BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) EARLY 00’s GODSMACK
We all have our dark periods. I am fully aware that a great majority of Godsmack songs sound exactly the same. They make generic jock rock stuff now and the only time they have any ounce of substance is when there is an acoustic guitar involved. Still if we go way way back to that first really big album. “Whatever”, “Voodoo”, and the other tracks were really solid. They had edge to them. They felt like someone took grunge and metal and fused it together. They put on a great show live and their old stuff is awesome, but there’s a lot of Bon Jovi generic-ness going on here.
(THREE) LATE 90’s/EARLY 00’s MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE
There was a time in my life when I was such a big fan of MSI that I had them in my top three favorite bands of ALL TIME. I was just in the right place and the right time for the music they were putting out. It was a mad-lip of genres, crazy rebellious and ironic lyrics, a crazy image, and it was still “underground”. It was perfect for someone my age. I still listen back on the “Tight” album, “Frankenstein Girls”, and even “You’ll Rebel” from time to time. Things just got different. They got a little more “commercial”. I HATE saying that. I really do. I sound like a douchey “they sold out!” guy, but something just happened. I don’t know if I like grew up over night or if they got stale. I always keep an eye out for what they’re up to, but this time period was awesome.
(TWO) EARLY/MID 90’s MARIYLN MANSON
Before Lady Gaga stole his already stolen image, Marilyn Manson was awesome. I will forever be a fan, but this was that peak time period in his career. He was really famous for his controversial antics, but the man had/has a way with words and emotion that is underappreciated. The “Antichrist Superstar” album IS the best. Don’t let any old time fan tell you anything otherwise. That album is well crafted and was lightening in a bottle. The other old ones are nothing to sleep on either. “Smells like Children” and the other “Spooky Kid” era stuff was aggressive, rebellious, and had some real substance.
(ONE) EARLY/MID 80’s VAN HALEN
When David Lee Roth was with Van Halen it rocked. Had David Lee Roth stayed and they had a chance to evolve and grow as a band I can’t even imagine what greatness would have came. They were one of the best bands on the 80’s, the hits were and still are HUGE, and there really wasn’t a weak link. Eddie was the best guitar player around during this time, Michael was a great base player, and DLR (that’s what REAL fans call him) has to be one of the top 5 or so front men of all time. Listen to “Jump”, “Panama”, and all the hits but really take the time to sit down with the full albums. There is some magic here that I think often goes unheralded.
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