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Old school rock music

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17:04 / 31.01.04

I've just recently got around to checking out some AC/DC stuff. I quite like them. Can anyone tell me which are the best albums to check out?

Generally though, what do people think of this kind of music. I'm thinking of the AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Guns n Roses type of thing. When I say kind of music, I mean the kind where the lyrics and the image are quite over the top and maybe a bit silly. I mean, Barbelith seems like the kind of place where people aren't ashamed to like whatever they like. But when you listen to this kind of music, do you listen to it with an attitude of ironic superiority? Or are you happy to experience it for what it is, on its own terms?

What about Iron Maiden? Would anyone here describe themsleves as a fan? I really like some of the songs, 2 Minutes to Midnight, Run to the Hills etc, but they're a bit hard to take seriously, aren't they?

Rizla - if you're around, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

13:58 / 01.02.04

I'm around.

Yeah, obviously Iron Maiden are cool and endlessly entertaining.. the galloping "the horseman cometh!"-style rythyms are my favourite thing about them - "dur-ump dur-ump dur-ump..!" - and aside from that, stupid amounts of lead guitar twiddling, air-raid siren vocals, songs about vikings and battles and the devil and stuff.. I mean, what's not to love??

The 'taking seriously' thing isn't really an issue - their music is so gloriously silly that it's pure entertainment and escapism, and liking them 'seriously' is identical to liking them 'ironically'.. if you see what I mean..

But having said that, there's still zero chance of me, say, buying a record by them for full price.

It's weird how all the kids seem to be into 'Maiden these days.. they (the band I mean) must be pissing themselves with laughter, as after 20 years of being the most un-cool band in the entire world, appealing entirely to 12 year old dungeons & dragons nerdy kids, 'cool' people are suddenly wearing their T-shirts in public and being all like "Yeah, 'Maiden, awesome!" They seem to be having a full-scale resurgence for some reason..

I absolutely love the band 3 Inches of Blood, who are a essentially a hardcore band who have decided to turn themselves into Iron Maiden, playing utterly OTT fantasy saga songs called things like "Headwaters of the River of Blood" and "Skeletal Onslaught", with all the shrieking vocals and guitar mangling of 'Maiden, but with tons more volume and energy and borderline dementia.. a bit of a one-note joke at times, but they still slay me.. how can you waste time arguing the 'ironic or serious?' point in the face of songs that go "Take a broadsword in your hand! / together we shall free the land! / kill the orcs, slay the orcs, destroy the orcs!!"

14:48 / 01.02.04

Moriarty, circa 1987.

14:57 / 01.02.04

I find it hard to believe that wearing an Iron Maiden shirt could ever be considered cool by anyone, even with a sense of irony. It's the most profoundly uncool thing.

Having just written that, I've just noticed Moriarty's post. But I can't retract the statement, I'm sorry.

I had a Metallica t-shirt once which had a picture of an eagle clawing into the earth and blood dripping down. Also fairly uncool, but not quite as bad if I do say so myself. The style of the lettering on a Metallica shirt is a bit more striking. The lettering for Iron Maiden is just blocky and ugly-looking.

how can you waste time arguing the 'ironic or serious?' point in the face of songs that go "Take a broadsword in your hand! / together we shall free the land! / kill the orcs, slay the orcs, destroy the orcs!!"

Well yeah. To listen to. But would you be a fully-signed up, t-shirt wearing, concert-going fan of such a band? That's what I'm driving at with this thread. It's one thing to flirt with such bands, but are you prepared to jump into bed with them?

Apparently, Bruce Dickinson is an airline pilot. I have a friend who's a stewardess, and she met him on a flight. Wierd, huh?

15:00 / 01.02.04

I feel kinda bad now, Moriarty. I started this thread on the pretext of having an open discussion. Then as soon as you let your guard down, I put the boot in. Sorry about that

16:59 / 01.02.04

Don't feel bad. You're talking to a person who started a thread, oh so long ago, titled "Death To False Metal!" I've never, ever been ashamed of my love for hard rock or heavy metal. I'm not about to start now.

But would you be a fully-signed up, t-shirt wearing, concert-going fan of such a band? That's what I'm driving at with this thread. It's one thing to flirt with such bands, but are you prepared to jump into bed with them?

Yes and yes. Without irony, too.

19:05 / 01.02.04

Perhaps you could back that up with a photo circa 2004

All Acting Regiment

20:24 / 01.02.04

The thing is...

You say "old school"- as opposed to "new school"? So, what...Iron Maiden, Sabbath, AC/DC, bersus, I dunno... Linkin Park? Papa Roach? (spits)Lostprophets?

Maybe the old school stuff isn't cool, but it's done with skill, honesty, and let's be hinest here, that "airfix model kit maker" thing you only get with that style of music. It'll always have those qualities, no matter how cool or uncool it is.

21:24 / 01.02.04

The old school/new school distinction I am making is the same as that for hip hop i.e. old school stuff is about having fun and putting on a bit of a show. I'm not sure how to characterise the new school, except that it consistently lacks those things.

The Return Of Rothkoid

00:33 / 02.02.04

I've just recently got around to checking out some AC/DC stuff. I quite like them. Can anyone tell me which are the best albums to check out?

