What are the 10 best rock era albums? [Archive]

Paul Kotapish

Jun-01-2007, 12:43pm

Excellent choices so far.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Beatles
Rubber Soul, Beatles
Revolver, Beatles
Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home, Bob Dylan
The Band, The Band (second album)
Disraeli Gears, Cream
Blues Breakers, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, AKA the "Beano" album
My Generation, The Who
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin
Crosby, Stills & Nash, Crosby Stills & Nash
Buffalo Springfield Again, Buffalo Springfield
Live Dead, Grateful Dead
After Bathing at Baxters, Jefferson Airplane
East/West, Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Are You Experienced?, Jimi Hendrix
Beggars Banquet, Rolling Stones

Hmmmm. How do I fit in the amazing, startling, vital tracks by the Beach Boys, the Kinks, Traffic, Steely Dan, Van Morrison, Frank Zappa, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, the Zombies, the Hollies, Jeff Beck, Wilson Pickett, the Doors, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Byrds, Pink Floyd, the Youngbloods, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Stevie Wonder, Ten Years After, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Blind Faith, Aretha Franklin, Jethro Tull, Neil Young, and the rest of the '60s-vintage albums by Dylan, the Beatles, Stones, Cream, Hendrix, and the Who? All of those albums were surprising, stop-me-in-my-tracks releases.

Is that ten yet?

What the heck was going on in the '60s, anyway?

mando_law

Jun-01-2007, 12:48pm

These are in no particular order -

1. Blows Against the Empire / Jefferson Airplane
2. Bridge of Sighs / Jeff Beck
3. London Calling / the Clash
4. After the Goldrush / Neil Young
5. Are You Experienced / Jimi Hendrix
6. Fragile / Yes
7. The Gilded Palace of Sin / Flying Burrito Brothers
8. The Doors (self titled 1st album) / The Doors
9. Four Way Street / CSN&Y
10. At Folsom Prison / Johnny Cash

James P

Jun-01-2007, 12:49pm

Kind of an unfortunate subject title as it's just not possible to say which albums were/are "the best." #But I'll list some really olde albums that I loved at the time and have played songs off of in the last few months.

Blind Faith - Blind Faith (Do What You Like!)
The Who - Who's Next (Love Ain't for Keeping)
The Dead - Mars Hotel (US Blues)
Dylan - Hwy 61 (Takes a Train)
Brewer and Shipley - Weeds (Rise Up)
Jimi Hendrix -Axis Bold as Love (Little Wing)
FOW - Welcome Interstate Managers (Bright Future in Sales)

Maybe I'll add more later - gotta go now. #But this is the sorta thing what comes from jamming regularly with other olde doods.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

AlanN

Jun-01-2007, 3:15pm

Allman Bros - several, although Live at the Fillmore East is da Bomb
Al Kooper - Supersession, plus I had a double LP called Al's Big Deal, had the great version of Feelin' Groovy live at the Fillmore East with Paul Simon on vocals
The Band - several
Phil Ochs - never got too into the Folksinger thing, but Phil was cool

Santiago

Jun-01-2007, 4:17pm

I like the varous flavors that are emerging. Rather than really listing the 10 best, how about the 10 whose introduction really turned heads in terms of wow factor. I remember getting my first FM radio and hearing some long song with flutes in it that kind of built up to crescendo, and talking to my friends who had heard it too, but none of us had caught the name. I also remember talking to my friends about how great the summer of 1975 was going to be now that school was ending, and turning on the stereo and hearing Layla for the first time. It simply floored us.

MikeEdgerton

Jun-01-2007, 4:32pm

The Band. All of them.
The Byrds. All of them.
Crosby Stills and Nash (ok, and Young). All of them.

mando_toss_flycoon

Jun-01-2007, 5:24pm

So fine....

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
Cream - Disraeli Gears
Blood, Sweat and Tears (second album, self-titled I think)
Chicago Transit Authority
Beatles - Abby Road
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Joni Mitchell - Blue
Grateful Dead - Europe '72
Captain Beefheart - The Spotlight Kid
Steely Dan - The Royal Scam

And one for good measure (and more recent):
Steve Earle - El Corazon

Rick Schmidlin

Jun-01-2007, 5:26pm

1. Blows Against the Empire / Jefferson Airplane
Blows Aganst The Empire is Jefferson Starships first as I remember from the basement I first heard it.

JimRichter

Jun-01-2007, 5:58pm

There are so many essential rock 60's through 80's rock albums, but these are in the top ones that made a major impact on me

Beatles: Revolver
Beatles: White Album
Beatles: Abbey Road
McCartney: McCartney
Lennon: Plastic Ono Band
Harrison: All Things Must Pass
The Band: Music from Big Pink
Pink Floyd: Meddle
Lynyrd Skynyrd: first album
Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick

Honorable Mentions:
Robin Trower: Bridge of Sighs
Dire Straits: Any
Joe Cocker: Mad Dogs and Englishman
The Police: Any, but especially Synchronicity or Zenyatta Mendatta

Rick Schmidlin

Jun-01-2007, 6:47pm

Also:

The Band-The Band
X- Los Angeles
The Blasters - The Blasters
Neil Young - With Crazy Horse
Ten Years After - Ssssh
The New Riders Of The Purple Sage - Panama Red
John Prine -John Prine
Rod Stewert -Every Picture Tells A Story
James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillys
&
T-Rex- Warrior
Roxy Music -Roxy Music
Iggy Pop oh well the list of the vintage years 1955-1985 is endless

So are the Vinatge years of Jazz 1955-1965

And for film 1935 -1955

and on and on and on and on it goes..........

mandocrucian

Jun-01-2007, 6:54pm

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bayou Country, Green River, Willy & The Poor Boys
Jefferson Airplane: Surrealistic Pillow, Volunteers
Quicksilver Messenger Service: Quicksilver Messenger Service (1st), Happy Trails
Jimi Hendrix: Are You Experienced, Axis Bold As Love, Electric Ladyland
Rolling Stones: Beggar's Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers
Butterfield Blues Band: East-West
Crosby Stills & Nash: Crosby Stills & Nash
Neil Young: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Jethro Tull: Stand Up, Benefit, Aqualung
Beatles: Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's, White Album, Abbey Road
Beach Boys: Pet Sounds
The Byrds: Younger Than Yesterday, The Notorious Byrd Brothers, Untitled (w/Clarence White)
Fairport Convention: Unhalfbricking, Liege & Lief; Full House
Fotheringay: Fotheringay
Cream: Disraeli Gears
Jeff Beck Group: Truth
Rod Stewart: Gasoline Alley, Every Picture Tells A Story
Fleetwood Mac: Then Play On
Bob Seger System: Mongrel
Who: Live At Leeds, Who's Next
Grateful Dead: Anthem of the Sun, Workingman's Dead
Big Brother & The Holding Company: Cheap Thrills
Moby Grape: Moby Grape (1st)
Sly & The Family Stone: Stand
Spirit: Spirit (1st), 12 Dreams of Doctor Sardonicus
The Doors: The Doors (1st), Morrison Hotel, LA Woman
The Band: The Band
John Mayall: Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, A Hard Road (w/Peter Green)
Traffic: John Barleycorn Must Die, Welcome To The Canteen
King Crimson: In The Court of the Crimson King
Procol Harum: Procol Harum (1st), A Salty Dog
Dan Hicks: Where's The Money, Striking It Rich
Randy Newman: Sail Away
Allman Brothers Band: Allman Brothers Band (1st)
Santana: Santana (1st), Abraxas
Pink Floyd: Piper At The Gates of Dawn, Ummagumma, Meddle
Velvet Underground: Velvet Underground & Nico; Loaded
Led Zeppelin: II; III, IV/Zoso
Family: Bandstand
Nick Drake: Nick Drake (US release - tracks from 5 Leaves Left and Bryter Layter)
James Taylor: Sweet Baby James
Van Morrison: Astral Weeks, Moondance
Mothers of Invention: We're Only In It For The Money, Burnt Weenie Sandwich

And this is almost all just from 1967-1971! (There's probably a couple from 65 or 66, and a few from 1972.)

