30 Best Albums From 1970’s Los Angeles

• SOLO BEATLES ALBUMS - ...

[@RandallWeaver]

"The song that GG Allin made famous...." lol

[@vinylrichie007]

You seem to be the only one that picked up on that.

[@Thejazzfan66]

Vinyl Richie, I hope you have included an album from War. When Mazzy was talking about albums by Southern California, I kept hoping he would have mentioned them. As I’m sure you know, War is from Southern California, and they were popular in the 70’’s.

[@vinylrichie007]

Eric Burden and War was my first concert. I picked The World Is A Ghetto. I do love All Day Music almost as much.

[@JNebs]

Good to see the Los Lobos album in the mix.

[@vinylrichie007]

Los Lobos are an American treasure.

[@franksmusic2880]

I was onboard with your funky selections, I could have picked one for each year you did.

[@vinylrichie007]

I love Funk.

[@the-vinyl-dreamscape5084]

So good to see that Michael Nesmith album get some love and recognition. I’m a big fan of his records and consider them very undervalued by those that like solid country-rock with smart lyrics. Always appreciate your take on music. Thanks, Richie. Cheers.

[@vinylrichie007]

I have four Michael Nesmith albums and I haven’t heard any of the others.

[@shepmathe]

My fave live acts from LA in the mid to late '70s were X, the Germs, the Plugs, Dickies, n the Weirdos, the Bags. Saw Blondie at the Whiskey 2x. Once w/the Ramones but don't remember Tom Petty opening. Saw his 1st show at the Santa Monica Civic, i think. First Ramones show was at the Roxy. Good times, good shows. Proud to have seen War from my hometown. Thanks.

[@vinylrichie007]

There were lots of good bands in the late 70’s. Wall Of Voodoo was one of the best.

[@davidellis5141]

The Moody Blues loved The Dickies cover of Nights In White Satin & often played it in soundchecks !

[@vinylrichie007]

I would like to hear that.

[@marcyfan-tz4wj]

i've seen you in squares in other people's Vinyl Community videos but this is the first actual VR vid i've watched and very enjoyable, very good presentation. i used to have someone call me darby crash who i went to concerts with. i'll play that whole germs record. thanks.

[@vinylrichie007]

I’m glad you checked out the video. Thanks for the kind words and I hope you watch more of my videos in the future.

[@DyinSid]

Enjoyed this.

[@vinylrichie007]

Thanks

[@Ed-Topo-108]

Love that Brothers Johnson album!

[@vinylrichie007]

It is so good.

[@JGYokohama1]

Solid picks. I like that Linda. I have s bunch of Bros Johnson singles. Dickies were fun live.

[@vinylrichie007]

In the 70’s the Dickies were so much better live than their studio albums. They cleaned them up too much.

[@JGYokohama1]

@@vinylrichie007 I saw them play early 90s and they were still good. 90s albums aren't good tho.

[@vinylrichie007]

@@JGYokohama1 I saw the Dickies in 2022 and they were very good. I haven’t heard any Dickies records after Stukas Over Disneyland.

[@davethepickupartist7161]

any Monkees album after the Head soundtrack I have no time for. I love Tim Buckley and I dont have that one. I had Ethiopian Nights, until I went on a diet of greens.

[@vinylrichie007]

I have to agree with you on all the Monkees albums after Head not being good. I bought Changes because it is supposed to be their hardest one to find. I will give it one more listen and then most likely list it on discogs.

[@martinbench3657]

@@vinylrichie007 Big fan of Instant Replay , maybe just me

[@vinylrichie007]

@@martinbench3657 I don’t recall that album to be honest.

[@martinbench3657]

@@vinylrichie007 A couple of good Nesmith country songs , a couple of good poprockers and one weird Dolenz psych song Shorty Blackwell

[@stevecarlsonvinylcommunity9147]

I couldnt agree more with the Marvin Gaye album, I love that album, by far my favorite. Black Randy, now that is a cool name. Seeing early X would have been ever exciting. There shows must have been wild. Great batch of records Richie.