Pretty much anything with Bon Scott on vocals. Oldschool!

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

00:33 / 02.02.04

dude- fuck Maiden. Motorhead ARE metal. Metal IS Motorhead.

uncle retrospective

06:58 / 02.02.04

For Iron Maiden all you need is Live after Death. It's the live album from the World Slavery Tour in '85 and is the best live album ever. "Fuck Maiden"? Stoatie, your dead to me now.
Try Back in Black for AC/DC. It's very, very good.
Anthrax are worth a try, they were brilliant till they changed singers and started to suck hard, try Among the Living.

And on a different note, death to irony clad hipsters wearing metal t-shirts. It's the old hard core metal fan in me, no waering a band shirt cause you like the print but hate the band. These people should be shot with a ball of their own shit.

The resistable rise of Reidcourchie

09:07 / 02.02.04

AC/DC's best album for my money is the Bon Scott era Highway to Hell. For post Bon I suggest checking out Back in Black.

Maiden may be uncool but the sell and fill stadiums like Depeche Mode with no air play whatsoever.

Moterhead of course rock if you're looking a at buyingn the do a best of double album which you can usuually pick up quite cheaply, for my money their early to mid 80's stuff is the best.

Now I'll probably get ridiculed for this but I also suggest you check out Def leppard's second album High'n'Dry, their first is dead funny high scholl garage metal but this is actually very good. It's before they became quite so over produced andd poppy.

A lot of Metallica's graphics are done by Pushead aren't they? I likie Pushead, he draws skulls, a lot. I have a Ministry T-shirt to knackered to wear which I won't throw out because it's by Pushead.

Also I'd suggest WASP. Not shite like Scream Until You Like it and Fuck Like Abeast but their more introspective and thoughtful numbers like Electric Circus, Mean Man, their cover of Real Me and of course their Sinatraesque tribute to the lone star state Blind in Texas. Sadly like most 80's rock they have the sexual politics of Attilla the Hun (If it transpires that you have information to the contrary about Attilla's sexual politics can you please keep it to your self?)

Everyone of course must have a copy of Freaks by Marillion, fanatastic, fantastic song.

Slightly more obscure if you can find it I'd also suggest checking out the Sea Hags.

This isn't old school rock we're talking about, this is new school (NWOBHM). New metal is new, new school (and adding to my theory that we're living the 80's over again). What about Sabbath and Zepplin?

I remember having an e-mail conversation with a friend of mine about New Metal and we were grouching about how shiny and poppy it all was and not proper metal like Maiden or Megadeth. Of course presumably Sabbath and Zepplin fans where having the same discussion in the early 80's.

I could go on forever about this but I should really do some work.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:59 / 02.02.04

Sorry to disappoint ya, uncle ret...

But you ARE bang on the money when you say Anthrax are worth a try, they were brilliant till they changed singers and started to suck hard, try Among the Living.

Among the Living was ACE!!! (Caught in a Mosh, Skeleton in the Closet...) I'd given up on Anthrax many years ago, then I saw them by accident last year and they were fucking brilliant. Scott (not) Ian was having SO much fun... even if they'd been shit, they'd've been worth watching. But in the event, they actually rocked a snow leopard's ass.

15:18 / 02.02.04

This isn't old school rock we're talking about, this is new school (NWOBHM). New metal is new, new school (and adding to my theory that we're living the 80's over again).

Yeah, forget these damn thrash metal kids! Fucking MOUNTAIN, man - now there was a band!

I've been thinking recently about how American punk/indie folk are often heard to complain about the negative conservative influence of 'FM Rock Radio'.. they don't know they're born! Imagine having a station in the UK that played Mountain and Creedence Clearwater Revival and dodgy 70s hard rock all day long - it would be amazing! It would immediately make driving around in cars and being in work about 400% more enjoyable..

What about Sabbath and Zepplin?

Obviously I'm a HUGE fan of Black Sabbath - no jokin' or irony whatsoever - I think their initial run of 70s albums contain some of the most masterful, primal and powerful rock music ever recorded, and anybody who sniggers at them and reckons they're silly or not cool or whatever can, well, fuck off basically.. I think they deserve to be up there in the pantheon alongside the Velvet Underground and the Stooges and so on..

15:56 / 02.02.04

This thread has made me want to go get all my old vinyls out of storage and turn the music up to sickening levels. I remember headbanging! Oh for the return of the moshpits! Sorta makes me want to go all wickerman on Limpbizcuit.

The resistable rise of Reidcourchie

20:51 / 02.02.04

Originally posted by Rizla

"Imagine having a station in the UK that played Mountain and Creedence Clearwater Revival and dodgy 70s hard rock all day long - it would be amazing! It would immediately make driving around in cars and being in work about 400% more enjoyable.."

Yes! But then my earlier post was bigging up Def leppard and WASP so irony may not be my thing.

Just to clarify I wasn't dissing New Metal just pointing out that our musical likes and dislikes are formed loosely due to the time we grow up and we can all be dicks about music some time.

