is make the album that much better.

Track Listing:

1. The Devil Made Me Do It
2. Future
3. Baby Dynamite
4. Last of the Mohicans
5. Lost and Found
6. Twilight Zone
7. Chargin' Up My Batteries
8. Secrets

Golden Earring

Rinus Gerritsen- bass, keyboards

Barry Hay- guitar, vocals

George Koomans- guitar, vocals

Robert Jan Stips- synthesizer

Ceasar Zuiderwijk- drums

Not long ago, I commented on another blog that Golden Earring's famous hit, "Radar Love," appeared as a driving song in "Wayne's World 2." That is a great cruising song apart from being a classic rock tune. However, Golden Earring were never one hit wonders as the "Cut" album proves.

Next post: George Thorogood and the Destroyers- Bad to the Bone

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Great Rock Albums of 1983: Joe Jackson- Night and Day

 

What I liked about the "Night and Day" album by Joe Jackson in 1983 was the fact that it was different. While rock was busy dividing and sub-dividing itself into categories and sub categories, including my beloved heavy metal, Joe went out and made an album that you really can't put anywhere. Of course, as was the style of the time, so called music officianadoes simply called it new wave. That is very lazy in my humble opinion. I just appreciate it the album because it was so unique although the fine musicianship of Joe and his band had something to do with it as well.

My first experience with Joe Jackson came a year earlier with the song many know him best for, "Is She Really Going Out With Him." Why I never visited any of his previous albums, I'll never know but it was the "Night and Day" album that made an impression on me. Funny thing is that this album is a contrast to the mentioned song as that song is more of a hard rock tune and this album has definite hints of jazz and combined with some of the sarcasm with some of the lyrics, reminds me a little of the great Frank Zappa.

Let's start with what many people know, the two singles "Steppin' Out" and "Breaking Us in Two." In 1983, a lot of people played the former song before going on nights out and I don't blame them. It is a great song to get you in the mood. The latter song is more of a ballad type and I get the impression that it's about a relationship on the rocks. While slower than the other songs on the album, it's definitely not soppy and is a decent song.

Singles aside, the rest of the album holds up very well. All songs are definitely played very well here. Many of them are piano dominated with his best efforts heard on the track "Cancer," one of my favourites on the album. He just goes to town on the ivories for the final two or three minutes of the song. Furthermore, I love the assertion the song makes that every thing will be found to cause cancer. The way scientists are going on these days, that song is a bit of a prophecy fulfilled. He also sarcastically sings about television in with "T.V. Age" and "Real Men" was written in response to the emerging gay community in New York. As you have probably guessed by now, I do take a specific interest in albums' opening and closing songs. For me, they can make or break an album. Both of the positioned tracks on "Night and Day" pass my mark. "Another World" grabs your attention from the start and "A Slow Song" takes the album out on a sublime note. Overall, this album is proof that music didn't need to be categorized to be good.

Track Listing:

1. Another World
2. Chinatown
3. TV Age
4. Target
5. Steppin' Out
6. Breaking Us in Two
7. Cancer
8. Real Men
9. A Slow Song

 

Joe Jackson 

Joe Jackson- vocals, pianos, organ, alto saxophone, harmonica, synthesizer, vibraphone

Sue Hadjopoulos- flute, percussion, congas, xylophone, timbale, bells, bongos, backing vocals

Graham Maby- bass, percussion, backing vocals

Grace Milan- vocals

Ed Roynesdal- keyboards, violin

Larry Tolfree- timbale, percussion, drums

Richard Torre- percussion, clave, bongos, cowbell

Al Weisman- vocals

There's a very interesting thing about the "Night and Day" album. As you go through the list of musicians on it, there's not one guitar mentioned. Normally, the metalhead in me would scream, "Wot, no guitars!" That leads to another question: How can an album not have any guitars on it and sound this good? The answer is down to the musical genius that is Joe Jackson.

Next post: Golden Earring- Cut

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Great Rock Albums of 1983: Jackson Browne- Lawyers in Love

 

Proof of my Swiss cheese memory. I remember the album from Jackson Browne, "Lawyers in Love" quite well in 1983. However, it took me listening to this album after so many years to realize that during my tour of 1980, I missed out his then album, "Hold Out." Thing is, I liked that album too and fondly remember the song "Disco Apocalypse" because it was talking about the death of disco, or at least that's what I thought. Maybe it was just the fact that none of the songs on the mentioned album stuck out like the title track on "Lawyers in Love" did for me in 1983. It was the lyrics in the second verse that have lingered in the back of my mind for over thirty years.

"God sends his spaceships to America, the beautiful
They land at six o'clock and there we are, the dutiful
Eating from TV trays, tuned into to Happy Days
Waiting for World War III while Jesus slaves
To the mating calls of lawyers in love"

 "Lawyers in Love" is more of a light rock sound. It doesn't veer too far away from his best known single and my personal favourite, "Running on Empty." While none of the songs reach the level of "Running on Empty," there are still some good songs on it. "Tender is the Night" may give the impression that's it going to be some sort of ballad, but the song does have a great hook with the guitar. It's one of those songs you want to sing along to while you're driving in the car or carrying out some mundane activity. It makes such tasks less so mundane. "Downtown" is a pretty cool song too. I have to say that while none of the songs are ones to bang your head to, there was enough of a rock hook to reel me in on just about all of them. The best rocker is probably the closer, "For a Rocker."

Another thing which turned my ear more to Jackson Browne was he was getting more political with his music in the 1980s. In 1983, on account of my experiences in the marines and when I came out, I was getting more politically aware and paying more attention to such songs. "Say It Isn't True" is probably the best example of this. While Jackson was called naive by some for this anti- war song, it made a statement. It didn't make me go out and attend no nukes rallies but it made me think, as did the title track. But that's just me.

Track Listing:

1. Lawyers in Love
2. On the Day
3. Cut it Away
4. Downtown
5. Tender is the Night
6. Knock on Any Door
7. Say It Isn't True
8. For a Rocker

Jackson Browne- lead vocals, guitar

Craig Doerge- synthesizer, piano

Bob Glaub- bass, organ

Ross Kunkel- drums

Billy Payne- organ on "On the Day"

Rick Vito- lead guitar, vocals

While I was headbanging most of 1983 away, Jackson Browne's album "Lawyers in Love" provided a light break in the action. It's a good album to just listen to. Not a headbanger but has plenty of cool hooks that appealed to metalheads like me back in the day.

Next post: Joe Jackson- Night and Day

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