72 onwards....? (but still just the 70s) ......Commander Cody, ZZ Top, Robin Trower, (Nicks era) Fleetwood Mac, Steeleye Span, Richard & Linda Thompson, Sandy Denny, Genesis, Nick Lowe, Ry Cooder, more Pink Floyd, etc. etc. etc

NH

Enigmatic Recluse

Jun-01-2007, 7:12pm

Ramones: Rocket to Russia
Talking Heads: Fear of Music
Meat Puppets: Too High To Die
Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation
Nirvana: Nevermind
Liz Phair: Exilie in Guyville
Beatles: Sgt. Pepper
Dylan: Highway 61 Revisted
James Brown: Live at the Appollo
Stooges: First Album

Hal Loflin

Jun-01-2007, 9:21pm

Boy...Deja Vu big time!!!

I was listening to one today that blew me away when it first came out and I can't believe I am listing it on this forum...

David Bowie
"The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars"

It was so ahead of it's time 30 years ago and I still enjoyed it today.

THis is great...Living in the past aren't we?

mandocrucian

Jun-01-2007, 10:58pm

1972-1979

Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here
Grateful Dead: Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses), Europe 72, Mars Hotel
Jerry Garcia: Garcia ("Deal" "Loser" "Sugaree" etc.)
Copperhead: Copperhead (John Cipollina)
Man: Back Into The Future, Rhinos Winos & Lunatics, Slow Motion
Robin Trower: Bridge of Sighs
Bob Seger: Smokin' OPs, Seven, Live Bullet
Fleetwood Mac (Buckingham-Nicks): Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
Allman Brothers: Eat A Peach
Blue Öyster Cult: Blue Öyster Cult (first), Agents of Fortune
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: Trout Mask Replica (1969), Shiny Beast/Bat Chain Puller
Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen: Hot Licks Cold Steel & Trucker's Favorites, Live From Deep In The Heart of Texas
Emmylou Harris: Luxury Liner
Sandy Denny: Sandy
Steeleye Span: Hark The Village Wait, Please To See The King, Ten Man Mop, Below The Salt, Parcel of Rogues
Richard Thompson: Henry The Human Fly, I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, Hokey Pokey, Sunnyvista
John Martyn: Bless The Weather
Steve Ashley: Stroll On
Alan Stivell: Renaissance of the Celtic Harp, Chemins De Terre
Osamu Kitajima: Benzaiten
Johnny Winter: Johnny Winter And
Brinsley Schwarz: Nervous On The Road
Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour 74
ZZ Top: Tres Hombres
Ry Cooder: Paradise & Lunch, Chicken Skin Music
Randy Newman: Good Ole Boys, Little Criminals
Kinks: Lola
Linda Ronstadt: Prisoner In Disguise
Dire Straits: Dire Straits (first)
Jethro Tull: Songs From The Wood
Genesis: Selling England By The Pound
Nick Drake: Pink Moon
Deep Purple: Machine Head
AC/DC: Highway To Hell
Brian Eno: Another Green World
Tom Waits: Blue Valentine, Foreign Affairs
Dr. John: Gumbo

80s - Chris Isaak, SRV, Eric Johnson, Los Lobos, Shoukichi Kina & Champloose, Robert Palmer, Bonnie Raitt, Chris Rea, Spinal Tap
.....more Ry Cooder, Randy Newman, AC/DC, RT, Waits

johnnydenali99

Jun-01-2007, 11:29pm

uhmmm, Everybody forgets the song stranglehold by the Motor City Madman Ted Nugent. Let's not forget ol' Teddy here!

groveland

Jun-01-2007, 11:32pm

Stephanie Reiser

Jun-02-2007, 1:21am

DejaVue all over again for sure.
I agree with Sgt. Peppers and Dylan.
Didn't have much of a budget for record (Mom, what is a 'record'?) albums back then, but made the exception for Crosby, Stills, Nash, and the other guy Young. And Dylan, too. Acoustic music. As far as 'rock' was concerned. And the Beatles used quite a bit of acoustic guitar in their art.
I was mostly a folkie back then, playing the guitar. The thought of playing a mandolin never occurred to me. When I discovered bluegrass it was right to the 5-string initially.
But boy, the memories awakened here.

Narayan Kersak

Jun-02-2007, 5:56am

I'm a big fan of Led Zep's Houses of the Holy and Physical Grafitti. Now those were albums!!!

2112 Rush

Paranoid Black Sabbath

kvk

Jun-02-2007, 6:06am

The Monkees -- The Monkees
Partridge Family -- The Partridge Family Album
Royal Guardsman -- Snoopy vs. The Red Baron
The Archies -- The Archies

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

Rick Schmidlin

Jun-02-2007, 11:05am

Not all rock but were in a lot pf collection

John Coltrane - Love Surpreme
Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue
Electric Prunes -Electric Mass
Dave Peel and The Lower East Side - ?
Mile Davis -Witchs Brew
John Hartford -Areoplaine
Woody Guthrie re-issues
Iron Buterfly -In A Gada da Vida
Black Oak Ark
Steppenwolf - Monster

also The Fugs, Canned Heat and the MC5 put out some prett cool grooves.

Thier coming to take me away ha ha

and the beat goes on..... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

mandocrucian

Jun-03-2007, 5:23pm

1980's

David Lindley - El Rayo-X
Ry Cooder - Crossroads, Get Rhythm
Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, Big Time
Eric Johnson - Tones, Ah Via Musicom
Randy Newman - Land of Dreams
Captain Beefheart - Doc At The Radar Station
Spinal Tap - This Is Spinal Tap
AC/DC - Back In Black
Van Halen - 1984
Police - Synchronicity
Chris Isaak - Chris Isaak (2nd album), Heart Shaped World
Richard Thompson - Shoot Out The Lights, Hand of Kindness, Across A Crowded Room
Eppu Normaali - Valkoinen Kupla, Imperiumin Vastaisku
Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time
Queen - A Night At The Opera
Los Lobos - How Will The Wolf Survive
Shoukichi Kina - Bloodlines
John Fogerty - Centerfield
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood, Couldn't Stand The Weather, In Step

Santiago

Jun-03-2007, 6:36pm

Tone Monster, You deserve some kind of award for broadest taste for putting Miles Davis and Black Oak Arkansas together -- though if they ever did a collaboration album someone on this board would know it. KVK, What? No Terry Jacks!

mandocrucian

Jun-04-2007, 12:56am

What the heck was going on in the '60s, anyway?

A rhetorical question...

(IMO) There was a big confluence of conditions to spawn the "perfect storm" which all of which fed and heightend each other in an intensifying feedback loop.

1. Reintroduction to mainstream American ears via the Brit bands (Yarbirds, Animals, Mayall, Stones, etc), though not exclusively, of the strongest and rawer black American repertoire (Muddy, Wolf, Hooker, etc.) Goodbye Perry Como!

2. There was still viable local and regional radio, playing and creating local and regional artists/stars. #

3. The draft - the chance of getting impressed into the military and being shipped off as cannon fodder made a lot of younger minds think about stuff they wouldn't have questioned.

4. Drugs that just didn't make you think stupid like booze did, or become a needle junkie , but made you think weird. #"Wait a sec...this stuff they're telling me really doesn't add up!" #And, drugs that kept girls from getting pregnant.

5. The opening up of the FM airwaves and the suits not really knowing what to do with it or it's potential. So, it was turned over to the DJs who had a few golden years of free-form underground radio to play whatever they wanted to, before it turned into some playlist format.

6. Record labels still being run by people from the "music biz" (A&R guys, etc) who actually knew someting about music. As #opposed to accountants and lawyers and marketing/advertising types calling the artistic shots.

7. Political and police repression - nothing like a police baton whacking you or someone you knew to make you go over to one side or the other. Ditto for drug busts as as a way to "get" folks who didn't voice the #conservative line.

8. Folkies, acoustic blues pickers, protest singers, beat poets etc. from the late 50s or early 60's, getting turned on (or getting really zoned out), and/or po-ed, and then plugging in, bringing a different influences into the rock and roll stew.

9. POLARIZATION among numerous fronts. And a lot of this was reflected in the music of the day, or what bands decided that they would play/do. There was too much other stuff going on which kept music from being only or primarily a "commodity".

Kevin Briggs

Jun-04-2007, 8:51am

I wasn't alive during the time, but I'd have to say it's amazing to see some of these lists without at least one Dylan albumn. It's expecially amazing when the lists begin with or have multiple Beatles recordings. It's no mistake that the Beatles changed their entire approach when they heard Dylan's "Bringin' It All Back Home," as did most popular musicians at the time. Furthermore, I can't say I've ever heard a more impressive song than "Desolation Row," and I'm not someone to go around choosing favorites.

mandopete

Jun-04-2007, 9:04am

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band celebrated it's 40th anniversary last weekend (released June 1, 1967).

