@@beachbum6460 I got friendly with one of the owners at certain Record Store. I would get some of those cardboard displays for framing. Now it's onto framing LPs.
@@DFMusic811 We have a terrific store called Birdland Music (used to be Birdland Records & Tapes)...every Saturday morning for me. Then I moved away. TBH, I am still close enough & I should go see those guys.
Rainbow Rising. Always loved Blackmore anyway, but that cover just screamed "buy me" so I did and never regretted it. To this day still my favourite album cover of all time.
I had bought Ratt's Invasion Of Your Privacy album on cassette tape back in 1987 at nine years old. I bought it just on the cover of the hot girl. All these years later it is still one of my all time favorite albums.
@@ronbo11 Absolutely!!!! Those three releases are all MASTERPIECES!! Yes Marianne was gorgeous on the cover of Invasion Of Your Privacy album cover. I did not know until a few years ago that she was also in the video for Lay It Down which she was also gorgeous in it.
I'd like to see albums where you got "baited" by one song you heard then the rest of the album sucked! I'd love to see that whenever you get past this album art theme. Loving this series and these discussions with Martin.
Martin's stories about his family driving across the country for summer trips brought back great memories of my childhood. In the 1970s, my family drove to Florida from Ohio for family vacations - and I remember purchasing albums during these trips. I couldn't listen to them until I got home. Thanks, Martin Popoff, for sharing your memories with us.
I remember raiding my older sister's albums when she was overseas as an exchange student. I was 12 at the time. The first one I grabbed was "Some Enchanted Evening" by BOC, because of the cover. They became my 1st ever favorite rock band.
Great! :) I purchased Script' based on: 1) the cover. 2) the detailed listing of instrumentation such as; Moog, Rickenbacker, bass pedals, etc. 3) Only 6 songs (3 per side = relatively long, = it might be 'proggy') 4) "Fish" was credited with "voice", not vocals (typical from prog orientated albums). Anyway, I only 'heard of' Marillion at the time but never heard any of their music. When I stumbled across the LP in a record shop back in the late 80s (near Detroit), it caught my attention and interest. I still have that LP! :)
4 albums come to mind right away, my introduction to all of these bands Blue Oyster Cult, On Your Feet or on Your knees Judas Priest, Unleashed in the East Iron Maiden, Killers Marillion, Script For a Jesters Tears
In 1975 I bought Nick drake's album just for the cover. I never heard of him before. Little did I know that his music would change my life forever. The album is five leaves left. A classic if there ever was one!!!😀
Five leaves left is excellent album. Nick Drake is one of a kind. I once bought Bryter Layter because of its cover. Now is one of my favourite albums. Pink moon is very good too with a very interesting cover.
Interesting fact! The artist who created the front cover of Bandolier by Budgie was the same who created the cover of Sad Wings of Destiny by Judas Priest -- Patrick Woodroffe.
Around 1983, an Army brat living in Panama, I was starved for hard rock. One day in the PX on base, I spotted an album cover in black, with an illustration of a black and white flying V, and the initials MSG in bold red. Michael Schenker has been my favorite guitar player ever since, and buying that record led me to discovering my favorite band ever, UFO.
Haaaaaaa. 31:25 "looked at the back of the album... no red flags... no flutes, no keyboards..." Cracked me up and then I see Pete cracking up, too. Fun discussion.
For me, had to be the debut album from Angel. No idea what they were about, loved the cover art, and had to have it. And, wow, that worked out pretty well!
It's always tremendously enjoyable for me to hear Martin's record-buying stories from his youth. I'm roughly the same age, and also from western Canada, so our experiences are often eerily similar. It would be a blast to hear him talk about some of the CanCon bands of the era, the ones that nobody outside of our Canuck age group has ever heard of, but who were regionally huge at the time: Harlequin, Fosterchild, Doucette, Streetheart, Prism, etc.
Prism! I found their first album some years ago in an antique store in Minnesota! Cool album! DIdn't have a clue who they were, just bought it based on the cover :-)
@@Ianmackable Actually it wasn't their first album I got but their album "Armageddon", and yes, I guess by the cover it could have been anything from Pink Floyd-ish to Reo Speedwagon or maybe something heavier judging by the title. And why not fusion, there's only 3 tracks on Side 2...but no, they're not! :-)
@@purpletemple1 I think my friend's misconception was based purely on the band's name. It does sound kind of fusion-esque. Btw, Prism's main claim to posterity is that a very young Bryan Adams had some songwriting credits on their early albums.
When Martin and Pete are together and talking music, I know that it's going to be pure gold. This was a great topic. Here are albums that I bought without hearing the music - and I ended up enjoying the music! 1. Crack The Sky - Animal Notes - The quirky cover caught my eye and I knew nothing of the band. But what a great album. 2. Boston - Debut - I saw that cover at a local Big Bear in Columbus, OH, and knew that I wanted to buy it. I was not disappointed! 3. Klaatu - Debut - I came upon the album in the records area of the Lazarus store at the Eastland Mall in Columbus, OH. and was intrigued by the cover It was before the "Beatles" hype - and I knew nothing about the music. But fell in love with the album.
So much fun to go through record store and pick up unknown records! I actually do that more nowadays than ever, going to antique stores and flea markets and such...Although I often know a bit about the bands/ artists, but there's still a good element of surprise. Great show!
After many years of listening to YES, I have come to the point where I recognize RELAYER as their finest work. Not a majority opinion, I know. But it has risen in my eyes (and ears) over the years.
In 2000, I picked up Iced Earth's Alive in Athens at an independent record store in Champaign, IL. I knew nothing about this band, but saw the cover, which was reminiscient of Iron Maiden. And boy did I call it right. Not only was the album awesome, it helped get me back into traditional heavy metal (in a way I had not really been into since the early 90's. In effect, it did the same thing for metal that Live after Death helped do in the mid 80's.
The one that comes to mind for me is Genesis “Live”. The cover with Gabriel in his triangle head piece dressed in black under black light, then the story of the woman on the tube on the back of the album. I found it in a discount bin and said I gotta have this.
Martin is awesome .. you guys, as a team are just great , when i watch these videos of you guys , its like me any my Boys talking about music.. its great thanks !!!
That Cirith Ungol cover was done by fantasy artist Michael Whelan. I was a huge fan of his work when I was in high school in the early eighties, playing Dungeons and Dragons and the like. That artwork, as well as many others he did, were also used for the paperback versions of the Michael Moorcock series of Elric of Melnibone books. This art was on the cover of the Bane of the Black Sword.
