Stop apologizing for having an opinion, just tell us what you think. People will either agree with you or they won't. Either way i clicked on your video to hear your opinion and it took 5 minutes of listening to you apologize before getting started. Give your opinions and own them 👍
@@robertfiorellino6070 which is ironic as fuck as kiss are notorious for NOT taking drugs in an era that's known ostensibly for being the era of excess,did do quite a bit of shagging though especially Simmons....
A lot of Kiss songs are not worse than Beatles songs, however the beatles have this aura of respectability even when they sing "she loves me yeeee yeeee yeeee".
Your review of "Destroyer"--with your English accent driving the review to great heights ("truly awwwful") had me almost falling out of my chair, laughing. Keep up the great work. I think even the wounded here would concede that you have an abiding love of music in many forms--a completely open mind, without prejudice. I suppose I am too much of an old f to be able to do that (I'll never really get rap/hip-hop, I think). Well done, again.
Hey, Andy, consider adding these disclaimers: No animals were harmed in the making of this video, I do all my stunts, All the models are over 18, No alcohol or smoking or nudity here, Offensive language only when necessary and for entertainment purposes only, Philosophical meandering warning
Blue oyster Cult are underrated. They are a NYC band that was influential on the CBGBs bands. Great live, Patti smith wrote some lyrics (career of evil)
@@wm-nu1yf Well they didn’t have a hit until late seventies and it was a slow climber but really I don’t know. They were hard to market I guess. After Reaper blew up they would still play in the smaller bars and clubs under the name Soft Yellow Underbelly. Much loved in the northeast US rock circuit.
Aja by Steely Dan is so perfect and amazing to listen to on my headphones that I can't agree with you saying that it's overrated, it's properly rated as one of the best albums ever and every song on it is perfect. I never saw it as pretentious or too refined, I see it as perfectly constructed and a marvel from front to back, I also disagree with your point about it not having enough soul; Black Cow, Peg, and Josie are very soulful. Also, Deacon Blues is a top 5 song ever. Edit: Home At Last is a top 10 song ever as well Imo.
I remember disliking it when it came out. I’d bought the previous albums and loved (and still love) them. Aja left me cold at the time, but after a few years, I returned to it, and couldn’t understand how I’d been so untouched by it. I came to see it as sublime, and can never get bored listening to it.
You mentioned hearing a great song on the radio and buying the album only to be disappointed. I remember buying albums for the same reason (like Rush Moving Pictures and Men at Work Business as Usual) where I end up liking all the OTHER tracks even more. To the point where I would skip over the popular radio track(s). Did this ever happen to you (I'm sure it had to), and can you compile a list?
Modern English - After The Snow. “Melt With You” was an okay song but it wasn’t until a friend lent me a cassette of it that I thought “Holy shit, what a GREAT album! They released the worst song as a single!”
@@ryanforprez2008 Most of Queen is like this. Their best songs are the non-hits. Even “Bohemian Rhapsody” is upstaged by “The Prophet Song” once you hear it for the first time. To me their hits are just an introduction of what they can do. They are a truly great band.
BOC had a pretty big profile in the USA throughout the 70's and 80's and still maintain a loyal fan base. There are a lot of great albums in their discography you should explore.
I would suggest these albums as a great way to explore Blue Oyster Cult: 1. Fire of Unknown Origin 2. Blue Oyster Cult 3. Tyranny and Mutation 4. Some Enchanted Evening Live All incredible. I think you will appreciate them too. I was in high school and could hardly listen to anything else during my sophomore year. I still enjoy listening. Very eclectic. They influenced heavy metal, but they were something else. Unique. Thank you for the entertaining list and the music history in all of your videos!
There is an analogy between The Wall and The Lamb. Two lead singers wanting to tell their story over the other members. Difference being that the other members of Genesis are probably a bit more headstrong than the other members of Pink Floyd to counterweight their singers. The Lamb is still one of my favorites
The Wall, The Lamb, the White Album, Syncronicity etc are all parts of those 'final white albums' that became the famed group's swan song before (artistically) dying. They're always masterpieces, as if conscious of their last moments, and are often doubles.
A few years ago ago I picked up one of those 5 albums in a box by Blue Oyster Cult. Like everyone, I had Agents of Fortune but was shocked at how varied their catalogue was. Patti Smith was involved in Secret Treaties pre her imperial punk phase.
The first album, "Tyranny and Mutation", "Secret Treaties", "Agents of Fortune", "Spectres", "Cultosaurus Erectus" and "Fire of Unknown Origin" are all masterpieces! B.Ö.C., probably the most underrated band in the history of r'n'r!
@@aliensporebomb That is actually a great song and, to me, definitely the high point of the album. Generally, I think the album suffers from bad 80s production and too much synth. Also, the version of Astronomy is very bad compared to the original version.
The background to The Wall is a bit different to how you have presented it: no-one else in the band had come up with any material but Roger Waters had written and recorded demos of 2 sets of material in his 4 track home studio (what would become The Wall and Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking respectively). When he brought them to the band they rejected the Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking songs as 'too personal' (irony of ironies, given the subject-matter of The Wall). The band were under pressure to come up with product because they had a massive tax bill to pay. So it wasn't really a case of Roger Waters pestering them to let him do his concept album.
Exactly. People should know what they are talking about before making such wide of the mark claims. Nick mason is not a song writer. Richard Wright had hardly brought anything song wise to the table since Wish You Were Here, leading Waters to effectively expel him as a member of Pink Floyd and pay him as a session musician for Animals, of which almost all the songs had been written and toured before WYWH. Any songs he had come up with were destined for his solo Album Wet Dream. David Gilmour was also writing songs for his self titled solo album. So all three were working on solo projects, it's just that Roger was writing so much more material than they were, and not only that it was better than what they were writing, and they knew it. They are not stupid. Pink Floyd is, and always was their cash cow.(RIP Richard) Which is why Gilmour submitted some music he had written for his solo album, that Roger wrote alternative words for, and turned it into the masterpiece which is Comfortably Numb. Yes, due to Rogers prolific writing (The Final Cut is almost all left overs from The Wall) he assumed control, much to everyone else's annoyance, but it's hardly his fault if they are bringing nothing to the table. And oh, The Wall is a Masterpiece.
@@MrJambug Your post is not correct. Rick was not expelled and paid as a session musician for Animals. That was the Wall. After Dark Side, Roger took it upon himself to decide what the next album was going to be about and to write the whole thing. Previously, the various members came up with ideas and worked on them together - including Nick. Roger became the lyricist because nobody else was interested in writing lyrics. This gave Roger the power to decide what the next album would be about. After the release of Dark Side, the 74 tour set list was Dark Side plus Shine On (Waters/Gilmour/Wright), Gotta Be Crazy-Dogs (Waters/Gilmour), Raving And Drooling-Sheep(Waters),(plus Echoes written by all four, as an encore). Sheep's intro and outro were written by Rick and David respectively, but they were not credited for them. Two songs out of five is not almost all. Roger decided, against David's choice, to leave those two songs aside and make WYWH about 'abscence', writing two new songs himself, and one with Gilmour. Again, for the next album, Roger decided it would be an animal farm themed affair and filled in the gap with the three Pig songs. This would make it harder for anybody to present any material, because Roger had already said what it would be. In financial terms, Rick and David were not going to see any song writing royalties, and as the original poster pointed out, there was a further monetary pressure, caused, not directly by a tax bill, but because they were robbed by a financial investor. The tax bill was a complication of that, so they both made solo albums abroad to try and salvage their bank accounts. This used up material that they were unable to present to the band because Roger was now deciding everything. Again, as the OP mentioned, Roger brought TWO things to the band and told them to choose one. Damn right it was annoying that he had assumed control. Judging by the results, The Wall was the better choice of the two, but it took a lot of work by Bob Ezrin to make that a workable prospect, and as mentioned, a lot of that material was rejected. It WAS in fact, Roger pestering them to do his concept album, he threatened to bin it if Rick was not fired. I must also point out Mr Jambug, that you have no idea that the other members thought that Roger was writing better material than they came up with, in fact, they have gone on record as saying they thought it was garbage, and David was annoyed that he brought the rejected stuff back for The Final Cut. Pink Floyd is their cash cow ? Rog did his thing for free did he ? Roger didn't write alternative words for Comfortably Numb, there were none. It is David's solo and music that makes it a masterpiece, and yes, it really was Roger's fault that they brought nothing to the table. You should know what you are talking about before making such wide of the mark claims.
@@glerp10000000000 Fair enough you obviously have a deep knowledge on the subject. But I still don't believe you are entirely correct and you seem very defensive of Wright, maybe because of what you may see as me being disingenuous towards him, but I am not. This is what Wright himself said on the matter in 1994: "I didn't really like a lot of the music on the album, I didn't fight hard to put my stuff on the album and I didn't have anything to put on. I played well but did not contribute to the writing and also Roger was not letting me write. This was the whole start of the whole ego thing in the band." So he's a little self contradictory. "I didn't have anything to put on" and "Roger was not letting me write". Roger cant stop him writing. If he writes a song he writes a song. Or at least a chord progression, which was his particular skill. And he (Roger) cant put anything on if he had "nothing to offer". Richard is also on record as saying: "Both myself and Dave had little to offer, through laziness or whatever. Looking back, although I didn't realise it, I was depressed." Which I understand was due to marital problems. So, as much as what you say is correct, your overall take on the strained relationships between Roger, Dave and in particular Richard, is just your subjective 'take' on it, which is obviously very defensive of Wright. Which is fine, that is how you see it. I see it slightly different.
@@glerp10000000000 David: I’m certainly guilty at times of being lazy... Roger might say, “Well, what have you got?” And I’d be like, ‘Well, I haven’t got anything right now... There are elements of all this stuff that, years later, you can look back on and say, “Well, he had a point there.” Roger: By and large, "The Wall" was my record - though I don't want to belittle Dave's considerable contributions ... The reason "The Wall" is a good record is because it's an honest autobiographical piece of writing of mine. And the machinery in place that enabled me to make that record was good. But it was only machinery by then; There was no question of there being a "group" anywhere ... And certainly Ezrin's contribution to "The Wall" was far greater than anybody in the band. He and I made the record together. And he was a great help. You know, Rick had drifted out of range by that point ... And it wasn't the unilateral and heinous, wicked thing that gets described in the "unofficial" histories.
I heard Trout Mask Replica while on a trip of LSD and i thought it so much fun and it had a massive impact on my psyche. I listen to it at least once a year since it was released. My ex-wife complained when i played it but she just couldnt let it wash over her. Thats not why we divorced. I sing along to the lyrics and recall incidents that happened that night. Its not true what they say about not being able to remember the 60s and early 70s due to the drugs.
U2 albums that are loaded with melodic gems: Boy October War The Unforgettable Fire The Joshua Tree Achtung Baby These albums include some of the most beautiful/creative and richly lyrical tunes ever produced.
I actually think Andy has a point with the Dan; that Jazz and "anal retentive" do not, normally, make good bedfellows. I still don't care! I ❤ Aja and the Dan.
Great video Andy and I agreed on every choice but "Exile on Main Street:" I always thought "Exile" was like the Stones' White Album. It's a little bit of all over the place stylistically, but it's still a masterpiece. But could you please shrink your watermark. It's almost like you have two heads on the video! 🤣🤣🤣
The only album I ever took back and exchanged for another was Sandinista for Rumors. A very good swap. I would never have swapped London Calling for anything. I can see where you're coming from with that though, the very powerful songs standing out and the rest maybe sounding a bit limp, but as an 'invested' Clash fan, I was hugely impressed by their virtuosity and their branching out into different styles in a very creative way that, for the most part, sounded great. Sandinista, though, was a self-indulgent dithering step too far that I fortunately exchanged for red-hot intensity.
I love 2112! Im not a prog fan at all, but when I first heard side one at about 12 yrs old (short attention span and all), it completely enthralled me. I bought into the background story of a future dystopian world where art and music are outlawed. I still love it today in my 50’s! I also wholly respect that they, as a band, were effectively given an ultimatum by their record company to make some hit radio singles or risk losing financial support , and they instead decided to do what they wanted instead, and made a concept album - 2112! Ironically, the album became a huge FM radio success with corresponding strong sales, and they saved their careers! Props💪🎸
2112 song I love and I find it to be one of their best songs so it's not overrated for me. The album however is not strong collectively. I often find myself looping the title track over and over.
