Rock And Roll Children- The CD

Book sales of Rock And Roll Children are a bit slow at the moment, so in order to jump start things, I will be now giving away a free CD with any books bought directly from me. All you have to do is email me at tobychainsaw@hotmail.com for more information. However, those lucky few who already have a copy can still get a CD by writing a review on Amazon, The Rock And Roll Children Page on Facebook or on any blog. Just alert me to it's presence.
The CD obviously features songs mentioned in the book. When compiling the list, I originally chose 61 songs to use on the CD and I could have used a few more. Some of my British friends may wonder why "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" by Night Ranger is not on it as the club we all used to go to back then played it every week. After much consideration, I eventually had to cut it down to 17.

Song List:

1. Judas Priest- You Got Another Thing Coming
2. Twisted Sister- We’re Not Gonna Take It
3. Ratt- Round and Round
4. Dio- The Last in Line
5. Krokus- Screaming in the Night
6. Iron Maiden- Two Minutes to Midnight
7. Deep Purple- Perfect Strangers
8. AC/DC- For Those About to Rock, We Salute You
9. Dio Rock And Roll Children
10. Stormtroopers of Death- Pussywhipped
11. Aerosmith- Dream On
12. Ozzy Osbourne- Shot in the Dark
13. Anthrax- Madhouse
14. Iron Maiden- Wasted Years
15. Megadeth- Peace Sells
16.  WASP- Fuck Like a Beast
17.  Kiss- Crazy Crazy Nights

 

So, if you fancy a good read and you want some kick ass jams to accompany it, then buy the book and get this great CD.

Next Post: An alternative compilation album

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

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Judas Priest- Sad Wings of Destiny

Many great acts, especially metal ones had to pay their dues before they finallly make it to the big time. This was especially true with the metal gods we worship to day as Judas Priest. When I worshipped these gods in concert two and a half years ago in Cardiff, Wales, Robert Halford told the audience how thrity five years ago, the band would come to Cardiff in a little white van to play at the local pubs and clubs at the time. Back in the 1970s, Judas Priest were virtually unheard of, especially outside the UK and paid their dues by playing all the back holes of Britain and opening for more popular bands of the time like Budgie. Fortunately for us, they perservered and went on to become the great metal act we all know and love.
The downside of many bands once they ascend to the big stage is that much of their earlier work goes unnoticed. Some people will buy a band's earlier stuff upon hearing about it, but it still doesn't get the recognition it deserves as most people seem to be focused on the new stuff. The same can be said for me in regards to Judas Priest. "British Steel" was the first Judas Priest album I ever heard and you could say the rest was history, I became a total Priest fan. It wasn't until a few years later, however, when I heard the song "The Ripper" on a metal compilation album that I went back to the past and investigated earlier offerings such as "Sad Wings of Destiny."
It is often said that before a heavy metal band gets discovered, their hunger is reflected in their music. This is definitely true for "Sad Wings of Destiny." Listening to such tracks as "The Ripper," "Deceiver" and "Genocide" show the hunger. However, the album also shows the unmistakable guitar riffs of Tipton and Downing as well as the unique vocals of Halford that would later eventually enshrine Judas Priest in the annals of metal glory.

Track Listing:

1. Victim of Changes

2. The Ripper

3. Dreamer Deceiver

4. Deceiver

5. Prelude

6. Tyrant

7. Genocide

8. Epitaph

9. Island of Domination

Judas Priest

Rob Halford- vocals

Gelen Tipton- guitars and piano

KK Downing- guitars

Ian Hill- bass

Alan Moore- drums

I recently read a quote by a fan who states that "70s Priest kicks the sh*t out of 80s Priest." I will not get involved in that argument, especially as 80s Priest gets quite a lot of mention in "Rock And Roll Children,"  but I will admit that the 70s albums like "Sad Wings of Destiny" and the one I'll be visiting in my next post show a raw and hungry sound that I really like. So with my teacher head on, your assignment today is go and have a listen to this great diamond in the rough of an album and you will see what I mean.