Santiago

Jun-04-2007, 9:08am

If you weren't alive at the time, it's really hard to understand how pervasive their music was. There was a (thankfully short) period of time when few non-British songs were selling. There was a label in the U.S. call Guest Star Records, which sold albums with Beatle Songs and one single by a "guest star" in a vane attempt to get people to list to something else. It was like Dead Heads who for a time only listened to the Grateful Dead, only more widespread if you could believe it. You can hear in songs like Rocky Raccoon, however, that the Beatles themselves were listening to Dylan.

mandopete

Jun-04-2007, 9:10am

You can hear in songs like Rocky Raccoon, however, that the Beatles themselves were listening to Dylan.
I think it's even earlier than that song. #The album Revolver was pretty heavily influenced by Dylan.

Rick Schmidlin

Jun-04-2007, 9:52am

Dylan,The Beatles and The Stones provide a soundtrack to educate us and inspire.They introduced me to blues (The Stones),Classical (The Beatles) and Folk and Old Time (Dylan).These led me to road of many others great artists of the era.The films of the time played a key roll too! Bonnie and Clyde turned me on to Bluegrass.I am sure there are currrent influrences for the newer generatio but I was spoiled with the richness of my genertaion which gave me a roadmap that I still follow.

ira

Jun-04-2007, 11:12am

beatles-abbey road
beach boys- pet sounds
the g.dead -american beauty/working mans (i agree should be
1 album
joe jackson- look sharp
b. dylan- desire
t.heads- fear of music
p.floyd - dark side of the moon
b. springsteen - born to run (yeah, i know it got played out
but there was a reason....
j. tull- aqualung
r. stones- exile on main st.
j. taylor- sweet baby james
v. morrison - moondance (ditto what i said for bruce- though
astral weeks is a personal fav- i think this one is really his most shining moment of creativity and commercial success)
clash- london calling
b. holly - the chirpin crickets (i'm not jokin folks- one of
the true early geniuses- and songs that continue
to be covered today).
blind faith- blind faith (had to include a winwood and a clapton)
j. hendrix- are you experienced
led zep- physical grafitti
allmans- live from the fillmore

the list could go on ...these are the ones off the top of my head- left out stuff that was too folkie , jazzy or plain ole blues as we were talkin rock.

ira

Jun-04-2007, 11:13am

can't believe i left out - tommy by the who (a perfect album)

tree

Jun-04-2007, 11:41am

I can't believe nobody's mentioned Little Feat, so #I'll add

Little Feat
Sailing Shoes
Feats Don't Fail Me Now
Dixie Chicken
The Last Record Album
Time Loves A Hero

from the Lowell George era. #June 29 will be the 18th anniversary of his passing. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

ira

Jun-04-2007, 1:41pm

forgot little feat-man!
also forgot neil young, csn (or any combo thereof), bowie, and so many others...
this is impossible unless you do it like the crucian and even then bound to leave something out:cool:

Santiago

Jun-04-2007, 1:52pm

Actually, what I learned most from Dylan was the importance of lyrics.

mandopete

Jun-04-2007, 2:25pm

I think that's what the Beatles learned too!

Dave Gumbart

Jun-04-2007, 2:47pm

"And what songs do you play on mando now..."

Okay, I'll admit to being on a big Neil Young kick, since I'm most of the way through Shakey, his biography. And even though it was only recently released, it's hard not to like Neil and Crazy Horse, Fillmore East, 1970. Epic.

And hadn't heard it for a while, though the song appears on a few albums, Fillmore East included: Wonderin'. That's what I'm learning on my mando, and I've got a new-to-me old Gibson A that rings out like a charm for that strumming of the chords.

And I think I should plug in my mando (I can't now), if only to play Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown. And for something completely different, go for the acoustic/folkie Neil one year later, with the brand-y new Massey Hall release, from 1971. Plenty to play along with there.

Santiago

Jun-04-2007, 8:20pm

I've been playing around with Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4" today and Kansas' "Carry On My Wayward Son." Both fun.

mandopete

Jun-05-2007, 8:24am

FWIW, I think Terry Kath's guitar solo on 25 or 6 to 4 ranks as one of the best solos of all time.

Kevin Briggs

Jun-05-2007, 8:43am

Dylan,The Beatles and #The Stones provide a soundtrack to educate us and inspire.They introduced me to blues (The Stones),Classical (The Beatles) and Folk and Old Time (Dylan).These led me to road of many others great artists of the era.The films of the time played a key roll too! Bonnie and Clyde turned me on to Bluegrass.I am sure there are currrent influrences for the newer generatio but I was spoiled with the richness of my genertaion which gave me a roadmap that I still follow.
As far as the current generation goes, I guess I'm in it. I just turned 30 this month, so I'm perhaps at least one generation removed. Still, I can say that there have been no Dylan's, no Beatles, no Stones in my time. I think there are a few reasons for this.

Mostly, the mega-monster music industry was in its infancy back then. Albert Grossman and the Colonel and others were the tycoons. It seems to me that sensational artists were marketed back then, and what was marketable was still being defined, so there was an emphasis on experimenting with talent. Today, it's more of a visual feast, like something that will only look good on TV. There is a definite formula for what sells, and the target seems to be young teens. Something interesting about Dylan, the Beatles, and the Stones is that they were all super-talented at what they were doing, and they also looked good on TV (even wirey little Dylan. Lennon once said that he was so small in person, but on stage he looked huge).

As far as today's popular musicians go, Beck comes to mind as being incredibly talented in his arena. Some of the old war horses are hanging around, like Dylan, for example. However, it's tough finding young, ground-breaking talent. Bands like Wilco, Old Crow Medicine Show, Yonder Mountain String Band, etc., are very talented, but they don't have that huge revolutionary appeal like Dylan, the Beatles, the Stones, Hendrix, Cream, etc. They are filling a niche, not creating any niches. Some might argue that the Avett Brothers are filling a niche, and I'd agree, but they are limited in that screaming and anxiety will only go so far.

I honestly believe that today's exploding talents include people like Chris Thile, who has maanged to establish a pop presence. Even my wife, who is not a big fan of bluegrass, likes listening to Chris Thile. There's another guy out there who has made it into the pop mainstream - Robert Randolph I think - who is pretty good too. John Mayer isn't so bad. Dave Mathews has some amazing stage moments. These, to me, are all people who are integrated into the pop mainstream and are winning the marketing battles, but are also offering a high level of artistry.

We also have to keep in mind the different definitions of pop music. I the 60s, it seems like pop music suggested the possibility of art, at least in a limited sense, at most in the form of the giants of the time. Today, pop music suggests Lindsay Lohan, Taylor Hicks, Brittany Spears, etc. These are cartoon characters invented for public consumption. That's why they explode, like in Brittany's case.

So, here I am discussing Brittany Spears on the Mandolin Cafe! I apologize.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

mandopete

Jun-05-2007, 10:11am

Yeah, I don't listen to too much rock music anymore. #I sorta checked out after the Pearl Jam, Nirvana, grunge thing. #Every now and then I tune into the local rock stations here in Seattle, but what I mostly hear is stuff from 10 years ago.

Now what was the premise of this thread? #Was it the 10 favorite classic rock recordings that we like to play on mandolin? #Honestly I can't think of too many. There was another thread about playing Yes music or progressive rock on mandolin and I thought about a song called Here He Comes by Brian Eno on Before And After Science. #So I dug up the CD and lo and behold it works pretty well on mandolin. #It's in the key of D and has almost an old-time feel when played on the mando. #I have always thought it would sound good on banjo.

My band plays With A Little Help From My Friends in a bluegrass style and it seems we'll almost always pull out a Creedence tune for a wedding or party gig.

Rick Schmidlin

Jun-05-2007, 11:23am

So, here I am discussing Brittany Spears on the Mandolin Cafe! I apologize.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif
Remember we had Bobby Sherman,Terri Jacks,Frankie Orlando and Dawn,Bobby Goldsboro and the The Partrige Family in the 60's.

Does anybody remember McArthur Park and what it was about,some kinda cake thing http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

mandopete

Jun-05-2007, 11:32am

Someone left the cake out in the rain
And I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again.

(scary that I know that)

Let's not forget The Monkees!

Rick Schmidlin

Jun-05-2007, 11:34am

Someone left the cake out in the rain
And I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again.