21:17 / 02.02.04

I'd like to apologise for removing Rizla's inverted commas from around the word 'cool'. Left me open for some berating, and no mistake!

Thanks for recommendations everyone. Listened to Highway to Hell today. Great album. Will probably pick up a copy of Live After Death.

And yes, the artwork on my t-shirt was created by the charmingly-named pushead. Never heard of him in any other context.

The resistable rise of Reidcourchie

22:07 / 02.02.04

I believe he's a skater as well as a geezer who draws a lot of skulls. Has a signature deck back when I last took an interest, which was quite some time ago and how come I can remember this shit and not my cousins birthday?

A

03:38 / 03.02.04

Fuck all these bands! Manowar are the only band you need!

04:06 / 03.02.04

'Til the blood on your sword be the blood of a king!
'TIL THE BLOOD ON YOUR HAND BE THE BLOOD OF A KING!

The resistable rise of Reidcourchie

07:02 / 03.02.04

"Tell me about the old times grandfather."

I really don't like Man'o'war.

08:26 / 03.02.04

lol. Lots.

I love the way "Tickets not refundable" is displayed so prominently.

10:16 / 03.02.04

PG certificate?? That doesn't speak of a great deal of Slaying..

11:04 / 03.02.04

True. And what kind of old-school rock fan ever asked for or wanted parental guidance in matters of rock? That’s the kind of thing these sapless ‘nu-skool’ rock fans would do.

Ps I like Wishbone Ash.

The resistable rise of Reidcourchie

12:04 / 03.02.04

Oh my life...er I mean fuck me I didn't realise it was a movie, has anyone seen it. Actually the concept has made me afraid.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:05 / 03.02.04

Manowar hit the nail in the bollocks when they said:

Real men play on 10

13:54 / 03.02.04

Two words: FOG HAT

15:15 / 03.02.04

Imagine having a station in the UK that played Mountain and Creedence Clearwater Revival and dodgy 70s hard rock all day long - it would be amazing! It would immediately make driving around in cars and being in work about 400% more enjoyable

Funnily enough I was listening to Sabbath in the car today, and War Pigs made me drive like a twat.

19:52 / 03.02.04

Two words: FOG HAT

slooow ride...

10:34 / 19.02.04

I'm currently going through a phase where "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" is the only track I really want to listen to. Nothing else quite hits the spot.

It's been such a long time since I've found a song that seems to make pretty much everything else seem redundant.

20:55 / 19.02.04

I love Van Halen. With a passion. They're so exuberant, it's like listening to fireworks. Eddie Van Halen is still God, despite not having recorded anything in years.

I've got a lot of time for Devin Townsend, too. Oh, and Operation Mindcrime rocks more than my hairy tits.

The old school/new school distinction I am making is the same as that for hip hop i.e. old school stuff is about having fun and putting on a bit of a show. I'm not sure how to characterise the new school, except that it consistently lacks those things.

Does it? I hadn't noticed. Exactly which artists are part of this *new school* and how is their music evidence of your argument? For another thread, maybe.

No star here laces

00:18 / 20.02.04

I have no comment on old school rock, but want to back rizla up in saying how much I love US rock radio.

The thing about all that 'classic rock' is that no-one in Britain has ever heard any of it. I remember crusing through florida with the radio on and listening to all this stuff by embarassing bands such as Grand Funk Railroad and loving every minute of it. It all seemed really different and fresh because none of that ever really caught on here. Reminds me of the way people in UK will play Steve Miller tracks in trendy bars, but that would never happen in US...

Danzig: He Pitys the Fool!

20:58 / 04.03.04

Ah ha, a topic I know and love. Is anyone here into Iron Maiden? Yup, it's me waving my arms in the air furiously in order to bring attention to the fact they are legends. There is NO shame in loving Iron Maiden. They are possibly THE best live band on the planet. Don't get me wrong, they had a few duff albums after 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son', but came roaring back last year with 'Dance of Death'. Probably their best album since 'Number of the Beast'(in my opinion of course).

To whoever mentioned Anthrax and their change of singer, you couldn't be more wrong. Anthrax released one of my top five albums of the year last year, and one of their best. They are probably the cheesiest band alive. Yes, Scott Ian does have the most ridiculous beard ever, but hey, that's all part of the fun.

Now I've only skimmed over this thread briefly, but I did also see mention of one of my favourite bands of all time, Megadeth. If ever their was an album with OTT solo's, ridiculous shaped guitars, and even worse hair, whilst being one the best thrash albums ever, it's 'Rust in Peace'. I implore anyone who even remotely likes any old school metal, not to listen to this album.

That's my tuppence for the evening. Thank you and good night. Rock on!

uncle retrospective

06:24 / 05.03.04

I forgot to mention Suicidal Tendencies. They were the shit! The first album "Suicidal Tendencies" sounds like it was recorded in a shed by a moron, but god damn it's fantastic. See where nu metal got the idea. See how much Nu Metal got it wrong. Also try "Feel like shit, controlled by hatred"

If your going to try Megadeath start with Peace Sells but who's buying. Back when Dave knew how to rock hard.

And It may be more punk than metal but the Misfits Earth AD. 28 minutes of pure horror rock madness.
cool.

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