Danger Danger's debut album. While I didn't buy this album, TH-cam recommended it to me and I took a chance based off the thumbnail. The cover is like an homage of The Shadow and I thought, "Woah, what is this?" And it turned out to be a very solid late 80s glam metal album and a new band for me to enjoy.
Thats a great choice! I remember hearing Bang Bang on the radio for the first time. I had to pick listen to some more after that. No doubt. And the album cover is great too. One of my favorites
Pete... Martin mentioned Teaze... a Canadian band.... hope you're thinking about doing a show on/about obscure Canadian acts.... back to albums based on covers.... I think that should have been mandated back in the day.... reverse spotify/streaming technology... .except I was bewildered when I bought Molly Hatchet "Beatin The Odds".... not what I imagined being a junior hard rock/heavy metal teen...
Rush: Fly By Night. I was 15 and saved enough money to get the new Led Zeppelin Physical Graffete album. My mom dropped me off at the record store and was disappointed to find out it was sold out. Not wanting to leave without getting something, I rounded the corner and a big snow owl caught my eye. I picked it up and looked at the photo of the band and read the song titles and was intrigued by the song title, By-Tor and the Snow Dog. So, I purchased it. Thus, began the journey to Rush and they still remain, IMHO, the greatest band in the world!
The Greenslade album covers did it for me. I had no idea what sort of music they played, but Greenslade had those amazing Roger Dean album covers. And luckily it turned out that the music was amazing too :)
Savatage: Gutter Ballet. Was browsing used cassettes in 1990 and saw this cover of ghosts in a decayed mansion with a guitar jammed neck-first into a piano :) Got all their following albums and finally got to see them live on the Poets and Madmen tour.
Nazareth-Hair Of The Dog Tarkus-Emerson Lake and Palmer Magician's Birthday-Uriah Heep Didn't know the bands yet. Drawn to the covers. Great decisions.
I'd suggest a Pardo-Popoff top 10 favorite obscurities from the 70s show and another for the 80s. Would love to see these experts' picks on such topic.
I definitely did that exact thing with at least two albums. Was in the record store, browsing, when I hear this kick ass tune they were playing. It was Face The Fire off of Dan Fogelbergs album Phoenix. Went home with that one. The other was when I hear the tune Oneness off of Carlos Santana’s album, Oneness, Silver Dreams Golden Reality. Another one I went home with.
Friday night. Teenager without a date. Friends not around. Go to the local record stores. Wander thru the racks. Listen to what the store was playing. Look up, two or three friends walk in. Talk music, buy a new record, or tape. Head out with friends. Friday night resurrected!!
I remember going to the record store and the owner said to me, "I got a new Moraz Bruford album in...you'd love it." And I did. They knew you, they knew what you liked.
For me it was the album Elf by Elf. Mom had been reading me The Lord of the Rings and when I saw Dio looking like an evil Elf I had to have it. It wasn't particularly heavy but real good blues rock. And of course that band basically became the first iteration of Rainbow
Sea Shanties by High Tide. Found in the cutout bin for $0.69 around 1972. Never heard anything like them before. Very nice surprise to see the cool artwork inside the gatefold and the front/back cover illustrations were pretty creepy.
There's a classic example for me. One day in 1976 I saw an album called 'Opener' in the racks at a record shop in my home town, Hartlepool. This was a compilation of recordings by the German band Can, whom I'd never heard of at that time. The cover art featured a can of tomato soup, and a can opener. The photos of the band on the back were enigmatic and appealing, as was the spiel about the band. I took a copy home with me and 45 years later, I still love that band - and indeed that record. It was never released on CD, but I burned my own CD copy by compiling tracks from the original CD albums in the '90s.
Going to record stores and looking for heavy metal albums was just about my favorite thing to do when I was a teenager. Miss those days. Going to the record store to get a brand new album was like my Christmas morning.
Some album covers that mesmerized me: - AC/DC - If You Want Blood - Iron Maiden - Killers & Number of the Beast - Ozzy Osborne - Diary of a Madman - KISS - Alive II - Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
No lie, me at 15 y/o and my friend Mario at 16 y/o circa 1981, he just got his drivers license and his dad gave him the keys to his Lincoln Continental, which had a cassette player…here we are driving around, picked up some weed…well, we need some jams to jam to when we smoke this weed, so we go to the record store and they just put in a “Heavy Metal” section, so we go right there and start looking and come across Iron Maiden Killers on cassette…we never heard of them as we had no connection to NWOBHM, which the new Heavy Metal section at the record store provided that connection, but we were all about Sabbath, Ozzy, Rush, Rainbow, etc, but we have to buy it solely based on the cover…so we get in the car, drive down to the park, pop the Killers cassette in, light up weed and then The Ides of March starts playing and were like, this fantastic, heavy awesome guitar harmonies we’re totally diggin’ it…then the bass intro to Wrathchild and then the guitars and that was it, we were totally blown away, it was the amalgamation of everything would loved about heavy hard rock, it was perfect.
Another great episode! Have you ever done an episode about "Cut-out Bin" or Bargain Bin Records? I discovered Genesis with getting "And Then There Where Three" from the cut-out bin!
Going back a bit farther than you guys, the Robin Trower covers were irresistible back in the day. I think I bought Bridge of Sighs for the cover alone -- and wow! Not a let down.
Great stories with each choice guys! I have a few obscure Metal ones I certainly didn't know but still have them to this day... Kick Axe 'Vices', Virgin Steele and two from Tokyo Blade 'Midnight Rendez-Vous' and 'Night of The Blade'
Popoff and Pardo are at it again with another interesting album cover show and Martin finally shows he may be a more obsessive collector than Pete. Really enjoyed the tales of how each of you remember buying the albums. Great choices by both. Mine would include the eponymous Blue Oyster Cult debut. Was really starting to study the art of M.C. Escher at the time and the album cover reminded me a bit of his art. Another choice would be Selling England By The Pound by Genesis. Here in north central Florida in the US at the time, there were no 'deep' album stores even though we were a college town. This is the first Genesis album I had seen and the artistic setting of this album really caught my eye as being "something different." Thanks, gents, for the entertainment and stories.
A cool feature of the ELO "Out of the Blue" album was it came with a cardboard model of the space ship that you put together, I was sold! Still one of my top five favorite albums of all time.
