Artists who's debut was their best

[Dark]

I've been thinking about this and a few people have mentioned that Bon Jovi's and Skid Row's debuts were their best albums which they never eclipsed. Does everyone agree with that and who else never matched that magic debut?

[Geoff]

Blue Tears - granted the other albums were collections of demos and a half-assed later release, but debut was definitely in a class of it's own.

 

Harem Scarem - many great albums, but never as good as the debut.

 

Vain - again, all albums are very good, but never as perfect as the debut.

 

Baton Rouge - the other two aren't great.

 

Bangalore Choir - no need for further words.

 

Bulletboys - 'Zaza' is good, but not in the same league as the debut.

 

Crystal Ball - the second one was good, but not as good as their debut.

 

Enuff Z' Nuff - all three of the first ones are good, but debut stands above the other two.

 

Firehouse - still easily their best.

 

Gotthard - original and the best.

 

A few early ones...

[Dark]

Vain and Gotthard i agree with. Good call.

 

I did think about Firehouse but discounted them because their second for me was about as good as the first.

 

Enuff Z Nuff's Strength was the best for me.

 

Haven't heard any Blue Tears and i'm not really a fan of the rest.

 

I'll throw in Guns N Roses and Dan Reed Network and two other bands that aren't really suited to this forum Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium.

[Geoff]

Agree with BFMV and yeah, as long as we're talking about 'Appetite...' and not their EP, I agree with GN'R. Dan Reed, I wouldn't have a clue. All I know is each album had two great ballads but never bothered with the rest of either disc.

[Glen]

Agree with all the above except of course Gotthard. Lip Service is my fav of theirs.

 

Others which I think qualify -

 

Dio - Holy Diver

 

Tyketto - Dont Come Easy

 

Allen / Lande - The Battle

 

Asia - s/t

 

Babylon AD - s/t

 

Boston - s/t

 

Crown of Thorns - s/t

 

Danger Danger

 

Marillion - Script

 

Fish - Vigil

 

Nelson - After The Rain

 

Pride of Lions

[Dark]

Good call on Dio, Allen/Lande, Asia, Babylon AD, Boston, Crown of Thorns.

 

I'm not familiar with Tyketto, Marillion, Fish, Nelson or Pride of Lions.

 

I did think about Danger Danger. Screw It! was a pretty strong release so was a undecided.

[PeterS]

Can't possibly agree on the Marillion. But as you have Fish in there you'll probably disagree they have been a far better band since Hogarth came in so wouldn't agree Season's End is their best.

 

Steve Salas Colourcode first album far and away the best material he's put out.

[zacharyamelie]

Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction (by far the bands best stuff, easily one of the greatest releases ever)

 

Harem Scarem - s/t (love 'em all, but this one is the best of the best)

 

Saigon Kick - s/t (they never made a bad album, other than 'Bastards', but the debut is still my fav)

 

I wanna say Dream Theater because the debut with the other singer doesn't count in my books, they've never topped Images and Words with James Labrie on vocals.

 

Van Halen - s/t (the debut is THE classic release with 1984 not far behind, but they've never made a better release than the debut)

 

Allen / Lande - the Battle (I agree with Glen, all good, but this one is the best one)

 

Wig Wam - Hard To Be A Rock N Roller / 667.. (they are basically the same album, they never topped it and fell apart a few releases later)

 

Honeymoon Suite - s/t (they released some great songs on other albums, but the debut is still their best one)

[Dark]

Hmmm i don't know Steve Salas or Honeymoon Suite.

 

Yeah Van Halen i agree with but Dream Theater i'm unsure about. Each release has it's strong points and the last one was pretty dam good. I think they are about even throughout their career but i'm not massively in to what they do.

 

Haven't heard Saigon Kick in decades! Must re-listen soon and Wig Wam i've only heard Non Stop Rock N Roll which i thought was great so must spin the debut soon!

[Kristian]

Steelheart - 'Tangled' had some good songs on it, but nowhere near the perfection of the debut.

Sven Gali and Wildside are obvious.

[Dark]

Don't know Steelheart yet or Wildside and have only heard Sven Gali's debut which is very good.

 

Can't think of any others at the moment

[Glen]

@ Peter. Original Marillion for me. Classic Marillion. Fish was Marillion pure & simple.

 

@ Z. Wow mate. Disagree intensely re Honeymoon Suite. Big Prize is waaaaay better than the debut.

 

Also i love Wig Wams debut but possibly Wigwamania just pips it??

[Glen]

A few curveballs -

 

Linkin Park. Love the debut, still their best

 

Live. Throwing copper.

 

Robin Beck.

 

Slipknot. Not touched the debut imo

 

Darkness. Debut still the best

 

Hardline

 

Halestorm

[Dark]

Very good call on Linkin Park, that one is obvious! and agree with Hardline and Darkness.

 

I really need to listen to that Robin Beck, i've seen it mentioned in quite a few places.

 

Don't know Live and i'm not really a fan of Halestorm.

 

Slipknot is an interesting one. I've only heard the first three and the debut was great but i also like Vol.3. I'm just not sure whether i like it more than the debut. I will listen to the latest two soon.

[lettard]

Agree with Glen on the wigwamania cd and as for Honeymoon Suite I actually prefer The Big Prize to the debut...

