- CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
- Metallica "Ride The Lightning" 1984 (USA)
- It's Halloween, and that means an excuse to feature the scariest and heaviest music imaginable -- it's called 'eavy metal, mate, and metal was never more ferocious that during the "thrash" years of the 1980's. The evolution of metal is a long story dating back to the late 1960's, but the immediate influences on thrash were: 1) the heavy metal renaissance which started in England in the late 1970's, often known as "NWOBHM", and 2) a reaction to wimpy, safe, parent-friendly corporate rock and pop radio (much like the "hardcore" punk scene which happened around the same time.) Of all the thrash bands, clearly the most popular was Metallica, who transcended the underground scene they started in and have come to be regarded as something like "the Beatles of Heavy Metal" these days (or is that another band?) Their first three albums with Cliff Burton playing bass and co-writing songs are some of the best metal music ever made. Tragically, Burton died in a tour accident in 1986, and even though the band went on to become much more popular, they have never equalled the power of their early days.
- Here are some live clips of the classic Metallica line-up back in the good ole days of thrash metal: "For Whom The Bell Tolls" (with a bass solo!) and "Fade To Black" are two of the most popular songs from Ride The Lightning. This next clip of the band covering Diamond Head's "Am I Evil" features an earlier line up with Dave Mustaine on lead guitar (after he was kicked out of Metallica he formed another popular thrash band, Megadeth.) Another classic 1980's metal group featured on the show this week is Venom, whose look and sound were extremely influential on groups that followed, including Metallica and the most evilest band of all time Slayer.