On the Metal Edge...

“Head bangers in leather
Sparks fly in the dead of the night
It all comes together
When they shoot out the lights…
5000 watts of power
Its pushing overload
The beast is ready to devour
All the “Metal” they can hold,
Reachin’ overload—
Start to explode
It’s your one-way ticket to midnight
Call it—HEAVY METAL”

--“Heavy Metal" by Sammy Hagar from the Soundtrack To The Film Heavy Metal.


“Hard Rock” and “Heavy Metal” are pretty broad terms. Sometimes I like the guitar and thundering bass sounds with a pounding drum. Call it the Midwest influence from my youth. As displayed here, I have developed a list of some of my favorites as a guide of sorts, and there will be disagreements. For example, I put Cheap Trick on the list, but Cheap Trick is essentially a POWER POP band. I know that, but the songs on the list dip into a hard rock genre—regardless of the band performing them. And as far as “Metal” is concerned, I guess I consider my choices more radio-friendly, classic “Heavy Metal” from the 1970s and 1980s, as opposed to “screaming, churning, death metal.”

I have tried to avoid “classic rock” without a complete success, as I consider Queen more classic rock than anything; but again, the songs by the groups have a “hard rock/heavy metal” flair or sound to them. Thus they were chosen on my list.

In compiling this list, I must admit, PUNK is easier to find and rate—much easier. I was tempted to put Sweet, T. Rex, Iggy Pop and The Ramones here, but they more easily fall in the genre of Glam or Punk. I will do a glam list one day.

So when I convalesce and I want to have my brain cells remain active, I give you my list of some “Hard Rock and Heavy Metal-ish” songs that will fit on TWO CD’s. Enjoy.


In alphabetical order:

“For Those About To Rock” by AC/DC
“Draw The Line” by Aerosmith
“Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath” by Black Sabbath
“Astronomy” by Blue Oyster Cult
“Ain’t That A Shame” by Cheap Trick
“School’s Out” by Alice Cooper
“Child In Time” by Deep Purple
“Rocket” by Def Leppard
“Last In Line” by Ronnie James Dio
“Every Generation Has Its Own Disease” by Fury In The Slaughterhouse
“Paradise City” by Guns ‘N’ Roses
“Run For The Hills” by Iron Maiden
“Breaking The Law” by Judas Priest
“Detroit Rock City” by Kiss
“Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin
“Iris” by Live
“A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste” by Meatloaf
“Enter The Sandman” by Metallica
“Razzamanazz” by Nazareth
“Wango Tango” by Ted Nugent
“Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne
“Stone Cold Crazy” by Queen
“Limelight” by Rush
“Still Loving You” by The Scorpions
“Skweeze Me; Pleeze Me” by Slade
“Vasoline” by Stone Temple Pilots
“Kryptonite” by Three Doors Down
“Light’s Out” by UFO
“Everybody Wants Some” by Van Halen
“La Grange” by ZZ Top

List some of your favorites as well. I should include a Ratt or Motley Crue or Poison song, I suppose—but I really am not as fond as “PUREBRED HAIR BANDS” of the 1980s. Black Sabbath would kick the crap out of them, any day of the week.

Poise those fingers to look like a dog (This is Spinal Tap reference) and “shout it out loud.”