Milk Crates and Turntables. A Music Discussion Podcast

Ep. 170 - Exploring My Top 10 Essential Albums

• Scott McLean • Episode 170

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After years of collecting vinyl records, I found myself on a musical journey that led me to the top 10 essential albums everyone should experience. Join me as I reflect on what makes an album essential and distinguish it from personal favorites. From the transformative power of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "To Be True" to the soulful shift of David Bowie's "Young Americans," we explore the lasting impact of these records and their influence on music culture. Through this exploration, I invite you to reflect on your own essential picks and how they have shaped your musical journey.

Get ready for a trip back in time as we dive into the musical gems of the 1970s and 1980s. From the vocal prowess of Teddy Pendergrass in Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "To Be True" to the overlooked brilliance of David Bowie's "Young Americans," we celebrate the artists who left an indelible mark on music history. We can't forget Sinead O'Connor's unique Irish rock sound in "The Lion and the Cobra," which finally gained posthumous recognition for its incredible artistry. Through these albums, we explore the timeless appeal of music and its ability to transport us to different eras and emotions.

Join me as we take a deep dive into the power of music to evoke moods. From the timeless charm of Frank Sinatra's "September of My Years" to the moody brilliance of The Smiths' "Meat is Murder," we explore albums that have left a lasting impact. Technical difficulties may have interrupted our live stream, but the passion for sharing great music remains strong. We celebrate albums like Public Enemy's revolutionary "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" and Nico Case's atmospheric "Blacklisted," showcasing the importance of these records in my personal list. Despite the challenges, I cherish the opportunity to connect with you through the iconic albums that have shaped our musical journeys.

Scott McLean:

Well, here we are, episode 170. 170 episodes of Milk, crates and Turntables, yeah, and tonight I don't know how this is going to go. I think it's just me and I'm going to be talking about my, my 10 essential albums that everybody should listen to before they go up to that great turntable in the sky. So sit back, relax, enjoy my list of my top 10 essential albums. It's pretty eclectic, I gotta say. I gotta say maybe you'll agree, maybe you'll disagree.

Speaker 2:

We'll find out 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.

Speaker 3:

All engines running Liftoff. We have a liftoff.

Speaker 2:

The KOFB Studio presents Milk Crates and Turntables. A music discussion podcast hosted by Scott McClain. Now let's talk music.

Speaker 3:

Enjoy the show.

Scott McLean:

What's up everybody? Welcome to the podcast. What's that Hold on?

Speaker 4:

I've got a song for you right now called LB's Truth, and don't you ever forget it. All right, I won't forget it All right, this is paid, sponsored.

Scott McLean:

Alright, sounds interesting, but you know the name of the podcast, I'm not gonna say it. Streaming live right now over everything, coast to coast, all around the world. What do we got here? I'm down with the get down. Shit, I'm down with the get down. What do we got? Oh shit, one, two, three, oh shit, oh shit, oh, okay, that got cut off pretty fast. Get rid of that. Picked it somewhere and left off. What, what? Yeah, this is the laid-back country picker. This is the laid-back country picker.

Speaker 4:

When old James Brown rolled into town he brought the funkiest sound and everybody got down. The Stanley Bros went nose to nose. They played a million shows and kept them on their toes. Yeah.

Speaker 3:

Ah shit.

Scott McLean:

This is some get down music right here. Start this motherfucker off. Good yeah, right here, Stop this motherfucker off. Good yeah. Toad to Red Sprocket. Big Head Toad to Red Sprocket Says I'm here entertaining Blah blah blah. Yeah Said, I'm down with the get down. What else we got here? What, what?

Speaker 4:

What, what? When Jimmy H took me to that place Up in outer space, I still see his face. The motorhead put them all to bed, but, like Lemmy said, they're all dead.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, all to bed but, like Lemmy said, they're all dead. Yeah, it's the mood I'm in tonight. Yeah, it sounds homemade. Cause it's raw, this is some raw shit. Because it's raw, this is some raw shit. Yeah, that's LB's Truth, live at the Down Home Grill. You don't know nothing about that. You don't know nothing about that. That's some raw, gritty shit right there. Yeah, lb's true.

Scott McLean:

Thank you, my friend jamming tonight. Yeah, well, uh. So, like I said, welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. I'm so glad you could attend. Come inside, come inside again. We're streaming live over everything. Uh, blah, blah, blah.

