Classic Album: Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden
You know, I didn’t expect to become an Iron Maiden fan. At first, a compilation of their best work was all I needed. Hell, it didn’t even leave that good an impression, so for a few years I would return to Edward the Great sporadically, occasionally scratching my head as to why the band were held in such …
Not Forgotten: Elton John – Elton John
Elton John’s eponymous second effort is pretty much where things started taking off for him. Originally intended as effectively a shop window to display the diverse writing talents of the Elton John and Bernie Taupin song writing team, and convince other acts to cover their material, Elton’s second album wasn’t recorded with the intention of making the former …
Not Forgotten: Rick Wakeman – The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
My Mum’s copy of The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table was the first Rick Wakeman album I heard when I was 14, and it blew my mind. Being the type of kid who was fascinated by myths, legends and folklore, and was developing an ear for prog rock, this was very …
Not Forgotten: Van Morrison – Moondance
Apparently every home should have at least two Van Morrison albums. The spot-on The Best of Van Morrison is one and if the cool-police are to be believed, the other is invariably Astral Weeks. While it’s Astral Weeks that still consistently gets the cool-police in a lather, truth be told I’ve never really fallen under …
Not Forgotten: Kathryn Williams – Little Black Numbers
Kathryn Williams was one of those acts that laid the ground work for the folk revival of the last fifteen years without us realising it at the time. Much like her contemporary Eliza Carthy, there was a certain level of buzz around Kathryn Williams at the end of the 90s, and there were a few publications singing her …
Not Forgotten: Alice Cooper – Welcome to My Nightmare
Splitting from the Alice Cooper band when he did was a gamble for Vincent Furnier, but in retrospect, and probably at the time, the Detroit five piece had achieved all they could by 1974’s Muscle of Love, and the band had started on the downswing. Co-opting the name of the band for his solo career, Furnier solidified …
Classic Album: Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti
When it came to Physical Graffiti Led Zeppelin opted to make the biggest splash instead of the most impressive splash.
A Buyers Guide to ZZ Top (The Warner Brothers Years)
It’s a long way from the dive bars of Texas to the global stadium circuit, yet somehow ZZ Top managed to navigate their way.
Classic Compilation: The Who – Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy
The Who are an odd one for me. A few of their peers managed the same transition from being a “singles” group to an “albums” group, but for me the demarcation between the two phases of The Who’s career is notable, as prior to them going all in as an album focused act with their 1969 concept …
Not Forgotten: The Magnetic Fields – Realism
The level of self-imposed pressure that Stephin Merritt must have put on himself following the release of The Magnetic Fields’ four hour masterpiece, 1999’s 69 Love Songs, must have been immense. He smartly sidestepped the issue with the next album, 2004’s i, with its beautifully simple concept and alphabetical sequencing, however, where to go after that? I …