Great Rock Albums of 1984: U2- Under a Blood Red Sky

 

Maybe U2 were trying to follow in the lead of Blackfoot in the sense that after three albums, release a live album. The difference here is that the three Blackfoot albums are all considered classics while the same can't be said for the three U2 albums. Now don't get me wrong, I like all three of these albums, "Boy," "October" and "War." However, the first two didn't propel them to stardom the way "War" did. "Boy" turned my head in their direction but when I mentioned U2 to others, I mostly got blank stares. "October," on the other hand, is U2's best kept secret. Not a lot of people seem to know too much about the album but I've always liked it. "War" goes without saying, it made the band a worldwide name. It is on the back of "War" that the live "Under a Blood Red Sky" album was released.

When most people think of this live album, they automatically assume it's from the filmed concert "U2 Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky," it's not. The songs are live but recorded separately from concerts in Colorado, Boston and Germany. Furthermore, the filmed concert is nearly and hour and a half long while the album consists of just eight songs and is just over thirty-five minutes.

Ironically, the album starts with the best known song from the "October" album, "Gloria." Probably a good opener as any for U2 at this stage of their career. What's more, the next two songs are off the "Boy" album but then, "I Will Follow" is my all time favourite U2 song and it's played very well. The crowd really get into it and if I had been there, I would have too. The fourth song, "Party Girl," doesn't appear on any of the albums but it's still okay. Remember, back in 1983, U2 were still hungry and making their mark on the music world and all of the songs reflect that on the album.

It's not until song five we get anything from the "War" album and that is the phenomenal "Sunday Bloody Sunday." My second favourite U2 song and the way it's played here is pure magic. Next is another good song from the debut album in the form of "The Electric Co." For me, it's played just as well live as when I hear it on the "Boy" album. Were there studio fixes here?  I can't say. The last two songs from "War" take the album out brilliantly. First is the fantastic "New Year's Day" and there is no better song for them to close a concert with than "40." When I saw them in 1985, they would close the show with that song and it was mind blowing. I have to say that "Under a Blood Red Sky" takes me back to another time and almost seemingly another U2 because they were actually good but it hadn't gone to their heads yet.

Track Listing:

1. Gloria
2. 11 O'Clock Tick Tock
3. I Will Follow
4. Party Girl
5. Sunday Bloody Sunday
6. The Electric Co
7. New Year's Day
8. 40

[caption id="attachment_2198" align="aligncenter" width="233"] U2[/caption]

Bono- lead vocals, guitar

The Edge- guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, bass on "40"

Adam Clayton- bass, guitar on "40"

Larry Mullen Jr- drums

"Under a Blood Red Sky" may not go down as one of the greatest live albums in history but it's still a good album. Especially if you like U2 when they were more hungry and less with the ego.

Next post: Julian Lennon- Valotte

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Great Metal Albums of 1984: Van Halen- 1984

 

History is the reason why I am beginning the journey through 1984 with Van Halen's sixth album, which is also named after this same year. Going back to in time, minutes after the bells rang in 1984 as the new year, MTV started the year by playing the first single from the album, "Jump." Like many a metalhead at the time, I wasn't too sure about the large amount of keyboards used in the song. However, I didn't think the song was bad and Eddie proved he knew his way around a keyboards almost as well as he does his guitar. That's how the year started for me. I then proceeded to get rather sloppy drunk as you do on the new year.

After "Jump," things go back to more traditional Van Halen territory, with one exception, which I'll get to. "Panama" was also released as a single and I definitely like it more than "Jump." Eddie works his magic with the guitar and David Lee Roth uses his mouth in the only way he knows. I'm not just talking about his singing either. I've always liked his talking bit in the middle of "Panama." "I reached down and put the seat back." It doesn't translate well here in print but if you listen to the song, you'll see what I mean.

"Top Jimmy" and "Drop Dead Legs" are both good songs and I like the little guitar bits done on both songs. However, whenever I hear "Drop Dead Legs," my mind immediately goes to when I heard the song used in an episode of "Family Guy." For those who don't know, it's the episode where Brian and Stewie travel to a parallel universe and find a world where Meg is hot.

[caption id="attachment_3772" align="aligncenter" width="191"] Drop Dead Legs played to this scene[/caption]

Another good thing about both of those songs is that they lead beautifully to my favourite song on the album, "Hot for Teacher." Every thing you loved about Van Halen is found on this song. Roth's little quips between the verses and don't forget, he can sing some too. Eddie plays the longest solo of all the songs on the album and very well too and of course we can never forget the rhythm section of Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen. While these two remain tight on the whole album, they seem especially so on "Hot forTeacher."

