• Album Reviews,  Blog

    Queensryche Discography Rankings

    Queensryche are another band I became a fan of while I was in high school.

    There was a late night show on Friday on the channel VH1 at the time called Rock Show, which played rock music videos and sometimes had guests musicians on to talk.

    One night, Queensryche singer Geoff Tate was a guest.

    As far as I knew, I had never heard of Queensryche before.

    Maybe I had heard a song or seen a snippet of a video, but I just didn’t know who they were.

    Anyway, I was impressed with what Geoff was saying and the latest Queensryche video at the time was played.

    It was for the song The Right Side Of My Mind from their latest album at the time called Q2K.

    I really loved the song and video and as I said really liked what Geoff was saying on the show.

    I soon after got Q2K and fell in love with it and the band.

    Before diving into more of their full on albums, I got their Greatest Hits album and dug that too.

    After that, I really dug into the discography and just really became a fan.

    Certain albums especially really stuck with me, even to this day.

    Certain songs too have stuck with me.

    One song from an album that probably most fans hate or have never heard I really love and has gotten me through hard times.

    The song is actually called Hard Times.

    If I ever met Geoff, I would want to thank him for all the music, but especially for this song because when times have been dark, I’ve played that song and listened to him say “Just hold on” and it means the world.  I’m getting teary eyed just thinking about it.

    Geoff is no longer in the band, but he’s still making great albums on his own and Queensryche are still making great albums too, so regardless of what happened I think it’s the best of both worlds as a fan.

    But having said that, as much as I love the band and I love everyone in it, I’ll always be a Geoff Tate fan the most.

    Not just because of his voice, but because of how he impressed me all those years ago and still does.

    OK here is my ranking of this great band.  I’m also including some of Geoff’s solo music too because why not?

    1. Operation Mindcrime
    2. Q2k
    3. Live Evolution
    4. Rage For Order
    5. Promised Land
    6. Tribe
    7. Hear In The Now Frontier
    8. Queensryche EP
    9. Dedicated To Chaos
    10. Operation Mindcrime II
    11. The Warning
    12. Empire
    13. Operation Livecrime
    14. Kings & Thieves (Geoff solo album)
    15. Digital Noise Alliance
    16. The Verdict
    17. Condition Human
    18. Frequency Unknown (really more a Geoff album but with the Queensryche name)
    19. Queensryche (2013, first album with now singer Todd LaTorre)
    20. Sweet Oblivion (Geoff)
    21. Sweet Oblivion Relentless (Geoff)
    22. Geoff Tate (solo album)
    23. Take Cover
    24. American Soldier
    25. The Art Of Live
    26. The Best Of Queensryche:  Sign Of The Times
    27. The Key (Geoff under the name Operation:  Mindcrime)
    28. Resurrection (Geoff under the name Operation:  Mindcrime)
    29. The New Reality (Geoff under the name Operation:  Mindcrime)

    Thank you Geoff Tate and everyone in Queensryche.

  • Album Reviews,  Blog

    Quiet Riot Discography Rankings

    Quiet Riot are known as the first Heavy Metal band to have a Number 1 album on the Billboard 200 charts.

    Their third album Metal Health was a huge hit.  It’s actually sold over 10 million copies, which is a phenomenal thing.

    Unfortunately, they did not maintain that huge success.

    I know it happens to many, but to me, Quiet Riot continued making great music after Metal Health.

    Actually, the first two albums were done earlier on when future Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads was in the band.

    And even though the band did break up in the late 80s, they did get back together in the mid 90s and are still around to this day.

    Sadly, singer Kevin Dubrow and drummer Frankie Banali passed away (Kevin in 2007 and Frankie in 2020).

    But one of Frankie’s last wishes was for Quiet Riot to carry on.

    And they are and I can say that even though it’s not the same anymore and it can’t be, they still do rock.

    Classic bassist Rudy Sarzo is there (actually Frankie asked Rudy to come back before he passed away), along with singer Jizzy Pearl (who has been in the band a few times over the years), guitarist Alex Grossi, and drummer Johnny Kelly.

    I’m glad they’re carrying on the name Quiet Riot and the great music of the band.

