My Top 20 Lists that I compiled as a kid 1973-1990

[Catfish]

August 1981 List
--------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Journey (+1)
3. Neil Young (-1)
4. Led Zeppelin (+1)
5. Pat Benetar (-1)
6. Boston (No change)
7. Bill Joel (No change)
8. Kansas (No change)
9. Fleetwood Mac (+1)
10. Police (-1)
11. REO Speedwagon (No change)
12. Eagles (+2)
13. Heart (+6)
14. Cars (-2)
15. Rush (-2)
16. Dire Straits (+1)
17. Foreigner (New)
18. Tom Petty (No change)
19. DEVO (-2)
20. Eddie Money (No change)

On a scale of 10, this is an 11 on the amp of cool and awesome. I can not imagine what classic rock would have looked or sounded like without Led Zeppelin......

 

[Catfish]

September 1981 List
---------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Neil Young (+1)
3. Journey (-1)
4. Led Zeppelin (No change)
5. Pat Benetar (No change)
6. Boston (No change)
7. Kansas (+1)
8. Rush (+7)
9. Fleetwood Mac (No change)
10. Billy Joel (-2)
11. Police (-1)
12. REO Speedwagon (-1)
13. Jefferson Starship (New)
14. Eagles (-2)
15. Heart (-2)
16. Cars (-2)
17. AC DC (New)
18. Dire Straits (-2)
19. Foreigner (-2)
20. Tom Petty (-2)

AC DC-. Wow... another embarassing omission that is just now showing up late 1981. This is the ultimate 3 chord grind it in your face rock and roll band. What you see is what you get. What might be a simplistic musical model also made this into one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Sadly, I have a really lame excuse for this oversight. In the '70's I had heard that these guys were gay, or by nature of their name bi-sexual. The electrical voltage motif, escaped me, as I thought everything in rock and roll had ulterior meanings. My homophobic butt bought off on this bogus rumour, and I missed out entirely the Bon Scott era.

So when I was finally englightened, I was marveled at what these guys could do with Boom-Boom-Boom in repetition. Hell, I could listen to Yes or Rush if I wanted musicanship....... This was balls to walls Rock and Roll that made your sternum vibrate when the speakers were cranked up. This is another band, that if I gave any one sample, I'd do dis-service to their legacy. So, I will repeat an earlier post of their latest work which is a nicely done anthology of their career. Kind of sad, because it is almost treated as a Swansong.......

 

[Catfish]

October 1981 List
------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Neil Young (No change)
3. Journey (No change)
4. Rush (+4)
5. Led Zeppelin (-1)
6. Pat Benetar (-1)
7. Boston (-1)
8. Jefferson Starship (+5)
9. Fleetwood Mac (No change)
10. Dire Straits (+8)
11. Kansas (-4)
12. Billy Joel (-2)
13. Police (-2)
14. AC DC (+3)
15. REO Speedwagon (-3)
16. Heart (-1)
17. Eagles (-3)
18. Car (-2)
19. Foereigner (No change)
20. Tom Petty (No change)

 

[Catfish]

November 1981 List-
--------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Neil Young (No change)
3. Journey (No change)
4. Rush (No change)
5. Led Zeppelin (No change)
6. Boston (+1)
7. Jefferson Starship (+1)
8. Pat Benetar (-2)
9. Dire Straits (+1)
10. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
11. Kansas (No change)
12. Bob Seger (New)
13. AC DC (+1)
14. Police (-1)
15. Billy Joel- (-3)
16. REO Speedwagon (-1)
17. Foreigner (-1)
18. Eagles (-1)
19. Heart (-3)
20. Cars (-2)

 

[Catfish]

December 1981 List
--------------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Neil Young (No change)
3. Journey (No change)
4. Bob Seger (+7)
5. Rush (-1)
6. Led Zeppelin (-1)
7. Boston (-1)
8. Jefferson Starship (-1)
9. Dire Straits (No change)
10. Fleetwood Mac (No change)
11. Pat Benetar (-3)
12. Kansas (-1)
13. AC DC (No change)
14. Foreigner (+3)
15. REO Speedwagon (+1)
16. Eagles (+2)
17. Police (-3)
18. Billy Joel- (-3)
19. Cars (+1)
20. Heart (-1)

Concert- December 9, 1981- Billy Thorpe, Johnny Van Zant, and Blackfoot-Price on stub $9.50-

Billy Thorpe- Classic one hit wonder. But it was one hell of a hit. Great tune, and it was played at the concert!!!!! Played this one many times "LOUD" in the car. Don't forget the headphones on this one folks.

Johnny Van Zant- Latter Synkryd singer who obviously can't write songs worth a damn. Set was pointless. He's obviously a Van Zant in name only.

Blackfoot- - Okay Southern Rockers I guess. But weak as a headliner. For a reminder, here is the tune that they were probably best known for....

 

[Magic]

I’m a Blackfoot fan, big time!

Speaking of Van Zant’s, the Van Zant Brothers (Johnny & Donnie) have gone in a strange musical direction….completely country, Christian country rock.


New release:

 

[TACdtf]

I’m a Blackfoot fan, big time!

Me too!

Blackfoot- - Okay Southern Rockers I guess. But weak as a headliner. For a reminder, here is the tune that they were probably best known for....

I would've loved to have seen them during this time period.

 

[Catfish]

January 1982 List
------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Neil Young (No change)
3. Journey (No change)
4. Foreigner (+10)
5. Rush (No change)
6. Bob Seger (-2)
7. Dire Straits (+2)
8. Led Zeppelin (-2)
9. Boston (-2)
10. Jefferson Starshiip (-2)
11. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
12. Kansas (No change)
13. Pat Benetar (-2)
14. AC DC (-1)
15. Eagles (+1)
16. REO Speedwagon (-1)
17. Police (No change)
18. Billy Joel (No change)
19. Cars (No change)
20. Heart (No change)

 

[Catfish]

February 1982 List
------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Neil Young (No change)
3. Foreigner (+1)
4. Journey (-1)
5. Bob Seger (+1)
6. Rush (-1)
7. Dire Straits (No change)
8. Led Zeppelin (No change)
9. Boston (No change)
10. Jefferson Starship (No change)
11. AC DC (+2)
12. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
13. Kansas (-1)
14. REO Speedwagon (+2)
15. Pat Benetar (-2)
16. Eagles (-1)
17. Police (No change)
18. Tom Petty (New)
19. Cars (No change)
20. Billy Joel (-2)

 

[Catfish]

March 1982 List
----------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Neil Young (No change)
3. Foreigner (No change)
4. Journey (No change)
5. Bob Seger (No change)
6. Rush (No change)
7. Dire Straits (No change)
8. Led Zeppelin (No change)
9. Jefferson Starship (+1)
10. Boston (-1)
11. AC DC (No change)
12. Pat Benetar (+3)
13. Kansas (No change)
14. Fleetwood Mac (-2)
15. REO Speedwagon (-1)
16. Cars (+3)
17. Eagles (-1)
18. Police (-1)
19. Tom Petty (-1)
20. Billy Joel (No change)

This is still 3 years away for TP, but just love how it just expounds on the variability of Petty/Heartbreakers talents.... Some band have and have not aged well with the test of time. Tom Petty was like an old fine vintage wine. Better each listen.