Okay, let's start with the debate all Steely Dan fans seem to have, or at least the one Paul Anderson, Brad Patton and I have.  While Aja generally is regarded as Dan's highest achievement, I think Katy Lied is better and is top 10 album of the 70's.  Then again I'd still put Aja there too, so obviously I am too big of a Dan fan to judge.  And anyone who's a real Parrothead knows A1A is Jimmy Buffetts best and belongs there.

That's a start.  I can think of some others but will leave that you the rest of you.

Oh and willing to admit A1A probably won't make the cut for most of you and I am [sigh] okay with that.

Yes to A1A my brother, Aja rules.  When I get more time I will jump all over this topic that you know I hold dear.

Peace

In no particular order....just off the top of my head randomly! (and I had to disqualify great ones such as Rumours or Tusk cause I didn't even buy them...I'll be just listing ones I actually bought, played, and wore out--and I'm only listing purely music albums since if we're talking top 10 vinyl any category in the 70s I'd have to put the Monty Python and the Holy Grail album in the top 10 as well)

City To City - Gerry Rafferty

Breakfast In America - Supertramp

Boston - Boston

Don't Look Back - Boston

A Night At The Opera - Queen

A Day At The Races - Queen

Aja - Steely Dan

Out Of The Blue - ELO

Sheer Heart Attack - Queen

Queen II - Queen

wow, that was amazing!

yeah I might pick 5 more by next week 'cause 10 of something usually ain't enough (remember when 'ain't' wasn't a word in the dictionary?)

and since you mentioned Billy Joel I forgot all about wearing out 'The Stranger' in the mid 70s. I also give props to Patton for urging me to get the Queen back-catalogue when 'Night At The Opera' came out and Bohemian Rhapsody was hitting number 1 at it's full almost 6 minutes, one of the few longer-format hits during top 40 radio NOT to be whittled down to a radio edit. And thankfully radio never did edit that song.

shame those radio edits. they messed up 'Blinded By The Light' and other classics. Even last year the BBC and XFM radio edited Elbow's great tune 'The Bones Of You' and they destroyed it by taking out the instrumental bridge which had a great Radiohead sound to it, probably an homage to that band I think.

but I digress.

I'll probably start a topic of our favorite albums of the naughties since we already have a 70s top albums thread.

and the composers. the decomposing composers.....

yes my favorite, as Charles Emerson Winchester would say, would be,  "shhhhhh.......Mozart"

little Pinto from Animal House as Wolfie in the movie AMADEUS. brills that

Brad:

You nearly had me conceding to Aja because of the wittiness of your reply but then you had to throw in that "The children sit at the Katy table" thing. Must I remind you that the Katy table is where all the fun is? It's where "delicately blended offerings" are a result of us being creative with our food resulting in new and exciting dishes. Where we don't sniff the cork and sip our wine but instead relish it's flavor in large gulps and don't worry if we spill. It's about cutting loose and enjoying life which is what Katy Lied does as it takes you through a multi-level musical journey using a timeless mixture of rock and jazz. Although I do enjoy Aja, it is Steely Dan's attempt at a pure jazz album and as a result and in my humble opinion, an album that limits itself to specific moments and moods whereas Katy Lied can be enjoyed at any time.

Onward with the great music debate but I don't think any minds will ever be changed so might I suggest a good old Hank Aaron vs. Babe Ruth debate.

Paul

Hank

Babe Ruth was the man...Plain and simple!!! Hank wasn't a pimple on his ass! Hot-dogs, beer, and pop-corn! The king of swing! The old Babe kicked everyones ass in his day!

Hey Brad

That's quite some music commentary,  maybe you should write for Rolling Stone.!  I've alway enjoyed Katy Lied, but don't remember the details you guys do.  Although I do remember buying my first album ever.  I was riding in the car (I think with my Dad) and heard "Fly like an eagle"  by Steve Miller.  I still love hearing it.  I haven't seen you in so many years, are you a fairly intense kind of guy?  It wasn't clear with that black friday comment if you are actually coming back in July, are you?

I believe it was in 10th grade Algebra...John Lucas was talking to a few of us about how he thought Steely Dan was great and I believe in unison we told him that he was full of sh*t.

how effing wrong were we?

I think it was back in the day when we were put off by 'rikki don't lose...' and we just didn't have an appreciation for it yet.

and where the f*ck is Lucas?!

Let's all take a leap of faith off the jazz rock fusion band wagon for just a second and remember there were other groups in the 70's.  The greatest music of all time either came out of the 60's and early 70's or was influenced by those groups.  I can't pick a favorite but will list a few from time to time.

Led Zeppelin- Houses of the Holy

 Say no more!!!

Steve,

I will say NO MORE!

Brad I'm so disappointed.  Ok here we go... anyone's Hall of Fame would only be a farce with out the inclusion of this album.  This should be considered the most influential musical release of all time with perhaps the exception of Robert Johnson.  No genre has gone untouched by this album. 

