Only on the Cheek

Three Hundred Thirty-Three

Artist - Kiss
Album - Destroyer
Released - 1976
Label - Casablanca
Genre - Hard Rock

Tracks:
Side One
Detroit Rock
King of the Night Time World
God of Thunder
Great Expectations
Side Two
Flaming Youth
Sweet Pain
Should It Out Loud
Beth
Do You Love Me

Enjoy!

Take a Ride

Three Hundred Eighteen

Artist - Journey
Album - Escape
Released - 1981
Label - Columbia
Genre - Hard Rock

Tracks:
Side One
Don't Stop Believin'
Stone in Love
Who's Crying Now
Keep on Runnin'
Still They Ride
Side Two
Escape
Lay It Down
Dead or Alive
Mother, Father
Open Arms

The seventh studio album by San Francisco rockers Journey, Escape catapulted one song into karaoke mainstream heaven.  Don't Stop Believin' has to be one of those songs that never seems to die.  It's the most powerful motivational song next to a few other greats out there, but for the most part you put this record on, pump up the volume and sing your lungs to capacity.  Another great song on this record which is a lovely love/sad song is Open Arms.

Enjoy!

Sticks

Two Hundred Ninety-Two

Artist - Styx
Album - Styx II
Released - 1973
Label - Wooden Nickel
Genre - Progressive/Hard Rock

Tracks:
Heads
You Need Love
Lady
A Day
You Better Ask
Tails
Little Fugue in "G"
Father O.S.A.
Earl of Roseland
I'm Gonna Make You Feel It

Enjoy!

Doubling Up Part II

Back to back posts, you should be so lucky -- just kidding.  For my fifty-ninth pick.

Artist - The James Gang
Album - Yer' Album
Released - 1969
Label - Bluesway/ABC
Genre - Rock, Hard Rock


Tracks
Side I
Introduction
Take A Look Around
Funk #48
Bluebird
Lost Woman
Side II
Stone Rap
Collage
I Don't Have The Time
WrapCity in English
Fred
Stop

After listening to this album, I think the best thing about it is that when side I ends, there is a loop that says "Turn Me Over" and on side II it says "Play Me Again."  When I first heard that, I laughed.

This is the first album by The James Gang and their second debut on my blog.  I just had to put them on again because not only do I like The James Gang, but I bought this record while I was in South Florida and it was in the DOLLAR BIN.  Sometimes I feel like people don't recognize the greatness of an artist, let alone a record, but to find this album, it was a MUST BUY for me and I'm very happy with my purchase.  Plus I absolutely love Funk #48, Lost Woman, and I Don't Have The Time. I almost forgot an absolute favorite of mine, which is Fred.  Something about the sound of the voice and guitar with the light drums and bass.  EARGASM!!! I do think I have an old soul because I LOVE music from the 60's/70's.  I can't help it.

Enjoy!

Country Fried Rock

In honor of ROT (Republic of Texas) Rally, I dedicate my forty-ninth pick to all the bikers in town this weekend, invading our lovely city!

Artist - ZZ Top
Album - Eliminator
Released - 1983
Label - Warner Bros.
Genre - Blues Rock, Southern Rock, Hard Rock


Tracks:
X1
Gimmie All Your Lovin
Got Me Under Pressue
Sharp Dressed Man
I Need You Tonight
I Got Six
X2
Legs
Thug
TV Dinners
Dirty Dog
If I Could Only Flag Her Down
Bad Girl

Eliminator is the eighth album by ZZ Top and if I don't say so myself, this cover art reminds me a lot of Stephen King.  I guess it's because of the car and the headlights, which makes me think of Christine.  I think this is a perfect pick for the weekend, since every year motorcycles from all over come and take over Austin, Texas.  Its so intense that our office closed at 3:00 p.m. and other businesses along Congress Avenue did the same.  What they do is they block off all of Congress and it gets FILLED with motorcycles of all types.  Yesterday, when I was on my way home from my run, I started to see more motorcycles on the streets.  I knew it was time.

A worthy song on this album is Legs, which would constantly play on MTV, back when MTV was worth watching.  You have two guys with fuzzy guitars, long beards and trench coats playing and the occasional guitar twirl, and your typical 80's girl with great legs walking around.  It was pretty comical.  But if you read the track list, there is a song called TV Dinners, which is pretty funny because it literally talks about tv dinners.  This is a great, fun album.

Enjoy!