    Speaking of which, here is my ranking of Quiet Riot’s albums.

    1. Alive And Well
    2. Rehab
    3. Metal Health
    4. Condition Critical
    5. QR III
    6. Guilty Pleasures
    7. Down To The Bone
    8. Terrified
    9. Live At The US Festival, May 29 1983
    10. Road Rage
    11. Live In Milan
    12. QR
    13. 10
    14. Quiet Riot
    15. Quiet Riot II
    16. The Randy Rhoads Years
    17. Hollywood Cowboys

    Quiet Riot, I hope, will always be remembered.

    If nothing else, for proving that Hard Rock and Heavy Metal could be super successful.

    Yes there had been heavy bands before then, but not many bands of any genre can say that even one of their albums have sold as much as Quiet Riot’s Metal Health album was and is.

    Hats off to these guys for breaking down doors and walls for other bands.

  • Album Reviews,  Blog

    Queen Discography Rankings

    Queen are another phenomenal band that made such a huge impact.

    Singer Freddie Mercury (RIP), guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon, and drummer Roger Taylor were a group that were just made for each other.

    They had great chemistry and made music that no one has ever been able to make.

    They were soooo unique in the best of ways.

    I really wish Freddie was still here, but thank goodness he was around for as long as he was.

    1. Made In Heaven
    2. Sheer Heart Attack
    3. The Miracle
    4. Queen
    5. Queen II
    6. Innuendo
    7. A Night At The Opera
    8. News Of The World
    9. The Game
    10. A Kind Of Magic
    11. Hot Space
    12. The Works
    13. A Day At The Races
    14. Jazz
    15. Flash Gordon Soundtrack
    16. Live Killers
    17. Live At Wembley Stadium
    18. Live Magic

    Such a great discography.  Such a great band.  We miss you Freddie.

  • Album Reviews,  Blog

    Dio Discography Rankings

    Ronnie James Dio (RIP) is one of the best singers ever.

    I’m very happy that I got to see him twice in concert (once with his band Dio and the other with Black Sabbath, then called Heaven And Hell) and even got to speak to him on a radio call-in show once.

    His work with Rainbow and Black Sabbath especially is phenomenal.

    But he also had a band called Dio that were great too.

    Here is my ranking of the Dio discography.

    1. Holy Diver
    2. The Last In Line
    3. Magica
    4. Master Of The Moon
    5. Sacred Heart
    6. Killing The Dragon
    7. Holy Diver Live!
    8. Intermission (live EP with one new song)
    9. Hear N Aid Stars
    10. Angry Machines
    11. Lock Up The Wolves
    12. Strange Highways
    13. Dream Evil
    14. Dio At Donington UK:  Live 1983 & 1987
    15. Finding The Sacred Heart:  Live In Philly 1986
    16. Evil Or Divine-Live In New York City
    17. Inferno:  Last In Live
    18. Live In London:  Hammersmith Apollo 1993

    I miss Ronnie and always will.

    May 16th of 2025 marks 15 years since he passed away.

    But thank goodness for the music and the memories.

  • Album Reviews,  Blog

    Winger Discography Rankings

    Winger always gets made fun of by people.

    People remember the character Stewart from the show Beavis And Butt-Head that wore a Winger shirt and was always the butt of jokes.

    And people have seen the Metallica video where Lars Ulrich is throwing darts at a poster of singer/bassist/keyboardist/songwriter/producer Kip Winger.  Lars even said “Die!” while throwing the darts.

    Now I love Beavis And Butt-Head and Metallica, but I hate the slagging of Winger.

    Winger are a PHENOMENAL band.

    Kip to me is one of the best singers out there.  Still is!!

    Guitarist Reb Beach is PHENOMENAL!!

    Drummer Rod Morgenstein is a monster drummer.

    This band is full of PHENOMENAL players.

    They were successful and still do well when they go out, but they are definitely one of the most talented bands that deserve so much more attention and respect.

    I think most of their later music is actually the best stuff too.

    1. Winger IV
    2. Better Days Comin’
    3. Winger
    4. In The Heart Of The Young
    5. Pull 
    6. Seven
    7. Karma
    8. Live
    9. The Very Best of Winger (I’m including this because it has one PHENOMENAL new song on it called From The Inside.  Check it out.)