 

for me theres also,

 

James Christian-Rude Awakening(head & shoulders above any of his other solo efforts)

Jesse Strange-s/t

Lionsheart-s/t(steve grimmett)

McQueen Street-s/t

Lynch Mob-Wicked Sensation

Roko-s/t

Unruly Child-s/t

Sweet F.A-Stick To Your Guns

Bad English-s/t

21 Guns-Salute

 

to name a few

[Dark]

Whoa! I only know Bad English and 21 Guns!

 

I agree with Bad English but i liked both 21 Guns albums and i'd have trouble separating them

[Glen]

Steel Panther?

 

Although the other 2 are damned good too.

[Jez]

Besides some of the above, here's a few more ...Some got close, but never bettered.

 

 

Angel - S/T

Autograph - Sign In Please

Axe - S/T

Bad Habit - After Hours

Cony Hatch - S/T

Craaft - S/T

Dare - Out Of The Silence

Drive, She Said - S/T

Frozen Ghost - S/T

Girl - Sheer Greed

Giuffria - S/T

Girlschool - Demolition

Jadis -More Than Meets The Eye

Manowar - Battle Hymns

Montrose - S/T

Motley Crue - Too Fast For Love

Alannah Myles - S/T

New England - S/T

Niagara - Now Or Never

Night Ranger - Dawn Patrol

Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard Of Ozz

John Parr - S/T

Pearl Jam - Ten

Quarterflash - S/T

The Rods - S/T

Rose Tattoo - Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw

Shooting Star - S/T

Talisman - S/T

Talk Of The Town - S/T

Terra Nova - Livin' It Up

Thunder - Backstreet Symphony

Johnny Van Zant Band - No More Dirty Deals

Zappacosta - S/T

[martinsane]

Some good ones in there.

 

Even though I love them all Warrior Soul-Last Decade Dead Century debut is Korey's best work.

 

Junkyard is another that I like all they've done, but the S/T is the better of the lot.

 

If you exclude the Randy Rhodes releases the Metal Health release is their best.

 

Metal Church's S/T is their best although The Dark is a close second.

 

Metallica's Kill 'Em All

 

WASP's debut is their best, even though my favorite song is Blind In Texas...

 

Lizzy Borden's Give "Em The Ax EP is stellar and an amazing intro to a too great band.

 

Armored Saint's 3 song EP is brilliant, but for the major label debut March Of The Saint is their best!

[Geoff]

Wow, this thread got a little crazy. Definitely agree with:

 

Wildside, Sven Gali, Tyketto, Steelheart, Hardline, Robin Beck, McQueen St, Unruly Child, Sweet FA, 21 Guns, Talisman & Talk Of The Town, Giuffria

 

Ones I'm not sure on:

 

Steel Panther, Terra Nova, Night Ranger, Bad Habit, Bad English

 

Dark - what two 21 Guns albums are you talking about??? 'Nothing's Real?' You tripping? Debut slaughters everything else they did.

 

A few I definitely disagree with:

 

Halestorm - Glen, you need to familairise yourself with their full discography!!!

http://www.heavyharmonies.com/cgi-bin/band.cgi?BandNum=1716

 

I agree that the s/t is easily their best album, but it was not their first album.

 

Wig Wam - 'Wig Wamania' is much, much better than the debut, imo.

 

Motley Crue - already discussed in that other thread but I definitely prefer 'Dr Feelgood.'

 

Dare - I do prefer 'Blood from stone,' just.

 

Craaft - their s/t album from 1989 is by miles their best album, imo. Destroys their others by a huge margin. I think it's sometimes called 'Second Honeymoon?'

 

Autograph - I prefer 'Loud & Clear' and 'Missing Pieces.'

[Dark]

This thread has gone crazy

 

Geoff, Nothing's real is my favourite 21 Guns track but you have a point. There isn't anything else on that album i'd listen to again.

 

Autograph. I only have two tracks i regularly listen, one from Sign In Please and one from Loud and Clear. So for me those two albums are on a par with each other.

 

I haven't heard a Steel Panther album all the way through but i plan to change that soon.

 

Metallica's Kill 'em All? Really? I can't agree with that one. Nor can i agree with Motley Crue and W.A.S.P..

 

I agree with Alannah Myles, Ozzy Osbourne, Pearl Jam and Thunder though

 

The rest i'm not familiar enough with

[Geoff]

This thread has gone crazy

 

Geoff, Nothing's real is my favourite 21 Guns track but you have a point. There isn't anything else on that album i'd listen to again.

 

 

Yeah mate, it'd be a lonely opinion if you thought that 'Nothing's Real' was even within about 20% of the debut! Pretty weak album, whilst the debut is a classic of sorts.

 

Oh, and I forgot to mention Roko in my previous post. I think 'Open Invitation' is miles better than their debut.

[Dark]

Alterbridge, their debut was brilliant and they've not matched it since.

[Glen]

Really??! Now the thread has gone crazy. Blackbird is far better imo.

 

As for others....

 

Yeah Steep Panther is a close one but the debut is a classic imo.

 

Night ranger i kind of agree with Geoff. I probably prefer Man in Motion to all others.

 

Dare is pretty close too.

 

And as for Halestorm...my bad.

 

Surely the Bad English debut is better tho....isnt it??

[Dark]

Really??! Now the thread has gone crazy. Blackbird is far better imo.

 

Yes i think so. I like pretty much every track on One Day Remains. It's sound is great and there is a power to it. They've tried to add too much to everything since and it's ruined the sound of the whole. It's hard to explain. It's as if they are trying too hard to be clever