The Rolling Stones – The Rolling Stones (1964)

The group formed in ’62 and after a couple of changes settled on Mick, Keith, Brian, Bill and Charlie.  They were basically a blues band, rehashing old American blues numbers for an increasingly ecstatic audience in London and the Southeast, especially with their residence at Eel Pie Island.  The Beatles had exploded on the scene in ’63 and smart new entrepreneurial young guys were looking for bands to make records.  Andrew Loog Oldham became the boys manager and helped them get a record contract with Decca, who had famously rejected the Fabs.  This first album with it’s moody cover was the result; mostly blues covers from their live act with only one Jagger/Richards composition – the quite poppy ‘Tell Me’.  Still they have a raw and exciting sound.  I first heard this record as a thirteen year old at Haughley Youth Club and this was the first time I heard numbers like ‘Route 66’ and ‘Walking The Dog’ though I had heard ‘Carol’ as sung by The Beatles.  This was a really feel-good record and still brings a smile to my face, even though I didn’t get round to buying a copy until the mid-Seventies.  Strangely it has an almost timeless quality, as most of the songs are classics anyway.  The boys were almost instantly popular and soon developed their sound into a more pop-rock sound.  They were of course, and still remain almost an institution.  But a pretty good debut album too.

Robbie Robertson – Robbie Robertson (1987)

Long after the furore of backing Dylan in his first Electric Rebellion as lead guitarist in The Band, and quite a while after that group officially ended in ’78 he ventured on a solo career.  And this resulting self-titled album is quite stunning; a completely different sound than the folk-rock of The Band.  No surprise that the main producer was Daniel Lanois, whose signature wash of background hum is all over the record.  But as usual, it is actually the songs which make the record so good.  A couple of tracks are half spoken but Robbie’s voice is subtle and raging in parts, a lovely mix of moods.  Best songs are ’Broken Arrow’, ‘Somewhere Down The Crazy River’ and ‘Fallen Angel.’  Robbie released a handful of solo albums and took a profound interest in Native American music.  He sadly died in 2023. 

Roxy Music – Roxy Music (1972)

Roxy were a strange mix and on this debut certainly eclectic enough.  The hit single, pure rock and roll of ‘Virginia Plain’ seemed to present them as traditional rockers with a ‘glam’ touch but they were actually far more adventurous.  The instantly recognisable louche vocals of Brian Ferry, the jazzy brass of Andy Mackay and the synth keyboards of Brian Eno created a weird mix, which was very appealing.  This was ’72, the year of Ziggy Stardust and T Rex and Roxy seemed part of this new wave of innovative rock and roll.  This debut however was quite a mixed bag with a few memorable songs and a couple of almost duds.  Still, at the time it seemed new – and with the glamorous sexy model on the cover (first in a series of glamorous album sleeves) it portrayed something both old and new.  The band went on to worldwide success and a slew of hit singles as they veered more and more into a mainstream sound.  I also like ‘Ladytron’ and ‘Sea Breezes’ on this debut – but playing it again after all this time apart from ‘Virgina Plain’ it sounds quite dated.

Rock Follies – Rock Follies (1976)

Well; it was a short-lived (just 2) Television series about a ‘put- together’ girl singing band and their ‘adventures’ in the Pop business.  The girls were all actresses; ‘Charlotte Cornwell, Rula Lenska’ and the wonderful ‘Julie Covington.’  It was first and foremost a serious drama with songs to alleviate and illustrate the issues.   But it was incredibly popular, especially with younger people and women.  The music was written by Andy Mackay (Roxy Music) and lyrics by the screenwriter Howard Schuman.  The album was probably an afterthought or an obvious response to the success of the first series and amazingly it went to number 1 in the charts.  It is naïve, charming and dated – but the songs are good, the lyrics sharp and the singing really rather good.  At the time I loved it.  The second series and songs were a bit of a disappointment. 

