Top 10 for 1977

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

Television
Marquee Moon

Punk | Album | 8 February 1977

The Angels
The Angels

Hard Rock | Album | ?? August 1977

'The Angels' is the debut album by The Angels. It was produced by Vanda & Young (of The Easybeats) at Sydney's Albert Studios.

By the band's own admission, The Angels self-titled debut album didn't have much impact upon release. It isn't surprising really, considering they had yet to even dent the charts with a noteworthy single. It is one of those albums that in reflection many years later gives you small hints at what the band would become, but as a stand-alone item in 1977, it is clear why it didn't sell like hot cakes. Opener 'Take Me Home' shows a rock band that plays with a bit of grit, and although there are harmonious guitar moments, this sounds a lot like an AC/DC clone. The comparison continues throughout the album, but to be fair that isn't entirely the band's fault. The album was recorded in Albert Studios, Sydney - the home of AC/DC's early albums - and was even produced by the Vanda / Young team responsible for the early AC/DC sound. A year later Rose Tattoo's debut would have the same distinct guitar sound. The second track, 'You're A Lady Now', is an adequate song, but doesn't really carry its place on the album well - and certainly isn't up to the standard of their later work. In fact, that could be said of the eternity of the songs here. 'Shelter From The Storm' is a stand-out that has a great sing-along chorus, but feels stilted by Doc Neeson's restrained vocals. He was still finding his way at this point, having only moved from bass guitar to vocals a few months prior. The amazing character of his voice, a thing that he would become legendary for, just wasn't here yet - leaving him sounding like a better than average karaoke singer at times. Mid-way through the album we get to hear his best performance on the album on the Australian rock classic 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?'. Not only does he sound a little more confident here, with his vocal personality poking through at the right moments, the lyrics are also some of the best penned of the album. The band had released this as their debut single the year before, but this is a newer / tighter, version - but unfortunately without the familiar 'siren' riff at the start to give it the memorable 'hook' it needed. Perhaps with a little more time to be fleshed out other songs on the album could also have benefited from such a hook to make them more interesting. There are some blues undertones on the album, with songs like 'Can't Get Lucky' and 'You Got Me Runnin'' following a 12-bar template. There is even a cover of Don Nix's 'Going' Down' - which is a great version. 'High On You' is the least needed track on the album, giving us a dull, almost laughable, campfire sing-along. Close to the end a surprise punches through with 'Hot Lucy' barnstorming out the speakers. This is possibly the only song on the album that really allows the members to shine as musicians. A rollicking rock n' roll riff that sounds like you have heard it a thousand times before drives the song, and although it isn't by any stretch an amazing song, it does hint more than any other track at the band's future direction. 'Dreambuilder' ends the album with another fairly flat song, only really saved by its chorus. In 1977 what the band needed most to get ahead of the pack was a clear identity, and this album was never going to give them one. It comes across as an average set of songs by an average band. That would change of course in the future, but it would be a full 12 months away before the signature Angels 'chug' would be heard on any of their music - and that proved to be the magic ingredient they needed to get a charting single - and of course the emerging 'x factor' of frontman Doc Neeson.

Fleetwood Mac
Rumours

Classic Rock | Album | 4 February 1977

'Rumours' is the eleventh studio album by Fleetwood Mac. The recording sessions took place in the aftermath of several relationship breakups among the band members in addition to heavy drug use, both of which shaped the album's direction and lyrics. The album was an instant commercial success, selling over 10 million copies worldwide within just a month of its release. It garnered widespread acclaim from critics, with praise centred on its production quality and vocal harmonies, which frequently relied on the interplay among the band's three vocalists, and which has subsequently inspired the work of musical acts in various genres. It won Album of the Year at the 1978 Grammy Awards and received Diamond certifications in several countries, including the U.K., Canada, Australia, and the U.S., in where it is certified 21? Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It has sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the 5th best-selling album of the 1970s and the 9th best-selling album of all time.

