Rock Evolution – The History of Rock & Roll - 1984 - (page 198)

[Protein Junkie]

Now I know what you mean, but I feel moved to pick up my pen in defence of early Yes. I've always preferred the Yes Album to either Fragile or Close to the Edge (don't know the first, eponymous album or Time and a Word, I'm afraid — must give them a listen some time), and the reason is that it's got a balsyness to it in the middle of the Anderson warble. Shit, that passage from “I've seen all good people” downright swings. Even the iron fisted whimsical hippy gets into the spirit of it at times, riding along on the surge of the bass and drums. Because the key is there, I think — Bruford and Squire knew how to rock, and how to swing. It's noteworthy that Squire's Ricky is very forward in the final mix.

Please don’t get me wrong. I have both feet firmly in the “No Anderson,no Yes” camp.
My gripe with him is purely for the dreamy,whimsical shite lyrics he conjured up for “Circus of Heaven” and most of the abandoned “Paris Tapes”.
My love for Yes was new and flourishing at the time of Tormato and he single handedly almost killed it.
1970-1977 Yes is my all time favourite and as Sadders says , live they were an absolute beast.

 

[mancity111]

He's already had plenty of mentions on this thread, and although I don't think The River album is up to the standard of the other classic-era Bruce albums, the title track is probably his finest moment.

Huey Lewis & The News were the first band I saw in concert, and although that would be six years down the line, they got off the mark with their debut album in 1980. Although not a band associated with punk, you can hear the energy in this selection that Huey Lewis took from his time in London in the 70s playing with country rock band Clover.

Another band featuring heavily on this thread, but loved by only a small number of us, Rush produced one of their signature singles in 1980.

And finally, with the addition of Neil Finn to the line-up, Split Enz got a bit more poppy and produced their most well-known single.

"The River" - Bruce Springsteen

"Some of My Lies Are True (Sooner or Later)" - Huey Lewis & The News

"The Spirit of Radio" - Rush

"I Got You" - Split Enz

Rob I was going to suggest I Hope I Never from the same album which for some reason they wanted to coincide time wise to the second to.

I read somewhere that Tim Finn said this track was probably when his songwriting reached a peak although I prefer their early albums for their humor , energy and nuance albeit much of it never played on radio and most on hear wouldn't have heard of the material Mental Notes through to Frenzy which I strongly suggest you listen to.

True Colors was their first album that gave them Commercial Success and introduced them to the Northern Hemisphere.

Not my favorite album of their excellent catalogue by some margin but nevertheless it more than deserves to have a song on the playlist.

I know you are a big fan of Neil Finn and his influence and change of direction is plain for all to see that knew them before Neil joined the band but I will add a second song from this album to the playlist to contrast the writing styles of the two brothers.

Poor Boy - Split Enz.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Yes live were a very different band and they could rock with the best of them.

1970-1977 Yes is my all time favourite and as Sadders says , live they were an absolute beast.

And I am well placed to know so, because I was lucky enough to see them at the FTH. It couldn't have been later than ’72, because most of the set was off the Yes Album.
It's also the only time I got into the FTH for free — not quite sure how I managed it, the old geezers inside on those glass doors were sometimes not very vigilant. I think it was sold out, but I went along on spec (and there were one or two empty seats dotted about). Don't worry, I'm not a freeloader by nature.

 

[RobMCFC]

Rob I was going to suggest I Hope I Never from the same album which for some reason they wanted to coincide time wise to the second to.

I read somewhere that Tim Finn said this track was probably when his songwriting reached a peak although I prefer their early albums for their humor , energy and nuance albeit much of it never played on radio and most on hear wouldn't have heard of the material Mental Notes through to Frenzy which I strongly suggest you listen to.

True Colors was their first album that gave them Commercial Success and introduced them to the Northern Hemisphere.

Not my favorite album of their excellent catalogue by some margin but nevertheless it more than deserves to have a song on the playlist.

I know you are a big fan of Neil Finn and his influence and change of direction is plain for all to see that new them before Neil joined the band but I will add a second song from this album to the playlist to contrast the writing styles of the two brothers.

Poor Boy - Split Enz.

That's also a good choice. And although it's got atonal singing, and therefore goes against my general pattern, a do like "Shark Attack".