Next post: Judas Priest- Sin After Sin

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

Also available on Amazon, Froogle and Barnes & Noble

Book Signing, Saturday May 12

I will be on location at Fat Lil's Pub in Witney, Oxfordshire to sell and sign copies of Rock and Roll Children. This will be my first book signing event of the year, so if you haven't bought a copy of Rock And Roll Children, here's your chance to get your own autographed copy. If you have, I will still autograhph it and you can tell me what you think of it.

Of course, it won't just be a case of me signing books because also appearing on the evening will be the sensational metal covers band Shepherd's Pie. These guys are a brilliant cover band and are definitely worth checking out. It should also be interesting to see if they rise to my challenge. A free copy of Rock and Roll Children is waiting for them if they play a Dio song during the night.

So, for a fantastic night of live metal and a chance to buy a great book, come to Fat Lil's this Saturday night. You won't be disappointed.

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html
Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle. Also on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Lynyrd Skynyrd- One More From the Road

Throughout the years, there have been many great, good and not so good live albums. I've already mentioned one on here, Bob Dylan, "Hard Rain" and you can be sure that I will post many more in the future. However, one live album that really does it for me is this one, Lynyrd Skynyrd's "One More From the Road." This is probably my favourite live album of all time, although it gets pretty stiff competition fom Black Sabbath's "Live Evil" album, which I will be featuring further on in the future.
Lynyrd Skynyrd were the second (the Allman Brothers were the first) of a string of great bands which came out of the Jacksonville Florida area in the 1970s and early 80s. In their heyday between 1973 and 1977, the year of their tragic plane crash, they defined the genre that we now know today as Southern Rock. During this time, Skynyrd put out a string of classic studio albums which brought Southern rock to appreciative Northern ears like mine and established them as one of the great bands of the time. In fact, as I write this, I am asking myself why they weren't included as one of the great metal influences, because some Southern metal bands can site Skynyrd as a big influence.
It's not just because "One More From the Road" is live being the reason I am posting it. The fact that on the album, they take many of the great songs they had put out and improve them to an even higher plane. A classic example is the legendary song "Freebird." The studio version from the first album was good, but on the live album there is great additions such as the piano intro by Billy Powell and the three guitars coming together for the grand finale at the very end. This is why the live version of "Freebird" is more loved than the original.

Track listing:

1. Working for the MCA

2. I Ain't the One

3. Searching

4. Tuesday's Gone

5. Saturday Night Special

6. Travelling Man

7. Whiskey Rock And Roller

8. Sweet Home Alabama

9. Give Me Three Steps

10. Call Me the Breeze

11. T for Texas

12. The Needle and the Spoon

13. Crossroads

14. Freebird

 

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Ronnie Van Zant- vocals

Gary Rossington- guitar

Allen Collins- guitar

Steve Gaines- guitar

Leon Wilkeson- bass

Billy Powell- piano, keyboards

Artimus Pyle- drums

For me, this is a great, classic live album and it was what put me on the road to the music I would later come to know and love as heavy metal. This album alone helped put the music scene of Jacksonville Florida on the map.

Next Post: Fleetwood Mac- Rumours

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

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: The Eagles- Hotel California

The Eagles are normally thought of as an easy listening band, mainly due to their countryfied sound. Throughout the seventies, they were able to cross over to both the country and pop charts with songs like "Lying Eyes," "Tequila Sunrise" and "Take Me to the Limit." The same can be said for this album because the single "New Kid in Town" hit number 43 in the country charts and number 2 in the pop charts. Therefore, it is no surprise that they have been labelled easy listening or country rock.
So if this band is considered easy listening, why did so many hard rockers like me go out and buy this album. The answer to this is simple, The Eagles can rock and tracks like "Life in the Fast Lane" and "Victim of Love" are testimony to this. But it's not just these tracks, the title track itself was able to offer something that listeners of different musical genres could identify with. It also helped that back in the 70s, people weren't as quick to categorise music like they do now. For me, it was that unique opening guitar riffs to the just hard enough rock melody throughout the middle to the cranking guitar solos at its finale. As a impressionable teenager back then, I watched a video of Hotel California and was totally blown away at the way lead guitarists Joe Walsh and Don Felder went back and forth trading guitar solos. I wonder if the metal bands who had dual lead guitarists who traded off solos got the idea here.