Scott McLean:

Same stuff every week, just a different topic now. Speaking of topics, uh, patty, patty, yossi, our number one fan. I would say that might insult big head todd the wet sprocket, but I don't care. She said I thought you were doing underrated singers. Well, I did too, did too. But nah, I reserved the right. I changed it up. Tonight I'm doing like I said my, my, what I think are top 10 essential albums you should listen to before you go to the big record store in the sky. And again, this is always subjective. People are going to say, huh, what? And you know. So what is an essential album? Right? What's an essential album. Essential album, basically, let's see what. Let me see. You know what. I'm going to do it this way. I'm going to see what AI thinks an essential album. Let's see what AI says.

Scott McLean:

Essential albums typically one that has made a significant impact on music culture, influencing artists, genres and listeners over time, genres and listeners over time. These albums often showcase artistic innovation, lyrical depth and musical excellence. For example, the Beatles, sgt Pepper's lonely hot club band, michael Jackson's thriller, nirvana's Nevermind, are considered essential because of their groundbreaking contributions to music and their lasting legacy. Let me move this over. Let me get the chat up on the board here so everybody can see their chats. There you go. The definition can vary based on let's get that out of here based on personal taste, cultural background and musical genre, but the common thread is their importance to the music landscape. So that is an essential album. So, basically, essential albums cover. They cover some ground. It could be what the industry and what the general public think is essential or what the listener thinks is essential, and in this case it's the listener. But although some of these albums may be widely considered an essential album, I don't know.

Scott McLean:

You make the call, though, throughout the show, for the people that are watching the live stream. Now, there's a difference. There's a difference between your favorite album and an essential album. Your favorite, like the Pretenders debut album, is one of my favorite albums. I don't think it's an essential album. I don't think it changed anything album. I don't think it changed anything. It's a classic album. But Essential is and I again, I have 10 albums here that are totally, pretty much totally different albums. So my thought process on Essential is something that covers. These albums cover a wide range, so are essential albums. Could they be considered your desert island albums? You know, your 10 desert island albums Could be, could be, we don't know. It's all up to you. It's all up to you.

Scott McLean:

Marie Martin says Library of Congress has a lot of them. They certainly do. Big Head Todd DeWitt Sprocket says hey, where's Jack? And I'm going to say I don't know. I don't know, let me see. Yeah, so that's what? Ai, which we, by the way, because of our current president, which we, by the way, because of our current president, the United States, is going to be the world leader in AI technology. That's very important. Believe it or not, it's very important. So let's get ahead of that curve. Now I have a whole that could be a whole episode on on the, uh, the pros and cons of AI. Let me see.

Scott McLean:

Marie Martin says Americana is the first thing that I think of. Okay, absolutely, that could be how you consider it an essential album. Now, a lot of people might not think Thriller is an essential album. Thriller I think I had Todd Witt's rocket commented.

Scott McLean:

In essential albums, you mean like Don Johnson's heartbeat they say, listen, if that's in your collection of essential albums, I'm all for it. If you can explain to me why that's the key. How do you explain why? You know it's now the. Why does it have to be this? In depth, you know, deep dive into what makes this an essential album. Again, essential covers, it's, it's. I think what it boils down to, is what I think you should listen to. These are 10 albums that I suggest that I think are essential because of the quality, the production, the time it came out, what was the shift going on at that time? And I'll play a couple tracks, at least one track from each song. I'll kind of give you a little dabble of what's in there. Now, you're not going to like some of these. I know that already. I already know You're not going to like some of these albums Just because it's not your thing, because it's not your genre or your taste. Like I said, it's my essential albums. What?

Scott McLean:

I think you should listen to and, being an extremely well-rounded music listener and I'm big into diversity, is that dead now? Is that word dead too? I have a very eclectic we'll say eclectic taste in music. So that's what I think. If you were going to listen, like I could give you, you know, some people could say, oh yeah, essential albums Led Zeppelin 1, led Zeppelin 4, you know, you could just name off 10 Led Zeppelin or five of those. Well, that's your choice. I think it should be spread out. I think it should be Give you a well-rounded view. So, with that said, let's jump in. And these are not in any particular order because Essential Albums. It's not a top 10. It's a my 10. There's a difference there also. So let me line this up first and, like I said, youtube puts copyrights on these things now, because I play music, but they never take it down. So that's good. So far, so good. I haven't had any copyright strikes against my channel and YouTube I mean Facebook. I don't even know what they do now. I don't know what they do. I don't know what they do.

Scott McLean:

So the first album that I'm going to say is an essential album in my list is the 1965 album by Frank Sinatra called September of my Years. This is a fucking pure perfect album. Now, a perfect album doesn't necessarily make it essential. Again, I'm going to really press that because people are going to say, oh, that's not, I don't care. Some of these are perfect albums, and a perfect album to me I've always said this is an album that you can listen from the first song to the last song.

