MACHINE HEAD

I must have been 13 or 14 when I heard this album in its entirety. I thought I must be listening to their greatest hits or something, I couldn't believe how strong every track was. This album defined for me early on that great albums can have brilliant songs for every track. Its also defined for me what "heavy metal" should sound like. I've always held Machine Head as some sort of standard bearer throughout my life. And it still sounds great today.

This album I believe joins Led Zeppelin's fourth album, Black Sabbath's Paranoid, and a triumphvirate of early hard rock and heavy metal. Establishing the cornerstones for the rest of 70s metal and also well into the 80s. Forget the fact that "Smoke on the Water" was the first riff WE ALL learned, I think every other song is just as terrific, driving and kick ass.

Back in 1977 or so when some kids at school were talking about the Sex Pistols and how aggressive they were. I actually though, "hmm, I wonder if they're as hard as Deep Purple?" Having never heard anything like punk before. So I bought the Never Mind the Bullocks, expecting something like Sabbath or Purple. Suffice it to say I was woefully disappointed. (of course over time I learned to respect a lot of punk, but Machine Head is still a better album than Bullocks)