Krokus - Bedside Radio - 1979

What a memory...This was one of my first introductions into the hard rock and Heavy Metal music that would become a integral part of my life. 1979, sitting in the back of Keith's 1968 cherry-red metal flake AMC javelin, listening to music...No cares, no responsibility, no regrets, just good times....we got into our share of trouble but nothing producing criminal records...for me anyhow... This, along with the Godz and AC/DC's Highway to Hell were constantly coming out of the two house speakers that we sat beside that was hooked up to the under dash radio, equalizer...we all had them

 

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Riot - Sword & Tequila (1981)

Our local library had albums we could take out and my dad would soldier through them and record them onto cassette tapes for us. This was one of my selections that I was most proud of as it solidified, in my mind, the transgression into grown up metal music. This was also one of the first songs I learned on guitar.

Give It A Listen!

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Saxon - Wheels of Steel (1980)

DISCOVERED

I never really appreciated Saxon until now. Giving this a listen, there must have been a lot of other music out there. It's really good, and full of anthemisque( is that a word) songs.

WHEELS OF STEEL

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Mötley Crüe ‎– Too Fast For Love (1981)

MEMORY

For me this is the Genesis of my infatuation for Heavy Metal. Punk was just about dying out, and in comes METAL. In comes Mötley Crüe. It's what your parents didn't want you to listen to...Raw, Loud, Rude Evil, it was the Seven Deadly Sins in the form of music. This is a front to back listen, knowing every song, every lyric, every solo, every cowbell, every harmonic. 

LIVE WIRE

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Heavy Load - Metal Conquest (1981)

DISCOVERED

Early 80s Heavy Metal, from Sweden. This may have been bigger than if the production value was a little better. At times the drums are bit 'dead' and the vocals are buried a bit, but it's Heavy Metal! 

DARK KNIGHTS

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Judas Priest - British Steel (1980)

MEMORY

What a Legendary and Ground Breaking Album this was. Heavy, Hard, Fast Loud, METAL! There is no way to carve anything out of this. The cover itself is the most memorable of all. A man holding an over sized Razor Blade, in his hand, by his fingers. And.. on that blade, read the words, British Steel Judas Priest. It grabbed my attention, you throw on the album and it becomes a part of who you are.

GRINDER

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Accept - Breaker (1981)

DISCOVERED

Okay, Udo is an acquired taste, it's the roots of heavy metal. I never liked his vocals back in the day. Putting him uo against he influx of Cookie Monster Metal bands, he is a vocal god. Son of a Bitch!

SON OF A BITCH!

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Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz (1980)

MEMORY

There are albums that stand out and become the driving force for things to come. To me, that was this album. Fired from Black Sabbath, Ozzy recruits guitarist Randy Rhodes from auditions he held in Los Angeles, and the rest is history.

There are way too many memories, nearly all from Randy Rhodes legendary guitar playing. The album cover art itself, was enough to give parent's nightmares. Imagine holding the LP cover in your hand, waiting for the music to start as the needle hits the vinyl. Hmmm, did the turntable stop? I don't hear..wait,..faded in phased cymbal? Guitar up slide..and a relentless monster guitar riff...over a astounding Bass line... This album was the reason I went and bought a guitar. It wasn't because of Crazy train, or I Don't know...When I heard DEE, and it just blew me away.

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I DON'T KNOW

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CRAZY TRAIN

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DEE

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Angel Witch - Angel Witch (1980)

DISCOVERED

I don't understand how I missed this. Let's see 1980, Back In Black, The Game, New Clear Days, Unmasked, Los Angeles, so much to listen to. There is some really good stuff on here. The guitar just screams! Before there was Slayer, there was another....

ANGEL OF DEATH

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Motörhead - Ace of Spades (1980)

MEMORY

Lemmy...I respect what he did for the genre, not quite in my rotation of must listen to bands...quite the contrary more of an avoidance. I do remember first seeing this video, that made my jaw drop. The angst of Punk with the guitars of rock, and they were HEAVY.

I think the illusion of what I thought was hard rock or metal, left me a little confused when I saw and heard Lemmy. Gravel and grit, Raw and Real, which I more associated to Punk. Nonetheless, The only card I need is.. THE ACE OF SPADES! THE ACE OF SPADES!

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Accept - Accept (1979)

DISCOVERED

Don't get me wrong. I have listened to Accept before...not their very first release. In my option they do the Rock Ballads very well on this album. Their harder songs on this album are a bit 'all over the place'. I did like the song structure on Lady Lou, just a goofy song title.

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