[@vinylrichie007]

X were great live but the Black Flag shows were the ones that started the wild reaction.

[@sjbang5764]

Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band and Wayne County & the Electric Chairs were always my 1970's go-tos. Ya think Aaron Rogers can stay upright this season. Love your vision, Ritchie

[@vinylrichie007]

I doubt Aaron Rodgers stays healthy all season.

[@beatuna]

First time viewer. Fascinated by the late '70's LA music scene, but don't know much about it. I've got the John Doe autobiography, Under the Big Black Sun. Was the LA Weekly paper big then? When did the Minutemen start playing? So many questions....Picking on Mazzy

[@vinylrichie007]

I remember the LA Weekly in the late 70’s early 80’s. Minutemen started in the early 80’s. I saw them in the mid 80’s at a small club and Keith Morris from the Circle Jerks was there. I hope you stick around.

[@Themanwith4eyes]

Los Lobos is awsome live.

[@vinylrichie007]

They really have evolved into a great live band.

[@glendepietro1521]

That Monkees Changes album is a masterpiece... You may wanna give it another listen..

[@vinylrichie007]

I will give it another listen. I recall it not having a good flow and having a vaudeville feel.

[@EmbryonicRobot]

This video was a lot of work. Do many great records. I only have one Linda Ronstadt record, and it's the ine you showed. Believe it or not, I listened to some of her Live and More record today. I Feel Love is pretty awesome, although I hated it way back when. Mazzy loves you.

[@vinylrichie007]

I loved the Donna Summer song I Feel Love. I thought it was as good as anything Eno was doing.

[@RandallWeaver]

"She Works Hard For The Money" is my favorite Donna song.

[@EmbryonicRobot]

@@vinylrichie007 That's a very interesting statement!

[@lauher21]

I like surfs up by beach boys I think it came out in 71

[@vinylrichie007]

I actually considered Sunflower, Holland and Surfs Up.

[@FatCityVinyl]

Found that Davy Jones solo album in a thrift store once and kinda dug it. Haven't ever heard the Monkees one. Saw a movie called Licorice Pizza not too long ago, kind of a meandering plot but basically it's a love letter to 70's L.A., stars one of the sisters from the band Haim. Cheers Rich

[@vinylrichie007]

I liked the movie Licorice Pizza. My wife got bored and went to bed.

[@mazzysmusic]

Mazzy this Mazzy that. Jeez , why don’t you marry him 😎😵‍💫🤠

[@birdy1numnum]

Keep your fantasies out of this and learn 😅😅😅

[@vinylrichie007]

Mazzy Loves You.

[@robbiedetroitstigermanviny8883]

I would Pay to see that.

[@stevebender4546]

Pat, 1970’s was a great decade. It was when I was born. The doors of perception. Great variety of everything LA. Speaking of Wall Of Voodoo, I streamed their cover of Ring of Fire. It is great. Then I came across a left over copy from RSD at my local shop. Pulled the trigger! You are a great influencer! And finished off with the Germs. I am a whack job who also watches your videos all the way through. lol. Peace ☮️ Namaste 🙏 the Zonkman

[@vinylrichie007]

If you come across the live RSD Wall Of Voodoo pick it up. It is great.

[@djstephwest]

Love your videos. I'm making notes of albums to listen to.

[@FlyJohnny100]

Lowell George was from LA but heavily influenced by New Orleans music...Feat's bass player Kenny Gradney is from NOLA, so is Alan Toussaint, who toured with Feat in the 70's, and wrote On Your Way Down (side 2 Dixie Chicken). Morrison Hotel is a great album...I dig Morrison's weird, menacing vocal on Maggie M'Gill. War and Los Lobos are both great bands, unique to SoCal.

[@vinylrichie007]

Have you seen the movie Leaves Of Grass? It is very good. Ed Norton plays twin brothers. One of the brothers loved Little Feat.

