When was their peak?

[Dark]

Anthrax for me is Sound Of White Noise & Slayer has to be Reign In Blood or maybe Seasons In The Abyss...although not my cuppa tea

 

Completely agree with that. I've never liked Joey Belladonna so the John Bush era is the best for me. My music taste went solely heavier for a few years but now i can appreciate pretty much all rock and metal. Slayer hit a peak on Seasons in the Abyss for me. Some monster riffs on that record.

[Geoff]

Wot Jez said.

 

Pretty much spot on....although i don't think HOL ever topped their debut imo.

 

And i still have a soft spot for 1987 even though i prefer old school Whitesnake

 

Yeah, I'd basically agree with Jez's list on the bands I know well, with only a couple of minor exceptions:

 

Tesla - for me there's no doubt it'd be 'The great radio controversy' for these guys.

 

Scorpions - I actually don't see a peak in them at all if I'm being honest. I only know their music from 1982 until now, and I like the guys, but I can honestly say there is not one album in there that actually stands out. I think 'Crazy world' for a sec, then probably 'Face the Heat, and then 'Humanity Hour 1.' But honestly, not convinced by any of them. When I get around to rating their discography, I'd bet I don't rate a single of their albums above 70% which, to me, means no peak... yet?

 

House Of Lords - kind of with Glen on this. Although I might personally prefer 'Demons Down' ( honestly don't know), I think the debut was their finest hour and possessed something that none of their albums that followed had.

 

Ratt - to me they have two peaks. You'd have to go without 'Out of the cellar' to be honest, but by jeezus was 'Detonator' a sensational way to round out the decade for them. I'd be content with either of those two but no other. 'Out of the cellar' would be the true answer as it's all Ratt and Desmond Child helped out a lot with 'Detonator,' kind of taking away some of that authentic Ratt sound. But they're still both killer discs.

[Gibbo]

I don't know the Pretty Maids stuff i'm afraid.

 

We've done two of the big four so what about Anthrax and Slayer?

 

Anthrax ... I'd go with 'Persistence Of Time' ... 'Among The Living' was good, but 'PoT' has the edge (I saw them with Iron Maiden at the time of 'PoT', and they were superb!)

 

Slayer ... again, I'm usually swimming against the tide when I say that I think 'South Of Heaven' was their peak ... it combined the nastiness and venom of their earlier material with songs that didn't just fly by at 'however-many-bpm-Lombardo-could-manage' ...

[Gibbo]

 

Wot Jez said.

 

Pretty much spot on....although i don't think HOL ever topped their debut imo.

 

And i still have a soft spot for 1987 even though i prefer old school Whitesnake

 

So is it possible that an artist can have two peaks? and if so who would qualify? Aerosmith, Kiss and Whitesnake?

 

 

I'd certainly agree that Aerosmith have peaked twice (see earlier post! )

 

I'd also say that Van Halen fall into this category ('Fair Warning' and 'Balance' for me, at least)

 

I'm an 'old-school' Whitesnake fan, and not really keen on what they've done since Dave discovered MTV and the bleach bottle, but I know there are some strange people out there who like both incarnations

 

I haven't really listened to KISS properly since the days of 'Animalize' ... apart from the odd song, here and there ...

[Dark]

 

Wot Jez said.

 

Pretty much spot on....although i don't think HOL ever topped their debut imo.

 

And i still have a soft spot for 1987 even though i prefer old school Whitesnake

 

Yeah, I'd basically agree with Jez's list on the bands I know well, with only a couple of minor exceptions:

 

Tesla - for me there's no doubt it'd be 'The great radio controversy' for these guys.

 

Scorpions - I actually don't see a peak in them at all if I'm being honest. I only know their music from 1982 until now, and I like the guys, but I can honestly say there is not one album in there that actually stands out. I think 'Crazy world' for a sec, then probably 'Face the Heat, and then 'Humanity Hour 1.' But honestly, not convinced by any of them. When I get around to rating their discography, I'd bet I don't rate a single of their albums above 70% which, to me, means no peak... yet?

 

House Of Lords - kind of with Glen on this. Although I might personally prefer 'Demons Down' ( honestly don't know), I think the debut was their finest hour and possessed something that none of their albums that followed had.