@@AnnieVanAuken LOL! Perhaps he was - 'God Only Knows' what might have been going through his mind at the time. The cover of their Holland album had a nautical theme.
@@AnnieVanAuken I love that track - so many parts to it and a really innovative use of vocal harmonies. I like some of the more obscure tracks from Smiley Smile (the original 60s album) like Wind Chimes.
When I was 11 and liked Iron Maiden and Saxon and Motorhead a boy in my class called Mark Mackinnon lent me his copy of Destroyer saying 'you'll like this, you will.' I listened to the first two songs and gave it back. It was the worst thing my 11 year old ears had ever heard. And remained so until I heard Brain Salad Surgery last week. I'm 54 now.
😂 it’s far from my favourite ELP album, who are far from my favourite prog band….. but in a weird way I get where you are coming from lol …… despite liking the album.
I have to disagree with your take on Endtroducing. For me its maybe the first album that used samples to create distinctive pieces of music, rather than just loops to rap over. It was almost like a more soulful version of what was happening in IDM at the time. Also i'm working class, not one of those posh journalist types and I didnt recognise like any samples on it, except for the Bjork one. So, yeah
Listening to your reflections about Secret Treaties I believe you've tapped into a very interesting insight, worth investigating deeper. Speaking from my own experience, as I watch your videos my knowledge increases and my perspective changes, so that I can appreciate music I once disliked. Sometimes our perspective changes over years but sometimes it only takes the right educator or the right peer to flip tne switch. The significance of the change is not just that we now like a thing that we once didn't; something else else necessarily shifts inside and we are nourished and elevated by the appreciation of art. You have touched on this before but I would be interested to view an episode dedicated to this topic.
Agree I’ve encountered this many times. When I was young I write off many music styles and artists only to come back years later and love them and vice versa--what was I thinking.
Bought Pete Townshend’s All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes album in 1982 and shelved it after a single listen. I guess I was expecting more of Empty Glass. Two years later, a friend asked to hear “slits Skirts” so I pulled it out. I gave the album another listen and it hit me like a ton of bricks. It’s been in my top 5 albums ever since. I’m glad it didn’t take me 40 years to give it another chance.
Agreed that albums vaunted rep is based on the 4 or 5 stellar tracks among the the rest of the messy and mediocre cuts. That said I still listen to it once a year or so.
Spot off about the Beach Boys. I fully understand the adulation - but then I am an audiophile, musician, and composer. I call it the Haydn Effect: Haydn invented the Symphony, but ignorant people think his symphonies are tame - boring - compared to later ones by Mozart or Beethoven. There would be no symphonies by others without Haydn. Pet Sounds changed the way albums were composed, arranged, and produced: Everything changed. As for the Wrecking Crew, they contributed zero vocals. If you think vocal mastery, in both lead and background, is nothing, then dismiss every lead singer who does not play an instrument. Actually, some of the other members, especially lead guitarist Carl Wilson, contributed instrumental additions when they returned from the vital touring that enabled Brian Wilson the money to produce the album. Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Martin, Keith Moon, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Elton John, Ann Wilson, Tom Petty, and many, many other music artists also fully understood - and understand still - the adulation.
@@DanielByers-qf9qi I'm not saying Brian Wilson isn't a great composer, or that there isn't any merit to the music, I'm saying it bores me. They were a great little band with some excellent singles, but I'm sorry, I just don't GET this LP. That's all. My loss.
I literally have been bingeing Blue Öyster Cult’s albums these couple of weeks as I find them great. I’m new to them and for me their top 3 albums are: Fire of Unknown Origin Cultosaurus Erectus Spectres
Funny that. The main complaint is about American influence. Keep in mind that over here, we have for decades been the purveyors of Cancerous Competition Capitalism. We've been held for ransom in a way Brits will NEVER understand. We adopted a Hidden Aristocracy called "Entrepreneurialism". We modeled many of our laws and governance on English Law & its systems, which were a response to tensions between the Crown and The Commoner. Kiss "Destroyer", for all its faults was the first Heavy Rock album that actually could be heard on AM Radio (at least its milder hits), which for decades was as close to a common, accessible culture as we got. RIght alongside ABBA, Captain & Tennille, "Afternoon Delight" and other lovely, but unchallenging fluff, suddenly we heard weird, dark, heavy stuff - distorted guitars, Drums, etc. "Detroit Rock City" was like first tastes of beer for adolescent boys. That's how it started - swinging the doors open with a BANG! Everything heavy, complex, or challenging that I heard in the next few whirlwind years I owe to them - including Led Zepp, Hendrix, Django Reinhardt, Miles Davis, Return To Forever, Yes, Rush, Bjork, the list goes on and on indefinitely. Put that in your pipe and smoke it... 🤔
It's about time U come around to the mighty BOC! Everything up to and including Fire of Unknown Origin are killer. The "comeback album" The Symbol Remains is right up there with the classic period! 👍
You make an interesting point about the Beach Boys being backward-looking whilst the Beatles were forward-looking. I think the historical context is key: young US people were being drafted to fight in Vietnam whilst here in England we did not suffer that. I think it might have contributed to a more nostalgic outlook among US youth as they longed for more innocent times before the US dream they believed turned out to be rotten. There's a strand of that sort of outlook in a lot of US music from the 60s onwards (Chicago's Harry Truman, Don Henley's The End Of Innocence). Here British cynicism meant we had no dreams to be shattered but things were so dull we could look to investing a better future!
I've always felt the Beatles' brilliance is that unlike almost any other band at the time they looked both forward and backward. Penny Lane is undeniably nostalgic, and there are music hall and brass band influences in several of their songs. But I do think the Beach Boys were about looking back. Brian Wilson really wasn't interested in all the new revolutionary things going on around him. His tastes were traditional, conservative and suburban, and I'm sure he'd have been much more comfortable had he been born a decade earlier.
@@patpatisserie4245 Agreed. Songs like When I'm Sixty-Four have that old-fashioned sing-along quality and the bus in the Magical Mystery Tour film has some ordinary elderly people alongside the hip Beatles. I like the fact that Revolver has room for both Tomorrow Never Knows and Yellow Submarine!
Yes, Steely Dan’s perfectionism is on full display on aja, but focusing on that seems very wrong to me. There is just so much sublime goodness to be had.
I hope you didn't put Aja on this list because that's one of the most incredible albums in the history of Music along with Todd Rundgren something anything so if you did your brain is rotted out.
Amen! Music at its highest level! Aja is so well played and produced, it makes shitty stereos sound good! People will criticize freakin' rainbows and puppy dogs!!! WTF?!?
@@tayporttonyWell after thinking about it for a little bit, I guess that kind of perfectionism can take the passion out of it for some people, but to my ears, the elite musicianship and the sonic detail gives separation to the instruments, for me the music on Aja fills my ears with goodness! I've been called an audiophile, I don't know if that's a good thing or bad. Been listening to a lot of 70's rock and roll and all the analog recordings from that time period really sound good to me, more natural and immediate, sonics give off a "live" feel to the music.
Kiss was my first rock band. I was six or something, and my unknowing parents saw the makeup and theatrics and thought, this is something that kids will go crazy for and got me Alive on double cassette. I played it to death and Ace Frehley was my hero. Now, looking back, for what they were in the 70's, I think their hard rock and Frehley's poppy solos were really good. It's hard pop, not something that sounds like it would be much. The lyrics were trash, singing with cheesy innuendo and wailing on about booze (something Gene and Paul knew nothing about). But it's no more musically worse than Slade. Everything after Creatures is unlistenable. So yeah, they remove the makeup(who cared what Vinnie Vincent looked like without makeup?), and it's crappier than expected. They put the makeup back on, and that new stuff was worse than the hair metal nonsense. Anyway, Destroyer is overrated. The first three are the best and Frehley's solo record was better than almost everything else. Ugh, I can't write anymore about Kiss. So, quick bit on Blue Oyster Cult. I like the first three, parts of the few after and that's it! I've never understood their "early metal" status. They're hard rock at best and had a really unique mix of hard rock with, albiet tenuous, ties to punk on those first three records.
I remember playing Entroducing back in the day and my then girlfriend came in the room and said 'who is this?' I told her DJ Shadow. That was the only ever time she commented on my music. Ironically she is now married to a DJ, which makes me think that was the moment that stuck in her mind about DJs and cool music.
Ha-ha, Mr. Edwards, for a moment I was spooked when I saw B.Ö.C. on the list! "Secret Treaties" is one of the greatest albums ever. B.Ö.C. has been on my listening list for the last 50 years, the complete opposite of Kiss, which I can't stand at all!
For me, the sound mix the Stones found on Exile was the perfect blend of rock eclectic instrumentalism. They never exceeded Tumbling Dice for instance.
I have to agree about Aja. It's hard for me to ignore that Walter Becker literally *looks the part* of the anal retentive creator, perhaps more so than Fripp (!). Becker physically resembles a math professor I had, bless his soul, whose lectures were anal retentively oriented towards proofs and rigor. His feedback on our work would always focus on any details that were wrong, rather than what we got right. When we ask him for some help on homework problems, his usualy response was "Hm, why don't you go back and think about it some more!" I'm not doubting the positives of that approach to teaching (let alone music creation), but at the same time it wasn't exactly instilling the joy of learning! When you're a musician and you listen to an album like Aja, it is hard to actually enjoy because you can sense the pain and suffering and tweaking to get that final instrumental execution on record.
I've never really understood Becker's role in Steely Dan. He must have done something important, but I can't tell from listening what it is. When I saw them live, Becker was the only musician on the stage that did not deliver any shining moments, at least as far as I could tell. If I had not known that he was actually one of only two of them who actually constituted Steely Dan, I would have thought him rather unimpressive. I once asked this question about Becker's role in the band to a guitarist friend of mine who used to work in a Steely Dan tribute band that played regularly in Lake Tahoe. I thought he might know something I didn't know, but he didn't really have an answer either.
Walter Becker was one half of Steely Dan. He was a highly skilled guitarist and played some bass, as well. Walter was the co - songwriter for Steely Dan, along with Fagen. He hated the spotlight, preferring to remain in the shadows, but his incisive guitar playing was essential to Steely Dan's sound. It was said by Fagen that Becker added all kinds of tiny sonic touches, very short moments of instrumental flourishes that would bring songs to a new level. He knew his way around a recording studio, producing other artists with excellent results. Beckers solo albums were top notch, and further illustrated his musicality and ability to craft music that was extremely sophisticated and full of deep groove. Walter Becker was quite simply a brilliant musician, without him, there is no Steely Dan.@@briteness
The knives of indignation started to come out when you first said Secret Treaties was overrated, but quickly sheathed after you explained yourself. Secret Treaties is my favorite album, but the rest of BoC's catalog is worth a deeper dive. They famously toured with Black Sabbath in the 70's on the Black and Blue tour. And, yeah, let's get into Killing Joke too!
I don't agree with your opinion of London Calling and Aja, but you're so right about Pet Sounds. It's one of those Emperor's New Clothes albums, that everybody wants to say is a masterpiece because Paul McCartney lauded it so profusely. I think proof enough it's not an all-time classic is the fact that the Beach Boys never released any other album that's considered a classic. It may be their best album, but nothing more. They're a true singles band IMO, with some great, great songs.
I don't understand why people seem to think it's bad to like a band mainly for their singles. I think it's a hangover of rock Vs pop as if one is better than the other
The best part is when you recall buying a new album while you're out with your mother and hoping it's not crap. I totally can relate to that ❤! I grew up in a small village, and the one (there was only one) record shop around was in the next city - which you only reached when you're parents took you, because there was no bus ... and you were always in a hurry, since mom didn't understand why she had to stop at this shop anyway ... I don't know what would have become of me without tape trading! Oh, by the way, did you ever consider doing a video on the role of tape for the perception of the album as a coherent piece of art? (the medium basically forced you to ingest albums in their entirety, as there was simply no practical way to skip tracks ;-)
I remember buying Aldo Nova’s debut album after hearing “Fantasy” on the radio and being blown away by that song. The rest of the album was pretty much filler. I don’t think I’ve played it a second time and I’ve owned it for over 40 years.
Re: Steeley Dan, I was listening to Beato's excellent interview with Warren Haynes before this, and WH mentioned that he was recording 7 Turns with Dickey Betts (RIP) and DB made a couple of mistakes, so WH asked the engineer about fixing it, and the engineer said it's perfect, listen to it like it was the first time hearing it. So WH gave it another listen, and said the mistakes were there, but it sounded perfect.
