Led Zeppelin Albums Define Hard Rock
A lot of music authorities would rate Led Zeppelin merch and albums as among the best in music history. Even experts who belong outside of the metal and hard rock genres tend to agree. Obviously, other equally talented musical groups would argue against this but there is more support for the band and its music’s greatness. The group has been cited and praised on different occasions by such established institutions as VH1, the Rolling Stone magazine and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The group first saw the light of day in little flourish. Before Jimmy Page founded the group, he played with the Yardbirds which was believed to have some impact on the more legendary group. After members of the Yardbirds went separate ways, Page started playing with John Bonham, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones. They were then known as the New Yardbirds. They later decided to change names.
Today, every Led Zeppelin album is associated with a more resounding name than anything under the Yardbirds name. The new moniker was originally intended to mean a bad gig but most people would also equate it with the aristocratic family to which the Zeppelin airships are named after. Because of the obvious name connection, the band had to briefly perform without it to avoid legal issues. Despite protests from well placed quarters
though, the band has retained its name to this day.
Before they took to recording, the young group first got into tours, playing first in English premises in 1968 before reaching out to US territory. They weren’t able to make their first eponymous release until 1969. After five years, their first album was said to be so successful that it had already generated $7,000,000 in sales despite having been produced on the cheap.
Their first success was quickly followed by second and third self-titled Led Zeppelin albums. The second one was again recorded while on tour but the end result was so outstanding that this second release is widely credited as being the basis for the music produced by other bands. Work on a third self-titled collection of songs began in 1970. Unlike its first two predecessors however, many tracks in it were recorded away from touring and carried strongly acoustic elements and folk tunes.
The fourth body of work from the band officially remains untitled. The lack of an official title was meant to prove that the band could sell music for music’s sake and not because of hype or promotion associated with the band name. True enough, this untitled masterpiece is among the hottest selling of all time, registering sales in the millions in the US alone.
Having made a point, the members took to their instruments to create more music through the 1970s. Each of the succeeding albums departed from the self-titling trend. Up to 1982, the band released Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffiti, Presence, In Through the Out Door and Coda.
It was only appropriate that the last of the Led Zeppelin albums was named Coda because it was exactly just that. When Bonham died, the band decided they would no longer play and Coda marked the end of the group’s career. Today however, their entire body of works lives on and people definitely listen to more than their final notes.
Insane Clown Posse Albums- When Fun and Bizarre Meet
For a music group that has been around for more than two decades, it seems unfair to continually refer to Insane Clown Posse merch and albums as bizarre. That is however, unless the group itself openly declares its preference for the label. As the group’s name implies, they seem to love all the insanity attached to them.
ICP is presently made up of two Josephs, Bruce and Utsler. On stage, these two swap their real names for alter egos. They rap as two bad clowns Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J. The group enjoys an international reputation but they did not begin to rap under their popular personas until much later. The two formed their first group JJ Boys in the 80s together with some friends who shared an interest in wrestling.
The JJ Boys did not have any grand plans for breaking out into the music scene or selling albums in a band store. Their second group, Inner City Posse, which was at first a gang, was more promising. Unfortunately their gang activities put Bruce in trouble. To try to keep away from the bad side of the law, Bruce turned to wrestling where he tried to make a name. The backroom politics of wrestling however proved too much for Bruce to handle. This pushed him back into the arms of hip hop.
In the 90s, the once Inner City Posse gang became a stage performing act. Bruce, Utsler and his brother John performed under their own Psychopathic Records. Ultimately though, they saw that they would never prosper with just gangsta rap. Too many rappers and acts were trying to get into it too.
It was this attempt to avoid floundering in an already saturated genre that the idea for an Insane Clown Posse album started to form. The duo took on a new approach to rap by zeroing in on the unusual genre of horror and the supernatural. They made their musical direction even more unusual by specifying a carnival theme to their personas. After brainstorming, they settled on their present name.
The aptly named Carnival of Carnage was released in 1992. This wasn’t completely a happy event though because before the album took flight, John Utsler left the group. Nonetheless, the album was still well received. Their second release Ringmaster was even more acclaimed and got gold status for itself.
It was however, The Great Milenko, first released in 1996 under Hollywood Records that began to truly define international stardom for the group. Although the label recalled the release, it was released again under PolyGram Records and became certified platinum.
From their first success, the tandem began to work towards gaining greater respect for their act. They thought they’d be able to do this by asking established rappers to perform some tracks for their album Amazing Jeckel Brothers. Snoop Dogg and Ol’ Dirty Bastard were among those featured. The album is now platinum.