After my favourite song comes the other exception. "I'll Wait" is another keyboard dominated song but I never disliked it. If Van Halen had been making albums in the 1970s, many people would have used this song to label them a progressive rock band. Still, Eddie plays a decent solo on it. "I'll Wait" leads the way for the album to go out on the good foot. I do like the intro on "Girl Gone Bad" and "House of Pain" is a suitable closer. For me, though I hadn't listened to "Diver Down" at the time, I still drew the conclusion that "1984" was three steps up from it. Now that I have listened to that album, I will stay say that this one is the better album.

Track Listing:

1. 1984
2. Jump
3. Panama
4. Top Jimmy
5. Drop Dead Legs
6. Hot for Teacher
7. I'll Wait
8. Girl Gone Bad
9. House of Pain

[caption id="attachment_1143" align="aligncenter" width="267"] Van Halen[/caption]

David Lee Roth- lead vocals

Eddie Van Halen- guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Michael Anthony- bass, backing vocals

Alex Van Halen- drums, backing vocals

This was how my 1984 began. There aren't too many better ways to ring in a new year but what I do know now is that Van Halen's "1984" opened the port hole to all the great music that would come our way in this year.

Next post: U2- Under a Blood Red Sky

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

1984: The Golden Year of the Golden Decade

 The 1980s was the golden decade of heavy metal but if there was any one year that stood out above all others in that decade, it was 1984. Why did this particular year stand out? Well let me answer this by quoting Dee Snider when I saw Twisted Sister in concert in the August of this year. "They're even playing heavy metal on the radio." I'm not sure if Dee used an expletive when he said it. He was known for using them quite liberally when he was on stage but I don't recall him using it when he said that. I digress but he was right. Heavy metal did get played on the radio quite a lot in 1984 and even more so on MTV. That alone makes 1984 the golden year of heavy metal.

[caption id="attachment_3428" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Twisted Sister come out and play, taken at Bloodstock 2016[/caption]

Obviously not every metal band got airplay on radio or MTV but you might be surprised at some of the ones who did. They didn't play any Slayer. That didn't stop these bands from unleashing some kick ass albums onto our delicate ears. This is also the reason why I begin "Rock And Roll Children" in this same year. Warning, I will make even more references to the book in future posts. However, one can't avoid the fact that there was so much great metal and some cool rock as well and I hope that my journey through the golden year will do the albums justice.

Next post: Van Halen- 1984

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Great Rock Albums of 1983: Billy Idol- Rebel Yell

 

Not sure if history would agree with me but thirty years ago, I thought that 1983 was Billy Idol's year. After all, he made my Spring and my final weeks in the service bearable with "White Wedding" from his first album, which was cool in itself. Then, at the end of the same year, he released the follow up, "Rebel Yell." While I thought, actually I still do think it, that the first single and title track wasn't quite as good as "White Wedding" or even "Dancing with Myself," I still thought it was an all right song.

"Rebel Yell" is more of a new wave album than its predecessor. Billy uses more keyboards on the songs although unlike the emerging synth pop that was manifesting itself at the time, they don't dominate them. On the title track, the keyboards help to usher in the start of the song but it goes more traditional hard rock for the rest of it. The same sort of thing happens with the tracks "Crank Call" and "(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows" and both songs are enjoyable. In fact, the hardest song on the album for me is "Blue Highway" and probably why it's my favourite.

There are some more slower songs on here like "Eyes Without a Face" which did score as a big hit for him in the singles charts. That song marked a move away from punk to a more new wave sound. The same can be said for "Flesh For Fantasy," but I like that one a little more. It did take me a few careful listens before I fully appreciated "Daytime Drama." That's because if you listen closely, there is some good guitar work in support. However, unlike hardcore punk or metal, it doesn't come out and hit you in the face. I have to now concur with 1537's assertion that Steve Stevens is a really good guitar player. Therefore, while I still don't think that "Rebel Yell" quite hits the level of Idol's self titled album, it's still a good album.

