Lists

The ten songs I like by W.A.S.P the most...

1. Heaven Hung In Black
2. Chainsaw Charlie
3. Never Say Die
4. The Great Misconceptions of Me
5. Forever Free
6. Sleeping (In the Fire)
7. Thunder Red
8. Fallen Under
9. Animal
10. The Real Me

The 80's stuff was a little corny but they really matured and got an edge in 1990, and kept it for the most part.

I was aware of them in the 80's but I didn't bother because there were so many bands at the time, I mean Dokken, Ratt, GNR, Skid Row, Poison, then the heavier stuff like Metallica, Anthrax, etc, and so on. But then one day in the early 90's I picked up Crimson Idol, been into their music since. There's a song I left off the list, newer ballad off of Golgotha but I'll do another of just top ballads down the road.

Today is the 45th anniversary of Steely Dan's iconic masterpiece of an album, The Royal Scam. First released on May 31st 1976, the album has a distinctive jazz rock flair, not unusual for Steely Dan, but fine tuned in this outing. The duo and session musicians compose a dark, seedy, but funky and lively sound to every song on the album. This could be the closest Becker and Fagen ever got to a "concept" album under the Steely Dan brand, as each song on the album has lyrics delving into the seedy underbelly of 20th century society, from drug dealers to adultery to corrupt governments oppressing marginalized groups. The iconic hit "Kid Charlemagne" sports lyrics about the rise and fall of Grateful Dead soundman and LSD kingpin of the 1960s, Owsley Stanley, who's homemade LSD fueled hippie and druggie culture in the last years of the 60s. "The Fez" sports simple repetitive lyrics about the narrator's refusal to elope without his 'Fez' (most agree this to be a metaphor for a condom. Safe sex, kids). "The Caves of Altarmira", about childhood adventure and imagination, and its loss in industrial society. "Don't Take Me Alive", murder, intrigue, manifesto. "Green Earrings", from the perspective a jewel thief with a way with his words. And of course, the title track, "The Royal Scam", about a group of immigrants in the early 20th century coming to bustling New York City in hopes of finding the American Dream they've been promised, only to feel duped and mistreated in royal fashion. The cover was done by artist Larry Zox, meant originally to be the cover of a Van Morrison album before it was rejected. Although, ironically, the cover worked way better thematically when found by Becker and Fagen. The dark, nigh dystopian skyscrapers growing twisted animal heads scowling at a sleeping man in his nightmares, perhaps the kind that haunt the dreams of a poor wandering soul in the slums of New York. 

To one of my favorite albums ever, happy birthday. 

Forgot to mention, most of the content on the first 2 albums was basically stolen from Dave Mustaine after they kicked him out. I get he had alcohol problems at the time but publishing the songs he wrote by himself for the band and getting rich off them without giving him any royalties at all is just pure douchebaggery. And Megadeth ended up having much better and more audible basslines, too. Too bad David Ellefson thought it'd be a smart idea to cheat on his wife of 26 years with a 19 year old he met on the internet, threw both his career and his family's love for him down the toilet. Very talented bassist, too. Shame. I'm not even a big Megadeth fan, but two of my friends are, so situation sucks for them definetly. 

I'd argue Little Richard pioneered glam rock. Sure, most 1950s rock musicians had swagger, Elvis and Berry were full of it. But Richard had a flamboyance to him that became a staple of the genre. Berry probably takes the cake for my favorite 1950s rock musician overall, I don't listen to much Rockabilly but I love Berry, but Richard and Holly also have that fun nature to them. Never was too much of an Elvis fan. My Grandma has seen him 2 or 3 times in concert though, now that's something not many people still alive today have the ability brag about.