Scott McLean:

Now, remember, we're talking albums here Back in the day. If you had an album most of them you're not listening to every track, you jump, you have to get up, move the needle to the next song, jump over two songs to get to that song Very few of us would sit through an album that we're just not really into. You know a quarter of the songs, so yeah. So September of my years. It's also an extremely poignant album too, because it does cover your life. It covers a young man's life. It really tells a great story. The whole album tells a story. This, though, this is the song. Now, I don't know about you, but I can relate to this. I really can. This might be a song where you think of your dad. You think of your dad back in those days. I don't know. As a young man, I could put myself in a lot of these, but the song that I'm taking off this album is uh, this one definitely getting a copyright hit on this. It's a fucking perfect song too.

Speaker 2:

When I was 17. Right, it was a very good year, it's amazing it was a very good year For small town girls and soft summer nights yeah, I'll end up listening to the whole thing.

Scott McLean:

and soft summer nights yeah, I'll end up listening to the whole thing and I can't.

Speaker 2:

We'd hide from the lights.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, go listen to this album On the village green. What else do we have?

Speaker 2:

When I was 17.

Scott McLean:

Let's get into this one. This is the title cut. It's the first song in the album and it's called September of my Years.

Speaker 2:

One day you turn around and it's summer. Next day you turn around and it's fall, and the springs and the winters of a lifetime.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, essential album, absolute, essential album. Go listen, listen to it, take this list down. I'll probably list this on facebook anyways, I'll probably throw the list and get you know, of course, ridiculed, because nothing on facebook goes without getting ridiculed, does it? Yeah, so that's my first album, 1965's September of my Years, by the late legend you can't even say great the late legend, frank Sinatra. I'll do a 10 to 1, but, like I said, it doesn't mean that this is anything. I'll just say my second. I'll say my second album, essential album that I think everybody should listen to is called, or it's by, and it's actually the name of the album.

Scott McLean:

Let me line it up first so I can segue right into a song. A, uh, a song. You gotta find it here. Here we go. It's harold melvin and the blue notes featuring featuring theodore Theodore Pendergrass, later to be called Teddy Pendergrass, and the name of that album Is To Be True. Another perfect album Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, featuring Theodore Pendergrass. The album is called To Be True and this is one of the Best songs on the album. Here we go. This is a young Teddy Pentegrass, oh my friend.

Speaker 3:

Yes, I have lots of fancy clothes. Teddy fuck, Damn that motherfucker could sing yeah Essential album.

Scott McLean:

Moving so fast yo, I didn't even have to worry about paying my bills.

Speaker 3:

Something started changing my life started feeling.

Scott McLean:

Let's see, get rid of that. All the things I once had. Yeah, such a great album, man, and this was again so. Yeah, such a great album, man, and this was again so. So what you had, this came out in 75, and what you had was Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, were Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Then they went deep and they got this lead singer, they got this young cat named Theodore. It's not, I mean his voice, I don't know. I recently had a kind of a conversation with somebody and it was like Marvin Gaye or Teddy Pentegrast, and you know Marvin, they say he's got the perfect voice. But I don't know, man, teddy, I don't know I could lean in Teddy's direction. Just that voice, man. Yeah, so that's my second album. I think it's essential Once again, harold Melvin and the Blue Notes featuring Theodore Pendergrass, to be true.

Scott McLean:

Oh, my friend, I'm looking up, I'm looking up. I mean this is upbeat music too. This is some Philadelphia music right there. That's some Philadelphia music. And Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes on their own Were fucking good too. But you bring Teddy into the mix. Well then, forget about it then.

Scott McLean:

Alright, now this album, my third album on the list, is it's actually it is on the list? Is it's actually it is on the list of one of my favorite albums of all time? I think it's, and you've heard me say this a lot of times. I think it's David Bowie's best album. I think it's David Bowie's best album. This one came out in 75 also, and it's I'll just I'll just play the title track.

Scott McLean:

David Bowie's Young American gets so overlooked, absolutely overlooked, absolutely overlooked. It gets overlooked by Ziggy Stardust, diamond dogs, aladdin sane. But the reason I say this is an essential album also is because of the transition that he made from glam rock into this blue-eyed soul type sound and he never went back to glam rock again, never went back to glam rock again. Like, never went back to glam rock again. Like he did it, he peaked at it, he made it, he turned it into what it was. You know he was part of that little group of glam rock legends T-Rex and a few others but when he did Young Americans, I tell people you've got to go listen to this album again If you haven't listened to it. Probably some of you haven't listened to it in 50 years. You know, let me see. Yeah, so this album's 50 years old this year, jesus, so maybe 40 years you haven't listened to it, but it's definitely an essential album that you should go out and listen to. You can't? You can't go wrong. I mean, this is one of my uh. This this also has, of course. So it starts.

