While learning some Rick Springfield songs on guitar, I started to reflect on who my favorite artists were in a totally arbitrary fashion. So I started to make a list... and realized a top 5 was completely out of the question, thus here is the Top 10 list. Keep in mind this was brutal as some of the greats were left off the list for various reasons: less releases (Boston), too many style changes (Warrant), obviousness (Led Zeppelin, The Beatles). Others were painfully close as they were the soundtrack of my youth: REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, What follows is a snapshot of what today is, and as the author, I reserve the right to change my mind if not by the hour, at the least by the day:
10. Dream Theater - Appealing to my metal/progressive side, one either loves them or hates them. At the least, 13 minute songs take a little digesting. In any event, Pull Me Under is the place to start.
9. Whitesnake - And this refers to ALL of Whitesnake, including the bluesy English years prior to Slide It In. Bad ass dual guitars & the legendary pipes of Mr. Coverdale: Don't Break My Heart Again
8. Eddie Money - The "Money Man". No Control is a bible to me, and when Can't Hold Back came out, it was unstoppable. Great guitar, memorable ballads, and even a little Ronnie Spector... Ed definitely has a unique voice. Here's a little of my favorite tune for ya: Jealousys
7. Bon Jovi - Seriously, who doesn't love some Bongiovi/Sambora songwriting? Slippery was an animal, New Jersey was bangin', Keep The Faith a mature return, but for me These Days was a masterpiece; All great, all different, yet all familiar. I had a bitch of a time picking one tune so I went with a probably unheard of exquisite piece to hopefully inspire those reading to seek out more of the catalogue: My Guitar Lies Bleeding In My Arms
6. Van Halen - Strangely, as I've gotten older, I've started to prefer the DLR days over the Sammy days. Maybe that's more a function of focusing on the grooves; vocals, melodies, guitar, drums, etal. In any case, EVH changed the musical world and I'll never tire of listening to it. Here's some of that change in all it's glory from their recent offering A Different Kind of Truth. Here's my fave "Blood and Fire", solidifying Eddie's place at the top of the heap.
5. Rick Springfield - All hail Dr. Noah Drake! This dude is the master of power pop and easily one of the best melodic songwriters. It's amazingly difficult for me to choose a worthy representation of said Mr. Springfield, but here's a classic from my favorite album "Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet": I Get Excited
4. Rush - Sure Geddy's voice could break even the strongest windows, but there's nary a band that could outplay this trio. From classic instrumentals to epic compositions to tight radio-friendly classics, Rush has the bases covered. 2112 is a masterpiece, but here I'm gonna throw out Distant Early Warning for it's chorus alone.
3. Harem Scarem - The 2nd greatest Canadian band behind Rush. Nary has a band taken me on a journey like HS has over 14 albums. They run the gamut from staunch '80's to power pop to contemporary back to straight AOR. It's nearly impossible for me to give you, the discerning reader, one example of their prowess, but I'll just leave No Justice from their seminal '93 Mood Swings release here.
2. KISS - So we've made it to what half those who know me would say is my favorite. Legend has it I got Destroyer at age 3 (true), was Peter Criss for Halloween at 4 (also true), once dressed as Gene complete with his "blood" recipe (thrice true), so, yes, they're basically a case study of my formative years. Love or hate, they at least elicit some sort of response. Obviously choosing one song to represent their catalogue is impossible, so I present a deep album cut that I've always loved: A Million To One from Lick It Up.
1. Prince - As I've said about Jani Lane, I'll miss the songs he'll never write... Everyone remembers the outfits, the hair, the dancing, the voice, but few remember he was a freaking badass guitar player that channeled Hendrix like it was 2nd nature. That is until the R&RHOF ceremony when he actually did make his guitar gently weep, then threw it into the rafters and to this day still hasn't come down. As a purist, I had a hard time deciding what to link to here: my personal fave "If I Was Your Girlfriend", the murky masterpiece "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", the ethereal "I Would Die 4 U", the cool groove of "The Morning Papers"... you know what? There's no way to go wrong with one Prince Rogers Nelson. Click the links or search on your own. Either way, it will be time well spent.
So that does it for my top 10 as I see it today. Truthfully, this list could change at any minute, any day. As it stands now, I'm comfortable with my choices, but still pained by the omissions. Feel free to comment your list or just enjoy delving into mine. After all, that's really what I'm here for...
4. Rush - Sure Geddy's voice could break even the strongest windows, but there's nary a band that could outplay this trio. From classic instrumentals to epic compositions to tight radio-friendly classics, Rush has the bases covered. 2112 is a masterpiece, but here I'm gonna throw out Distant Early Warning for it's chorus alone.
3. Harem Scarem - The 2nd greatest Canadian band behind Rush. Nary has a band taken me on a journey like HS has over 14 albums. They run the gamut from staunch '80's to power pop to contemporary back to straight AOR. It's nearly impossible for me to give you, the discerning reader, one example of their prowess, but I'll just leave No Justice from their seminal '93 Mood Swings release here.
2. KISS - So we've made it to what half those who know me would say is my favorite. Legend has it I got Destroyer at age 3 (true), was Peter Criss for Halloween at 4 (also true), once dressed as Gene complete with his "blood" recipe (thrice true), so, yes, they're basically a case study of my formative years. Love or hate, they at least elicit some sort of response. Obviously choosing one song to represent their catalogue is impossible, so I present a deep album cut that I've always loved: A Million To One from Lick It Up.
1. Prince - As I've said about Jani Lane, I'll miss the songs he'll never write... Everyone remembers the outfits, the hair, the dancing, the voice, but few remember he was a freaking badass guitar player that channeled Hendrix like it was 2nd nature. That is until the R&RHOF ceremony when he actually did make his guitar gently weep, then threw it into the rafters and to this day still hasn't come down. As a purist, I had a hard time deciding what to link to here: my personal fave "If I Was Your Girlfriend", the murky masterpiece "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", the ethereal "I Would Die 4 U", the cool groove of "The Morning Papers"... you know what? There's no way to go wrong with one Prince Rogers Nelson. Click the links or search on your own. Either way, it will be time well spent.
So that does it for my top 10 as I see it today. Truthfully, this list could change at any minute, any day. As it stands now, I'm comfortable with my choices, but still pained by the omissions. Feel free to comment your list or just enjoy delving into mine. After all, that's really what I'm here for...
