My Top 10 Albums
My Top 10 Albums. Everybody has a top 10 and probably more. I was nominated on Facebook to post the 10 albums that made the biggest impact in my life. Here they are as posted, including a short blurb as to why they have influenced me. Click here to listen to how these artists influenced my new album “Here We Sit”. I hope you enjoy:
Thin Lizzy – Live and Dangerous
I bought my first copy about 1979 or 80 and I still remember the first time I played it. Back then I was a guitar novice and open to any influence going. However, when I heard this album for the first time, it was a revelation to me. The power coming from my speakers was spine tingling. Philo’s voice was immense. Robertson and Gorham’s twin guitars were exciting and “Brian Downey on drums” was a driving force to be reckoned with. Right from the first track Jailbreak, there is no hanging about. For me there is not one bad track here. I can honestly say this album did not leave my turntable for a long time… And if it did, it was always within arm’s-length.
I have owned this album on cassette, CD and DVD. The original is battered and bruised, but still does the business. There’s lots of discussion on exactly how live the album is, as there are studio overdubs. Not a concern for me as Lizzy are not the only band to do this on live albums and will not be the last. It still makes me tingle today when I play it. I would say that the Gorham/Robertson line up is a huge influence in my guitar playing style and for that I will always be truly grateful.
I cannot finish talking about Lizzy without mentioning the man – Philip Lynott. For he has no equal. His stature on stage, his presence, charisma, charm, passion, songs and he threw some great shapes too. He was the best friend I never had, and I was devastated when he died. Needless to say that I have all the Lizzy albums in my collection. His legacy will live on, and his songs will stand the test of time for sure.
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin 2
Led Zeppelin 2 album cover
Zeppelin 1 was a fantastic album. However, Plant, Page, Bonham and JPJ took it to the next level with their second outing. Right from the very first note, Page’s playing is mesmerising. Plants voice and charisma was what any band would chop their nuts off for. Bonham was and is still one of the most recognisable drummers and JPJ is the steadying influence keeping it all rocking and pumping. Again, I sat with this one and learned it note for note, as I did with 1. But what also attracted me was the sounds coming out of the speakers. From the middle anarchy of “Whole Lotta Love” to the sound of Plant’s voice on “What is and What Should Never Be” to the drum sound on “Moby Dick”. This album made me think about sounds, production, feeling and how the album sounded in relation to others.
AC/DC – If You Want Blood
My first AC/DC album. Still got it on vinyl today. Unfortunately sounds like sausages and eggs in a frying pan but still love it. I have got to say that my preference was for Bon Scott on vocals but that is not to say I didn’t enjoy Brian as well. Was lucky enough to see these guys with Brian live twice and was not disappointed on either occasion. Simply just great rock n roll and would love to see them again. Unfortunately that is probably not going to happen.
Pink Floyd – The Wall
Dark Side Of the Moon was my introduction to Pink Floyd, and if I am honest this was a hard one to decide because I love both albums equally. However I think the production and the story within The Wall was the thing that properly inspired me in the end. Not to say that DSOTM is not inspiring….it is.
I first heard The Wall at a mates house and was completely blown away. The production is crystal clear but not only that. The instrumentation, the lyrics, the story and the characters are fascinating. It flows effortlessly from rock to acoustic to symphonic and for me it is awesome. How the songs merged and the segues between was not something I had paid much attention to before this. Yes Floyd had done this before, but this time there was a story, a meaning to each one that pushed the story along. But the way that the album introduced itself was jaw dropping. The way that the guitar pummels that quiet little introduction is superb. And from there Pink had pulled me into his world by the scruff of the neck. I was going nowhere until I had heard this album in its entirety.
We sat in my mates all afternoon and soaked in as much as we could. I bought it a couple of days later and sat with headphones on listening to the way it flowed from one musical style to another and from speaker to speaker, from teenage angst to growing up, rebellion to near suicidal depression, drug highs to personal lows, the loneliness and self-isolation, the crying for help and in the end the reality of life… This is one of those albums that will never age.
The Eagles – Hotel California
Notable for the obvious track which was voted the best solo of all time by Guitarist magazine, but also because it was the first album with Joe Walsh as a new member of the band. Fantastic album with memorable tunes and not just the title track. As with Live and Dangerous, lots of twin guitar solos which as you can tell by now – floats my boat.
Thin Lizzy – Black Rose
I remember the day I bought this album from Golden Discs in Dun Laoghaire. I cycled down to the store in the pouring rain…could not wait for it to stop. When I got the album I asked them to double bag it so it wouldn’t get wet on the way home. Unfortunately, the rain and excitement got the better of me on my way back home. My bike slipped and I fell and impaled my left hand on a spiked garden railing – still got the scar. I was more worried about damaging the album than anything else so I suppose I can say this album scarred me for life.