Scott McLean:

The album starts off with young americans and the last track on the album is fame. Jesus christ, what the fuck like. Could you have better bookends on an album? Think about that. Could you have better bookends on an album? Start off with Young Americans. You end with fame. Really Fucking great as that, and it's great.

Scott McLean:

There's one song that I'm not really keen on which stops it from. It's about a 99% perfect album. He does this fucking version of Across the Universe that doesn't fit in the album. It doesn't fit. This is like something that should have been on Aladdin Sane or doesn't Fit. It's a horrible cover. But this is my favorite album, favorite song on the album. It's called Win. Tell you, this is a sad. Like I said, this is where his career just went in a whole other direction and he never looked back. So that's my third essential album. All right, now this fourth one.

Scott McLean:

It Doing this wasn't easy, like thinking of these albums and trying to put them into a perspective of like essential. This album turn that off. This album came out of nowhere. It really did and it launched her career. It's, to me, a perfect album. Every song on it, from front to back, can be listened to. It's a great driving album.

Scott McLean:

A lot of people she's's only known. She's really known. It's Sinead O'Connor. She's known for. Nothing compares to me, nothing compares to you, and you know that. But this album the lion and the cobra is an absolute.

Scott McLean:

It came out in 87. It's an absolute gem and it it it's that it's irish rock, but it's irish rock in a whole different sense. Like she stood out from the crowd, she really did, yeah, with all her her druthers. Push all that shit aside. You know, you can judge her all you want, you know. But the funny thing is, after she died, these fucking pieces of shit all came out of nowhere. Like oh, sinead, you were so great. You know. It's like fuck you, you know what, fuck you. You shit on her because what she tore up, a picture of the Pope, yeah, america was upset. You know, get over it. And they did.

Scott McLean:

And then all of a sudden she's crazy and she's bipolar and she's doing this and people like nobody went to fucking help her, like she could tell you that. Well, she did say that. So you know, the people are like, oh, sinead, I feel so good. Fuck you, you know what. This is a situation where I really truly believe only if you're a true fan, you, you, you know what I'm talking about. It's like bandwagon, you know, if you didn't know anything about her, and and then she, she died, she kills herself and it's like she was so great yeah, well, she fucking was. She really was Talented, but crazier than a sprayed roach that's the only way I can put it. But let me see there's some fucking good songs on this. Let me see, this is the kickoff song. This is such a moody album. It really is moody. The production in it is fucking top notch and her voice, her voice was pure and she can hit a few octaves octave.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, real moody, moody album, but essentially because she stood out.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Scott McLean:

Great album, man. Let me see it's one of these songs that really.

Speaker 3:

I'll remember it.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, it's just a great album Dublin in a rainstorm. Go listen to it. Go listen to it.

Speaker 3:

Sitting in the long grass in summer.

Scott McLean:

The lion and the cobra Keeping warm.

Speaker 3:

I'll remember it Every restless night.

Scott McLean:

This is like again, it just puts you in a mood. That's another reason like albums like this. When an album can put you in a mood, how fucking powerful is that right? All right, yeah, so that's my what's that? That's my fourth album. So I have September of my Years.

Scott McLean:

Frank Sinatra, to Be True, harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, featuring a young Theodore Pendergrass, david Bowie's Young American, sinead O'Connor, the Lion and the Cobra. That's what four. All right. Now the fifth one. If you know me, you had to know that this was coming. This group had to be in it. They had to be in one of my essential albums, or I would not do it justice, but the name of the album came out in 85. So you start, you see this right, you see Bowie and Teddy Howard, melvin and the Blue Notes. Those albums came out in like the 70s, 75. I think they both actually came out in 75. Sinatra that album came out in the 60s. So I'm kind of building them now. This came up into the 80s, you know, this one came out in 85 and uh, let me see uh, let me see.

Scott McLean:

Hmm, let me see something. Hold on one second, I don't know, this didn't come out right.

Speaker 2:

So, all right.

Scott McLean:

Well, let's see, let's go over here and no, how did that happen? See, this is what happens when you do it live, right? So, yeah, it's, yeah, it's. Uh, I don't know why this is doing this. My laptop's acting up and I just got it back too. Just got it back, fucking thing uh let me see no, I had it right, I had it. Yeah, let's go back over here.

Scott McLean:

Go back over here. So this album came out. It's the smiths. Meat is murder, meat is murder, meat is murder. And it's highly regarded. And the Smiths are just so influential. This is just the. There's a toss up between this and the Queen is Dead. They're both. All their albums are great, but Meat is Murder is one of those standout albums. You know this is the. Let's see also has a great album cover too. Can't really see it my camera's not going to focus on it too well, plus, the screen on my phone is a little. But Meat is Murder is the name of the album. Oh, I got kicked off of Facebook. Huh, let me see something. Hold on, I was wondering what happened. I think I got kicked off of Facebook. Let's see your video's blocked.

