Classic Rock Discussion thread, including Catfish's Top 20 Lists.

[catfish1957]

March 1983 List

1. Styx (No change)
2. Neil Young (No change)
3. Christopher Cross (+16-WTF?)
4. Kansas (No change)
5. Journey (-2)
6. Foreigner (-1)
7. Pat Benetar (-1)
8. Bob Seger (+3)
9. Led Zeppelin (-2)
10. Loverboy (-2)
11. Police (-2)
12. Rush (-2)
13. Toto (-1)
14. Asia (-1)
15. Boston (-1)
16. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
17. Jefferson Starship (No change)
18. Men at Work (No change)
19. Little River Band (-3)
20. Dire Straits (No change)

The 16 level jump for Christopher Cross is unexplainable.  Listening to the likes of fluff like Cross and Little River Band must have been a counter to the coninual depressing stuff I was listening to with Neil Young.

[Hoodat]

If you had been doing more drugs, you never would have put Christopher Cross on this list.

[Hoodat]

1980  -  U2

I Will Follow (Live, '83)

[Hoodat]

1983  -  U2

New Year's Day (Live, '83)




Sunday Bloody Sunday (Live, '83)

[catfish1957]

April 1983 List-

1. Neil Young (+1)
2. Styx (-1)
3. Kansas (+1)
4. Christopher Cross (-1)
5. Journey (No change)
6. Pat Benetar (+1)
7. Foreigner (-1)
8. Bob Seger (No change)
9. Rush (+3)
10. Duran Duran (New)
11. Led Zeppelin (-2)
12. Loverboy (-2)
13. Tom Petty (New)
14. Police (-3)
15. Toto (-2)
16. Boston (-1)
17. Asia (-3)
18. Fleetwood Mac (-2)
19. Jerfferson Starship (-2)
20. Dire Straits (No change)

Duran Duran- Maybe New Wave's last ghasp.  Or maybe the first of the UK Wuss bands.  Take your pick. This band is Hooks-a-million", and had great songs at the clubs, and a nice respite when about every other song you  heard was by Michael Jackson. When I think of Duran Duran, this tune always first comes to mind...  There are others that decent, if you are so inclined to check


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJL-lCzEXgI

Concert- April 11, 1983- The Ramones, Price on stub $7.50

This was by far the most interesting concert experience of my life by far.  I want to cover this in another post.

[catfish1957]

My Ramones Concert Experience- April 11, 1983 at Cardi's.....

Like I mentioned someway, somehow The Ramones were going to perform at my favorite bar in the city I lived in.  The day of the show, I collected a group of 3 of my good friends to go.  One jokingly called me their Tour Guide into the world of rock and roll.    Of course 40 years later, I realize now that that was a back handed insult in jest.

Well, when we got there, it was almost empty, and by the time the it was show time, my group and myself of 4 were among about 40-50 in the bar, and maybe 60 including bar staff.  Rut-roh, I thought.  I bet they no-show on this turnout.  I thought this was going to be a night of disaster.

But...  at about the 30 minutes late point, the band and their about 4 roadies show up.  I couldn't believe it.  I was going to see the Ramones in the most pristine state that could ever be expected.  I can still picture the set up....  Pretty small stage, probably no bigger than 800-1000 square feet, looking out over the dance floor.  Maybe half the crowd, including myself stood along the wood railing of the dance floor against the stage.  The others?  Scattered at the bar, and tables.

You know the Ramones, and they were punk pioneers....   3 chords, loud, and simple.  The first set flew by, and then Joey having some fun, challenged the crowd to try to stump them with something from their catalog.  The Prize??  If anyone stumps us, you get to buy us a drink at the break.  I took that as a personal challenge.  I reached deep down in the recesses of my memories, on what might be an obscure enough number that they might have forgotten.  After 3 guesses, and losing.....  I finally stumped them. I can still picture Joey looking at the other members, and seeing him shake his head.  Okay....  You got us.   I stll got to hand it to the band.  There may have only been a couple of dozen people in the crowd, but they gave the same amount of energy that they would have given to a 15,000 attended venue.  I can not explain how many levels above cool this was.

I did buy the band a drink at the break, and one member laughed at said,  man... we were kidding, we were going to get 'em free anyway.   I did get to shake their hands, and Joey in his best sarcasm said something to the effect ....  We never dreamed we would get stumped in this Red Neck Hell Hole. Typical New Yorker I guess.   And best of all, Marky gave me a set of his sticks. (Which has an epilogue story of its own).  Man if there ever was a need for a sharpie, or even a freakin' camera, that was the moment in my life.   