Beato should be a sports announcer. He treat music, which is ART like baseball players. Best of this, Best of that. He knows NOTHING about music and compares groups and musicians like they're sports stars. That doesn't happen on this channel. Beato is for people who know nothing about music.
@@tonys4396 Millions of hardcore music fans would disagree, Ricks channel is loaded with top notch interviews and his breakdowns of music are gold! Did he take your lunch money? He's an excellent musician and his obvious love for music is palpable! Making lists of artists is all in fun, relax.
@@tonys4396 Silly comment. If you want to learn about the ART of making music, watch the Warren Haynes interview. He's played with more music legends than almost anyone alive.
@@treff9226 Lists of favorites are fine. Having BEATO TELL people that one musician is better than another is retarded. It's all about how a musician affects YOU. It's not sports. You don't get it which is ok since you know nothing about music. After all, you DID state that Freddie and the Dreamers are underrated and taught the Beatles everything they know. 'nuf said,
And you were wrong. The only American band that could cause the mighty Beatles sleepless nights. Listen to their first album from 3 years before. It's like Neanderthals suddenly sending rockets to the moon.
I have never understood why Trout Mask Replica is often considered Don Van Vliet's best record. In my mind, Safe as Milk, Mirror Man, and Bat Chain Puller are better. Then of course there is Lick My Decals Off Baby, which is one of the greatest albums ever made. Of course, you have to attuned to the cosmic vibe to dig it. Pet Sounds just plain stinks. Cheers!
it's just the extreme case of the critics echo chamber effect. One influential critic championed it and the rest just repeated it without even listening.
I'm an old guy now, but I'd never actually listened to all of 'Pet Sounds' until a few years ago. Why? I was never a 'Beach Boys' fan. Sure, I knew 'Good Vibrations' and 'Little Deuce Coupe' and all that, but they just weren't my jam. So I decided to listen to 'Pet Sounds' because it was supposed to be one of greatest albums ever, blah blah blah. Did I like it? Nope. Sure, the vocal harmonizing was kind of sort of interesting, but other than that, fuggataboutit. Not even really worth a second listen.
I bought Trout Mask Replica back in the '70s as a teenager. It freaked me out when I first heard it but I only owned a few albums and so I played it many, many times and it just kind of took me over as a parallel universe I could escape into every day after school. In these days of streaming and short attention spans I doubt many people get past thinking WTF on first play. I think it's an extraordinary record but it's not for everyone - whether you like TMR is possibly a good diagnostic of whether you're neurodivergent or neurotypical...
Your critical analysis of Kiss's Great Expectations is top level. Love the idea of them considering the plot of Dickens' novel and just thinking, "Can't we make it about shagging groupies?"
It's all subjective, but Exile is my fav Stones album, LC is my fav Clash album and I love Endtroducing. Yes you could argue The Wall gets a bit boring, but it has a half dozen classic tracks on it, imo. I do agree with you about Pet Sounds, though. I would also argue that Rumours is overrated. Stuart
"Pet Sounds" Eh ? It's Brian Wilson's solo project, which basically has nothing to do with the band called the Beach Boys. "Pet Sounds" is Brian Wilson & The Wrecking Crew.
It has, except for "Caroline, No", and, perhaps the two instrumental songs, everything to do with the Beach Boys. The Wrecking Crew did zero vocals. Do you imagine that vocalists like Pat Benatar contribute nothing to their bands? Do you imagine that singing complex harmonies, live and without any modern electronic manipulation, is easily done by just anyone? Touring back then was almost the only way to promote sales. The rest of the band was on tour, keeping Capitol Records satisfied, and providing Brian Wilson with the opportunity to create in the studio. When they returned, they contributed some lead and most background vocals, as well as some additional instrumentals. Carl Wilson was a de facto member of the Crew when not on tour, and, for instance, played one of the most famous guitar intros ever in a pre-Pet Sounds Wrecking Crew session: "California Girls". Some of the Wrecking Crew were astounded by the vocal expertise of the young men in the band, who could walk up to the mikes and nail it in one take.
@@Peter-Burbank Frank Marocco provide all the accordion on PSs So, Are You saying "Jailhouse Rock (song)" is sung by Elvis Presley, making it an Elvis tune and not written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller ? Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night" is his tune and not Bert Kaempferts with English lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder ?
AJA??? Andy. I LOVE your channel and your videos. I HATE those channels where they are doing things like "The Top Ten Guitar Players Of All Time" etc. . This isn't sports where you can rate a baseball player by his stats. This is ART. OK, that said, believe it or not, I have agreed with every video you have done so far. (Yes, I HAVE watched them). THIS time around I agree with everything you said about every album you covered EXEPT for AJA by STEELY DAN. I actually feel that it's a very UNDERRATED album in the whole scheme of things. I love Classic Rock, Jazz and Classical music. Aja is definitely in my top ten albums of all time. I'm 74, been playing and listening to music all my life. I don't watch TV. The minute I get in the house, the music goes on. Literally THOUSANDS of recordings of every genre. That said, I LOVE your channel and love your opinions. Stop apologizing. You're GREAT! Now I have to go listen to the Aja album.
Some very good points... Andy I would like your opinion on Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, in some future podcast.... on another note I do not get/understand Rush to this day....Much like Kiss on record... maybe their live shows are good... but otherwize?????
When Pet Sounds came out it was a bit of a flop both critically and commercially. Fans felt the band had gone soft and was targeting an older crowd. When it was reissued 20 years later Capitol Records did a monster publicity campaign promoting it as an influential seminal masterpiece. That campaign was a bigger success than the album had ever been. It's a good album, but not in their top few unless you believe the hype.
I'd add my 3 albums of choice for this matter: The Velvet Underground & Nico - Same (Influential? Sure! Amazing? No!) Michael Jackson - Thriller (A successful smash mistaken for a masterpiece) Joy Division - Closer (Not a single amazing song on here)
I would agree that the Beach Boys are not the American Beatles They simply don't have the reach or overall worldwide musical influence that the Beatles did and to some degree still do. However, that doesn't mean their albums are overrated. Like the Beatles and, well, almost every artist I can think of, their albums have some fantastic cuts and production and then some duds or just average songs that seem like filler. It's only the deep diving musical nerds or producer types that hold Pet Sounds in such high regard but not for the songs. Although there are some great ones on it. Instead it's for the production values which are great but not what the average listener is concerned with.
THANK YOU ! I have never understood "Pet Sounds" while being told what a fantastic masterpiece it was. The Beatles may have been "influenced" by the Beach Boys but then they made actual classics
Hey Andy, It's fantastic that you are more appreciative of BOC because I allways felt that it would be a band you could potentially like. There's a certain aura os mystery that permeates their songs. The compositions are equal parts acceccible and dark. It's very hard to put into words. No wonder the song "Don't Fear the Ripper" is used on horror movies / series because even though the rhythm his quite accecible, the harmonized vocals, the pulsating bass, nimble drums, and the epic guitar playing make for a very intense ride indeed. Keep up the good work. Cheers
Excellent, Beefheart's vision was realized AFTER Trout Mask Replica thank you very much. I have a couple of friends that are Beefheart fans. I have tried making that point and they look at me like I'm a leper. Exile on Main St is the album you are supposed to adore. Sticky Fingers is way more interesting.
You're right about 2112. I've always liked the first two and last two sections most. That's why the condensed version on All The World's A Stage is much better than the studio version. Rush finally got writing side-long epics right with Hemispheres. It's also their best prog album.
I don’t know what Andy’s are but it’s fuckin brilliant,( saw them live… it was actually just Arthur Lee and a guest ‘few track’ appearance from the guitar player …. Just before Arthur passed away). I’m sure Andy has recognised and rated this album before from memory.
Imo Pet Sounds deserves its status, Don't Talk Put Your Head On My Shoulder, That's Not Me, Waiting for the Day, Caroline No, I Know There's an Answer, especially I Just Wasn't Made for these Times, these are all lovely, deceptively unconventional songs with sophisticated chord structures and harmonies and the way the lyrics go from optimistic to melancholy, like summer moving into autumn is so emotional. Just personally, the album still has a huge impact on me that time has not diminished
It’s about time someone stood up and proclaimed that Pet Sounds is the most overrated album of all time. Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys were never even close to being in the same league as the Beatles. Just ask Brian.
As a youngster in the 70s I thought Kiss were a parody of 70s rock, of both glam and hard rock. Before I knew what the word parody meant I genuinely thought they were "mock rock" in Bob Harris's famous words. I had a mate at the time around 1978 who bought one of their singles and he was into punk but would occasionally buy stuff like Derek and Clive and I just thought he'd bought another comedy record. When Spinal Tap came out I never found it funny as I thought Kiss had already covered that territory but on a grander epic scale, making a career out of lampooning rock.
I agree. Most of The Beatles albums sound that way to me now at 74. Grew up with their music but now I find it nothing more than nice pop songs. They should have hung it up after Pepper.
I think you have to put it in context. I remember when it came out, it was such a wonderful and unique album alongside what else was around at the time.
Given that you describe your musical center as British, Metal, and Prog Rock it’s not surprising that you consider Pet Sounds as overrated. It’s just not your thing in any regard. I happen to love it and rate it in the top 3-4 albums of all time. Keep up the good work.
I watched with crossed arms and a very American smirk on my face. And yet, I think I agree with many of your choices. I wonder - especially in the case of Pet Sounds - how much the “story” of the album boosted its status. I think it’s hard today for people to listen to Pet Sounds and grasp how weird and off-kilter it was for its time, and indeed for The Beach Boys themselves. Like … if the Arctic Monkeys suddenly went folk. But I think you nailed one very important distinction: Pet Sounds, for all its auditory experimentation, was *not* a forward-looking album. It is very much a forlorn looking-back affair. It’s music from the mind of a young man at a crossroad. He’s reckoning not only with love and maturity, but the passing on of the world he grew up in. Everything was changing so fast in 1966. I think it left Brian Wilson feeling a bit sad and scared. In this context, songs like “God Only Knows,” “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times” and especially “Caroline, No” take on much heavier meaning. Pet Sounds wasn’t trying to keep up with the Beatles’ relentless pushing forward. It was a fond, soft-focus snapshot of the world and the innocence that was being left behind.
Andy, the second side of 2112 is excellent. I think you might not have listened to it enough. Understandable with the amount of varied stuff you listen to. Tears is beautiful. Twilight Zone is fantastic. Something for Nothing is great too. Maybe Lessons drops down a slight notch but it's still good and very, very few albums are perfect all the way through. The rest of your choices are pretty much spot-on for me.
I don’t necessarily agree but I get you. I loved ‘Lessons’ in my mid teens cause I thought the bass line was ace. Now in my older years it’s of course less technically impressive, but still a very cool bass line 👍🏻
@@glerp10000000000 Note that this doesn't mean the other guys didn't contribute to the music. But the ideas themselves mostly came for Roger. The other members even said so in interviews at the time lol. Rick was barely in the wall for this very reason lol
gwimbly is quite correct. Gilmour pretty much shot his wad on his '78 solo album, and Nick was pretty coked up by that period, not that he was ever much of a songwriter. I often wonder what Pros And Cons would have sounded like if the Floyd had picked that project of Rog's instead of The Wall.
Although your world wonders me With your majestic and superior cackling hen Your people I do not understand So to you I shall put an end And you'll Never hear Surf music again
Moving Pictures is Rush's best album by far. It's in top 5 best recorded and performed record in history imo...yes I'm a Rush head. But 2112 is prob #6 for me in their catalog. I like Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, AFtK and Signals over 2112.
By anyone's standards, 2112 is a very good album but, within the confines of the Rush 'canon 'it's pretty poor. Better than Rush, Snakes and Arrows and Roll the Bones certainly but there are some very weak moments, Bangkok and Something for Nothing, Twilight Zone and, perhaps Overture and Soliloquy the exceptions
As another rush fan. Hemispheres and Moving pictures are overrated. Cos and Fbn and Power windows are way underrated. 2112 is not overrated the second side is better than side one and side one is exceptional. Ask 100 rush fans to rank their albums and get 100 different answers. Interesting Rush were an underground band but the last few years they seem to be bigger than ever
The moany voice monologue is back without a breath! And about time too Andy! LOL. ANY album by Public Enemy is overrated, but a group championed by you!!"!!. Jeez you are a drummer and almost all the tracks have the same beat that a beginner could play, with no change in pitch or tempo of the "music" throughout!
