Tag: Led Zeppelin

STEVE PINKERTON

dallas-craneThis fortnight we’re absolutely delighted to have Steve Pinkerton, frontman for super 2000s band The Anyones share with us his top ten records. Nowadays you will find Steve fronting the ever-awesome Ronson Hangup (along with a cast of fine gentlemen!) and also playing the drums for Melbourne legends Dallas Crane. Steve has delivered us some great tunes over the years – look for “Rubin” and the undeniably glorious pop of “Pocket“, both from The Anyones’ self-titled record. In more recent times check out the rollicking “Shades Of Stones” from the Ronson Hangup’s self-titled debut. And whilst on the subject, where is that second Ronson LP?! …Surely can’t be too far away! It promises to be a classic. – LT

Steve: My approach to My Top Ten Albums was to list the albums that had the greatest emotional impact on me in my formative years – I may rate other albums higher but these albums had the powerful combined effect on me of environment, circumstance and time.

 

ALICE COOPER Welcome To My Nightmare (1975)

stevep-acoope-welcomSome of you who associate Alice Cooper with the era of the single “Poison” and beyond may be asking “what the fuck Steve?” (not to mention Alice’s occasional right wing outbursts – although next to Ted Nugent he’s positively Trotsky) but let me tell youse…from ’69 – ’77 Alice Cooper was the perfect mixture of irreverence, horror movie and sensational rock/pop. My older sister Jane introduced me to this – and it certainly had an impact. Originally signed by Frank Zappa to a 3 album deal, by 1974 Alice had essentially gone solo with a sensational backing band (shared with Lou Reed) that included the amazing Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter on guitars and producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Kiss, Lou Reed). Welcome to My Nightmare was a concept album that was also made into a finely crafted theatrical performance. I loved the production, the story line, the guitars, the drums and the songs that ranged from the melancholy (“Only Women Bleed”) to great pop/rock (e.g. “Cold Ethyl” and “Department of Youth”) – oh and a touch of necrophilia.

 

AC/DC High Voltage (1975)

stevep-acdc-highvoMy brother’s birthday present – we gave this album a good flogging and were suitably amazed by Angus’s skills on “Baby Please Don’t Go”, romanced by Bon on “Love Song” and inspired by Phil’s drum roll on “Show Business” (which was one of the first things I learnt to play on drums). My strong memory is playing “She’s Got Balls” over and over just to annoy my Mum (surprisingly she had difficulty hearing Mozart’s influence). My brother was also responsible for introducing me to Slade and ELO.

 

 

ELTON JOHN Greatest Hits (1974)

stevep-ejohn-greateYep dark, gritty, subversive – ok maybe not – my Dad gave me this album on cassette and I fondly remember a beach holiday on Sydney’s central coast where I was rarely seen without my mono tape deck, weighing circa 2 kilos, and single ear piece with this album on high rotation (well it probably took 10 minutes to rewind the tape so perhaps medium rotation). What can I say, wall to wall melodies and lush recordings. It was number 1 in both the US and UK for weeks selling about 17 million. Favourite tracks included “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Bennie and the Jets” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”.

 

KISS Alive! (1975)

stevep-kiss-aliveThere are groundbreaking albums like Bob Dylan’s Blonde On Blonde, The Velvet Underground’s The Velvet Underground and The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds – and then, ahem, there’s Kiss Alive! A gift, this album was really the record that precipitated my love for rock/pop music – I would definitely love to be able to say it was Frank Zappa’s Mothermania but alas. My Dad surprisingly brought this back for us (unsolicited) after a trip to the USA and the first thing I remember was being obsessed with the front cover (outfits, makeup, rock poses, etc). A “live” album, there has always been great debate over how much is actually “live” (some say it’s only Peter Criss’s drum tracks) but this was always irrelevant to me – and regardless, I always enjoyed Elton John’s “Bennie and The Jets” with its deliberate and heavy-handed crowd noise overdub. I particularly loved the tracks “Strutter”, “Black Diamond” and “C’mon and Love Me”. Kiss were big fans of Slade and named the album after Slade’s Slade Alive. Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper) subsequently produced the album Destroyer so you can see there’s a theme to my formative years. Inspired by the New York Dolls (Peter Criss grew up with NYD’s drummer Jerry Nolan), Kiss took the cartoonish theme to a new level – a child’s dream.