The second set, which was also about an hour, continued the assault...  They played stuff that I had never heard on albums, as much as their great songs, and some filler....   In the second set, there was a guy sitting at the bar, who kept yelling "Free Bird". "Free Bird". between songs.  The band not amused, and had this in one of their verses of "Beat on the Brat":

Beat on the cat
Beat on the cat
Beat on the cat with a blue baseball cap.....Ohhhh Yeah.....Ohhhh Yeah.

This concert was so memorable, so cool.  Nothing like this in music remotely ever happened again.

And to the drum sticks.  I suspect my Mother in Law in one of her  helping us clean up episodes, disposed of them.  Man did that suck....

[catfish1957]

May 1983 List

1. Neil Young (No change)
2. Styx (No change)
3  Christopher Cross (+1)
4. Journey (+1)
5. Kansas (-2)
6. Foreigner (No Change)
7. Bob Seger (+1)
8. Pat Benetar (+1)
9. Rush (No change)
10. Duran Duran
11. Loverboy (+1)
12. Dire straits (+8)
13.Led Zeppelin (-2)
14. Tom Petty (-1)
15. Police (-1)
16. Boston (No change)
17. Toto (-2)
18. Fleetwood Mac (No change)
19. Asia (-2)
20. Jefferson Starship (-1)

Many of us have a lot of Scottish ancestry.  So bonus points for this tune on my behalf.   How many bands have used bag pipes to make a hit song.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sUXMzkh-jI

[Hoodat]

1983  -  Thin Lizzy

Cold Sweat

[catfish1957]

June 1983 List

1. Neil Young (No change)
2. Styx (No change)
3. Journey (+1)
4. Dire Straits (+8)
5. Christopher Cross (-2)
6. Kansas (-1)
7. Bob Seger (No change)
8. Foreigner (-2)
9. Rush (No change)]
10. Pat Benetar (-2)
11. Loverboy (No change)
12. Duran Duran (-2)
13. Romantics (New)
14. Led Zeppelin (-1)
15. Tom Petty (-1)
16. Police (-1)
17. Boston (-1)
18. Toto (-1)
19. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
20. Jefferson Starship (No change)

Ran across this the other day.  The age old argument teens have with their parent about what to do with their life.  It's generational thing that has gone on forever.  Lucky, some how, some way their was a Canadian Documentary that captured that with Rush's Alex Lifeson and his parents.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M977GFRWDmY

[catfish1957]

July 1983 List

1. Neil Young - (No Change)
2. Styx- (No change)
3. Journey (No change)
4. Dire Straits (No change)
5. Kansas (+1)
6. Bob Seger (+1)
7.Christopher Cross (-2)
8. Foreigner (No change)
9. Loverboy (+2)
10. Rush (+1)
11. Pat Benetar (-1)
12. Def Leppard (New)
13. Romantics (No change)
14. Duran Duran (-2)
15. Police (+1)
16. Led Zeppelin (-2)
17. Tom Petty (-2)
18. Boston (-1)
19. Fleetwood Mac (No change)
20.Toto (-2)

Def Leopard- . Fantastic group, straight forward hard rock, with a tinge of pop-Sweet, T-Rexish touch.  This was kind of strange in my thoughts, in that there were finally rock. stars who were younger than I was.  I recommend the 2nd though 5th album for a sample of when the band was in it's prime.  Yeah, they got quite a boost off the video age, but this was a really good band.  I like this one for it's nostalgic bend on the late '60's early 70's UK Glam Rock era, and it's good too.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpcc43NV394


Concert: All Star Blues Reunion featuring Johnny and Edgar Winter- July 9, 1983 Cost on Stub- $10.00. Got to admit, that I do love bluesy rock and roll, but what most call traditional blues?  Like it, but not really that familiar with it.  I have a feeling that I must have been watching some legends, but I didn't write their names down.  I am guessing they were old legends, by how the Winter Brothers were treating them with reverence.  Sure wish I had listended better.

Concert: Neil Young- July 16, 1983- Price on Stub - $12.75. I think I had mentioned earlier that this was the worst concert I had ever attended.  Young spent the entire concert playing songs off his lame Rockabilly attempt.....  Everybody's Rocking.   This thng was so bad, the crowd starting booing.  Including me.