    Kip has also made some great solo albums too that deserve attention and Reb has played with many other bands, including Whitesnake and Dokken and has great solo albums too, especially one called A View From The Inside.

    I love Winger and I’m not apologizing for it.

  • Album Reviews,  Blog

    Lynyrd Skynyrd Discography Rankings

    Lynyrd Skynyrd are a classic rock institution.

    Songs like Sweet Home Alabama, Freebird, Simple Man, What’s Your Name, Gimme Three Steps, etc. are known by millions.

    Even though most of the classic members are sadly gone now, Lynyrd Skynyrd still carries on because the songs are so huge and important to people that they still want to hear them.

    That’s why I love music so much.  

    Here is my ranking of this great band’s discography.  I’ll be leaving out some live albums because I don’t have them at this point, but I’ll get them eventually.

    1. (Pronounced Leh-nerd-Skin-nerd)
    2. Second Helping 
    3. Nuthin’ Fancy
    4. Gimme Back My Bullets
    5. Street Survivors
    6. One More From The Road
    7. Twenty
    8. Edge Of Forever
    9. God & Guns
    10. Southern By The Grace Of God
    11. Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991
    12. Skynyrd’s First and…Last
    13. Vicious Cycle
    14. Last Of A Dyin’ Breed
    15. Christmas Time Again
    16. The Last Rebel
    17. Endangered Species
    18. Lyve From Steel Town
    19. The Last Of The Street Survivors Farwell Tour
    20. Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-nerd & Second Helping-Live From Jacksonville at the Florida Theatre

    Lynyrd Skynyrd is classic rock personified.

     

  • Album Reviews,  Blog

    Molly Hatchet Discography Rankings

    Molly Hatchet is my favorite of the “Southern Rock” bands.

    Yes Lynyrd Skynyrd is the biggest and that’s deserved, but to me, Molly Hatchet is the one.

    Unfortunately, all the classic members are dead (later guitarist Bobby Ingram and keyboardist John Galvin have carried on with other members) but the music has endured and it is still phenomenal to me.  Dare I say even the later stuff without the classic guys rocks.

    1. Molly Hatchet
    2. Flirtin’ With Disaster
    3. Lightning Strikes Twice
    4. Double Trouble Live
    5. Greatest Hits (compilation with 2 new songs.  I love those 2 songs so much!!)
    6. Warriors Of The Rainbow Bridge
    7. Silent Reign Of Heroes
    8. Kingdom Of XII
    9. Devil’s Canyon
    10. Battleground (live album)
    11. The Deed Is Done
    12. No Guts…No Glory
    13. Beatin’ The Odds
    14. Take No Prisoners
    15. 25th Anniversary:  Best of Re-Recorded
    16. Live In Hamburg
    17. Justice
    18. Southern Rock Masters (AKA Regrinding The Axes)
    19. Flirtin’ With Disaster Live
    20. Locked And Loaded
    21. Live at Rockpalast 1996

    I keep hoping a new album will be released.  They released a new song a few years ago called Firing Line that is really good and when I met the band last  year after a show, Bobby Ingram told me that he had the album on his phone and bassist Tim Lindsey told me it is really good.  Fingers crossed.

    But regardless, I love Molly Hatchet so much.  Such a great rock band and should be as big or bigger than Lynyrd Skynyrd, who I also love.

    Yes Molly Hatchet are that great.

  • Album Reviews,  Blog

    Blackfoot Discography Rankings

    Blackfoot was such a great band and made a lot of great music.

    Singer/guitarist Rickey Medlocke is more known today as one of the guitarists of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but he also now occasionally does shows as The Rickey Medlocke Band, playing a lot of Blackfoot music that should be heard.

    I got to see him do this in January of this year (review here) and wow!! Such a great show.

    If you do not know Blackfoot’s music, please give it a listen.

