Thought 7: Social Smoking & List 11: Best Records from Legendary Bands
Thought 7: Social Smoking.
Yep.
I'm a smoker.
If you count once a week or once every other week as being a smoker.
The problem with smoking nowadays is that everyone has cut down on intake. We all have tried to quit, or are in the process of quitting, or will quit. But sometimes our plan to quit counts too much on biting off everything all at once. We smoke 1 pack a day, so we try to quit completely.
But our minds are not made to quit something out of the blue... we need help to slowly get rid of our bad habits. So my solution was simple - go from 1 pack, to 1 pack a week, to 1 pack a month, to a couple of cigarettes a month only in social situations. This has worked out fairly well, as I only need cigs while drinking with friends, but I need to get rid of the last little bit of dependency.
I need to stop that final social aspect.
The only problem is that I really enjoy that aspect... I'm not addicted to nicotine anymore, I just like smoking with friends when we've got the pints in front of us and we're swapping tall tails. I never enjoyed smoking in the rain when I was fully addicted.
How do you quit something that's fun?!
If you have the answer, please tell me.
List 11: Best Records from Legendary Bands
Clumsy title eh? Here's what I mean. There are one-hit wonders that you forget about at the end of summer. There are bands that come together to release a great CD, then split or never recover (think Third Eye Blind and Weezer). Then there are bands that are consistently good, and release a couple of really good records (think Steppenwolf, Coldplay, Bush, Stone Temple Pilots), some of which might become something better.
And then there are LEGENDS.
Legends release great music consistently. Legends rock the house when they come to town for concert. Legends have a name that brings to the mind instant recognition of that band... their name transcends their music. Some bands become instant legends, like the Beatles or Nirvana. Some bands require years of great music until they join the list, like the Rolling Stones or the Aerosmith.
But legendary bands have many records... how to pick the best ones?
It wasn't easy, but below is my list of the best records by the legendary bands. Unfortunately, there are many of my favorites that failed to make my list... the Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Cure, Heart, Santana, Rolling Stones, and so many others... the problem with some of the above bands is that they spread all of their best work thinly over tons of records (read: Rolling Stones).
So this list is the albums that shattered the scale, and MADE the band:
Honorable mention - The Eagles/Hotel California - come on... you know why. Who doesn't find the title track creepy but fantastic! Would be higher, but while this one had two great songs the rest of their best was about 2-3 years prior to this album.
10. Metallica/Metallica (self title) - before this came out, they were just another 80's rock band riding into the 90's. After this album, Metallica became THE headbangers rock group. This disk had it all - its best song (Enter Sandman), its best vocal mix, its best everything.
9. Pearl Jam/Ten - This one might be considered controversial due to Pearl Jam being purely 90s. This one also might be controversial to Pearl Jam lovers as they consider this one their "pop" CD. But love it or hate it, this album set them up for a decade of success.
8. Led Zeppelin/IV (unofficial title due to complexity of title symbols) - I can already hear Beast and Frobisher now. "This pick sucks!" Well, it's my list - so there! :-P
7. Aerosmith/Get a Grip - Some would say that their best was in the 70's with the self-titled Aerosmith, with some good songs in the 80's. And in some respects, I agree, as Dream On is still one of the best classic rock songs. But this one not only had great music, it brought them back in a big way. I was a teenager at the time, and Cryin and Amazing were great songs on the radio.
6. Pink Floyd/The Wall - "Hey! Teacher! Leave those kids alone!" Besides this album, Pink Floyd never had a really HUGE hit album. They still had number 1s, but this album was the one that made them. Fantastic songwriting.
5. Santana/Supernatural - brought the master of latin guitar back in a BIG way after years of being relegated to classic rock stations. This pick will probably be somewhat controversial, so I'll state why I chose it: 1. jam packed with excellent songs, both in the original Santana style and with new guest singers, 2. probably his best work since the early 80's, and 3. out of all his albums past and present, this one has the most punch.