(scary that I know that)
Oh nooooooooooooooooo http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

tree

Jun-05-2007, 11:52am

Actually the Monkees had a couple of pretty solid songs, even though they were "bubblegum music". #Imagine if the recurring guitar hooks in Pleasant Valley Sunday or Last Train To Clarksville were played in the style of Tony Rice.

With A Little Help From My Friends has to be one of my all time favorite Beatles songs. #Paul McCartney's bass line still blows my skirt up. Don't get me started on the Beatles. # I think their music will be around long after we're all gone.

I never understood the whole MacArthur Park thing - but in high school our jazz band played it and it was a favorite (I played guitar in the rhythm section).

I think the Avett Brothers have a little more going for them than screaming and anxiety. #I hear pleasant harmonies and significant melodic content. #Plus, they write a lot of songs about pretty girls. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

mandopete

Jun-06-2007, 10:14am

I was doing some thinking about this and some years ago I made a similar list as some of these recordings I had on vinyl and I wanted purchase them in CD format. #It's hard to get down to 10, but it's a fun exercise.

I guess I started listening to rock (as a musician) in 6th grade when I started playing guitar up until I got into bluegrass. #Here's my list in (my) chronolgical order...

1) The Beatles - Abbey Road
2) Ten Years After - Undead
3) The Allman Brothers - Live At The Fillmore
4) The Mahavishnu Orchestra - Inner Mounting Flame
5) Genesis - Selling England By The Pound
6) Brian Eno - Before And After Science
7) Elvis Costello & The Attactions - Armed Forces
8) Talking Heads - Fear Of Music
9) XTC - Drums And Wires
10) Pearl Jam - Ten

Santiago

Jun-06-2007, 7:52pm

I once met Jimmy Web who wrote MacArthur Park. Nice guy. Neil Diamond wrote a number of hit songs for the Monkeys, but I once heard a known musician say that Neil had one good song and he wrote it for a number of bands. I really liked some of the songs he wrote for himself, though some of his rhyms were embarassing. "You are the sun, I am the moon. You are the words I am the tune... left out June and spoon. ARGHHH. It is amazing that during this same period some real works of art snuck through to the commercial charts. I think indie labels are still the best hope for music.

Andrew Reckhart

Jun-06-2007, 8:25pm

The original post didn't say that the albums all had to be from the 60's and 70's. #Some of the most influential rock albums of all time has been omitted.

VAN HALEN - Van Halen........... reinvented rock guitar and defined the shape of rock guitar for the next 20 years.

APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION- Guns and Roses ............. tell me the opening riff to 'Welcome to the Jungle" doesn't make the house explode every time it hits the air!

NEVERMIND- Nirvana................ Launched the 'Grunge Era'.

NOT OF THIS EARTH- Joe Satriani........ possibly the most talented guitarist ever. #He expanded the limits of what people thought was possible.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE- Rage Against the Machine ........ nobody ever mixed rock and rap like this before.

LONDON CALLING- The Clash.......... amazing.

PRETTY HATE MACHINE- Nine Inch Nails........... Spearheaded the industrial movemet. #(And it was cool for me to see someone from Mercer PA hit it big).

WAR- U2........ utterly stunning composition.

2112- Rush.......... #Greatest power trio in the history of rock destroys every musical boundry and creates new ones of their own.

KILL EM ALL- Metallica......... rewrote the Heavy Metal Bible.

FIGHT FOR YOUR MIND- #Ben Harper.......... Incredibley powerful, almost a spiritual experience the fist time I heard this album. #

There were so many incredible albums in the 80's and 90's that set new limits and redefined the entire genre of Rock n Roll.

mandopete

Jun-07-2007, 8:52am

Yeah, that's the challenge, trying to limit this to 10 recordings. I took the approach of the 10 recordings that most influenced me during the time I was actively listening to rock. That's still a pretty hard thing to do and one that I suspect would change from time to time.

Santiago

Jun-07-2007, 10:32am

Andrew,
No Beck? You're representing your generation here.

luckylarue

Jun-07-2007, 10:58am

Not many contemporary artists or women, for that matter.

Here's a mix of new and old:

The Clash - The Clash
The Clash - London Calling
Drive-By Truckers - The Dirty South
Whiskeytown - Stranger's Almanac
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels...
The Replacements - Let It Be
Minutemen - Double Nickels On the Dime
Pearl Jam - 2nd
Beatles - White Album
Husker Du - Eight Miles High (single)
The Stones - Let It Bleed
Green Day - American Idiot
Patti Smith - Horses
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

PatrickH

Jun-07-2007, 11:00am

Allman Brothers - Live at Filmore East
Allman Brothers - Eat a Peach
Allman Brothers - Brothers and Sisters
Boston - Boston
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive!
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping
Yes - Fragile
Charlie Daniels - Fire on the Mountain
Led Zeppelin - II, IV
Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic
Van Halen - Van Halen
Dire Straits - Dire Straits
U2 - Joshua Tree
Eagles - Hotel California
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Deep Purple - Made in Japan
Yes - Yes Album

mandopete

Jun-07-2007, 11:18am

No Beck? You're representing your generation here.
Soy un perdedor
I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?

Some very interesting lists!

Paul Kotapish

Jun-07-2007, 11:30am

What the heck was going on in the '60s, anyway?

A rhetorical question...

(IMO) There was a big confluence of conditions to spawn the "perfect storm" which all of which fed and heightend each other in an intensifying feedback loop.

. . . (Niles goes on to list some very interesting points to support his thesis. Check out the original post at the top of page 2.)".
I like your thinking on this, Niles, and I generally agree with you.

I am guilty of misreading the original post and thinking that the query was for '60s-era rock only--perhaps because the bulk of the first examples were from that decade. And also, perhaps, because I haven't heard anything in the intervening years that matched the breadth and depth of that particular cultural explosion. I'm sure most of that has to do with coming of age in that era and learning to play music during that time, but I do think there was something magic happening at the time beyond the blossoming of my little imagination.

I haven't always been a rigorous student of all of the subsequent and divergent threads of rock and pop music since the summer of love, but I do try to keep my ears open and pay attention to who's playing what. Certainly there have been some artists in the following years that have excited as much--or nearly as much--as the Beatles, Band, Byrds, Dylan, Stones, Who, Dead, Airplane, (original) Genesis, Kinks, Traffic, Ten Years After, Doors, Floyd, Zeppelin, Zappa, et al ad nauseum (including most of what came out of Motown and Memphis at the time) did.

Talking Heads, Police, XTC, Elvis Costello, Richard Thompson, Nirvana, Beck, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williams, Dire Straits, Prince, and even the young Michael Jackson leap to mind and having the same lasting power as did my old-fogey heroes, but no other five-year period seems to have had the same embarassment of riches.

Just one old geezer's opinion.

mandopete

Jun-07-2007, 11:45am

How old were you in the 60's?

I was born in 1957, so most of what I heard during the 60's was listening to the radio in my mom's station wagon. #I recall hearing The Beatles and Beach Boys and such, but I was too young for much of that to be an influence.

What I think is interesting in these sort of lists is the both how the various recordings affected us and how we even came up with the list in the first place.

For me if there is one rock music recording that had more effect on me than any other recording I would have to say it's Selling England By The Pound by Genesis. #In high school I played electric guitar and was very drawn to the English progressive rock sounds of bands like ELP and Yes. #When I heard Genesis I said "That's it, that's what I hear in my head!". #

Every now and then I will go back and listen to this recording and I'm still reminded of why I liked it so much. #When I listen to the guitar arpeggios at the end of "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight" I still get a chill up my spine. #I have even tried to incorporate some 7/4 harmonized arpeggios in the a bluegrass format (ain't had much luck tho.)

A couple of years ago I was heading up to bluegrass festival in Canada with my oldest son who was in high school at the time. #I had a copy of Selling England By The Pound in the car and I put it on for him. #I told him we were gonna listen to "..some English bluegrass" <grins> #I'm not sure he got it. #He never said much, but I think think he liked it. #I haven't exactly seen him seaching eBAY for a double-necked Rickenbacker 12-string guitar-bass, but perhaps it will soak in some day.

So let's get personal - how did this music affect you?