 

THE ROLLING STONES It’s Only Rock And Roll (1974)

stevep-rollin-itsonlAs schoolkids my friends and I were obsessed with the Rolling Stones and their albums, bootlegs, movies, etc. Not necessarily my favourite Stones album  – I still love it because it reminds me of my school buddies and Year 12. It was the last album featuring Mick Taylor and was the first produced by Jagger/Richards as the Glimmer Twins. There are two highlights for me – the tracks “It’s Only Rock and Roll” and “Time Waits for No One”, which features a lead break by Mick Taylor that rivals his effort on “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”. The lead break is so familiar to me I think I could sing every note from memory – yet surprisingly it’s a song that the Stones have never played live (possibly because Mick left the band shortly after). Dave Larkin recently revealed to me that he is also a big fan of this track so we give it an occasional butchering at Dallas Crane rehearsal. Just after we had finished Year 12 my best mate Bern and I snuck in (me underage) to the Chevron Hotel on St Kilda Rd to watch John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, which featured members Mick Taylor and John McVie (Fleetwood Mac). We stood directly in front of Mick Taylor in awe – and in total fear of being kicked out. After the show we waited for them to appear and asked for a photo – and they couldn’t have been happier to oblige. The photo featuring a beaming Mick, John, John and Bern is still on my wall. Bern had just received his driver’s licence so we jumped in his mum’s car and chased their minibus down St Kilda Rd –John McVie decided to show off to their entourage and climbed out his window to shake my hand at 80kmh. I still remember Mick Taylor et al in fits of laughter.

 

LINDA RONSTADT Simple Dreams (1977)

stevep-lronst-simpleThis album was essentially forced upon me by stealth by my older sister Jane who flogged it to death at full volume. At that stage I was struggling between the LA sound and British New Wave – and my music collection was favouring the latter. Linda Ronstadt’s subsequent albums also reflected these British influences with songs written by Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe. The songs on Simple Dreams range from tracks written by Buddy Holly (“It’s So Easy”) and The Rolling Stones (“Tumbling Dice”) to my favourite tracks written by Warren Zevon which include “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me” and “Carmelita”.  “Carmelita” resonated with me because it’s indicative of the other 70s 3-minute tragi-romance songs that I was drawn to such as Bad Company’s “Shooting Star”, Rod Stewart’s “Georgie”, Hot Chocolate’s “Emma” (later covered by Urge Overkill) and even John English’s “Hollywood 7” (although admittedly these were a tad more heavy-handed). This certainly inspired the track “Rubin” on The Anyones’ second album.

 

THE BEATLES Revolver (1966)

stevep-beatle-revolvI won’t bother going into another vivisection of this album – suffice to say that as kids we were always surrounded by music (particularly classical music) thanks to my mother – but vocal harmony wasn’t her focus. So when I discovered The Beatles, and in particular Revolver (and Rubber Soul) it opened an amazing new world. I’ve been a sucker for a harmony ever since.

 

 

 

THE JAM Sound Affects (1980)

stevep-jam-soundaMy first band out of school was comprised of my brother Mal and I, Nick Murphy (i.e. the genesis of The Anyones) and also Bern (mentioned above in the Mick Taylor experience) and we were essentially a garage 60’s inspired rock band – The Jam were a significant influence. Sound Affects was an easy transition from Revolver as the track “Start” was almost a ‘lift’ from “Taxman” – but it never bothered me. “That’s Entertainment”, “Boy About Town”, “But I’m Different Now” and “Pretty Green” were other faves. It reminds me of our first gig where some aggrieved patron promptly slashed the tyres of many of the patrons – wasn’t me… promise.

 

THE SMITHS Hatful Of Hollow (1984)

stevep-smiths-hatfulThis album was the soundtrack to my university days, new friendships and tedious first year philosophy conversations. We knew it all – and thought we ruled the world. Morrissey and Marr perfectly framed the experience. In short, brilliant lyrics, melodies and lots of guitars. I was lucky enough to support Morrissey in The Anyones (and he’s been pestering me to be his ‘bestie’ ever since…).

 

 

LED ZEPPELIN Physical Graffiti (1975)

stevep-ledzep-physicIn the 90s I did some backpacking around the Philippines with Nick (The Anyones) and this album was my travel companion (via Walkman). It’s an intimate musical experience when the conditions are rough, the budget tight, the scenery stunning – and mobile phones/internet non-existent. A double album, I was seduced by the dry, powerful production (some tracks recorded on the Rolling Stones Mobile studio) – and, of course, the drumming.

 

 

The Ronson Hangup’s website

Dallas Crane’s website


ASHLEY NAYLOR

ashThis fortnight we have the great man Ashley Naylor, frontman and guitarist for one of Australia’s best ever rock trios, Even. Some sensational album choices with some great insight into his selections on this one. If I had my own list of top ten Aussie albums Even’s Less Is More (1996) would be right up there. Check out one of my all-time favourite songs “Don’t Wait” from the album and listen for the guitar break at 2:11, it’ll send shivers down your spine. You can also look forward to the second LP from one of his many musical projects, The Ronson Hangup in 2016! Enjoy!