4. Nirvana/Nevermind - Wow. I don't know if anyone really remembers what it was like to be a teenager when Nirvana hit the music scene, even those of us that lived it. I think that every one knew that a legend was in the making when this album hit.
3. Fleetwood Mac/Rumours - Personal favorite here. They had many, many good albums, but my favorite song is The Chain, so I have to go with this one. Helps that it also sold the biggest too!
2. Creedence Clearwater Revival/Green River - 5 years. One of the best bands of all time, and due to contract issues (and non-payment of money by their record company) the band disbanded after only 5 years. While all of their middle 6 albums from 68-70 contained their best work, this one is my favorite as I listened to it as a kid.
1. The Beatles/Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - This record was released to ENORMOUS fanfare - the public just had high expectations. And every single bit of it was deserved. Some say Revolver was truer to their song-writing abilities, some say White Album was more creative (wrongly), and some say Abbey Road was just plain the best they ever did. And just about every other reviewer would agree... and in fact, I would put this one, Revolver, and Abbey Road as 1-3 on the list of best albums by legendary bands. However, to me this is the album that put them at the top of all bands, all time. And be it known that while they are not my favorite band of all time, you do have to give them props. They laid the foundation for everyone after.
Until later.... THE NATEMARE STRIKES AGAIN!
Yep.
I'm a smoker.
If you count once a week or once every other week as being a smoker.
The problem with smoking nowadays is that everyone has cut down on intake. We all have tried to quit, or are in the process of quitting, or will quit. But sometimes our plan to quit counts too much on biting off everything all at once. We smoke 1 pack a day, so we try to quit completely.
But our minds are not made to quit something out of the blue... we need help to slowly get rid of our bad habits. So my solution was simple - go from 1 pack, to 1 pack a week, to 1 pack a month, to a couple of cigarettes a month only in social situations. This has worked out fairly well, as I only need cigs while drinking with friends, but I need to get rid of the last little bit of dependency.
I need to stop that final social aspect.
The only problem is that I really enjoy that aspect... I'm not addicted to nicotine anymore, I just like smoking with friends when we've got the pints in front of us and we're swapping tall tails. I never enjoyed smoking in the rain when I was fully addicted.
How do you quit something that's fun?!
If you have the answer, please tell me.
List 11: Best Records from Legendary Bands
Clumsy title eh? Here's what I mean. There are one-hit wonders that you forget about at the end of summer. There are bands that come together to release a great CD, then split or never recover (think Third Eye Blind and Weezer). Then there are bands that are consistently good, and release a couple of really good records (think Steppenwolf, Coldplay, Bush, Stone Temple Pilots), some of which might become something better.
And then there are LEGENDS.
Legends release great music consistently. Legends rock the house when they come to town for concert. Legends have a name that brings to the mind instant recognition of that band... their name transcends their music. Some bands become instant legends, like the Beatles or Nirvana. Some bands require years of great music until they join the list, like the Rolling Stones or the Aerosmith.
But legendary bands have many records... how to pick the best ones?
It wasn't easy, but below is my list of the best records by the legendary bands. Unfortunately, there are many of my favorites that failed to make my list... the Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Cure, Heart, Santana, Rolling Stones, and so many others... the problem with some of the above bands is that they spread all of their best work thinly over tons of records (read: Rolling Stones).
So this list is the albums that shattered the scale, and MADE the band:
Honorable mention - The Eagles/Hotel California - come on... you know why. Who doesn't find the title track creepy but fantastic! Would be higher, but while this one had two great songs the rest of their best was about 2-3 years prior to this album.
10. Metallica/Metallica (self title) - before this came out, they were just another 80's rock band riding into the 90's. After this album, Metallica became THE headbangers rock group. This disk had it all - its best song (Enter Sandman), its best vocal mix, its best everything.
9. Pearl Jam/Ten - This one might be considered controversial due to Pearl Jam being purely 90s. This one also might be controversial to Pearl Jam lovers as they consider this one their "pop" CD. But love it or hate it, this album set them up for a decade of success.
