Editorial Review

When was the last time you heard collard greens being sung about in a Christmas song? Probably never, unless you're a Run DMC fan, or were wise enough to hop on the Read more

Reviews (38)

This is What Christmas is Meant to Be
The Very Special Christmas series of CDs is awesome...great music for a good cause (The Special Olympics).I've now got all of them and play them pretty much year round, just to get a lift from my favorite rock musicians.
Great Selection of Great Songs
This ol' rock 'n' roller enjoyed this album on cassette tape until the darn thing self-destructed this past Christmas season.So I got the CD right away, and it was like hearing them for the first time all over again.My personal favorite is Bob Seger's version of The Little Drummer Boy.He does his usual awesome best on this reverent song and doesn't hurt it one little bit.All the tracks are good.I'm no fan of Run DMC, but I can even listen to this one without thinking "rap-#@**!!"That's just me.Overall, I rate this CD five stars.I listen to Christmas music off and on throughout the year and a little more often in mid-spring when it's much more likely that Jesus was born.Hint: NO shepherds are outdoors with their flocks at night during the winter in Israel.It's about the same as trying that in Arkansas.Anyhoo, I enjoy the thing whenever the mood gets me. I highly recommend it.

Exactly What You'd Expect
This gets five stars.It provides exactly what you would expect.There are 15 tracks with a wide variety of very popular musicians raising money for Special Olympics International.This is a pop album with over half the songs being traditional tunes.There are also non-traditional tracks.The main reason to get this album is that where else would you hear Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, John Cougar Mellenkamp and Sting singing Christmas songs on the same album.It took some real work to get permission from so many artists, producers and record companies to put this album together.
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Subjects:  1. 80's    2. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Adult Contemporary    4. Album Rock    5. Arena Rock    6. Christmas    7. Christmas / Chanukkah    8. Christmas Music    9. Club/Dance    10. Dance-Pop    11. Hard Rock    12. Heartland Rock    13. Hi-NRG    14. Holiday    15. Pop    16. Pop/Rock    17. Rock & Roll    18. Singer/Songwriter    19. V/a Compilations    20. Xmas Vocal Collections   

Reviews (92)

More Rock and Pop than Progressive... but still it shines
THE BAND: John Wetton (lead vocals, bass), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Steve Howe (guitars), Carl Palmer (drums & percussion).
Classic
As one critic wrote, this album was a breath of fresh air back in '82. So true! So ignore the rock critics; this album is amazing. Remember, these are the same "rock" critics that snub Deep Purple, enough said. Case closed.
Excellent product! Shipped quickly and securely!
Amazon always manages to satisfy even the most picky shoppers, like me! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Nothing succeeds like excess--at least that's the case with Queen's breakthrough classic, Read more

Reviews (191)

A true story
One day many years ago my wife and I sat down and listened to A Night at the Opera from beginning to end. We didn't speak or dance or move. We just sat and listened.
This was the one ...
The definitive Queen album, the one that made them world famous and also the one that got me hooked way back in high school.
Sorry Just Have To Clear Something Up
OK WHOEVER SAID THAT JOHN DEACON SANG YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND IS INSANE. JOHN DEACON NEVER SANG LEAD VOCALS ON ANY QUEEN SONG MUCH LESS THAT ONE BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HIS VOICE COULDN'T COMPARE TO BRIAN,ROGERS AND OBVIOUSLY FREDDIES. AND IF HE'D EVER SANG I'M SURE HE'D BE MUCH WORSE THAN ROGER. BESIDES CAN'T YOU TELL THAT ITS FREDDIES SINGING YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND? JUST CUZ JOHN WROTE THE SONG DOESN'T MEAN HE SANG IT... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Britain    3. British Metal    4. England    5. Glam Rock    6. Hard Rock    7. Heavy Metal    8. Pop    9. Pop/Rock    10. Popular Music    11. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    12. Rock    13. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

An essential figure in any history of the American grotesque, son-of-a-preacher-man Vincent Furnier served as a missing link between Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Marilyn Manson. As Alice Cooper, he helped make the pop world safe for morbidity and makeup, scoring a bunch of hits and misses along the way. Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (56)

Welcome To My Nightmare
Alice Cooper is just the man. Simple as that. This is a very good album with 22 great songs. I love every track here and there are the classics that everyone knows. If you like Alice Cooper there are some outstanding lesser known tracks here that rock.