 

EXPLOSIVE HITS ‘75

ash-Explosive Hits75This compilation album was a vivid soundtrack to my early childhood. It had John Paul Young, Ross Ryan, AC/DC and Sherbet among others. My absolute favourite track is “You’re No Good” by Linda Ronstadt. It still gives me chills and the play out at the end is one of the greatest moments in rock history. I often search for endings in songs I write which reflect that feeling of melancholy and elation. Even’s track “We Are The Purple Nazz” has an ending purely based on this idea.

 

 

KISS Double Platinum (1978)

ash-kiss-doubleAnother 70s compilation album. Kiss was my first real rock and roll obsession. Everything about them seemed magical. The songs are bulletproof, albeit quite archaic in their content. As a guitar player, listening to and subsequently learning Kiss songs is like learning the musical version of primary colours. Big, bold and strong. I am still fascinated by Kiss.

 

 


LED ZEPPELIN
Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

ash-ledzep-ledzepIVOne night I heard “Black Dog” on the radio and my world changed. I used to tape songs on the radio and was lucky enough to tape this song on 3XY. I later progressed to buying the album on cassette and vinyl and shortly after bought every Zeppelin album, aided by my Mum’s employee discount at the whitegoods company she worked for. One of the stores had a record bar in the front of the shop. Bingo!! I went on an adolescent quest to find bootlegs and clippings and anything related to this band. Although not obviously apparent in the music I create, Led Zeppelin has had a profound influence on me. Led Zeppelin IV is the album that I latched on to as a younger person, along with Houses Of The Holy. I attempted to learn these songs, often barking up the wrong tree. It was later on when albums such as Physical Graffiti and Presence became easier to digest. I think I need another list purely for Led Zeppelin albums…

 

THE BEATLES Rubber Soul (1965)

ash-beatles-rubberIt’s impossible for me to isolate a Beatles album in a varying list of artists but for today I’m putting Rubber Soul on my list. I had a big awakening with The Beatles in the mid-80s. Rubber Soul was one of the first I had bought on vinyl. Prior to this a school mate had taped all their albums for me and my Beatles obsession was in full whack. Their sound is so familiar to me that their influence has become subconscious.

 

 

THE SMITHS The Queen Is Dead (1986)

ash-smiths-queenIn the sonic wasteland of the 80s The Smiths stood out like the proverbial. Although an obviously different sound and vibe from Zep, the similarity to me is The Smiths, like Zep, boast a lineup of four virtuosos. The Beatles members had a lot of crossover with roles but bands like Zep and The Smiths provided me with a formula made up of four basic elements combining, all leading in their own way but not spoiling the broth. Aside from such theoretical rambling, it’s the songs which remain the defining factor in what draws me to an artist or band. The Smiths had such a powerful double-headed songwriting duo in Marr and Morissey it’s almost impossible to fail. The sophistication in Marr’s tunes and the audacity of Morrissey’s words were so fresh and unique. I often marvel at how a band like The Smiths ever existed. My favourite track is the opener, “The Queen Is Dead”. Spikey, punky, epic. Unprecedented music made by a band at the absolute zenith of their alarmingly short career.

 

DAVID BOWIE HUNKY DORY (1971)

ash-davidb-hunkydIt’s difficult to settle on one particular Bowie album for me but HUNKY DORY stands out for many reasons. There is a unique charm to this record, an almost self-effacing humility. In retrospect this album almost seems like the last of the 70s Bowie albums that had no overriding schtick, like Ziggy or Aladdin Sane. It’s just an album full of incredible songs by an artist on the cusp of greatness. His hero-worship songs directed to Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan also give an insight into his world. “Kooks” is about as autobiographical as Bowie was in this period and for me the best song about becoming a parent that I know of. Morrissey would later steal the “throw your homework on to the fire” concept for “Sheila Take A Bow”. HUNKY DORY is an album I recommend to people if they are looking for an entry
point into early 70s Bowie. In my half sleep I was thinking that albums like Ziggy and Diamond Dogs are like a massive night out but HUNKY DORY is like a great weekend in beautiful wilderness, a place one never tires of returning to.

 

THE STONE ROSES The Stone Roses (1989)

topten-stonerosesI waited all of the 80s for this band. I loved The Beatles, Zeppelin and The Smiths but this band was a beautiful psychedelic-punk-groove crystallization of all the things I love about pop and rock music. The songs have bite and swagger and instant classic status. It’s hard for me to think of another album so full of songs I wished I’d written. I once told a friend I want to be Ian Brown AND John Squire, knowing full well this would never be remotely possible. I still have a pile of dusty old NMEs with these boys on the cover. When a lot of my peers around this time were listening to Mudhoney and early Nirvana I was fully entrenched in the world of THE STONE ROSES. Apart from “Hey Jude”, “I Am The Resurrection” is my favourite wig out of all time. As if the song isn’t awesome enough, it segues into one of the greatest endings ever committed to 2-inch tape. One lasting memory for me is the day I bought this album. I caught the tram home and every step I took towards home, my heart and head got lighter. Once the headphones were on my world was transformed. Amen.