8. Led Zeppelin/IV (unofficial title due to complexity of title symbols) - I can already hear Beast and Frobisher now. "This pick sucks!" Well, it's my list - so there! :-P
7. Aerosmith/Get a Grip - Some would say that their best was in the 70's with the self-titled Aerosmith, with some good songs in the 80's. And in some respects, I agree, as Dream On is still one of the best classic rock songs. But this one not only had great music, it brought them back in a big way. I was a teenager at the time, and Cryin and Amazing were great songs on the radio.
6. Pink Floyd/The Wall - "Hey! Teacher! Leave those kids alone!" Besides this album, Pink Floyd never had a really HUGE hit album. They still had number 1s, but this album was the one that made them. Fantastic songwriting.
5. Santana/Supernatural - brought the master of latin guitar back in a BIG way after years of being relegated to classic rock stations. This pick will probably be somewhat controversial, so I'll state why I chose it: 1. jam packed with excellent songs, both in the original Santana style and with new guest singers, 2. probably his best work since the early 80's, and 3. out of all his albums past and present, this one has the most punch.
4. Nirvana/Nevermind - Wow. I don't know if anyone really remembers what it was like to be a teenager when Nirvana hit the music scene, even those of us that lived it. I think that every one knew that a legend was in the making when this album hit.
3. Fleetwood Mac/Rumours - Personal favorite here. They had many, many good albums, but my favorite song is The Chain, so I have to go with this one. Helps that it also sold the biggest too!
2. Creedence Clearwater Revival/Green River - 5 years. One of the best bands of all time, and due to contract issues (and non-payment of money by their record company) the band disbanded after only 5 years. While all of their middle 6 albums from 68-70 contained their best work, this one is my favorite as I listened to it as a kid.
1. The Beatles/Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - This record was released to ENORMOUS fanfare - the public just had high expectations. And every single bit of it was deserved. Some say Revolver was truer to their song-writing abilities, some say White Album was more creative (wrongly), and some say Abbey Road was just plain the best they ever did. And just about every other reviewer would agree... and in fact, I would put this one, Revolver, and Abbey Road as 1-3 on the list of best albums by legendary bands. However, to me this is the album that put them at the top of all bands, all time. And be it known that while they are not my favorite band of all time, you do have to give them props. They laid the foundation for everyone after.
Until later.... THE NATEMARE STRIKES AGAIN!
posted by NATEMARE at 11:23 AM
8 Comments:
YAY I AM FIRST.
Point 1.YOU ARE STILL ADDICTED TO NICOTINE.... you can dress it up how you like, but its there , that little bit of the brain is saying .... just one , its ok your not an addict....you know you want to ...go on its fun.....
I know what your going to say next ....I AM NOT
You ARE
You ARE
You ARE
so there.
I noticed you missed the sainted Gwen from your list....another thing your in denial about ?
First.... I am not! Well, maybe just a little...
Second, the list of albums by greatest SINGERS will be forthcoming, to include ole Blue Eyes.
And Gwen will STILL not be on it :-)
Ha , hiding your Gwen Steffani addiction away from the blogging comunity... You have to admit you have a problem before you can get better
Nate's addicted to nicotene!
Nate's addicted to nicotene!
I'm with you buddy - i keep quitting and then slip up and start all over again. it's fucking tragic - i then have to go through all that pain of quitting and being a bitch for a week.
My next quit attempt with work. this time next week I WILL NOT be a smoker.
Nate follows a different route JJ he quits buying them and smokes mine instead.
I saw that Eccentrik....Blatant heresy, I declare a Banarama Fatwa on you .
Yeah, it helps because when I smoke too many of Beasty's he just hides the pack!
And...
Gwen still sucks.
It's not just me is it - the whole of Dorset has a blog????
And smoking - get really bad flu and then stop.
What a middle-of-the-road selection of music that was! AOR Adult Orientated Rock. Phah! Surely "Dark Side of the Moon" is Floyd's biggest album (being the all time biggest seller).
I will do the definitive list another time.
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