Track Listing:

1. Hotel California

2. New Kid in Town

3. Life in the Fast Lane

4. Wasted Time

5. Wasted Time Reprise

6. Victim of Love

7. Pretty Maids All in a Row

8. Try and Love Again

9. The Last Resort

 

The Eagles:

Don Felder: guitar, vocals, keyboards

Glen Frey- guitar, vocals, keyboards, piano

Don Henley- drums, vocals, keyboards

Randy Meisner- bass, vocals

Joe Walsh- guitar, slide guitar, vocals, keyboards

Another thing this album has in common with heavy metal of the 80s is that it has been accused of being satanic. Someone somewhere associated some of the lyrics of "Hotel California" with death and drew the conclusion that that was what the song was about. For me, I don't waste my brain cells thinking about that. I just like listening to the great music it has to offer.

I am going on holiday for a week and when I return, the next post will be KISS- Destroyer

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

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Jefferson Starship: Spitfire

A common proverb through the years has been "Never judge a book by its cover." I have always wondered if the same concept applies to music albums. In 1983, I learned the hard way never to buy an entire album on account of one song when I bought "The Getaway" by Chris DeBurgh because I liked the song "Don't Pay The Ferryman." On the other hand, if I didn't buy the Jefferson Starship album on account of the single "With Your Love," I wouldn't have bought this album and would have been poorer for it. Fortunately, I did judge the album by its cover. The idea of a pretty lady riding on a dragon that was formed by the smoke of her cigarette was a cool image for me. To me, the "Spitfire" album was the first really cool album cover in my eyes.
Back in the late 1970s, Jefferson Starship were renowned for being a mellow out type of band. They were noted for songs like "Count On Me" from the "Earth" album and their top hit "Miracles" from the "Red Octopus" album and even on the "Spitfire" album, the hit single "With Your Love," branded this band as one who excelled in mellow out rock.

Tack Listing:

1. Cruisin'

2. Dance With the Dragon

3. Hot Water

4. St. Charles

5. Song to the Sun

i. Part 1 Ozymadias

ii. Part 2, Don't Let It Rain

6. With Your Love

7. Switchblade

8. Big City

9. Love Lovely  Love

Unlike the hit single, the other tracks are much more rocking and showcase the great musicianship posessed by the band. There are some good rocking tracks like "Dance With the Dragon" and "Don't Let It Rain" and there is some great progressive rock on the tracks St. Charles and Switchblade and show cases the keyboard wizardry that is Pete Sears. What I like about this album especially is that lead guitarist Craig Chaquico is let loose on most of the tracks and is allowed to show that he can smoke the fingerboard.

Jefferson Starship:

Marty Balin- vocals

Grace Slick- vocals, piano of Ozymadias and Switchblade

Paul Kantner- rhythm guitar

Craig Chaquico- lead guitar

Pete Sears- bass and keyboards

David Freiberg- bass and keyboards

John Barbata- drums

Back when the album came out in 76, before people started putting music into categories, this album worked on a lot of levels. There are good hard rocking tracks, some great progressive rock and for the top 40 followers, a solid hit single. This is a great rock album and with the cool front cover design, shows you can judge and album by its cover.

Next post: Bad Company- Straight Shooter

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

Also available on Amazon, Froogle and Barnes & Noble

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Boston

If I could point to any one album back in my naive teenage days which opened my eyes to the world of heavy rock, it would have to be the first album by Boston. When I first heard the song "More Than a Feeling," I was completely blown away and made sure whenever that song played on the radio in late 1976 and early 1977, the volume would get turned up to full. Boston was the major turning point leading me out of relying on the top 40 played on AM radio to more harder rock persuits.