@@MisAnnThorpe Fear of a Black Planet too. I think they were incredibly innovative at the time, certainly a lot of their use of dissonance and noise helped inspire a lot of the hip hop of that era, and certainly left an imprint on much of rave music.
It's legendary and so are Public Enemy, one of a handful of most important rap artists of all time! I have about ten rap albums, total, six of them are from Public Enemy.
Public Enemy can't be overrated, they deserve all the acclaim that has come their way. They wrote about social issues others were afraid to touch, with incisive detail, humor and depth. The groundbreaking sampling was done by The Bomb Squad, who set the standard for mixing samples seamlessly into music that was far more funkier and groove based than other hip hop artists, and then adding Chuck D's commanding, authoritative rapping on top of futuristic sounding hip hop that had a kind of heavy metal power and urgency to it, not to mention Flavor Flav's unhinged raps, adding even more character to a sound and style all their own......Nah, Public Enemy's standing in the hip hop pantheon will only grow larger over time, they were special.
@@shonkyindustriesBomb Squad's brilliant use of sampling was groundbreaking, setting a new standard! Public Enemy's music will sound and hit hard hundreds of years from now - they were just different from everyone else! The CNN of the ghetto!
Hell yeah "Secret Treaties"! Definitely dive all the way in man. Love how you did this, my heart sank at first...then warmed all up, so glad you went back to this Classic!
London Calling is a distillation and documentation of the history of rock and roll up to that point. It’s no coincidence that they started hitting funk and early rap on Combat Rock. They really picked up on the important sounds.
Cheers Andy! Whilst not always agreeing with you, I very much enjoy your rational and would have a hard time disputing it. I do agree 100% about the Beach Boys, their sound is tired and doesn't hold up like a Revolver or Sgt Pepper. You should definitely explore more of the Blue Oyster Cult catalog; all the albums up to (but not including) Club Ninja are very strong.
Some of my picks would be from bands I like very much: Led Zeppelin - IV Deep Purple - Machine head The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers... The Who - Tommy Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland Pink Floyd - Piper at the.. (although The wall is right up there for me also)
@@ernger531 Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here are commercial music? Sure. Sure. OK. You are confusing record sales with the actual music. There is nothing commercial about either of those experimental, conceptual albums. Concept albums are the antithesis of commercialism as they try to convey a message throughout, which runs contrary to stand alone simple or formulaic songs.
@@timwhitnell7145 I'm not joking. Led Zeppelin has at least three albums (first three) I like more than IV and similar situation for Deep Purple's Machine Head.
Its all personal preference but for me, 2112 was my gateway into prog and from the first time I heard it I fell in love. For me it ranks as one of Rush's best, and I would not consider it overrated. I can think of a ton of albums I think are far more overrated. Any of the Genesis albums after Hacket left, I've struggled to get into Vandergraaf Generator (cool name though), and from Soft Machine, I love Bundles but haven't gotten into the highly rated 3rd album. All personal taste though.
Spot on about Capt Beefheart. Trout Mask Replica being the supposed “great album” has probably driven a lot of people away from his music before they listened to supposedly lesser albums. Better to listen to Safe As Milk, Decals, Spotlight Kid etc, then sit down with Trout Mask.
Their first 5 or 6 albums are good 70s rock music at heart. They’re just a fun rock band. The problem for snobby critics and fans is Kiss’ image. Everything is extravagant, from their clothes to their stage presentation to their music. All that is off-putting to people who take themselves too seriously. Ironically, the problem with snobby critics is that they have an image that they are forced to keep up, an image that doesn’t even allow them to consider liking Kiss, whether they would or not. Their free will has been taken away from them in a very real way. Because they want to be seen as “serious” they prop up okay bands that are artsy (like the Talking Heads) and even some whose music is mostly objectively bad (the Velvet Underground) to keep that image. In that context, they *have* to hate Kiss.
@@user-qb1sm3rk9r I really love the VU! Their music is interesting and raw. Talking heads I could do without David Byrne's irritating vocal nonsense! KISS is just real boring to me. If they are fun for you thatz cool... I'm just kinda sick about them being featured on all these You-Tube music sites like they are so awesome. Generic hard rock with superHero goofiness. Maybe some people aren't snobby critics yet the whimsy turns one off. I am not beholden to icons. I guess I don't like silliness and wackiness in my music.. critics darling Zappa can be extremely annoying to me too. If I want fun in music I'd prefer the B52s or The GoGos... I know I'm too serious but I so like contrary opinions to faultless idols. I've heard KISS but there is absolutely nothing interesting about their music that engages me. I don't go around expecting everyone to like the music I like.. just tired of hearing constantly about certain bands. Demographically speaking; they should be in my wheelhouse. But even as a kid in '75 I was not drawn in.. For the record KISS are not "bad" like you characterize the Velvets, they and all their recent attention bores me!
@@johncleary6126 I love Radiohead, but I don’t think they’re exactly ‘free thinkers’ although they’re at they’re best when producing music. They listened to prog and fusion as inspiration for the Ok Computer album then denied liking any of it apart from ‘Bitches Brew’. Of course you didn’t lads. The opening three track salvo on ‘Ok Computer’ is their finest hour album wise. The rest drops a bit if I’m honest. Individual tracks on other albums are sublime as far as I’m concerned. But I’m in my 50’s. Younger Radiohead fans can be really pretentious and have clearly read too many journalists with their bullshit rhetoric.
That's what bothers me about middle class toss pot journos and musos. They always cite the same rabble be it Velvets, Television, Neil fucking Young...they're incapable of saying the word 'stooges 'with out the suffix MC5 for some bizzarre reason. I know Radiohead are influenced by, amongst others, Rush and Focus...they sound like a cross between ELO and Queen. I know because so am I, that's how you reach compétence on your instrument. Listening to the afore mentioned racket does not inspire you to write pyramid song or paranoid android. It's obvious I just wish they'd stop the bullshit and admit to learning their trade, from some of the best in the business
I put Trout Mask Replica on the other day and my 10 year old granddaughter said "when does the music start"?
It doesnt
You have a very astute granddaughter.
I like the 'song' Brickbats
KISS is more Spinal Tap than Spinal Tap themselves.
I think Spinal Tap writes better songs. Just remember "Lick my love pump" in D Minor 🙂
They never opened for a puppet show.
"These amps go to e-levin..!"
interesting...
Kiss is to rock music what the Happy Meal is to the culinary arts. Marketing gimmick with little value.
Can't you make that watermark a bit smaller, Andrew?
plus, he has gone completely greyscale.
I want it larger. And throbbing.
Or, at the very least, move it or himself so it isn't covering up almost 1/2 his torso! lol
@@seancassidy674 not enough fresh liver
Exactly what I was gonna post. Make it smaller or just fade it out after a minute or so.
Stop apologizing for having an opinion, just tell us what you think. People will either agree with you or they won't. Either way i clicked on your video to hear your opinion and it took 5 minutes of listening to you apologize before getting started. Give your opinions and own them 👍
Exactly. I love these videos, and love even more reading all the butt hurt people in the comments.
Kiss was a cheap pop band at best. Mediocre to terrible songs that could have only existed in an era of over indulgence of alcohol and drugs.
@@robertfiorellino6070 which is ironic as fuck as kiss are notorious for NOT taking drugs in an era that's known ostensibly for being the era of excess,did do quite a bit of shagging though especially Simmons....
For certain. I agreed with some of them and disagreed with others.
A lot of Kiss songs are not worse than Beatles songs, however the beatles have this aura of respectability even when they sing "she loves me yeeee yeeee yeeee".
Your review of "Destroyer"--with your English accent driving the review to great heights ("truly awwwful") had me almost falling out of my chair, laughing. Keep up the great work. I think even the wounded here would concede that you have an abiding love of music in many forms--a completely open mind, without prejudice. I suppose I am too much of an old f to be able to do that (I'll never really get rap/hip-hop, I think). Well done, again.
Yeah. I like his tone, makes it casual. Nice way to pass opinions around. 👍
Hey, Andy, consider adding these disclaimers: No animals were harmed in the making of this video, I do all my stunts, All the models are over 18, No alcohol or smoking or nudity here, Offensive language only when necessary and for entertainment purposes only, Philosophical meandering warning
And: The clothes I am wearing are my own not the studio's.
@@zootallures6470and it’s not dandruff it’s sparkles ✨
And I'm not sponsored by anybody at all...hint hint.
Some assembly required, batteries not included.
No children allowed to use profanity because unsophisticated in its competent use.
Blue oyster Cult are underrated. They are a NYC band that was influential on the CBGBs bands. Great live, Patti smith wrote some lyrics (career of evil)
Patti Smith is an abysmal talent void. And an actual racist, not uncommon amongst smug bourgeois twats of her stripe
Definitely underrated. Not sure why, but until a couple of years ago, I always assumed they were Canadian.
Still remember their amazing laser shows from pre health-and-safety days!
@@wm-nu1yf Well they didn’t have a hit until late seventies and it was a slow climber but really I don’t know. They were hard to market I guess. After Reaper blew up they would still play in the smaller bars and clubs under the name Soft Yellow Underbelly. Much loved in the northeast US rock circuit.
@@Hartlor_Tayley I wasn't sure why I thought they were Canadian. I completely understand why they are underrated.
I just realized why I don’t mind Andy tearing apart an album (or four) I love…It’s cuz I can tell he’s a good dude..
it toughens people up for disagreements on substantiative issues if nothing else.
I think if the arguments are soundly based then it's fair...but ultimately it just boils down to different tastes
Aja by Steely Dan is so perfect and amazing to listen to on my headphones that I can't agree with you saying that it's overrated, it's properly rated as one of the best albums ever and every song on it is perfect. I never saw it as pretentious or too refined, I see it as perfectly constructed and a marvel from front to back, I also disagree with your point about it not having enough soul; Black Cow, Peg, and Josie are very soulful. Also, Deacon Blues is a top 5 song ever. Edit: Home At Last is a top 10 song ever as well Imo.
Agreed.
I remember disliking it when it came out. I’d bought the previous albums and loved (and still love) them. Aja left me cold at the time, but after a few years, I returned to it, and couldn’t understand how I’d been so untouched by it. I came to see it as sublime, and can never get bored listening to it.
One of my favourite albums of all time.
You mentioned hearing a great song on the radio and buying the album only to be disappointed. I remember buying albums for the same reason (like Rush Moving Pictures and Men at Work Business as Usual) where I end up liking all the OTHER tracks even more. To the point where I would skip over the popular radio track(s). Did this ever happen to you (I'm sure it had to), and can you compile a list?
LOVE Business as Usual. Easily my favorite "pop/top 40s" album from the 80s.
Modern English - After The Snow. “Melt With You” was an okay song but it wasn’t until a friend lent me a cassette of it that I thought “Holy shit, what a GREAT album! They released the worst song as a single!”
You buy Document because "It's the End of the World as We Know It" and you find out it's really just a "Disturbance at the Heron House"
@@ryanforprez2008
Most of Queen is like this. Their best songs are the non-hits. Even “Bohemian Rhapsody” is upstaged by “The Prophet Song” once you hear it for the first time. To me their hits are just an introduction of what they can do. They are a truly great band.
Yes, I bought Made in Japan for Smoke on the Water but ended up liking Child in Time much more.
BOC had a pretty big profile in the USA throughout the 70's and 80's and still maintain a loyal fan base. There are a lot of great albums in their discography you should explore.
@@nazaholicable Right on! :)
I would suggest these albums as a great way to explore Blue Oyster Cult:
1. Fire of Unknown Origin
2. Blue Oyster Cult
3. Tyranny and Mutation
4. Some Enchanted Evening Live
All incredible. I think you will appreciate them too. I was in high school and could hardly listen to anything else during my sophomore year. I still enjoy listening. Very eclectic. They influenced heavy metal, but they were something else. Unique.
Thank you for the entertaining list and the music history in all of your videos!
I'm a big fan of Spectres as well
@@nazaholicableIt is not the one we were waiting for.
I think they're okay but... I think they'd be even better if they just had a bit more cowbell.
“Nobody says, ‘I’m going to put on the middle of 2112…nobody”
Loved that.
I do!
@@stevecaldwell8558 So do I
Let's be honest, they skipped the dull bit on the "2112" tour 😂
Rush trimmed down 2112 in their live set. Check out the version on All The World's a Stage. Saw them 4 times 19977-1978.
