My favorite album ever, well at least for this week
I never believe people when they say a song, book, record, movie or teacher changed there life, it’s just one more ridiculous platitude that self important people use because they need every aspect of their life to take on greater meaning. The car accident where you lose your arm might change your life, or a major head trauma might lead you to open a record store/apt. in LA, or your grandfather sticking his hand in your panties might lead you to a career in the porn industry. But a record is not going to change your life. If you say it does your life sucks and you are a dick.
That being said I do believe there are a few albums, books or teachers that not necessarily life altering, leave a lasting impression and will always hold a special place in your heart. There are few things from my formative years that stand the test of time and take me back to the feeling I had when I was a teen. I can think of one book, one teacher, and a few records from that era that stand that test of time.
Suicidal Tendencies self-titled album from 1983 is one of these albums. I would go so far to say that it is my favorite album of all time, well at least today it is. It will most likely change when I throw on Illmatic, Beggar’s Banquet or some other record that I love. If push came to shove it probably would end up in my top 5 but the number one desert island record has to be GNR Appetite for Destruction, but for the sake of this blog and this week its my favorite album ever.
I first heard Suicidal Tendencies a few years after it was released. I grew up in Northern Westchester county so it took things a little longer to reach us, not as long as say North Dakota where they are just learning about the revolutionary sounds of Public Enemy, but it's safe to say we weren’t on the pulse of hip.
My love affair with the record all started when a friend, I'm guess is it was Mike Disocio, who was the first NYHC kid I knew, played I Saw Your Mommy. A nice little ode to someone’s dead mom which I guess at the time was shocking and immediately drew me in. However, what I found was an album that was unlike anything I had heard up to that point. I was in middle school for Christ sake. I mean Shout at the Devil seemed extreme. Between the cholo style of dress, the themes of alienation, the insane aggression and speed of the songs, and the over all frantic energy of the album I was hooked.
I never imagined that I would be listening to this in my thirties; shit I never even thought I would live to thirty, but the album holds up better than the majority of metal albums I was listening to at the time. The content is still relevant, the vocals still hit, and the musicianship is much better than I remember it being. 12 songs, 27 minutes, all great.
Let’s got to the game tape and break it down:
Suicide’s an Alternative – perfect intro for the record, starts with laughing that would give the Joker a semi, multi-tracked vocals that give slick rick a run for his money and a tempo change that is almost rockabilly. The second half of the song is a bluesy ode to Satan. It’s like everything the movie Crossroads could have been if it rocked as hard as the Charlie Daniel’s Band and Macchio wasn't a pussy.
Two Sided Politics – This song is basically an ‘I’m rubber you’re glue’ response to the government backlash that chicken shit politicians often swarm around in an election year, calling out the hot button youth culture as anti-American/anti-everything. It is as poigient now as it was then.
I Shot the Devil – which if I remember correctly was originally called I Shot Reagan. I like the original title better. Non-Phixion paid homage to the song with a song of their own called I Shot Reagan which I never listened to and imagine was no where near as good as the original.
Subliminal – A song about the powers that be fucking with Mike Muir subliminally. I imagine this song is what inspired Killah Priest to rap, which sadly makes me like the song less.
Won’t Fall In Love Today – A nice little one minute ode to sex, which is good because at the time this album came out I could probably only last about one minute in the sack….now I have to play it at least two and a half times.
Institutionalized – I don’t know if it’s the best song on the album, or the best song from the scene, or the best song ever but it is amazing. Sure it’s been beaten to the ground but God damn its awesome. Plus it was used in the Iron Man movie which along with Robert Downey Jr. helped keep that boring, no action having piece of shit movie from totally sucking.
Memories of Tomorrow – I don’t really have much to say about this song. Good fast moving song, great energy but just kinda moves the album along.
Possessed – The 80’s were a great time for songs about possession, Satan, and overall evil doing. Kids were into it and parents were terrified of it. When I was in 6th grade my friend Jimmy Trapasso came up on a copy of the Satanic Bible and he broke a kid off with it. I had it in my locker when I came down with the flu or some shit that kept me out of school for a week. So they had to send my school work home so I didn’t fall behind, god forbid I missed out on a chapter of Johnny Tremaine. Anyway, they found the Satanic Bible in my locker. I got called down to the office and had to explain to my parents what I was doing with a Satanic Bible. That was fun. PS. I think you can see the origins of my rapping style in this song.
I Saw Your Mommy… – Great for shock value but the song is the one song on the record I could do without. It could be because it’s a little lame and juvenile or that it was the premise for much the 1993 Eddie Griffith HBO stand up special which kinda sucked. Eddie riffed on heavy metal songs about killing ones mother and would sing over and over the reprise Mommy’s Gotta Go in a tone and style similar to the chorus of this song. Way to be timely Eddie. Between that special and the Rudy from Fat Albert hats he wore at the time, I hated him.
Facist Pig – Great punk rock song about facist cops. You don’t see that much.
I Want More – Starts of slow giving you a glimpse into that shitty music they would start putting out on their next few albums. Lucky for us it picks up lovely with a great call and response song about how bleak looks for kids when minimum wage is your future.
Suicidal Failure – Also the title of a Cage song. I think its safe to say that this album is as important as A Nation of Millions for indie rappers who are also white. At least it was for me.
