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Personal
Favourite Seventies Records
The
golden era from 1970 to 1973 gave the world a wealth of brilliant
albums from The Who getting more confident and creating cool
concept records to Led Zeppelin banging out their classic sequence
inclusive from II to IV in only a couple of years. The mid-seventies
experienced a creative slump in the number of masterpieces, although
Aerosmith were at their peak with Toys in The Attics and. Then
1977 and the year that punk broke gave a much needed shot in
the arm to rock in general during a time when the Disco craze
was thriving, with The Clash and Sex Pistols leading the pack.
In the background of all this, Prog-Rock bands like Genesis and
Yes were consistently churning out musically accomplished albums,
although I own very few of the genre to be a judge, thus the
reason for large gaps in the listing below.
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1 |
Led Zeppelin
- 'IV' (1971) |
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 AKA the one with 'Stairway
To Heaven', IV encapsulated a band at the peak of their powers,
able to turn in outstanding rock and roll (in the creatively
titled 'Rock and Roll') and gentle folk songs ('Going To California')
as well as providing the mystical (the Token influenced 'Battle
Of Evermore'). And of course the famous drum intro to 'When The
Levee Breaks' twists Blues into something quite sinister. Taking
all these parts and adding them together, the fourth Zeppelin
album is almost a greatest hits record in all but name such is
the familiarity of the music. And even the daft hippie satire
of 'Misty Mountain Hop' has an enduring appeal. |
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2 |
Black Sabbath
- 'Paranoid' (1970) |
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 A number one smash upon
release, 'Paranoid' remains Sabbath's biggest and most popular
album, due to the instantly recognisable songs in War Pigs, Iron
Man and of course the band's signature title track. The Brummies
convinced in their tales of the supernatural, stories of drug
hallucinations, war and death, coated with Ozzy Osbornes' nasally
whine and Tony Iommi's minor-key crushing guitars. Defining the
entire metal scene that followed, 'Paranoid' remains the yardstick
in heavy metal. |
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3 |
The Who - 'Who's
Next' (1971) |
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 Using songs from the abandoned
'Lifehouse' project, 'Who's Next' turned out to be free of concept
album constraints and ended up being a straight forward rock
album of synthesizer drenched classics. The quality is starling
high throughout peaking at the beginning (Baba O'Riley) and at
the end (the epic Won't Get Fooled Again) with some of the band's
most slathering moments in-between (Behind Blue Eyes, later massacred
by Limp Bizkit). In the past, Roger Daltrey's vocals have come
across as weedy, but here the man possesses a fantastic rock
set of lungs. In fact, all the musicians are at the top of their
game from Keith Moon's frantic drumming to John Entwistle's dependable
bass lines to Pete Townsend's use of combining synth and guitars.
It's the most immediately impressible Who album. |
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4 |
The Clash -
'London Calling' (CBS
1979) |
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 Political
and outspoken, The Clash weren't afraid to divide, confuse and
make people think. As much about ideology as songs, 'London Calling'
stands as the band's most consistent and mature record, tackling
anything in its path from rockabilly (Brand New Cadillac) to
swaggering strut (Jimmy Jazz). Also shaping their Reggae influences
on 'Guns Of Brixton', The Clash proved to be far more diverse
and proficient than other punk bands, showing signs of progress
and grand ambition, The Clash's double-length record was packed
with quality, and was confident enough to make the rock classic
'Train In Vain' a hidden song. The following 'Sandinista' was
even more ambitious and challenging, yet the benchmark remains
'London Calling'. |
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5 |
Pink Floyd -
'Dark Side Of The Moon' (Harvest 1973) |
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 Transforming
the makers from underground pioneers into a global selling juggernaut,
'Dark Side Of The Moon' is not just a hi-fi shop favourite, but
a genuinely groundbreaking record documenting one man's retreat
into paranoid insanity. Faultless production interlinked with
electronic collages, Pink Floyd's most revered record has stayed
in the charts for nearly 30 years, despite topping the US chart
for just one week and stalling at #2 in the UK. Roger Waters
has even admitted that 'Dark Side Of The Moon' finished the group
off as "once you've cracked it, it's all over". |
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6 |
Led Zeppelin
- 'Physical Graffiti' (Swan Song/Atlantic 1975) |
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 Recorded
at the height of Led Zeppelin's rein of superstardom, this double
set contains everything that made the Zeppelin great - from the
bombastic funk of 'Custard Pie' through to rampant swagger of
'Sick Again', everything they tried turned to gold. Creating
their own rules as they went along, whether 'In My Time Of Dying'
reinventing the blues or the towering 'Kashmir' displaying it's
Eastern influences, 'Physical Graffiti' is the benchmark stadium