    1. Tomcattin’
    2. Strikes
    3. Medicine Man
    4. Rick Medlocke And Blackfoot
    5. After The Reign
    6. Marauder
    7. Siogo
    8. Vertical Smiles
    9. No Reservations
    10. Flyin’ High
    11. Highway Song Live
    12. Road Fever 1980-1985
    13. King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents (Live)
    14. Live In Kentucky (without Rickey)
    15. Southern Native (Rickey produced, played, and sang some on this, but at this point, Rickey owned the name Blackfoot and decided to start a new version with new people and let them be the band.  He did this a few times.  I saw one of them.  Review here.)

    Blackfoot was definitely popular, but I think they should have been even bigger.

    Luckily, the music is still here and I hope more people will go back and listen to them.

    They rock!!!

  • Album Reviews,  Blog

    Ted Nugent Discography Rankings

    Ted Nugent is a very polarizing figure.

    His opinions about politics and hunting especially rub many people the wrong way.

    I don’t agree with everything he says by any means, but you know what?  I love his music very much.

    I’ve been a fan of his music since I was in high school and I think his discography rocks!

    He is one of the great guitar players and always rock on stage.

    I’m going to do my best to rank his massive discography. 

    I’ll be honest:  I’m missing a few albums from his band The Amboy Dukes and maybe a single here and there, but otherwise, I’ve got it all and it all rocks.  I’m also including The Amboy Dukes albums I do have and the Damn Yankees albums.

    1. Full Bluntal Nugity
    2. Ted Nugent
    3. Weekend Warriors
    4. Craveman
    5. Cat Scratch Fever
    6. Love Grenade
    7. Ultralive Ballisticrock
    8. Nugent
    9. Spirit Of The Wild
    10. Double Live Gonzo
    11. Free-For-All
    12. Little Miss Dangerous
    13. Shut Up & Jam
    14. The Music Made Me Do It
    15. Detroit Muscle
    16. Scream Dream
    17. Damn Yankees
    18. Damn Yankees Don’t Tread
    19. Tooth, Fang & Claw (Ted Nugent’s Amboy Dukes)
    20. Call Of The Wild (Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes)
    21. If You Can’t Lick ‘Em…Lick ‘Em
    22. Penetrator
    23. State Of Shock
    24. Intensities In 10 Cities
    25. Motor City Mayhem
    26. Sweden Rocks
    27. The Amboy Dukes
    28. Journey To The Center Of The Mind (The Amboy Dukes)
    29. Migration (The Amboy Dukes)

    Regardless of what you think about Ted Nugent, he has made a lot of what I think is great rock music and I will forever defend it.

    I’m not apologizing for liking his music or anyone else’s music, for that matter.

  • Album Reviews,  Blog

    RATT Discography Rankings

    RATT is one of the biggest bands to come out of the 1980s.

    They’re most known for the song Round And Round from their album Out Of The Cellar, but trust me people, there is more to them than that song.

    I don’t think they’ve ever made a bad album.  

    The core lineup of singer Stephen Pearcy, guitarists Warren DeMartini and Robbin Crosby (RIP), bassist Juan Croucier, and drummer Bobby Blotzer made awesome music, sold lots of albums, and did big tours.

    Bon Jovi opened for RATT!!  RATT were right there with Motley Crue, in my opinion, as one of the biggest bands around.

    Unfortunately, they broke up in the 90s, and have had a few reunions since then (currently Stephen and Warren are working together again which is wonderful).

    But regardless of what happens in the future, the music of RATT lives on and I hope that more and more people will go back and listen to their stuff.

    Yeah Round And Round is a great song and video, but they have more to them than that.

    RATT N Roll forever!!

    OK here is my rankings of their albums.

    1. RATT (1999 album)/Nobody Rides For Free single (originally from the Point Break soundtrack but also on their RATT N Roll 81-91 compilation).  I’m ranking these together because I love that song so much.
    2. Invasion Of Your Privacy
    3. Out Of The Cellar
    4. RATT (1983 EP)
    5. Dancing Undercover
    6. Infestation
    7. Collage
    8. Reach For The Sky
    9. Detonator

    Not as many albums as others I’ve ranked, but I felt I needed to do it.

    Not only because RATT are awesome, but it should be pointed out how talented of a band they are.

    Maybe it’s because of the breakups, but to me, they should still be as popular as Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, and Poison, when it comes to the big bands from the 80s.

    Because they are in my mind.