Here is a link for the album - enjoy
http://www.zshare.net/download/15020896dde2423c/
That being said I do believe there are a few albums, books or teachers that not necessarily life altering, leave a lasting impression and will always hold a special place in your heart. There are few things from my formative years that stand the test of time and take me back to the feeling I had when I was a teen. I can think of one book, one teacher, and a few records from that era that stand that test of time.
Suicidal Tendencies self-titled album from 1983 is one of these albums. I would go so far to say that it is my favorite album of all time, well at least today it is. It will most likely change when I throw on Illmatic, Beggar’s Banquet or some other record that I love. If push came to shove it probably would end up in my top 5 but the number one desert island record has to be GNR Appetite for Destruction, but for the sake of this blog and this week its my favorite album ever.
I first heard Suicidal Tendencies a few years after it was released. I grew up in Northern Westchester county so it took things a little longer to reach us, not as long as say North Dakota where they are just learning about the revolutionary sounds of Public Enemy, but it's safe to say we weren’t on the pulse of hip.
My love affair with the record all started when a friend, I'm guess is it was Mike Disocio, who was the first NYHC kid I knew, played I Saw Your Mommy. A nice little ode to someone’s dead mom which I guess at the time was shocking and immediately drew me in. However, what I found was an album that was unlike anything I had heard up to that point. I was in middle school for Christ sake. I mean Shout at the Devil seemed extreme. Between the cholo style of dress, the themes of alienation, the insane aggression and speed of the songs, and the over all frantic energy of the album I was hooked.
I never imagined that I would be listening to this in my thirties; shit I never even thought I would live to thirty, but the album holds up better than the majority of metal albums I was listening to at the time. The content is still relevant, the vocals still hit, and the musicianship is much better than I remember it being. 12 songs, 27 minutes, all great.
Let’s got to the game tape and break it down:
Suicide’s an Alternative – perfect intro for the record, starts with laughing that would give the Joker a semi, multi-tracked vocals that give slick rick a run for his money and a tempo change that is almost rockabilly. The second half of the song is a bluesy ode to Satan. It’s like everything the movie Crossroads could have been if it rocked as hard as the Charlie Daniel’s Band and Macchio wasn't a pussy.
Two Sided Politics – This song is basically an ‘I’m rubber you’re glue’ response to the government backlash that chicken shit politicians often swarm around in an election year, calling out the hot button youth culture as anti-American/anti-everything. It is as poigient now as it was then.
I Shot the Devil – which if I remember correctly was originally called I Shot Reagan. I like the original title better. Non-Phixion paid homage to the song with a song of their own called I Shot Reagan which I never listened to and imagine was no where near as good as the original.
Subliminal – A song about the powers that be fucking with Mike Muir subliminally. I imagine this song is what inspired Killah Priest to rap, which sadly makes me like the song less.
Won’t Fall In Love Today – A nice little one minute ode to sex, which is good because at the time this album came out I could probably only last about one minute in the sack….now I have to play it at least two and a half times.
Institutionalized – I don’t know if it’s the best song on the album, or the best song from the scene, or the best song ever but it is amazing. Sure it’s been beaten to the ground but God damn its awesome. Plus it was used in the Iron Man movie which along with Robert Downey Jr. helped keep that boring, no action having piece of shit movie from totally sucking.
Memories of Tomorrow – I don’t really have much to say about this song. Good fast moving song, great energy but just kinda moves the album along.
Possessed – The 80’s were a great time for songs about possession, Satan, and overall evil doing. Kids were into it and parents were terrified of it. When I was in 6th grade my friend Jimmy Trapasso came up on a copy of the Satanic Bible and he broke a kid off with it. I had it in my locker when I came down with the flu or some shit that kept me out of school for a week. So they had to send my school work home so I didn’t fall behind, god forbid I missed out on a chapter of Johnny Tremaine. Anyway, they found the Satanic Bible in my locker. I got called down to the office and had to explain to my parents what I was doing with a Satanic Bible. That was fun. PS. I think you can see the origins of my rapping style in this song.
I Saw Your Mommy… – Great for shock value but the song is the one song on the record I could do without. It could be because it’s a little lame and juvenile or that it was the premise for much the 1993 Eddie Griffith HBO stand up special which kinda sucked. Eddie riffed on heavy metal songs about killing ones mother and would sing over and over the reprise Mommy’s Gotta Go in a tone and style similar to the chorus of this song. Way to be timely Eddie. Between that special and the Rudy from Fat Albert hats he wore at the time, I hated him.
Facist Pig – Great punk rock song about facist cops. You don’t see that much.
I Want More – Starts of slow giving you a glimpse into that shitty music they would start putting out on their next few albums. Lucky for us it picks up lovely with a great call and response song about how bleak looks for kids when minimum wage is your future.
Suicidal Failure – Also the title of a Cage song. I think its safe to say that this album is as important as A Nation of Millions for indie rappers who are also white. At least it was for me.
Here is a link for the album - enjoy
http://www.zshare.net/download/15020896dde2423c/
posted by Alaska aka Timillionaire at
10:43 AM
1 Comments:
I'm not crazy! You're the one that's crazy!
Post a Comment
<< Home