Top 5 records I bought just from the album cover and never hearing the band yet!! 1) Melissa Mercyful Fate 2) Kill'em All Metallica 3) Friends of Hell Witchfinder General 4) Metal Church debut 5) Kiss Destroyer
First albums that totally intrigued me as a Kid baffled on cover art were Queen "News of the World" and Blue Oyster Cult "Cultosaurus Erectus" (which I was blown away Pete didn't mention) Ended up become the biggest BOC fan later due to Fire of Unknown Origin. Another incredible album cover'
Right on 🤜🤛. I have Robin Trower Live!, Jeff Beck Wired, and Hendrix Band of Gypsys, albums front and center, and on display: all three jammin' together in my living room 🎸🎸🎸
Rush Chronicles and Journey Greatest Hits are the only risk purchases I remember taking. Didn't know either band because it wasn't the type of music I was listening to at the time. Loved their music immediately and quickly started buying their albums. Journey remains my second favourite band and Rush is my third favourite.
Pete, I agree with your "MORE INFO!" quest. Elton and Macca were great at that - photos, booklets, stickers, posters, etc... Remember what was included in Captain Fantastic? That had to be the apex.
Didn't buy but borrowed from a nearby public library... "Michael Schenker Group - Assault Attack", vinyl. And later bought it from Amazon lol. That artwork is simply iconic in its own right!!! It was my first ever introduction to Graham Bonnet and I'm so glad I did! And then ended up buying more of MSG/Bonnet/Alcatrazz albums...
Cool! Back when libraries had CDs to borrow, found out about many bands that way im the mid-00s! Had no internet at home as a kid, so it was a nice way to discover new stuff.
Great call on the Cirith Ungol. They had great album covers. I always mentally paired them with Manila Road. Weird but awesome bands with amazing album covers.
Im the same age as Martin and when I was 16 my buddies turned me on to Sabbath and Van Halen, so I was into hard rock/metal - and came across Blue Oyster Cult's Spectres. Some cool looking dudes on the cover and I thought they were metal. Played it once and was like 'yikes this isnt what I expected'. Parked it for a decade at least but pulled it out eventually and I adore the album to this day 😊 so delayed appreciation lol. Great show guys, thanks!
One that comes to mind right away is "Know Your Enemy" by Laaz Rockit. There are many more, of course, but I still love that cover. Thanks for the video, duders!
Dio - Last In Line. Was 13 when I bought it and had not heard Dio before. Became an RJD fan after the first listen, and I got all the records he had participated in soon after that.
Pendragon album 'The Window Of Life' I'd heard of this band, but had only ever heard one song by them. Saw this album in the record store. Totally fantastic artwork on the album cover, so bought the album ... and ... WOW loved the style of neo-prog. I've since become a big Pendragon fan, but this first album of theirs I purchased remains my favourite
Pete, your Motorhead honorable mention story is a good idea for a new concept show for you and Martin to do. It should be "band openers" you saw that made you run out and buy their albums!
hi Pete and Martin. Here are 5 of mine off the top of my head. Great show. 1. Exciter - Heavy Metal Maniac 2. Steeler - Steeler 3. Accept - Restless and Wild 4. Alcatrazz - No Parole From Rock and Roll ( to a lesser extent) 5. Motorhead - Iron Fist
Re Bandolier...i was at a friends b/day party and his older sister had the album at the front of their gramophone player. Like Martin i never heard of the band but asked her if i could have a listen. Ended up i ignored the party and we played the album twice. 46 years later it is till my all time favourite rock album and i managed to see the band over 20 times.
Really great show. For me - Woolworths U.K. 1981, saw Spellbound Tygers Of Pan Tang in the racks. Never heard of them. Bought it. Wow, still one of my favourite go to Lps.
When I was a lot younger than I am today I used to take a trip to Wembley Stadium market every Sunday. They had a good few record stalls there. I used to buy 5 or 6 albums a week based on the look and feel of the album art. Nursery Cryme was one I got in 1972 / 3. Made me a Genesis fan for life.
I bought IMAGES AND WORDS by Dream Theater because I fell in love with the cover art the very moment I saw it. I felt like that image was talking to me, I couldn't stop watching it. I was 15 years old, back in 1995, and I had no idea who they were. No need to say that I loved the music too and they've been one of my favourite bands ever since 🥰
Selling England by the pound always makes me feel comfy and cozy. Bought it based on cover alone. Don’t even know the band before but the song ‘more fool me’ turned me on for many years.
I bought highway song live by blackfoot strictly on the cover - id never heard of them - they seemed to be having such a good time - i wasnt dissapointed - underrated 80s live record - women and children first too - i bought killers because of the live shot on the back - denim and leather too - i rode an xj 650 yamaha at the time - and all the big hondas on the back - sold - especially biff on the cbx - everyones dream bike in the early 80s
Chapterhouse - Whirlpool I love cats. And that was the best cover I had ever seen. What little did I know that this album would be my introduction to Shoegaze. I was 13 at the time. Thanks to that album I discovered one of my favorite genres of music to this day. So yes, thank you Chapterhouse. That album is in my top 5 gaze albums to this day.
This brings back so many great memories. I remember buying the other Teaze album (One night stands) on sight. Great surprise, strong record. Same goes for Moxy II, Starz (Coliseum Rock), Rapid Tears (Honestly), Randy Hansen and lots more. Rarely a bad surprise.
While going to school went to Rasputins in Berkeley and saw the keepers pt 2. Never heard of helloween but the artwork was awesome. Bought that album and was blown away by the speed. I went back and found part 1. Amazing
My daughter and I hit the record store at least once a month (when not closed for Covid). To this day I still get excited bringing home a new purchase and giving it a spin. Great topic today.
Great episode subject! Man, there are so many. Here's four... The Rods - Wild Dogs Virgin Steele - Virgin Steele Kamelot - Epica Brainstorm - Soul Temptation I have to add a 5th! Iron Maiden - Killers Art and song names has always been a great way to pick new albums for me. We don't have to do that in 2021, but I did like those old days.
