The HBO original series Vinyl is finally on TV screens in Asia (check your TV schedules for more info). This series is set in the seventies, with a few flashbacks and features a rollicking musical lineup of bands and songs that will set your pulse racing. Each episode is a rollercoaster ride of hard rock and blues, so we thought of listing a few albums that will match that vibe
Black Sabbath – Paranoid
There is possibly no other group besides Led Zeppelin that has had a massive influence on rock music, other than Black Sabbath. From Tony Immi’s guitar to Ozzy’s vocals, the band has been on the forefront of hard riffed rock from the get go. In Paranoid, apart from the title track, listen to War Pigs to get an idea of how deep their sound can go. Then, if you can brave it, put on your headphones, turn the volume and listen to Fairies Wear Boots. You will be inspired as only Black Sabbath can inspire. Drummers, listen to Bill Ward’s blues-inspired shuffles on that last song.
Iggy Pop – Lust for Life
This was Iggy Pop’s second solo album after The Idiot and on this one too he has borrowed the genius mind of David Bowie, which is another reason why Lust for Life is so avant garde in a way. Iggy was a straight up rocker but loved to let his punk side shine. The title track is absolute genius, but there are more gems in this album like the deviously laid back groove of The Passenger, and Tonight which has a lovely bluesy undertone that often feels poles apart when you see a shirtless Iggy Pop prancing around in any live show in his punk avtaar.
The Jimmy Castor Bunch – It’s Just Begun
This is the standout blues album of the five. The Jimmy Castor Bunch took funk and R&B to another level with a heavy bassline, an unrivalled horn player and a funk guitar that just pedalled through every song. Incidentally the Bunch has been sampled by almost every hiphop DJ in the modern era and have been an influence for many modern musicians. Listen to the title track, It’s Just Begun, which moves from funk to a hard rock sound once the guitar solo starts, before the bass guitar comes back and powers the track. Bad and I Promise to Remember are two other standout tracks.
The Rolling Stones – Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!
This is one live album you cannot miss. From the beginning, when Richards first starts playing Jumpin’ Jack Flash, to a nine minute version of Midnight Rambler, Sympathy for the Devil and Honky Tonk Woman, one can just picture themselves in the middle of an arena while Stones mania was at its peak. This was one entertaining concert that the audio doesn’t really do justice to, but it’s a nice peek into the energy that existed during live shows at the time.
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
By far one of the most alternative bands of the seventies rock generation, Jethro Tull has one ace in the hole, a man called Ian Anderson. Many regard this concept album as Tull’s masterpiece. Aqualung is a power album from the first riff until the final strains of Wind Up fade away. Make no mistake, this is not an ordinary sound you will hear. If you haven’t heard Tull before, then this is the perfect album to make your acquaintance with the power of Jethro Tull. Apart from Aqualung, Locomotive Breath is a great listen.
