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Watermelon in Easter Hay (Frank Zappa ‘Joe’s Garage’)

Frank released an incredible four albums in 1979, I think! This marks a very purple patch for the genius of Frank. This is definitely my very favourite album ever made. My number one. And it has been since I first got immersed in it many years ago. Erm… it’s quite deep but basically by Watermelon Joe is pretty depressed and “imagines his last imaginary guitar solo”. Frank pulls one of the most chilling pieces you’ll ever hear out of his hat closing out the story in true style. This is just genius.

Rat Tomago (Frank Zappa ‘Sheik Yerbouti’)

Welcome to goosebump city!! This is a live solo outtake from the classic Frank tune The Torture Never Stops off the 76 album Zoot Allures. The band absolutely rock here, Bozzio really knew how to work with Frank in the solo sections and they just rip it up for 5 gloriously spellbinding minutes. There’s not a single chord change in the whole thing and yet it’s totally captivating start to finish. The album closes with Yo Mama… one of the finest chilling moments ever. I get teary eyed every time I hear that too.

Somebody Get Me a Doctor (Van Halen ‘II’)

Personally, I have grown to like this album more than the first Van Halen record. The songs are better, the band is sloppier, the egos are bigger but I dunno… it just has so much character! Spanish Fly proved Edward could fret and tap without all that high gain but for me it’s the amazing riff on Somebody Get Me a Doctor that did it. This was one riff I absolutely had to know.

Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd ‘The Wall’)

Some of you will be thinking “about time!!” for the Floyd. I liked Wish You Were Here and Animals but in terms of inspiring guitar it has to be The Wall where it hits you in the chest. The solos on Numb are just sublime… without these a whole lot of stuff would never have happened!!

Girls Got Rhythm (AC/DC ‘Highway to Hell’)

Awwww man I miss the Bon Scott DC! It’s always right on the edge… you expect the band to fall over with the excitement of it all at any moment. I couldn’t really decide which track on this album to pick so settled on this track which is always so much fun and possibly one the best rock songs ever recorded!

There we are. 1979. There were at least another 10 recordings that didn’t make it. I hope you’ll check out some of these if you’re not familiar with them. They really have been life changing for me and still inspire the hell out of me!! It’s been a joy to listen to these again to write this post.

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Apology:

OK, I admit I’ve blundered… I don’t know how but somehow I missed some of my absolute fave albums these last few weeks… I really can’t ignore these tracks so…

1977 Race With Devil On Spanish Highway (Al Di Meoly ‘Elegant Gypsy’)

Holy smoke Batman Al Di is on fire on this record!! His playing throughout the entire album is tremendous. Quite how he did it with that Les Paul and such a clean tone I’ll never quite work out. It was surely just played really, really, really loud!! The outro solo is completely magical!! Actually, anything from Al Di’s first four or five solo records is worth checking out. Malmsteen must have been going out of his mind trying to learn this stuff in 77!!

1978 Egyptian Danza (Al Di Meola ‘Casino’)

I absolutely ADORE Egyptian Danza. I warm up with this pretty much everyday. I must have driven my neighbours nuts by know. The interaction between Al Di, Anthony Jackson and Steve Gadd in the riff is just beautiful.

There… hopefully the damage done is repaired!! Al Di forgive me!!

Have a good weekend folks!!
Pauly.

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