One group that sang the Tommy Bolin song Post Toastie back in 1979 really sounded pretty good. The Post Toastie basketball team sang this song before their games during warm-up which ultimately helped them to win the school championship. If you were hard of hearing and tone deaf and had no beat at all you would have enjoyed their version. I almost suggested we record our version...fame and fortune lost, oh well, I don't think we could have survived the media attention! And it might have been harmful to our friendships as well...hell, everyone knows I sing better than Brad Patton!?!? Ha, ha, ha!!!

almost forgot.

Reeling in the Years one of the best rock era instrumental intros ever. To add to the list from the 'other' message board

;o)

www.youtube.com/watch

see this dude rip up the strat to reelin in the years

Brad,

Robert Johnson is the Holy Grail for which they seek and never quite find, the Dalai Lama from which draw wisdom, every great guitarist has borrowed from but none have mastered. Legend grows out of the unknown which is usually much more interesting than reality.  I would like to believe he was killed by a jealous husband it just adds to the mystic and lifestyle from which his music was born.  It really doesn't matter where he was buried all that really matters is we were lucky that a very small portion of his music survived and the world was able to listen in awe.

While the topic was "top albums from the '70s", I would give Steve a lot of credit for pointing out Sgt. Peppers' influence on subsequent albums from other artists down the line.  For one thing, it is common knowledge that when it was released all the other bands/artists spent a LOT of time listening to it.  Sgt. Peppers was not simply an "instant classic", it was revolutionary - a "game changer".  It didn't sound anything like anything else at the time.  In fact, it might have been the very first '70s album, despite being released in summer of '67.

I've seen Mark Thompson in person...and I prefer his music...any of his music! What a talent! Plus, he was a great quarters player too and a good friend...can't beat that in my simple mind!

I'm still unclear about Bruce being a half-wit?!? It troubles me! I always thought I was a half-wit?!? Hopefully, Bruce was just under rated because he was smarter than me. If Bruce is a half-wit...I'm reduced to a quarter-wit!?! Yikes!!! Bruce, please tell me you were considered at least a three quarters-wit! It will make me feel better!

And Mark Thompson...I'd love to hear you sing something at the reunion...please, please, please!!!

So true Bruce.  To think Bruce Zook wrote that note, coming from a guy who owns every song by the Starland Vocal Band.  Life is funny that way.

God bless

PS:  Bruce, I'll never forget the night you called a sang WHITE HORSE by Taylor Swift.  We cried together that night.  You moved me.

Brad Patton wrote:

Bruce Zook's response:

Funny, except that means you actually KNOW a specific song by Taylor Swift, which I did not.  Please tell me you had to look that up!

As for the Starland Vocal Band, their only hit is the dumbest song ever about having sex in the middle of the day.  Was kind of catchy though.  The Anchorman's version is the best, surpassing the original.

I guess it is time to pull on that thread a little more and see what it unravels.  I was always "that kid" who when he saw the thread couldn't resist (as if the thread were taunting me) had to tug on it.  So Brad can you tell me What's going on? You could say Marvin Gaye was Flyin High in 1971 when he changed Motown forever. Featuring introspective lyrics about drug abuse, poverty and the Vietnam War, the album was also the first to reflect the beginning of a new trend in soul music. Before it's release Barry Gordy considered "What's Going On" far too political to be released on radio and went as far as to say it was the worst record he had ever heard.  It did not fit his commercial popular radio "Hitsville USA" formula and he refused to release it for over a year.  It gained instantaneous critical and popular praise and remains relevant to this day. This was actually followed by the second greatest Motown album ever released "Lets Get It On" making in my humble opinion the two greatest back to back releases ever in any genre.  Marvin Gaye...argue his greatness.  Pull thread see what unravels...don't listen to your mother!!!

www.youtube.com/watch

(Anchorman Afternoon Delight)

someone say Starland Vocal Band?

go f*ck yourself San Diego!

I never had an appreciation for the Beach Boys until hall of fame DJ Don Geronimo exhibited such a passion for Brian Wilson's genius that he'd repeatedly talk about Brian and the beach-men on his radio show. And did a killer interview with Brian a few years ago when he was still doing the Don&Mike Show.

and of course, Brian went and had something happen to him, and he ended up sounding exactly like Carl Spackler! funny and sad all at once.

I never bought anything by the Beatles and the closest I came to anything there was liking Band on the Run so much that it was my song of the year in the early 70s. and Live And Let Die was good too.

and then in that same year I heard the Brian Wilson interview, some numbnuts kid ends up getting an MTV gig because he sang THE SUPER BOWL IS GAY.

sheesh.....I think we're gonna lose this one.

Only song that ever made me cry was back in the 80s...last call for alcohol...heard it several times...not sure who sung it!?!? Instead of singing the blues we all just stopped at 7-11 and bought beer and partied at my roommates and my house...for those of you that know law enforcement or fire fighters back than they called it  "The Animal House." We didn't allow guys like the nerd in the movie Animal House playing the guitar on the steps...otherwise the real Bluto would probably have smashed the guitar too!