No.461: “Willy And The Poor Boys” by Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)
Contrary to their San Franciscan roots, CCR played in a very redneck Southern style, their music taking on themes such as the Vietnam War (as with the brilliant ‘Fortunate Son’) and general good old rock and roll. John Fogerty’s band survived through some inter-band turmoil through the 1970’s until he went it alone with a series of superb solo releases, writing Status Quo’s ‘Rockin’ All Over The World’ as he travelled along.
Later period R.E.M. and a rather understated and underrated album from this band who are much missed. Reveal was a more easygoing affair than earlier records but made up for it by containing some very well made music. One of my favourite albums from this great band, two tracks play for you now:
Hot on the heels of Rattle And Hum (also featured today) came one of U2’s biggest albums, Achtung Baby. By now the band claimed the world’s musical stage (as they arguable still do today).Their were five top ten hits from this album including perhaps their most famous song, ‘One’:
Falling on pretty much deaf ears in here at the moment, but carrying on regardless because in a “I’ve started so I’ll finish kind” of way, here’s some more until I get bored:
No.458: “The Sin Of Pride” by The Undertones (1983)
The final album from The Undertones with Feargal Sharkey as lead vocalist, The Sin Of Pride for me is their best album. If ‘Teenage Kicks’ would have been on an album, that would definitely have made my list, but for now The Sin Of Pride’s joyful cuts of new-wave soul-pop will do very nicely indeed. I saw them at Hull’s Dingwalls on this final tour and they were incredibly energetic, Feargal climbing around the stage lighting rigs and they were terrific. Just a shame they fizzled out tbh.
Including the rather uncharismatically-Stranglers massive hit ‘Golden Brown’, Feline was more of the same moody dark humour from one of Britain’s best groups. I’m not gonna post that big single as we’re all sick of hearing it tbh, but here’s the title song sung in French by J.J. Burnell.
No.456: “Muddy Water Blues” by Paul Rodgers (1993)
The Free and Bad Company singer’s first solo album was this splendid release which featured Rodgers covering old blues standards, together with a bonus disc of his own re-recorded tracks. The key point was though to have a featured guitarist on each song, so we get David Gilmour, Trevor Rabin, Ritchie Sambora, Carlos Santana, Neal Schon and many more besides. On the title track though it’s Buddy Guy who does the honours:
Floydy I have pretty much given up on forum life and only add the odd comment until even they get ignored then I gracefully retire into read only obscurity once again.
Music is my one guilty pleasure and I am following your 1000 albums with genuine interests so although I maybe quiet please don’t think your effort has gone unnoticed
Coincidentally, here’s Paul Rodgers once more, this time with his ‘main band’ Free and their final album, a classic. This is the abslutely blistering single released from this great record ‘Heartbreaker’:
Not specifically a compilation, more of a collection of outtakes, live songs and cover versions, Sawdust was a great insight into what this Anglophile band from Las Vegas could do outside of their ‘box’.
To illustrate my point about their knack for covering songs perfectly, here are two from the album: Shadowplay (Joy Division) and Romeo And Juliet (Dire Straits).
No problem guys, it’s just that it’s a hell of an undertaking that I wish I’d done as a top 100 perhaps. Shame there aren’t that many of the regular posters especially the women who can’t be bothered to make an appearance, but it’s obviously not their thing. I’ll stick to my word about finishing this thing but I’m seriously thinking about leaving the forum totally after it’s all done. need some time outdoors to be honest away from the net.
It’s no good if you consider it a duty not a pleasure.There’s no time limit is there?You can finish it whenever. Have a break now the summer’s coming.
I’m only on the comp early in the morning.Too much is not good for anybody.
Lads, thanks it’s appreciated. And seriously, it’s the few of you who keep me going at this rather enormous undertaking.
For instance, if I post 10 albums each time it could easily take me two hours. Finding the sleeve is easy enough but you have to get the right size of it for the forum’s specifications. Then the videos, applicable to the album in question and of the correct time frame. Then I need to think of something to say, many times I try to make it interesting but I try to use my own knowledge too without resorting to copying text from Wiki and so on. Even the title has to be in bold and my template needs to be updated. All this for each post.
Honestly I am enjoying putting all this together, it isn’t throaway natter like other theads, it’s a labour of love; a project, and it’s extremely time-consuming when I don’t have that much time to spare. I’ve always felt bad about letting people down and self-indulgence aside, I will see this thing through. It doesn’t matter if a hundred members are reading orr just a handful like we have here…you all want to know what will be where and I will carry on. I just need to take a break sometimes but this thing is so compelling.
To evaluate then, and as we have been going since January 1st and are already past the 500-mark, it’s feasible that we can wrap up this project before the end of May. That is my goal.
I will not be on the internet during daytime hours if it’s sunny outside, so if need be, yes Moscow, PSmith, I’ll take a break.
Still following here too…so many thoughts, but too little time. R.E.M. was another band I was fortunate to see early in their career and followed them like a religion - without losing it. Ha, I know bad, bad joke.
I’ll catch up in a few days. I’m with Solo; I expect more people are following than you realize. Good work appreciated.
Already had these prepared last night before I left the thread in a huff lol! Taking it to the 450 mark with three bluesmen…
No.453: “Still Got The Blues” by Gary Moore (1990)
After a couple of stints with Thin Lizzy playing on some of their greatest albums, Gary Moore was disgruntled with the rock scene, his heart being in the blues. This album was the product of such yearnings. Easily Moore’s finest collection of songs, the title track was basically a return to the old style of his ‘Parisienne Walkways’ hit with fellow Thin Lizzy member Phil Lynott a decade or so earlier.
No.452: “Blues Of Desperation” by Joe Bonamassa (2015)
The highly prolific Joe Bonamassa.com lol, with his 12th album already (he’s still only in his early 40’s and done another three since 2015 too!). This record is right up there with his best stuff, excelling as he does with the slow burning numbers of grief and woe, rather like the similar Walter Trout does. This is ‘Drive’:
I must admit this thread has been rather thin on the ground with Eric Clapton solo product. No reason for that to be honest, I just prefer his collaborations more than his own stuff, though you may see a couple more yet. Dunno why because this mid-80’s offering is pretty fine in its own right. A duet with Tina Turner, some great live shows and an Armani suit on the cover, all hits the right buttons doesn’t it?