[@cosmicvinyl2937]

I seen Maddie had dropped his version of this and I thought he had already done this like 4-5 years ago becuz I did my own version of LA albums and I used hard rock/hair metal then I realized that this wasn’t for the 70’s it was just LA Albums! Anyway both are great as is this one of yours! I love to hear when you talk about LA Bands and albums becuz you were there! You lived that shit and we’re right in the thick of it! So it’s cool and genuine! Doors! Neil Young! CSNY! Germs! Black Randy! Yeah I was into this Right On! ✨✌️👽✨

[@vinylrichie007]

I did a 29 LA bands video back then also.

[@pc31thevinylpoliceman]

There’s some scorchers in there Rich. Pleased to see War, Los Lobos and Buckley. After The Goldrush is also my favourite NY. Yes, I thought Deja Vu was a bit up and down but have come to appreciate it. Mike

[@vinylrichie007]

I do appreciate Deja Vu more now but I don’t think it has a great flow.

[@martinbench3657]

I prefer Loose Salute for Mike Nesmith for 1970 , love the video , love the thread

[@vinylrichie007]

I need to listen to all my Nesmith albums. I picked Nevada Fighter from memory.

[@heavybliss]

Hey man. We all know that you're the trend setter of the VC. Zappa has to be included. Morrison Hotel is definitely better than LA Woman. I'm a Harvest guy, as well as Harvest Moon from Neil Young. I just picked up Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, I thought I had a copy but couldn't find it. I've been on a Gram Parsons kick since Dom spotlighted him a week or so ago. Joni Mitchell Blue is fantastic. Early Beefheart is so good. Little Feat is a great band. Tom Waits is an acquired taste for sure, I can dig it. Runaways are bad ass, love them. I'm glad that you included Jackson Browne, one of my guilty pleasures. Linda Rondstat I can't connect with. I've been into Warren Zevon of late as well. Are you doing the 1980s next? I'd much rather you do it. Peace ✌ ☮ 🕊

[@vinylrichie007]

I like Harvest but each side has what I think is a wanker right in the middle of each side. I’m not a fan of the two orchestrated songs.

[@LPS-R-US]

Davey could called HIS solo lp "DO the MONKEE"

[@BobbyGass5]

Awww The Jets. I used to be a fan of them in the old AFL before they joined up with the NFL. I bet Broadway Joe when he was a 17 point Super Bowl dog strait up cause the guy was really dissing the AFL. I was an AFL fan and the Titans in the east and the Raiders in the west were my teams. I remember when they changed the name to the Jets in the early 60s.... My NFL team was the Cleveland Browns. Jimmy Brown my favourite athlete. He was probably the greatest Lacrosse player that ever lived. He certainly was the bests back I ever saw. Payton and Sayers were great too but Jimmy Brown gets the nod. Been a lot of great running backs but those 3 outshine the rest in my not so humble opinion. Won't be long before training camp Pat. I'm bulking up for the season. LOL

[@vinylrichie007]

I remember seeing Joe Namath on TV before Super Bowl lll. I thought he was cool. Super Bowl lll was the first football game I remember watching.

[@tomrobinson5776]

I agree on your assessment of Morrison Hotel. I think from start to finish it is solid, varied and better than LA Woman, though I love LA Woman. Nighthawks At The Diner Is A Masterpiece. Waits at his comedic best.

[@vinylrichie007]

Tom Waits was on the VH1 show Story Tellers. He told some great stories between songs. He performed the song The House Where Nobody Lived. It blew me away. I need to check out some of his later albums.

[@thebuxtstopshere]

Rankin full stop.. Gonna dig in here VR.. 🎶🎶🎶

[@vinylrichie007]

Dig in!

[@johnmoreno96]

YES Los Lobos from ELA their first three lps are great. Also The Brothers Johnson “Get the Funk Outta Ma Face” and War…👍 The Mazzy Crowd 😂😂😂

[@vinylrichie007]

You know what I mean about the Mazzy crowd.

