My Life Of Music Obsession: 1987

....1987, The year I discovered Guns N' Roses. I had never heard anything as tough and sleazy as GNR. I was instantly hooked. 

This is also the year I had discovered Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, White Lion, Europe, and more Def Leppard. 

I had hoped to include the original studio versions of the Def Leppard songs on the companion playlist but unfortunately they have been in a longstanding battle with Universal Music Group over the rights of their catalog being released digitally. I feel both old fans and new fans alike suffer from this as the only way to hear these versions now is by obtaining a physical copy or illegally downloading. I think they are one of the greatest Rock N' Roll bands of all time, and I had to present either live versions or newly recorded versions of the songs. 

Check Out The Companion Playlist: Spotify, YouTube, iTunes.

...on to the playlist:

1. White Lion - Don't Give Up. - I don't know how to describe White Lion's sound other than calling it "Power Pop On Steroids." I don't know if they could be thrown in the hair metal category because they didn't sound like any of their peers. They had a great sense of melody and were amazing songwriters. 

2. White Lion - Wait.

3. White Lion - Tell Me. - Did you know that White Lion Bassist James Lomenzo, played in Megadeth? Thrash Metal is definitely a far cry from what White Lion were doing,

4. White Lion - When The Children Cry. - This song is a great example of the amazing songwriters these guys are. It's way more than just a "Power Ballad."

5. Whitesnake - Still Of The Night.

6. Whitesnake - Here I Go Again. - This is one of those iconic songs that will always be associated with the 1980's.

7. Whitesnake - Children Of The Night. - This song is very reminiscent of both Deep Purple and Rainbow. The former of which, Whitesnake Vocalist David Coverdale was once a part of. This song sounds like it could have belonged on Dio's 1983 album "Holy Diver."

8. Whitesnake - Is This Love?

9. Dokken - Dream Warriors. - This was recorded as the theme song for "A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors." I loved Freddy Kruger at age 7 and this is an incredibly cool song recorded for an extremely cool horror movie that killed it at the box office. This song helped get Freddy Kruger to host an evening on MTV and I loved MTV. I didn't discover the rest of Dokken's music until my late teens. They got lumped into the hair metal category because of their looks, but they were much more than that. Unfortunately discord amongst guitarist George Lynch and singer Don Dokken really affected these guys in having a career in music beyond the 80's. I think they could have survived Grunge and been Iconic had there not been so much infighting amongst the band. I've seen Dokken live twice. One of these occasions they played "Dream Warriors" and it was one of the happiest moments of my life.

10. Guns N' Roses - Welcome To The Jungle. - I wasn't completely sold when "Sweet Child O' Mine" was all over MTV in early 87, but once I heard this song I had my parents immediately rush me to a store called "Ames" in Waynesburg, Pa to buy this cassette. Everything changed when I heard "Appetite for Destruction." I had never heard anything Dirty, Sleazy and as Tough as these guys until I discovered The Ramones of course.

11. Guns N' Roses - It's So Easy. - This past July I got to attend my first Guns N' Roses concert. I've seen hundreds of bands live, and they were the best. They took the stage by playing this song.

12. Guns N' Roses - Nightrain.

13. Guns N' Roses - Out Ta Get Me.

14. Guns N' Roses - Mr. Brownstone.

15. Guns N' Roses - Paradise City.

16. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine. - I didn't initially like this song, but it's become one of my all time favorites and it's so Iconic.

17. Guns N' Roses - Think About You.

18. Guns N' Roses - You're Crazy. 

19. Guns N' Roses - Rocket Queen.

20. Europe - The Final Countdown. - The Legacy of this song speaks for itself. I don't know one person who doesn't know this song. These guys are still extremely popular in Germany, Spain, South America, The United Kingdom, and Scandinavia. I think these guys are the inventors of what's become known in other parts of the world as "Power Metal."  I wish America would catch on to "Power Metal."

21. Europe - Rock The Night. - They do have other songs beside "The Final Countdown" and they are really good.

22. Europe - Carrie.

23. Bon Jovi - Let It Rock.

24. Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name.

25. Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer. - I can relate to this song 100%. This came out during a time when the lower middle class were really struggling to survive. I watched a bunch of out of work Steel Workers and Coal Miners struggle to get by and the families were truly "Living on a Prayer."

26. Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead Or Alive. - This Song Rocks. Period.

27. Bon Jovi - Never Say Goodbye.

28. Bon Jovi - Wild In The Streets.. - I still love this song. It reminds me so much of Bruce Springsteen's style of writing which I love. It's kind of cool that Jon Bon Jovi was influenced by it too.

29.  Def Leppard -   Pour Some Sugar On . - I didn't know anyone my age in 1987 that didn't have a Walkman and Def Leppard's "Hysteria" album. This song made that happen.

30. Def Leppard - Rock Of Ages. - My Uncle Dennis and My Grandparents in California, had sent me Def Leppard's "Historia" video compilation for Christmas in 1987. This lead me to discover their older music.

31. Def Leppard - Women - This song sounds like it could have been written by Pink Floyd. It's great. I love the line "Skin on skin. Let the love begin" before the incredible guitar solo by the late great Steve Clark.

32. Def Leppard - Rocket.

33. Def Leppard - Animal.

34. Def Leppard - Love Bites.

35. Def Leppard - Armageddon It. - "Are you getting it? Yes Armageddon it." I'm not entirely sure this song is about Armageddon, but it sure is catchy as intellectually devoid as it may be.

36. Def Leppard - Stagefright. - "I said welcome to my show." I've heard a lot of people say they don't understand why Def Leppard turned their back on Metal and went for a more pop sound. I think they benefited from changing direction, and they didn't get the respect they deserved when they were a metal band. I've seen video's from the early 1980's when they were a metal band and several British teenagers throwing everything they could get their hands on at the band during their live performances.

37. Def Leppard - Let It Go.

38. Def Leppard - High N' Dry (Saturday Night). - "I've got my whiskey. I've got my wine. I got my woman, and this time the lights are going out." This song definitely reminds me of many years of my life.

39. Def Leppard - Foolin'.

40. Def Leppard - Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop).

41. Def Leppard - Too Late For Love.

42.  Motley Crue - Wild Side. - Tommy Lee's drum playing is off the hook on this song.

43. Motley Crue - Girls, Girls, Girls. - The sound of the motorcycle revving at the intro is so cool. At age 7 all I needed were Girls, Girls, Girls or at least my pre-pubescent self thought so thanks to this song,

44. Def Leppard - Me And My Wine.

45. Def Leppard - Hysteria.

46. Def Leppard - Bringing On The Heartbreak.

Coming soon...My Life Of Music Obsession: 1988.

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