 

DAVID CROSBY If I Could Only Remember My Name (1971)

ash-dcrosb-ificouI am a fan of most of the CSN & Y material but Crosby’s solo album from 1971 is something special. It features cameos from many of the key players in that whole Laurel Canyon world of the late 60s and early 70s but these guest appearances from Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash and Grace Slick never overshadow the Crosby vibe. A well-documented love of drugs and firearms does not diminish the beauty, subtlety and focus within this album. He is a one-man choir at times and in other instances a ringleader of freaky guitar jams with all his mates including Jerry Garcia and Neil Young among many others. Crosby’s lyrics are often laden with quasi-hippy idealism but that’s fine by me as they are wry, anti-establishment and to the point. His well-worded pot shots at bureaucrats and government crooks who are (still) ruining the world are set to the backdrop of music that comes from a dreamy brew of rock, folk, jazz and classical. The album’s choral closing piece has been well-documented as a sonic requiem for his deceased girlfriend Christine Hinton. One can only imagine the sensation of hearing this first hand in the studio as Crosby layered vocal after vocal to mesmerising effect. “Laughing” is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever listened to. I often reach for this album to remind myself that rock music can be truly liberating especially when not aimed at a commercial target. Amazing record.

 

MIDNIGHT OIL 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (1982)

ash-midnig-109876As a teenager in the early 80s, I was transfixed by the twin guitar attack of Martin Rotsey and Jim Moginie, as I was later in the 80s by Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes from the Church. The 10,9,8 album was a massive moment in Australian music and I was caught up in the wave like many suburban kids at this time. There was something so powerful about this band at this point in time that I feel blessed to have seen them in 1984, merely two years after 10,9,8 was released. The Oils did not deal in hackneyed songs of love, relationships or clichéd formulaic rock. Their take on any issue was thrust upon the listening public in a unique ideological and musical assault. The depth of their musicality is perfectly captured on this album produced by Nick Launay. No album before or since sounds like this record. I later discovered, aside from Launay’s incredible talent as a producer/engineer, Rob Hirst’s drums were recorded separately from the cymbals on many of the tracks. The isolation of the drums and cymbals on this record add to the clarity and power of the album. The guitars and keyboards majestically weave around each other, sometimes flying in formation, other times jaggedly running parallel and occasionally dissonant but always brilliant. The vocals are layered and each lyric is delivered with maximum commitment, a single word never wasted. Peter Gifford’s bass lines are so melodic and powerful and often improbable. This is not a “live” sounding record but somehow Midnight Oil and Nick Launay captured magic energy that is often elusive in the recording studio. Half the battle is won when the songs are as good as “Only The Strong”, “Read About It”, “Short Memory” and “Scream In Blue”. Many bands would be content to have one of these songs on an album let alone an album full of them. I recently had the pleasure and audacity to tell Peter Garrett that I consider 10,9,8 to be the Australian Sgt. Pepper. Graciously, he did not refute my wild suggestion and went on to tell me how he stayed on in London to mix the record with Nick Launay while the rest of the band flew home to Sydney. I could sense the pride in the work, even after all these years and rightly so. Surprise yourself one day by putting this record on through a quality set of headphones and indulge.

 

THE ALBUMS I COULD NOT FIT IN…
Such is the angst of deciding on a compact list of TEN albums, I have been kindly afforded the luxury of reserving my tenth place for many of the albums I would have put in the list, had the list been longer. For me some acts such as The Beatles, Bowie and Zeppelin require their own list.

THE SMALL FACES – Ogden’s Nutgone Flake
R.E.M – Life’s Rich Pageant, Reckoning, Fables Of the Reconstruction
TEMPLES – Sun Structures
HOODOO GURUS – Mars Needs Guitars, Stoneage Romeos
FUNKADELIC – Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On
THE SHINS – Oh Inverted World
JIMI HENDRIX – Are You Experienced
THE CHURCH – Heyday, The Blurred Crusade.
JONI MITCHELL – Blue
NEIL YOUNG – Decade, After The Goldrush.
THE DOORS – Weird Scenes Inside The Goldmine
THE POSIES – Frosting On The Beater
THE WHO – Who’s Next
BADFINGER – Straight Up
THE ANYONES – Lone Rider
ROBERTA FLACK AND DONNY HATHAWAY – (self titled)
YOU AM I – Hi Fi Way
THE KINKS – Muswell Hillbillies, The Village Green Preservation Society
PRINCE – Around The World In A Day
THE ROLLING STONES – Sticky Fingers, Exile On Main Street, Goats Head Soup.
THE JAM – Sound Effects, Snap!
THE LA’S – (self titled)

 

Even’s website