Number

Album

Artist

About

Song

Release Year

56

Man of Colours

Icehouse

This Aussie band has produced some great hits over the years but I hold a soft spot for this album as it was my first actual concert that I went to by myself – Icehouse and the Man of Colours tour. It was also where I purchased my first concert shirt -  a tank top which I wore the shit out of for the next couple of years until it fell apart. There is also something that happened at that concert that has stuck with me all these years. I was in my early teens so in turn no drugs or alcohol involved but I’m glad to this day that this was the case. I had a moment in music, the one where you are left speechless and Goosebumps all over, sure I’ve had a lot more since but I was a virgin to this, this was my first time. Iva Davies haunting rendition of Man of Colours just blew me away and reaffirmed my love of music which was exacerbated by the feeling of standing in a full crowd at Festival Hall (now torn down), there is nothing like that feeling when it is live, all unscripted to the listener anyways. It would be only Months later when I went to the Slippery When Wet tour by Bon Jovi and I had another moment like this, Jon Bon Jovi did an almost acoustic version of Wanted Dead or Alive “Music where have you been all my life” – this lead to hundreds of concerts later. This was an honest album that had everything on it, ballads to the up-temp pop songs. Well balanced lyrically versus melody I really enjoyed this album and I went on to become a huge Icehouse fan.

Man of colours

Crazy

My Pick – My Obsession

1987

Number

Album

Artist

About

Song

Release Year

57

Harvest

Neil Young

The Godfather of Grunge had to make his way on here somewhere, yet somehow, I found this one of my Cheese and Biscuit albums that you had playing in the background whilst sipping on a nice red of some sought. I love Neil Young and this album produced some folk law masterpieces that I really grew to love. Interesting to know that this album was released way back in 1972 but remastered in 2002 and rereleased and I think like many others that is when my love for Young manifested no doubt due to air play on radio at the time. I have read a lot over the years that when Young left Crosby, Stills and Nash that there was bad blood between them “Don’t always believe what you read”. All three artists had some involvement in this album so it couldn’t have been that bad. If having those three share in back up singing isn’t rock royalty enough let’s throw in Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor’s voices on Heart of Gold, get the drift? I hold Young in high regard a true musician slash wordsmith, poetic with strong melodies to match.

The needle and the damage done

Old Man

My Pick –

Heart of gold

1972

Number

Album

Artist

About

Song

Release Year

58

Aftermath

Rolling Stones

I couldn’t and wouldn’t have a top 100 and not have one of the greatest rock bands in history here somewhere. Christ this album was several years before my birth yet you could listen to it today, tomorrow and the next day and still not get tired of it. That was the Stones music – so many hits that were just so listenable (is that even a word?) I love the Stones and I loved everything they stood for, they were the first real true bad boys of music in my eyes. The other thing I appreciated over the years is that simular to U2 they could reinvent themselves whist holding their sound. They had everything from a nihilistic blues sounding song with darkness to a chart-topping pop song and they kept doing it and doing it. With so many songs and albums to choose from I thought the only way to separate was to pick my favourite song from them “Paint it Black” A song about misery yet with a mystic undertone that I am sure everyone could relate to at some stage in their lives. I could write about the Stones (all members) for ever so I will close off by saying thank you, thank you for your music and for inspiring so many other artists over the years.

Under my thumb

Lady Jane

My Pick – Paint it Black

1966

Number

Album

Artist

About

Song

Release Year

59

Neon Bible

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire probably have the most organic sound of any other band I know, they put the India in the Indie genre. Any band that uses a Hurdy Gurdy and Glockenspiel and make it look and sound cool deserve accolades in this day and age. Collectively they are a very talented band, very simular artistically to the Waterboys. It was with great interest and certain shock that I found a cover version of Keep the car running done by the Foo Fighters where Dave Grohl also went on to say how much he appreciated the talent of Arcade Fire, doesn’t really get any better than that on the resume. Keep the car running is certainly a stunning standout out song on the album but after I listened to this album a few times the rest grew on me. Reflektor was also a great album but I liked the intensity of this one better.

Intervention

The well & the lighthouse

My Pick –

Keep the car running

2007