Track Listing:

1. Rebel Yell
2. Daytime Drama
3. Eyes Without a Face
4. Blue Highway
5. Flesh for Fantasy
6. Catch My Fall
7. Crank Call
8. (Do Not) Stand in the Shadows
9. The Dead Next Door

[caption id="attachment_3089" align="aligncenter" width="194"] Billy Idol[/caption]

Billy Idol- guitar, vocals

Steve Stevens- guitar, bass, keyboards, synthesizer

Phil Feit- bass on Rebel Yell

Sal Cuevas- bass on Eyes Without a Face

Steve Webster- bass

Judi Dozier- keyboards

Jack Waldman- keyboards

Thommy Price- drums

Greg Gerson- drums on Rebel Yell and Do Not Stand in the Shadows

Mars Williams- saxophone on Catch My Fall

Perri Lister- backing vocals on Eyes Without a Face

The more I think back, the more convinced I become that 1983 was Billy Idol's year. Two albums and four big singles prove that point. It is also why I thought that "Rebel Yell" would be the best way to end the tour of 1983.

Next post: Great Albums Killed by the Cassette Player

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Great Metal Albums of 1983: Ozzy Osbourne- Bark at the Moon

 

Way back in the beginning, when I first began posting about 1983, I stated that it was the year that the dam well and truly burst and that heavy metal flooded the valleys. With all the great albums from metal artists in this year, one would be forgiven if they believed that an album from one of the legends of metal, Ozzy Osbourne, wouldn't have made much difference. Besides, he did put out a live album in the form of "Speak of the Devil" earlier in the year. However, Ozzy did come out with an album anyway, and while I wouldn't debate anyone who said that it wasn't quite as good as his first two solo albums, I still think it's a fine album nonetheless.

The title track of "Bark at the Moon" just happens to be one of my all time favourite Ozzy singles. It's definitely in the top five. When I saw him live, he opened the show with it and that set the tone for what was going to be an historic night. I do commit it to pen in "Rock and Roll Children." There are other tracks on the album that are pure blinders as well. "Now You See It (Now You Don't) and "Rock and Roll Rebel" are two perfect examples and "Center of Eternity" is a real cool song. I do like the keyboard intro. In fact, "Bark at the Moon" seems to use more keyboards than the previous Ozzy albums. This is especially the case in the closer, "Waiting for the Darkness" and on "Slow Down." Another feature with the album is that there are two ballads on it, "You're No Different" and "So Tired" which was released as a single and I remember it getting a fair amount of radio play back then.

The big question that was asked when "Bark at the Moon" came out was if Ozzy's new guitarist Jake E Lee would fill the void left behind by the death of Randy Rhoads. The short answer is that nobody can replace Randy, he had a style all to his own. However, Jake E Lee's talents with the six string can never be ignored, especially on this album and when he played live. His playing goes a long way in making the album as good as it is.

[caption id="attachment_3756" align="aligncenter" width="194"] Jake E Lee[/caption]

Track Listing:

1. Bark at the Moon
2. You're No Different
3. Now You See It (Now You Don't)
4. Rock And Roll Rebel
5. Center of Eternit
6. So Tired
7. Slow Down
8. Waiting for the Darkness

[caption id="attachment_2343" align="aligncenter" width="199"] Ozzy Osbourne[/caption]

Ozzy Osbourne- lead vocals

Jake E Lee- guitar, backing vocals

Bob Daisley- bass, backing vocals

Don Airey- keyboards

Tommy Aldridge- drums

Ozzy Osbourne joined the flood of heavy metal in 1983 with the album "Bark at the Moon." Ozzy's drinking problems would manifest themselves in the months following and he would eventually have to go and dry out. He wouldn't release a studio album for nearly three years after but he did leave us a good one to bide the time.

Next post: Billy Idol- Rebel Yell

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Metal Albums of 1983: Heaven- Where Angels Fear to Tread

 

When my household finally got MTV in the final month of 1983, one video I remember seeing getting a good amount of airplay was the one for the song, "Rock School" by Australian rockers, Heaven. The song itself was okay although at the time, I wasn't too sure about the horns in it. What I did enjoy was the actual video. It cast the band as your typical high school hoods causing havoc at their school. My favourite part was when they whip the high school football team in a rumble. I think that was the highlight for many metalheads at the time.