Just for the sake of argument though, let's say they did. Would that mean they put on '11'?
There is an analogy between The Wall and The Lamb. Two lead singers wanting to tell their story over the other members. Difference being that the other members of Genesis are probably a bit more headstrong than the other members of Pink Floyd to counterweight their singers. The Lamb is still one of my favorites
The Wall, The Lamb, the White Album, Syncronicity etc are all parts of those 'final white albums' that became the famed group's swan song before (artistically) dying. They're always masterpieces, as if conscious of their last moments, and are often doubles.
Still reeling from those Kiss lyrics! Another worthy effort Andy. Checked out that Gadd fill with Chick Corea. Oh yes, tasty. Pure class as always!
A few years ago ago I picked up one of those 5 albums in a box by Blue Oyster Cult. Like everyone, I had Agents of Fortune but was shocked at how varied their catalogue was. Patti Smith was involved in Secret Treaties pre her imperial punk phase.
Imaginos by Blue Oyster Cult is a great album. Their 1980s masterpiece. Definitely check that one out!
The first album, "Tyranny and Mutation", "Secret Treaties", "Agents of Fortune", "Spectres", "Cultosaurus Erectus" and "Fire of Unknown Origin" are all masterpieces! B.Ö.C., probably the most underrated band in the history of r'n'r!
More cowbell!
@@WillieEWoof The last two are their '80s twin peaks, true "group efforts with Martin Birch production, no less.
Imaginos is also known for the track "The Siege and Investiture of the Castle of Baron Von Frankenstein at Weisseria" which is a mouthful.
@@aliensporebomb That is actually a great song and, to me, definitely the high point of the album. Generally, I think the album suffers from bad 80s production and too much synth. Also, the version of Astronomy is very bad compared to the original version.
The background to The Wall is a bit different to how you have presented it: no-one else in the band had come up with any material but Roger Waters had written and recorded demos of 2 sets of material in his 4 track home studio (what would become The Wall and Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking respectively). When he brought them to the band they rejected the Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking songs as 'too personal' (irony of ironies, given the subject-matter of The Wall). The band were under pressure to come up with product because they had a massive tax bill to pay. So it wasn't really a case of Roger Waters pestering them to let him do his concept album.
Exactly. People should know what they are talking about before making such wide of the mark claims. Nick mason is not a song writer. Richard Wright had hardly brought anything song wise to the table since Wish You Were Here, leading Waters to effectively expel him as a member of Pink Floyd and pay him as a session musician for Animals, of which almost all the songs had been written and toured before WYWH. Any songs he had come up with were destined for his solo Album Wet Dream. David Gilmour was also writing songs for his self titled solo album. So all three were working on solo projects, it's just that Roger was writing so much more material than they were, and not only that it was better than what they were writing, and they knew it. They are not stupid. Pink Floyd is, and always was their cash cow.(RIP Richard) Which is why Gilmour submitted some music he had written for his solo album, that Roger wrote alternative words for, and turned it into the masterpiece which is Comfortably Numb. Yes, due to Rogers prolific writing (The Final Cut is almost all left overs from The Wall) he assumed control, much to everyone else's annoyance, but it's hardly his fault if they are bringing nothing to the table. And oh, The Wall is a Masterpiece.
@@MrJambug Your post is not correct. Rick was not expelled and paid as a session musician for Animals. That was the Wall. After Dark Side, Roger took it upon himself to decide what the next album was going to be about and to write the whole thing. Previously, the various members came up with ideas and worked on them together - including Nick. Roger became the lyricist because nobody else was interested in writing lyrics. This gave Roger the power to decide what the next album would be about. After the release of Dark Side, the 74 tour set list was Dark Side plus Shine On (Waters/Gilmour/Wright), Gotta Be Crazy-Dogs (Waters/Gilmour), Raving And Drooling-Sheep(Waters),(plus Echoes written by all four, as an encore). Sheep's intro and outro were written by Rick and David respectively, but they were not credited for them. Two songs out of five is not almost all. Roger decided, against David's choice, to leave those two songs aside and make WYWH about 'abscence', writing two new songs himself, and one with Gilmour. Again, for the next album, Roger decided it would be an animal farm themed affair and filled in the gap with the three Pig songs. This would make it harder for anybody to present any material, because Roger had already said what it would be. In financial terms, Rick and David were not going to see any song writing royalties, and as the original poster pointed out, there was a further monetary pressure, caused, not directly by a tax bill, but because they were robbed by a financial investor. The tax bill was a complication of that, so they both made solo albums abroad to try and salvage their bank accounts. This used up material that they were unable to present to the band because Roger was now deciding everything. Again, as the OP mentioned, Roger brought TWO things to the band and told them to choose one. Damn right it was annoying that he had assumed control. Judging by the results, The Wall was the better choice of the two, but it took a lot of work by Bob Ezrin to make that a workable prospect, and as mentioned, a lot of that material was rejected. It WAS in fact, Roger pestering them to do his concept album, he threatened to bin it if Rick was not fired. I must also point out Mr Jambug, that you have no idea that the other members thought that Roger was writing better material than they came up with, in fact, they have gone on record as saying they thought it was garbage, and David was annoyed that he brought the rejected stuff back for The Final Cut. Pink Floyd is their cash cow ? Rog did his thing for free did he ? Roger didn't write alternative words for Comfortably Numb, there were none. It is David's solo and music that makes it a masterpiece, and yes, it really was Roger's fault that they brought nothing to the table. You should know what you are talking about before making such wide of the mark claims.
@@glerp10000000000 Fair enough you obviously have a deep knowledge on the subject. But I still don't believe you are entirely correct and you seem very defensive of Wright, maybe because of what you may see as me being disingenuous towards him, but I am not. This is what Wright himself said on the matter in 1994: "I didn't really like a lot of the music on the album, I didn't fight hard to put my stuff on the album and I didn't have anything to put on. I played well but did not contribute to the writing and also Roger was not letting me write. This was the whole start of the whole ego thing in the band." So he's a little self contradictory. "I didn't have anything to put on" and "Roger was not letting me write". Roger cant stop him writing. If he writes a song he writes a song. Or at least a chord progression, which was his particular skill. And he (Roger) cant put anything on if he had "nothing to offer". Richard is also on record as saying: "Both myself and Dave had little to offer, through laziness or whatever. Looking back, although I didn't realise it, I was depressed." Which I understand was due to marital problems.
So, as much as what you say is correct, your overall take on the strained relationships between Roger, Dave and in particular Richard, is just your subjective 'take' on it, which is obviously very defensive of Wright. Which is fine, that is how you see it. I see it slightly different.
Comfortably Numb melody was all David Gilmour.
@@glerp10000000000 David: I’m certainly guilty at times of being lazy... Roger might say, “Well, what have you got?” And I’d be like, ‘Well, I haven’t got anything right now... There are elements of all this stuff that, years later, you can look back on and say, “Well, he had a point there.”
Roger: By and large, "The Wall" was my record - though I don't want to belittle Dave's considerable contributions ... The reason "The Wall" is a good record is because it's an honest autobiographical piece of writing of mine. And the machinery in place that enabled me to make that record was good. But it was only machinery by then; There was no question of there being a "group" anywhere ... And certainly Ezrin's contribution to "The Wall" was far greater than anybody in the band. He and I made the record together. And he was a great help. You know, Rick had drifted out of range by that point ... And it wasn't the unilateral and heinous, wicked thing that gets described in the "unofficial" histories.
I heard Trout Mask Replica while on a trip of LSD and i thought it so much fun and it had a massive impact on my psyche. I listen to it at least once a year since it was released. My ex-wife complained when i played it but she just couldnt let it wash over her. Thats not why we divorced. I sing along to the lyrics and recall incidents that happened that night. Its not true what they say about not being able to remember the 60s and early 70s due to the drugs.
Whatever U2 album people claim is the good one.
Lol. True
please don't mention U2, some of us have just eaten
@@BrennanYoung 🤣
U2 albums that are loaded with melodic gems:
Boy
October
War
The Unforgettable Fire
The Joshua Tree
Achtung Baby
These albums include some of the most beautiful/creative and richly lyrical tunes ever produced.
U2 always bored me to death.i know people have their own taste,but I can’t imagine people sitting at home listening to them
I know a good lawyer if the Steely Dan police nick you, Andy...
☝️😎
We wouldn't report him. He'd just get off on an insanity plea. ;)
@@krakennutspod4521
😂😂😂
I actually think Andy has a point with the Dan; that Jazz and "anal retentive" do not, normally, make good bedfellows. I still don't care! I ❤ Aja and the Dan.
@@Jesse615 Aja is an exception to the "anal retentive jazz" rule. Hell, it might be an underrated album for that reason.
@@krakennutspod4521 AJA is UNDERRATED .
Great video Andy and I agreed on every choice but "Exile on Main Street:" I always thought "Exile" was like the Stones' White Album. It's a little bit of all over the place stylistically, but it's still a masterpiece. But could you please shrink your watermark. It's almost like you have two heads on the video! 🤣🤣🤣
You had me worried for awhile there Andrew when you began talking negatively about Blue Oyster Cult. However you redeemed yourself. Carry on.
The only album I ever took back and exchanged for another was Sandinista for Rumors. A very good swap. I would never have swapped London Calling for anything. I can see where you're coming from with that though, the very powerful songs standing out and the rest maybe sounding a bit limp, but as an 'invested' Clash fan, I was hugely impressed by their virtuosity and their branching out into different styles in a very creative way that, for the most part, sounded great. Sandinista, though, was a self-indulgent dithering step too far that I fortunately exchanged for red-hot intensity.
If Sandinista had been a double album (weeding out the weak tracks), it would have been up there with London Calling.
What are the outstanding tracks on London Calling?
I love 2112! Im not a prog fan at all, but when I first heard side one at about 12 yrs old (short attention span and all), it completely enthralled me. I bought into the background story of a future dystopian world where art and music are outlawed. I still love it today in my 50’s! I also wholly respect that they, as a band, were effectively given an ultimatum by their record company to make some hit radio singles or risk losing financial support , and they instead decided to do what they wanted instead, and made a concept album - 2112!
Ironically, the album became a huge FM radio success with corresponding strong sales, and they saved their careers!
Props💪🎸
2112 song I love and I find it to be one of their best songs so it's not overrated for me. The album however is not strong collectively. I often find myself looping the title track over and over.
keep pressing that button Andy
I could not agree more about PET SOUNDS. Just a lot of naval-gazing as Brian sits in his sandbox.
THE WALL however-- Side 3 is a masterpiece.
I agree but I think you mean navel-gazing rather than 'naval' gazing (unless you mean he spent a lot of time looking at sailors)!
@@DarkSideOfTheMoule I'd like to say Brian watched the US warships sail past while he patty-caked sand castles, but it'd be bullshit.
@@AnnieVanAuken LOL! Perhaps he was - 'God Only Knows' what might have been going through his mind at the time. The cover of their Holland album had a nautical theme.
@@DarkSideOfTheMoule It's the surf band that never mounted a board.
My favorite Beach Boys song is "Heroes & Villains".
@@AnnieVanAuken I love that track - so many parts to it and a really innovative use of vocal harmonies. I like some of the more obscure tracks from Smiley Smile (the original 60s album) like Wind Chimes.
When I was 11 and liked Iron Maiden and Saxon and Motorhead a boy in my class called Mark Mackinnon lent me his copy of Destroyer saying 'you'll like this, you will.' I listened to the first two songs and gave it back. It was the worst thing my 11 year old ears had ever heard. And remained so until I heard Brain Salad Surgery last week. I'm 54 now.
😂
it’s far from my favourite ELP album, who are far from my favourite prog band….. but in a weird way I get where you are coming from lol …… despite liking the album.
😁👍
Brain Salad Surgery. What an arrogant, pompous album title that is. Then again ELP were arrogant and pompous snobs, weren't they?
"Brain Salad Surgery" cracked me up! 😅
ELP was Kiss for adults.
I have to disagree with your take on Endtroducing. For me its maybe the first album that used samples to create distinctive pieces of music, rather than just loops to rap over. It was almost like a more soulful version of what was happening in IDM at the time. Also i'm working class, not one of those posh journalist types and I didnt recognise like any samples on it, except for the Bjork one. So, yeah
Listening to your reflections about Secret Treaties I believe you've tapped into a very interesting insight, worth investigating deeper. Speaking from my own experience, as I watch your videos my knowledge increases and my perspective changes, so that I can appreciate music I once disliked. Sometimes our perspective changes over years but sometimes it only takes the right educator or the right peer to flip tne switch. The significance of the change is not just that we now like a thing that we once didn't; something else else necessarily shifts inside and we are nourished and elevated by the appreciation of art. You have touched on this before but I would be interested to view an episode dedicated to this topic.
