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TheAccountant

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Everything posted by TheAccountant

  1. Page gets my vote. Just more of a gut reaction than anything else I guess.
  2. Worked from home today so that gave me another chance to open the moving box up again. First vinyl out was: Journey - Frontiers This is where I feel it started to go wrong with Journey. The album before this one (Escape) is, IMO, their best album. This took a step back. The creative cracks are starting to show as Neil Schon & Steve Perry wanted to go in different creative directions. I shows even before you listen to the album. Take a look at the cover art. The story I have heard is that they had a huge fight over the title of the album and the artwork. If you look at Journey's prior albums they had one work titles and artwork that is full of bright colors. Steve Perry did not want that. In the end (so the story I heard goes) they compromised. Neil got the title but Perry got creative controls over the artwork. He got the dark colors he wanted vs. the vibrant colors Neil wanted. IMO its a big step in the wrong direction. The next album is the very poor Raised on Radio and their Steve got the title he wanted and controls over the artwork (plus basically he got a lot more control over the music and almost drove the band into a ditch). Although they were headed in the wrong direction the album still has 3 excellent songs (Separate Ways, Send Her My Love & Faithfully). Plus their were 2 deep cuts that were plenary surprises for me (Edge of the Blade Troubled Child). Not great but ok songs. The rest did not do much for me. Still, those 5 good songs are enjoyable. Next album out of the box: Jefferson Starship -Winds of Change First off, excellent cover art. This is why I prefer vinyl - I can appreciate the art which I can't do as much with a CD. As for the album, it has the excellent "Can't Find Love". The rest of it is filler though. Next out of the box: Eddie Money - No Control This is 2 very good songs ("Shakin" & "Think I'm In Love"). Of the 2, I prefer "Think I'm In Love" but I enjoy both. There were a few other decent deep cuts ("Hard Life", "Passing By The Graveyard", & "It Could Happen To You"). The rest is filler IMO. Next out of the box: Boston - Third Stage I remember when this came out. A bunch of us were at college & just hanging out, listening to the radio, drinking a few brews and talking. A song finished playing and the DJ goes "That was the new song from Boston that is the first single from their album thats being released next week." Their was utter chaos in the room. Jaws hit the floor, beer bottles were knocked over, people where going "New Boston?! Did he say new Boston?! OMG!! I can't believe it!! This is incredible!!! I can't believe it!!" It was crazy. Anyway, the album has a number of songs I still like a lot ("Amanda", "We're Ready", "Cool the Engines", & "Can'tcha Say (You Believe in Me)"). The rest are ok. Not like their first album but its still enjoyable. Plus good cover art. Next out of the box: Dokken - Under Lock and Key. Its no Tooth and Nail (the album which preceded it). That I never skip a song on and its just amazing. This was a step back but it still very good. Loaded with some strong songs like "Unchain The Night", "The Hunter", "In My Dreams", "It's Not Love", "Don't Lie To Me". A few other decent songs but it also has some clunkers I always skip like "Lightin' Strikes Again" & "Till The Livin End". I alway skip them. This time I listened and it reminded me why I skip them. Last out of the box: Triumph - Just a Game This is old. The album mentions that its also available on 8 track. The art is nothing special but when you open up the album you get the game inside. Thats awesome & will get back to it in a minute. As for the music its has the awesome "Hold On" & the equally awesome "Lay it on the Line". The other songs are good as well. That brings me to the game. Rules - just a single die and any number of players. There are all kind of blank squares you can land on plus a few that have stars on them. Then their are some with results if you land on them as a result of you dice roll. The goes is to be the first to the final star. But its the squares with results that are so funny. The results include: "Start - From the basement or Garage: "Take a bank loan and start a band - miss a turn" "Amp blows up at important gig - Miss a turn" "You blow away a headliner - cut across" (allows the player to skip a bunch a spaces) "Internal ego hassles - roll a 4 or start again" "You buy a new P.A. Wholesale - roll again" "Visit from Musicians union rep. Miss 1 turn" "First Single Released. Take another turn." "Good music. No gimics, no promos. Mis a turn" "Hit Single - Cur across" "Groupies think you cute! Cut across" "Opening Act blows You Off the Stage - Go back 4 squares." "Bad Reviews! Great publicity! Roll again" "Good Reviews! Who cares? Miss a tuen." "You Get your bank manager laid. Advance to the nearest star!" "Drug Addiction - Rolla 3 to be free" "Sex Scandal! Front page Coverage! Roll Again!" I love this - they just don't make albums like this anymore. .