I LOVE THIS CD
My Favorite Tracks Are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.

A MUST-HAVE FOR ANY COOPER FAN!
What can you say about the musical career of this guy Alice Cooper. You either loved his work or you hated it. He is a great performer either on stage or in a recording studio. His wide range of songs really shows in this collection. So much I started buying some of his other CD releases. Which by the way "Welcome To My Nightmare" is still a favorite. All the selections on this CD is worth the investment. A brilliant singer/songwriter/performer of the 70's & 80's. I remember hearing this story back on the week ofJune 2, 1973 when "No More Mister Nice Guy" was on American Top 40 with Casey Kasem. It started out as Alice was to meet with a record producer at a fine restaurant in midtown Manhatten. As Alice walked into the establishment he'd noticed people were staring at him pointing and snickering at him because, he was in full make-up and costume. And all through the meal a table close to him was being very rude towards Alice. So Alice and his party finished their meal first. When Alice got up to leave he walked over to the table stood beside of the guy that was the loudest, put his hand affectionately on his shoulder and said with great sincerity "Gee, it's great to see you again!" Then left the guy to the mercy of his friends. Anyway this is a must for any fan of Alice Cooper."ENJOY!" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Detroit Rock    4. Glam Rock    5. Hard Rock    6. Heavy Metal    7. Pop    8. Pop/Rock    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop    11. United States of America   

Editorial Review

The members of Lynyrd Skynyrd played by their own set of rules.Fiercely defensive of their Southern heritage, Ronnie Van Zant and company reflexively lashed out when they thought they'd been slurred. Hence "Sweet Home Alabama," their retort to Neil Young's shame-on-Dixie "Alabama." (Young loved Skynyrd's screed, even though it lambasted him by name.) On the other hand, "Saturday Night Special" took on handguns; it's hard to imagine a contemporary band with a redneck-rock following taking a similar pro-gun-control stand. This two-disc overview presents a band with a broader agenda than one might imagine. Yes, this is state-of-the-'70s electric boogie, but it's three-guitar-strong rock with genuine subject matter. Fans will already have the likes of "Free Bird" (here presented in studio and concert settings) and "I Know a Little," but baubles such as the previously unreleased "Comin' Home" and the rare B-side "Mr. Banker" add to this collection's appeal, as does the lengthy liner essay. Read more

Reviews (80)

One of the BEST!!!
This is one of the best Skynyrd cd's out there.If you like Metallica then that explains you ignorance!Then again I'm sure you can't be older than 18.FYI...a true music lover loves ALL music, you're just a little boy who likes music.

A must for those just starting out on Lynyrd Skynyrd
This 2-disc compilation of Lynyrd Skynyrd's library of songs is a very good collection of tracks for those just starting out on this most American of rock bands. Though Lynyrd Skynyrd may not have had the virtuoso guitar playing that The Allman Brothers band had (and which band does) or the heavy, southern blues-rock sound of Creedence Clearwater Revival, what they did have was the songwriting of its great frontman Ronnie Van Zant.
FOR WHOM THE BELLS TOLL HAS NO TASTE IN MUSIC
THE PREVIOUS REVIEWER AN ALIAS OF WHIRLIGIG HAS NO TASTE IN MUSIC.CONTRARY TO HIS FOOLISH RANTINGS,SKYNYRD WERE AMONGST THE FINEST BANDS TO HAVE COME OUT OF THE US AFTER THE EAGLES.ALL THE SONGS ARE GREAT SO IGNORE THE PREVIOUS REVIEWER AND GET THIS ANYWAY. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Blues-Rock    4. Boogie Rock    5. Hard Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock & Roll    9. Rock/Pop    10. Southern Rock    11. United States of America   

Features

• Live
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (30)

Great Live CD's
In a way this is AC/DC's greatest hits album. Because they are one of the best live bands of all-time. Yes their album songs are great but when they play live it is so much better than what you get on the album. It has every song you could possibly want by them. They are 2 great live CD's. If you are in any way, shape, or form a fan of AC/DC you will buy this right now.