 

[BimboBob]

Let's wade in with my initial four now...I've had enough of you rock dinosaurs...

Embarrassment - Madness

A cheerful ditty about parents reaction to a mixed relationship.

A Forest - The Cure

A very simple build up and song, but also very atmospheric.

Turning Japanese - The Vapours

A song about rejection.

The Royal Mile - Gerry Rafferty

A song about being lost, found and then leaving.


Oooh look...no NEW WAVE...

 

[RobMCFC]

Let's wade in with my initial four now...I've had enough of you rock dinosaurs...

Embarrassment - Madness

A cheerful ditty about parents reaction to a mixed relationship.

A Forest - The Cure

A very simple build up and song, but also very atmospheric.

Turning Japanese - The Vapours

A song about rejection.

The Royal Mile - Gerry Rafferty

A song about being lost, found and then leaving.


Oooh look...no NEW WAVE...

There’s not enough rock dinosaurage in this playlist yet. Plenty of wobbly, atonal vocals though.

 

[BimboBob]

There’s not enough rock dinosaurage in this playlist yet. Plenty of wobbly, atonal vocals though.

Obviously tongue in cheek as I love my rock.

 

[homerdog]

Iron Maiden are an exemplar of the NWOBHM. I was a Sounds reader, which hadn't taken the same path as the NME, who seemed to hate anything not associated with the punk/new wave movement.
I've picked a song that wasn't on their debut album, but which was originally released on the "Metal For Muthas" compilation. This version is different, released as a single in May 1980 and is notable for its cover depiction of their mascot 'Eddie' standing with a bloodied knife over the body of Maggie, the 'Iron Maiden', Thatcher. Later versions blanked out her eyes, apparently as a deliberate move to cause controversy. I've still got the original uncensored version somewhere in the attic.

Sanctuary - Iron Maiden

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

Great write up again @threespires and some great choices in there.

Back In Black is my favourite - absolutely love that album! Bon Scott was a legend and had a real cheeky cockiness in his voice, but I can't imagine anyone else but Brian Johnson belting this track out. It's a solid-gold rock monster. That riff and the swagger through the whole track is incredible and can rival any rock track from any era!!

Here's a few nominations:

Motorhead - Fast and Loose

The Ace of Spades is an utter classic, but this is more of the same and pure Motorhead. Fast, sloppy, frantic and absolute genius.

Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder

One of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard and such a joyous tribute to Martin Luther King. This is the songs we always play in our house when people wake up on their birthday so it's got a really special double-meaning for us.

Steely Dan - Glamour Profession

I could've picked most tracks off this album but this is one of my favourite SD tracks.

The Korgis - Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime

One of those songs when you first heard it where time just seems to stand still. Utterly beautiful.

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

A quintuple Like for you Sir.
I remember the announcement that Horn and Downes were joining Yes. I also remember buying the album and like you I was impressed with those same three tracks.
Gone with the wishy wasnt,fairies at the bottom of the garden and a new turbo charged Yes appeared.
I am also going to pick a Chris Squire driven track with some outstanding bass coupled with that symphonic grand feel.
Does It Really happen -Yes

That was second on my list, and I'm glad you snagged it as it really is worthy of inclusion.

And given you also got the 2nd Rush, but not my pick from that album (thankfully ;-), I will have to spread mine out a bit.

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

If I were to find a 3rd iconic opening song off an album to go along with AC/DC and Rush in 1980, to me, it would have to be from this band.

They would later become the the biggest band in the 1980's, and it all got started with the sound of that unmistakable guitar riff to lead off this song and those drums that set the pace to this song. This album had the drummer playing in a stairwell, and recording smashed bottles and cutlery skimmed against a spinning bicycle wheel as recorded with their producer Steve Lillywhite.

Whatever you thought of this band by the 1990s, you can't deny the post-punk alternative music that Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullin Jr. put together in their debut offering out of Ireland.

Introducing a band for the first time to this thread is an honor, and Boy, is it especially with this one.

"I Will Follow" - U2

I was looking at myself
I was blind, I could not see

 

[peter.evans]

Great write up again @threespires and some great choices in there.

Back In Black is my favourite - absolutely love that album! Bon Scott was a legend and had a real cheeky cockiness in his voice, but I can't imagine anyone else but Brian Johnson belting this track out. It's a solid-gold rock monster. That riff and the swagger through the whole track is incredible and can rival any rock track from any era!!