  3. Thats very hard!!! I have never sat down and figured it out for Rush, who I like more than Priest, much less even thought of trying it for Priest. Well, I will give it a shot. To start the show we will have: The Hellion Electric Eye Heading Out To The Highway Those 3 were easy picks and easy to place at the start of the show. After that I am not certain of the order but the remaining 17 songs would include: Breaking The Law Beyond The Realms of Death Diamonds and Rust Turbo Lover Victim of Changes Devils Child You've Got Another Thing Coming The Free Manalishi (with the two pronged crown) Giants in The Sky Sons of Thunder Crown of Horns Never The Hero's No Surrender Blood Red Skies Dragonaut Judas Rising United That gets me to 20. Might be very mellow for some folks. Yes, I included You've Got Another Thing Coming and Breaking The Law but why not? I like them. No Hell Bent For Leather is painful - that was the hardest song (followed by Ripper, Hell and Back and all of the rest of the Screaming for Vengeance album, followed by the rest of British Steel) to leave out. What about you?
  4. I have it around here someplace. Been a few years since I watched it but I sort of remember that it had a killer set list but that somehow it just did not match up to the energy on either Rising in the East or Battle Cry. In fact, I would say that I recall thinking at that point that they were in decline and a legacy band that was mostly done. Seem to recall I thought it was decent but not Rising in the East. Not close. I picked up Battle Cry as sort of a "well, let me give this a shot." I had actually not picked up the album that they were supporting. I was blown away - esp. during Ritchie Faulkners solo during "You've Got Another Thing Coming". I remember Rob introducing him at the end of the solo to the Wacken crowed and being like "Who is this guy? The reincarnation of Randy Rhodes? Holy spit! I need to watch this again (and again and again and again)" Thats when I realized Priest had something left and I needed to pick up the album they were supporting. I am listening to my entire record / CD / DVD collection as I unpack it following my move but mostly only listen to it when I work from home so it may take several more years for me to get through everything. One of these days I will work my way back to it and give it another viewing.
  5. 100% agree. They were still good & the 2 albums they put out after Rob rejoined are good (Angel is the better of the 2 IMO) but even so they were becoming a legacy band. Then KK left and Richie was a huge addition. The first album with him was good - about as good as Angel IMO. But when I saw the Battle Cry DVD it hit me they had some gas in the tank - that their was something there 2 watch. I was like "To bad KK is gone but this new guy, Ritchie Faulkner, what is he? The reincarnation of Randy Rhodes? This is a band I want to keep listening to. There is something here. They are not done yet". The rest is history - and history that is still being made. I really feel that the HOF made a mistake by not inducting Ritchie. Its his addition that provided Priest with the late career supercharging that helped get them into the HOF. BTW - I liked the positive spin on Ritchie and agree with it. The negative spin would be that KK saved the band by leaving. I would not agree with that. It would be like arguing that John Rutsey saved Rush by getting the boot. Not accurate in either case, nor positive. Much better and accurate to focus on the positive of Ritchie and Neil (and appreciate all that John and KK contributed)
  6. I went with the Steel Mill option (like everybody else so far). I have their first album and I find it to be decent. Nothing special but its ok. Have not found the second album on either vinyl or CD so I have not been able to get it and have not listened to it. I think I herd one or 2 songs on Youtube and they were decent. Ok but nothing special.
