Part One
The fun continues… sort of. Oh well, you get the picture.

26. THE WEIRDOS — WEIRD WORLD (Volumes 1 and 2). All I can say about the Weirdos is “Solitary Confinement.” What a great track. This double CD attack contains all their glories, even their great cover of “7 and 7 is.” This is essential listening.



27. VENOM — BLACK METAL. Before Tim Den starts talking shit, or Mandarin, or even Spanish I had “Black Metal” and “Raise the Dead” on a tape. Great fucking songs, great band, great album.



28. CELTIC FROST — MORBID TALES. I’ve always been under the impression that “Into Crypts of Rays” is their finest recorded moment. I freaking love that song! Broody, historic, epic and eerie. The rest of the album holds, but I kinda go on the repeat function a lot for that song. Oh well.



29. JUNIOR KIMBROUGH — DO THE ROMP! Junior Kimbrough is hands down my favorite blues musician of all time. This album’s got most of the tracks that went on the Alligator Records tribute Sunday Nights. A great listen. Melancholic, rocking, sad, sweet, sexy, brutal. Delta swamp and a large negress’ sway! What else could you need? His entire catalogue satisfies, but I recommend this platter.



30. SONNY ROLLINS — WAY OUT WEST. I don’t know if it’s the cover photo of him in cowboy garb with his sax in tow or the piano-less arrangements here. All I know is that I really dig “Come, Gone” and the rest of the album is pretty good. Ahh… saxophone, bass and drums. Simple, elastic, pleasing.



31. THE HOLMES BROTHERS — SIMPLE TRUTHS. I knew I liked these dudes the second I saw them perform “We Meet, We Part, We Remember” on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Went out the very next day and got this. Fucking awesome. These guys have been the real deal for a long time and have flown way under the radar for too long. Pick this up, it’s sweet and urban and good times!



32. AIR — THE VIRGIN SUICIDES. This was my first Air album and I was digging along until I swapped out for the side B and got to the twelfth track “Dead Bodies.” Needle kept getting dropped back at the beginning of that track over and over again. It was perfect! It was the punch that I needed. It’s been love for those zany frogs ever since. Wow.



33. ORQUESTA CASINO DE LA PLAYA — RECUERDOS DE LA HABANA. As far as traditional Cuban sounds go, this band has always been my favorite interpreter. Sure, Benny Moré was the true showman of Cuban classics, but Casino de la Playa’s version of “Bruca Manigua” is without equal in my opinion. Get this for that track alone. Fucking awesome!



34. SLAPSHOT — BACK ON THE MAP. Call ‘em meatheads, jocks, thugs, Bostonians, whatever. How can you resist the energy of “Might Makes Right?” Their stamp on hardcore is undeniable. What? Oh yeah, there’s more Boston coming our way on this list, but before Gang Green and SSD, Slapshot was my first taste.

35. BROADCAST — TENDER BUTTONS. This album is special cuz Patti burned it for me and we shared many car rides discussing art with this in the background. And it also happens to be a very satisfying listen from beginning to end. I miss those car rides.



36. DOS MINUTOS — VALENTIN ALSINA. Ahh… Argentina’s answer to Minor Threat AND the Ramones, kinda like Attaque 77 but a little more hard-edged and blue collar. These working class heroes from Buenos Aires eventually got Green Day huge but never sacrificed their integrity or DIYness. Fucking awesome. Great albums follow it, but this is where it all began. “Caramelos de Limon” and “Barricada Policial” are excellent!



37. CRASS — PENIS ENVY. Yadda yadda yadda whatever you gotta say about them, Crass were pretty good. I admit liking the Poison Girls better, but this album fucking rocks. All I gotta say is: “Bata Motel” and “Where Next Columbus?” You get the picture. You smell the crust. Go buy!



38. ROLLING STONES — THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST. Kitschy 3D hologram cover aside, this is the experimental response to Sgt. Pepper’s if you will and though not one of their most widespread licks, this album does have the ever so satisfying “2000 Light Years From Home” in it. Scratch that, the fucking cover art rules. Even the weird Israeli version of it which makes it cartoony is pretty cool.