Great Albums, Great Album Cover. The Who - Who's Next Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath/Mob Rules/Born Again Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny/Sin After Sin/Stained Class/Screaming For Vengeance/Defenders of the Faith/Painkiller/Jugulator Journey - Journey/Infinity/Evolution/Departure/Escape Iron Maiden - (Too Many) Boston - Boston Yes - Fragile/Close To The Edge/Topographic Oceans/Relayer Uriah Heep - Very Eavy/Salisbury/Look At Yourself/Demons and Wizards/High And Mighty/Firefly/Innocent Victim/Abominog Styx - Serpent is Rising/Equinox/Crystal Ball/Grand Illusion/Cornerstone Genesis - Trespass/Foxtrot Rush - Rush/Fly By Night/2112 King Crimson - Wake Of Poseidon/Islands/Larks' Tongues in Aspic/Bible Black ELO - ELO II/Face The Music/New World Record/Out of the Blue/Discovery Thin Lizzy - Vagabonds of the Western World/Nightlife/Johnny the Fox/Thunder and Lightning Metallica - Kill Em All/Ride The Lightning/Master Of Puppets Blue Oyster Cult - Blue Oyster Cult/Cultosaurus Erectus/Fire Of Unknown Origin Def Leppard - On Through the Night Megadeth - Rust In Peace Slayer - Show No Mercy/Hell Awaits/Reign In Blood/South Of Heaven/Seasons in the Abyss Alice Cooper - Killer Scorpions - Lonesome Crow/Taken By Force Grateful Dead - Anthem of the Sun Kansas - Song For America/Point of Know Return Kiss - Kiss/Rock And Roll Over/Creatures of the Night Overkill - Feel the Fire Queen - Queen Iron Butterfly - Heavy Deep Purple - Fireball/Who Do We Think We Are/Burn/Come Taste The Band R.E.O Speedwagon - Live: You Get What You Play For Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed Saxon - Saxon/Wheels of Steel There's My List.
Just seen this, trying to catch up with all your great shows. What makes this one really enjoyable is not so much the album choices and why (which was interesting anyway) but all the anecdotes....Martin's 'espionage', Pete waiting for his Dad to get home with new album, and so on.
The Anderson, Wakeman, Bruford & Howe got Me into YES!! What an Awesome Dean cover!!I then fell in love with the "Classic YES compilation album, and "Yes" I LOVED it and just about Everything else is enjoyed by them there after! :-)
Marillion: Script for a Jester's tear Judas Priest: Stained Class Jeff Beck: Blow by Blow Zon: Astral Projector Savoy Brown: Wire Fire Budgie: Squawk, Never turn your back... Yes: Yessongs, Relayer ELP: Brain Salad Surgery 1st Rainbow album Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast Scorpions: Virgin Killer Wishbone Ash: Argus Renaissance: Prologue Hawkwind: Hall of the Mountain Grill, Warrior on the Edge of Time ELO: Eldorado and April Wine: Electric Jewels (there's a theme with these two) also April Wine: Stand Back I'm sure there's more
Martin, I was too hard on you for bringing up that vile Nugent character in a prior episode...You have introduced me to Savatage and for that I'm in your debt. Pete, your show has been a wonderful Rock travelogue, and as you mentioned the bands, I head over to my streamer and start my exploration. Many thanks to you all!
Just one album cover I can think of: Triumph - Rock and Roll Machine (the original cover with the flames). I bet that one cover brought more fans to the band than anything else they’ve ever done.
I got that Triumph album rock and roll machine live shot with the flames based solely on that cover..... had it on my bedroom wall believe it or not it worked real well with a black light!
I bought Kansas' eponymous first album in 1974 when I was 15 because I loved the cool painting of John Brown on the cover (which I later found out is on the wall of the Topeka capitol state house). It hadn't hit the prog stations quite yet. Talk about a home run! I fell in love with Kansas & have never stopped.
Also bought Tull's A Passion Play because of the ballerina on the cover looking as though she'd been crucified. Loved the album & was the first show I went to when I was 14. Wow! I was blown away and Tull slipped into my #2 favorite slot.
I really miss those days browsing in record stores.
With the cardboard cut out window displays.
@@beachbum6460 I got friendly with one of the owners at certain Record Store. I would get some of those cardboard displays for framing. Now it's onto framing LPs.
@@jazzpunk i would get the hanging displays if i bought a cd.
I mean, you can still do that. Those still exist 😅
@@DFMusic811 We have a terrific store called Birdland Music (used to be Birdland Records & Tapes)...every Saturday morning for me. Then I moved away. TBH, I am still close enough & I should go see those guys.
That Boston album keeps moving up on my all time favorite album lists.
Rainbow Rising.
Always loved Blackmore anyway, but that cover just screamed "buy me" so I did and never regretted it. To this day still my favourite album cover of all time.
I had bought Ratt's Invasion Of Your Privacy album on cassette tape back in 1987 at nine years old. I bought it just on the cover of the hot girl. All these years later it is still one of my all time favorite albums.
Marianne Gravatte was AWESOME as was the album! Ratt's EP, Out of the Cellar and Invasion of Your Privacy were top quality glam metal recordings.
@@ronbo11 Absolutely!!!! Those three releases are all MASTERPIECES!! Yes Marianne was gorgeous on the cover of Invasion Of Your Privacy album cover. I did not know until a few years ago that she was also in the video for Lay It Down which she was also gorgeous in it.
I'd like to see albums where you got "baited" by one song you heard then the rest of the album sucked! I'd love to see that whenever you get past this album art theme. Loving this series and these discussions with Martin.
Easy. Zager & Evans. In the Year 2525. Great song. Everything else they did sucked big time.
1972 8 years old. Black Sabbath -1 Asked my Mother to buy it for me, just due to the cover......Changed my life Thanks MOM !!
Martin's stories about his family driving across the country for summer trips brought back great memories of my childhood. In the 1970s, my family drove to Florida from Ohio for family vacations - and I remember purchasing albums during these trips. I couldn't listen to them until I got home. Thanks, Martin Popoff, for sharing your memories with us.
I remember raiding my older sister's albums when she was overseas as an exchange student. I was 12 at the time. The first one I grabbed was "Some Enchanted Evening" by BOC, because of the cover. They became my 1st ever favorite rock band.
Bought Marillions Script for a Jesters Tear for my girlfriend based on Mark Wilkinson cover art. Completely blew her away. Now she's my wife...lol
Me too! I didn't know what to think of it at first, as I was a metalhead. But that record grew to be one I still now love a lot.
Great! :) I purchased Script' based on: 1) the cover. 2) the detailed listing of instrumentation such as; Moog, Rickenbacker, bass pedals, etc. 3) Only 6 songs (3 per side = relatively long, = it might be 'proggy') 4) "Fish" was credited with "voice", not vocals (typical from prog orientated albums). Anyway, I only 'heard of' Marillion at the time but never heard any of their music. When I stumbled across the LP in a record shop back in the late 80s (near Detroit), it caught my attention and interest. I still have that LP! :)
Same for me with Fugazi!
