What are your top 15 al***s of all time?

wow tough, i feel like i am cheating when I saw some of my favorites on other peoples lists and wanted to put them on my own. A couple of people I could agree with 10 of their 15, scary close in musical appreciation.
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At the moment I will say:
Patti Smith - Gone Again
Bill Frisell - Nashville
Grisman and Garcia - self titled
Canned Heat - Boogie with Canned Heat
Willie Dixon - I am the Blues
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
Sonny Rollins - the Bridge
Black Keys - thickfreakness
Jesse Sykes - oh my girl
Beatles - Abbey Road
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Pink Floyd - Obscured by Clouds
Gillian Welch - Revivial
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Neil Young - Tonights the Night

Glad to see that someone else lists Abbey Road over the White Album or Revolver!

well the white album is great, but it is almost a solo album by each beatle, rather than them playing together.

quote:

Originally posted by Gautam Raja:
Glad to see that someone else lists Abbey Road over the White Album or Revolver!

Why? Help, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour, White Album and Abbey Road were all great albums - so many good songs, I couldn't say one was better than another. The Beatles were always in my top 10 until Cammell Laird Social Club came out - the 10th HMHB album.

Only because a lot of people don't seem to like Abbey Road as an album, which I find quite surprising.

Abbey Road was the first record that really made me think of albums as more than just collections of songs (apart from the very obviously themed ones of course). It was a long time ago, but I still remember the first time I heard it.

No band makes me happy the way The Beatles do. I should actually put them in a separate list...

Concerning The Beatles, I have always prefered their earlier stuff :'Meet The Beatles', 'Beatles 65', 'The Second Album' and of course the 'Hollywood Bowl' record. Prefer Prince's 'Black Album' to the Fab Four's 'White'., BB

quote:

Originally posted by munch:

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

Originally posted by Gautam Raja:
Glad to see that someone else lists Abbey Road over the White Album or Revolver!

Why? Help, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour, White Album and Abbey Road were all great albums - so many good songs, I couldn't say one was better than another. The Beatles were always in my top 10 until Cammell Laird Social Club came out - the 10th HMHB album.

thats it i have had enough ,rotf what is there best album ? HMHB that is, im going to get it and see sorry hear for myself.kind regards munch

Munch - my recommendation as a starter HMHB is Cammell Laird Social Club; however you could go for an EP like Editor's Choice. It is impossible to say which is the best album as they all have good claims to that accolade. The songs on ACD are very strong, but the sound is very raw and it takes some getting used to.

All the best, Rotf.

Today this is how i am feeling (stream of consciousness) and by the way, I forgot how to count

Pentangle - Basket of light
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Bob Dylan - Desire
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping
Zombies - Odyssey and Oracle
Kinks - Village Green Preservation Society
Neil Young - After The Gold Rush
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Pendulum
Allman Brothers - Live at the Fillmore East
The Who - Who's Next
The English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It
Beach Boys - Friends
Bob Marley - Rastaman Vibration
Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
Lou Reed - Rock and Roll Animal
The Byrds - Notorius Byrd Brothers
The Merry Go Round - Live/You're a very lovely woman
Steely Dan - Aja
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Streetcore
Sly and the Family Stone - There's a riot going on
Stevie Wonder - innervisions
Santana - III
Jimi Hendrix - Axis:Bold as Love
Love - Forever Changes
Mamas and the Papas - If you can believe your eyes and ears
Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street
Smiths - Hatful of Hollow
Yes - Close to the Edge

Ok I'll stop for now

John M

What a fine selection and a mention for the absolutely wonderful Odyssey and Oracle by the Zombies: I love that album.

Also nice that someboby else is posting to the forum that appreciates CCR, I thought I was in a minority of 1 of John Fogerty admirers.

I'd also commend the inclusion of Village Green Preservation Society. an album I have on vinyl and as triple CD with lots of alternative takes and some fine material that didn't make the album.

I'd happily listen to programme made up from your selections.

Yawned when I saw the title, but was then dragged in ... and realised that 15 is a very nice number as opposed the usual desert island 8 or common 10. I'll risk it without too much thought ...

Hendrix - Are you experienced
Van Morrison - Astral Weeks
Mysterious Traveller - Weather Report
Keith Jarret - Changeless
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde
Prince - Sign of the Times
Marcus Miller - Tales
The Band - Rock of Ages
The Beatles - Revolver
Bjork - Debut
Bob Marley - Catch a fire
Marvin Gaye - Let's get it on
Steely Dan - Aja
The The - Soul Mining

I could, of course, choose a different 15 tomorrow. I've deliberately thrown in a couple to not be entirely cliched.