Track Listing:

1. More Than a Feeling

2. Peace Of Mind

3. Foreplay/Long Time

4. Rock and Roll Band

5. Smokin

6. Hitch A Ride

7. Something About You

8. Let Me Take You Home Tonight

While "More Than a Feeling" is the most popular Boston song of all time, (it appears on many compilation albums including three of mine) many of the other tracks can stand alone in their own right. "Peace of Mind" and "Foreplay/Long Time" also both made the top 40 charts and I know that "Let Me Take You Home Tonight" also received play on the radio. Furthermore, all of the other tracks also feature on classic rock stations and back in the late 70s, many thought that "Rock And Roll Band" should have also been released as a single, I was one of them.

Boston is:

Tom Sholtz- guitar, organ, electric piano, accoustic guitars, clavinet

Brad Delp- vocals

Sib Hashian- drums

Barry Goudreau- lead guitar

Fran Sheehan- bass

Boston's first album is the second largest selling rock album of all time, only "Appetite for Destruction" by Guns and Roses has more sales. This album while a good rocking album is quite melodic as well, which is why it works on so many levels. After 35 years, this album continues to set a standard for great rock.

Next Post: Jeffereson Starship: Spitfire

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

Also avaliable on Amazon, Froogle and Barnes & Noble

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Peter Frampton- Frampton Comes Alive

""Frampton Comes Alive," everyone knows this album. If you lived in the suburbs you were issued it. It came in the mail with boxes of Tide."

Wayne Campbell

My copy of this album must have gotten lost in the mail because I never received it, although my mother did get her box of Tide. I never bought the album either, I didn't have to. Practically everyone I know had a copy of it so whenever, I went to someone's house in 1976 or 77, you could be assured that it was playing loud on the stereo. That is what happens when an album sells 6 million copies worldwide.
The thing "Frampton Comes Alive" is probably most famous for is Frampton's use of the "talk box" on two of the songs. I still remember sitting in my Sophmore biology class listening to two of my classmates debate the merits of it. Even though the talk box was only used on two songs, it was enough to catapult the single "Show Me the Way" to number 6 in the US charts and number 10 in the UK. "Show Me the Way" wasn't the only single from this album. The single "Baby I Love Your Way" reached 12 and 43 respectively in the US  and UK charts. Furthermore, it led to an entire generation, me included, trying to imitate his famous "Thank You" at the beginning of the song. Of course, many people like me can also relate to waking up in the morning feeling the same way as described in the single "Do You Feel Like We Do."

Track Listing:

1. Something's Happening

2. Doobie Wah

3. Show Me The Way

4. It's a Plain Shame

5.  All I Want to Be Is (By Your Side)

6. Winds of Change

7. Baby I Love Your Way

8. I Wanna Go to the Sun

9. Penny For Your Thoughts

10. (I'll Give You) Money

11. Shine On

12. Jumping Jack Flash

13. Lines on My Face

14. Do You Feel Like We Do

Musiscians on the album:

Peter Frampton- guitar and vocals

Bob Mayo- guitars, piano, electric piano, organ

Stanley Sheldon- bass

John Siomos- drums

There were some good live album before "Frampton Comes Alive" and many more since, but none of them achieved the success this album did. For me, it was the first live album I listened to and it is why it will always be in my mind when anyone mentions great live albums.

Next post: I will be taking a break from the Great Rock Albums of the 70s series and will write about the great heavy metal love songs.

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

Also available to by on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Black Sabbath- Paranoid

Living the sheltered life I did as a teenager back in the 1970s, I didn't hear this album until 1980. When I did, I thought this was the hardest rock album ever (until then). Hearing the Paranoid album changed my view on music forever. After that, I completely abandoned any feeling for the top 40 and have been a dedicated metal head ever since and this is the album I have to thank for it.
Every rock or metal compilation album puts the title track "Paranoid" on it knowing that it will boost the album. I won't take anything away from the song, it's a good one. However, the song that did it for me and is still my favourite Sabbath tune is definitely "War Pigs." Having seen Sabbath twice in concert, I cheer the loudest when they play it. Of course, we can't forget the brilliant riffs that is "Iron Man" as well as the other songs like "Fairies Wear Boots." From beginning to end, it is understandable why this is one of the true metal albums of all time.