Sweet CD
I have beed reading the reviews 4 some time and finally decided to break down and go and buy it. all i cam say is WOW!!!! Thsi is an AWSOME CD. one thing is i didnt know how good AC DC would be live, so i was a little sceptical, but they r just as good, if not better. It isnt like some live CDs where the fans sing half of it, it is an awsome live CD, and would be a great addition to any collection.

One of the Live Greats****
This album hasn't been recieved well in ANY circle; critics despise it, fans overlook it. The CD has fared best amongst the uninitiated, which was me back in 1992. My first three CD's were purchased at almost the same time: Metallica's "Black Album," Aerosmith's "Get a Grip," and AC/DC's "Live." I still love all those albums. It puzzles me that "Live" gets very little respect considering the high quality of the band's material. "Thunderstruck" is better live than on the "Razor's Edge." "Who Made Who" live is a total classic. "TNT" is very different from Bon's version, but not inferior. Sure, the "Back in Black" material is not as good as the original stuff, but the same is not true for the mid-80's-through-1990 songs.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Aussie Rock    4. Hard Rock    5. Heavy Metal    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Having long ago earned his rock wars stripes as working class foil and foiled Van Halen superstar, Sammy Hagar finally understands who's laughing best. A half-dozen albums into a post-VH second solo career where Hagar has sometimes seemed more like Dorian Grey than Red Rocker Redux, the veteran rocker kicks off his shoes again--along with some longstanding presumptions. Hagar succeeds here by nimbly channeling the Ghost of Jimmy Buffet Whenever--even if the veteran rocker's Gulf of California acoustic blues is about as authentic as Robert Johnson's Delta surfing legend. The opening "Sam I Am" sets the tone, a slice of slide-guitar autobio-blues that borrows from the folks who stole it from the people who nicked it from the southern blues masters; Sammy's "Ice Cream Man," if you can forgive him (and after his greasy cover of Dylan's "Rainy Day Women" you might not). Hagar does a subtler job suggesting the spirit of Brian Wilson via the harmonies of the loping "Living On a Coastline," channels a little Read more

Reviews (34)

SUMMER IS FEELING GOOD
here in australia,its just starting to warm up for summer,i got this cd last week and its a winner ,so what not as heavey as older sammy stuff but it is just as good,it feels like a lifestyle statement,just enjoy yourselfs.
Sammy Hagar Drops His First Mediocrity
LIVIN' IT UP! is Sammy Hagar's first mediocre album. It seems as though reconnecting with a toxic personality like Eddie Van Halen had a negative effect on the Red Rocker. It's great that he decided to do some country-rock in the style of the Allman Brothers Band and the Outlaws, but failed to remember that those guys had great songs, not just a great style. Hagar's written great light-hearted albums (STANDING HAMPTON, THREE LOCK BOX) and great serious albums (MARCHING TO MARS, NOT 4 SALE), but he's NEVER made a mediocre CD until now. While I feel bad dissing an artist who advocates sanctions on Indonesia in retaliation for that country's trumped-up 2005 drug-smuggling conviction of a young Australian tourist, I'm unfortunately forced to say that this album is so retrograde, reverting from meaningful themes back to a lot of drinking songs (I find that particularly depressing because I had a positive experience working with someone who had been a substance-abuse counselor), that getting through it without pressing the "skip" button builds character and makes you a stronger person. Hopefully, his next album will go back to his hard rock version of Southern rock, and have the songs to go with it.