The duo is now so popular that they have loyal followers that are specially called Juggalos and Jugalettes, two films and a wrestling federation of their own. Although there have still been some encounters with the law, it’s obvious that Insane Clown Posse albums will continue to make carnival nightmares fun.
When Metal Meets Folk in Opeth Albums
Opeth is a band from Sweden that often finds itself under the heavy metal shelf in a band store. A diehard Opeth album fan however may actually want to argue against this forced definition. It seems there is no box that can contain the group simply because their works are punctuated by mixed genres such as metal, jazz and folk in acoustic renditions. Also, the clear vocals in many of their songs seem to stand in stark contrast to metal growling.
The one person often cited to be the primary author of the band’s musical direction is current front man Mikael Åkerfeldt. He was not the founder of Opeth but he eventually took the lead and pushed for a pronounced transition from strong metal to a mixed sound that is made even more original by its effusiveness.
It was really David Isberg who put the group together in 1990. Åkerfeldt was a recruit tasked to play bass. Unfortunately, it was his entrance that almost broke the band apart. The other band members had not been informed about his inclusion. This led to other previously assembled members walking out. Isberg however stuck to his decision of taking on the new bassist.
Other members were invited to join. Nick Doring was tapped for bass, Andreas Dimeo for guitar and Anders Nordin for drums. Unfortunately, band members leaving at short notice continued to be a problem for the group. Before Opeth albums could roll into production, Dimeo and Doring already bolted. Johan DeFarfalla and Kim Pettersson stepped in but it didn’t take long for them to find the door too. Peter Lindgren then became a part of the group. Isberg also eventually left after he had lost interest in his band.
The quick changes in players are perhaps one major factor to the delay of the release of Opeth albums. Their debut album, Orchid was released only in 1995. Although it is considered the heaviest metal of all of the band’s work, it already held the distinct features that would set their music apart from all the others. The debut album was not a great success but it was nonetheless a good start.
The second album, Morningrise came out after one year. This piece of work was even more surprising and intriguing than the first one because of the inclusion of a song twenty minutes long. The album however saw greater success than its predecessor.
The good reception for the first two releases created the foundation for more releases. In twenty years, the band was able to dish out a total of nine studio albums. Following the first and second albums were Still Life, Blackwater Park, Deliverance, Damnation, Ghost Reveries and Watershed. Albums one to eight were already actually quite popular in Europe. The band was only able to reach success in American soil with Watershed which took number 23 in the Billboard 200.
Critics say that fans need to have a strong sense of loyalty and devotion to stick it out for a full length play of an Opeth album. If you aren’t a loyal listener, you may find Opeth merch and music to be too stressful to sit through.
The Beatles History The Band That Started a Revolution
One of the very few bands that stand out as a major part of music history and countless rock tees across the generations is The Beatles. It’s impossible to not know who they are simply because music now would not be what it is without them. The group started a crucial movement in history that cemented their legendary status.
Before they became the popular four man band, the group’s story started with an all too different band called The Quarrymen. The reason why this group is mentioned in the story of The Beatles’ origins is because this was John Lennon’s original band. Lennon first played with friends Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe and they were soon joined by Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Sutcliffe left and eventually passed away in 1962 while Best was edged out and replaced by Ringo Starr.
The firing of Best is often a contentious part in the band’s history. He was simply informed that the other members no longer wanted him in. There have been theories as to why he was not liked. It’s possible that he just did not look or act like the rest or that he was far too popular with the fans because of his looks. It has also been suggested though that his musical abilities were not up to par. It’s hard to tell how the group might have turned out if he was allowed to stay.
The Beatles history as we know it came to be in 1962, with Starr playing drums. At this point, it was Lennon and McCartney who became the more prominent members. This was probably because they were the writers and had a say as to which songs would make the cut. It was a pleasant surprise that early on, the members met eye to eye considering that the two songwriters were almost worlds apart in musical style. McCartney produced music that was naturally melodic, uplifting and almost bubbly. Lennon on the other hand produced songs that were grounded on a mature and realistic outlook.
Perhaps what kept the group together was the fact that all of them relished integrating a variety of influences and elements. This might seem the norm today but in their time, it was innovative and revolutionary. The group is considered a rock and roll band but in reality, their music is peppered with classical, country, folk and jazz influences. This approach is most likely one reason why their work has endured through the years. There is something for every listener in their albums.
What made the group’s music entirely appealing is that the mixture of genres did not come out as evolutionary. There was no shift of genres just because the band had matured or changed. The mix was simply just a mix. What made their songs even better is the fact that the varying elements did not clash or create discordant sounds. They were able to meld so many different parts into outstanding pieces that touched base with the common people. People came to love their music so much that by 1964, they had unknowingly been able to launch the British music invasion.