rock record. |
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7 |
AC/DC - 'Highway
To Hell' (Atlantic
1979) |
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 The
final studio album with the late Bon Scott has a more glossy
sound than its predecessors thanks to Mutt Lange's more commercial
production. Even though the raw, unbridled energy of 'Let There
Be Rock' and 'Powerage' has been smoothed over, the song remains
the same. Since this is peak-era AC/DC, the song structures
haven't changed in the slightest, no forays into anything other
than hard rock blues, and definitely no ballads. So many tracks
on 'Highway To Hell' could easily be hit singles, 'Touch Too
Much' and 'Shot Down In Flames' stand out most as highly catchy
numbers. The title track has a ridiculously effective intro riff
to kick start a rock classic, and even controversy was attached
to 'Night Prowler', blamed as bad influence. |
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8 |
Pink Floyd -
'Wish You Were Here' (1975) |
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 Trying to follow
up the massive success of 'Dark Side Of The Moon' must have been
a daunting task that faced Pink Floyd back in the mid-seventies.
That the end product turned into such an accomplished and deep
album is a further impressive feat. A tribute to founding member
Syd Barrett who left the band due to mental health, the likes
of 'Shine On Your Crazy Diamond Parts 1-9' and the title track
pay affectionate respect to the man. The other two songs detail
the cynical mechanisms of the music industry, where the industry
bosses welcome new recruits to the machine, offering them a cigar
on the way down. At only five tracks in length, what 'Wish You
Were Here' lacks in number, makes up in long passages of instrumental
wonder. |
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9 |
The Sex Pistols
- 'Nevermind The Bollocks…' (Virgin 1977) |
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Much
has been written and talked about the musical impact the Sex
Pistol's sole studio album had towards the end of the seventies.
Analysed purely on a musical level, the songs are not revolutionary
or indeed bring nothing new to the rock scene, the New York Dolls
and the Ramones broke down the barriers a few years previously,
and the songs are mid-tempo rock n' roll mixed with Johnny Rotten's
charismatic vocal attitude. But on a cultural level, the shockwaves
were huge, and this is why 'Nevermind The Bollocks'' is praised
to high heaven (or should that be Hell). England in 1977 was
a disfranchised wasteland, a voice was desperately needed, so
the Sex Pistols came at the right time with their snotty and
totally believable anthems, 'Anarchy In The UK' and 'God Save
The Queen' sound as fresh and exciting today as they did when
first released. In fact nearly every track, from the vicious
'Bodies' to 'Problems' has immediate value, driven by determined
attitude and unfussy chord structures. The nation's youth wanted
an alternative to the increasingly bloated and indulgent Prog-Rock
scene of Yes and Genesis, and 'Nevermind The Bollocks' plugged
the gap. |
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10 |
Van Halen -
'Van Halen' (1978) |
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 Considered by many to be
one of the most revolutionary guitar records, the impact Eddie
Van Halen had on his generation cannot be understated, using
his tapping technique on the short guitar instrumental 'Eruption'
and unconventional playing on may of the now classic tracks;
'Runnin' With the Devil,' 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love,' 'Jamie's
Cryin', with even the covers coming across as their own ('You
Really Got Me' and 'Ice Cream Man'). What gives the album added
charisma is one of metal's ultimate front men, David Lee Roth,
who might be the greatest of singers and had a special something
that turned the songs in party anthems. |
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11 |
Black Sabbath
- 'Vol.4' (Vertigo/Castle
1972) |
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 Despite
or because all four Black Sabbath members were immersed in a
drug madness, they found their creative force in a prolific period
at the beginning of their career. If the debut gave rock scary
image, 'Paranoid' had the most well-known tunes and 'Masters
Of Reality' holding the title as the heaviest Sabbath record,
then 'Vol 4'' consolidated Sabbath's position as the UK's premier
metal band. 'Snowblind' and Supernaut' are the more enduring
songs and soppy ballad 'Changes' has since become more well-known
for Ozzy's updated version with daughter Kelly Osbourne. It's
not perfect by any means, 'FX' is essentially a pointless guitar
effect and a few songs are forgettable, but despite the minor
flaws, 'Vol 4' is prime-era Sabbath with too many classics to
not enjoy. |
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12 |
Aerosmith -
'Toys In The Attic' (CBS
1975) |
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 To
choose between the two most defining Aerosmith records 'Toys
In The Attic' and 'Rocks' is a difficult task, mainly because
both are too similar in sound and structure. But the former shades
the honour due to a couple of stunning singles - 'Walk This Way'
and 'Sweet Emotion' - both massive rock staples, the former with
it's seminal riff, the latter using backward guitar processing
for the intro and killer guitar playing from Joe Perry throughout.