Alex Orr

Jun-07-2007, 11:53am

As a complete rock music nerd, this is too hard a question. #However, several years ago I once took a stab at the best 101 British rock albums...with several well-placed ties to keep me from having to cut some favs #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif #Here's what I came up with:

1. Exile on Main Street – The Rolling Stones
2. The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
3. London Calling – The Clash
4. Revolver – The Beatles
5. The Queen Is Dead – The Smiths
6. OK Computer - Radiohead
7. Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
8. Loveless – My Bloody Valentine
9. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles
10. Sticky Fingers – The Rolling Stones
11. Beggars Banquet – The Rolling Stones
12. Led Zeppelin IV – Led Zeppelin
13. Parklife - Blur
14. Led Zeppelin II – Led Zeppelin
15. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders
From Mars – David Bowie
16. Village Green Preservation Society – The Kinks
17. The Smiths – The Smiths
18. Live at Leeds – The Who
19. The White Album – The Beatles
20. Never Mind the Bollocks – The Sex Pistols
21. My Aim Is True – Elvis Costello
22. Abbey Road – The Beatles
23. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs – Derek and the
Dominoes (yeah, I know Clapton is the only Brit in the
group, but it was his brain-child and he was the star
performer)
24. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin
25. The Holy Bible – Manic Street Preachers
26. Maxinquaye – Tricky (tie)
# # Spirit of Eden – Talk Talk (tie)
27. Modern Life Is Rubbish – Blur
# # All Mod Cons – The Jam
28. The Clash – The Clash
29. (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? – Oasis
30. Face to Face – The Kinks
31. Power, Corruption, and Lies – New Order
32. To Bring You My Love – P.J. Harvey
33. With the Beatles – The Beatles
34. Bryter Later – Nick Drake
35. Physical Graffitti – Led Zeppelin
36. Zenyatta Mondatta – The Police
37. Pink Flag - Wire
38. Beatles For Sale – The Beatles
39. Country Life – Roxy Music
40. Unknown Pleasures – Joy Division
41. Entertainment! – Gang of Four
42. The Bends – Radiohead
43. Disraeli Gears - Cream
44. A Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles
45. My Generation – The Who
46. Piper at the Gates of Dawn – Pink Floyd
47. Mezzanine – Massive Attack
48. Up The Bracket - The Libertines
49. Costello Music – The Fratellis
50. Houses of the Holy – Led Zeppelin
51. Let It Bleed – The Rolling Stones
# # In The Flat Field - Bauhaus
52. Rubber Soul –The Beatles
53. Urban Hymns – The Verve
54. Paranoid – Black Sabbath
55. Ladies and Gentlemen…We Are Floating In Space –
Spiritualized
56. The Specials – The Specials
57. Black Sea - XTC
58. Help – The Beatles
59. This Nation’s Saving Grace – The Fall
60. Here Come the Warm Jets – Brian Eno
61. Screamadelica – Primal Scream
62. Hunky Dory – David Bowie
63. Dummy – Portishead
64. Shoot Out the lights – Richard and Linda Thompson
65. Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake – The Small Faces
66. Arthur or the Rise and Fall of the British Empire –
The Kinks
67. The Beatles – The Beatles
68. Bandwagonesque – Teenage Fanclub
69. Pink Moon – Nick Drake
70. Rock ‘n Roll – The Mekons
71. Who’s Next – The Who
72. Odyssey and Oracle – The Zombies
73. Every Picture Tells a Story – Rod Stewart
74. Skylarking - XTC
75. Something Else By the Kinks – The Kinks
76. Quadrophenia – The Who
77. No Sleep To Hammersmith – Motorhead
78. Plastic Ono Band – John Lennon
79. Synchronicity – The Police
80. Crocodiles – Echo and the Bunnymen
81. Disintegration – The Cure
82. Blue Lines – Massive Attack
# # Richard D. James Album – Aphex Twin
83. Psychocandy – The Jesus and Mary Chain
84. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
85. The Great Escape – Blur
86. The Man Who Sold the World – David Bowie
87. All The Young Dudes – Mott the Hoople
88. Different Class - Pulp
89. Definitely Maybe – Oasis
# # Pills Thrill and Bellyaches – The Happy Mondays
90. A Nod is as Good as a Wink to a Blind Horse – The Faces
91. Treasure – The Cocteau Twins
# # Liege and Leaf - Fairport Convention
92. The Wall – Pink Floyd
93. Band on the Run – Paul McCartney and Wings
94. Metal Box – PiL
95. Animals – Pink Floyd
96. Led Zeppelin III – Led Zeppelin
97. Master of Reality – Black Sabbath
98. Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me – The Cure
99. This Year’s Model – Elvis Costello
# # Electric Warrior – T. Rex
100. The Perfect Prescription – Spacemen 3
101. The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys – Traffic

luckylarue

Jun-07-2007, 12:16pm

Big Crunch,

Glad you put the smiths up near the top - "Hatful of Hollow" would make my extended list, as well.
However, Let It Bleed at #51 ?!?! Charlie Watts' drumming on "Monkey Man" alone should qualify this lp for anyone's Top Ten, not to mention Ry Cooder's mando.

groveland

Jun-07-2007, 12:31pm

(mandopete) So let's get personal - how did this music affect you?
Good question.

Rock is a huge category.

I listed those recordings I felt were breakthroughs. #Ten thousand recordings would make my favorites list, but there were only a few that altered the course of the music I was interested in. #And that's an important qualification, too. #I was interested in those pushing the improv electric guitar (rock) to the musical limit or exerting big musical and technical influence, so the list is rather short. #Popularity contestants need not apply! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif My list, I guess, is more accurately "The most important album by the most influential Rock Guitar prototypes."

Within that criteria, I would say most guitar players over the last several decades are basically derivitives of a few prototypes - Hendrix, Clapton, and a few others. #For example, someone mentioned Satriani and someone mentioned Van Halen. #But if you hear Holdsworth in 1974 on the Gorgon album, you'll hear that Satriani, Van Halen, et.al., derived heavily from him over a decade later. #And within that group of prototypical players, there were only a handful of breakthrough recordings, usually the first album. #It's interesting to trace the lineages. So my list was short and certainly excludes a lot that happened in the bigger Rock context.

So these are the guys I learned the most from because they just blew me away when their stuff came out. That's what my list means to me.

mandopete

Jun-07-2007, 1:42pm

Some milestone rock era recordings for me...
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum
Tempest - Gorgon
Cream - Wheels of Fire
Santana - Caravansarai
Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire
Tony Williams Lifetime - Believe It
...
I see we have Mahavishnu Orchestra in common. #I hesitated a bit about putting that group into a category called "rock" as opposed to "jazz". #I also see you have Tony Williams Lifetime listed, not sure if that belongs in rock either - thoughts?

I hear you on the guitarist thing. #I have always felt that Allan Holdsworth's influence on rock players like Eddie VanHalen, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai cannot be overlooked. #My middle son is now into "shredding" on the guitar and I tell him all the time to go to source - Holdsworth.

I remember the first time I saw Mahavishnu and John McLaughlin. #It was a concert billed as "An Evening Hosted by Clive Davis" at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in L.A. #This was a venue not known for popular (let alone rock) music and the bill also featured Louden Wainwright IIIrd. #To say that listening to Mahavishu was a spiritual experience would be an understatement. #I was virtually speechless for days. #I could barely comprehend what I had heard and seen. #I had never heard a violin played they way Jerry Goodman did. #And what can you say about Billy Cobham..OMG! #I tried very hard to learn those guitar parts and I think the only one I ever mastered was Dance Of The Maya. #When I went to Berklee College of Music for the summer in 1975 I was lucky enough to fall into a band that was playing this music. #We had a violin player that also played guitar and he showed me most of the parts. #Funny thing, he was from the same small town in Southern California that I was - small world.

Anyhow, that's what I meant by "personal".

groveland

Jun-08-2007, 8:07am

I hesitated a bit about putting that group into a category called "rock" as opposed to "jazz".
Me too.

That era was a tapestry woven of various styles woven into Rock - Latin, Jazz, Classical - An antidote to the Plague of Disco and prior to the Dark Ages of Happy Jazz. Tony Williams Lifetime featured a rock guitar player in a near-Jazz context (Holdsworth) and a Jazz keyboard player in a near rock context (Alan Pasqua, who went on to form Giant and other rock acts). Mahavishnu Orchestra took a jazz guitar player in a near-Rock context (McLaughlin), injected that fiery violin, impossible percussion, and insane organic wailings of Hammer's keys.