Now, I am not anti- American football or school sports. After all, I officiate the game here in the UK and when I went to the states two and a half years ago, had the opportunity to officiate a high school junior varsity game. What I am opposed to is the mentality in schools that a boy isn't anything unless he plays football and that football prepares a young man for life. It was around this time in the US that schools began pushing sports over learning and treating the jocks as mollycoddled gods. There is an instance in "Rock and Roll Children" about this when two football players try to pick on one of the character's friends and a fight starts. When the smoke clears, the teachers, the PE teacher especially, seem to be more sympathetic to the football players' side of the story. The PE teacher simply wants to dismiss the metalheads' story and only a more fair minded teacher stops him. Trust me, things like this happened in school back then and probably still do so now. So, it would have amused many a metalhead in 83 to see one of their bands duffing up some football players.

[caption id="attachment_3750" align="aligncenter" width="402"] Scenes from the video for "Rock School."[/caption]

As for the rest of the album, "Where Angels Fear to Tread," let me say that it is pretty much a good rocking album. The single, "Rock School" blends in well with the rest of the album. The opener and title track is quite good and the second track, "Love Child" pretty much goes hand in hand with the same hard, feel good vibe. Without a doubt though, my favourite track on the album has to be "Hard Life." This is just a great standard rocker! Heaven just goes all out on it and it has the best guitar solo on it so double bonus points there. The closer, "Sleeping Dogs," is a powerful rocker too and I don't think it should be the closer. Maybe one of the two before it would have been better but who's to say. "Where Angels Fear to Tread" is damn fine album.

Track Listing:

1. Where Angels Fear to Tread
2. Love Child
3. Scream for Me
4. Don't Mean Nothing
5. Rock School
6. Madness
7. Hard Life
8. She Stole My Heart
9. You
10. Sleeping Dogs

Allan 'Eddie' Fryer- vocals

Kelly- lead guitar

Laurie Marlow- bass

Mick Cocks- rhythm guitar

Joe Turtur- drums

I wonder how many people who were living in 1983 actually remember seeing the "Rock School" video on MTV. Believe me, it was on quite a lot then and some people probably have Heaven down for one hit wonders. The "Where Angels Fear to Tread" album makes them much more than that.

Next post: Ozzy Osbourne- Bark at the Moon

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Metal Albums of 1983: Dokken- Breaking the Chains

 

Before I get lynched for stating that the 1983, "Breaking the Chains" album was Dokken's debut album, I will be the first to point out that this album was released in Europe two years earlier. I didn't discover this fact until 1986 when I went over to the Continent. Therefore, like many Americans, I assumed that the 1983 effort was their debut. However, for parity, I will make it a point to listen to the earlier version and take notes on any differences.

Even when this album did come to my attention, I didn't go out and buy it straight away. Reason being was that my friend and heavy metal officianado, Frank Formica, had seen them live supporting Aldo Nova and Blue Oyster Cult and fed back that he wasn't impressed. He stated that it was like watching a puppet show in regards to how they moved on stage and that only about thirty people were getting into them. This meant that I gave "Breaking a Chains" a miss and didn't actually listen to it until after their third album.

Now I would like to say that the debut album was a blinder of an album and I was a fool for not picking it up in 1983. I'm afraid I am cemented in the belief that their next two albums after were strides better. However, you have to start somewhere and "Breaking the Chains" was a good a springboard as any. There are some decent songs on here, my favourite being the title cut, which would still be a strong track if it had appeared on one of the later albums. Other stand out tracks for me are "Felony," "Live to Rock, (Rock to Live)," "Nightrider" and "Stick to Your Guns." In addition, "In the Middle" has been growing on me recently. But one thing I can say about most of the tracks here is that guitarist George Lynch is already showing his magic on the six string and this, like the later albums, would continue to improve with age.

Track Listing:

1. Breaking the Chains
2. In the Middle
3. Felony
4. I Can't See You
5. Live to Rock, (Rock to Live)
6. Nightrider
7. Seven Thunders
8. Young Girls
9. Stick to Your Guns
10. Paris is Burning

[caption id="attachment_3744" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Dokken[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3745" align="aligncenter" width="182"] I couldn't find a picture of the band with Juan Crocier in it so I've included a solo shot.[/caption]

Don Dokken- lead vocals, rhythm guitar

George Lynch- lead guitar

Juan Crocier- bass, backing vocals

Wild Mick Brown- drums

As any metal historian worth his salt can tell you, Juan Crocier would leave the band and go to newer pastures. No prizes for guessing which band he would end up with. While I like the album, the lack of commercial success of "Breaking the Chains" had the band Elektra label considering dropping them. While history would go on to prove that the decision to give them another chance was the right one, we nearly lost them after one album and we would have been denied the better ones.

Next post: Heaven- Where Angels Fear to Tread

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com