Moby_Dick, Author at Lossless Music Archives

Billy Joel – Discography (1971 – 2010)

Billy Joel - Discography (1971 - 2010)

Although Billy Joel never was a critic’s favorite, the pianist emerged as one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the latter half of the ’70s. Joel’s music consistently demonstrates an affection for Beatlesque hooks and a flair for Tin Pan Alley and Broadway melodies. His fusion of two distinct eras made him a superstar in the late ’70s and ’80s, as he racked an impressive string of multi-platinum albums and hit singles. Continue reading “Billy Joel – Discography (1971 – 2010)”

Slayer – Discography (1983 – 2015)

Slayer - Discography (1983 - 2015)

Slayer were one of the most distinctive, influential, and extreme thrash metal bands of the 1980s. Their graphic lyrics dealt with everything from death and dismemberment to war and the horrors of hell. Their full-throttle velocity, wildly chaotic guitar solos, and powerful musical chops painted an effectively chilling sonic background for their obsessive chronicling of the dark side; this correspondence helped Slayer’s music hold up arguably better than the remaining Big Three ’80s thrash outfits Continue reading “Slayer – Discography (1983 – 2015)”

Mick Jagger – Discography (1985-2017)

Mick Jagger - Discography (1985-2017)

As the lead singer for the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger virtually invented the concept of the rock & roll frontman. Taking his cues from soul singers, bluesmen, and Elvis Presley, Jagger crafted a magnetic, carnal persona that retained its charisma even after it was mimicked and expanded by countless singers who followed in his footsteps. He may have been surrounded by disciples, but Jagger never left the spotlight, touring with the Rolling Stones until he was in his seventies. Continue reading “Mick Jagger – Discography (1985-2017)”

Aerosmith – Discography (1973-2015)

Aerosmith - Discography (1973-2015)

Aerosmith were one of the most popular hard rock bands of the ’70s, setting the style and sound of hard rock and heavy metal for the next two decades with their raunchy, bluesy swagger. The Boston-based quintet found the middle ground between the menace of the Rolling Stones and the campy, sleazy flamboyance of the New York Dolls, developing a lean, dirty riff-oriented boogie that was loose and swinging and as hard as a diamond. Continue reading “Aerosmith – Discography (1973-2015)”

David Coverdale & Whitesnake – Discography (1976 – 2015)

David Coverdale & Whitesnake - Discography (1976 - 2015)

After recording two solo albums, former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale formed Whitesnake around 1977. In the glut of hard rock and heavy metal bands of the late ’70s, their first albums got somewhat lost in the shuffle, although they were fairly popular in Europe and Japan. During 1982, Coverdale took some time off so he could take care of his Continue reading “David Coverdale & Whitesnake – Discography (1976 – 2015)”

AC/DC – Discography (1975 – 2014)

AC/DC - Discography (1975 - 2014)

AC/DC’s mammoth power chord roar became one of the most influential hard rock sounds of the ’70s, and is now one of the defining sounds of rock and metal. In its own way, it was a reaction against the pompous art rock and lumbering arena rock of the early ’70s. AC/DC’s rock was minimalist — no matter how huge and bludgeoning their guitar chords were, there was a clear sense of space and restraint. Combined with Bon Scott’s larynx-shredding vocals Continue reading “AC/DC – Discography (1975 – 2014)”

Lenny Kravitz – Discography (1989 – 2018)

Lenny Kravitz - Discography (1989 - 2018)

Rock music in the 1980s had completely lost the gritty feel of earlier eras until Lenny Kravitz rediscovered the magic formula. Kravitz’s sonic template combined good old-fashioned rock & roll with glam, soul, and psychedelia, making him a massive success. He made a splash straight out of the gate with his album Let Love Rule. After that, he de-emphasized the flower-power aspects of his music and began moving toward a heavier rock sound. Continue reading “Lenny Kravitz – Discography (1989 – 2018)”

Jimi Hendrix – Discography (1967 – 2015)

Jimi Hendrix - Discography (1967 - 2015)

In his brief four-year reign as a superstar, Jimi Hendrix expanded the vocabulary of the electric rock guitar more than anyone before or since. Hendrix was a master at coaxing all manner of unforeseen sonics from his instrument, often with innovative amplification experiments that produced astral-quality feedback and roaring distortion. His frequent hurricane blasts of noise and dazzling showmanship — he could and would play behind his back and with his teeth and set his guitar on fire Continue reading “Jimi Hendrix – Discography (1967 – 2015)”

Johnny Winter – Discography (1969 – 2014)