The Uprising

I've been in the mood for some good rock, insane guitar and with that, I bring you my forty-seventh pick:

Artist - James Gang
Album - Rides Again
Released - 1970
Label - ABC
Genre - Rock, Hard Rock


Tracks:
Side One
Funk #49
Asshtonpark
Woman
The Bomber A.Closet Queen B. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
Side Two
Tend My Garden
Garden Gates
There I Go Again
Thanks
Ashes The Rain and I

FUNK - MOTHERFRICKIN' - #49 is the rawest song alive, or should I say EVER!!  Sadly to say, Side One is a lot better than Side Two, but for the most part this record is indeed a good one.  James Gang is one of those old school, classic rock bands and it does show in the first few songs of Side One.  Funk #49 is such a great song and to this day, I do hear it on mash-ups.  For those of you who don't know what a mash-up is, it's when a DJ or Artist puts a few songs together into one.

This is the second album by James Gang, who are from Cleveland, Ohio and who also produced the guitar great Joe Walsh.

Enjoy!

For those about to rock, here's my forty-third pick:

Artist - AC/DC
Album - Who Made Who
Released - 1986
Label - Albert
Genre - Hard Rock


Tracks:
Side One
Who Made Who
You Shook Me All Night Long
D.T.
Sink The Pink
Ride On
Side Two
Hells Bells
Shake Your Foundation
Chase The Ace
For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

When I think of AC/DC, I always forget that they are a band from Australia.  Who Made Who was released as the soundtrack to Stephen King's movie Maximum Overdrive in 1986.  I've never seen the movie, but reading the back of the album cover does make me want to look into it more.  One, I love Stephen King and two, Emilio Estevez is in it (Emmmiiilllllliiiioooooooo)!  I know a lot of AC/DC songs tend to play at sports games, since I believe it's made to pump you up!!

The song that strikes a chord with me, and I would probably have a lot of people back me up on this, is For Those About To Rock (We Salute You).  One of the most powerful, deep hard rock songs out there!!  It's the type of song you play for motivational purposes.    Anyway, other songs that are favorites are Hells Bells and You Shook Me All Night Long.  The guitar playing on this record is pretty epic as well.

Enjoy!

Enter Into This World

In the sunshine of your loooooooooooove.  Indeed, enter the world of psychedelic rock.  For my thirty-ninth:

Artist - Cream
Album - Disraeli Gears
Released - 1967
Label - Reaction, Atco 
Genre - Psychedelic Rock, Blues Rock, Hard Rock


Tracks:
Side One
Strange Brew
Sunshine Of Your Love
World Of Pain
Dance The Night Away
Blue Condition
Side Two
Tales of Brave Ulysses
Swlabr
We're Going Wrong
Outside Woman Blues
Take It Back
Mother's Lament

Cream is a supergroup consisting of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker and they released this magnificent record in 1967, which in my opinion is such an awesome record.  I've been wanting to display this record for some time now and I thought why not on a day like today.  So to vent, today was a rather rough day for me seeing as I've been up since 2:45 a.m.  I went ahead and went to the gym, maybe to tire myself out tonight and around 4pm I was definitely feeling the sleep.  When I decided to think of which record I could play and this is the first one that popped in my head.  I told myself that today was the best day to display a goodie.  Two of the most popular songs on this record are Strange Brew, Sunshine Of Your Love and Take It Back, but for the most part, this record is most definitely a psychedelic sounding record. If you come across this in the record store, I would suggest this is a must buy and when you listen to it you will know why.

Enjoy!

The Rock Gods Summon Me

Yes, yes yes and more of the word YES!!  Heavy hitting, hard sounding and guitarist extraordinaire.  For my thirty-sixth pick, I bow down at your merciless skills of the AXE!

Artist - Van Halen
Album - Van Halen
Released - 1978
Label - Warner Bros.
Genre - Hard Rock, Heavy Metal


Tracks:
Side One
Runnin' With The Devil
Eruption
You Really Got Me
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
I'm The One
Side Two
Jamie's Cryin'
Atomic Punk
Feel Your Love Tonight
Little Dreamer
Ice Cream Man
On Fire

The rock gods are summoning me to make sure this gets on the list.  I mean I have a whole 329 more picks to go, I'm sure I was bound to play some Van Halen.  Man, this record takes me back to when I was a kid watching MTV and I would think to myself, "Who is this guy wearing spandex jumping around on tables?"  Well, it was David Lee-Roth and I was watching the Hot For Teacher video.  How times have changed!!

Van Halen is Van Halen's debut album.  The guitar on this album is no doubt the most insane guitar playing I've heard.  I think their intention was to make sure that each song had the baddest and most difficult guitar riffs for it's time.

Enjoy!