84. Hanoi Rocks - All Those Wasted Years (1984)
The had the hair , they had the make up , they were from the 80s.But don`t let that fool you. Hanoi Rocks were never hair metal. This is closer to the kinda scuzzed out trashy blues rock that the Stones & the New York Dolls did so well rather than being like Bon Jovi & Poison. This album was recorded live at the Marquee club at Christmas 1983 & shows that their live show was better than anything they ever did in the studio.It was also kind of the end of an era.After this they got a major label deal ,relocated to LA , made a disappointing album & then split up after Vince Neil killed drummer Razzle.It was never the same again after this album.
Favourite songs - Tragedy , Don`t Ever Leave Me , A Beer & A Cigarette
Today
This is still a perennial favourite of mine , i've lived with this album around 15 years and I still enjoy it just as much now as I did then.I don't think I would change too much about this.
Original Position - 84
Position Now - 84
83. Redd Kross - Neurotica (1987)
One of these days someone will give me a good reason why this band were never huge , because i`ve never been able to understand why not. They had great songs , a good vocalist , catchy songs , they could hammer out a good rock song....yet nothing.
Maybe it was down to bad timing. I swear had they been a new band in the mid 90s people would have been falling over themselves to give this band attention. I will always be baffled to the indifference shown to this band by the record buying public.But hey , at least someone at allmusic.com rates them...
Neurotica did manage to find its way into some very important young people's bedrooms. Redd Kross had unwittingly created the rough, lo-fi, melodic, rock & roll template that bands like Mudhoney and Nirvana would become very successful exploring over the next few years.
At least i`m not alone.
Favourite songs - Neurotica , Janus, Jeanie and George Harrison , Ballad Of A Love Doll
Today
I still think they're one of the most underrated bands of the late 80s/ early 90s and I still love this album a lot. Bubblegum pop mixed with punk but managing not to sound like turgid punk pop. I'm not as hot as them as I used to be but I think they'd still scrape into the list.
Original Position - 83
Position Now - 10 to 15 positions lower
82. Slayer - Reign In Blood (1986)
The most perfect 28 minutes in thrash metal , I don`t expect any of you to argue about it either.It was this album that made me realise that 99% of all those other thrash metal bands didn`t matter one bit.Thats why there`s no Metallica albums on this list ... HA!
Favourite songs - Angel Of Death , Alter Of Sacrifice , Raining Blood
Today
I wasn't really into metal when I wrote the list but still named a few metal albums out of respect for how much I loved them growing up. Reign In Blood is still an album I rate highly , in fact I think looking back this is much too low.
Original Position - 82
Position Now - low 30s
81. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (2003)
I was wrong , I admit it.
I HATED this band when they first came along. I was sick to death of the hype sick to death of hearing Take Me Out played about 50 times a day on the radio , I really loathed them.
Skip forward about a year , the hype has died down & i`m watching TV around 3am and they`re playing highlights from some festival. Franz Ferdinand come onstage & I groan. They start playing Matinee , my ears prick up....this isn`t bad.They play Auf Achse. By the end of that song I want the album & buy it the following week.The more I listen to it the more I like it.
Like I said , I was wrong ,i`m an idiot.
Favourite songs - Matinee . Auf Achse , Jacqueline
Today
I've really began to despise the British 'indie' scene over the past few years , I think of the past 5 years only this album & the Arctic Monkeys debut is really anything to shout about when it comes to British mainstream guitar rock and of those two albums I prefer this one. I don't think I would change too much here.
Original Position - 81
Position Now - low 80s