 

Ratt - to me they have two peaks. You'd have to go without 'Out of the cellar' to be honest, but by jeezus was 'Detonator' a sensational way to round out the decade for them. I'd be content with either of those two but no other. 'Out of the cellar' would be the true answer as it's all Ratt and Desmond Child helped out a lot with 'Detonator,' kind of taking away some of that authentic Ratt sound. But they're still both killer discs.

 

 

That's a good point regarding the Scorpions. Looking over my favourites list i only have three of their tracks on it from three different albums. So no they probably never peaked!

 

I'm certainly looking forward to giving Ratt a listen. Haven't heard 'em in years!

[Dark]

 

I don't know the Pretty Maids stuff i'm afraid.

 

We've done two of the big four so what about Anthrax and Slayer?

 

Anthrax ... I'd go with 'Persistence Of Time' ... 'Among The Living' was good, but 'PoT' has the edge (I saw them with Iron Maiden at the time of 'PoT', and they were superb!)

 

Slayer ... again, I'm usually swimming against the tide when I say that I think 'South Of Heaven' was their peak ... it combined the nastiness and venom of their earlier material with songs that didn't just fly by at 'however-many-bpm-Lombardo-could-manage' ...

 

 

I've never liked PoT. I can see why it would be chosen as their peak though.

 

South of Heaven is a great album and it's difficult to split how good it is with Seasons in the Abyss. Both great.

[Geoff]

 

 

Wot Jez said.

 

Pretty much spot on....although i don't think HOL ever topped their debut imo.

 

And i still have a soft spot for 1987 even though i prefer old school Whitesnake

 

Yeah, I'd basically agree with Jez's list on the bands I know well, with only a couple of minor exceptions:

 

Tesla - for me there's no doubt it'd be 'The great radio controversy' for these guys.

 

Scorpions - I actually don't see a peak in them at all if I'm being honest. I only know their music from 1982 until now, and I like the guys, but I can honestly say there is not one album in there that actually stands out. I think 'Crazy world' for a sec, then probably 'Face the Heat, and then 'Humanity Hour 1.' But honestly, not convinced by any of them. When I get around to rating their discography, I'd bet I don't rate a single of their albums above 70% which, to me, means no peak... yet?

 

House Of Lords - kind of with Glen on this. Although I might personally prefer 'Demons Down' ( honestly don't know), I think the debut was their finest hour and possessed something that none of their albums that followed had.

 

Ratt - to me they have two peaks. You'd have to go without 'Out of the cellar' to be honest, but by jeezus was 'Detonator' a sensational way to round out the decade for them. I'd be content with either of those two but no other. 'Out of the cellar' would be the true answer as it's all Ratt and Desmond Child helped out a lot with 'Detonator,' kind of taking away some of that authentic Ratt sound. But they're still both killer discs.

 

 

That's a good point regarding the Scorpions. Looking over my favourites list i only have three of their tracks on it from three different albums. So no they probably never peaked!

 

I'm certainly looking forward to giving Ratt a listen. Haven't heard 'em in years!

 

 

Yeah, I don't mean for it to be overly negative towards Scorpions. They are pretty consistent in that whole time, and only that one 'Eye II Eye' album is a real shocker. It's just that on the other side of the spectrum, there just really isn't that one special album.

 

As for Pretty Maids, I agree with Glen that there are two peaks, but not on the albums selected. There are two peaks because they were two different bands with only the two core members in common with each version of the band. 'Jump the Gun' is definitely a peak, but my second pick would be 'Spooked.' I like the recent albums, and many that followed 'Spooked,' but to me, 'Spooked' is the peak of the second era of Pretty Maids. And like I say every time, that 100% includes those 3 Jap bonus tracks (two of which are the best songs on the album).

[Glen]

 

 

 

Wot Jez said.

 

Pretty much spot on....although i don't think HOL ever topped their debut imo.

 

And i still have a soft spot for 1987 even though i prefer old school Whitesnake

 

Yeah, I'd basically agree with Jez's list on the bands I know well, with only a couple of minor exceptions:

 

Tesla - for me there's no doubt it'd be 'The great radio controversy' for these guys.

 

Scorpions - I actually don't see a peak in them at all if I'm being honest. I only know their music from 1982 until now, and I like the guys, but I can honestly say there is not one album in there that actually stands out. I think 'Crazy world' for a sec, then probably 'Face the Heat, and then 'Humanity Hour 1.' But honestly, not convinced by any of them. When I get around to rating their discography, I'd bet I don't rate a single of their albums above 70% which, to me, means no peak... yet?