  7. Worked from home for part of the day so that gave me a chance to open up my moving box's again and whatever came out got listened to. First out: Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny Good songs, esp. Victim of Changes and Ripper but the production stinks. Thats a major drawback to the album. Next out of the box: Styx - Paradise Theatre Several quite enjoyable songs (Rockin The Paradise, Too Much Time On My Hands, The Best Of Times & Snowblind). Good artwork for the album as well. Enjoyable overall. Next out of the box: The Firm - The Firm This has 2 songs I recall getting airplay (Radioactive & Satisfaction Guaranteed - of the 2 I prefer Satisfaction Guarenteed). Enjoyed them back when the album came out and still do. Also the last song on the album "Midnight Moonlight" was a pleasurable surprise. I did not recall it at all but I enjoyed it. The rest of the album, despite the vocals of Paul Rodgers and Jimmy Pages guitar work, does not do much for me. Last out of the box today: Reo Speedwagon - Wheels are Turnin' This has the excellent "Can't Fight This Feeling" plus the almost as excellent "Live Every Moment". Its also got the very good (but not as good the 2 previously mentioned songs) "I Dowanna Know" & "One Lonely Night". In addition, it has the song "Rock 'N Roll Star". This thing I did not recall at all and it never got airplay but it was rather enjoyable . Plus the albums title track was also enjoyable (again, I did not recall it getting airplay and I did not recall the song). The other songs on the album did not do a lot for me however. My favorite album of the day? The Reo album. Now if only the Priest album had been properly produced.....
  8. Re: Painkiller you nailed it. That is what puts me off. It has its moments but overall no thanks. Sin after Sin - got to admit its been a while since I have listened to it. As I continue to unpack I will find my copy of it and give it another listen. With regards to Rocka Rolla, same thing. Need to find my copy and give it another listen. Been a while. As for Sad Wings - ironically I just pulled it out today and listened to it. Yes, I hear exactly what you are saying. Good songs - I enjoy them but they pale compare to the live versions due to poor production. I seem to recall thinking once "Thank goodness British Steel had the production it had. Its production was way better than the 1970's Priest work. So much of their 1970's work suffers from poor production." So I don't find your comment to be controversial at all - I sort of agree.
  9. Redeemer is the album that really got me back into Priest. Got into them after seeing them on Ram it Down. Collected their older work and loved it. Painkiller was a dud and was not into their Ripper era work. Angel I really enjoyed and Nostradameous was ok but some how I just had the feel that they were a group that was running out of gas. That they were just (mostly) running on the fumes of their past greatness. Enjoyed their live DVD's but they were winding down a great career. Then Redeemer came out and it really impressed me - way more than Nostradameous. Its on par with Angel which was their best work since Ram it Down. Then I picked up the live DVD from their show at Wacken when they played supporting that Redeemer. That show made me really take notice and it convinced me that adding Ritchie Faulkner had added some new gas to the tank. That they were a band that was not just running on fumes - they had something left. For me Redeemer is good and it was a start that got the engine revving up again. What has come since has been special. But no Redeemer then no Firepower etc. One just leads to the others. By the way - all the songs you mentioned get a heck yes from me.
  10. OMG!! I got to see Sabaton years ago in a club in NYC on the opening night of Nightwish's Endless Forms Most Beautiful tour and they were amazing. Never though I would get to see them ago. At the time I said it was like having Priest open for Rush - that was the dynamic in a way. Been hoping to see them again. Thanks for the awesome news!! This is great.
  11. I have long said I thought Firepower was their best album since Screaming For Vengeance and I would rank this on par with Firepower - that high praise in my book. Both are light years better than Painkiller which I rank as perhaps their worst Halford era work. I really don't care for it. So no disagreement here.
  12. I generally like his reviews (guess I must be in the minority here) and this was no exception - plus I thought he really liked the album. He seemed to like all the songs with 2 exceptions and even those he thought were ok. Of course they are 2 songs I really like. O well.