[Hoodat]

1983  -  ZZ Top

Sharp Dressed Man (Live)




Give Me All Your Lovin'

[catfish1957]

August 1983 List

1. Neil Young (No change)
2. Styx (No change0
3. Journey (No change)
4. Dire Straits (No change)
5. Bob Seger (+1)
6. Kansas (-1)
7. Christopher Cross (No change)
8. Foreigner (No change)
9. Loverboy (No change)
10. Jackson Browne (New)
11. Pat Benetar (No change)
12. Rush (-2)
13. Police (+2)
14. Duran Duran (No change)
15. Def Leppard (-3)
16. Romatics (-3)
17. Led Zeppelin (-1)
18. Boston (No change)
19. Tom Petty (-2)
20. Fleetwood Mac (-1)

Jackson Browne-  Jackson Browne was probably the ultimate song writing genius in the singer-songwriter genre.  I remember an Eagles documentary when Frey-Henley marveled at Browne's ability to sit down to a piano and almost at will create excellent music/lyrics, almost at will.  I think his first hit song was written at age 16. He wrote many songs for his bretheren in the S-S genre including the Eagles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rondstatd, among others.  Browne had a very strange but interesting projection of a career.  He decently charter with several hits from his debut to Running on Empty.  Running on Empty propelled him to headliner status.  He rode the success until the mid '80's, till it appeared he hit writers block, or for what I think really happened.... the lure and glamor of Hollywood, and environmental activism ruined him.  He released 7 albums after the mid '80's, based on reputation alone I guess.  And they all pretty much suck.

For a sample, I am going to include one, that is not even on one of his studio albums.  This is a great song that has a pop overtone, but it is great, and the one best songs, on what I feel is one of the best Movie soundtracks.....   Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Please excuse the Commie  hammer and sickle the stupid YT account holder slapped on this video...  I don't WTF is up with that, but the video does captures the song and mood of the movie pretty nicely)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DHTywWFcsc

Concert: Jackson Browne August 20, 1983, Cost of ticket on stub.  $13.75-  Great show.  Played the hits, and pretty much everything he was supporting on his new album Lawyers in Love. He and his group were not ever great muscians, live or on record, but maybe with the exception of Dylan or Young, had the songwriting chops to plod ahead with massive success. Best of all, this was before his shitty preachy liberal activist schtick, and that was a big plus.

[catfish1957]

September 1983 List-

1. Neil Young- (No change)
2. Jackson Browne (+8)
3. Styx (-1)
4. Journey (-1)
5. Dire Straits (-1)
6. Loverboy (+3)
7. Bog Seger (-2)
8. Kansas ((-2)
9. Foreigner (-1)
10. Christopher Cross (-3)
11. Pat Benetar (No change)
12. Police (+1)
13. Rush (-1)
14. Led Zeppelin (+3)
15. Fleetwood Mac (+5)
16. Tom Petty (+3)
17. Duran Duran (-3)
18. Boston (No change)
19. Romantics (-3)
20. Def Leppard (-5)

I know I stopped documenting exact acquistions of music a few years earlier, but for some reason I did write this down in the log...

For the Record-

Cassettes- 71
8 Track - 149
LP's- 303

Since we chronologically are still on a quick upward vector of Jackson Browne, I'm going to share what I feel what were among his best....
I know that there will be many out there who prefer his early "Dr. My Eye" era of his career...   Just my preference.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KNuZrEVB70

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddvJGDwOGj0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ4FCMvr7nc&list=RDJZ4FCMvr7nc&start_radio=1

[catfish1957]

October 1983 List-

1. Neil Young (No change)
2. Jackson Browne (No change)
3. Styx (No change)
4. Journey (No change)
5. Dire Straits (No charge)
6. Loverboy (No change)
7. Pat Benetar (+4)
8. Bob Seger- (+4)
9. Kansas (-1)
10. Rush (+3)
11. Foreigner (-2)
12. Police (No charge)
13. Christopher Cross (-3)
14. Led Zeppelin (No change)
15. Fleetwood Mac (No change)
16. ZZ Top (New)
17. Tom Petty (-1)
18. Boston (No change)
19. Toto (New)
20. Duran Duran (-3)

