So far it’s been a relatively simple task. Buried in my brain are a large number of
themes both conscious (i.e the theme has occurred to me but I haven’t acted
upon it) and unconscious (i.e the theme dawns on me with the selection of the
album). Today’s theme is a
representative example of the latter. If I sat down at a kitchen table with pen
and paper and were to write down as many ideas for playlists purely off the top
of my head, this one would probably not emerge.
However, once I had to think about a theme to accompany today’s starting
point, the theme emerged within 10 – 15 seconds.
Today’s theme acknowledges the album released by major acts
that immediately preceded the one that launched the act in question (or, in one
instance, a version of an already veteran group) into the stratosphere. Invariably but not always, the fate of these
albums is that they’ve overlooked or, more often, undervalued in appraisals of
its merits to the big one and there are certainly some instances of that
occurring here. Some examples of albums
that would have fitted this criterion had I not already played them this year
include Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger (the one before Superunknown), Nirvana’s
Bleach (Nevermind’s screaming baby brother), Talking Heads’ Fear Of Music (the
predecessor to Remain In Light) and Pink Floyd’s Meddle (next stop, The Dark
Side Of The Room). In fact, it could
almost be argued that Pink Floyd have two
candidates, the other being Animals, the often overlooked little brother to The
Wall.
Pink Floyd apart, not everyone would necessarily agree with
these examples or today’s playlist. Just
looking over the aforesaid examples, I know some would nominate Soundgarden’s
Louder Than Love as it was Badmotorfinger that really brought the a measure of popularity. And some would argue that Fear O Music provided
Talking Heads with their first real meal ticket. I wouldn’t disagree with either view, hence,
my concept of the act being launched into the stratosphere. What I’m getting at here are albums that have
established the firm base for the act both commercially and critically; the
ones that left them on the precipice of the truly big time; the one before
literally the world caught on.
And this leads to some problems in selecting good
examples. Some bands don’t meet the
criterion because they hit the bullseye with their debut, The Beatles, The
Doors and Pearl Jam, being great examples here. But what is more problematical are acts
which experienced a steady climb to superstardom with any real massive leap in
sales. It is often said, for example,
that each R.E.M album up to and including, I think, Out Of Time, doubled the
sales figures of its predecessor. So
which was the big one? Other acts that
posed similar problems to me included, The Rolling Stones, U2, Roxy Music,
Steely Dan and a great many others.
But I did include:
(# 517) The Red Hot
Chili Peppers – Mother’s Milk (1989)
Album number four was their first with both John Frusciante
on guitar and Chad Smith on drums. It is
very much a transitional album but which at least moved them away from being regarded as a cult act. Some tracks, especially Subway To Venus, Magic Johnson and Punk Rock
Classic are reminiscent of the previous good time party boys. But the album’s highlights – their wondrous
cover of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground, the infectious single Knock Me Down,
the furious Taste The Pain and their take on Hendrix’s Fire – pointed the way
to mega stardom that they were to achieve with the next album
BloodSugarSexMagic.
(# 518) Fleetwood Mac
– Fleetwood Mac (1975)The first four tracks of this album announced what was in effect the debut of a new band. Opening track Monday Morning and third track Blue Letter introduced fans to the sunny Californian sounds of new member Lindsey Buckingham and the fourth track, the unforgettable Rhiannon, provided the world with an introduction to Stevie Nicks. Fortunately for any confused listeners, Christine McVie was still around to provide soothing reassurance with her contribution of the classy trio of Say You Love Me, Over My Head and Warm Ways. But it was the way the band clicked together on World Turning and the final track I’m So Afraid that one can hear elements The Chain, the track that would provide the glue that held their next album – the multimillion selling Rumours – together.
(# 519) Radiohead –
The Bends (1995)
Planet Telex, the title track and High And Dry provided the
solid start that indicated Radiohead had already made great strides from their
debut album Pablo Honey. But it was the
superb Fake Plastic Trees that raised the album to another level and really
made people sit up and listen. Remaining
tracks including the propulsive Bones, the intriguing Just and the effective
closer Street Spirit (Fade Out) made listeners realise that something special
was brewing. Peppered throughout the
album are many of the touches that would emerge fully blown in its successor,
OK Computer. Whilst that album was to
massively outsell this and jag unanimous critical acclaim, I still favour The
Bends as it seems to contain an emotional pull which OK Computer lacks.
(# 520) Split Enz –
Frenzy (1979)
And now to a local example.
Prior to the release of this album, New Zealand’s Split Enz, were
regarded here as an eccentric act that was too quirky to obtain any level of
mass success. Examples of this can be
found on this album, especially on Master Plan and Hermit McDermitt, but this a much greater
emphasis on melody started to pay dividends here. The frantic I See Red was a deserved hit and
tracks such as Give It A Whirl, The Roughest Toughest Game In the World, the
title track and She Got Body (She Got Soul) all garnered airplay. The following album, True Colours, took this
new found directness and gave the band its first major success in Australia and
ultimately overseas.
(# 521) AC/DC –
Highway To Hell (1979)
AC/DC were always superstars in Australia, especially in
Melbourne. But the rest of the world was
another matter. By dint of hard work,
Angus Young’s inspired guitar work, a rock hard rhythm section and the tales of
excess from charismatic lead vocalist Bonn Scott, they had begun to be
recognised elsewhere, particularly in Great Britain. This success was consolidated by Highway To
Hell, their finest and last album with Scott which still provides a number of
tracks in their live set today. The
title track, Girls Got Rhythm, Walk All Over You, Shot Down In Flames and If
You Want Blood (You Got It) are among the numbers that left the band primed for
world domination that was duly achieved, sadly without Scott, on their next
album, an album you might have heard of called Back In Black.
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