Agree I’ve encountered this many times. When I was young I write off many music styles and artists only to come back years later and love them and vice versa--what was I thinking.
Bought Pete Townshend’s All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes album in 1982 and shelved it after a single listen. I guess I was expecting more of Empty Glass. Two years later, a friend asked to hear “slits Skirts” so I pulled it out. I gave the album another listen and it hit me like a ton of bricks. It’s been in my top 5 albums ever since. I’m glad it didn’t take me 40 years to give it another chance.
Thank you for putting London Calling on here. I *CAN* understand this one. It's not bad. It's just extremely overrated.
Agreed that albums vaunted rep is based on the 4 or 5 stellar tracks among the the rest of the messy and mediocre cuts. That said I still listen to it once a year or so.
Right...Loads of good songs in MANY different styles and time signatures. It's an (A-). "The Clash"(first album) is an (A+)!
Great fun. On Blue Oyster Cult, there's a small masterpiece on their first self-titled album - 'Then came the Last Days of May'.
And the live version of Last days of May is a BIG masterpiece!!! (On your feet or on your knees)
I smell part two coming up!!!
Could be a series!
Spot on about the Beach Boys. I have NEVER understood the adulation of Pet Sounds, outside the hits it bores me to death.
Try sitting for four hours on a bus whose driver loved the album... Aaaaarrrggghhh
@@richardhoward7503 Torture!!! You poor man.
Spot off about the Beach Boys. I fully understand the adulation - but then I am an audiophile, musician, and composer. I call it the Haydn Effect: Haydn invented the Symphony, but ignorant people think his symphonies are tame - boring - compared to later ones by Mozart or Beethoven. There would be no symphonies by others without Haydn. Pet Sounds changed the way albums were composed, arranged, and produced: Everything changed. As for the Wrecking Crew, they contributed zero vocals. If you think vocal mastery, in both lead and background, is nothing, then dismiss every lead singer who does not play an instrument. Actually, some of the other members, especially lead guitarist Carl Wilson, contributed instrumental additions when they returned from the vital touring that enabled Brian Wilson the money to produce the album. Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Martin, Keith Moon, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Elton John, Ann Wilson, Tom Petty, and many, many other music artists also fully understood - and understand still - the adulation.
@@DanielByers-qf9qi I'm not saying Brian Wilson isn't a great composer, or that there isn't any merit to the music, I'm saying it bores me. They were a great little band with some excellent singles, but I'm sorry, I just don't GET this LP. That's all. My loss.
Pet Sounds, booooring. Absolutely 💩.
I literally have been bingeing Blue Öyster Cult’s albums these couple of weeks as I find them great. I’m new to them and for me their top 3 albums are:
Fire of Unknown Origin
Cultosaurus Erectus
Spectres
Funny that.
The main complaint is about American influence. Keep in mind that over here, we have for decades been the purveyors of Cancerous Competition Capitalism. We've been held for ransom in a way Brits will NEVER understand. We adopted a Hidden Aristocracy called "Entrepreneurialism". We modeled many of our laws and governance on English Law & its systems, which were a response to tensions between the Crown and The Commoner.
Kiss "Destroyer", for all its faults was the first Heavy Rock album that actually could be heard on AM Radio (at least its milder hits), which for decades was as close to a common, accessible culture as we got. RIght alongside ABBA, Captain & Tennille, "Afternoon Delight" and other lovely, but unchallenging fluff, suddenly we heard weird, dark, heavy stuff - distorted guitars, Drums, etc. "Detroit Rock City" was like first tastes of beer for adolescent boys. That's how it started - swinging the doors open with a BANG! Everything heavy, complex, or challenging that I heard in the next few whirlwind years I owe to them - including Led Zepp, Hendrix, Django Reinhardt, Miles Davis, Return To Forever, Yes, Rush, Bjork, the list goes on and on indefinitely.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it... 🤔
It's about time U come around to the mighty BOC!
Everything up to and including Fire of Unknown Origin are killer. The "comeback album" The Symbol Remains is right up there with the classic period! 👍
You make an interesting point about the Beach Boys being backward-looking whilst the Beatles were forward-looking. I think the historical context is key: young US people were being drafted to fight in Vietnam whilst here in England we did not suffer that. I think it might have contributed to a more nostalgic outlook among US youth as they longed for more innocent times before the US dream they believed turned out to be rotten. There's a strand of that sort of outlook in a lot of US music from the 60s onwards (Chicago's Harry Truman, Don Henley's The End Of Innocence). Here British cynicism meant we had no dreams to be shattered but things were so dull we could look to investing a better future!
I've always felt the Beatles' brilliance is that unlike almost any other band at the time they looked both forward and backward. Penny Lane is undeniably nostalgic, and there are music hall and brass band influences in several of their songs. But I do think the Beach Boys were about looking back. Brian Wilson really wasn't interested in all the new revolutionary things going on around him. His tastes were traditional, conservative and suburban, and I'm sure he'd have been much more comfortable had he been born a decade earlier.
@@patpatisserie4245 Agreed. Songs like When I'm Sixty-Four have that old-fashioned sing-along quality and the bus in the Magical Mystery Tour film has some ordinary elderly people alongside the hip Beatles. I like the fact that Revolver has room for both Tomorrow Never Knows and Yellow Submarine!
@@DarkSideOfTheMoule Agreed. All the Beatles had older parents, too.
They also had a mega- backstage parent who berated them constantly!
Pet Sounds may be decent, but it’s not even in my top 200…
Yes, Steely Dan’s perfectionism is on full display on aja, but focusing on that seems very wrong to me. There is just so much sublime goodness to be had.
I hope you didn't put Aja on this list because that's one of the most incredible albums in the history of Music along with Todd Rundgren something anything so if you did your brain is rotted out.
Amen! Music at its highest level! Aja is so well played and produced, it makes shitty stereos sound good! People will criticize freakin' rainbows and puppy dogs!!! WTF?!?
@@treff9226it’s so tastefully played and produced that it’s boring as feck. It’s music for musos, utterly soulless, bland and sterile
@@tayporttonyWell after thinking about it for a little bit, I guess that kind of perfectionism can take the passion out of it for some people, but to my ears, the elite musicianship and the sonic detail gives separation to the instruments, for me the music on Aja fills my ears with goodness! I've been called an audiophile, I don't know if that's a good thing or bad. Been listening to a lot of 70's rock and roll and all the analog recordings from that time period really sound good to me, more natural and immediate, sonics give off a "live" feel to the music.
@@tayporttonyit’s only boring to boring people
Kiss was my first rock band. I was six or something, and my unknowing parents saw the makeup and theatrics and thought, this is something that kids will go crazy for and got me Alive on double cassette. I played it to death and Ace Frehley was my hero. Now, looking back, for what they were in the 70's, I think their hard rock and Frehley's poppy solos were really good. It's hard pop, not something that sounds like it would be much. The lyrics were trash, singing with cheesy innuendo and wailing on about booze (something Gene and Paul knew nothing about). But it's no more musically worse than Slade.
Everything after Creatures is unlistenable. So yeah, they remove the makeup(who cared what Vinnie Vincent looked like without makeup?), and it's crappier than expected. They put the makeup back on, and that new stuff was worse than the hair metal nonsense.
Anyway, Destroyer is overrated. The first three are the best and Frehley's solo record was better than almost everything else.
Ugh, I can't write anymore about Kiss.
So, quick bit on Blue Oyster Cult. I like the first three, parts of the few after and that's it! I've never understood their "early metal" status. They're hard rock at best and had a really unique mix of hard rock with, albiet tenuous, ties to punk on those first three records.
I remember playing Entroducing back in the day and my then girlfriend came in the room and said 'who is this?' I told her DJ Shadow. That was the only ever time she commented on my music. Ironically she is now married to a DJ, which makes me think that was the moment that stuck in her mind about DJs and cool music.
Ha-ha, Mr. Edwards, for a moment I was spooked when I saw B.Ö.C. on the list! "Secret Treaties" is one of the greatest albums ever. B.Ö.C. has been on my listening list for the last 50 years, the complete opposite of Kiss, which I can't stand at all!
There is no way "Exile on Main St." could be overrated! This would be an impossible task!
Says every worshipper on his knees.
I like it - its murky and dirty and just has a certain feel, but it is my least favorite out of the 4 during the "classic" period.
it's totally overrated, such a forgettable record
@@Alix777. He-he, Alix666!
For me, the sound mix the Stones found on Exile was the perfect blend of rock eclectic instrumentalism. They never exceeded Tumbling Dice for instance.
I have to agree about Aja. It's hard for me to ignore that Walter Becker literally *looks the part* of the anal retentive creator, perhaps more so than Fripp (!). Becker physically resembles a math professor I had, bless his soul, whose lectures were anal retentively oriented towards proofs and rigor. His feedback on our work would always focus on any details that were wrong, rather than what we got right. When we ask him for some help on homework problems, his usualy response was "Hm, why don't you go back and think about it some more!"
I'm not doubting the positives of that approach to teaching (let alone music creation), but at the same time it wasn't exactly instilling the joy of learning! When you're a musician and you listen to an album like Aja, it is hard to actually enjoy because you can sense the pain and suffering and tweaking to get that final instrumental execution on record.
I've never really understood Becker's role in Steely Dan. He must have done something important, but I can't tell from listening what it is. When I saw them live, Becker was the only musician on the stage that did not deliver any shining moments, at least as far as I could tell. If I had not known that he was actually one of only two of them who actually constituted Steely Dan, I would have thought him rather unimpressive. I once asked this question about Becker's role in the band to a guitarist friend of mine who used to work in a Steely Dan tribute band that played regularly in Lake Tahoe. I thought he might know something I didn't know, but he didn't really have an answer either.
@@briteness He scored the drugs.
Walter Becker was one half of Steely Dan. He was a highly skilled guitarist and played some bass, as well. Walter was the co - songwriter for Steely Dan, along with Fagen. He hated the spotlight, preferring to remain in the shadows, but his incisive guitar playing was essential to Steely Dan's sound. It was said by Fagen that Becker added all kinds of tiny sonic touches, very short moments of instrumental flourishes that would bring songs to a new level. He knew his way around a recording studio, producing other artists with excellent results. Beckers solo albums were top notch, and further illustrated his musicality and ability to craft music that was extremely sophisticated and full of deep groove. Walter Becker was quite simply a brilliant musician, without him, there is no Steely Dan.@@briteness
@@briteness With Becker, there would never have been a "Steely Dan".
@@treff9226 Amen
Are those white specks on your tee-shirt paint speckles from just painting that back wall white? Or just bits?
The knives of indignation started to come out when you first said Secret Treaties was overrated, but quickly sheathed after you explained yourself. Secret Treaties is my favorite album, but the rest of BoC's catalog is worth a deeper dive. They famously toured with Black Sabbath in the 70's on the Black and Blue tour. And, yeah, let's get into Killing Joke too!
Spectres is another BOC classic ... in fact all three of those in a row, from Secret Treaties thru Agents and Spectres are masterpieces ....
I’m eager to listen to “Secret Treatises” as I love BOC’s hits and Buck Dharma’s guitar playing but I haven’t heard a lot of it.
Check out their first self-titled album from 1972. It’s an absolute gem.
I don't agree with your opinion of London Calling and Aja, but you're so right about Pet Sounds. It's one of those Emperor's New Clothes albums, that everybody wants to say is a masterpiece because Paul McCartney lauded it so profusely. I think proof enough it's not an all-time classic is the fact that the Beach Boys never released any other album that's considered a classic. It may be their best album, but nothing more. They're a true singles band IMO, with some great, great songs.
I don't understand why people seem to think it's bad to like a band mainly for their singles. I think it's a hangover of rock Vs pop as if one is better than the other
The best part is when you recall buying a new album while you're out with your mother and hoping it's not crap. I totally can relate to that ❤! I grew up in a small village, and the one (there was only one) record shop around was in the next city - which you only reached when you're parents took you, because there was no bus ... and you were always in a hurry, since mom didn't understand why she had to stop at this shop anyway ... I don't know what would have become of me without tape trading!