  13. That would be amazing if that held to form in the US!!!! I recall Uriah Heep did open for them over here a few years ago (pre-pandemic) but due to a conflict I could not go to the show. I have a lot of Uriah Helps albums and would like to see them. Saxon is a band that, I am ashamed to say, somehow fell through the cracks with me. Never got into them but recently I had listened to a few of their songs on youtube and was like "These guys are another legendary band I missed out on - now I see what they were a big part of the MWOBHM. Got to explore them some more." Given their history, style of music and that they just released a new album I thought they would be a perfect match to tour with Priest - it was the combo I had in mind to tell the truth. Thanks - now I just have to get tickets and keep my fingers crossed.
  14. I did not notice that (shame on me!!). Now I will just have to go listen to it again - o what a terrible fate (LOL). Actually I just got done listening to the album a 2nd time and Sons of Thunder is emerging (along with Gates of Hell, Crown of Horns, Escape From Reality, Giants In the Sky & Trial by Fire) as one of favorites from the album. Thats a lot of favorites but this is a heck of an album. Also listened to: Dio - Killing the Dragon Good album. No Holy Diver or Last in Line but its decent. Glad I found a vinyl copy. As I said, its my preference and it helps me enjoy the artwork.
  15. Any idea who is opening for them? They are playing my home town in May and I very much want to see them but wondering who will be opening. No, I don't have tickets yet. Last time Queensryche (who I had never seen) opened for them. Hoping its another group I have never seen.
  16. Additional point that was staring me in the face - the art work is excellent. Not just the album cover but also the record jackets. The art work for an album and the physical sensation is a big part of why I prefer vinyl, or, as a back up, CD's. Its part of why I rejected CD's for a long, long time and will still get an album on vinyl if I can. The record industries change from vinyl to CD coincided with my (mostly) stopping my music purchases. Yes = the quality of music dropped off a cliff about the same time but I enjoyed the physical sensation of looking through bins of records and enjoying the artwork. Got many a good album just due to kick-but artwork. Albums I would likely not have found otherwise. This is a very, very good album in every way I can think of.
  17. Judas Priest - Invincible Shield The weather is terrible here in upstate NY. Heavy rain - again, or perhaps I should say still as it seems to never stop - the ground is just water logged. Revolting. Anyway, I don't often sit down with an album on Saturday night but since I picked up the new Priest album I had to make an exception. Others are raving about it. What did I think based on my first listen? First off, what kind of tea is Rob Halford drinking? If anybody knows I would like to find out because I want some of it. My goodness he still has amazing vocals. Ok - not the vocals he had back in the 1980's. But given his age he is awesome. Second thought, the album starts decently with "Panic Attack" and "The Serpent and the King". Both are good songs. Then (IMO) it gets better. Every song after that (my copy of the album has 11 songs on it) is very good. "invisible Shield", "Devil in Disguise", "Gates of Hell", "Crown of Horns", "As God is my Witness", "Trial by Fire", "Escape From Reality', "Sons of Thunder", "Giants in the Sky" - they are all very good. As others have said, for a band this late in their career to put out an album that is this good is impressive. Very impressive. Third thought, their are some excellent guitar solo's all through the album but the album also has some very good drum work. I have said it before and will sy it again - Scott Travis is a very underrated drummer. Fourth thought - is it me or does "Escape From Reality" have a weird vibe to it? I am certain its intentional - it sort of goes with the song. If the other songs have a "Lets have a beer" sort of vibe then this song has a "lets have a joint, or lets try these mushrooms" sort of vibe. Again, I like the song. Just an observation. Fifth thought - the best song on the album is, um, I don't know. To many to pick from. Perhaps the title track, perhaps "Escape from Reality", perhaps "Crown of Horns", perhaps "Sons of thunder", perhaps "Giants in the Sky", perhaps "Gates of Hell", perhaps "Trial by Fire". Good grief - I just mentioned most of the album. Wonderful album.