I saw Tony Williams Lifetime at the Quiet Knight in Chicago. A friend told me Holdsworth said to him, "It's all rock to me."

mandopete

Jun-08-2007, 8:11am

A friend told me Holdsworth said to him, "It's all rock to me."
That's great. Years ago when Peter Gabriel was touring after his first solo recording he had Robert Fripp playing with him. Someone asked him about Fripp and Gabriel replied "oh, he's just a good blues player!" - love it.

JeffD

Jun-09-2007, 1:04am

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band celebrated it's 40th anniversary last weekend (released June 1, 1967).
So that means:

It was sixty years ago today,
Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

JeffD

Jun-09-2007, 1:09am

What? No Don McLean?

Hans

Jun-09-2007, 8:04am

Hot Tuna 1 (acoustic live) and 2 (electric live with that X rated cover art)
Ry Cooder, #Into the Purple Valley, Boomer's Story
Hound Dog Taylor! Who could forget "Gimme back my wig"!
Not Rock, but Koerner, Ray and Glover all
Byrds all

Bob Sayers

Jun-09-2007, 7:47pm

Impossible question, but here are a few that I still listen to after all these years:

1. Buddy Holly, "The Buddy Holly Story." #This was the first LP that I ever bought, back when I was in grammar school around 1958. #Still great!

2. #Fleetwood Mac, "Fleetwood Mac" and "Rumours." #A tie.

3. #The Byrds, "Greatest Hits."

4. #Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, "Deja Vu."

5. #Dillard & Clark, "Through the Morning, Through the Night." #

6. #The Beatles, "Abbey Road."

7. #The Band, "The Band" (second album), although the first four Band albums are all terrific.

8. #Cheap Trick, "At Budokan." #Mainly for the cut, "I Want You to Want Me."

9. #"Saturday Night Fever." #I admit it, a guilty pleasure.

10. #Laura Nyro, "Eli and the 13th Confession."

All-time favorite rock song: #Either Buddy Holly's "That'll Be the Day" or "Angel Baby" by Rosie and the Originals.

I mostly listen to bluegrass, folk, and Brazilian music these days. #But every once in awhile something in the pop vein catches my attention. #Future classics: #John Mayer, "Continuum," and Corinne Bailey Rae, "Corinne Bailey Rae." #

Bob

P.S.: I looked over my list and realized I'd left out all the great R&B and soul artists. But maybe that should be another category. And international? How about Akiko Yano's first CD on Nonesuch, as well as her follow-up "Piano Nightly." Both great. And Anggun's first album, "Snow on the Sahara." And Djavan's "Ao Vivo." And Salif Keita's "Moffou." Well, I said this was impossible.

8STRINGR

Jun-09-2007, 8:25pm

I was born in '63 so growing up in the 70's with three older brothers I was exposed to all kinds of "rock era" music. There were a lot of bands/ albums that I can't even begin to list.

But out of them all, three bands stand out as being my favorites when you meantion 70's Rock Era music...

Three Dog Night... (everything released by them)

The Beatles (everything released by them)

And...

"You Wanted The BEST and You've Got The Best! The HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD.... KISS !" (up until their line up and direction of music changed in the 80's)

Since then (the 80's) I been turned on to Bluegrass music and picked up the mandolin. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

fatt-dad

Jun-09-2007, 9:20pm

Rock of Ages - The Band
Europe 72 - The Dead
I Robot - Alan Parsons
Quicksilver Messanger Service
Blood Sweat and Tears - First Album (Al Kooper)
Peaceful World - The Rascals
Little Feat - Sailing Shoes
Crown of Creation - Jefferson Airplane
Low Spark of High Heeled Boys - Traffic
Santana's White Album (with the cosmic yodeler - Leon Thomas)

I must admit that I was really into the folk, bluegrass and jazz scene in the early 70s and just left out alot of influencial records. #I also need to add Rubber Soul, #Meet the Monkeys, Pet Sounds, Sgt Peppers, Revolver, Serrealistic Pillow (sp), James Gang Rides Again, Smoker you are the Player you Get, Vanilla Fudge, Whatever that Mountain album is with Mississippi Queen, Bonnie Raitt's First (wow!), pretty much all of the CSN/CSNY/Buffalo Springfield stuff (more folk if you ask me), 10 Years After (Schoolgirl), Pink Floyd (Meddle). . . #

Heck I need to get my phonograph back up and running!

f-d

p.s., Here here for Alice in Chains, Metallica, Janes Addiction, Radiohead, Beck, Van Halen and that Uli John Roth (isn't he with the Scorpions?). #I also like Guns and Roses.

Now on to funk, soul, jazz (trio/combo), fusion (where I'd put Mahavishnu Orchestra),etc.

Daniel Nestlerode

Jun-10-2007, 11:33am

Cheating here by dividing it into two lists...
I'm picking stuff that stopped ME in my tracks, and I make no claims to any of these stopping anyone else in their tracks.

Mostly acoustic:
• Cat Stevens: Teaser and the Firecat
• Croby, Stills, & Nash: CSN
• Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young: Deja Vu
• Dan Fogelburg: Souvenirs
• James Taylor: Sweet Baby James
• Melissa Etheridge (self titled)
• Neil Young: Harvest Moon
• Peter Case: Torn Again
• Tom Waits (picking only one): Closing Time
• Graham Nash: Songs for Beginners

Mostly Rock
• Del Amitri: Twisted
• The Police: Synchronicity
• Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick
• Richard Thompson (picking only one): Shoot Out the Lights
• King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King
• The Band (picking only one): The Band
• Cowboy Junkies: Trinity Sessions
• Living Color: Vivid
• Marshall Crenshaw: Life's Too Short
• Paul Simon: Graceland

Daniel

Santiago

Jun-10-2007, 10:11pm

I find all these lists really interesting. Just when you think you have someone pegged they surprise you with one album. Like Tom Waits (who is great, mind you) with all those people who can actually sing! I think the wild pairings speak to the fact that musicians (if I may generalize) are more interested in the art than a more casual listener, and won't pick as "Correct" a list. I also think folks are being honest as many are semi anonymous. I'm going back to listen to a whole bunch of good stuff I may have forgotten about.

mandopete

Jun-12-2007, 12:01pm

...growing up in the 70's with three older brothers I was exposed to all kinds of "rock era" music.
Ain't that the truth. #I think my earliest exposure to rock was going through my brother's record collection. #He had stuff like The Who "Live at Leeds" and Led Zepplin 1 and Jethro Tull's "Benefit". #The very first rock concert I saw was#Ten Years After with my brother when we were living in Atlanta in 1972.

And it was the Ten Years After recording "Undead" that caught my fancy. #It was a live recording and really captured (for me) what I'll always think of as a classic English blues-rock feel. #From that point on Alvin Lee was my hero. #I tried in vain to learn to play like that, but there was another guitar player in town that had Lee's sound down cold so I opted to play bass in his band.

I recently found a copy of that recording on CD and I bought it as a Christmas gift for my oldest son as he was sorta into the dinosaur rock thing. #I was hoping that he might be inspired to learn someting like Woodchopper's Ball, but so far I don't think he's gotten into it. #Perhaps if his older brother had bought it instead <grins>

Yonkle

Jun-12-2007, 12:22pm

1.Art Linkletter "Unplugged" Concert For DeaD PEOPLE
2.Perry Como "Cocktail lounge" (slight return)
LOL Just kidding!

1.Beatles Srg.Peppers
2.Beatles White Album
3.Beatles Magical Mystery Tour
4.Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick
5.Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers
6.Pink Floyd: The Piper at the gates of Dawn
7.The WHO Tommy
8.Cream Disrali Gears
9. Led Zepellin 1st.
10.Country Joe and the Fish: Feel like I'm fixin to die

austin

Jun-12-2007, 2:14pm

And still, nobody has mentioned Hot Tuna.....

mandopete

Jun-12-2007, 3:01pm

I think you just did!

Santiago

Jun-13-2007, 1:23pm

I love Yorma's acoustic work, but I can pass on Tuna songs like Jelly Roll.

tree

Jun-13-2007, 1:45pm

The Water Song (off the Hot Tuna lp Burgers) just rocks. #Open G tuning, sweet acoustic tone from what sounds to me like an old Gibson flattop, and some tasty, inspired, melodic bass playing.

fstylemb1

Jun-13-2007, 2:44pm

So many great posts! So many great records! Here's the mode I'm in right now when I'm not listening to 'grass, it changes all the time!:
Ramones-Rocket to Russia
Velvet Underground s/t
Clash-Give'em enough rope
Misfits-Walk Among Us
Dead Boys- Young Loud and Snotty
AC/DC-High Voltage
Stooges-Funhouse
Damned-Machine Gun Etiquette
Bee Gees- Idea
Jam-In the City
Monkees-Head
Beatles-Revolver
Who-My Generation
REM-Murmur
XTC-Black Sea
George Harrison-All Things Must Pass
Elvis Costello-My Aim is True

*Okay, there's more but that's what's been on in the past 7 days.
Went to a record show this past weekend, found some great LPs and 45s, and I am still married!!! Glad my wife loves records as much as I do!

mandopete

Jun-14-2007, 9:00am

You're really dating yourself when you say the word "record".