A deeper analysis of the story and style of band would probably be too excessive. After all, greater musical minds have weighed in and attempted to define the group’s genius and outstanding commercial success. In a sense, there is no definite way to put a box around The Beatles history. Suffice it to say that they opened the doors to the popular acceptance of revolutionary, inventive and overreaching creativity in every band store.
Rolling Stones Albums- Four Decades of Rock
Not every musician can remain ingrained in the collective consciousness of society forever. Nearly five decades of Rolling Stones merch and albums are an indication that this group has taken a permanent place in the history of past and present generations. In the years they have been around, they have made about 200 million album sales and received numerous awards and recognitions.
Like most success stories, this group had humble beginnings. They started out in 1962 as a bar band. The now famous friends Mick Jagger and Keith Richards played as the Rolling Stones along with other members Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Mick Taylor and Tony Chapman. They were joined at a later period by Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. At this point in their careers, it was Jones who was regarded as the leader of the band. He was also the one who suggested the band’s name. Clearly though, avid fans of Rolling Stones CDs would now most likely know Jagger and Richards better than Jones.
From their initial stint as a club act, the group signed a deal with Decca records in 1963. Because Decca made the mistake of turning down the Beatles, the deal set before the group was said to have been more generous than usual, giving them high royalty rates, artistic control and choice of material for recording. The band’s first single was released in the same year but this was to be the start of brief tough times for the boys. The quality of songs produced from this point on had little originality and appeal and even the members’ appearances had been openly criticized.
By 1964, the group’s status started to pick up more steam as their renditions of popular classics like Little Red Rooster and It’s All Over Now started to climb the charts. This was an early indication that a wider acceptance for original material in Rolling Stones albums would be favorably met in every band store across the world. The group went on to perform chart topping hits The Last Time, Satsifaction, Paint it Black, Mother’s Little Helper, Ruby Tuesday and Midnight Rambler.
At the beginning of the 70s the band had already established a solid foothold in the music scene. They were so entrenched in popular culture that by the time their contract with Decca expired, they were able to stay solid under their own record label. This was not the only major shift in this decade. The group eventually left England and set up base in France.
By the 1980s the group had reached its career peak. Although previous years had been peppered by band members leaving, member deaths, personal rifts and drug use charges, it was in the 80s when more significant conflict began. Key members Jagger and Richards began to clash head to head. It was only in 1989 after the group’s induction into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that the two reconciled for a new album.
In the 90s the members stuck together but each member started to build projects of their own. It was then that they entered a seven year phase of not producing new songs for albums. This empty spell was only broken in 2005 with a Bigger Bang.
Despite the band’s age and dated musical age, there is simply no killing the sales of Rolling Stones CDs. The group is the only one to date that can still claim a top chart position for classic re issues.
Experience the Dark Carnival with Insane Clown Posse Albums
Strange is perhaps the best single word description for Insane Clown Posse merch and albums. It’s only right to call their work this way even if the artists behind ICP have been around for more than twenty years and have a strong following. You can call their music strange because they’d probably appreciate it.
ICP is presently made up of two Josephs, Bruce and Utsler. On stage, these two swap their real names for alter egos. They rap as two bad clowns Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J. The group enjoys an international reputation but they did not begin to rap under their popular personas until much later. The two formed their first group JJ Boys in the 80s together with some friends who shared an interest in wrestling.
The JJ Boys did not have any grand plans for breaking out into the music scene or selling albums in a band store. Their second group, Inner City Posse, which was at first a gang, was more promising. Unfortunately their gang activities put Bruce in trouble. To try to keep away from the bad side of the law, Bruce turned to wrestling where he tried to make a name. The backroom politics of wrestling however proved too much for Bruce to handle. This pushed him back into the arms of hip hop.
It was in 1991 when Bruce, Utsler and John Utsler started performing as Inner City Posse and established Psychopathic Records. It wasn’t long however before the group eventually saw gangsta rap as a negative factor. They could not get their break simply because there were too many others with the same style.
It was this attempt to avoid floundering in an already saturated genre that the idea for an Insane Clown Posse album started to form. The duo took on a new approach to rap by zeroing in on the unusual genre of horror and the supernatural. They made their musical direction even more unusual by specifying a carnival theme to their personas. After brainstorming, they settled on their present name.