 

House Of Lords - kind of with Glen on this. Although I might personally prefer 'Demons Down' ( honestly don't know), I think the debut was their finest hour and possessed something that none of their albums that followed had.

 

Ratt - to me they have two peaks. You'd have to go without 'Out of the cellar' to be honest, but by jeezus was 'Detonator' a sensational way to round out the decade for them. I'd be content with either of those two but no other. 'Out of the cellar' would be the true answer as it's all Ratt and Desmond Child helped out a lot with 'Detonator,' kind of taking away some of that authentic Ratt sound. But they're still both killer discs.

 

 

That's a good point regarding the Scorpions. Looking over my favourites list i only have three of their tracks on it from three different albums. So no they probably never peaked!

 

I'm certainly looking forward to giving Ratt a listen. Haven't heard 'em in years!

 

 

Yeah, I don't mean for it to be overly negative towards Scorpions. They are pretty consistent in that whole time, and only that one 'Eye II Eye' album is a real shocker. It's just that on the other side of the spectrum, there just really isn't that one special album.

 

As for Pretty Maids, I agree with Glen that there are two peaks, but not on the albums selected. There are two peaks because they were two different bands with only the two core members in common with each version of the band. 'Jump the Gun' is definitely a peak, but my second pick would be 'Spooked.' I like the recent albums, and many that followed 'Spooked,' but to me, 'Spooked' is the peak of the second era of Pretty Maids. And like I say every time, that 100% includes those 3 Jap bonus tracks (two of which are the best songs on the album).

 

 

firstly, backed on Scorps....never really been a fan and cant see what all the fuss is about.

 

Regarding PM - I like Spooked, but I'd take the last 2 albums over that any day of the week.

[Geoff]

I really like both the last albums, but what are the standout songs that compare, even remotely, to a song like 'Never too late,' 'Spooked,' Die with your dreams,' 'Love and a fiction' or 'Live until it hurts?' Is there honestly a single song on the last two albums as good as any of those? I don't believe it.

 

Even taking it one step further, I don't think there's a song as good as 'Hell on high heels,' 'When the angels cry,' 'With these eyes' or 'Loveshine' either (off 'Anything worth doing,' the next CD).

 

To each their own, but I'll be genuinely surprised if you can name songs that good from the last two albums... even if they are both very good CDs.

[Dark]

Ok what about Alice Cooper? Another artist that has a discography that spans era's?

[lettard]

Commerically speaking its probably "Trash"? for me its Constrictor,that was the first album by AC that I heard all the way through at its time of release,I suppose people more into da Coop would go for Billion Dollar Babies? He was never for me though,although I've loved him when I've seen him live,great show

[Gibbo]

Ok what about Alice Cooper? Another artist that has a discography that spans era's?

 

I love da Coop ... although he's had more ups and downs than a whore's underwear ....

 

'Billion Dollar Babies' (when it was still the Alice Cooper BAND)

'Welcome To My Nightmare' (70s solo)

'Constrictor'/'Raise Your Fist And Yell'/'Trash' (80s resurrection)

'The Last Temptation'/'Brutal Planet' (90s/end of the century)

'Along Came A Spider'/'Welcome 2 My Nightmare' ...

 

Damn! This is a hard one!

[Dark]

Yep, it's a hard one alright! Mr Cooper is loved by one of my uncles who has been to see him many times. I remember hearing the early stuff when i was really young.

 

I'll go with Billion Dollar Babies and Trash. Although Hey Stoopid was pretty damn good too at the time and Welcome 2 My Nightmare was a very good sequel to the original.

[Glen]

I really like both the last albums, but what are the standout songs that compare, even remotely, to a song like 'Never too late,' 'Spooked,' Die with your dreams,' 'Love and a fiction' or 'Live until it hurts?' Is there honestly a single song on the last two albums as good as any of those? I don't believe it.

 

Even taking it one step further, I don't think there's a song as good as 'Hell on high heels,' 'When the angels cry,' 'With these eyes' or 'Loveshine' either (off 'Anything worth doing,' the next CD).

 

To each their own, but I'll be genuinely surprised if you can name songs that good from the last two albums... even if they are both very good CDs.

 

 

To be honest mate, I know you always rave on about those particular songs, but with the exception of Hell On High Heels (which I think is the best PM song period) I dont think any of others are any better than most other PM songs - esp most of those populating the last 2 albums. So to each their own on that............