Oh, by the way, did you ever consider doing a video on the role of tape for the perception of the album as a coherent piece of art? (the medium basically forced you to ingest albums in their entirety, as there was simply no practical way to skip tracks ;-)
That feeling after 4 listens when I realised that Lets Dance was shite and bowie was thereafter lost to me for nearly 3 decades
I remember buying Aldo Nova’s debut album after hearing “Fantasy” on the radio and being blown away by that song. The rest of the album was pretty much filler. I don’t think I’ve played it a second time and I’ve owned it for over 40 years.
Interesting
This is why TODAY is the greatest time in music as we have access to virtually millions of tracks at a click
Re: Steeley Dan, I was listening to Beato's excellent interview with Warren Haynes before this, and WH mentioned that he was recording 7 Turns with Dickey Betts (RIP) and DB made a couple of mistakes, so WH asked the engineer about fixing it, and the engineer said it's perfect, listen to it like it was the first time hearing it. So WH gave it another listen, and said the mistakes were there, but it sounded perfect.
Beato should be a sports announcer. He treat music, which is ART like baseball players. Best of this, Best of that. He knows NOTHING about music and compares groups and musicians like they're sports stars. That doesn't happen on this channel. Beato is for people who know nothing about music.
@@tonys4396
Millions of hardcore music fans would disagree, Ricks channel is loaded with top notch interviews and his breakdowns of music are gold! Did he take your lunch money? He's an excellent musician and his obvious love for music is palpable! Making lists of artists is all in fun, relax.
@@tonys4396 Silly comment. If you want to learn about the ART of making music, watch the Warren Haynes interview. He's played with more music legends than almost anyone alive.
@@treff9226 Beato should be a sports announcer. He treat music, which is ART like baseball players.
@@treff9226 Lists of favorites are fine. Having BEATO TELL people that one musician is better than another is retarded. It's all about how a musician affects YOU. It's not sports. You don't get it which is ok since you know nothing about music. After all, you DID state that Freddie and the Dreamers are underrated and taught the Beatles everything they know. 'nuf said,
I get sort of an Exotica feel from Pet Sounds. Kind of like the music of Martin Denny or Les Baxter.
I finally agree with you on something- always thought Pet Sounds was overrated as were The Beach Boys themselves
And you were wrong. The only American band that could cause the mighty Beatles sleepless nights. Listen to their first album from 3 years before. It's like Neanderthals suddenly sending rockets to the moon.
@@harvey1954it's only a difference in taste
@@keithparker1346 Different tastes I don't have a problem with, but his false claims about the Beach Boys.
@@harvey1954 what specifically?
I have never understood why Trout Mask Replica is often considered Don Van Vliet's best record. In my mind, Safe as Milk, Mirror Man, and Bat Chain Puller are better. Then of course there is Lick My Decals Off Baby, which is one of the greatest albums ever made. Of course, you have to attuned to the cosmic vibe to dig it.
Pet Sounds just plain stinks. Cheers!
Stick in Clear Spot and I 100% agree with you 😉
it's just the extreme case of the critics echo chamber effect. One influential critic championed it and the rest just repeated it without even listening.
Trout Mask Replica is Van Vliet’s masterpiece.
I'm an old guy now, but I'd never actually listened to all of 'Pet Sounds' until a few years ago. Why? I was never a 'Beach Boys' fan. Sure, I knew 'Good Vibrations' and 'Little Deuce Coupe' and all that, but they just weren't my jam. So I decided to listen to 'Pet Sounds' because it was supposed to be one of greatest albums ever, blah blah blah. Did I like it? Nope. Sure, the vocal harmonizing was kind of sort of interesting, but other than that, fuggataboutit. Not even really worth a second listen.
I bought Trout Mask Replica back in the '70s as a teenager. It freaked me out when I first heard it but I only owned a few albums and so I played it many, many times and it just kind of took me over as a parallel universe I could escape into every day after school. In these days of streaming and short attention spans I doubt many people get past thinking WTF on first play. I think it's an extraordinary record but it's not for everyone - whether you like TMR is possibly a good diagnostic of whether you're neurodivergent or neurotypical...
Your critical analysis of Kiss's Great Expectations is top level. Love the idea of them considering the plot of Dickens' novel and just thinking, "Can't we make it about shagging groupies?"
It's all subjective, but Exile is my fav Stones album, LC is my fav Clash album and I love Endtroducing. Yes you could argue The Wall gets a bit boring, but it has a half dozen classic tracks on it, imo. I do agree with you about Pet Sounds, though. I would also argue that Rumours is overrated. Stuart
Nevermind all that. Nothing is as overrated as Nevermind!
"Pet Sounds" Eh ?
It's Brian Wilson's solo project, which basically has nothing to do with the band called the Beach Boys.
"Pet Sounds" is Brian Wilson & The Wrecking Crew.
It has, except for "Caroline, No", and, perhaps the two instrumental songs, everything to do with the Beach Boys. The Wrecking Crew did zero vocals. Do you imagine that vocalists like Pat Benatar contribute nothing to their bands? Do you imagine that singing complex harmonies, live and without any modern electronic manipulation, is easily done by just anyone? Touring back then was almost the only way to promote sales. The rest of the band was on tour, keeping Capitol Records satisfied, and providing Brian Wilson with the opportunity to create in the studio. When they returned, they contributed some lead and most background vocals, as well as some additional instrumentals. Carl Wilson was a de facto member of the Crew when not on tour, and, for instance, played one of the most famous guitar intros ever in a pre-Pet Sounds Wrecking Crew session: "California Girls". Some of the Wrecking Crew were astounded by the vocal expertise of the young men in the band, who could walk up to the mikes and nail it in one take.
The Beach Boys provide all the vocals on PSs
@@Peter-Burbank Frank Marocco provide all the accordion on PSs
So, Are You saying "Jailhouse Rock (song)" is sung by Elvis Presley, making it an Elvis tune and not written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller ?
Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night" is his tune and not Bert Kaempferts with English lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder ?
@@ari1234a actually, I’ve never said any of those things!
Andy! You're crazy as hell but I just can't look away!!
AJA??? Andy. I LOVE your channel and your videos. I HATE those channels where they are doing things like "The Top Ten Guitar Players Of All Time" etc. . This isn't sports where you can rate a baseball player by his stats. This is ART. OK, that said, believe it or not, I have agreed with every video you have done so far. (Yes, I HAVE watched them). THIS time around I agree with everything you said about every album you covered EXEPT for AJA by STEELY DAN. I actually feel that it's a very UNDERRATED album in the whole scheme of things. I love Classic Rock, Jazz and Classical music. Aja is definitely in my top ten albums of all time. I'm 74, been playing and listening to music all my life. I don't watch TV. The minute I get in the house, the music goes on. Literally THOUSANDS of recordings of every genre. That said, I LOVE your channel and love your opinions. Stop apologizing. You're GREAT! Now I have to go listen to the Aja album.
Some very good points... Andy I would like your opinion on Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, in some future podcast.... on another note I do not get/understand Rush to this day....Much like Kiss on record... maybe their live shows are good... but otherwize?????
When Pet Sounds came out it was a bit of a flop both critically and commercially. Fans felt the band had gone soft and was targeting an older crowd. When it was reissued 20 years later Capitol Records did a monster publicity campaign promoting it as an influential seminal masterpiece. That campaign was a bigger success than the album had ever been. It's a good album, but not in their top few unless you believe the hype.
J'aime bien "pet sound"mais, je lui préfère "odissey and oracle" des Zombies.
Plus mélodieux et plus de fluidité.
I'd add my 3 albums of choice for this matter:
The Velvet Underground & Nico - Same
(Influential? Sure! Amazing? No!)
Michael Jackson - Thriller
(A successful smash mistaken for a masterpiece)
Joy Division - Closer
(Not a single amazing song on here)
Anything Zappa.
I would agree that the Beach Boys are not the American Beatles They simply don't have the reach or overall worldwide musical influence that the Beatles did and to some degree still do. However, that doesn't mean their albums are overrated. Like the Beatles and, well, almost every artist I can think of, their albums have some fantastic cuts and production and then some duds or just average songs that seem like filler. It's only the deep diving musical nerds or producer types that hold Pet Sounds in such high regard but not for the songs. Although there are some great ones on it. Instead it's for the production values which are great but not what the average listener is concerned with.
It's The Beatles.
@@stevea6307 Yep. Brain fart. Fixed it. Thanks.
@@davep2945 He's been a real pain ever since he took that "English for Adults" course.
THANK YOU ! I have never understood "Pet Sounds" while being told what a fantastic masterpiece it was. The Beatles may have been "influenced" by the Beach Boys but then they made actual classics
Hey Andy,
It's fantastic that you are more appreciative of BOC because I allways felt that it would be a band you could potentially like.
There's a certain aura os mystery that permeates their songs. The compositions are equal parts acceccible and dark. It's very hard to put into words.
No wonder the song "Don't Fear the Ripper" is used on horror movies / series because even though the rhythm his quite accecible, the harmonized vocals, the pulsating bass, nimble drums, and the epic guitar playing make for a very intense ride indeed.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers
Excellent, Beefheart's vision was realized AFTER Trout Mask Replica thank you very much. I have a couple of friends that are Beefheart fans. I have tried making that point and they look at me like I'm a leper. Exile on Main St is the album you are supposed to adore. Sticky Fingers is way more interesting.
Andy rants are always welcome!👍
‘Andy Edwards’ side logo is distractingly big…Great video.!🎸
If you think his *Side LOGO* is distracting...
...then you should see his *Side PROFILE.*
Sorry, Andy, you bombed on the 1st 5.
Pet Sounds is sublime from beginning to end.
Brian Wilson's was a genius. Just ask Sir Paul McCartney himself.
You're right about 2112. I've always liked the first two and last two sections most. That's why the condensed version on All The World's A Stage is much better than the studio version. Rush finally got writing side-long epics right with Hemispheres. It's also their best prog album.
didn't Bowie and Gabriel wear makeup and do theatrics long before the KISS?
I think Roy Wood wore make up with Wizzard before amy of them.
Not to forget Arthur Brown.
It was all around the same time. Arthur Brown came earlier than all of them.
@@zachjohnson637 Little Richard beat them all by a decade.
@@mindspringers2447 At what point did Little Richard wear facepaint?
Andy,what your views on Forever Changes by Love?
I don’t know what Andy’s are but it’s fuckin brilliant,( saw them live… it was actually just Arthur Lee and a guest ‘few track’ appearance from the guitar player …. Just before Arthur passed away).
I’m sure Andy has recognised and rated this album before from memory.
I love that album.
Lives up to its hype.
It's superb, especially in mono.
It's one of the most disappointing albums ever imo. Alone Again Or is sublime and one of the best songs ever but the rest is dreary and forgettable
Imo Pet Sounds deserves its status, Don't Talk Put Your Head On My Shoulder, That's Not Me, Waiting for the Day, Caroline No, I Know There's an Answer, especially I Just Wasn't Made for these Times, these are all lovely, deceptively unconventional songs with sophisticated chord structures and harmonies and the way the lyrics go from optimistic to melancholy, like summer moving into autumn is so emotional. Just personally, the album still has a huge impact on me that time has not diminished
Yes....but is it better than Burt Bachache? Really?
@@AndyEdwardsDrummer well it's definitely weirder :D
Yes, to your question @@AndyEdwardsDrummer
It’s about time someone stood up and proclaimed that Pet Sounds is the most overrated album of all time. Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys were never even close to being in the same league as the Beatles. Just ask Brian.
As a youngster in the 70s I thought Kiss were a parody of 70s rock, of both glam and hard rock. Before I knew what the word parody meant I genuinely thought they were "mock rock" in Bob Harris's famous words. I had a mate at the time around 1978 who bought one of their singles and he was into punk but would occasionally buy stuff like Derek and Clive and I just thought he'd bought another comedy record. When Spinal Tap came out I never found it funny as I thought Kiss had already covered that territory but on a grander epic scale, making a career out of lampooning rock.
Andy, Your logo is almost as big as your head! a bit distracting. Can you shrink it down a bit next time ? Nice Video. Thanks
Rocks...yes, what a let down...
Kiss - do they record the music in the costumes. Now this would be a spectacle.
Yes, they "record" their albums in full regalia as well with pre Backing Tracks and pre-recorded vocals.
Even their original material is lip-synched.