David Bowie
Low

Classic Rock | Album | 14 January 1977

Motorhead
Motorhead

Hard Rock | Album | 24 September 1977

AC/DC
Let There Be Rock [A.U. Edition]

Hard Rock | Album | 21 March 1977

Meat Loaf
Bat Out Of Hell

Rock | Album | 21 October 1977

Sex Pistols
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols

Punk | Album | 27 October 1977

To say the Sex Pistols debut album exploded onto the music buying public in October 1978 would be an understatement. The band were already well beyond notorious, having been banned from various venues causing tour cancellations. They had already been dropped by label E.M.I. after guitarist Steve Jones called morning show host Bill Grundy a 'fucking rotter' live on national television. They had already been dropped by label A&M after the band threatened one of the label heads with violence, causing thousands of copies of their second single to be destroyed before they even hit the shelves. They had also by this point fired bassist Glen Matlock (the most musical of the four band members) and replaced him with the totally incompetent (but undoubted more 'punk') Sid Vicious. Virgin Records finally picked up the bill for an album, and the band finally captured their lightning in a bottle on vinyl. All this was of course playing out as newspaper front page headlines, partially because it made great news, but also because the abhorrent behaviour of these four young musicians was unheard of in 'civilised' English society. Musically the album is tame in comparison to some of the harder styles of punk seen today, but regardless it is still a classic that not only drove a well needed sea-change in the late 1970s musical landscape, but also spearhead a change in the collective thinking of the youth of the U.K. at the time. In fact, the band was so despised by the mainstream media that when they topped the U.K. singles and album charts the space on the chart where they should have been listed was just left blank - as if to say the band didn't even exist as far as the public were concerned. The album bursts out the speakers with 'Holidays In The Sun' hooking the listener immediately with Johnny Rotten's tuneless (but engaging) snarl, and his mentions of Nazi's and communism - all very much taboo in post-war England - pull you even closer into his deranged world views. 'Bodies', easily the most boisterous song the original line-up ever recorded, is a graphic novel about abortion that uses more expletives than the average music fan in 1978 was used to hearing. That said though, nothing from Rotten's mouth is for shock value alone. His words are carefully placed and timed to provoke thought. He may have often acted like a uncaged orangutang in public, but he knew that his words carried wisdom to those young enough to understand them. The controversial 'God Save The Queen' is a punk rock classic that has never been matched, and almost had Rotten up on charges for crimes against the empire - at that point still punishable by death. It is a perfect template that every punk band since has built upon. Although the establishment of 1978 would have you believe this 'music' was just noise, the songs are actually incredibly catchy, and you'll be singing 'I'm a lazy sod!' along with the band by 'Seventeen'. The songs conjure images in your mind's eye of the fashions of the period, and you immediately imagine the red-headed Rotten leaning forward toward the crowd with his signature crazed grin while Jonesy stands spread-eagled behind him, Les Paul in hand, playing his working man's chords - all the while dodging spit from the pogoing audience. The chugging 'Anarchy In The U.K.' is placed mid-way, and reminds us of the bend's message of anarchy. As their first single it was a message of intent - here it more a reminder to you as you pour another pint of lager. And lager it must be, as although this is as unhinged as music could be in the late 1970s there is still a feeling of Britishness here, of that staunch stiff upper lip. Even those on the brink of rebellion can't quite rebel without a break for a cup of tea at the local vicar's house on the way to oblivion. 'Pretty Vacant' continues the classics, and this is a song that transcends its time and place. It's a song that exemplifies rock and rock and not just this disgruntled generation, but ever disgruntled generation for the rest of time. It is the voice of youth, and should only ever be that way. The band wraps everything up with their ode to record companies with 'E.M.I', and it is a great closer. At under 40 minutes the album is short - but it should be, as this isn't just a musical expression, but a time capsule of a short moment in history where the youth actually created a voice for themselves that was so loud that their mums and dads paid attention. It has to be asked though, did anything actually change because of it?

Pink Floyd
Animals

Classic Rock | Album | 23 January 1977

TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10

Judas Priest
Sin After Sin

Heavy Metal | Album | 23 April 1977

'Sin After Sin' is the third studio album by Judas Priest. Produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover, it was the band's major label debut, their first album for the label, and their only album to feature drummer Simon Phillips, a studio musician who replaced original drummer Alan Moore for the recording sessions.