Tack listing:

1. War Pigs

2. Paranoid

3. Planet Caravan

4. Iron Man

5. Electric Funeral

6. Hand of Doom

7. Rat Salad

8. Fairies Wear Boots

Ozzy Osbourne- vocals

Tony Iommi- guitar

Geezer Butler- bass

Bill Ward- drums

No one can argue against the Paranoid album by Black Sabbath as being the template for what true metal albums since should be like. This album has been often immitated but never duplicated and will forever stand the test of time.

Next Post: Led Zepplin IV

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

Also available to buy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Aerosmith- Toys in the Attic

Aerosmith's "Toys in the Attic" was probably the very first true rock album I heard. Before that, it was old 45 records and compilation albums that went on sale at your local Jamesway. (Sad, I know). Before this album, I was very musically naive, but hearing it was a total eye opener. From the first track, I was hooked and wanted to listen to the whole album and like every other teenager back then, I had a big snigger at the track, "Big Ten Inch Record."

Track Listing

1. Toys in the Attic

2. Uncle Salty

3. Adam's Apple

4. Walk This Way

5. Big Ten Inch Record

6. Sweet Emotion

7. No More, No More

8. Round and Round

9. You See Me Crying

Of all the tracks, it was "Walk This Way" that stands out. That is because once I heard the album, I seemed to hear that particular song played everywhere. Therefore, the song holds a special place in my metal heart.

Now that I am much older and wiser (pause for laughter), I can fully appreciate the great musicianship by Aerosmith on this album. The clear vocals by Steven Tyler and the guitar solos by Joe Perry backed up by the others make this album a magnificent listen. Aerosmith hadn't begun to destroy themselves with the excesses of success, which is another reason this album is so crisp.

Steve Tyler- vocals

Joe Perry- lead guitar

Brad Whitford- rhythm guitar

Tom Hamilton- bass

Joey Kramer- drums

Thirty six years after its first release, "Toys In The Attic" continues to stand the test of time. It is a standard bearer for many of the albums which have followed it and will always be ranked among my favourites.

Next post: Black Sabbath: Paranoid

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

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Other Great Metal Influences: Part 10, The Honourable Mentions

As this is the last in the great metal influences series, I thought it best to end it with some of the great unsung heroes of the 1970s who influenced the metal of the 80s. The list here is in no means exhaustive and there are probably a lot more acts that can be included in the list. These are the ones for me.

The first of these has to be without question, Slade. You only have to look as far as Quiet Riot to know that these guys were a big influence on 80s metal. It's a shame that they never really made it in America until the 80s, but throughout the 70s, they were a major player on the rock scene in Britain. Any doubts, you can ask my wife, she's met them.

Many will say that I should have given Blue Oyster Cult a solo spot in the series and there is great argument for this. They began to make huge strides into the rock scene in the late 70s, especially with their hit, "Don't Fear the Reaper." They were also the first band I heard of the be labelled "Satanic." The band's name gives that impression. I will be speaking a lot more of them when I begin my albums series.

Smashey and Nicey will love me for including Bachman Turner Overdrive in this list and with good reason. These rockers tore up the charts in the mid 70s with hits like "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" and "Taking Care of Business." Unfortunately, when I saw them in the 80s, they had declined and became what my friend described as a bunch of fat, burned out, 40 year old bikers.

Another great rock act from the early and mid 70s was Grand Funk Railroad. Back then, many rock fans put them on a par with Black Sabbath. However, they seemed to disappear into obscurity after that.

My final honourable mention has to go to Foghat. In the late 70s, they sold a good number of albums and were considered a great live act. I was jealous of two friends who saw them open for Blue Oyster Cult in 1981. The report was that the concert was fantastic.

Last but not least and I should be shot for almost forgetting them and I thank the Metal Excess blog for reminding me, is Heart. Throughout the 70s, they had a string of great rocking albums and songs that was so heavy, many acts from the 80s would have been jealous. Great hits like "Heartless," "Barracuda," "Magic Man" and Crazy on You" will forever linger in my memory as classic rock hits. Ann And Nancy Wilson proved to be great role models for the future ladies who would go on to carry the rock chick banner. Heart will be another band I could have included on their own in the series.