Speaker 3:

Yeah Spice wine cemented minds, Son, it's the Jews jealous of you. Same old suit since 1962.

Scott McLean:

No, I should still be on. I'm watching it right now. I got kicked off of Facebook.

Speaker 4:

See, I'm on.

Scott McLean:

I'm on Facebook, but they must have dropped me Because I was wondering why everything just stopped, so I'm going to share it right now. I'm on Facebook, but they must have dropped me Because I was wondering why everything just stopped, so I'm going to share it right now. I'm going to reshare this. See what happens. This is what happens when you play music. Big Ed, todd the Wits, brocken City got kicked off of Facebook. Couldn't find the show. Now I'm live on YouTube, so let me see something. Yeah, nobody's watching, no face. I got kicked off. I got kicked off of Facebook. Oh, interesting, interesting, but I'm still watching it. So I don't know what they did. I don't know what they did. Let me do something here. Let me share it and see if it comes up again, because all of a sudden, I saw what they did. Yeah, all of a sudden I saw. Share it and see if that does anything, because all of a sudden, I just saw numbers just disappear and I was like huh.

Scott McLean:

I didn't think the show was that bad. I think it was that bad, but I don't know. Let me, uh, let me try to comment in on my own, my own podcast. Sorry for the interruption, but you people seem to like when shit goes bad. Let me see comment next. Let's see see if it comes up. Nope, can't even comment. Ah, okay, all right, so let's do this. This is live streaming. People, this is what happens. Let me go to my channel Share. No, not that one. Cancel. I'm going to fix this. Fuck them my videos. Let me see Trying to. Let me see View all. Trying to see the view all this is interesting. Sorry for the podcast listeners, but I just have this thing where I get stuck in this. So I'm live right now.

Scott McLean:

So'm gonna let me share this Facebook share and see what happens over there, see if people pick it up over there. Let me go over here with the break in the action. This is like I was right. I was halfway through, really. So you know what I was it through really. You know what else? It was that fucking Frank Sinatra song. I bet you. I knew I played too much of it. All right, well, here we go. So I'm going to go back to the share over there. Facebook Post it, all right, we'll see what happens. See if people pick it up on. Not that it matters, halfway, halfway there, all right, pressing on, pressing on, all right.

Scott McLean:

So that was my number five essential album. Now it's going to get a little controversial because people aren't going to like this, but again, I have to cover all the bases. I have to cover all the bases and this was an album that changed a genre, so to speak. This album by Public Enemy came out in 1988. I remember when it came out I was in the Philippines. This shit just was like yeah, this changed rap actually, and again, people aren't into it. But to me this is an essential album because of the impact that it had, had a big impact. And let me see what do I want to pull out this song right here.

Scott McLean:

This is the fucking jam right here yeah I want everybody another good album cover too yeah, a ballad behind bars.

Speaker 2:

Or you could say, real rock from the rock an unusual place.

Speaker 4:

That's a sample Suckers, suckers. They wanted me for their army or whatever. Picture me giving a damn. I said never.

Scott McLean:

Here is a land that never gave a damn the name of the album is. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. This was a game changer. Yeah, this was a game changer right here in the rap world. I gotta get out what that thought was, for. They were just some serious shit and they weren't in there, you know. They didn't have to swear, they didn't have to say bitches and hoes, they didn't do all that shit. They had a message. They got it across effectively and uniquely. And Public Enemy they're legends in the rap world anyways, but when this broke, that was it. Then you got this, so this song was actually a cover with Public Enemy.

Speaker 2:

Yo, chuck, these honey drippers are still frontin' on us. Show them that we can do this, cause we always knew this. Ha ha, yeah boy.

Speaker 3:

Bass, how low can you go? Death row? Tell them that we can do this, because we always knew this Ha-ha.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, boy Bass, how low can you go their throat?

Speaker 2:

What a brother know. Once again that gives the incredible rhyme animal.

Scott McLean:

So, if you remember, if you're a metalhead, anthrax and Public Enemy Anthrax did a version of this with Public Enemy, bring the noise, the only listener right now. Yeah, well, you know this is what happens. I knew something was going to happen when I started playing these songs too long. That's all right, it's all right. It's about the podcast. Anyways, people get lost in this, thinking it's about the live stream. The live stream is fun, but it's all about the podcast listeners. I'm sorry they had to catch that delay there. Um, you know, you juggle a live stream and a podcast and these things happen.