Eddi Reader – Eddi Reader (1992)

This is her second album but her first real solo recording.  After leaving the highly successful but short-lived ‘Fairground Attraction’ (recently reformed and one of my fave groups) she appeared in a television musical serial about the country and western scene in Glasgow, the brilliant ‘Your Cheating Heart’, which maybe because of English stubbornness regarding Glasgow accents flopped – although I do love the subsequent album.  Eddi is unashamedly Scottish and has even recorded a whole album of songs of Robbie Burns.  This eponymous album is rather lovely; the singing of course superb and expressive but the sings are well-crafted and occasionally witty too; some tracks a bit jazz-inflected.  Best are ‘The Patience of Angels’, ‘Dear John’ and ‘Joke (I’m Laughing)’.  She has released quite a few albums though I only have the first three or four…must get some more.

Terry Reid – Bang Bang You’re Terry Reid (1968)

Terry has always been a Musician’s Musician – fronting Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers, he was a vital part of the London sixties scene before decamping to America in the early Seventies.  He famously turned down the singers role when Led Zeppelin were forming, recommending his friend Robert Plant for the job, preferring to concentrate on his solo jazzy album ‘River’ which while a classic and loved by the critics failed to set the public on fire.  Which has been the pattern ever since; occasional albums but no real success.  Still he has managed to carve out a career in the States as a session guitarist and singer.  This album has some great songs on it – ‘Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down’, ‘Season Of The Witch’ and ‘Without Expression’ amongst them.  Nobody had really heard of him, myself included until my first night with Joy, when she played me ‘River’ and I played ‘Red Rose Speedway’ for her….then we should close the blinds on that night

Queen – Queen (1973)

This album appeared at the height of that mini phenomenon ‘glam rock’, and although Queen were theatrical they were never glam; they were an instantly likable unique mix of hard rock and great melodic pop songs.  They went on to be one of the most successful bands of all time selling millions of records; of course with the untimely death of Freddie they struggled to find a suitable replacement – but they have made millions more from the musical and Bohemian Rhapsody film.  On this debut although there were no ‘hits’ there were some splendid songs – ‘Keep Yourself Alive’, ‘Liar’ and the instrumental version of ‘Seven Seas Of Rhye’.

Chris Rea – Water Sign (1983)

Chris Rea has always been a reluctant rock star.  His real love was The Blues; he taught himself slide guitar by listening to old blues artists. His father was Italian and his mother Irish, but was born and raised in Middlesborough where his father had an ice-cream business.  He was destined to take over and run the business but chose music as a career instead.  He has also suffered from pancreatic cancer and has had a couple of strokes in his later years; this illness caused him to distance himself from the music business though he continues to record and release blues albums on his own terms.  He has always had a distinctive style and writes beautiful songs, this, his fifth album but my first is no exception.  Best songs are ‘Deep Water’, ‘Texas’ and ‘I Can Hear Your Heartbeat’

The Proclaimers – Sunshine On Leith (1988)

The Proclaimers first came to my notice at The Flaedh, held annually in Finsbury Park; although an Irish celebration it involved a wide range of bands and artists.  I had heard the name but dismissed them as just another band – but of course I was wrong.  They were brilliant.  This is actually their second album, but the first I bought – and their biggest seller.  Although practicing Christians, they don’t shove their Religion at their audience, though there are obvious references here and there. A duo, twin brothers actually, born in 1962 and proud Scots who sing with their native accent to the fore, which adds to the sound and style brilliantly.  A genuinely different approach to writing and singing.  Such a rewarding album, every song is a gem – but especially ‘500 miles’, ‘Cap in Hand’ and ‘Oh Jean’. Great stuff. 

Portishead – Dummy (1994)

There aren’t many times when a completely new musical direction emerges, most builds on a slowly emerging movement of like-minded bands or artists.   Emerging out of the late 80s Bristol music scene and incorporating some hip-hop sounds such as scratching this band, a trio really, Beth Gibbons, vocals – Adrian Utley, guitar and multi-instrumentalist Geoff Barrow along with a Dave McDonald, an audio engineer who refined their sound and produced their first two albums.  I first heard them, not knowing anything about them on the BBC2 Series ‘This Life’…this album was practically the soundtrack.  The album was an instant hit with Beth’s yearning understated singing and the trip-hop instrumental backing it seemed to fit them mood in the early nineties.  They have since only released two further albums and one live release and appear to be on permanent leave.  But we still have those albums.