[@hellionrebellionrocknrolla744]

How are you repping anything from L.A. with a Jets tee on? Best Zappa record! I'm "L.A. Woman" with the Doors. Best Neil record all day long! Little Feat was huge down south. 1974 was a ridiculously phenomenal year for rock music. '76 was a good one too. Seeing Petty open for Blondie had to be a great show. Best Jackson Brown record. Gotta go "What's Going On?" with Marvin. The Plugz need some love. It's crazy these guys aren't as big as Los Lobos. Love me some Donna Summer! Check out my video on her and you may keep that record. Is Don Bolles a part of the whole Geza X thing? Great video!

[@vinylrichie007]

Geza X did produce earl California Punk singles including the Germs. I’ll check out your Donna Summer video.

[@dixielandfarm]

Mike Nesmith - great choice. That is my favorite Tom Waits album.

[@itssimple7285]

great thumbnail! nice to see ya again

[@vinylrichie007]

Hey, thanks!

[@thebuxtstopshere]

DIG the Tim Buckley and the Zappa... ain't no stopping you Bakersfield Kid.. 🎶

[@vinylrichie007]

The Tim Buckley is different.

[@brianjames5685]

Did you think Mazzy was a bit of a ranker? That's a joke by the way I love Mazzy. His name translates to butter-maker I believe, so does my name which is Butterworth. Plus he's pointed out loads of albums, which I don't think I'd have checked out, that are now favourites of mine. Robert Palmer "Sneakin' Sally" Tim Buckley " Greetings from LA" etc. Hope you're well Richie.

[@vinylrichie007]

Mazzy is a ranker.

[@briggscharleton6139]

I was 6 in 1970. The best albums were Scrooge: Original Motion Picture soundtrack. The Aristocats Soundtrack and Lancelot Link and The Evolution Revolution. LL was the only one from Los Angeles. Dig that 1st Runaways album.

[@vinylrichie007]

I didn’t watch The Aristocrats when it came out but I did watch it with my daughters many years later.

[@briggscharleton6139]

@@vinylrichie007 Those were the only albums I owned up to that point. Had Yellow Submarine and The Jungle Book soundtracks, too. I first went to a dentist in 1970 and I chose DD O'Mailey because of the Aristocats. He got me so high on Nitrous Oxide that I bit his finger. "Oww, the little shit bit my finger." As I giggled away

[@kevinogracia1615]

Always groovy.

[@richardriley4415]

Wait, I didn't see any "Ritchie Family" records in this group. I know you have some. Lol.

[@vinylrichie007]

I don’t think they were from LA.

[@deeg8849]

0:46 Classic

[@vinylrichie007]

The Rodney Dangerfield of Bakersfield.

[@L.E.55472]

I won’t say....good stuff here Rich

[@vinylrichie007]

Good stuff. I said it.

[@L.E.55472]

@@vinylrichie007 👏🏻😁

[@gratefuldawgs2738]

🤣😆 that was a Good One😉

[@vinylrichie007]

Thanks.

[@joaquimgomes4507]

I prefer Morrison hotel as well, GI it’s one of the greatest records of all time in my opinion Cheers let’s pick on Mazy lol cheers

[@vinylrichie007]

When I first bought GI I returned it. It was so different from what I was used to. I did go back the following week and picked it back up.

[@joaquimgomes4507]

@@vinylrichie007 I can’t even imagine how GI must have sound in that time and place, wish I had experienced that

[@mazzysmusic]

Praised Wild Life in 1972 🕺🏽

[@martinbench3657]

Red Rose Speedway My Favourite for decades , prove me wrong

[@vinylrichie007]

@@martinbench3657Red Rose Speedway has some great songs but has others that I think are bad.