@@RichWards-Winslol
Sgt Peppers is a good album that is mistakenly viewed as a masterpiece. It just sounds like novelty music to me now.
I agree. Most of The Beatles albums sound that way to me now at 74.
Grew up with their music but now I find it nothing more than nice pop songs.
They should have hung it up after Pepper.
I think you have to put it in context. I remember when it came out, it was such a wonderful and unique album alongside what else was around at the time.
Given that you describe your musical center as British, Metal, and Prog Rock it’s not surprising that you consider Pet Sounds as overrated. It’s just not your thing in any regard. I happen to love it and rate it in the top 3-4 albums of all time. Keep up the good work.
I watched with crossed arms and a very American smirk on my face. And yet, I think I agree with many of your choices. I wonder - especially in the case of Pet Sounds - how much the “story” of the album boosted its status. I think it’s hard today for people to listen to Pet Sounds and grasp how weird and off-kilter it was for its time, and indeed for The Beach Boys themselves. Like … if the Arctic Monkeys suddenly went folk. But I think you nailed one very important distinction: Pet Sounds, for all its auditory experimentation, was *not* a forward-looking album. It is very much a forlorn looking-back affair. It’s music from the mind of a young man at a crossroad. He’s reckoning not only with love and maturity, but the passing on of the world he grew up in. Everything was changing so fast in 1966. I think it left Brian Wilson feeling a bit sad and scared. In this context, songs like “God Only Knows,” “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times” and especially “Caroline, No” take on much heavier meaning. Pet Sounds wasn’t trying to keep up with the Beatles’ relentless pushing forward. It was a fond, soft-focus snapshot of the world and the innocence that was being left behind.
Andy, the second side of 2112 is excellent. I think you might not have listened to it enough. Understandable with the amount of varied stuff you listen to. Tears is beautiful. Twilight Zone is fantastic. Something for Nothing is great too. Maybe Lessons drops down a slight notch but it's still good and very, very few albums are perfect all the way through. The rest of your choices are pretty much spot-on for me.
I don’t necessarily agree but I get you.
I loved ‘Lessons’ in my mid teens cause I thought the bass line was ace. Now in my older years it’s of course less technically impressive, but still a very cool bass line 👍🏻
Agree about Tears.
Strong agreement
I might like the second side better at this point actually. Which is probably why it's my favorite Rush album.
Forget about an album, rush = most overrated BAND ever.
What actually happened with the wall (and most of their discography) is that nobody came up with ideas for songs and albums except Roger lol
Totally incorrect.
@@glerp10000000000 Note that this doesn't mean the other guys didn't contribute to the music. But the ideas themselves mostly came for Roger. The other members even said so in interviews at the time lol. Rick was barely in the wall for this very reason lol
gwimbly is quite correct. Gilmour pretty much shot his wad on his '78 solo album, and Nick was pretty coked up by that period, not that he was ever much of a songwriter.
I often wonder what Pros And Cons would have sounded like if the Floyd had picked that project of Rog's instead of The Wall.
Although your world wonders me
With your majestic and superior cackling hen
Your people I do not understand
So to you I shall put an end
And you'll
Never hear
Surf music again
I always thought it was "superior Catholic hand."
@@motherlesschild102 🤣🤣🤣
How can you have 2112, The Wall and Exile on Mani Street on your list brother?
Agree. Exile isn't bad, but overhyped: I prefer both Sticky Fingers and Goats Head Soup.
Moving Pictures is Rush's best album by far. It's in top 5 best recorded and performed record in history imo...yes I'm a Rush head. But 2112 is prob #6 for me in their catalog. I like Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, AFtK and Signals over 2112.
By anyone's standards, 2112 is a very good album but, within the confines of the Rush 'canon 'it's pretty poor. Better than Rush, Snakes and Arrows and Roll the Bones certainly but there are some very weak moments, Bangkok and Something for Nothing, Twilight Zone and, perhaps Overture and Soliloquy the exceptions
As another rush fan. Hemispheres and Moving pictures are overrated. Cos and Fbn and Power windows are way underrated.
2112 is not overrated the second side is better than side one and side one is exceptional.
Ask 100 rush fans to rank their albums and get 100 different answers.
Interesting Rush were an underground band but the last few years they seem to be bigger than ever
@@johncleary6126I have always perferred the Exit… Stage Left version of A Passage to Bangkok instead of the version on 2112.
I recall at my school people considered Rush as sell outs because on Moving Pictures they actually had radio friendly songs and had gone pop
Uh oh, something's wrong with me. I just watched an Andy Edwards video, and I agreed with 99% of it. I need to go see a doctor soon.
A Rock n Roll Doctor I presume!
@@coolmark4851 They call him Dr. Music...
The moany voice monologue is back without a breath! And about time too Andy! LOL. ANY album by Public Enemy is overrated, but a group championed by you!!"!!. Jeez you are a drummer and almost all the tracks have the same beat that a beginner could play, with no change in pitch or tempo of the "music" throughout!
"It takes a nation of millions to hold us back" is a pretty fine album, in fairness.
@@MisAnnThorpe Fear of a Black Planet too. I think they were incredibly innovative at the time, certainly a lot of their use of dissonance and noise helped inspire a lot of the hip hop of that era, and certainly left an imprint on much of rave music.
It's legendary and so are Public Enemy, one of a handful of most important rap artists of all time! I have about ten rap albums, total, six of them are from Public Enemy.
Public Enemy can't be overrated, they deserve all the acclaim that has come their way. They wrote about social issues others were afraid to touch, with incisive detail, humor and depth. The groundbreaking sampling was done by The Bomb Squad, who set the standard for mixing samples seamlessly into music that was far more funkier and groove based than other hip hop artists, and then adding Chuck D's commanding, authoritative rapping on top of futuristic sounding hip hop that had a kind of heavy metal power and urgency to it, not to mention Flavor Flav's unhinged raps, adding even more character to a sound and style all their own......Nah, Public Enemy's standing in the hip hop pantheon will only grow larger over time, they were special.
@@shonkyindustriesBomb Squad's brilliant use of sampling was groundbreaking, setting a new standard! Public Enemy's music will sound and hit hard hundreds of years from now - they were just different from everyone else! The CNN of the ghetto!
Exile On Main Street, London Calling, The Wall and Pet Sounds, all in a row! Some of my favourites albuns of all time... You're a LEGEND!
Hell yeah "Secret Treaties"! Definitely dive all the way in man. Love how you did this, my heart sank at first...then warmed all up, so glad you went back to this Classic!
You only got one album wrong (Aja) so well done!
Beefhearts "Ice cream for crow" is my favourite
I think a track like "Upon The My O My" from Unconditionally Guaranteed is wonderful - they reign him in a bit but it still has that great edge.
I love it too, also "Doc at the radar station"
It's Clear Spot & Doc At The Radar Station for me...
Frank Zappa Hot Rats is pretty epic and revolutionary for its time. To have songs so long to become more like suites was definitely avant-garde.
London Calling is a distillation and documentation of the history of rock and roll up to that point. It’s no coincidence that they started hitting funk and early rap on Combat Rock. They really picked up on the important sounds.
Totally agree on 2112 ,Kings and Hemispheres are way better imho.
Cheers Andy! Whilst not always agreeing with you, I very much enjoy your rational and would have a hard time disputing it. I do agree 100% about the Beach Boys, their sound is tired and doesn't hold up like a Revolver or Sgt Pepper. You should definitely explore more of the Blue Oyster Cult catalog; all the albums up to (but not including) Club Ninja are very strong.
Roger Waters drinks his own bathwater and proclaims it champagne.
Some of my picks would be from bands I like very much:
Led Zeppelin - IV
Deep Purple - Machine head
The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers...
The Who - Tommy
Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland
Pink Floyd - Piper at the.. (although The wall is right up there for me also)
Surely you are joking about the first two. You don't like rock music if you think either is overrated. They are both quintessential rock LPs.
Piper ist the absolutely masterpiece, then PF changed to commercial music (except ummagumma and final cut)
Piper at the gates of down is totally underrated
@@ernger531 Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here are commercial music? Sure. Sure. OK. You are confusing record sales with the actual music. There is nothing commercial about either of those experimental, conceptual albums. Concept albums are the antithesis of commercialism as they try to convey a message throughout, which runs contrary to stand alone simple or formulaic songs.
@@timwhitnell7145 I'm not joking. Led Zeppelin has at least three albums (first three) I like more than IV and similar situation for Deep Purple's Machine Head.
Its all personal preference but for me, 2112 was my gateway into prog and from the first time I heard it I fell in love. For me it ranks as one of Rush's best, and I would not consider it overrated. I can think of a ton of albums I think are far more overrated. Any of the Genesis albums after Hacket left, I've struggled to get into Vandergraaf Generator (cool name though), and from Soft Machine, I love Bundles but haven't gotten into the highly rated 3rd album. All personal taste though.
Spot on about Capt Beefheart. Trout Mask Replica being the supposed “great album” has probably driven a lot of people away from his music before they listened to supposedly lesser albums. Better to listen to Safe As Milk, Decals, Spotlight Kid etc, then sit down with Trout Mask.
You can listen to Kiss 'Destroyer ' and dismiss it as shit. Or you can dismiss it as shit, without listening to it, to save time.
It's Kiss. The fact It's shit is a given.
it was great when you were 13
I have always hated the cartoony phony BS of KISS. Rock for 10 year olds!
Their first 5 or 6 albums are good 70s rock music at heart. They’re just a fun rock band.
The problem for snobby critics and fans is Kiss’ image. Everything is extravagant, from their clothes to their stage presentation to their music. All that is off-putting to people who take themselves too seriously. Ironically, the problem with snobby critics is that they have an image that they are forced to keep up, an image that doesn’t even allow them to consider liking Kiss, whether they would or not. Their free will has been taken away from them in a very real way. Because they want to be seen as “serious” they prop up okay bands that are artsy (like the Talking Heads) and even some whose music is mostly objectively bad (the Velvet Underground) to keep that image. In that context, they *have* to hate Kiss.
@@user-qb1sm3rk9r I really love the VU! Their music is interesting and raw. Talking heads I could do without David Byrne's irritating vocal nonsense! KISS is just real boring to me. If they are fun for you thatz cool... I'm just kinda sick about them being featured on all these You-Tube music sites like they are so awesome. Generic hard rock with superHero goofiness. Maybe some people aren't snobby critics yet the whimsy turns one off. I am not beholden to icons. I guess I don't like silliness and wackiness in my music.. critics darling Zappa can be extremely annoying to me too. If I want fun in music I'd prefer the B52s or The GoGos... I know I'm too serious but I so like contrary opinions to faultless idols. I've heard KISS but there is absolutely nothing interesting about their music that engages me. I don't go around expecting everyone to like the music I like.. just tired of hearing constantly about certain bands. Demographically speaking; they should be in my wheelhouse. But even as a kid in '75 I was not drawn in.. For the record KISS are not "bad" like you characterize the Velvets, they and all their recent attention bores me!
All steve wilson, coldplay, radiohead, pixies, elo,, the clash.
radiohead fans are annoying but the music is amazing.
@@JamosHeathaha bang on
Word. Weird Fishes is alright though. Knives Out, The Bends generally but they are a bunch of wankers so, yeah, balls to the lot of 'em
@@johncleary6126 I love Radiohead, but I don’t think they’re exactly ‘free thinkers’ although they’re at they’re best when producing music. They listened to prog and fusion as inspiration for the Ok Computer album then denied liking any of it apart from ‘Bitches Brew’.
Of course you didn’t lads.
The opening three track salvo on ‘Ok Computer’ is their finest hour album wise. The rest drops a bit if I’m honest. Individual tracks on other albums are sublime as far as I’m concerned. But I’m in my 50’s. Younger Radiohead fans can be really pretentious and have clearly read too many journalists with their bullshit rhetoric.
That's what bothers me about middle class toss pot journos and musos. They always cite the same rabble be it Velvets, Television, Neil fucking Young...they're incapable of saying the word 'stooges 'with out the suffix MC5 for some bizzarre reason. I know Radiohead are influenced by, amongst others, Rush and Focus...they sound like a cross between ELO and Queen. I know because so am I, that's how you reach compétence on your instrument. Listening to the afore mentioned racket does not inspire you to write pyramid song or paranoid android. It's obvious I just wish they'd stop the bullshit and admit to learning their trade, from some of the best in the business
Jimmy $aville vibes from the Kiss lyrics , vile stuff.
"God only knows who I'd f%ck without you"