In my opinion the best studio album by Thin Lizzy. Although I also feel that Bad Reputation runs a close second. The thing that separates them for me is the influence of Gary Moore. Super playing with just the right amount of aggression. Again I could not tell you how many hours I have spent learning the solo from the title track, but many hours well spent in the company of my best friends. I also feel that this album brought the best out of Scott Gorham, integral to the Lizzy sound as always. His playing on this album feels different – more polished and stylish if that is possible from “The Next President of the United States of America”….. It almost feels like Gary brought the best out of Scott but that is just my opinion. Most poignant of all is the track “Got To Give It up” for obvious reasons. Also love the guitar riff in the middle of “Get Out Of Here”. Still play this today as I do with all Lizzy’s albums. It still feels and sounds as fresh as when I first bought it.
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin 4
This is in many peoples top 10 albums and for good reason. Classic rock at its best. Stairway To Heaven, Black Dog, Going To California and When The Levee Breaks are my favourites. But once this album is on, everything else stops and it plays from start to finish.
The Beatles – Abbey Road
I absolutely love all The Beatles albums and played this one to death. I love the way the tracks all merge on side 2, but just some great tunes on here. Was lucky enough to get to Abbey Road studios with a friend of mine some years ago. I saw the original hanging on the wall along with the original Revolver artwork. It sent a shiver down my spine. Iconic image and timeless music.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – SAHB Stories
I first saw The Sensational Alex Harvey Band on The Old Grey Whistle Test doing their rendition of Delilah. It started with a silhouetted shot of Alex sitting and then panned to the rest of the band standing also silhouetted. When it got into the song all players emerged from the darkness, and Zal Cleminson reveals in his guise as a clown. This freaked me out somewhat in my little house in Dublin. I realised I had Coulrophobia – a fear of clowns. However, I was intrigued and wanted to know more about these guys. I mentioned it to a friend some time after who was a bass played in a band I was in at the time. He presented me with SAHB Stories, and it immediately struck a chord with me. For me it has everything. Rock guitar riffs, jazzy tunes, atmosphere taking you from sultry Sirocco to the bluesy swamps of Louisiana. The standout track for me is the Jerry Reed cover “Amos Moses”. But there are others. “Boston Tea Party” and the atmospheric “Sirocco”. Sensational album that will always be in my collection.
Rush – Rush Through Time
The last but by no means the least. A compilation of early Rush songs. This was my first exposure to the majesty of the Ambassadors of Canadian Rock. Again I heard it for the first time in a friends house and was blown away by the power and off-beat antics of Overture / Temples Of Syrinx. And yes you guessed it – went out and bought this along with “2112” and never looked back. I became a Rush fan from there to now…
I really enjoyed sorting through the annals of my music history to try to come up with 10 albums. It was difficult as there are a lot that could have been included here. Schooldays by Stanley Clarke, Innervisions by Stevie Wonder, A Trick of The Tail by Genesis, Back On The Streets by Gary Moore, Machine Head by Deep Purple, Casino by Al Di Meola, Rumours by Fleetwood Mac, Dark Side of The Moon by Pink Floyd, The Bends by Radiohead, Passion And Warfare by Steve Vai, Aja and Can’t Buy A Thrill by Steely Dan and most of the Queen catalogue most notably A Night At The Opera, are just a few that come to mind.
These are the artists who have inspired me, and I hope I do them all justice. And I am sure there are many more that I have forgotten. I hope you enjoyed my journey…and there is another one…through my collection of albums. Most enjoyable. If you enjoyed this article then please like, share and comment below.
I’ll right away take hold of your rss feed as I can not to find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly let me understand in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.|
Thank you Mervine,
Link to subscribe for more info is here: /info/
Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Regards,
Noel.
Hey there! I’ve been reading your blog for a long time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Atascocita Tx! Just wanted to say keep up the excellent job!|
Hey there Texan,
Good to hear from you. Hope you are enjoying the music.
Regards,
Noel.
I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thank you, I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your site?
Thank you Mahabir,
Not as often as I would like to. But if you are interested in keeping up with goings on at Noel O’Reilly Music, you can register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
Would be great to see you over at my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Please don’t forget to subscribe and like, and I am sure we will speak soon.
Noel
Oh my goodness! Amazing article dude! Thank you so much, However I am experiencing difficulties with your RSS. I donít know the reason why I am unable to subscribe to it. Is there anybody else having similar RSS problems? Anyone who knows the answer can you kindly respond? Thanks!!
Thank you Candace,
There is no RSS feed for my site. Not a system I will be using.
So if you are interested in keeping up with goings on at Noel O’Reilly Music, you can register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
Would be great to see you over at my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Please don’t forget to subscribe and like, and I am sure we will speak soon.