Sam he is and its all good.
I've always been a fan of both versions of Van Halen.I enjoy them both for their differences and what each lead singer brought to the mix.Solo career wise, you have to just love Hagar.He just knows how to put on a show and evolve.Dave still seem stuck in 1984.Hagar has evolved into a hard rock Jimmy Buffett type.His music and attitude is very similar to Mr. Parrothead: we're here to party and have a good time.There isn't any underlining message to the music, no preaching.Its just fun rock music with a guy who seems to be having fun.The album is just like that and in this day and age its just plain fun to listen to an album, while you're having a couple of Waboritas and not have to worry if the next song is gonna be any good.Its all good.Will it convert people to Hagar.Probably not.Will it appease his fans.Most definately.Will I buy the next album.You can bet your...well you know. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Styx may have had their musical roots in the UK's burgeoning late-'60s/early-'70s prog-rock bombast, but they were true pioneers in at least one sense: The Chicago-bred quintet virtually defined the hugely successful "corp rock" boom that followed a decade after prog's original fortunes tarnished. And if that label suggests a certain sense of the formulaic, in Styx it actually denoted a band with sharp ears and a shrewder sense of rock history, attested to immediately here by the Yes-inspired harmonies of "You Need Love" and the staccato rhythms of the Beatles' "Getting Better" on "Winner Take All." This 35-track double-disc anthology charts a course from sudden fame to its sometimes stormy aftermath, spanning the band's 1972 debut and its resilient 2003 comeback contender, Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (28)

THIS ALBUM IS FRIGGIN AWESOME
I became a Styx fan about 2 years ago when I was a senoir in high school. The first time I heard the song Blue Collar Man (long Nights) I instantly fell in love with the classic lineup of Dennis DeYoung, The Panozzo Brothers, James Young, and Tommy Shaw. This was the very first Styx CD I ever bought and I loved it so much I had to go out and buy the rest of the Styx albums. I love every song on this CD from "Best Thing" all the way to "One With Everything". I do think that there are some songs missing though such as "Don't Let It End", "First Time", "Haven't We Been Here Before", "Queen Of Spades", and "Superstars", and there are no songs from BRAVE NEW WORLD which really is a great album. And I also feel that there isn't enough from the wooden nickel era. But that is the truth with every greatest hits or anthology album something is always missing to someone that is why we buy the individual albums and why artists release more than one greatest hits album.
I've sailed away
My purchase of the Styx Anthology arrived within about a week of purchase and arrived in great condition. The music is great and brings back a lot of memories.

Missing!
I'm a big Sytx fan and have most of their studio albums so this collection isn't of interest to me.But the omissions of Don't Let it End, Why Me and Love at First Sight prompted me to give this a poor rating.I guess Anthology doesn't technically mean best of or greatest hits, but I hate when collections are put together and charting singles are left out.I would recommend getting Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits Part 2 if you're just looking for a Styx collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Released in the glow of Wings' biggest and best album, Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered
• Import

Reviews (38)

Wings' Strongest Album
Look, many of the McCartney fans out there will probably point to Band On The Run and Ram as some of his strongest efforts..
Just as good as "Band on the Run" !
I love Wings and Beatles music, so this was a wonderful addition to my colection. Venus and Mars, Rock Show, and others are awesome! It was also a bargain and came quickly, so I would definently recommend this CD.

Never a better followup albumwas ever made..
Band on the Run was the album that finally busted Wings out of that wandering rut of waiting for Paul to get a good band around him. Venus and Mars is the follow-up that had McCartney and the band playing at total confidence. Everything worked. Even Linda had it goin' on. His vocals and bass playing all dead on. It makes you wonder if Beatle music had carried on a bit, would they have turned the sound direction to somthing like this. Venus and Mars is just plain damn fun to listen to, even all these years later. When the Wings Over America tour was going, Venus and Mars tunes really got the crowd on its feet. If you were at that concert, you'll recall that "Rock Show" was the opening number.The remastered CD versions helped the sound a lot. You can hear Denny and Jimmies guitars much better and Pauls bass cleans up nice. It doesnt mush out the tunes that was the tendency on the Vinyls. Band on the Run, Venus and Mars then Wings at the Speed of Sound are the three Wings essentials to any collection. If you havent gone CD on your old Wings LP's yet, start with those. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock    3. Album Rock    4. Arena Rock    5. Pop/Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Soft Rock   

Editorial Review

Shooter Jennings's 2005 debut, Read more

Reviews (23)

Shooter - Back in the Saddle.
Shooter is back and still riding high. This CD is a pretty good CD. I love the southern rock style Shooter brings to the table.
great cd
Shooter is amazing to listen to in concert and both of his cd's are great i highly recomment them to anycountry or rock fan

