My favorite CD of all-time...

[sccaldwell]

gotta go with the debut from Boston - holding up strong after 30 years of listening.

Hard to believe that CD's 30 years old. True testament to the songwriting, vocals (RIP, Brad), musicianship, and especially the recording/production. It still sounds "fresh" after 30 years and hundreds (maybe thousands) of spins.

Listen to ANY other disc from the mid-70s. Does it still sound fresh, or does it *sound* like a 70s disc? Boston's debut would still be a phenomenal release in EVERY way if it were just released today.

Haven't decided if it gets my "favorite CD" vote, but it should be in the running for everyone on this forum!!

Craig

 

[sccaldwell]

Honestly, I think it's an age thing. I don't know a single person raised on Roth-era VH who prefers Sammy.

Hi Zod. I'm Craig.

There. Now you do. (I was 11 when "Van Halen" came out in 1978).

Really, I think both eras were great, though I still say that as a *SINGER*, Gary Cherone has the best voice of the three VH vocalists. Too bad VHIII sucked ass as a CD.

I think DLR is a better showman than Sammy Hagar (never saw DLR live, but I've seen videos), but Hagar is a better singer, and I think the overall quality of SONGS improved when Hagar joined the band. This makes sense because Hagar is also an excellent songwriter, so now you've got TWO excellent songwriters in the band, not just one (I'm pretty sure all DLR wrote was the lyrics).

Also, I think Hagar has a better voice than DLR...heck, Michael Anthony has been quoted as saying he was tired of having to downtune for live shows so that DLR could actually sing the songs. DLR-era vocals weren't *that* challenging, either.

But this is just my opinion, of course, and for the record, I really like almost everything VH put out, but I find myself playing the Hagar era more than the other VH.

Craig

 

[7thSaviour]

1.Seventh Son by Iron Maiden

 

[sccaldwell]

I changed my #1 about 4-5 times before deciding on Enchant's "Break" CD. It has my favorite song ("My Enemy"), one of my favorite singers (Ted Leonard), great musicianship, and I play it as much, if not more, than any other CD.

Others I considered:

Boston - Boston
Rush - Moving Pictures
Dream Theater - Met2: SFAM
Triumph - Thunder Seven
Yes - The Yes Album
Enchant - Juggling 9 or Dropping 10
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element, Part 1
Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight
Conception - Flow
Circus Maximus - The 1st Chapter
Ark - Burn The Sun
Pain of Salvation - One Hour By The Concrete Lake
Superior - Younique

 

[General Zod]

Hi Zod. I'm Craig. There. Now you do. (I was 11 when "Van Halen" came out in 1978).

Great... now I know someone with really bad taste.

I think DLR is a better showman than Sammy Hagar...

Pretty sure that's not even up for debate.

...but Hagar is a better singer...

Most people are better singers than DLR.

...and I think the overall quality of SONGS improved when Hagar joined the band. This makes sense because Hagar is also an excellent songwriter, so now you've got TWO excellent songwriters in the band, not just one (I'm pretty sure all DLR wrote was the lyrics).

Well, I would argue that Sammy was excellent at writing generic, Hard Rock songs, that robbed the band of their identity... tomàto, tomato.

All DLR did was write the lyrics? That's kind of like saying all Orville did, was suggest to Wilbur, that they add wings to the plane. It was Dave's lyrics that gave the band their personality.

In the end... to each their own.

Zod

 

[FatesFan]

All DLR did was write the lyrics? That's kind of like saying all Orville did, was suggest to Wilbur, that they add wings to the plane.

Zod

That's Classic.

 

[FatesFan]

I am going to go with Mindcrime on this. It's really hard for me to just pick one absolute favorite but of all my favorites, this one is the oldest and I think my other favorites owe something to Mindcrime so based on that, I make it my all time favorite.

 

[Flavio CotM]

Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force s/t I was just blown away i was 13 at the time

 

[edgeofthorns]

Whitesnake - 1987 self titled release

That album turned my taste from pop rock to hard rock to metal when I was a little kid. I never will forget the first time I heard John Sykes' riffs. The music just blew me away! Basically, if it weren't for that album I most likely wouldn't have gotten into metal.

~Brian~

 

[SharkBlack]

Yes - Relayer

 

[Walter_Langkowski]

While it's really hard to flat out just say one album, no one is grading us on the answer so I'd just have to say Solitude Aeturnus- "Through The Darkest Hour". It's probably one of the newest ones anyone has on a list (1994), but to me it is beyond classic. It's a great combination of high-end, melodic metal singing with, while not modern, but very heavy riffing (for that standard type of vocal) and memorable song structures. Not to mention total Doom lyrically with a very dark feel to it.

And Zod, while RFO isn't my favorite album ever, it's my favorite Queensryche release. Great stuff.

 

[p1driftfiend]

Simple:

Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian

 

[lignicolos]

This is easy.

Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor

 

[Wandrail]

You know...I would almost say Piece of Mind, but then I remember that Chuck Schuldiner made me want to learn to play guitar and write (or try to) intelligently. So I think that Human must be my favorite album.

 

[LunaTEKKE]

I’m one of those that clearly won’t be able to help myself, so I’ll spare everyone my top 15 list. However, I *will* mention that the Rage for Order CD includes two of my all-time favorite QR tracks: Neue Regel and London. Thanks for inspiring me to put the CD in my car this weekend.

 

[FALCON_FURY]

Skid Row - Slave to the Grind

obviously a rotating carosel of Albums that compete for this throne, while most every nuance of this masterpiece continues to move me, even stuff I like today like Mercenery and Children of Bodom borrow a bit from the thrash and grind approach the makes Slave magic.

FALCON

 

[Gordy36]

Walls of Jericho by Helloween.


Gordy

 

[TwizstedJesus]

Fates Warning "No Exit"
Savatage "Streets"

It was the time period that molded me most as a musician and as a fan of music

 

[sccaldwell]

Well, I would argue that Sammy was excellent at writing generic, Hard Rock songs, that robbed the band of their identity

I don't know about "robbed," but it definitely changed it!

All DLR did was write the lyrics? That's kind of like saying all Orville did, was suggest to Wilbur, that they add wings to the plane. It was Dave's lyrics that gave the band their personality.

Personality does not great music make, and I never thought DLR's lyrics were all that great, anyway (they were cute and fun, but not what I would call great lyrics...as you said, tomàto, tomato). I guess if you listen to VH for the "fun factor," then I guess DLR-era is the way to go (though both eras definitely have their fun side).

In the end... to each their own.

Agreed. One last thing, though: Don't get me wrong, I do like DLR-era VH a LOT. I listen to both, just listen to the Hagar era more often.

Later,

Craig

 

[Creeps]

David Lee Roth is, and will forever be, an ENTERTAINER. That's what the man does best. He shows his boat and he shows it better than most.

I've never once heard anyone say they saw DLR in VH or solo tour and come away saying, "you know.. that sucked, i didn't have a good time."

I was only able to see him perform on the Eat Em & Smile and Lil Aint Enough tours and he was great both times.