Silly humour lightens the mood on the laddish cover 'Big Ten
Inch Record' contrasting with the soppy tearjerker 'You See Me
Crying' which is far less offensive than the band's later-day
soft-rock ballads. |
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13 |
The Rolling
Stones - 'Exile On Main St.' (1972) |
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 Setting their sights on
a sprawling double-album, the Stones succeeded in documenting
and encompassing country, blues, soul and of course rock genres
into a fatigued and dense offering. The forays into the difficult
styling of gospel and soul don't fall flat on its face, and a
number of classics were created in Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice,
and Happy that rank with the Stone's Sixties output. Many fans
consider 'Exile On Main St.' amongst the best, if not the best
album of their long and illustrious career. |
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14 |
Neil Young -
'After The Goldrush' (Reprise 1970) |
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 There's
something undeniably special about 'After The Goldrush'. A sequence
of truly outstanding songs including 'Only Love Can Break Your
Heart', 'When You Dance I Can Really Love', 'Don't Let It Bring
You Down' and 'Southern Man' make for a springboard for some
of Young's most intensely moving folk-rock recordings, his distinctive
voice bringing layers of emotion to the music. 'On a song-by-song
basis, 'After The Goldrush' is superior to the higher profile
'Harvest', maybe ATF not containing a huge hit single in 'Heart
of Gold' was a factor, but whereas 'Harvest' veered dangerously
close to middle of the road many times, ATG is far from sugar-coated. |
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15 |
Joy Division
- 'Unknown Pleasures' (Factory 1979) |
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 Always
imitated but never bettered, Joy Division's bleak sound conjured
a sense of menace and doomed failure. Paid for by Factory Records
for just £8,500, 'Unknown Pleasures' is a remarkable debut
record, the nagging choruses and sinister riffs was the blueprint
for the 1980s before the decade was hi-jacked by the likes of
Wham and Culture Club and lost it's dark edge. As punk died a
slow death at the end of the decade, Joy Division were the first
post-punk group to make a difference, inspiring many gothic and
industrial artists in the process. |
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15 |
The Clash -
'The Clash' (UK
Version 1977) |
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 Containing the original
track listing, the debut mixed a number of styles unheard of
from a punk band, showing that even at an early stage in their
career, The Clash were unafraid of ambition; 'Police & Thieves'
was a Dub cover of a Lee "Scratch" Perry and Junior
Mervin song. Then there are the furious and politically charged
punk standards within, mainly 'White Riot' and 'I'm So Bored
With the U.S.A.' standing out. The US version may contain the
many well-known singles in 'Complete Control,' '(White Man) In
Hammersmith Palais,' 'Clash City Rockers,' 'I Fought the Law,'
and 'Jail-Guitar Doors,' but the UK version shows the true spirit
in the lesser known songs such as 'Deny' or 'Cheat' which shouldn't
be discounted. |
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17 |
Aerosmith -
'Rocks' (1976) |
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 The younger brother of
'Toys In The Attics', Aerosmith continued to ascend the hard
rock ladder to become America's premier rock act in 'Rocks'.