Refreshing
How great that in today's contemporary country scene so saturated with radio friendly sappiness like Rascal Flatts that a real raw country rock album can still be made. Shooter never falters and doesn't just deliver those stereo typical sappy made for radio singles like many country acts do. If only Shooter could find a larger audience, perhaps even ween those crazy kids off Rascal Flatts and onto the real deal. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country    2. Arena Rock    3. Country    4. Country-Rock    5. Hard Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock & Roll    8. Singer/Songwriter    9. Southern Rock   

Editorial Review

The 1980s were about excess and Heart, with those sweeping chords and soaring vocals, were as representative of the decade's musical immoderation as anyone. True, this collection of Heart stretches up to the mid-'90s, but Heart's sensibilities were thoroughly entwined with '80s guitar rock. This collection reaches only back to 1985, so it lacks such early hits as "Barracuda" and "Magic Man." It's also marred by filler, such as Ann Wilson's lugubrious duet with Cheap Trick's Robin Zander on "Surrender to Me," which originally appeared on the soundtrack to Read more

Reviews (41)

THE GREATEST OF THEIR WORK!!
This CD is the greatest of Heart's work!!I enjoy every song and the older ones bring back memories.I look forward to more of their great songs.

Excellent for us oldies
If you remember Heart from the beginning years you will love this CD. I enjoyed it so much, all the good ones are there.

All of Heart's Pop/Rock Incarnation Hits
The mid 80's to early 90's was Heart's commercial peak.These are not their best songs, but they are the ones that were big hit singles.Very well crafted and expertly executed, these songs dominated pop radio at the time.Ann Wilson is the best female rock singer ever and she is in top form, as always. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Album Rock    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Popular Music    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (176)

Van Halen at it's best!
Van Halen never really recovered from David Lee Roth's departure. Despite all the trouble and his presence when he was there, this compact disc of one of their most popular ever record albums has hits like "hot for teacher" and a memorable video that went with it but not with this compact disc. We all remember Roth's pants and his rendition of Jump. I never got the song, Panama, but the album is a classic. I remember when my supermarket sold albums like Van Halen's 1984 with Footloose Soundtrack and Michael Jackson's Thriller. Those days of record albums are long gone. Cassettes came and went and now the compact disc looks like it's here to stay so if you're a Van Halen fan, you might as well get this one to play over and over again.

Roth's last Hurrah
Van Halen was innovative with the use of keyboards on this CD.1984 is a unique instrumental opening, which leads into the keyboard-driven "Jump."This clearly one of their best-known songs.Some other well-known tracks on here are Panama and Hot For Teacher.
Diamond Dave's VH Career Goes Off With A Bang.
Van Halen's first barrage of albums, "The debut in particular",created the genre known as pop-metal.However, Van Halen was simply way more talented than the average hair-metal band.I'm talking of course about Eddie Van Halen's incredible guitar playing which rewote the rules for what heavy metal guitar could sound like.He shredded through all of Van Halen's first albums in which most, if not all, were landmark recordings.Now we get to this album, 1984, made in the year 1984.Despite what some people think this is not the first VH album to use keyboards and synths.The song, "And The Cradle Will Rock", used keyboards, however they were fed through a guitar amp and sounded like typical pick scrapes.This is the first time, however, synths are actually mixed in to aid the songs and give them a more pop friendly sound.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Heavy Metal    5. Pop    6. Pop-Metal    7. Pop/Rock    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop    10. Synth Pop    11. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Few comebacks in rock and roll history have been as amazing as that of Aerosmith. Their triumphant return to the charts in the '80s not only rekindled the band's earlier success, but also significantly surpassed it. With their top 20 hits "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," "Ragdoll," and the top 10 power ballad, "Angel," the group proved they had even more fire left in their fight than anyone could have imagined. Leaving behind its reckless lifestyle, the band sacrificed none of their rowdy rock and roll."Ragdoll" and "Love in an Elevator" built upon Aerosmith's raunchy blues approach to hard rock, complete with singer Steven Tyler's howl in the best form of his career. Read more

Reviews (149)

A Clasic
All the hits in one CD great I invite to all of you Aerosmith fans to buy this album.......enjoy