4 albums come to mind right away, my introduction to all of these bands
Blue Oyster Cult, On Your Feet or on Your knees
Judas Priest, Unleashed in the East
Iron Maiden, Killers
Marillion, Script For a Jesters Tears
In 1975 I bought Nick drake's album just for the cover. I never heard of him before. Little did I know that his music would change my life forever. The album is five leaves left. A classic if there ever was one!!!😀
Brilliant record.
Five leaves left is excellent album. Nick Drake is one of a kind. I once bought Bryter Layter because of its cover.
Now is one of my favourite albums. Pink moon is very good too with a very interesting cover.
Nicks three albums are classics.
@@ukrocksounds3419 yes they are. Everytime I listen to him I discover something new. Amazing!!😀
Great artist!! Don't u love when u pick something ahead of anyone else that becomes timeless and just validates your taste??!! Lol
Interesting fact! The artist who created the front cover of Bandolier by Budgie was the same who created the cover of Sad Wings of Destiny by Judas Priest -- Patrick Woodroffe.
Around 1983, an Army brat living in Panama, I was starved for hard rock. One day in the PX on base, I spotted an album cover in black, with an illustration of a black and white flying V, and the initials MSG in bold red. Michael Schenker has been my favorite guitar player ever since, and buying that record led me to discovering my favorite band ever, UFO.
Haaaaaaa. 31:25 "looked at the back of the album... no red flags... no flutes, no keyboards..." Cracked me up and then I see Pete cracking up, too. Fun discussion.
For me, had to be the debut album from Angel. No idea what they were about, loved the cover art, and had to have it. And, wow, that worked out pretty well!
It's always tremendously enjoyable for me to hear Martin's record-buying stories from his youth. I'm roughly the same age, and also from western Canada, so our experiences are often eerily similar. It would be a blast to hear him talk about some of the CanCon bands of the era, the ones that nobody outside of our Canuck age group has ever heard of, but who were regionally huge at the time: Harlequin, Fosterchild, Doucette, Streetheart, Prism, etc.
Prism! I found their first album some years ago in an antique store in Minnesota! Cool album! DIdn't have a clue who they were, just bought it based on the cover :-)
@@purpletemple1 I had a friend who said he heard their name and assumed they were a fusion band. They weren't.
@@Ianmackable Actually it wasn't their first album I got but their album "Armageddon", and yes, I guess by the cover it could have been anything from Pink Floyd-ish to Reo Speedwagon or maybe something heavier judging by the title. And why not fusion, there's only 3 tracks on Side 2...but no, they're not! :-)
@@purpletemple1 I think my friend's misconception was based purely on the band's name. It does sound kind of fusion-esque. Btw, Prism's main claim to posterity is that a very young Bryan Adams had some songwriting credits on their early albums.
Killers - Iron Maiden, what a Cover!!
When Martin and Pete are together and talking music, I know that it's going to be pure gold. This was a great topic. Here are albums that I bought without hearing the music - and I ended up enjoying the music!
1. Crack The Sky - Animal Notes - The quirky cover caught my eye and I knew nothing of the band. But what a great album.
2. Boston - Debut - I saw that cover at a local Big Bear in Columbus, OH, and knew that I wanted to buy it. I was not disappointed!
3. Klaatu - Debut - I came upon the album in the records area of the Lazarus store at the Eastland Mall in Columbus, OH. and was intrigued by the cover It was before the "Beatles" hype - and I knew nothing about the music. But fell in love with the album.
So much fun to go through record store and pick up unknown records! I actually do that more nowadays than ever, going to antique stores and flea markets and such...Although I often know a bit about the bands/ artists, but there's still a good element of surprise. Great show!
My cousin gave me Highway 61 Revisited for Christmas as a joke, and I love it, it changed my life.
Marillion - Script for a Jesters Tear is the one that comes most prominently to mind
Absolutely!
It was Fugazi for me. Took a chance and have been a fan ever since.
First album I bought on CD
A bit of a Marmite band for me but their album covers superb.
Me too!
What a fantastic show guys
10 years old, getting into Roger Dean artwork, bought Relayer by Yes and loved it. It's still my favourite album of theirs.
I bought the relayer poster when the album came out, wish I had kept that one. Love the album.
Fragile for me...as I am older than you. ;-)
After many years of listening to YES, I have come to the point where I recognize RELAYER as their finest work. Not a majority opinion, I know. But it has risen in my eyes (and ears) over the years.
@@DonHornsby Very good album is Relayer.In the top 4 albums of Yes for me.
Iron Maiden: I bought Iron Maiden, Killers and Number of the Beast all at once, with my birthday money. Best covers in music.
🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Best Day ever huh!!??
In 2000, I picked up Iced Earth's Alive in Athens at an independent record store in Champaign, IL. I knew nothing about this band, but saw the cover, which was reminiscient of Iron Maiden. And boy did I call it right. Not only was the album awesome, it helped get me back into traditional heavy metal (in a way I had not really been into since the early 90's. In effect, it did the same thing for metal that Live after Death helped do in the mid 80's.
The one that comes to mind for me is Genesis “Live”. The cover with Gabriel in his triangle head piece dressed in black under black light, then the story of the woman on the tube on the back of the album. I found it in a discount bin and said I gotta have this.
Yes, this^. Especially the weird story printed on the back.
Martin is awesome .. you guys, as a team are just great , when i watch these videos of you guys , its like me any my Boys talking about music.. its great thanks !!!
That Cirith Ungol cover was done by fantasy artist Michael Whelan. I was a huge fan of his work when I was in high school in the early eighties, playing Dungeons and Dragons and the like. That artwork, as well as many others he did, were also used for the paperback versions of the Michael Moorcock series of Elric of Melnibone books. This art was on the cover of the Bane of the Black Sword.
Danger Danger's debut album. While I didn't buy this album, TH-cam recommended it to me and I took a chance based off the thumbnail. The cover is like an homage of The Shadow and I thought, "Woah, what is this?" And it turned out to be a very solid late 80s glam metal album and a new band for me to enjoy.
Thats a great choice! I remember hearing Bang Bang on the radio for the first time. I had to pick listen to some more after that. No doubt. And the album cover is great too. One of my favorites
That video was really cool.