Scott McLean:

So, yeah, that's my uh sixth album. Or is that my fifth album? That's one, two, three. Yeah, that's my sixth album. Takes a nation of millions to hold us back.

Scott McLean:

Toby Keith shock, you Fuck. There is no country on my essential list, that's for damn sure. The next one is a very eclectic pick and it's just a great album and it's just so unique, essential in the sense of you just got to hear it, you got to listen to it. Another moody, very moody album by nico case, who was the lead singer of the new pornographers, who had a little bit of uh. They had a little bit of fame in the 90s they had a nice little run but she left and uh, she went out on her own and she just has a great, great voice, great style and, uh, like this song. Again, it's just a great moody. Another perfect album, and I've mentioned this album numerous times.

Scott McLean:

Nobody wants me to put Toby Keith on the list. I'm not doing that. No, I'm not doing that. So she does a great version here. Doing that? No, I'm not doing that. So she does a great version here. An Aretha Franklin cover Amazing, if you could pull off a cover from an Aretha Franklin song, you got some shit going on Running out of fools.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, sing it. Yeah, running out of food.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, when you can cover an Aretha Franklin song, you got your shit going on, man. I'm just saying that's another reason this is an essential album. But Nico Case Blacklistedlisted is the name of the album if you're keeping track. If not, that's fine. These are all really really good fucking albums. By the way, I don't, um, I don't think I picked shit. Now some people will think the public enemy pick was shit, and a lot of there's people out there that don't like the smiths and that's okay. That's okay. Like I said, it's my essential list, it's not anybody else's. Uh, you know so, but I suggest I suggest that these are albums that you might want to just dabble in all. Next one this is number eight. I think this is my eighth album. This is a classic and it's an essential because they were never better. This band was never better than they were with the Rolling Stones, than they were with Mick Taylor Mick Taylor on guitar who took over after what's his name?

Scott McLean:

died brian jones. They, they were. Now they wouldn't. This, this was their, like their fucking launching pad. When he was with them he, mick taylor, started with get your yeah, yeahs out. That was the first full album he did.

Scott McLean:

Sticky, sticky Fingers is the name of the album, the essential album. Sticky Fingers, not only one of the greatest album covers of all time, also and I've said this in the past the unique thing about these album covers. It's a guy, it's a black and white guy from the waist down he has like a thick leather, like a wide leather belt on, and the album cover itself, the original album cover, had a zipper, like an actual zipper made into the album cover, and when you pull the zipper down, there's it's just a dude's underwear like. It's like a guy in his underwear. That would, you would see if you know, you know, opened his fly and looked right, uh. But the thing is it's it's extremely rare and extremely hard to find one of these albums in mint condition, like absolute mint condition, the original pressings. Because when they were put out, because of the kind of three-dimensional aspect of the album cover, with the zipper, it would press, they would come in these, you know, they put them in boxes and as they get shipped, they would, you know, these things would press up against each other and the zipper would leave a dent, sometimes in the back of the album, in front of it, you know, or it would kind of rub the inside of the the sleeve, or however it play up. But it's very hard to find a mint condition original pressing of sticky fingers.

Scott McLean:

There's been a number of reissues. This came out in 1971. It's been a number of reissues since then. But uh, you get an original pressing. Which albums like that? It's hard to get original pressings and if you do find them you're gonna pay for them. But uh, just the another perfect album. Uh, brown sugar, sway, wild horses, can you hear me knocking? You gotta move, bitch. I got the blues sister, morphine, dead flowers, moonlight mile. I mean front to back, top to bottom, left to right, perfect fucking album. Also, you know, I mean, come on this right. Come on, man, you got this.

Scott McLean:

Come on man, you got this Fucking some groovy guitars man, this this this one which is my favorite song on the album sway baby sway, sway baby sway. So that is my eighth essential album, for reasons I probably don't even have to state. If you're a Rolling Stones fan or if you're a music fan of the 70s, if you've been around that long, if you know, you know Sticky Fingers is a definite essential. I think that would be widely considered an essential album. Now the next album is I mean, some people would say yes, some people would say no, some say there's only a few good tracks on it. But the fact that it was a, when this album came out there was nothing like it. There was really nothing like it.

Scott McLean:

Big Head Toddler with Sprocket says the Pursuit of Happiness, love, junk, perfect Album. Yeah, I agree, I agree. But the Clash, london Calling, came out in 79. So you're right at the cusp of. You know you're breaking into a whole new decade. You end the decade with this and with London Calling and a few years later you come out with Combat Rock. I mean, this is again where they were at their peak. And of course you know lead track, right, we all know that one London Calling and this Sing it baby.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, right.

Scott McLean:

Come on man, come on Right, you got this one right here. Great album.

