Albums and artists you were obsessed by (and still rate now)

[Lost Leader]

I suspect most of us have become a little obsessed for a while about a particular band, solo artist or album. You know the sort of thing I mean - you play it / them obsessively all the time, you think they are the best band / singer ever, you read / listen to as many of their interviews as possible, collect trivia about them etc. etc.

At different times there are different artists and albums that occupy this "obsession spot" in our lives and the obsession may just last a few months or it can go on for years. In some instances you can end up wondering why you ever liked them / it in the first place but in other cases, whilst no longer quite so obsessed, you still really like the artist / album in question. The latter is what this thread is about so here is my journey of musical obsession:

Back in the mid 70's I was pretty obsessed about Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult. In those days I was obviously still in my pram but those bands struck an early power chord with me. BOC were probably the band I became the most obsessed with and I still love 'em today, especially their early stuff like "Secret Treaties". I've also still got time for some classic Sabbath.

The Dictators were a band I got really excited about in 1975 when they released their classic first album "Go Girl Crazy" which was at the time, I believe, the lowest selling album ever released by CBS. This was punk before punk was invented and the world wasn't quite ready for it (they strongly influenced the Ramones) and it is also very funny. Oddly enough the band got back together in the last few years and released another great studio album and a fantastic live album which is well worth a listen if you like loud rock with some great guitar playing and some of the funniest lyrics ever written.

In total contrast I also liked Hall and Oates a lot in the mid to late 70's. The album for me is "Abandoned Luncheonette". They also had a fab touring band around this time and were a great live act. Another album I keep coming back to from around this time is Linda Ronstadt's "Heart like a wheel". Speaking of which, the title track of that album was written by Kate and Anna McGarrigle and their first album is another of my all time favourites.

During the punk and new wave eras the artists I liked best who I still rate today were Elvis Costello, Television, Ian Dury and The Pretenders. I've also always loved Kirsty Mccall, especially her first album.

Pure pop is always likely to find favour with me, especially (for some reason) girl groups so step forward please Bananarama and their latter day successors The Pipettes.

For song writing genius it is hard to beat Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields, especially the mammoth triple album "69 Love songs". I had a major obsession about that one when it came out a few years back. Surely it has to be the best triple album ever made, 69 original compositions all written by one guy...amazing.

I absolutely love the album "Engenue" by k d Lang. She has a beautiful voice and this is one great album when you are in the right mood. Another singer I really like is Aimee Mann and for me her best album is "Absolutely".

My most recent musical obsessions? Well I suppose there are a couple, Amy Winehouse and Rilo Kiley / Jenny Lewis.

So, those are a few of mine - now what about the rest of you?

[Trouble]

I would not describe myself as obsessed but i was very keen to listen to this musician when i was younger and i would never admit it to anybody and always listened in secret....

Plus i am getting to see him for the first time in my life in December....

yes its......


BARRY MANILOW

Im not ashamed... i am a manilow fan.

[scarface]

I would not describe myself as obsessed but i was very keen to listen to this musician when i was younger and i would never admit it to anybody and always listened in secret....

Plus i am getting to see him for the first time in my life in December....

yes its......


BARRY MANILOW

Im not ashamed... i am a manilow fan.

Oh Please....

[Double Trouble]

Prince - Sign 'O' the Times

[scarface]

Prince - Sign 'O' the Times

Oh Please....

[Dreadful Scathe]

"Angel Dust" by Faith No More and "Blood Sugar Sex Magick" by RHCP ... absolute class

also listened to Michael Bubles first for a while and the theme tune albums to "Lord of the Rings" all 3 films soundtracks were great.

then theres the soundtrack to the Rocky Horror Picture Show ... listened to that more times than i care to mention

etc...

[Maxine]

Joni Mitchell – For The Roses (Still never tire of this album)
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin iv (probably my all time favourite album had over 30 years still love all the songs

[Trouble]

Oh Please....

oh please... is that the best yu can come up with. Please give us your insightful album choices then dear.

[scarface]

David Live-----------Mr David Bowie

The best album bar none....ever

[scarface]

oh please... is that the best yu can come up with. Please give us your insightful album choices then dear.

Old Barry wont make it to December....Bermuda Triangle and all that ball bag.