It's almost as bad as saying cassette!

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

BTW - Nice photo's on Flickr Mike!

Santiago

Jun-14-2007, 12:27pm

or 8-track!

Paul Kotapish

Jun-14-2007, 12:53pm

You're really dating yourself when you say the word "record".
Pete, they're all just recordings--or "records"--no matter what format is used for replication and dissemination: wax cylinders, wire transciptions, lacquer 78s, vinyl LPs and 45s, reel-to-reel, eight-tracks, cassettes, CDs, minidiscs, MP3s . . .

I'm sticking with "record" no matter what the next format is.

AlanN

Jun-14-2007, 12:58pm

and turntables ain't dead. I'm getting a usb one - here comes all the old, scratchy stuff back!

mandopete

Jun-14-2007, 2:33pm

Man, I shoulda saved all my old Monkees records!

entau

Jun-14-2007, 3:03pm

I too let my Monkey's album go one sad day

hasn't anyone done a bluegrass version of "Last train to clarksville" yet ?

AlanN

Jun-14-2007, 3:04pm

hasn't anyone done a bluegrass version of "Last train to clarksville" yet ?
Dan 'The Man' Crary, I do believe.

fstylemb1

Jun-15-2007, 2:48pm

WHat am I doin' hangin' 'round?- Seldom Scene which I think is on the Act I record.

record-therefore, I am, a record geek!

fstylemb1

Jun-15-2007, 3:00pm

1928 Victrola, 2 1970s 8 track players, 3 turntables, 1 1960s suitcase portable turntable, etc...

thousands of records of every genre!

btw, i meant to reference What am I doing hangin' 'round as a Monkees tune covered by the Seldom Scene on the Act I record.

Larry R

Jun-16-2007, 5:46pm

Subject to slight occasional change.

1.TOO RYE AYE by Dexys Midnight Runners
2.RED ROSES FOR ME by the Pogues
3.LED ZEPPELIN I by Led Zeppelin
4.IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE WITH GOD by the Pogues
5.LED ZEPPELIN II by Led Zeppelin
6.THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS by David Bowie
7.MADE IN JAPAN by Deep Purple
8.JOHNNY WINTER AND LIVE by Johnny Winter
9.THE DOORS by the Doors
10.DISRAELI GEARS by Cream

And best live, which has a couple duplicates
1.Johnny Winter And Live-Johnny Winter
2.How The West Was Won-Led Zeppelin
3.Made In Japan-Deep Purple
4.Those Were The Days (Disks 3-4)-Cream
5.Absolutely Live-The Doors
6.Double Live Gonzo-Ted Nugent
7.Ziggy Stardust Motion Picture Soundtrack-Spiders From Mars
8.Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends-Emerson Lake And Palmer
9.Live And Dangerous-Thin Lizzy
10.Get Yer Ya Ya's Out-Rolling Stones

12 fret

Jun-16-2007, 6:12pm

A few that didn't make anyone's list....

Rose of Cimmaron - Poco
Hot Burrito Breakdown - Flying Burrito Bros
Pure Prarie League
Who's Next - Who
Nashville Skyline -Bob Dylan
Ummagumma - Pink Floyd
Anything by Roy Buchannan

jferg9

Jun-16-2007, 6:35pm

Great selections...........geesh.........too many to pick really. Here are a few..........
Beatles: Abbey Road
Beatles: Sgt. Pepper
Beatles: White Album
Aerosmith: take your pick
The Band: The Band
AC/DC: Back in Black
Van Halen: 1984
RUSH: Take your pick
Eagles: Hotel California
Neil Young: After the Goldrush
CSNY: So Far??? can't recall name.
etc...........

12 fret

Jun-16-2007, 6:57pm

And everyone's favorite, In A Gadda Da Vida by Iron Butterfly

mandopete

Jun-18-2007, 8:35am

Heavy and light at the same time!

Sonomabob

Jun-27-2007, 10:25pm

Thanks for the memories.

So many good tunes so little time to play them all.

I still listen to Working man's dead and Van Morison and Joni Mitchell

Sonomabob

Baron F
Martin Backpacker

metalmandolin

Jun-27-2007, 10:34pm

Here are some that matter to me...

King Crimson-Discipline
The Fixx-Reach The Beach
The Who Sell Out
Rush-Moving Pictures
King Crimson-In The Wake Of Poseidon
Jimi Hendrix-Are You Experienced?
ZZ Top-Tres Hombres OR Fandango
Van Halen II
Aerosmith-Rocks
Rush-2112

Roscoe Morgan

Jim Broyles

Jun-28-2007, 6:05am

Bridge of Sighs was by Robin Trower, not Jeff Beck.

AlanN

Jun-28-2007, 6:28am

One that hasn't been mentioned (I think, as I have not read all the posts) is Lou Reid Rock 'n Roll Animal, with that killer guitarist (forget his name).

mandopete

Jun-28-2007, 9:20am

Wow, I thought this thread was finished. #Has a funny thing happen earlier this week. #I got my copy of the Berklee alumni magazine called Berklee Today and was reading the notes. #I saw a little blurb from the class of '76 about Carl Verheyen (http://www.carlverheyen.com) and his new CD called Take One Step.

Well I went to high school with Carl and he was one of those sort of legendary musicians we all looked up to. #He is a monster guitar player and he now plays with Supertramp and his own band. #I sent him some email and he said he remembered my name from high school as we both went to Berklee about the same time.

Here's a pretty cool video for one his songs called Maggie's Ladder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqKRWiBQEm0

mandopete

Jun-28-2007, 9:32am

One that hasn't been mentioned (I think, as I have not read all the posts) is Lou Reid Rock 'n Roll Animal, with that killer guitarist (forget his name).
Found this one the webernet...

For some reason the musicians are not given credit on the album. They are Pentti Glen, drums; Prakash John, bass; Ray Colcord, keyboards; and most notably, Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter, guitars.

P.S. I think you meant to say Lou Reed and not Lou Reid, who plays that funny little ukulele type of instrument in a hillbilly band.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

mandolooter

Jun-28-2007, 9:50am

[QUOTE]Quote (entau @ June 14 2007, 16:03)
hasn't anyone done a bluegrass version of "Last train to clarksville" yet ?

YepVery last train... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSoq9C1xkOQ&mode=related&search=)

mandopete

Jun-28-2007, 10:05am

That's great, nice close-up's of Jesse's right hand.

Here's my all-time favorite Monkees tune and I'm gonna try this as a bluegrass song

Pleasant Valley Sunday (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9IzVbuGHXY&mode=related&search=)

Jim Broyles

Jun-28-2007, 10:07am

Rubber Soul - The Beatles
Revolver - The Beatles
Ahead Rings Out - Blodwyn Pig
Smash Hits - Jimi Hendrx
Alone Together - Dave Mason
Buckingham Nicks - Buckingham Nicks
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Fresh Cream - Cream
Disraeli Gears - Cream
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

Honorable mention:

Wheels of Fire - Cream
Goodbye - Cream
Argus - Wishbone Ash
Tea For the Tillerman - Cat Stevens
Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon - James Taylor
Machine Head - Deep Purple
The Cars - The Cars
The Byrds' Greatest Hits - The Byrds
Out of Our Heads - The Rolling Stones
Let it Bleed - The Rolling Stones

AlanN

Jun-28-2007, 10:28am

P.S. I think you meant to say Lou Reed and not Lou Reid, who plays that funny little ukulele type of instrument in a hillbilly band.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
But of course. Lou Reed on Sweet Jane, and Lou Reid on Sweet Sunny South (or is my tang toungled up on that?) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

AlanN

Jun-28-2007, 10:34am

Or better yet...Lou Reed on Sweet Jane, and Lou Reid on Liza Jane.

mandopete

Jun-28-2007, 1:53pm

Or better yet...Lou Reed on Walk On The Wild Side, and Lou Reid on Walk Out In The Rain.