 

Also I rated Jump The Gun last night - great album as I knew (bit over produced if I'm honest....probably to smooth over Ronnie's vocals), but man that last song is diabolical.....drags down the score which is a shame.

[Glen]

 

Wot Jez said.

 

Pretty much spot on....although i don't think HOL ever topped their debut imo.

 

And i still have a soft spot for 1987 even though i prefer old school Whitesnake

 

 

 

Ratt - to me they have two peaks. You'd have to go without 'Out of the cellar' to be honest, but by jeezus was 'Detonator' a sensational way to round out the decade for them. I'd be content with either of those two but no other. 'Out of the cellar' would be the true answer as it's all Ratt and Desmond Child helped out a lot with 'Detonator,' kind of taking away some of that authentic Ratt sound. But they're still both killer discs.

 

 

I rated Detonator this morning - it's a very good album, but no world beater. 82% which will leave it back in the pack in 1990.

[Geoff]

@ Glen - with regard to PM... if you don't rate those songs; fair enough. To me they are a very large class above a lot of their output, and all of their output since those two albums. But that's in my opinion, I guess. Surprised you like the band but don't appreciate how amazing those tunes are.

 

As for 'Detonator,' in the scheme of things for 1990, I'd agree there will probably be a lot of better albums. But within Ratt's discography, for me, it is easily their best or 2nd best album. 82% would probably be close to the mark due to the 4 weaker songs on the disc.

[Nightrain]

I think 82% is too low for 'Detonator'. I really love that album and RATT's early era so I'm gonna go with over 90% for that one and guess their best album ever made

[DaHun72]

Out of the Cellar is definitely their best imo. However detonator is definitely the next best. The other releases were too patchy. The downside I find with detonator is the Desmond Child effect - I sometimes find the tunes he penned as too catchy and therefore irritating. This is a mood thing tho and I really rate this cd.

[Glen]

I think 82% is too low for 'Detonator'. I really love that album and RATT's early era so I'm gonna go with over 90% for that one and guess their best album ever made

 

82% is spot on for Detonator believe me ;-)

[Geoff]

With regard to this whole peak thing, what about Dirty Looks? Anyone disagree that their peak was 'Cool from the wire?' I believe 'Turn of the screw' was their highest seller, but for me 'Cool from the Wire' is where it's all at.

[Glen]

With regard to this whole peak thing, what about Dirty Looks? Anyone disagree that their peak was 'Cool from the wire?' I believe 'Turn of the screw' was their highest seller, but for me 'Cool from the Wire' is where it's all at.

 

That and Five Easy Pieces

[Geoff]

 

With regard to this whole peak thing, what about Dirty Looks? Anyone disagree that their peak was 'Cool from the wire?' I believe 'Turn of the screw' was their highest seller, but for me 'Cool from the Wire' is where it's all at.

 

That and Five Easy Pieces

 

 

Yeah, that's my second favourite album too. For the record, here's how I rated their discography.

 

1. Dirty Looks - Cool From The Wire - 79

2. Dirty Looks - Five Easy Pieces - 74

3. Dirty Looks - I Want More - 74

4. Dirty Looks - Turn Of The Screw - 74

5. Dirty Looks - Bootlegs - 73

6. Dirty Looks - In Your Face - 72

7. Dirty Looks - California Free Ride - 72

8. Dirty Looks - One Bag Leg - 72

9. Dirty Looks - Superdeluxe - 71

10. Dirty Looks - Gasoline - 70

11. Dirty Looks - Chewing On The Bit - 70

12. Dirty Looks - I.C.U - 69

13. Dirty Looks - Dirty Looks - 64

14. Dirty Looks - Dirty Looks (EP) - 64

15. Dirty Looks - Rip It Out! - 63

[Dark]

I've only heard I.C.U. but from those ratings it looks like they don't have a killer album in their discography

[lettard]

Hmmm I love Turn Of The Screw,although Cool From The Wire & Five Easy Pieces are pretty good also,so commercial peak Screw & musical peak Cool

[Glen]

I've only heard I.C.U. but from those ratings it looks like they don't have a killer album in their discography

Actually just had a quick skip through. Geoff's rating for 5 easy pieces is about right - only a couple of really good tracks on that. Cool from the wire is too low tho. I reckon that could easily hit mid 80s and is a very good album.