Come on my love my list is never ending....anything by Mr David Bowie

Your still learning the pleasures of decent music

[ShinyWeeStar]

I wouldn't have said I obsessed over any album or artist; I've never been one for following particular music and don't often buy more than one of an artist/group's albums (as I tend to just like random songs). I did love my Boyzone album when I was younger though (think it was called Said and Done?), which my friend bought a copy of last year when it was re-released on CD. We were singing along in the car and still knew (nearly) all the words, more than 10 years on... Of course, I had to then dig out my cassette when I got home to listen to the album all the way through - and yes, it was as good as I remembered!

You gotta love a bit of cheese...

These days I'm more likely to stick on Westlife (I clearly have a thing for Irish boy bands ), songs from the musicals (either a compilation CD or individual soundtrack), a Worship CD or the ever-growing "Dancing" folder in Windows Media Player.

[HelenB]

I did love my Boyzone album when I was younger though (think it was called Said and Done?), which my friend bought a copy of last year when it was re-released on CD. We were singing along in the car and still knew (nearly) all the words, more than 10 years on...

Hmmm, I'm the same with Jason Donovan

Two bands I used to listen to all the time and have only recently rediscovered (and remembered how much I like their music) are "Gene" and "The Bluetones" - the former is very Morrisey-esque

But generally I find, because of dancing, I'm listening to more old school blues - just like the stuff I was brought up on - I'm even raiding my parents' CD collections!

[JiveLad]

Obsessed by? Nah........not really.

A couple of things - and a slightly different tack: there are very few albums I would listen to in their entirety these days. The days of putting an album on, sitting down with a cup of tea and a biscuit and listening to it all the way through are well gone..........it's so......er.....20th Century.

And within the rich tapestry of 'rock, pop and soul' there are very few albums where you can say that every track is great and it all hangs together as an 'album'.

"Sarge Pep"* (as they call it in the trade) by the Beatless, fails miserably as do those oh so highly rated albums by Oasis, Radiohead, REM. Don't get me wrong: all contain fantastic, desert island disc territory songs - but the whole album? Nah - too tempting to fast forward.

The closest that most people would know to fit this bill and maintain longevity is "Dark Side of the Moon" aka the hi-fi buffs wet dream. And I like it ....still. However, it just fails by that awful track 'Money' which jars with the rest of the mood.

So, I'll go out on a limb and give you an album which you may have heard, may have forgotten - and which still does it for me - it creates a mood, a vibe - and all the tracks hang together as an 'album':

Grace Jones - Nightclubbing

Aside from that, perhaps, Van the Man - of course, particularly:

Van Morrison - Moondance or [B]Beautiful Vision[/B]


* A bit like 'Bo Rap' being short for that song by Queen.

[Gerry]

As an Old sould boy, you can't get better than Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On"

Pure pure soul

[Little Monkey]

Dad was a huge Beatles fan, so I grew up listening to the four hairy Scousers - and still love them.

Also always liked David Bowie.

Have never really had any massive obsession (or crush) on one particular group or singer. Never had my bedroom walls covered in posters of my heroes, not even living in Norway and growing up with the AHA hysteria.

[Genevieve]

Coo, where do you start................?

I grew up on Elvis and still listen to him most of the time even now, much to the despair of Jivejunkie, lol. You'll never get that sort of impact again IMO.

Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Kiss and Nazareth have stayed with me from the early days........along with Stiff Little Fingers and the Sex Pistols.

Aerosmith, Loverboy, Motley Crue, Guns n Roses and Meatloaf from my rock-chick era :wipes away a nostalgic tear:

I love George Thorogood, Ruth Brown and JJ Cale for the bluesy stuff amongst others....

as for current music selection it has got to be The Fratellis.......fantastic band

[rubyred]

Crosby Stills Nash and Young

Janice Joplin

Carole King in particular Tapestry

Steppenwolf...Born to be Wild

Cream

David Bowie

Captain Beefheart

John Martyn ..Solid Air

BB King

Etta James

Ruth Brown

Sarah Vaughan

Bon Jovi

[MarkW]

Early Madness albums

"Because the night (belongs to lovers) - Patti Smith

Early Smiths albums.

And, seems a bit obvious but hey so what, The Beatles

[Lost Leader]

Early Madness albums

"Because the night (belongs to lovers) - Patti Smith

Early Smiths albums.

And, seems a bit obvious but hey so what, The Beatles

All good stuff. I thought about mentioning Patti Smith in my post and "Because the night" is one great track (and certainly the best thing Springsteen ever did )

[Maxine]

Early Madness albums

"Because the night (belongs to lovers) - Patti Smith

Early Smiths albums.

And, seems a bit obvious but hey so what, The Beatles

because the night (tiger plays it sometimes in the blues room)

Like madness but never liked the Smiths always depressed me