39. GUACO — CRIOLLO Y SABROSO. This was a Western Venezuela gaita band from the early 70s that eventually began mixing salsa, funk, vallenato and jazz into the fold and their cover of “Pagaras” was one of my earliest memories of being moved by music. “Es el humo del cigarrillo que me hace llorar!” Not essential for you, but essential for me!



40. WU-TANG — WU-TANG FOREVER. Sure there’s the 36 Chambers and all that, but this double wax beaut has the greatest Wu-Tang track of all time: “Triumph.” Wow. That’s all you need for purchase. Totally worth it.



41. GRIEF — TURBULENT TIMES. Doom metal, sludge, droning rhythms… all the elements for destruction are there. This collection of rarities and B-sides is devastatingly good from beginning to end. Brutal, anachronistic, makes children’s hearts stop beating. So you know it’s good.



42. STIFF LITTLE FINGERS — INFLAMMABLE MATERIAL. Cool, I think we all know where I’m heading here, “Alternative Ulster” and “Suspect Device.” Great tracks by a great band that’s still at it many many years later. No SLF? No Beltones. Think about it. 



43. NIRVANA — BLEACH. I remember Arun having this on cassette in the old Jeep Cherokee and really digging “About a Girl” [which would crop up years later on the MTv Unplugged album as a great start to the set]. Nevermind? Yeah, whatever, nevermind; that album’s good only for “Territorial Pissings.” Bleach cleans and soothes the soul. Seek it. Clean your needles.



44. PAPA WEMBA — AINSI VA LA VIE. The Congolese Papa Wemba is one of Africa’s greatest talents, a rumba and soukous stylist, he’s also been a popular fixture on the World Music scene and on African cinema, most notably 1986’s La Vie Est Belle. A good movie if you can find it with a great soundtrack by Wemba. This is a nice album full of the stuff that makes him, well, him.



45. SAMHAIN — INITIUM. Danzig’s follow-up to the Misfits. Great horror punk. “He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named” and “All Murder, All Guts, All Fun” are excellent tracks. As is “Archangel.” The style would change a little, but for a Misfits fan like myself, this is the good stuff. The sweet stuff. With Minor Threat’s Lyle Preslar on guitar. Wow.



46. INFECTIOUS GROOVES — THE PLAGUE THAT MAKES YOUR BOOTY MOVE… IT’S THE INFECTIOUS GROOVES. Long ass title aside, Mike Muir’s Suicidal Tendencies side project resonated with me and my friends in high school. Going to the Edge with Nick Kreimer and Dan Escauriza was fucking awesome. As was the show. Sarsippius’ Ark was a nice follow-up, but Groove Family Cyco didn’t get me. All in all, this was a time of camaraderie for me and fun. This album is fun!



47. EARTH, WIND & FIRE — THE BEST OF EARTH, WIND & FIRE, volume 1. Though this is a greatest hits compilation for them at the time (1978), it did introduce a previously unreleased track, “September” which is my all time favorite EWF song. Of all time! There’s also “Shining Star” and “Reasons,” Philip Bailey’s crowning achievement as a singer. Verdine White’s bass fucking rocks. Saw ‘em live at the Fillmore on the Beach and what a great show that was! Wow! Then I saw them at the Hard rock and got to interview Verdine! Awesome dude!

48. BAD BRAINS — BAD BRAINS. DC’s greatest negroes! Dreads and all. “Pay to Cum,” “Sail On” and everything else on this album eats and spits out what exists today. No shit. Word! I luv I jah!!!



49. CIRCLE JERKS — GROUP SEX. Dr. Keith Morris is the man. Hands down and though this is normally bundled with Wild in the Streets, this is the better of the two for having my favorite CJ track, “Paid Vacation.” And my god is it relevant today! Afghanistan?! Sheee-it!



50. BEASTIE BOYS — PAUL’S BOUTIQUE. Seriously, License to Ill was weak. Yeah yeah yeah, “Brass Monkey” and “Fight for Your Right” … whatever! Paul’s Boutique is where these guys became the powerhouse phenom they are today. Can you really listen to License without skipping ahead? Cuz I do! On the Boutique though, the ride’s from beginning to end. No shit. Want an egg moustache?