Top 25 Albums #25
This is the first installment of my favorite 25 albums of all time. Like my top 20 books list, no artist can be represented more than once. Also, keep in mind, I am making no claim that these albums are the best, just that they are my favorite. They had, in some way or another, a distinct impact on me and I consider them to be essential recordings.
In these posts, I will be hosting mp3 files, so readers of BillyBlog can listen to essential tracks from each album. These tracks will be available for a short time only, and if you like what you hear, you are encouraged to buy the artist's music. Links will be provided to facilitate that option.
So without further ado, here is the first in the series:
A long time ago, in a galaxy far away.....
Or, in Honolulu in the early 1980's...
there was a fine establishment, a specialty store called The Cavern, named after the nightclub the Beatles cut their teeth in, in Liverpool.
The Cavern was...a heavy metal store. Specializing exclusively in heavy metal records, pins, t-shirts, and other hard rock paraphernalia. It was owned by Norm Dale, father of one of my best friends, Chris, who now fronts, along with his brother Mark on bass, the band Rurik.
But this isn't about the Cavern, per se, or Chris, or Rurik, it's about the Fiends.
Needless to say, I spent many hours of my adolescence hanging out with headbangers and metalheads at the Cavern. Norm also managed a metal band called "Hawaii," whose guitarist Marty Friedman, joined Dave Mustaine's band Megadeth in the mid Nineties. Dio guitarist Vivian Campbell once came in before a gig, and there was a vast array of young teens who hung there and listened to the latest releases on the Cavern's stereo.
Sometimes we acted quite silly (even sillier in retrospect) and one of the more memorable rituals was the playing of an album called We've Come For Your Beer by Fiends.
For, my dear readers, that album started off with a blistering powerhouse track that begins with laughter and the sound of a flushing toilet, and then an incredible bass riff. And then the lyrics: "Yeeeeee-ha! This is a song about a riot, about a riot, about a riot, about a riot in the men's room!" The remainder of the song is the repetition of "Riot in the Men's Room!" with screaming guitars. The song ends after 1 minute and 19 seconds with the sound of breaking glass.
This is what entertained us teens back in 1984.
The fact of the matter is that the other 11 songs on the album were also quite good. With songs entitled "Sexual Explosion #19," "Die Bob Die," "John Belushi," "You Make Me Sick," and "No More Drugs," it had to be good. The record became a part of my collection, as did Fiends' follow-up LP, Gynecology released in 1986.
I then gave the LP's to a co-worker who took his time and gave me digital copies earlier this year. I was a very happy camper.
Sadly, I learned that, in a very weird twist, Sean Gwin, the bassist, died October 13, 2005, just 23 days after Scott Morrow, the lead singer and lead guitarist, passed away from complications of a bone infection.
Do not be confused with the band "The Fiends" 1998 album Gravedigger. It's not the same band.
Anyway: listen and enjoy! Fiends' We've Come for Your Beer is my #25 album, but I'm piggybacking Gynecology onto it.
Fiends - We've Come For Your Beer - Riot in the Men's Room.m4a
Fiends - We've Come For Your Beer - Nitro Party.m4a
Fiends - We've Come For Your Beer - Sexual Explosion #19.m4a
Fiends - We've Come For Your Beer - John Belushi.m4a
Fiends - Gynecology- This Week Sucked.m4a
Fiends - Gynecology- Hold Me While I'm Naked.m4a
All MP3s provided on this site are hosted via official sites or with the artist/label's permission. On the extremely rare occasion when this isn't the case, the track will only be available for a very limited time. If you are the owner of a sound file and would like it removed, please email me directly. If you like what you hear, PLEASE follow the links provided to buy the records and support the music.
16 comments:
simply great!
Hmmm! While I love the album (Gynecology) and know you do, I am suprised it made the top 25. Wow. Interesting though - no mention of the song...Col. Lingus.
I am suprised that We've come for your Beer is ranked higher than Gynecology. Is piggybacking it not cheating?
Clarification: I admit, We've Come for Your Beer may not have made this list, but I was already working on a post about it and figured, what the hell?
Gynecology is piggy-backed onto the post, but the first record is what will appear on the official list.
True, I failed to mention the song "Col. Lingus" from Gynecology, but I couldn't talk about everything!
yes - but did you omit it for any particular reason.
Afraid to offend???
Oh my goodness!
How could I forget...
Hugh G. Erection
Wow--I, too, lost the vinyl sometime after going to college, and I've randomly thought of them ever since. Any way you could post "Die, Bob, Die" too?
SE Pensylvania here... While cleaning out a closet, I found my old 'Gyncology' cassette, along with a bunch of 80's and early 90's cassette - i had almost forgot how much fun this album was.. 'Cross Country Canyon Leaping' was a fav of ours then... now if I could only find my old Crumbsuckers...
Scott was a dear pal and I used to live with him as you might have read. My band Thelonious Monster played a lot of shows with The Fiends and they were amazing.
Didn't know about Sean, geeze we're getting old.
I writer about those days every so often, do and don't miss them, anyways thanks for keeping Scott in out minds.
Sufferwords
Hello;
I'm trying to find recordings of songs from "We've Come For Your Beer." I attempted to follow the links above, but they lead to ezarchive.com which requires a username and password, and there doesn't seem to be any way to actually REGISTER there.
Can anybody help a brother?
Thanks,
Packin A. Rod
Ooops, OK, so I was able to register at ezarchive.com, but the songs don't appear to be there any more.
If anyone knows where I can buy/download this Fiends album, please email promisedplanet@gmail.com, thanks.
Cool post...we used to love this lp in Vancouver Canada...my dear friend Andrew lost his cherished copy and I ended up finding the ENTIRE lp on soulseek...
Good Luck!
cool updates...now if we could only get some Nig Heist
Thank you. I haven't heard these dulcet tones in at least 20 years. A soothing trip down memory lane indeed. So very sorry to hear about the loss of two of the players, though.
Wow!! The Cavern.. I remember that place, corner of ward and kapiolani..
Spent alot of time there too,one of the workers "Tui" was a good freind.I worked for norm a few times too.I remember doing security for the store when Yngwie Malmsteen came in,When Alcatrazz played at UH.
Those were the days.
Hey! These songs were available yesterday and now today it says:
File Missing
The file you requested has been removed, and is no longer being shared by this user.
Can you please re-post these? Thanks!
Please email me Barabbas off of Gynecology if you can.dug.57@hotmail.com thanks
It's 2019. I first listened to Fiends in 1986, Gynecology. I now find their first record We've come for your beer in 2019, thanks to the internet. This band was so much fun to listen to, and in '86, I was knee deep into the crossover sound. I bought the album and loved the blend of trash/Hollywood/Punk attitude that dripped off the grooves. Now I listen to the first record. 1984. And it makes sense. I wish I would have had this release in 1984. It would have fit right in to those desert parties listening to D.I., DK's, DRI and so many other bands. Black Flag's Slip it in and Circle Jerks' Golden Shower. This first record would have been just right during High School, the summer/fall of 1984. On my boombox, in the desert, with my best friend, drinking Michelob listening to tunes and talking about girls. Music can be time travel. It can also be time imagining. I love to listen to this record and imagine how I would have felt while listening to this 35 years ago. Thank you Fiends for making a mind drug according to music.
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