Hey, but here's the thing. I've really been moved to do the list so that I can ask ... does anybody know where you can get 'Blues for a fisherman' on CD?

Cheers

Richard

Hmm ... got to this topic late but here are the albums I tend to listen to most (in no order)

Davy Graham - Guitar Player
Dick Gaughan - Handful Of Earth
Bach - Goldberg Variations - M. Perijia
Emorson, Lake & Palmer - ELP 1
David Bowie - Space Oddity
Michael Marra - On Stolen Stationary
Mahler - Symphony No. 5 - Abaddo/Berlin Phil
Beatles - rubbersoul
Janis Ian - Hunger
Clash - London Calling
Jefferson Airplane - Bark
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick road
King Crimson - In the Court Of The Crimson King
Led Zepplin - IB

Allan

You're right it does draw you in. I've posted my top ten on here before and this will probably be embarassingly different, but here goes without reference to previous lists of mine:

The Kick Inside - Kate Bush
I Just Can't Stop It - The Beat
Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek and the Dominos
Soul to Soul - Stevie Ray Vaughan
Bad Influence - Robert Cray
Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin
DSOTM - Pink Floyd
Lonely Lover - Gregory Isaacs
Tres Hombres - ZZ Top
Machine Head - Deep Purple
Disraeli Gears - Cream
Signing Off- UB40
Specials - The Specials
Purple Rain - Prince

It's by no means definitive and some are in there because of longevity or overall influence on my listening down the years. There are probably others I listen to more right now but they haven't attained that 'greatness' for me yet.

Allan has come up with a new criteria and reminded me of the reason for longeveity of Desert Island disks. It had criteria. Might not seem too startling, but askign you think about the 8 pieces of music you would take to listen to on your own ... is a definite criteria. Of course, many just choose their favourites, but I don't think that is the same as the ones which you would take to a desert island. Your favourites are likely to be very similar to the ones you play most, but I don't think they are necessarily the same. Might have to come back later in the day and do my favourites.

I love the question, the criteria, they pose in Mojo. What is your favourite Saturday night, Sunday morning record. Think I might have to open a new thread!

ROTF -

How nice of you to notice! As I looked it over, I feel like these were such obvious choices - I guess I have kind of middle of the road tastes when it comes right down to it. I tried hard to pick something that no one else would, but using the criteria (self imposed) to choose that which stimulates a full range of emotions, and memories, I could only manage this list of what seems to be the most "popular" artists and albums. I guess there must be a reason then why so many of us agree. I hope it is not that we are all hopelessly brainwashed by the music business/radio syndicate!!!

In retrospect there are so many left out - Elton John, the Eagles, Frank Zappa, anything Classical, anything Jazz. I think I would have to make a new list for Jazz, but if I had to I would include Cannonball Adderly, Return to Forever, Miles Davis, and Weather Report.

Now, forgive my ignorance and guide me through the Half Man Half Biscuit world.....

Thanks again for your friendly comment.
John

Chillkram -

I am right there with you - I forgot to put in Prince and Cream. Pink Floyd, ZZ Top (excellent - just got Deguellos on vinyl) and Derek and the Dominos also are hard to keep off my list. Nice choices.

I still have not discovered the Kate Bush phenomenon - not out of aversion, but rather lack of exposure. Illuminate me!

quote:

Originally posted by John M:
ROTF -

Now, forgive my ignorance and guide me through the Half Man Half Biscuit world.....

Thanks again for your friendly comment.
John

Half Man Half Biscuit are very English - Nigel Blackwell writes great songs, but they can be difficult to understand because of the obscure references. Fortunately, the HMHB web site goes through track by track explaining the references. Just click on the album title and all we be explained HMHB Site

A Song like Everybody's Doing The Len Ganley Stance is a good example. Len Ganley was a Snooker referee who was prominent during the annual World Snooker Championships at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield. He stood in a very distincive way.

For me, music was at a low ebb in the mid '80s and then from out of nowhere came HMHB sounding a little bit punk, a little bit discordant, but with fantastic songs. The first track I ever heard by them was Albert Hammond Bootleg, the idea is that many people often become owners of unlawful items - this family was in a panic when a man, who introduced himself as Stanley Rous, left an Albert Hammond bootleg in the house. Stanley Rous was former chairman of the English FA (football association).