Noel
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Thank you Gottsch,
Great to have positive feedback like this. I am not looking for any guest bloggers at the moment, but that is not to say that I will not be in the future. I will keep your details and if I need anything I will give you first refusal. It would really help me if you would register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
And you could also visit my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Thank you for your interest. Look forward to hearing more from you soon.
Noel
I really love your site.. Great colors & theme. Did you build this amazing site yourself? Please reply back as I’m attempting to create my very own site and would like to know where you got this from or just what the theme is named. Thank you!|
Thank you so much Baylock,
The template is from a music course I did some time ago, and I have from there did lots of tinkering to make it how it is today. There are loads of templates online and programs for starting a blog, so keep looking. You will know when you comes across it.
It would really help me if you would register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
And you could also visit my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Thank you for your interest and I look forward to hearing more from you soon.
Noel
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Thank you so much Gum,
Great to receive such positive feedback. The speed is something I have worked on recently, so great to know it’s being noticed.
Regards,
Noel.
Hi! I know this is kinda off topic however , I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest writing a blog post or vice-versa? My site covers a lot of the same subjects as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit from each other. If you are interested feel free to shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Superb blog by the way!|
Thank you Contopoulous,
Always good to receive positive feedback. Yes would be interested in trading links, so please PM me and we will get that organised. And yes would love to do a blog for you, so look forward to hearing from you soon.
Noel.
I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thank you, I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your website?
Thank you Marksbury,
As a one-man-band, it is not possible for me to do updates as often as I would like. At the moment I am concentrating on site speed, search ranking and promoting my new album, but I will get around to doing a new blog or two in the next week or so. But if you are interested in keeping up with goings on at Noel O’Reilly Music, you can register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
And also would be great to see you over at my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Please don’t forget to subscribe and like, and I am sure we will speak soon.
Noel
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate to this brilliant blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will talk about this site with my Facebook group. Chat soon!|
Thank you Rehor,
I have played with the idea of putting a donate facility on my site but I never felt comfortable with it. But there are still ways of donating if you like by buying the new album or singles. That would help me out a lot, and you are getting something for your money not just donating it. There is no RSS feed for my site. Not a system I will be using.
Other ways to help me would be to register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
And you could also visit my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Please don’t forget to subscribe and like. All these little things will help me grow and increase my visibility, so would be great if you could have a look at that. And thank you for your interest. Look forward to hearing more from you soon.
Noel
Hi there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Many thanks|
Thank you Straus,
Always interested in what other people are doing so please PM me before you share so I can have a look at your site.
Noel.
Oh my goodness! Incredible article dude! Thanks, However I am going through troubles with your RSS. I don’t understand the reason why I cannot join it. Is there anybody getting the same RSS issues? Anybody who knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanks!!|
Thank you Henriksen,
There is no RSS feed for my site. Not a system I will be using.
So if you are interested in keeping up with goings on at Noel O’Reilly Music, you can register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
Would be great to see you over at my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Please don’t forget to subscribe and like, and I am sure we will speak soon.
Noel
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an incredibly long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyway, just wanted to say superb blog!|
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Thank you Goulart,
Great to get some positivity for you. Please stay in touch.
You can register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
Would be great to see you over at my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Please don’t forget to subscribe and like, and I am sure we will speak soon.
Noel
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Indeed I do Mayner,
You can register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
Would be great to see you over at my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Please don’t forget to subscribe and like, and I am sure we will speak soon.
Noel
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Hey Edie,
Thank you for the message from Texas and its good to be in touch. Would be great to have you s a subscriber. It would really help me out.
You can register for auto updates at my website or at /info/
Would be great to see you over at my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLYRKov9ZrFu1-U_mgLFb2w
Please don’t forget to subscribe and like, and I am sure we will speak soon.
Noel
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Thank you Jack,
It is great to hear that you enjoy my writing and you would consider donating. I have once thought about a donate button on the site, but then decided against it. We all need to earn a living but asking people to donate money does not sit right with me. I think if people are really interested, buying the songs would be a great way to help me. Look forward to your on-going support.
Noel.
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz respond as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. many thanks|
Thank you Citino,
I have used a WordPress template specifically built for musicians and then altered it to what you see today. It is not available online as it was part of a package I bought.
Noel.
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Thank you for your kind comments Trudeau,
Please PM me before you create your link with more details of what it is.
Regards.
Noel.
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Will do CelsaGornie,
Thank you
Noel
I don’t know whether it’s just me or if perhaps everybody else experiencing issues with your blog. It looks like some of the written text within your posts are running off the screen. Can someone else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them as well? This might be a problem with my web browser because I’ve had this happen previously. Thank you