Haven't given much air time to the old stuff.  Here is one that I loved as a kid.  Several versions of it exist on YT, but I thought this was the most interesting and entertaining, with their comic banter with the Smothers Brothers.  Song perfectly encapsulates the sound of the  '60's.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7hRPrxiZwc

[catfish1957]

November 1983 List-

1. Neil Young (No change)
2. Jackson Browne (No change)
3. Styx (No change)
4. Journey (No change)
5. Loverboy (+1)
6. Dire Straits (-1)
7. Pat Benetar (No change)
8. Bob Seger (No change)
9. Kansas (No change)
10. ZZ Top (+6)
11. Rush (-1)
12. Foreigner (-1)
13. Led Zeppelin (+1)
14. Police (-2)
15. Christopher Cross (-2)
16. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
17. Tom Petty (No change)
18. Toto (+1)
19. Boston (-1)
20. Romantics (New)

Concert: The Romantics November 1, 1983- Price on Stub- $4.00. Another concert at my favorite local bar.  Oddly enough, there were probably 5X the amount of people at this one, as was at the Ramones visit, at this same venue a year earlier.  Place was packed.  Don't seem to remember them being that good live.  I do know they played their 2 hits, and plenty of filler. Nothing special.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqnw5IfbZOU

[Hoodat]

Since we chronologically are still on a quick upward vector of Jackson Browne, I'm going to share what I feel what were among his best....
I know that there will be many out there who prefer his early "Dr. My Eye" era of his career...   Just my preference.

I saw Jackson Browne at Blossom near Cleveland back in the late 80s.  The music was good, but he would not shut up about politics.  Between every song, he had to give a short speech bashing something Reagan did.  Apparently, Browne was a big fan of the Ortega brothers.

Anyway, love the Running On Empty era, but would never pay to see him perform again.

[catfish1957]

December 1983 List-

1. Neil Young (No change)
2. Styx (+1)
3. Jackson Browne (-1)
4. Journey (No change)
5. Loverboy (No change)
6. Dire Straits (No change)
7. Pat Benetar (No change)
8. ZZ Top (+2)
9. Bob Seger (-1)
10. Kansas (-1)
11. Led Zeppelin (+2)
12. Rush (-1)
13. Foreigner (-1)
14. Police (No change)
15. Bruce Springsteen (New)
16. Christopher Cross (-1)
17. Fleetwood Mac ((-1)
18. Boston (+1)
19. Tom Petty (-2)
20. Toto (-2)

Keeping with today's "oldie theme"....   Here is one that I remember even earlier that I really liked, my parent's music of course.    I mean in my terms... way way back.....    And in the trivia department,  This was the first time and song that a UK act had a U.S No. 1 hit. (1962)  I for sure would have guessed The Beatles.  Song sure sounded a head of its time, even as an instrumental.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPDvsLSnUGc

[catfish1957]

I saw Jackson Browne at Blossom near Cleveland back in the late 80s.  The music was good, but he would not shut up about politics.  Between every song, he had to give a short speech bashing something Reagan did.  Apparently, Browne was a big fan of the Ortega brothers.

Anyway, love the Running On Empty era, but would never pay to see him perform again.

I think Daryl Hannah rotted his mind. Because his musical career sure went to relative shit afterwards.

[catfish1957]

January 1984 List

1. Neil Young (No change)
2. Styx (No change)
3. Jackson Browne (No change)
4. Loverboy (+1)
5. Journey (-1)
6. Dire Straits (No change)
7. ZZ Top (+1)
8. Bob Seger (+1)
9. Kansas (+1)
10. Pat Benetar (-3)
11. Led Zeppelin (No change)
12. Rush (No change)
13. Bruce Springsteen (+2)
14. Foreigner (-1)
15. Police (-1)
16. Fleetwood Mac (+1)
17. Boston (+1)
18. Tom Petty (+1)
19. Christopher Cross (+1)
20. The Kings (New)

The Kings-. The Kings are pretty much a trivia question now, and known as a one hit wonder.  I guess they milked it for the Casino circuit for a long time afterwards  This video is kind of sad in the manner it documenterizes them playing it over and over for 30 years.  Kings?  Yeah maybe of Album Filler.  Great catchy tune here though.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxkjvKBPQjo

Concert:  Girlschool- January 31, 1984.  No stub, admission was cover charge.

What a sad, but  fun night.  This concert was held again at my local watering hole.  It was a farewell party for our local FM Rock station. Way before there was the  term "Classic Rock Stations" there was just Rock stations.  By the mid '80's these were dying a slow death.  Even the what I felt was the invincible KLOL in Houston would die too, within 20 years, or so.

