We’ll make it halfway through the alphabet in this latest installment of Wally’s Old Record Collection as we go from G to M today. The following is from a list of records I made during the year 1986.
69. Generation X
70. Germs - Rock N’ Rule
71. Gone – Let’s Get Really Gone
72. Green On Red – Gravity Talks
73. Green On Red – Gas, Food, Lodging
74. Green On Red – No Free Lunch
75. Hüsker Dü – Metal Circus
76. Hüsker Dü – Land, Speed Record
77. Hüsker Dü – Zen Arcade
78. Hüsker Dü – New Day Rising
79. Hüsker Dü – Flip Your Wig
80. Hüsker Dü – Candy Apple Grey
81. Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast
82. Iron Maiden – Piece Of Mind
83. J. Geils Band – Freeze Frame
84. Jason & The Scorchers – Fervor
85. Jason & The Scorchers – Lost And Found
86. The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy
87. Jet Black Berries – Sundown On Venus
88. Joy Division – Closer
89. Joy Division – Still
90. Nik Kershaw – The Riddle
91. The Kingsmen Vol. 3
92. Kiss – Double Platinum
93. Kiss – Music From The Elder
94. The Knack - …but the little girls understand
95. Jerry Lee Lewis
96. Nick Lowe – Labour Of Lust
97. Long Ryders – Native Sons
98. Long Ryders – State Of Our Union
99. The Best Of The Lovin’ Spoonful
100. McKenzie Brothers – The Great White North
101. M.D.C.
102. Minor Threat – Out Of Step
103. Minutemen – Double Nickels On The Dime
104. Motörhead – Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
105. Motörhead – What’s Words Worth?
106. Motörhead – Iron Fist
107. Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes
Notables:
Hüsker Dü’s Zen Arcade was an audio equivalent of The Bible for me. I made a tape of it and took it everywhere with me on the chance I’d get to play its sonic brilliance to somebody. Bob Mould, Grant Hart, and Greg Norton forged an entirely new sort of music together – whole chords played on the guitar run through a wall of distortion, while the bass and drums were a cauldron of melodic noise. I can thank a positive review in Creem magazine for leading me to such a great record.
The Number Of The Beast was a must have for a metal fan during the 80’s. It was loud, crude, and mildly Satanic, plus Iron Maiden had their great mascot Eddie for shock value. My senior year of high school I took a sociology course and during one of the 6 weeks we had to endure a fake marriage. We had to come up with a career and list all of the money we would theoretically make and spend. I chose being a radio disc jockey for a career which led to this exchange between me and the teacher: “So, what kind of music would you play?” “I would play heavy metal like Iron Maiden’s 22 Acacia Ave,” I answered. There wasn’t that many metalheads around, but somebody in the class giggled. “What’s so funny,” asked the teacher. I replied, “I assume it’s because the song is about prostitution.” Such innocent times they were.
Bob and Doug McKenzie – I wonder how many people thought they were actually brothers, eh. The single “Take Off” had been a moderate hit in 1982, but I didn’t think they were all that great. I got to hear the entire Great White North album in 1984 and it changed my life you hosers. Well, maybe it didn’t change my life, but getting to hear it all the way through for the first time was an experience. I went to see Dokken, Y & T, and Twisted Sister at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville. I rode up to the show with several acquaintances. It was me, Booger, and TC for sure. I think Smooth and GR went too, but I’m not positive. All I know is that there were five of us crammed into TC’s Nissan Pulsar that he drove like an absolute maniac. Great White North is 45 minutes long, which is how long we were in the car since the album ended just as we pulled back into Booger’s yard after the concert. TC’s average speed had to have been 95 mph. Luckily; I had Bob and Doug to get me past my fright of the drive. I realized that their comedy was a beauty, eh, and those who didn’t like them could just take off. As for the Twisted Sister concert – I thought it was funny at the time, but in retrospect it was just very bad.
3 comments:
The Knack's 'little girls...' was such a huge disappointment to me when it came out. It was my first taste of the dreaded sophmore slump. I definitely can see how it happens - you spend years writing songs for the first record and then they give you 3 weeks to write the second. But do you remember the retarded liner notes - it was a message from their manager or producer (the Commander). He was gushing about how the Knack were the next big something or other. His name made me think of the Captain (from Tenile). Even as a kid I remember thinking that it was lame. Their first record was so cool and 'naughty' and the music on the second just seemed tepid. I still have the record (cuz I never throw records away - except Prince's Around the World in a Day). I try to listen to it from time to time and it still sucks - except for the Kink cover.
For once, I have to disagree with you Elliott. I find the Knack's second album to be a tougher edged and better record than Get The Knack. I will agree that the liner notes are beyond stupid. I believe the Commander was Mike Chapman.
Really? I guess I'll have to give it another listen.
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