Love the 2nd lp cover
Pete... Martin mentioned Teaze... a Canadian band.... hope you're thinking about doing a show on/about obscure Canadian acts.... back to albums based on covers.... I think that should have been mandated back in the day.... reverse spotify/streaming technology... .except I was bewildered when I bought Molly Hatchet "Beatin The Odds".... not what I imagined being a junior hard rock/heavy metal teen...
Rush: Fly By Night. I was 15 and saved enough money to get the new Led Zeppelin Physical Graffete album. My mom dropped me off at the record store and was disappointed to find out it was sold out. Not wanting to leave without getting something, I rounded the corner and a big snow owl caught my eye. I picked it up and looked at the photo of the band and read the song titles and was intrigued by the song title, By-Tor and the Snow Dog. So, I purchased it. Thus, began the journey to Rush and they still remain, IMHO, the greatest band in the world!
19:50 ELO Out of the Blue 🥰
The Greenslade album covers did it for me. I had no idea what sort of music they played, but Greenslade had those amazing Roger Dean album covers. And luckily it turned out that the music was amazing too :)
Mercyful Fate "Melissa" and Venom "Black Metal" come to mind, immediately drawn to those sinister covers in the metal imports section.
Witchfinder General - Death Penalty original LP pressing. Back cover is also very nice too.
Overkill and Bomber by Motorhead. how cool are those covers but the music was fantastic as well
Savatage: Gutter Ballet. Was browsing used cassettes in 1990 and saw this cover of ghosts in a decayed mansion with a guitar jammed neck-first into a piano :) Got all their following albums and finally got to see them live on the Poets and Madmen tour.
Nazareth-Hair Of The Dog
Tarkus-Emerson Lake and Palmer
Magician's Birthday-Uriah Heep
Didn't know the bands yet. Drawn to the covers. Great decisions.
I'd suggest a Pardo-Popoff top 10 favorite obscurities from the 70s show and another for the 80s. Would love to see these experts' picks on such topic.
Cirith Ungol....the guitar solo on 'Master Of The Pit' is amazing. Great tone too
Remember the days when you went to a record store and music was playing and you asked the guy wow what is this and ended up going out with the album 😐
I definitely did that exact thing with at least two albums. Was in the record store, browsing, when I hear this kick ass tune they were playing. It was Face The Fire off of Dan Fogelbergs album Phoenix. Went home with that one. The other was when I hear the tune Oneness off of Carlos Santana’s album, Oneness, Silver Dreams Golden Reality. Another one I went home with.
That was my introduction to Pat Travers. Makin' Magic was playing at the local record store/head shop.
yep. Many times.
Friday night. Teenager without a date. Friends not around. Go to the local record stores. Wander thru the racks. Listen to what the store was playing. Look up, two or three friends walk in. Talk music, buy a new record, or tape. Head out with friends. Friday night resurrected!!
I remember going to the record store and the owner said to me, "I got a new Moraz Bruford album in...you'd love it." And I did. They knew you, they knew what you liked.
Grim Reaper's See You in Hell looked awesome back in the day!
For me it was the album Elf by Elf. Mom had been reading me The Lord of the Rings and when I saw Dio looking like an evil Elf I had to have it. It wasn't particularly heavy but real good blues rock. And of course that band basically became the first iteration of Rainbow
Sea Shanties by High Tide. Found in the cutout bin for $0.69 around 1972. Never heard anything like them before. Very nice surprise to see the cool artwork inside the gatefold and the front/back cover illustrations were pretty creepy.
Great old record store stories! I love old records stores.
There's a classic example for me. One day in 1976 I saw an album called 'Opener' in the racks at a record shop in my home town, Hartlepool. This was a compilation of recordings by the German band Can, whom I'd never heard of at that time. The cover art featured a can of tomato soup, and a can opener. The photos of the band on the back were enigmatic and appealing, as was the spiel about the band. I took a copy home with me and 45 years later, I still love that band - and indeed that record. It was never released on CD, but I burned my own CD copy by compiling tracks from the original CD albums in the '90s.
Going to record stores and looking for heavy metal albums was just about my favorite thing to do when I was a teenager. Miss those days. Going to the record store to get a brand new album was like my Christmas morning.
Some album covers that mesmerized me:
- AC/DC - If You Want Blood
- Iron Maiden - Killers & Number of the Beast
- Ozzy Osborne - Diary of a Madman
- KISS - Alive II
- Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
Mob Rules screams metal. All great covers
No lie, me at 15 y/o and my friend Mario at 16 y/o circa 1981, he just got his drivers license and his dad gave him the keys to his Lincoln Continental, which had a cassette player…here we are driving around, picked up some weed…well, we need some jams to jam to when we smoke this weed, so we go to the record store and they just put in a “Heavy Metal” section, so we go right there and start looking and come across Iron Maiden Killers on cassette…we never heard of them as we had no connection to NWOBHM, which the new Heavy Metal section at the record store provided that connection, but we were all about Sabbath, Ozzy, Rush, Rainbow, etc, but we have to buy it solely based on the cover…so we get in the car, drive down to the park, pop the Killers cassette in, light up weed and then The Ides of March starts playing and were like, this fantastic, heavy awesome guitar harmonies we’re totally diggin’ it…then the bass intro to Wrathchild and then the guitars and that was it, we were totally blown away, it was the amalgamation of everything would loved about heavy hard rock, it was perfect.
You both had good stories of your musical experiences. It clear to see why your good at what you do. Keep up the good work.
Another great episode!
Have you ever done an episode about "Cut-out Bin" or Bargain Bin Records?
I discovered Genesis with getting "And Then There Where Three" from the cut-out bin!
VOIVOD cutouts Roooaaar! Many others.
Oh and I bought UFO - Force It purely because of the pictures of the band on the back of LP. They just looked like metal.
You guys discussing album art straight up makes my Friday whether it has been a good or bad day! :)
Going back a bit farther than you guys, the Robin Trower covers were irresistible back in the day. I think I bought Bridge of Sighs for the cover alone -- and wow! Not a let down.
Never gotten into Savatage. I bookmarked Sirens. I'm two songs in. Wow. Heavy, metallic. Dig it.
