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Classic Album Discussion Thread: The Kinks-Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Pt. 1 (1 Viewer)

Overplayed perhaps, but undoubtedly a fantastic album. Musically, it may not be their best work, but IMO Van Halen is at its most enjoyable when they are having fun, and 1984 is the pinnacle in that regard. Panama is easily among the top ten rock and roll tunes from the 80s and I think I’ll Wait is An incredible tune that is too often dismissed due to the keyboards. 

 
I admittedly was one of those purists that hated VH for going synth-heavy when they released this album, particularly "Jump". Today I recognize it's a solid album, but as Leroy said, gimme the debut and Fair Warning any day over this.

I do think that "Top Jimmy" is one of their more underrated tunes - IMO Michael Anthony's harmonies were always a very underrated element of their sound and it shines through on this song.

 
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1984 was my least favorite Roth-era album of Van Halen, but it's still pretty darned good. 

I always loved Van Halen II, though. Women In Love. D.O.A. Dance The Night Away.  

 
You like Diver Down better than 1984?!?
Good point. I don't even count Diver Down as an album, really.  I was thinking Fair Warning, II, and Women and Children First as better than 1984.  

Holy crow, did I drop the ball on that comment.

I do like Hang 'Em High, and Where Have All The Good Times Gone? And Big Bad Bill...and Pretty Woman...and Little Guitars is one of my favorite songs by them...

come to think of it...

Nah. 1984 is a better album than Diver Down.  I'm not being too critical, though. I love Roth-era Van Halen. Favorite band in seventh and eighth grade, and that's not necessarily said as a backhanded compliment. Had VH all over my notebooks. Still like it when they come on.  

 
I enjoy 1984, but it was also the album that kind of split them up. Dave was reportedly not happy with the synth / keyboards, and the musical direction Eddie seemed to be heading. But he went his own odd way too, with that California Girls / Just a Gigolo EP. Then came the big split. 

 
Good point. I don't even count Diver Down as an album, really.  I was thinking Fair Warning, II, and Women and Children First as better than 1984.  

Holy crow, did I drop the ball on that comment.

I do like Hang 'Em High, and Where Have All The Good Times Gone? And Big Bad Bill...and Pretty Woman...and Little Guitars is one of my favorite songs by them...

come to think of it...

Nah. 1984 is a better album than Diver Down.  I'm not being too critical, though. I love Roth-era Van Halen. Favorite band in seventh and eighth grade, and that's not necessarily said as a backhanded compliment. Had VH all over my notebooks. Still like it when they come on.  
I despise Diver Down.  It is the only Roth VH album I have never owned and never will own.  There are some decent songs on there but it has a way of annoying me like few albums do. 

 
Does VHIII outrank any of the DLR / SH albums? 
How many SH albums are better than DLR albums?

I ask because with the advent of digital music, all my VH songs are split into two folders (DLR and SH) and I listen to music on shuffle play.

 
I grew up on VH & still my favorite band. I was 16 & at my cousin's house on New Year's Eve waiting for Jump video to premiere on MTV. Was so pumped for new album & then the video came on and I didn't know what to make of it. I didn't overplay this CD like their others since I would skip the radio songs and I'll Wait & mostly just listen to the other 4. Top Jimmy is a fun song. Drop Dead Legs has a grittier sound - and that outro by Eddie! Very strong finish with Girl & House of Pain (B side to Jump). House by far my fave as it is heaviest which makes sense since it was one of their early demo songs.

 
IMO Michael Anthony's harmonies were always a very underrated element of their sound and it shines through on this song.
I met Michael Anthony at a party in Florida in the early nineties. He was nice and friendly. He took the high road when Eddie replaced him in the band with his son Wolfgang. Michael said he didn't quit, he was replaced. He found out about it during a press conference that Eddie and Alex did.  Sammy and Michael formed a couple bands together in the last few years such as Chickenfoot and the more recent Sammy Hagar and The Circle. 

I like the album 1984, but I like some of their earlier albums better. The song "Jump" kinda gets on my nerves. "I'll Wait" is my favorite track on the album.

 
Good point. I don't even count Diver Down as an album, really.  I was thinking Fair Warning, II, and Women and Children First as better than 1984.  

Holy crow, did I drop the ball on that comment.

I do like Hang 'Em High, and Where Have All The Good Times Gone? And Big Bad Bill...and Pretty Woman...and Little Guitars is one of my favorite songs by them...

come to think of it...

