You are not reading this incorrectly nor do you need glasses to make more sense of the copy in front of you but its true – today is indeed the fortieth anniversary of the debut album by Canadian Progessive Rock Legends, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Rush!!! The album itself was much more in tune with other Hard Rock bands of the time such as Led Zeppelin and Cream and this made sense as this was the rising in popularity stuff in the youthful musicians around the world. The band at the time was Geddy Lee (on bass, vocals and keys), Alex Liefson (guitars) and John Rutsey (drums) and this would be the only recorded album to be released with Rutsey behind the kit. He would leave and be replaced by the great Neil Peart. Listening to it on its anniversary one has to wonder what the future might have held for Rush as a band if they stuck to this particular sound as opposed to morphing into the Progessive Rock juggernaut that they ended up.
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Tag Archives: music milestones
Judas Priests “Defenders Of The Faith” Is 30 Years Old (1984-2014)
Before I get into this one, let me first get out the information that this album’s true 30th Anniversary was on Saturday 1/4/2014; However, with the “New Year’s Music Resolution” series just beginning and a full plate to contend with I held off a few days before getting to raise a glass and a hearty pair of horns to Judas Priest’s fantastic “Defenders Of The Faith” which is celebrating being thirty years and four days old today. Happy Anniversary to a seriously heavy album; let me scroll back in time and give you some personal opinion on it.
“Defenders Of The Faith” is Judas Priest’s 9th album and followed their incredible “Screaming For Vengeance” release of 1982. I was already a Priest fan and had been continually listening since “Hell Bent For Leather” and like many fans of the band around this time, I was happy to see them keeping it nice and heavy and on the fast side with the newest release. Yeah “British Steel” and “Point Of Entry” had some moments but I craved the intensity that they were capable of and with “Defenders” they did not disappoint. I recalled going to the neighborhood record store almost immediately after it was put on the shelves and got the group of fellow Priest fans to join me in a listen down in my parent’s basement. From the moment that the needle hit the grooves on that black disc and the first razor riffs of “Freewheel Burning” began we were all sold on the release. Sure it was only the first track but “Jawbreaker” followed it and that was intense and while “Rock Hard Ride Free” was more of a sing along type of track it only helped warm us up for “The Sentinel” (which became one of my very own personal favorites on the album in addition to the opener). The Metallian kept on riding proud and sinister with its power as “Love Bites” blasted through the speakers and of course since we were dealing with an LP we had to pause our enjoyment and turn the album over. Oh yea and should you not really know what “The Metallian” actually is, it’s that monstrous creature that is presented on the albums cover. It was conceptualized by the members of the band and during their worldwide tour would be on the stage with them. I had to say that was pretty damn cool. Doug Johnson designed it for their album cover. Nice work Doug.
Continue reading Judas Priests “Defenders Of The Faith” Is 30 Years Old (1984-2014)
KISS’ “Gene Simmons” Solo Album Is 35 Years Old (1978-2013)
I’ve really been enjoying sharing these “Music Milestones” with you and well, to be honest anything in the “Milestone” category brings a smile to my face because it’s fun to reflect upon something that I remember buying way back in the day or have looked upon fondly for many years. Today’s “Milestone” is actually the first of four related topics because we are at the 35th Anniversary of the KISS Solo Albums – Lifelong KISS fans of a certain age might recall how in 1978 on this very day, four distinct albums were released to the public that showcased the creative side of each of the bands members. I’ll start with Gene Simmons since he has long been my favorite member of the band but as far as deep analysis of the album goes I am going to leave that to the Official Wikipedia entry which is at the bottom. You don’t need me to repeat what is already documented.
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Slayer’s “South Of Heaven” Reaches One Quarter Of A Century
The younger fans might be shocked at this but us older more entrenched Metal folk are proud to raise a glass of whatever your drinking this evening to the fact that Slayer’s 1988 opus “South Of Heaven” has reached its quarter century mark. Okay, I will admit that it hits me with some awe as well because I am of the vintage where I remember this stuff being in the “new releases” section of the neighborhood record store. The album was slightly slower than its predecessor “Reign In Blood” and according to interview posts from the late great Jeff Hanneman, this had been done on purpose since the band knew that they could not compete with the previous albums ferocity or impact on the Metal scene of the time. Resultant of this slower pace, the album received widely mixed reviews with some long time fans embracing it and others putting it on the bottom of their Thrash Metal pile. Now I’ve often admitted to being a latecomer to the Slayer scene even though my friends would be blasting it whenever we all convened. I was more a Power Metal guy and supporting that growing scene than the now matured Thrash Metal one. Don’t worry, I have made up for lost time in some sense.
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Happy 30th Anniversary To Judas Priest’s “Screaming For Vengeance”
Wow. “Screaming For Vengeance” is 30 years old today but before I touch upon this I want to ask you readers a question. Do you remember when you first heard Judas Priest? I know that I do, and while it was a few albums back before this one with “Unleashed In The East”, “Hell Bent For Leather” and “Stained Class” all being appreciated at the exact same time, it was still a band that I became an instant fan of when I heard them. I heard those albums at a band mates house but the first album that I ever owned by the band was 1980’s “British Steel“. If my memory still serves me correctly “Screaming For Vengeance” was the first Judas Priest album that I bought “with my own money”, meaning either having worked to earn it via chores of some kind. I know that I bought this at a long closed down shop called The Record Factory in Bay Ridge and that the first time that I saw it I said “WOW SO COOL” as I gazed upon the bright yellow cover and the imposing attack that The Hellion was in. Metal was on the attack and you saw this right in front of your eyes with the cover.
Continue reading Happy 30th Anniversary To Judas Priest’s “Screaming For Vengeance”