Great stories with each choice guys! I have a few obscure Metal ones I certainly didn't know but still have them to this day... Kick Axe 'Vices', Virgin Steele and two from Tokyo Blade 'Midnight Rendez-Vous' and 'Night of The Blade'
Popoff and Pardo are at it again with another interesting album cover show and Martin finally shows he may be a more obsessive collector than Pete. Really enjoyed the tales of how each of you remember buying the albums. Great choices by both. Mine would include the eponymous Blue Oyster Cult debut. Was really starting to study the art of M.C. Escher at the time and the album cover reminded me a bit of his art. Another choice would be Selling England By The Pound by Genesis. Here in north central Florida in the US at the time, there were no 'deep' album stores even though we were a college town. This is the first Genesis album I had seen and the artistic setting of this album really caught my eye as being "something different." Thanks, gents, for the entertainment and stories.
MOLLYHATCET ALBUMS covers..got me in to them.
Their covers scared me as a kid. I thought they were some sort of heavy metal satanic band seeing the 8 tracks at the local KMart
wow hearing about a 8 track's..scared me.
Haha.
Yep. Blackfoot Strikes too💪🏽😎🐍
Those covers really misrepresent the music on the record.
A cool feature of the ELO "Out of the Blue" album was it came with a cardboard model of the space ship that you put together, I was sold! Still one of my top five favorite albums of all time.
This would actually be a great topic for a show ... "Favorite SWAG that came with an album".
Top 5 records I bought just from the album cover and never hearing the band yet!!
1) Melissa Mercyful Fate
2) Kill'em All Metallica
3) Friends of Hell Witchfinder General
4) Metal Church debut
5) Kiss Destroyer
First albums that totally intrigued me as a Kid baffled on cover art were Queen "News of the World" and Blue Oyster Cult "Cultosaurus Erectus" (which I was blown away Pete didn't mention)
Ended up become the biggest BOC fan later due to Fire of Unknown Origin. Another incredible album cover'
Jeff Beck-Wired. Loved the cover. Didn’t know a song. Now one of my all time favorites.
Awesome album and cover.
Right on 🤜🤛. I have Robin Trower Live!, Jeff Beck Wired, and Hendrix Band of Gypsys, albums front and center, and on display: all three jammin' together in my living room 🎸🎸🎸
Rush Chronicles and Journey Greatest Hits are the only risk purchases I remember taking. Didn't know either band because it wasn't the type of music I was listening to at the time. Loved their music immediately and quickly started buying their albums. Journey remains my second favourite band and Rush is my third favourite.
Pete, I agree with your "MORE INFO!" quest. Elton and Macca were great at that - photos, booklets, stickers, posters, etc... Remember what was included in Captain Fantastic? That had to be the apex.
Didn't buy but borrowed from a nearby public library... "Michael Schenker Group - Assault Attack", vinyl. And later bought it from Amazon lol. That artwork is simply iconic in its own right!!! It was my first ever introduction to Graham Bonnet and I'm so glad I did! And then ended up buying more of MSG/Bonnet/Alcatrazz albums...
Cool! Back when libraries had CDs to borrow, found out about many bands that way im the mid-00s! Had no internet at home as a kid, so it was a nice way to discover new stuff.
@@hellojimmypage Oh we still have them here in Montreal, keeping the old school tradition alive ahahah...
Great call on the Cirith Ungol. They had great album covers. I always mentally paired them with Manila Road. Weird but awesome bands with amazing album covers.
Im the same age as Martin and when I was 16 my buddies turned me on to Sabbath and Van Halen, so I was into hard rock/metal - and came across Blue Oyster Cult's Spectres. Some cool looking dudes on the cover and I thought they were metal. Played it once and was like 'yikes this isnt what I expected'. Parked it for a decade at least but pulled it out eventually and I adore the album to this day 😊 so delayed appreciation lol. Great show guys, thanks!
One that comes to mind right away is "Know Your Enemy" by Laaz Rockit. There are many more, of course, but I still love that cover. Thanks for the video, duders!
I know the band not the covers but great badass band Noone knows about!
Dream Theater (Images and Words). I didn't know what to expect. Heard Metropolis part 1. WOW I was blown away.
Brilliant.....buying, swapping, and taping albums a happy memory.
Dio - Last In Line. Was 13 when I bought it and had not heard Dio before. Became an RJD fan after the first listen, and I got all the records he had participated in soon after that.
Pallas debut album 'The Sentinel'
Bought because of the lovely cover artwork, listened to it and turned out to be quality prog
Pendragon album 'The Window Of Life'
I'd heard of this band, but had only ever heard one song by them. Saw this album in the record store. Totally fantastic artwork on the album cover, so bought the album ... and ... WOW loved the style of neo-prog. I've since become a big Pendragon fan, but this first album of theirs I purchased remains my favourite
Pete, your Motorhead honorable mention story is a good idea for a new concept show for you and Martin to do. It should be "band openers" you saw that made you run out and buy their albums!
hi Pete and Martin. Here are 5 of mine off the top of my head. Great show.
1. Exciter - Heavy Metal Maniac
2. Steeler - Steeler
3. Accept - Restless and Wild
4. Alcatrazz - No Parole From Rock and Roll ( to a lesser extent)
5. Motorhead - Iron Fist
Re Bandolier...i was at a friends b/day party and his older sister had the album at the front of their gramophone player. Like Martin i never heard of the band but asked her if i could have a listen. Ended up i ignored the party and we played the album twice. 46 years later it is till my all time favourite rock album and i managed to see the band over 20 times.
Really great show. For me - Woolworths U.K. 1981, saw Spellbound Tygers Of Pan Tang in the racks. Never heard of them. Bought it. Wow, still one of my favourite go to Lps.
When I was a lot younger than I am today I used to take a trip to Wembley Stadium market every Sunday. They had a good few record stalls there. I used to buy 5 or 6 albums a week based on the look and feel of the album art. Nursery Cryme was one I got in 1972 / 3. Made me a Genesis fan for life.
Your trip down memorylane resembles mine. :-) Cool show by and for musiclovers.
I bought IMAGES AND WORDS by Dream Theater because I fell in love with the cover art the very moment I saw it. I felt like that image was talking to me, I couldn't stop watching it. I was 15 years old, back in 1995, and I had no idea who they were. No need to say that I loved the music too and they've been one of my favourite bands ever since 🥰
Great pick. I was a few years older but recall how great that band was after purchasing that "cassette"
Selling England by the pound always makes me feel comfy and cozy. Bought it based on cover alone. Don’t even know the band before but the song ‘more fool me’ turned me on for many years.