Slightly more threatening than it's predecessor, the riff-rockers
in 'Last Child' and 'Lick And Promise' were Grade A Aerosmith
tracks. The highlight 'Back In The Saddle' opened the album with
such aplomb and ending with the strong ballad 'Home Tonight'
that is sometimes too sugar sweet but still miles better than
modern day Aerosmith weepies. What's even more impressive is
that 'Rocks' was recorded during the height of the band's infamous
drug usage, a time when members couldn't remember much of the
decade. If hard drugs gave Aerosmith their creative edge can
be opened for discussion, as post-drug cleanup, the band never
matched 'Rocks' again. |
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18 |
Ramones - 'Ramones'
(1976) |
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 With no songs clocking
over two and a half minutes, the debut from one of America's
most enduring and influential punk acts is in actual fact rock
n' roll stripped down to it's bare essentials, focusing on hooks,
simplicity and pop culture lyrics. Released a year before Sex
Pistols tore up the scene, 'Ramones' still sounds remarkably
fresh and invigorating, with great choruses scattered throughout,
many of these include the band's most famous songs - 'Blitzkrieg
Bop, 'Beat On The Brat' and 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue'. Never
getting more complex than three-chords, Ramones were at the other
end of the scale to the Progressive Rocks giants of Yes and King
Crimson who used the other extreme of complicated song arrangements,
for which came across as light relief. |
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19 |
Neil Young -
'Tonight's The Night' (1975) |
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 Shortly recorded after
the deaths of roadie Bruce Berry and Crazy Horse guitarist Danny
to heroin overdose, 'Tonight's The Night' is a stark and unflinchingly
honest expression of grief. Using insightful lyrics and an emotional
vocal delivery, Young delivered one of his finest albums, which
may not have hits the same commercial heights as say 'Harvest'
but over time has become more vital. On songs like the 'Tonight's
The Night Part II' it sounds like a band playing a rehearsal
with mistakes and out of tune guitars kept in for authentic sake,
which adds to the magnetism. |
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20 |
David Bowie
- The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
(RCA
1972) |
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 David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust
alter-ego of a tragic rock star and accompanying album became
his biggest record as Bowie-mania blew up in the early Seventies.
The late axe-welding Mick Ronson supplied the glam rock riffs
as a generation discovered a chameleon idol in Bowie. When 'Starman'
transcends on its rousing chorus or when 'Five Years' moves up
the gears from a solitary drum beat into a rock anthem, there
are magical moments throughout to give the impression - this
is Bowie at his commercial best. Difficult to pin down, Bowie
quickly discarded of the Ziggy character on the following Aladdin
Sane, cleverly staying one platform shoe ahead of the competition
and fan expectations. |
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ALBUMS OF THE
1970'S (# 21 - 40) |
21.
AC/DC - 'Powerage' (1977)
22. Pink Floyd - 'The Wall' (1979)
23. Led Zeppelin - 'Houses Of The Holy' (1973)
24. The Who - 'Live At Leeds' (1970)
25. Black Sabbath - 'Masters Of Reality' (197
26. Pink Floyd - 'Animals' (1975)
27. Rolling Stones - 'Sticky Fingers' (1971)
28. Led Zeppelin - 'II' (1970)
29. Black Sabbath - 'Black Sabbath' (1970)
30. The Who - 'Quadrophenia' (1973)
31. The Stooges - 'Raw Power' (1973)
32. David Bowie - 'Hunky Dory' (1971)
33. The Doors - 'LA Woman' (1971)
34. Black Sabbath - 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' (197)
35. Led Zeppelin - 'III' (1970)
36. Genesis - 'A Trick Of The Tail' (1976)
37. Bob Dylan - 'Blood On The Tracks' (1975)
38. Lou Reed - 'Transformer' (1972)
39. Queen - 'Night At The Opera' (1975)
40. Nick Drake - 'Pink Moon' (1972)
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