Here's a few nominations:

Motorhead - Fast and Loose

The Ace of Spades is an utter classic, but this is more of the same and pure Motorhead. Fast, sloppy, frantic and absolute genius.

Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder

One of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard and such a joyous tribute to Martin Luther King. This is the songs we always play in our house when people wake up on their birthday so it's got a really special double-meaning for us.

Steely Dan - Glamour Profession

I could've picked most tracks off this album but this is one of my favourite SD tracks.

The Korgis - Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime

One of those songs when you first heard it where time just seems to stand still. Utterly beautiful.

Some fine choices.The fade on Glamour Profession is one of the greatest in the history of popular music !

 

[OB1]

1980 was the year I started my first job and as such was able to spend a lot of money on vinyl albums. I really think this was accidental in terms of the number of high-quality releases during this year.

The Story of 1980 Yes has been covered elsewhere but let’s not forget that the band also released the brilliant double live album “Yesshows” and former guru Jon Anderson released his second solo album “Song of Seven”.

Already mentioned are the quad of behemoths namely “Back in Black”, “Women and Children first”, “British Steel” and “Permanent Waves”. All purchased by PJ at the time.

REO Speedwagon hit a rich vein of form with “HI Fidelity” spawning a couple of massive hits with “Keep on loving you” and “Take it on the run”. Heart and Joan Jett also continued their surge with “Bebe Le Strange” and “Bad Reputation” respectively. Pat Benatar released “Crimes of Passion.”

At home, Kate Bush released “Never forever” which included the eclectic mix of hit singles namely “Babooshka”, “Army Dreamers” and “Breathing”. In Europe, The Scorpions increased their fame with the follow up to Lovedrive namely “Animal Magnetism”.

Another seismic shift in the world of Rock was the inclusion of Ronnie James Dio for the Black Sabbath release “Heaven and Hell.”

Three other choices

Black Sabbath – Neon Knights

Pat Benatar – Hit me with your Best Shot

Rush - Freewill

That has saved me a few picks.

 

[OB1]

And I am well placed to know so, because I was lucky enough to see them at the FTH. It couldn't have been later than ’72, because most of the set was off the Yes Album.
It's also the only time I got into the FTH for free — not quite sure how I managed it, the old geezers inside on those glass doors were sometimes not very vigilant. I think it was sold out, but I went along on spec (and there were one or two empty seats dotted about). Don't worry, I'm not a freeloader by nature.

Yes Album is my favourite studio album from that era of Yes.

I didn't see them live until 1977.

 

[OB1]

Trade seems quiet so I will drop another pick in. This is not a hard rock number, it is Roxy Music: Oh Yeah.

Not sure when my love of this track commenced, it may or may not have been in 1979. I didn’t own the album with it on until much later but I knew the song from on the radio. For reasons, I cannot explain, it is a song that sparks a strong emotional response in me. It didn’t make my top 20 songs when I last compiled one but, on another day, it could have done, which is a measure of how much I like it.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Again, not my favourite musical year. Albums that I liked pretty sparse on the ground.
Peter Gabriel's melt album already mentioned although I think @threespires forgot to mention that it was developed because Gabriel had banned the two drummers (Phil and someone else who's name I can't be arsed looking up) using cymbals on the recording. Steve Lillywhite had actually used the technique first with Siouxie and the Banshees.

The album caused Atlantic to drop Gabriel as they considered it 'not commercial enough'. Gabriel said of the matter "Ahmet Ertegun said, 'What do people in America care about this guy in South Africa?' and 'Has Peter been in a mental hospital?' because there was this very weird track called 'Lead a Normal Life'. They thought I'd had a breakdown and recorded a piece of crap ... I thought I'd really found myself on that record, and then someone just squashes it. I went through some primordial rejection issues."

Lots of great tracks. Personally Biko is not one of my favourites. I'm not a huge lover of protest songs (lets all wave arms slowly and pretend we understand and deeply care the politics involved). I thought about including 'Intruder' because of the gated drums but instead have chosen 'Family Snapshot'. I still can't decide whether the lyrics are trite or brilliant but I remember at the time I thought they were very good. The dynamic tension of the song was excellent.