I hope you have enjoyed the entire series of great rock influences and will continue reading this blog in the future.
Next post: The Great Guitarists of the 70s.
To buy Rock And Roll Children: visit www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html
Also available to buy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Other Great Metal Influences: Part 9, The Sweet

If I didn't include The Sweet in my category of great metal influences, my wife would never let me forget it, my stepson either. While many don't think of these guys when compared to the likes of Kiss, Alice Cooper, Rush or Aerosmith, The Sweet were one of those bands that put out a string of great rock hits from 1970-78 that had audiences eating out of their hands. Songs like "Blockbuster," "Whim Wham Bam," "Pappa Joe," "Ballroom Blitz" and two songs which were my favourites in 1974 and 1976, "Little Willy" and "Fox On the Run" entertained a generation of rockers.

The driving force behind The Sweet was                 

         Brian Conelly- vocals

Andy Scott- guitar

Steve Priest- bass

Mick Tucker- drums

As much as their hard rocking sound, the glam image was also what The Sweet was known for. Bands like Motley Crue and Poison can take their influences direct from them and with bands like Def Leppard recording covers of their songs, it is only fair to rank The Sweet as one of those great acts who were an influence on the metal of the 80s.
Next post is the final in the chapter of Great Metal Influences and will include Slade and Blue Oyster Cult
To buy a copy of Rock And Roll Children visit: www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Other Great Metal Influences: Part 7, Thin Lizzy

Like T-Rex, Thin Lizzy was one of those great rock bands from the 70s which I didn't fully appreciate until the 1980s. Sure, I loved the song "The Boys Are Back In Town" when I first heard it on the radio, back in 1977. Also, I would see their albums advertised, but think nothing more. But that was down to me and nothing to do with this great band.

For me, it seemed when I began to really expand my musical horizons in the early 80s, it seemed only natural that Thin Lizzy would be part of that. Their music seemed to fit right in with much of the metal going on at the time. I really began to get into their earlier material as well at that time. Therefore, it is no surprise that many of the metal acts of the 80s cite Thin Lizzy as one of their influences, with some acts even releasing covers of Thin Lizzy songs. I have heard Bon Jovi's cover of "The Boys Are Back In Town" and only a few years ago, the great Metallica released a copy of "Whiskey In a Jar." However, I am still waiting for a cover of my personal favourite Lizzy song, "Jailbreak" as long as they do the song justice.

An old friend of mine, (I haven't seen him in over 27 years) saw Thin Lizzy play what was then to be their last ever gig back in 1983. My reaction to that is "You lucky ****." Reports were, they were a great live act and not seeing them is a regret for me.
The death of Phil Lynott in 1986 marked an end of an era for Thin Lizzy fans. The way he died made many rock stars at the time rethink their life style and live cleaner. However, his spirit lives on in the music, just ask any true Thin Lizzy fan. Thin Lizzy was definitely a big influence on heavy metal.
Next post: Rainbow
To buy Rock And Roll Children, visit: www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html
Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle

Other great metal influences, Part 4; Rush

Whenever you ask any old rocker to name a great Canadian rock act, they won't say Bryan Adams, they'll tell you that it is Rush. For over thirty years this great band has stayed together and put out a string of albums over the years that have satisfied their audiences. While they may not quite have had the chart success of Aerosmith, they haven't had all the negative experiences either, but have been consistently solid for nearly four decades.

Rush released their first album in 1974 and while it was several years later before I actually listened to it, I can see why it helped to put Rush on the music map. It features their unique blend of rock with the guitar work of Alex Lifeson and the mistakable vocals of Geddy Lee and the hard working drumming of Neil Peart. I use this album as a counter by non metal people who say that metal musicians can only play three chords.

Geddy Lee- vocals, bass, keyboards

Alex Lifeson- guitars

Neil Peart- drums, percussion

Throught the late 70s, Rush would begin to enjoy mainstream success. Albums such as "Farewell to Kings" and "2112" would establish them as one of the major rock acts. They can also be given credit for getting record labels in America to finally look north of the border and see the other acts that Canada has come to produce.