Dave Caulkins

Jun-28-2007, 10:05pm

Awwww heck... can't resist...

In no particular order...

Jethro Tull - Benefit/Stand-Up (the perfect double album that never was)
Beatles - Revolver
Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street
Fairport Convention - Liege and Lief
Gong - Flying Teapot Trilogy (nobody's mentioned this, and probably won't)
Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
Hot Tuna - (any 70s, you pick, they are all that good)
Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers
Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsies
Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage
Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel
The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Tom Waits - Blue Valentine (ok, or any others... I'm impartial)
Bonzo Dog Band - Doughnuts in Granny's Greenhouse
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind (had to slip a metal album in here)
Metallica - Ride the Lightning (ok, two...)
Venom - Black Metal (three?)
Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same (Many know I'm not a huge Plant fan, but this album features waaaaaaaaay more instrumental stuff than any other)

And for fun... because they were in "that era"

Homer and Jethro - Nothing Like an Old Hippie (my personal fave, and first H&J)
Grisman's Quintet's first album (couldn't resist, why isn't he doing this well any more... please hold the beatings)
Hillbilly Jazz - I don't think anyone besides H&J, Chet Atkins, and their friends had tried that to date...
Bonzo Dog Band - Let's Make Up... (I'm just pushing the point these guys were under-respected)

Ok, I'll stop hoggin' the bandwidth now http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

"Grimm"

mandopete

Jun-29-2007, 9:46am

Gong - Flying Teapot Trilogy (nobody's mentioned this, and probably won't)
Radio Gnome Invisible!

I thought I was the only person here who ever listened to Gong.

Dave Caulkins

Jun-29-2007, 7:03pm

Nope... you aren't...

My old garage band used to mess around with covering some of that stuff, but we never quite got it "out". Those three albums are genius, albeit psychedelic brilliance. Very under-respected. Hawkwind garners more praise from the same period, with less quality output (don't get me wrong, Hall of the Mountain Grill is also very good). I used to play psych music exclusively, then I, ummm, sobered up. Still enjoy it though, especially Gong and Bonzo Dog. Early Floyd still moves me as well (I'm known as the guy who doesn't really like much after Animals... People get a wee bit ticked about that...). Which reminds me, I forgot Animals - the most under-rated Floyd album, especially for the instrumental work.

Nobody has mentioned any Crimson other than Discipline either (which is beautiful). I actually like a lot of the pre-Belew (sp?) stuff from them as well...

Or how about early Yes?

Genesis, before Collins?

Gawds, I am such a geek...

"Grimm"

mandopete

Jun-29-2007, 7:38pm

Yes to all of the above. #The challenage was to limit our choices to 10. #I coould list at least 10 prog-rock type bands - Genesis, Gentle Giant, King Crimson - Art Rock, Psychedlic, Acid, Fusion you name it...

Roger Ruskin Spear - Mattress Man!

metalmandolin

Jul-01-2007, 10:31pm

Grimm Pickins,

If eleven albums were offered, I'd have included "In The Wake Of Poseidon" from Crimson...come to think of it, I may have anyway!

MandoSquirrel

Jul-02-2007, 10:55pm

I like ANY King Crimson, pre Belew & with. Then there's Atomic Rooster, great keyboards with Vincent Crane, post(& pre) The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown.

mandopete

Jul-03-2007, 8:59am

I like ANY King Crimson, pre Belew & with.
Seems like a lot of people here like King Crimson. #My favorite was Larks Tongues In Aspic. #I really liked the addition of Jamie Muir on percussion. #I had a chance to visit with Bill Bruford when he was touring with Genesis and he spoke at length about his respect for Jamie and how it influenced his approach to the drum kit. #I though this really affected Bruford's approach to drums when the Discipline project/band came about.

MandoSquirrel

Jul-03-2007, 5:17pm

Yeah, Larks Tongues was the first great shift in the King Crimson sound, & a real doozy. It's my understanding that Fripp built that band around Muir's percussion as the focus.

metalmandolin

Jul-04-2007, 9:11am

I have some rough video of Lark's tongue with Jamie Muir...what a crazy, talented piece of work! It still has the bearded, pre-"English butler" Robert Fripp. I hear that Fripp uses a 3mm pick. Ever watch his picking hand? Any BG player would do well to catch every note that Fripp does on Elephant Talk or Frame By Frame. He does it without a grimace or facial expression...a virtual Superman of guitar sitting on a stool. I have that expression when I'm reading the paper or drinking a latte'!

MandoSquirrel

Jul-04-2007, 8:04pm

I read a Fripp interview20 years ago or more, where he said his picking technique was Mandolin circular picking.

mandopete

Jul-05-2007, 9:43am

I used to use Fracture as my warm-up for the guitar. It's a good tune to get your right hand going. What is Fripp up to these days?

MandoSquirrel

Jul-06-2007, 9:53pm

Guitar tuned in Fifths, as far as I know

mandopete

Jul-06-2007, 10:11pm

Guitar tuned in Fifths, as far as I know
Wouldn't that just be a big mandolin?

groveland

Sep-01-2009, 8:36pm

Wouldn't that just be a big mandolin?
Pretty much. :)

mandopete

Sep-01-2009, 9:10pm

It took you 2 years to come up with that response?

:)

Jim MacDaniel

Sep-08-2009, 10:54am

The 70's were my formative years, musically speaking, and I was able to wean the list down to these 10 that have stuck with me since then, in no particular order:

Zep - Physical Graffiti
Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Yes - Close to the Edge
Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill
Joe Walsh - Barnstorm
Chicago -Chicago II
Alman Brothers - Brothers and Sisters
ELO - ELO 2
Zappa - One Size Fits All
Kansas - Masque

NB, I saw all of these artists live during that period with the exception of Chicago and ELO -- and in most cases I saw them multiple times. :cool:

Honorable mentions:
Any 70's albums by King Crimson, FM, Rush, & ELP.

Edit: I almost forgot to include one of my favorite albums from that era, Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. (This epic concept album was produced while Peter Gabriel was still with them, so it was long before they morphed into a pop act.)

JeffD

Sep-08-2009, 11:05am

My son was just asking me what it was like to be in college when suddenly The Wall came out, )

Well it was like this.

I was in one of the other dorms, studying with this guy, or writing up a lab or something, and out in the hall this other guy was painting a mural on the wall. It was a cinder block type wall painted white, and he had Pink Floyd album art, with pencilled in grid lines over it, and he had just finished drawing the grid on the hallway wall. An hour or so later and he had marching hammers, and all this other wierd and slightly disturbing stuff I had never seen before, all sketched up really accurately and he was applying the color.

journeybear

Sep-08-2009, 11:06am

It took you 2 years to come up with that response?

:)

Suggestions for a response to your response:

1) Guess he wanted to make sure he said it just right.
2) Brevity is the soul of wit.
3) Pretty much.
4) All of the above.

:grin:

GTG

Sep-08-2009, 12:58pm

Thought I'd inject some 80's and 90's into this:
Metallica - ...and Justice for All
Bryan Adams - Cuts like a knife/Reckless
Rush - Moving Pictures/Power Windows
Tragically Hip - Fully Completely
Nirvana - Nevermind
Joe Satriani - Flying in a blue dream
Pearl Jam - Ten
Pogues - If I should fall from grace with God

Just some albums that influenced a mix tape-era teenager/gen X'er.

mandocrucian

Sep-08-2009, 1:57pm

Ten just can't be done

Fairport Convention - Liege & Lief
Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced (but Axis, Electric Ladyland or Band of Gypsies would also suffice)
Fleetwood Mac (Peter Greene/Danny Kirwan lineup) - Then Play On (or Live At The Boston Tea Party, Vol 1)
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails (2-CD compilation: Sons of Mercury)
Bob Seger System - Mongrel

Traffic - John Barleycorn
Jethro Tull - Stand Up/Benefit
The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers
Spirit - 12 Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus (2-CD compilation: Time Circle)
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River (or compilation: Chronicle)

Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed
Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers
Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead, Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses)
Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen - Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Trucker's Favorites
Allman Bros. - The Allman Brothers Band (1st album)

Blue Oyseter Cult - Agents of Fortune
Chris Isaak - Heart Shaped World
Sass Jordan - Rats
Eric Johnson - Ah Via Musicom
Ry Cooder - Get Rhythm

Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
David Lindley & El Rayo-X - El Rayo X (1st album)
Beatles - Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road