Carnival of Carnage finally came out in 1992 but the release was marred by John Utsler’s departure from the group. The release was met with some positive reception. This eventually led to a more favorably accepted release of their second work, Ringmaster which received gold recognition.Their debut work Carnival of Carnage was released in 1992. Before it could even pick up steam though, John Utsler was already out the door. Even without him though, this initial release was met positively. This created a good starting point for the eventual release of Ringmaster.
The group’s greatest success however was The Great Milenko, released in 1996 under the Disney owned Hollywood Records. The label however eventually dropped them because of public criticism. It was PolyGram Records that took over and saw the album through to platinum status.
From their first success, the tandem began to work towards gaining greater respect for their act. They thought they’d be able to do this by asking established rappers to perform some tracks for their album Amazing Jeckel Brothers. Snoop Dogg and Ol’ Dirty Bastard were among those featured. The album is now platinum.
From troubled beginnings, ICP is now at the top of its game boosted by a loyal fan base of Juggalos and Jugalettes. Of course, there are still those occasional problems with the law but Insane Clown Posse albums don’t seem to be losing their appeal. It all must be because of the unique direction the pair has taken.
HIM Defines Love Metal Best
For the most part, HIM has remained defiant of the labeling that is an all too common preoccupation among music fans and band store experts. The group has been variously placed under such categories as gothic, alternative and hard under the major umbrellas of rock and metal. Until today, there is no clear agreement as to how to define or categorize the band’s music. For certain though, both the fans and the group itself don’t seem to mind that they are viewed from different perspectives.
Band Symbol
Perhaps the closest label that can be pinned on HIM is love metal. This may seem like a strange category considering that it is in fact a mix of a variety of influences and approaches including gothic, rock, pop, glam and heavy metal. This unique brand of music is often said to be Ville Valo’s creation.
In keeping with the band name, the group has adopted the heartagram as its definitive symbol which also reflects its genre. Valo believes that the symbol has become so well known that people now associate it more with the band than anything else.
Band Story
The band was originally known as His Infernal Majesty. By 1998, the name was changed to HIM after the release of the Wicked Game single. The name however should not be taken as the same as American post rock group HiM, Christian group 4Him and Canadian metal band Infernal Majesty.
Incidentally, the band bought the rights to the name from HiM and has since used it in their worldwide tours and albums. Previously, they used the name HER for Razorblade Romance, which was their sophomore album, as well as HIM and HER during tours in Europe.
Like a lot of other bands, HIM has had its fair share of member shifts and changes. Band members include a considerably long list of performers. This includes lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist Ville Valo; lead and acoustic guitarist Mikko Lindstrom; bass guitarist and backup vocalist Mikko Paananen; drummer and percussionist Mika Karppinen; and keyboardist and backup vocalist Janne Puurtinen. Past members complete the official list with drummers and percussionists Juhana Tuomas Rantala, Juippi, and Juha Tarvonen; keyboardists Sergei Ovalov, Antto Melasniemi and Jussi-Mikko Salminen; and guitarist Oki.
Albums Out
As expected from this unique band, they can boast of a substantial work collection. They have twenty-two singles, twenty-three music videos, seven HIM albums, six compilations, one live album, one extended play and four video albums.
• Greatest Lovw Songs Vol. 666- This 1997 album is nowhere close to Satanic despite its title
• Razorblade Romance- This came out in 1999 and holds the record of being the top bestseller in the band’s country of origin
• Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights- This came out in 2001 and is the band’s third piece of work
• Love Metal- As the title suggests, this is the groups most definitive piece of work and came out in 2003 with the heartagram symbol featured for the first time
• Dark Light- This 2005 release included elements of mythology and current religions
• Venus Doom- This 2007 release is widely regarded as the heaviest piece of work the band has produced
• Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice- This newest 2010 release is considered by Valo to be a cathartic, primal scream
We can expect many more from the band that pioneered love metal. And that’s what we love about HIM. There’s no doubt that they’ll me on more band posters.
Post-Hardcore Craze with Escape the Fate
Escape the Fate is a post-hardcore and metalcore band that originated in Las Vegas, Nevada. So far, their main music merch consist of two albums, six singles, three EPs, and eight music videos.
Band History
Initially consisting of members, Ronnie Radke, Max Green, Robert Ortiz, Bryan “Monte” Money, and Omar Espinosa, the band got together in 2004 in Pahrump, Nevada. The following 2 years, saw the release of their first EP called “There’s No Sympathy for the Dead”. Two of the songs included in the EP made it to the first debut studio Escape the Fate album titled “Dying Is Your Latest Fashion.” Prior to the release, Carson Allen left the role as a keyboardist to join the band On the Last Day.