                                                                             

In 1981, Rush put out the ablum "Moving Pictures" which would be arguably their best. Songs like "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight" have been favourites with many Rush fans and even a few non Rush fans. Unfortunately, as was the case back in the 1980s, the album also branded Rush a heavy metal band by some ignorant American deejays who wanted to put music into categories. As a result of not wanting to be stereotyped, the Rush sound became more synthesised in the 80s, the album "Grace Under Pressure" being the point. However, Rush managed to put out synthesised albums without being accused of "selling out" by metalheads who still bought and enjoyed these albums.

One thing that can always be said of Rush over the near past four decades is that they have always been a great live act. I have never had the fortune of seeing this great band live, but everyone I have spoken to who has seen them, can confirm this. They continue to play with an energy which masks their years and their light displays of the 80s and 90s have been described as mind blowing.

Rush is another one of those great bands from the 70s which metal acts in the 80s site as an influence. However, bands from the 90s and the 00s can probably also site them as well because Rush have been and continue to be a great influence to metal.

Next post: Queen

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

It is also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle.

Founding Fathers of Metal Part 3- Led Zepplin

"Led Zeppllin just made music, they didn't care if they were liked. They left that to the BeeGees."

Wayne Campbell

Now I know that once again I'm preaching to the heavy metal choir, but one can't talk about the founding fathers of metal without mentioning Led Zepplin. Led Zepplin were considered by many to be pioneers in the rock music industry and many bands today have them, as well as Black Sabbath to thank for their sound today.

John Bonham- drunms

Robert Plant- vocals

Jimmy Page- guitars

John Paul Jones- bass

My first experience of Led Zepplin was Led Zepplin IV or as I called it back then, "The album with the funny shapes for a title." It contains the all time classic "Stairway to Heaven," you know, the song that every apsiring guitarist plays in music shops when they are shopping for a new guitar. But "IV" also has some other great songs like, "Rock And Roll," "Black Dog," "Misty Mountain Hop" and "When the Levee Breaks." All of these make the fourth album a killer album.

Their are many more studio album, greatest hits albums and even some live albums,if you look hard enough,  which have stood the test of time and are now considered classics. This includes their most recent "Mothership" which is a two CD release of some of their greatest hits and includes a DVD. But enough of the adverts, besides, I'm not getting paid to say that.

While some metalheads may not want to admit it, it can be rightfully said that everyone in the metal world can look to Led Zepplin as one of the founding fathers of heavy metal.

Next week will be the last of the Founding Fathers of Metal and will feature Deep Purple. After that I will visit two other influential bands from the 70s.

To buy your own copy of Rock And Roll Children, visit www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Founding Fathers of Metal Part 2, Black Sabbath

I know that I am preaching to the choir, but you can't mention the origins of heavy metal without mentioning Black Sabbath. It is most certain that every metal head on the planet (and maybe beyond) will site Sabbath as one of the founding fathers of metal.
                                         
My only regret is not allowing myself to listen to Black Sabbath throughout my teenage years in the 1970s.  Back then, I was a born again Christian and was very much influenced by the Black Sabbath are Satanic brigade and believed the myth that listening to them would have me sacrificing chickens to the Dark Lord. That is one claim that Black Sabbath can boast, they were the first band I know of to be branded Satanic.

It was their "Paranoid" album that first introduced me to the music of Black Sabbath as a young marine in 1980. I was totally blown away by the first track "War Pigs," which is still my favourite Sabbath track after all these years. The other tracks confirmed to me that Black Sabbath were brilliant and persuaded me to listen to them more. Furthermore, after hearing "Paranoid," I did not find myself looking to sacrifice a chicken on the first available altar.

Black Sabbath would put out eight albums between 1970-78, although it is the two pictured above along with "Paranoid," that rank as my favourite. Their sound was true metal in its greatest form and many a band since will draw upon them as an influence. While Black Sabbath will continue and have success with other line ups, the original billing of:                                            

Ozzy Osbourne- vocals

Tony Iommi- guitar

Geezer Butler- bass

Bill Ward- drums

will be the line up that is most remembered by all metal fans.

Next post: Led Zepplin

To buy Rock And Roll Children visit www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html