Speaker 4:

It's a two album set too.

Scott McLean:

Spanish bombs. You got this Right. I mean, how great, got this Right? I mean, how great is this fucking album? And it's an essential album because it's a turning point For them. They actually this was the album, the album that really launched them. Get this. It's insane how many good songs sometimes is on one album clamp down right and then.

Scott McLean:

So originally, originally, this next song was not listed on the first pressing. It got thrown on at the last minute and by the time they agreed that this was going on the album the record company had already sent out, the press had sent out the cover art and the albums were ready to be printed. So the cover art was already done and they were like, well, well, we don't have that fucking track on the, on the track listing on the back of the album. And the class were like, fuck it, put it on anyways. Hidden track, right, hidden track, which is rare. And it was this, the hidden track, the Hidden Track.

Scott McLean:

So, back in the day, back in the day, if you're not a boomer, right, even if you're not a Gen Xer, if you are a Gen Xer, maybe you do, maybe you don't know. You know, we'd listen to these albums and we didn't have any. We would stare at the album cover, we'd read it, we'd fucking memorize the album cover, right. And so what was it? What do you think it was like when you were looking at the album cover and you're like, okay, last song is revolution rock, right, okay, so, so this, this is kind of how it played out. So this is kind of how it played out. So Revolution Rock right and song ends.

Speaker 4:

You're like all right, the Bongo Jazz Speciality.

Scott McLean:

All right, you're like, that's a good album, fucking good album.

Speaker 4:

You're like what?

Scott McLean:

Wait, wait, wait. What Like what the fuck just happened, right. What like what the fuck just happened, right. Like well, where'd this song come from? And it's a fucking good song. You're like it's a fucking good song. Where'd this come from? It was like Christmas, it was like a late Christmas present and again, it's a fucking great song. It's not like it's like this okay song.

Scott McLean:

You think the song's over and then you start looking, you run your finger down the. You're like where it stops at this, why is this here? And then you think it's the coolest thing in the world. Then you go tell your friends and probably some of your friends could give a fuck about the Clash. They're like, yeah, great. You're like no, dude, I'm listening, like because a hidden track is rare. It's fucking rare.

Scott McLean:

They don't like doing that. Record companies don't do that shit. You know, once it became a thing, they maybe did it on purpose at certain times, but there are very, very few albums that have hidden tracks on them and if they are, most of the time it's a mistake and it gets fixed, because the second pressing of this album has train in vain as the last song on the album. So that's one of those things. If you go, if you're a record junkie, you're a vinyl junkie and you're out looking and you look at the. You go look for a clash album, right, go look for london calling and see if that, if the last song on the track is revolution rock and if that's the last song on your london, that pressing of london calling that you're looking at, well, get it, because there's the hidden track is on that one. You know they only pressed so many of them but it's not worth. Like I said, nobody's getting rich off of their record collection. That was the thing and you've heard me say this a number of times over the last 170 episodes is vinyl became a thing, probably around it.

Scott McLean:

It had a big revival somewhere around 2015. I want to say it started to kind of it caught a little bit of like oh, vinyl, and then this little resurgence happened and people were like, oh, I have a lot of albums and they start thinking they're really worth something. I always said it's not like a fucking a Mickey Mantle rookie card but you're gonna get, you know, or a Nolan Ryan rookie card which was like worth 1,800 at one point. No, they're fucking records. There's nothing special in there, it's just a matter.

Scott McLean:

Of what condition were they in? And were you using them? Right, so, were you using them? No, then what are you going to do with them? Right, you hoard them.

Scott McLean:

You're like, oh, I got albums, do you have a turntable? No, you know. Do you have a turntable? No, I, I haven't had a turntable since 19, like you know, I don't know 83, when I, when I graduated college, and I got, yeah, because cds came along, right, and all of a sudden the 90s cds come along and you don't listen to your albums and you think they're not worth. Then this little thing comes up and boom, here I am, I got albums, and you know.

Scott McLean:

But there was a lot of smart people that said, oh, scott listens to albums, I'll send him my collection. And I took them and I play them. And yeah, yeah, and they're displayed. They're not hidden in a closet, in a basement, in an attic. You know, they're displayed. People get to touch them and look at them and look at old album art and that's, that's that's what it is, right, all right. So that was my.

Scott McLean:

Uh, let me see, I have one left. I have one album left. You know this is going to take me right up to an hour. So I did an hour show. Good, good and well. About seven minutes of that was me trying to figure out fucking. Well, I know why facebook took me down. It got claimed right away, right away.