Kate Bush's Never Forever which was her third studio album, her first No1 album and the first album by a British female artist to top the charts (also the first female artist to enter the charts at No 1). It included three singles, the slightly deranged but fun Babooshka (which should still form the basis of Marmoush's song - what a tap in missed that one. How cool would it have been 60,000 belting out Kate Bush). Army Dreamers and Breathing. For the playlist, I choose the latter.

My third pick I will return to Bruces, The River. Initially intended to be a single album, Springsteen wanted to capture the sound of the live E Street Band and Steve Van Zandt helped witht he production of it. As I said, I love the variety of 'party songs and more introspective ballads. The final double album has far more of a 'garage' feel to it than Born to Run. I had a tape of the album that I played until it was completely worn and went the way of most tapes. Mangled in someones car cassette player. I have chosen 'Point Blank' because it pointed at the work he would do on "Nebraska'. Its a song written to an ex who is dying and is rather beautiful.

Peter Gabriel - Family Snapshot
Kate Bush - Breathing
Bruce Springsteen - Point Blank

 

[BimboBob]

Let's chuck another in the mix.

Nightporter - Japan

My favourite song of theirs.

 

[lastmanback]

Johnny and Mary - Robert Palmer.
All the way from America - Joan Armstrong
generals and majors - XTC
Give me the night - George Benson.
A few of my old favourites.

 

[OB1]

Again, not my favourite musical year. Albums that I liked pretty sparse on the ground.
Peter Gabriel's melt album already mentioned although I think @threespires forgot to mention that it was developed because Gabriel had banned the two drummers (Phil and someone else who's name I can't be arsed looking up) using cymbals on the recording. Steve Lillywhite had actually used the technique first with Siouxie and the Banshees.

The album caused Atlantic to drop Gabriel as they considered it 'not commercial enough'. Gabriel said of the matter "Ahmet Ertegun said, 'What do people in America care about this guy in South Africa?' and 'Has Peter been in a mental hospital?' because there was this very weird track called 'Lead a Normal Life'. They thought I'd had a breakdown and recorded a piece of crap ... I thought I'd really found myself on that record, and then someone just squashes it. I went through some primordial rejection issues."

Lots of great tracks. Personally Biko is not one of my favourites. I'm not a huge lover of protest songs (lets all wave arms slowly and pretend we understand and deeply care the politics involved). I thought about including 'Intruder' because of the gated drums but instead have chosen 'Family Snapshot'. I still can't decide whether the lyrics are trite or brilliant but I remember at the time I thought they were very good. The dynamic tension of the song was excellent.

Kate Bush's Never Forever which was her third studio album, her first No1 album and the first album by a British female artist to top the charts (also the first female artist to enter the charts at No 1). It included three singles, the slightly deranged but fun Babooshka (which should still form the basis of Marmoush's song - what a tap in missed that one. How cool would it have been 60,000 belting out Kate Bush). Army Dreamers and Breathing. For the playlist, I choose the latter.

My third pick I will return to Bruces, The River. Initially intended to be a single album, Springsteen wanted to capture the sound of the live E Street Band and Steve Van Zandt helped witht he production of it. As I said, I love the variety of 'party songs and more introspective ballads. The final double album has far more of a 'garage' feel to it than Born to Run. I had a tape of the album that I played until it was completely worn and went the way of most tapes. Mangled in someones car cassette player. I have chosen 'Point Blank' because it pointed at the work he would do on "Nebraska'. Its a song written to an ex who is dying and is rather beautiful.

Peter Gabriel - Family Snapshot
Kate Bush - Breathing
Bruce Springsteen - Point Blank

Played the Gabriel album the other day and it is rather good. Several tracks went onto my personal 1980 playlist.

Played “The River” too but mostly went for the party tracks. Mind, there’s not many Bruce tracks that I don’t like much.

 

[Keith Moon]

Best thread on Blue Moon.

Here's a bunch from 1980 that I still love..

• Pete Townshend – Let My Love Open the Door
• The Fall – Totally Wired
• Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – Bad Reputation
• Devo – Whip It
• John Lennon – Watching the Wheels
• Bob Marley – Redemption Song
• The Cramps – I Was a Teenage Werewolf
• Madness – Baggy Trousers
• ABBA – The Winner Takes It All