"Great Ones"
Thats what this CD should be called! I have had this CD for many years now and I never get tired of it! This album consist mostly of Aerosmith's top singles released up to 1994. I have to admit that I wish that "Walk this Way" was on the album, but what can you do? I enjoy compilation CDs because every song is great! One of my favorite songs is on the album- "Livin' on the Edge", I think that this song is one of those classic s tunes that you can just jam out to while you are driving in your car. Another favorite of mine is "Amazing". Its another classic. I can remember the video so clearly, from when I was like 9 years old and watching MTV with my sisters. I love Aerosmith's sound. I have never heard a voice like Steven Tyler and Joe Perry is an amazing guitarist. I don't think that there is any other band out there that sounds similar to Aerosmith, they are in a genre all on their own. I am amazed at Aerosmith's ability to continue to rock out and continue to put out great music over so many years. I recommend this CD especially to someone that is just discovering Aerosmith, They will be able to hear some of the classics and "oldie but goldies" from them. If you buy this CD I hope you will cherish it for many years, like I have.

WOW!
WOW!That is the word 2 describe this CD.I fell n love w/ it the 1st time I heard it.It is great.Every1 should have this CD. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Heavy Metal    5. Pop    6. Pop-Metal    7. Pop/Rock    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop    10. United States of America   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (117)

guitar whiz-kid could have used songwriter
Eddie VH changed the way the electric guitar was and is played. The weak link is the songwriting. While better than the material on other VH albums ("beautiful girls"!? "dance the night away"!?), Fair Warning still suffers from this flaw.

Van Halen's finest hour!
After Women and Children first, Van Halen knew they had to make a definite music decision: return back to the upbeat pop-influenced sound of their first two albums, or continue the less structed, more open approach of Women and Children First?The latter path was the eventual conclusion after Eddie voiced dissatisfaction at being held back on musical direction.The result was a more rockish album, the lyrics dealt with matters similar to the first three but did so in a format that fit more with the band's live show and not their pop sensibilities.
Ladies and Gentlemen....The Mighty Van Halen!
Yes...mighty is as fitting a word to describe this band as any word found in Webster's. Just when the 'listening public' was starting to give up hope of finding a group that could "dish-out" some serious Rock (ala, Led Zeppelin, The WHO, Etc...), along comes Van Halen with their 1978' self-titled debut that shattered any myths that 'good time' Rock-n-Roll was a dying breed. All of a sudden, the 'Hard Rock' bands that I grew up loving such as KISS and Aerosmith, took a 'backseat' to this new "entity". As a quick sidenote, 'Hard Rock' is something of a 'tricky' musical genre to define....personally, I can think of only a handful of groups that I would label as such----AC/DC, Aerosmith, KISS, The Cult and of course, Van Halen. Of course bands such as Kansas, Boston, Et Al. could certainly qualify as 'Hard Rock' as well, however, I group those bands in other catergories. Likewise, I would classify groups like Motley Crue, Def Leppard and many of the "Hair bands" as 'Hard Rock'....But I'm here to talk 'Classic Hard Rock'...and it doesn't get any better than "Fair Warning"! Please....name a song that pulverizes the "rock senses" like "Unchained" or "Mean Street"...I'm waiting! These guys had every ingredient of a great Rock group---- talented individual musicians; driving, though catchy rhythms and lyrics;a 'Front Man' that was nothing short of Unstoppable; and a stage prescence and show that was something not to be forgotten (remember the city back drop lined with Marshall stacks in the "Unchained" and "So This is Love" videos....impressive to say the least). As for talent, each one of the guys "had it going on". Besides the obvious innovations of Eddie and David (which have been much praised in most other reviews), one must NOT dismiss Alex and Michael's contributions to the band's sound. Being a drummer myself, I can say that Alex was "instrumental" to my own personal development as a drummer----his convincing double-bass beats, his left-foot 8th note Hi Hat accompaniment, his "choking" and "riding" of crash cymbals, and the overall 'bombast' of his playing style (not to mention the sheer massiveness of his kits). And Michael...besides contributing some of the higher register back-up vocals in Rock's history, he added a 'pounding' low end that was the foundation needed for all involved---- one of the thickest, rumbling bass sounds heard since Squire and Entwhistle. As much as I would rather not use a certain phrase to describe what this album means to me, I feel its more than fitting----this is definitely one of the "Soundtracks to my Life". It brings me back to a specific time in my exsistance that I wouldn't trade for the World...and leaves me 'snickering' to myself every time I hear it. These said "Soundtracks" are albums that are very "near and dear" to me, and seems to never grow old to me. They are also albums,that 9 times out of 10, I will happily listen to from start to finish----Me skip a song on "fair Warning"....NO WAY! "FW" will always rank right at the top of my VH collection, though ALL releases from the Roth-era VH belong in any Rock Fan's collection. Enjoy this one with your "buddies", the Ladies, and of course, your favorite drink! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Heavy Metal    5. Pop    6. Pop-Metal    7. Pop/Rock    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Sure, Detroit had the MC5 and the Stooges, but Long Island's Kiss threw down their own gauntlet. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss cleaved a spot between glam, punk, waning Woodstock rock, and adult-oriented pop and became a phenomenon in the process. Kiss kept their music simple and, of course, sexual, with the likes of "Hotter than Hell," "Love Gun," and "Calling Dr. Love," paving the way for the waves of pop-metal sexpot wannabes and winning fans in such quantities that they launched the so-called Kiss Army. Their magnetism permeates this 21-song set, with Criss sounding so lonesome he could cry on "Beth," and the fire-breathing, blood-spitting Simmons unfailingly serving up a comical mix of menace and lasciviousness. The version of "Rock & Roll All Nite" comes from 1975's crowd-noise drenched Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (126)

