Ira's top 50 revisited

Awhile back you posted this list and I am just looking for some thoughts on a couple selections.Specifically, what makes that Canned Heat album special. I've never heard it but it seems to be all covers - just looking for your thoughts. Also is that a good Sparks album to start with?








Author: ira
Date: 07-05-04 17:42

Only because (a) I get asked for this often, and never have a ready answer, since such a subjective list changes daily and (b) i wasted a lot of energy thinking about this last year for Rolling Stone, I thought I'd share. Debate away. --ira

1 The Who The Who Sell Out
2 Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home
3 The Beatles Revolver
4 Roxy Music Country Life
5 Jesus and Mary Chain Psychocandy
6 Elvis Costello This Years Model
7 The Ramones Ramones
8 Clash Give 'Em Enough Rope
9 Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request
10 The Band The Band
11 Kinks Something Else by the Kinks
12 Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground and Nico
13 David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
14 Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols
15 Nirvana Nevermind
16 Bonzo Dog Band Gorilla
17 Brian Eno Here Come the Warm Jets
18 Prince Purple Rain
19 Modern Lovers The Modern Lovers
20 Television Marquee Moon
21 My Bloody Valentine Loveless
22 Iggy and the Stooges Raw Power
23 MC5 Back in the USA
24 The Dictators Go Girl Crazy
25 Replacements Tim
26 Cheap Trick Cheap Trick
27 Thunderclap Newman Hollywood Dream
28 Holly Beth Vincent Holly and the Italians
29 Ian MacCulloch Candleland
30 English Beat I Just Can’t Stop It
31 Big Brother & the Holding Company Cheap Thrills
32 Vulgar Boatmen Please Panic
33 Velvet Crush In the Presence of Greatness
34 Alice Cooper Killer
35 Sparks A Woofer in Tweeter’s Clothing
36 Slade Slade Alive
37 New York Dolls New York Dolls
38 Small Faces There Are but Four Small Faces
39 Yardbirds Having a Rave-Up With the Yardbirds
40 Creation We Are Paintermen
41 U2 Boy
42 Arthur Alexander Lonely Just Like Me
43 Mott the Hoople Mott
44 Generation X Generation X
45 Soul Asylum Made to Be Broken
46 Stone Roses The Stone Roses
47 Gay Dad Leisure Noise
48 Pulsars Pulsars
49 Canned Heat Live at Topanga Corral
50 Elvis Presley Having Fun With Elvis on Stage

Personally, I'd start with KIMONO MY HOUSE for Sparks. (And did, as a matter of fact.) I share Ira's love of WOOFER IN A TWEETER'S CLOTHING, but it may be too bizarre to be a good starting point - it's kind of pure, undiluted Mael Brother oddness, while KIMONO leavens the weirdness with genius pop hooks.

who's ira?

jes kidding!!!!!


i love that canned heat and would start at kimono as well; but i would soon shift towards martin gordon's solo work...


speaking of shifting: good songs fer a suey-cide?

<i>Clash Give 'Em Enough Rope</i>

Really? I like Give 'Em Enough Rope more than most, probably, but better than London Calling or the debut? Interesting choice.

<i>Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request</i>

Rrrrreeeallly? Hm. I'll have to go back and listen to this. Wait. I don't even own it!

And Michael, #50 on Ira's list is perfect for a suicide. Just say Elvis.

1. Points for Ira for putting the Who Sell Out as his #1. It's my favorite Who album & also the almost perfect concept album (wish they had more ads on side 2). Still very underrated.

2. Also kudos for including Something Else by the Kinks (which has "Waterloo Sunset") and Gorilla by the Bonzos.

3. However, as for Their Santanic Majesties Request, despite the fact that it does have several good songs, I prefer Between the Buttons as the Rolling Stones underrrated album from '67

4. #50 on the list is good for a smile (I heard it driving around w/my Elvis fan friend, who has it on cassette)

I will confess that I have had misgivings about Satanic Majesties Request since making that list. I always loved the sheer sonic bizarreness of the album, as well as some of the songs, but there's stuff on there (like "Gomper") that subsequent ipod exposure has made me reconsider. I'd change that one now.

That's fair enough. But would you replace #9 with another stones Lp or...?

I'd ask Ira if he still has allegiance to that Gay Dad album. But I know his answer would be in the affirmative. . . I was disappionted to see that Denim's "Denim on Ice" didn't make it though. I figured Ira would be one of the few to give Hayward such props.

I do love that Gay Dad record, even more so since Neu! finally sank in. Denim is close but like the Pooh Sticks just a shade too arch to be eternal for me.

And yes I would put another Stones album in. Satanic was a three-quarters-baked choice among those.

tattoo you!!!

It's interesting to see Creation on that list. I just ran across them on You Tube. enter BRITISH INVASION and a great selection of clips come up. Other bands worth checking out; The Smoke, Family (early Mick Taylor).

hmm, December's Children?

sucking in the '70s?

well no, not the whole of the 70's anyway. sticky fangers, exile on a meat street...great Lps

the master remains contrarily accessible.

I shall buy all 62 (am i close?) of their albums and decide for myself.