Scott McLean:

But uh, this album right here, this was a tough one. This was a tough one. Like the Rolling Stones, like Brown I mean, I'm sorry, sticky Fingers. I originally was going like my pick was Some Girls, because that, I mean, that album really like took off. That really changed their direction. Also, they deviated from you. You know, their traditional kind of really hard bluesy rock and they they had like miss you on there. Miss you was kind of a disco song, right, but the whole album was very raw, very stripped down, very stripped down. Some girls was uh, so I, but sticky fingers is the album, it's the essential album, their collection.

Scott McLean:

I think some might say, get your eyes out. Some might say other things. Now, if you notice, none of these albums are best ofs or greatest hits. That's too easy. That's too easy. Like I could do a list of what's your favorite, uh, what's your favorite greatest hits? I actually think I did an episode like in episode 20 or something. So was that 150 episodes ago? Maybe I'll do that one again.

Scott McLean:

Uh, you took my top 10 favorite, uh, uh, best ofs or greatest hits albums, which is basically the band that you like. Right, it was like the top 10 bands that you like. But this album right here, uh, is it's a banger? It's a banger and it's it's, uh, this, hmm, did this again. So it's really hard to pick a Led Zeppelin album. That's a set like they're all Led Zeppelin 1, led Zeppelin 2. Now, maybe Physical Graffiti just has they have a lot more songs and they're more polished in this version. But, you know, is every Led Zeppelin album an essential album? Could I say that? Is it safe to say? Right, it's a question, it's a question. So I don't know. I don't know.

Scott McLean:

But this album, I teed it between one and two and I came up with this one, and it's Led Zeppelin, physical Graffiti, which I think a lot of people widely consider their best album, and again, it's a two album set, so there's a lot more to choose from on it. So, yeah, I got trampled underfoot. This one right here. This is a banger right here. This is a banger of a song. This got a banger of a song. This got funk. It's got a funky sound to it. This is like way off their chart. The Rover Like that could be a hip hop beat.

Scott McLean:

Think of that, that could be a hip hop beat. Think of that, that could be a hip hop beat. I could see this being sampled, but they never would. Just that loop right, there Could be a whole fucking hip hop song. But I think my favorite song Off this album and I always go after, I always choose the not most popular song because it's a popular song and I do like those songs I always look for something different.

Scott McLean:

I always look for what's that standout song that stands like it's just and it would be on physical graffiti. It would be this On physical graffiti. It would be this Just that buildup, just that. Plus, I love synthesizers, I love these organs In the light Song. One side, a disc. Two, the second album. Yeah. So those are my top ten essential albums. I hope you liked them.

Scott McLean:

Sorry for the little delay in the middle of the show. You know, juggling a live stream and a podcast, it's not easy. This shit happens sometimes. You get these delays and I got kicked off of my live stream on Facebook. I think I'm still on YouTube, so there's that, but yeah, so that's it did my show, I went to church this is my church and, uh, I look forward to it every Thursday evening.

Scott McLean:

It's always good to just get Whatever's going on in your life, just fucking get in and talk about music. It's a beautiful thing, beautiful thing, and I get to do it Every Thursday night and I've been doing it for 170 episodes. That's fucking amazing 170. Like you know, the average podcast doesn't last more than six episodes For various reasons. Yeah, but I never chase the money on this. I don't want to chase the money because then it's not fun anymore Because of business, and I don't want to do this as a business. You know, because of business and I don't want to do this as a business. You know, I get enough downloads and I get enough people listening where I could probably get a sponsor. I don't want to do that anymore. I used to do a sponsor on this. It was a freebie, I gave it to them for free and uh, it's cause. I thought, hey, what the hell, I don't care. But uh, yeah, so thanks for coming to church.

Speaker 3:

Bam Bam.

Scott McLean:

Bam, there you go.

Speaker 3:

Hey.

Scott McLean:

Right, it's a good song to go out on. Well, everybody, thanks for watching, thanks for listening. I'm watching half the show. The other half got shut down, but that's okay. Thanks for listening. I appreciate you, I appreciate your time, I appreciate your dedication, as I say, my cult following for this podcast, you know, as I always say, if you like it, share it, subscribe. If you're on YouTube, tell people about it. I don't know, whatever, after 170 episodes, do what you want with it. But thanks for listening and, as I always say, doing this show for you, to quote my favorite artist, morrissey.

Speaker 4:

The pleasure always say doing this show for you, to quote my favorite artist, marzi the pleasure, the privilege is mine yeah, baby, show it, baby, ooh, we love to show.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, let me show you.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, baby, show it baby.

Speaker 3:

Ooh, let me show you, yeah, all right, everybody, I'll see you next week.

Scott McLean:

See you next Thursday night. Hopefully it doesn't get shut down again. I just want to finish it with him In the light I can do that. That sounds just like him. All right, everybody, see you next week.