Not a Bad Intro, But You Can Do Better
With Gene Simmons making his debut this last year on Cable TV with Rock School on MTV and again this year on A&E with Family Album, I'm sure a few newcommers to the Kiss legacy will be looking to see what the King of Tongue has done besides get into the Guiness Book of World Records.Truth be told as much as this collection is a good intro to the bands studio works, Kiss is by all means first a show band and second a musical band.But non the less they still in their history outplayed themselves on the stage far more than they ever did in the studio.Having seen them myself twice in Detriot during their hayday I'd have to say get "Alive" first as Kiss is definately meant to be heard live and not on a studio record.If your new to Kiss you won't be disappointed at buying "Alive" and you'll get a much better idea about what all the rave was about with the band in the 70's more than what you will from this compilation.

this band blows
what have they done that was so good..oh they had that one song "rock and roll all night or whatever" but it's only a half descent song. the only way they could get people to listen to their music was by painting their faces, and they don't deserve to be in the rock and roll hall of fame...only bands with actual talent belong...led zeppelin, pink floyd, ac/dc...theres just lots of better bands out there.

Pop at commercial!
Heavy metal to disco to hair metal! Thats commerical! Commerical, means not music with expressions but music that people that buy what ever they hear on a pop radio. Meanless pop may live but to be mock by better music! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Heavy Metal    5. Pop    6. Pop-Metal    7. Pop/Rock    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (132)

These kings are here to stay!
I don't have time to make an account, so this is filed under 13, but I've been around just as long as Rush has. Let me begin by saying that AFTK is, in my opinion, Rush's greatest achievement of the 70's. The band began experimenting with new sounds, mainly Peart, who is using wood blocks, tubular bells, and wind chimes. This album offers a heavy progressive feel throughout, and it doesn't disappoint.
Might be my personal favorite Rush album; they're at the proggiest!
Ok, I have 7 of Rush's albums (in the order purchased: Moving Pictures, 2112, Fly By Night, A Farewell to Kings, Vapor Trails,Counterparts, Permanent Waves) and my personal favorite happens to be A Farewell to Kings.It has so many cool sounds that send you into a surreal world of waves, like on Xanadu.It sends you into the dark depths of a black hole in Cygnus X-1.It gives you a look into the mideivel ages and a sweet rockin session on the title track.It's got 3 shorter songs that are also a force to be reckoned with.Closer to the Heart and Cinderella Man are memorable classics.Madrigal is okay, but it could've been left out.
Rush turns a corner on Kings
The term "Xanadu" is defined as "a place of great beauty, luxury, and contentment."