Johnny Winter - Discography (1969 - 2014)

When Johnny Winter emerged on the national scene in 1969, the hope, particularly in the record business, was that he would become a superstar on the scale of Jimi Hendrix, another blues-based rock guitarist and singer who preceded him by a few years. Continue reading “Johnny Winter – Discography (1969 – 2014)”

Def Leppard – Discography (1980 – 2015)

Def Leppard - Discography (1980 - 2015)

In many ways, Def Leppard were the definitive hard rock band of the ’80s. There were many bands that rocked harder (and were more dangerous) than the Sheffield-based quintet, but few others captured the spirit of the times quite as well. Emerging in the late ’70s as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Def Leppard actually owed more to the glam rock and metal of the early ’70s, as their sound was equal parts T. Rex, Mott the Hoople, Queen, and Led Zeppelin. Continue reading “Def Leppard – Discography (1980 – 2015)”

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Discography (1972 – 2014)

Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Discography (1972 - 2014)

An R&B band that only played pop to get on the charts, Manfred Mann and its various permutations ranked among the most adept British Invasion acts in both styles. South African-born keyboardist Manfred Mann was originally an aspiring jazz player, moving toward R&B when more blues-oriented sounds became in vogue in England in the early ’60s. Original Manfred Mann singer Paul Jones was one of the best British Invasion singers, and his resonant vocals were the best feature of their early R&B sides, which had a slightly jazzier and smoother touch than the early work of the Rolling Stones and Animals. Continue reading “Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Discography (1972 – 2014)”

Alice In Chains – Studio Albums (1990-2013)

Alice In Chains - Studio Albums (1990-2013)

In many ways, Alice in Chains was the definitive heavy metal band of the early ’90s. Drawing equally from the heavy riffing of post-Van Halen metal and the gloomy strains of post-punk, the band developed a bleak, nihilistic sound that balanced grinding hard rock with subtly textured acoustic numbers. They were hard enough for metal fans, yet their dark subject matter and punky attack placed them among the front ranks of the Seattle-based grunge bands. Continue reading “Alice In Chains – Studio Albums (1990-2013)”

Paul Mauriat – Albums Collection (1965-2017)

Paul Mauriat - Albums Collection (1965-2017)

French composer/conductor Paul Mauriat is a classically trained musician who decided to pursue a career in popular music. His first major success came in 1962, as a co-writer of the European hit “Chariot.” In 1963, the song was given English lyrics, renamed “I Will Follow Him,” and became a number one American hit for Little Peggy March. Mauriat is best remembered for his 1968 worldwide smash “Love Is Blue.” Continue reading “Paul Mauriat – Albums Collection (1965-2017)”

Mr. Big – Discography (1989 – 2018)

Mr. Big - Discography (1989 - 2018)

Mr. Big were one of the few “shredder” pop metal bands (translation: the bandmembers were highly proficient at their instruments) that prized songcraft as highly as virtuosity. The seeds for the group’s formation were sown when bass player extraordinaire Billy Sheehan, often called “the Eddie Van Halen of bass,” left David Lee Roth’s solo band in 1988. Shortly thereafter, he began piecing together a new outfit comprised of former Racer X guitarist Paul Gilbert, drummer Pat Torpey, and singer Eric Martin, the latter of whom had issued a pair of obscure solo releases in the mid-’80s. By 1989, the newly formed quartet had already inked a recording contract with Atlantic, resulting in the release of a self-titled debut the same year. Despite finding a warm reception among musicians, the album failed to cross over to a mainstream rock audience in America; however, Mr. Big was an immediate success overseas in Japan. Continue reading “Mr. Big – Discography (1989 – 2018)”

Nazareth – Discography (1971 – 2018)

Nazareth - Discography (1971 - 2018)

The Scottish hard rock quartet Nazareth had a handful of hard rock hits in the late ’70s, including the proto-power ballad “Love Hurts.” Formed in 1968, the band featured vocalist Dan McCafferty, guitarist Manny Charlton, bassist Pete Agnew, and drummer Darrell Sweet. The band had relocated to London by 1970, and they released their self-titled debut album in 1971. Both Nazareth and 1972’s Exercises received favorable attention by British hard rockers, but it was 1973’s Razamanaz that moved them into the U.K. Top Ten (both “Broken Down Angel” and “Bad Bad Boy” were hit singles). Loud ‘n’ Proud and Rampant (both 1974) followed the same formula, yet were slightly less successful. Continue reading “Nazareth – Discography (1971 – 2018)”