  18. IMO no - not sacrilege. Not what I would say but to each there own. But I would agree its a good album. Now, from the albums you mentioned I would say Firepower is the best BUT I have yet listened to Invincible Shield. I would however listen to Redeemer and perhaps Nostradamus but would totally skip Painkiller. Its not my cup of tea. Got to admit though - I took off early from work today to find a record store that might have Invincible Shield. I think its the first time I took off early from work to by an album since CA by Rush came out. The first FYE (back in the day this chain was a great record store) did not have it. The second one did not but I found Bruce Dickinson's "The Mandrake Project" so I bought that. While paying I was talking with the cashier and mentioned Invincible Shield. She then told me to go to the comic book store in the same mall and said it had a better record and CD collection then her store. Good advice - got Invincible Shield at the comic book store plus picked up "Killing The Dragon" by Dio. So now I have new (or at least for me new) albums with 3 GREAT singers to listen to when I get the chance. Heck of a good day!!
  19. Just watched this - for a show in 1983 the film quality is excellent but the show itself is just AMAZING. Good lord - its AWESOME. Priest at the best (or at least darn near it),. I first got to see Priest on the Ram It Down tour and that show is, even now, the 2nbd best show I have ever seen (surpassed only by Rush on the VT tour). This is every bit as good as I remember the Ram it Down show as being - maybe better. Thank goodness this was filmed. Just jaw dropping.
  20. Not a monster fan of any of them although I have a number of albums from them. Probably like Jefferson Starship the best. The other 2 are about even for me. The KBC band had one album which has some songs that don't do much for me but it also has "America" which is excellent and "Its Not You, Its Not Me" which is good. Jefferson Airplane gets lots of love just because of "Somebody To Love" and (to a much lesser extent) "White Rabbit" - Airplane's versions are far superior to the versions put out by The Great Society - not that those are anything bad, but they just don't match up to Airplane's version. Not close. Not a fan of Hot Tuna however. Had an album at one time but not certain if I still have it - I might have sold it off. Favorite song from, all these related groups? Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love" followed by "America" from the KBC band (was lucky enough to see them in concert) and then "Jane". Favorite Album? very hard to say - not that big of a fan of any to have ever ranked the albums. What about you? Whats you favorite of these related bands? Got any particular stand out songs? Any particular standout album (since this is an album thread)?
  21. You are on quite the Starship / Jefferson Starship kick aren't you? Any KBC Band on the horizon for you???
  22. Worked at home for part of the day today so that gave me another chance to open up the moving box's again. First out: Ozzy - Diary of a Madman Side 1 with "Over The Mountain", "Flying High Again", "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" and "Believer" is excellent. Side 2 is not as good but its nothing to sneeze at. Very good album. Next out: Jimmy Page - Outrider If you want Page of the late 1980's this is for you. Jason Bonham plays most of the drums on the album. Some songs have vocals and Robert Plant appears on one of the songs- not a plus for me since I don't care for his vocals. Overall the lyrics don't do anything for me. Its a decent album but nothing I am crazy for. Last out for the day: Foreigner - Double Vision The title track is still excellent as is "Hot Blooded" and "Blue Morning, Blue Day". The rest of the album is filler for me.
  23. Worked from home for part of the day today so got a chance to pull out some more records to listen to. First out: Led Zeppelin - Rock & Roll This is a Zeppelin boot. 2 LP album. Not certain when or where it was recorded but at one point Robert Plant talks about the A-5 and traffic so I presume he is talking about a road in England. So I will guess it was recorded in England. The set list consists of the following: Trampled Underfoot Dazed & Confused No Quarter Tangerine That The Way Bron-Y-Aur Stomp Dazed and Confused takes up and entire side of 1 of the albums PLUS about half of another side. No Quarter also takes up an entire album side. Talk about some long songs. Still, its a good show and good quality recording. Next out of the box: Led Zeppelin - Legerdomain Another Zeppelin boot. Another 2 LP album. No idea at all when or where this one was recorded. The set list consists of the following: Rock & Roll Sick Again Over The Hills & Far Away In My Time Of Dying The Song Remains The Same The Rain Song Dazed & Confused Stairway To Heaven Whole Lotta Love Black Dog Heartbreaker Again, a good show and good quality recording (even though I am not a big Zeppelin fan). The fact that their was basically no overlap between the albums made it fun as well. Thats it for the day.
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