I bought highway song live by blackfoot strictly on the cover - id never heard of them - they seemed to be having such a good time - i wasnt dissapointed - underrated 80s live record - women and children first too - i bought killers because of the live shot on the back - denim and leather too - i rode an xj 650 yamaha at the time - and all the big hondas on the back - sold - especially biff on the cbx - everyones dream bike in the early 80s
I bought "Unleashed In The East" without knowing who it was. Life changing! Great trip down memory lane.
Chapterhouse - Whirlpool
I love cats. And that was the best cover I had ever seen. What little did I know that this album would be my introduction to Shoegaze. I was 13 at the time. Thanks to that album I discovered one of my favorite genres of music to this day. So yes, thank you Chapterhouse. That album is in my top 5 gaze albums to this day.
Chapterhouse-Whirlpool is stone cold classic and belongs in any list of greatest shoegaze albums! NICE!
This brings back so many great memories. I remember buying the other Teaze album (One night stands) on sight. Great surprise, strong record. Same goes for Moxy II, Starz (Coliseum Rock), Rapid Tears (Honestly), Randy Hansen and lots more. Rarely a bad surprise.
While going to school went to Rasputins in Berkeley and saw the keepers pt 2. Never heard of helloween but the artwork was awesome. Bought that album and was blown away by the speed. I went back and found part 1. Amazing
My daughter and I hit the record store at least once a month (when not closed for Covid). To this day I still get excited bringing home a new purchase and giving it a spin. Great topic today.
I can't remember buying any albums due to their cover but its fun hearing your stories.
Great episode subject! Man, there are so many. Here's four...
The Rods - Wild Dogs
Virgin Steele - Virgin Steele
Kamelot - Epica
Brainstorm - Soul Temptation
I have to add a 5th!
Iron Maiden - Killers
Art and song names has always been a great way to pick new albums for me. We don't have to do that in 2021, but I did like those old days.
Abominog... awesome cover and really rocks.
Great Albums, Great Album Cover.
The Who - Who's Next
Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath/Mob Rules/Born Again
Pink Floyd - Saucerful of Secrets
Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny/Sin After Sin/Stained Class/Screaming For Vengeance/Defenders of the Faith/Painkiller/Jugulator
Journey - Journey/Infinity/Evolution/Departure/Escape
Iron Maiden - (Too Many)
Boston - Boston
Yes - Fragile/Close To The Edge/Topographic Oceans/Relayer
Uriah Heep - Very Eavy/Salisbury/Look At Yourself/Demons and Wizards/High And Mighty/Firefly/Innocent Victim/Abominog
Styx - Serpent is Rising/Equinox/Crystal Ball/Grand Illusion/Cornerstone
Genesis - Trespass/Foxtrot
Rush - Rush/Fly By Night/2112
King Crimson - Wake Of Poseidon/Islands/Larks' Tongues in Aspic/Bible Black
ELO - ELO II/Face The Music/New World Record/Out of the Blue/Discovery
Thin Lizzy - Vagabonds of the Western World/Nightlife/Johnny the Fox/Thunder and Lightning
Metallica - Kill Em All/Ride The Lightning/Master Of Puppets
Blue Oyster Cult - Blue Oyster Cult/Cultosaurus Erectus/Fire Of Unknown Origin
Def Leppard - On Through the Night
Megadeth - Rust In Peace
Slayer - Show No Mercy/Hell Awaits/Reign In Blood/South Of Heaven/Seasons in the Abyss
Alice Cooper - Killer
Scorpions - Lonesome Crow/Taken By Force
Grateful Dead - Anthem of the Sun
Kansas - Song For America/Point of Know Return
Kiss - Kiss/Rock And Roll Over/Creatures of the Night
Overkill - Feel the Fire
Queen - Queen
Iron Butterfly - Heavy
Deep Purple - Fireball/Who Do We Think We Are/Burn/Come Taste The Band
R.E.O Speedwagon - Live: You Get What You Play For
Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity
Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed
Saxon - Saxon/Wheels of Steel
There's My List.
Battle Hymn by Manowar was one. Saw the cover and had to buy. Wasnt disappointed.
Just seen this, trying to catch up with all your great shows. What makes this one really enjoyable is not so much the album choices and why (which was interesting anyway) but all the anecdotes....Martin's 'espionage', Pete waiting for his Dad to get home with new album, and so on.
The Anderson, Wakeman, Bruford & Howe got Me into YES!! What an Awesome Dean cover!!I then fell in love with the "Classic YES compilation album, and "Yes" I LOVED it and just about Everything else is enjoyed by them there after! :-)
Marillion: Script for a Jester's tear
Judas Priest: Stained Class
Jeff Beck: Blow by Blow
Zon: Astral Projector
Savoy Brown: Wire Fire
Budgie: Squawk, Never turn your back...
Yes: Yessongs, Relayer
ELP: Brain Salad Surgery
1st Rainbow album
Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast
Scorpions: Virgin Killer
Wishbone Ash: Argus
Renaissance: Prologue
Hawkwind: Hall of the Mountain Grill, Warrior on the Edge of Time
ELO: Eldorado and April Wine: Electric Jewels (there's a theme with these two)
also April Wine: Stand Back
I'm sure there's more
Martin, I was too hard on you for bringing up that vile Nugent character in a prior episode...You have introduced me to Savatage and for that I'm in your debt. Pete, your show has been a wonderful Rock travelogue, and as you mentioned the bands, I head over to my streamer and start my exploration. Many thanks to you all!
Just one album cover I can think of:
Triumph - Rock and Roll Machine (the original cover with the flames). I bet that one cover brought more fans to the band than anything else they’ve ever done.
I got that Triumph album rock and roll machine live shot with the flames based solely on that cover..... had it on my bedroom wall believe it or not it worked real well with a black light!
I'm 33 and Triumph is one of those bands that I don't understand how they weren't bigger.
I bought Kansas' eponymous first album in 1974 when I was 15 because I loved the cool painting of John Brown on the cover (which I later found out is on the wall of the Topeka capitol state house). It hadn't hit the prog stations quite yet. Talk about a home run! I fell in love with Kansas & have never stopped.
Also bought Tull's A Passion Play because of the ballerina on the cover looking as though she'd been crucified. Loved the album & was the first show I went to when I was 14. Wow! I was blown away and Tull slipped into my #2 favorite slot.
Hey Martin, i live about 30 minutes from Spokane. In fact, I even lived there for a year. They still have a decent record store that I go to.
I've still got the first Motorhead album on white vinyl and Bomber on blue vinyl. Treasured possessions.