Nah. 1984 is a better album than Diver Down.  I'm not being too critical, though. I love Roth-era Van Halen. Favorite band in seventh and eighth grade, and that's not necessarily said as a backhanded compliment. Had VH all over my notebooks. Still like it when they come on.  
From 8th grade thru college every year I’d doodle these pictures of band names, like Blind melon would be a watermelon with sunglasses holding a cane (as I type this  it feels very poli-incorrect) or Stone temple pilots would be a pyramid with wings with a couple stick guys with the old leather pilots helmets on. The whole front of my notebook would be covered. I wish I had a picture- I’m not a skilled artist, but it was fun to look at and try to guess what band was what.  Chili peppers were just chili peppers, Van Halen was a van driving in a hailstorm. Each one in about a 1 1/2” square. Sometimes it was something related to the band (Pink Floyd was the dark side cover, ween was the ween smiley thing) but usually it was just like a zepplin or something literal. 

 
 and I think I’ll Wait is An incredible tune that is too often dismissed due to the keyboards. 
Arguably their best song.  It's not as Eddie heavy as a lot of other songs due to the heavy use of keyboards, but his solo on top of the keys is one of my favorite parts of music.

 
Belated but I love Jim Croce. My dad used to listen to him out on porch every night. I can still picture laying in bed and hearing it as I fell asleep. 

 
Man, I remember seeing Jump 7 times a day on MTV during its peak.  1984 is still a damn fine record, probably my 3rd favorite of the DLR era (behind I and Fair Warning) and 5th favorite overall (I like 5150 and OU812 more from the Sammy years).   Drop Dead Legs is my favorite of the deep cuts, and all four hits have aged extremely well. I will echo the sentiment that I'll Wait is freaking awesome, and this year 10-year old was a big fan of the Hot for Teacher video. :wub:  

 
Arguably their best song.  It's not as Eddie heavy as a lot of other songs due to the heavy use of keyboards, but his solo on top of the keys is one of my favorite parts of music.
He used to keep a keyboard next to the toilet. You never know when inspiration will strike, man!

 
Joni Mitchell- Blue (1971)

All I Want

My Old Man

Little Green

Carey

Blue

California

This Flight Tonight

River

A Case of You

The Last Time I Saw Richard

I have nothing but unconditional love for this album, Joni’s best. There are no weak songs here; every one is a classic. My favorite changes; at the moment it’s “My Old Man”. But I adore them all. Just gorgeous music. 
Free Man in Paris is the song that resonates most with my early years, but Carey soars a little higher.

 
I think 1984 is another example from a band where their most popular album wasn't their best work.  I would put 1984 about midway through their discography, still, great album though and God knows I wore out at least two tapes back then, a lot of great catchy songs with Drop Dead Legs, Top Jimmy, House of Pain and Hot For Teacher being my favorites.  God almighty man, I remember like yesterday sitting in English class in 10th grade and everyone talking about VH videos - "OMG did you see that new Van Halen video Hot For Teacher?"  
Hot for Teacher has one of the best intros of all time, IMO.

 
Did not age well. At all.
Crazy talk.
:goodposting:

1984 and Synchronicity were two of the best albums of the 80's. Saw the 1984 concert during the big arena rock era. I remember it vividly. It was so freakin loud that my brother vomited after the show, on the way back to the car. And my dad has had tinnitus ever since.
Panama just came up on my gym playlist this morning. It's aged just fine.

 
1984 was my least favorite DLR VH album.  that doesn't mean it was a bad album but I enjoyed the others better, including Diver Down. I don't get the hate for that album on here

Etch-a-Sketch, Etch-a-Sketch  ;)

Can anybody in their right mind could see, its you and me 

 
Are there really any young bands like Van Halen out there right now? Maybe their image is dated, but I would think some good hard rock music with a guitarist that shreds and has fun would be a bit of a breath of fresh air. Maybe Greta Van Fleet (although I find their musicianship lacking)?

 
X- Los Angeles (1980)

Your Phone’s off the Hook, But You’re Not

Johny Hit and Run Pauline

Soul Kitchen 

Nausea

Sugarlight

Los Angeles

Sex and Dying In High Society

The Unheard Music

The World’s a Mess, It’s In My Kiss

Produced by The Door’s Ray Manzarak (there is a cover of “Soul Kitchen”) this record is a punk rock tour de force, featuring the unique vocals of Exene Cervankis and John Doe, and the strong rockabilly guitar of Billy Zoom. The title song, “Johny Hit and Run Pauline”, “Nausea”, “Sex and Dying”, “The World’s a Mess”, all brilliant. 