There are some samples here, but they are not fully representative of the whole spectrum of their music.

Rotf

in no particular order..

Keith Jarret - The Köln Concert
Keith Jarret - Vienna Concerts
Tool - Anima
The Waterboys - Fishermans Blues
The Police - Synchonicity
The Beatles - Sgt Pepper
The Beatles - BBC Sessions
U2 - The Unforgettable Fire
Miles Davis - Scetches Of Spain
Antonio Forcione - Live
Dave Metthews Band - The Gorge
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Couldn`t Stand The Weather
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Knutsen & Ludvigsen - Juba Juba
Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction

quote:

Originally posted by John M:
Chillkram -

I am right there with you - I forgot to put in Prince and Cream. Pink Floyd, ZZ Top (excellent - just got Deguellos on vinyl) and Derek and the Dominos also are hard to keep off my list. Nice choices.

I still have not discovered the Kate Bush phenomenon - not out of aversion, but rather lack of exposure. Illuminate me!

Hi John.

Kate was 'discovered' by David Gilmour when she was just a teenager in 1976. It's hard to pigeonhole her music but try to have a listen to 'The Kick Inside' which is her first album and my favourite. If you like it try her others, the latest release 'Aerial' is another great piece of work.
She is also an audiophile and I remember reading an interview with her with Chris Thomas
in the early eighties in 'Popular Hi-Fi' magazine. Her system then? LP12/Ittok/Asak, NAC 32/Snaps/250 and Linn Saras I seem to remember.

Try here for more info.

Regards

Mark

quote:

It's hard to pigeonhole her music but try to have a listen to 'The Kick Inside' which is her first album and my favourite. I

I'll second that - brilliant album, Kate at her absolute best.

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
She is also an audiophile ... Her system then [early '80s]? LP12/Ittok/Asak, NAC 32/Snaps/250 and Linn Saras I seem to remember.

I have been told by a reliable source that she uses a DBL based sytem for the mastering process.

I wonder if she still has the LP12, James.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
I wonder if she still has the LP12, James.

Mark

My source didn't tell me. But if she's sensible...!

As much as I love 'A Kick Inside' (with all its visual memories too...), I really love Aerial - two sides of silver, or better still four sides of black, of glorious music dedicated essentially to domestic life and the birds in the garden. Quite magnificent.

I know you like it too. And I know (Middx) Sudbury too. But I am wondering if those who don't like Aerial are predominently city-dwellers, for whom blackbirds in the garden may be less of direct life experience?

James

quote:

Originally posted by JWM:
But I am wondering if those who don't like Aerial are predominently city-dwellers, for whom blackbirds in the garden may be less of direct life experience?

James

Or a new and enlightening one.

Mark

Mark,
I would hope so! But then, I do know someone who is well-known for shutting his eyes on the train between Waterloo and Brighton, so that he doesn't have to look at too much green at once...

(A workaholic, he was once brought by some mutual friends for a few days' break to Norfolk, and was nearly climbing the walls by day 2.)

Anyway, Mark, I do hope you get your Aro and Armageddon sorted out. Now that I have spend every disposable penny on my new XPS2, Hi-Line and additional Isoblue to make two stacks, to avoid sowing possible seeds of doubt and temptation I am going to ease back on the Forum for a while.

If you're coming up to West Norfolk, do get in touch. jwmather at tiscali dot co dot uk

All the best,
James

quote:

Originally posted by JWM:
Anyway, Mark, I do hope you get your Aro and Armageddon sorted out. Now that I have spend every disposable penny on my new XPS2, Hi-Line and additional Isoblue to make two stacks, to avoid sowing possible seeds of doubt and temptation I am going to ease back on the Forum for a while.

If you're coming up to West Norfolk, do get in touch. jwmather at tiscali dot co dot uk

All the best,
James

Thanks for the kind offer James, I may do that if I'm out that way.

Armageddon is definitely first for me and the Aro maybe later on next year.

I understand your cautiousness as the forum can draw you in. Luckily my wife keeps me in check and I have to work hard for each upgrade!

I hope you're not too much of a stranger to the forum over the next few months whilst you're enjoying your latest acquisitions, though!

Anyway, we're hijacking a little so we'd better hand this thread back to the top 15 albums!

Kind Regards

Mark