This was the station's last night, and they set up a remote at the bar, and played tunes after the concert.  The concert itself was with the rocking Punkish/Metalish girl band Girlschool (below), who had a helluva of lot of talent, but could never crack the U.S. charts.  From a rock and roll perspective, they sure rocked better and harder than the Go Go's.  These girls got the place loud and rowdy.  Can't remember ever seeing so many messed up Texans in my life.  People were pissed we were losing our Rock Station. 

Station was also interviewing the crowd while spinning tunes.  When they stuck the mic in my face, I said "Disco Still Sucks". Sometimes you can't take the '70's out of the boy.

When the band stopped, the DJ played nothing but the greatest classics for the last 2 hours of the life of the station.  With last song being......   Long Live Rock, by The Who.   What a fun night.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYNWo93fPG8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YJ7FWLE3pU

 

 

[Hoodat]

I think Daryl Hannah rotted his mind. Because his musical career sure went to relative shit afterwards.

No matter how perfect she may seem, there's a guy somewhere else who got tired of putting up with her sh!t.

[Hoodat]

1983  -  The Police, Synchronicity album

Should have won Album of the Year, but lost out to Michael Jackson's Thriller.  There's a lot to be said for three-man bands like RUSH, the Police, Genesis, Grand Funk Railroad, ZZ Top, etc.

O My God (Live, '83)




Miss Gradenko




Synchronicity II (Live, '83)




Every Breath You Take




Wrapped Around Your Finger




Walking In Your Footsteps (Live, '83)

[Hoodat]

1983  -  The Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues album.

Girlfriend is Better (Live, '84)




This Must Be the Place

[Hoodat]

1983  -  Yes

Our Song

[catfish1957]

February 1984 List-

1. Neil Young (No change)
2. Styx (No change)
3. Loverboy (+1)
4. Jackson Browne (-1)
5. Journey (No change)
6. Dire Straits- (No change)
7. Bob Seger (+1)
8. Kansas (+1)
9. ZZ Top (-1)
10. Fleetwood Mac (+6)
11. Police (+4)
12. Big Country (New)
13. Pat Benetar (-3)
14. Led Zeppelin (-3)
15. Rush (-3)
16. Bruce Springsteen (-3)
17.Foreigner (-3)
18. Tom Petty (No change)
19. Boston (-2)
20. English Beat (New)

Seems the themes of late are one hit wonders and nostalgia. 

Big Country- Scottish band used native sounds and roots into their sound.  The tune I have added below, has their guitar almost sounding like how bagpipes would be if added.  The did well in the U.S with their first album, and then pretty much faded.  In the UK OTOH I noticed that all 9 of the works charted in the their Top 100.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19eti8Lf2Zo

English Beat- Another short time '80's English  wuss band, who had good success mostly in the UK.  But you got to give them props having a tune good enough that Pete Townsend asks you, if you can do a cover.  Overall take on this band...  3 and done.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bM0wVjU2-k

Concert: Three Dog Night, February 5, 1984, price of ticket on stub- $7.50- Band nicely did their extensive catalog of hits for a few hours.  In this fit of nostalgia, I noticed I was with a bunch of old people, and the venue had the energy of a nursing home. Found how it was at a Slim Whitman concert.   Second thing I noticed, these weren't the same people I rememberd seeing on the albums 15 years earlier.  But for $7.50 how could you go wrong.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTCyjYjsVc8

Concert:  Night Ranger and Black Sabbath February 10, 1984, price on ticket stub $11.00-  Nostalgia for the month Part II was entirely differently.  Night Ranger was never in my scope, so after hearing Sister Christian, I was pretty much done with interest there.

Wow....  Now came Black Sabbath.  Yeah, they were Ozzyless but seeing Iommi, Ward, and Butler was a joy as they hit the stage.  Then the bricks fell.  Tony and company cranked the Marshall's up to "12", and I was subjected to the loudest 2 hours of my life.  The sets lists were great, as all the early epic classic stuff was covered, along with their newer, but less interesting material.  True story though, when we all left, we all could barely hear other, and had an overbearing ring in our hearing.  And it took 2 days to get it back.

My favorite Sabbath tune?....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xFc86tzFG4

[Hoodat]

1983  -  Iron Maiden

The Trooper