 
X- Los Angeles (1980)

Nausea
Such a great beginning to Decline of Western Civilization, the documentary. Did you know that Exene is a little bit off these days and took her guns and left California to move to Texas or something like that? 

Also, I saw an interview with her and Lydia Lunch by Narduwar, too, and it was weird.  

But a fine album nonetheless.  Actually, better than fine. Sorta classic, actually.  

eta* More than sorta. A landmark.  

 
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Such a great beginning to Decline of Western Civilization, the documentary. Did you know that Exene is a little bit off these days and took her guns and left California to move to Texas or something like that? 

Also, I saw an interview with her and Lydia Lunch by Narduwar, too, and it was weird.  

But a fine album nonetheless.  Actually, better than fine. Sorta classic, actually.  
She was always strange. She’s one of those who believes that some of the mass shootings are false flag operations designed to seize guns. Oh well. 

I find it extremely odd that she was once married to Aragorn. 

 
Yeah, I didn't know that. That's odd. He's in some hot water the past couple of days. 

Oh, a false flag operation, eh? Hoo boy.  

 
X- Los Angeles (1980)

Your Phone’s off the Hook, But You’re Not

Johny Hit and Run Pauline

Soul Kitchen 

Nausea

Sugarlight

Los Angeles

Sex and Dying In High Society

The Unheard Music

The World’s a Mess, It’s In My Kiss

Produced by The Door’s Ray Manzarak (there is a cover of “Soul Kitchen”) this record is a punk rock tour de force, featuring the unique vocals of Exene Cervankis and John Doe, and the strong rockabilly guitar of Billy Zoom. The title song, “Johny Hit and Run Pauline”, “Nausea”, “Sex and Dying”, “The World’s a Mess”, all brilliant. 
Great, great, great record. Seminal west coast punk album (although to be fair their sound was really more eclectic indie rock punctuated with a bit of noise and weird lyrics). And their presence in Decline of Western Civilization (along with Black Flag) turns that film from an entertaining snapshot of the time into an essential rock and roll documentary. 

Los Angeles and Sex and Dying In High Society are spectacular but the whole thing is great.

 
Such a great beginning to Decline of Western Civilization, the documentary. Did you know that Exene is a little bit off these days and took her guns and left California to move to Texas or something like that? 

Also, I saw an interview with her and Lydia Lunch by Narduwar, too, and it was weird.  

But a fine album nonetheless.  Actually, better than fine. Sorta classic, actually.  
Exene has MS - it's been taking a bit of a toll. She had moved to Jefferson City Missouri area - to a farm not too far from Lake of the Ozarks with her sister. I haven't talked to her in a while about the MS specifically but do ask here how's she's feeling generally when I do see her. One of the reasons I miss living in Denver because X and John show up there on a regular basis. Maybe Eephus knows a bit more since he or his wife may have spoken with her more recently.

 
Exene has MS - it's been taking a bit of a toll. She had moved to Jefferson City Missouri area - to a farm not too far from Lake of the Ozarks with her sister. I haven't talked to her in a while about the MS specifically but do ask here how's she's feeling generally when I do see her. One of the reasons I miss living in Denver because X and John show up there on a regular basis. Maybe Eephus knows a bit more since he or his wife may have spoken with her more recently.
Wow, I didn't know somebody knew her here. Never assume. I just remember some interviews that seemed a bit off, you know. Such a pioneer in the punk movement. Best to her. 

 
Exene has MS - it's been taking a bit of a toll. She had moved to Jefferson City Missouri area - to a farm not too far from Lake of the Ozarks with her sister. I haven't talked to her in a while about the MS specifically but do ask here how's she's feeling generally when I do see her. One of the reasons I miss living in Denver because X and John show up there on a regular basis. Maybe Eephus knows a bit more since he or his wife may have spoken with her more recently.
I saw X perform in early September, and Exene looked and sounded great. She appeared to be having fun and feeling good. Hopefully she truly was.

 
Exene has MS - it's been taking a bit of a toll. She had moved to Jefferson City Missouri area - to a farm not too far from Lake of the Ozarks with her sister. I haven't talked to her in a while about the MS specifically but do ask here how's she's feeling generally when I do see her. One of the reasons I miss living in Denver because X and John show up there on a regular basis. Maybe Eephus knows a bit more since he or his wife may have spoken with her more recently.
Geez that stinks, I know Billy Zoom had cancer 

 

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