Throw Down Your Sword by Wishbone Ash. Arthurian epic by the 'Ash, total masters of twin-guitar rock harmonies and creators of some of the best riffs of the Seventies. Totally of it's time when Ash fans like me were reading Undercurrents, discovering Lord of the Rings, watching the skies for UFO's and were as well-versed in Arthurian legend like Tintagel as we were in mung bean salad . Argus is one of the greatest rock albums of all time with monstrously brilliant tracks like Warrior, The King Will Come and the mighty Blowin Free. Check the whole thing out! The truth is out there!
The Carter Family by Carly Simon. Erstwhile wife of fellow songsmith James Taylor, Carly made this, her best album, in the early Seventies. It contains the smash single You're So Vain but I prefer this, the beautifully wistful Carter Family and probably as much, All Her Friends Were Fond of Robin and the other songs on the album, all beautifully crafted and sung from a teenage summer long long ago. The whole LP is recommended listening for romantic SWORDheads and thier pardners! Get the vino out and dim the lights!
Are Friends Electric by Tubeway Army. Essentially a Seventies rocker I was just young enough, however, to appreciate the birth of post-punk indie. I remember watching the Tubeway Army play 'Friends' for the first time on the well-respected Old Grey Whistle Test on TV and I was totally blown away by it's hypnotic synth-riff and robotic feel abley assisted by Gary Numan's creepy replicant looks! Cars would later capture the same spirit of androidal desolation begun by teutonic moogsters Kraftwerk.
Everbody's Gotta Learn Sometime by the Korgis. Every now and then a beautiful pop ballad came along during the post-punk period at the start of the Eighties, which stood out. This is such a one. By ex-Stackridge members, the Korgi's struck gold with this. Simple. Soft. Gorgeous and thankfully not yet relegated to simply supermarket muzak. The Passions' I'm in Love With A German Film Star is another one.
Solitude by Black Sabbath. I first discovered Sabbath when I discovered this album in my two big bruvvers' vinyl collection crammed down the side of the wooden music centre in the corner of our front room. Along with other LP's lurking there like Nice Enough to Eat, Fill Your Head with Rock, Bumpers, Machine Head and Live Cream, Masters had an indelible effect on me and I have loved the Sab ever since. But Masters is without doubt my fave LP of theirs and more or less defined the hard rock sound, which would be later emulated by countless metal bands. Reputed to be the first 'stoner rock' album, Masters is chock-full of the heaviest of riffs and rocks interspersed with a couple of sumptuous ballads like Solitude. Listen to the entire album if you haven't already!
So SWORDheads, which 5 songs would you store on your iSWORD whilst zooming to Mars Base in the Nuke Ferry to see the Wote Meister?
I like Gary Numan. Here up on Mars where the image breaks down Will you visit me please if I open my door on Mars.
ReplyDeletehee hee. Like it RP. Are you electric too? Or are you Devo?
ReplyDeleteThe mighty Wishbone Ash, I love ' em. My good lady has blowing' free as her phone ringtone, mind you if you think that's sad I 've got Ballroom Blitz by the Sweet as mine....rock on.
ReplyDeleteThe Sweet rocked Mike! And what a cool ringtone your Missus has! More Ash to come.
ReplyDelete