The tour Black on Black saw some participation from this band. Unfortunately, it was during this event that Omar Espinosa who handled rhythm guitar left because of personal reasons. After this, vocalist Ronnie Radke was taken out of the group after members forced him out due to legal problems that had resulted in Radke being sentenced to prison. Former Bless the Fall band member Craig Mabbitt jumped in to cover for Radke. What was meant as a temporary solution however eventually became a permanent one as Mabbitt is still onboard for the position. The current lineup also includes Robert Ortiz on drums, Bryan Money on bass guitar and Max Green on lead guitar.
Studio Albums Released
It was on September 26, 2006 that the Escape the Fate album “Dying is Your Latest Fashion” came out. Ronnie Radke is given credit for being the writer and composer behind all the tracks. Of the eleven songs, two were lifted from their EP “There’s No Sympathy for the Dead” while nine are originals. “Look Your Best” is a Japanese bonus track that was also released.
A second album, “This War is Ours” followed the first release after two years. This time it was Craig Mabbitt who took center stage with his perfect vocal rendition of the band’s songs. This second piece of work is shorter than the first one. The deluxe special edition however contains more music for fans to enjoy. It carries remixed and acoustic versions of “Harder Than You Know” and two new tracks that were not previously introduced. There’s more to this second release. It also contains a DVD that details some behind the scenes events, a tour documentary and a couple of music videos. This is the most recent release from the band after having come out with it on April of 2010.
Escape the Fate revealed their plans to start a new third album during Warped Tour 2009. Recording began winter 2009 with the release originally slated for spring 2010. A few demo songs are already finished along with featured song which is co-written by Mick Mars of Motley Crue fame. It was recently announced that the target release date moved to mid to late summer 2010. Catch it then at your local band store. They are currently active in online social networking sites including MySpace, Twitter and Facebook.
Hear Love Metal First From HIM
HIM is a Finnish band that seemingly defies conventional band store categorization. The band has been alternatively placed under the genres of rock and metal. This isn’t the end of the attempt to define the group though since it has also been variously placed under the sub genres of gothic, hard, doom and alternative. There are just so many different ways of looking at the band’s work. Clearly though, it doesn’t seem to matter what their music is most like.
Symbolism
It is perhaps because of the differing categories that the term love metal was hatched to define the group’s kind of music. In an attempt to be as exact as possible, experts say that love metal is really a mixture of rock, gothic, heavy, rock and pop elements. This rich mix is said to largely be the result of lead singer Ville Valo’s creative juices.
In accordance with its name, the so-called heartagram represents the band as well as the musical genre. Because of its wide popularity, Valo once remarked that the band is now better known for its symbol than its music.
Band Past
The original name of the band is His Infernal Majesty. After the Wicked Game single came out in 1998, this name was seemingly shortened to HIM. Other groups carry names similar to it. The group however is not the same as the Christian band 4Him, the American post rock group HiM and the Canadian metal band Infernal Majesty.
The group only really adopted the HIM name after it bought the rights of the name from HiM. Before they were able to obtain the rights, they used HER for Razorblade Romance, and HIM and HER for tours across Europe.
Just like any rock band, the group has had its share of musical chairs amongst its members. At present, the band is composed of Ville Valo on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; Mikko Lindstrom on lead and acoustic guitar; Mikko Paananen on bass guitar and backing vocals; Mika Karppinen on drums and percussion; and Janne Puurtinen on keyboard and backing vocals. The former members included Juippi, Juha Tarvonen and Juhana Tuomas Rantala on drums and percussion; Antto Melasniemi, Sergei Ovalov and Jussi-Mikko Salminen on keyboards; and Oki on guitar.
Released Albums
The band is currently one of the most productive of modern bands. They have seven HIM albums, six compilations, one live album, one extended play, twenty-two singles, four video albums and twenty-three music videos. Some of their works are detailed below.
• Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 came out in 1997 but is not a Satanic album as some would think
• Razorblade Romance was released in 1999 and is a particularly significant work because it is an undisputed bestseller in the Finnish music scene
• Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights was a 2001 album that first featured the current band lineup
• Love Metal is a 2003 album, featuring the heartagram, that clearly reflects the band and its genre the most
• Dark Light followed in 2005 and was inspired by ancient mythology and present day religions
• Venus Doom was released in 2007 and is currently considered the most heavy metal of all HIM albums
• Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice is the most recent 2010 release from the group and is dubbed by Valo himself as a cathartic primal scream
With this long list of artistic creations, there is no doubt that HIM will be around for long on band posters. There’s no killing this pioneering music giant.