[@martinbench3657]

@@vinylrichie007 One Last Kiss elevates it for me , that might be some memories of being a teen back then

[@willieluncheonette5843]

Top 3 are The Incredible Shrinking Dickies, Dawn of the Dickies and #1 is Germs GI

[@vinylrichie007]

Your 70’s list starts and ends with 1979z

[@willieluncheonette5843]

@@vinylrichie007 Sorry, IMO those are the best albums from LA in the 70s. Yes, I am a punk.

[@vinylrichie007]

@@willieluncheonette5843 I would have included Weirdos but their 79 release was an EP.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

@@vinylrichie007 IMO its not nearly as good as Destroy All Music EP and We Got the Neutron Bomb 7 " , both of which preceded it. A big let down for me.

[@vinylrichie007]

@@willieluncheonette5843I like the 79 12” EP as much. Have you heard the Plugz album?

[@michaelvalentini4869]

Richie, fun video, lots of classic albums and some that should be considered classic. I would add Spirit, ''The Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus'' from 1970. They definitely sound like L. A., the song ''Mr. Skin'' is a perfect example. Oh yeah, fuck Quincy Jones, Barry White was a million times better and he channels the funkiness of L.A.. like no one else. I will give ''Body Heat'' a listen based on your review of it. The Doors played Bakersfield in 1970, I just listened on you-tube!

[@vinylrichie007]

I must admit I don’t have any Barry White.

[@nearwildheaven4840]

Weasels Ripped My Flesh is a great album, I love Zappa's solo on My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama. Also, The World Is A Ghetto is War's best album.

[@vinylrichie007]

I also love Burnt Weenie Sandwich.

[@festersuncle6298]

I was a kid in the 70's. Weird era. Even back then. I lived in a poor city on the east coast and weird shit happened. Pedos, druggies, hot rodders, less gays.

[@vinylrichie007]

The gays weren’t out in the open.

[@martinbench3657]

Oh cmon , Heart like a Wheel , her best album

[@vinylrichie007]

I only have it on CD.

[@brandonburroughs7128]

No Funhouse for 1970??? Also that’s my fave Zappa record. Great variety on that one

[@vinylrichie007]

The Stooges are 200% Detroit.

[@thesixthbeatle]

@@vinylrichie007 I hate to say it Richie, but most of your picks could be seen coming miles and miles away.

[@vinylrichie007]

@@thesixthbeatle The best are best for a reason.

[@thesixthbeatle]

@@vinylrichie007 Joni's 'For the Roses' is 30x better than 'Blue' but god forbid we say that...

[@vinylrichie007]

@@thesixthbeatle I’m not sure For The Roses makes my top 5. But is nothing personal.

[@jessem470]

You are so on point picking on Mazzy for the sole reason of picking L.A because as we all know NYC is greatest Rock City As matter of fact LA misght be low in top ten I like this city idea but LA sucks How about New York Detroit London Minneapolis Liverpool Kingston Nassau

[@vinylrichie007]

I was thinking of doing a Detroit and NY but not limiting it to 1970’s bands. Through the years LA is #1. By far.

[@shepmathe]

Jessem470..where are u from? LA was a blast in the 70s!

[@vinylrichie007]

@@shepmathe I lived in LA for 44 years.

[@jessem470]

Hah ! I thought my comment might draw some ire I live close to Electric Ladyland

[@shepmathe]

@@jessem470 "New Yorks Alright. If You Like Saxophones" Fear. That's another early LA band. I've got nothing against NY or Electric Lady Land. The guy who painted inside from Laguna Beach CA. There is a good Patti Smith video from that studio. Can see the mural. Shout out to the Blasters too. Rockabilly became a thing.

[@Shawn_at_Sound_Advice]

1970 FUN HOUSE wtf...

[@vinylrichie007]

I didn’t even realize Fun House was recorded in LA.

[@thesixthbeatle]

Maslof will say he thought of it first. He will dump you like a McDonalds bag of trash from a moving car

[@vinylrichie007]

Mazzy Loves You

[@thesixthbeatle]

@@vinylrichie007 Nooooooooo!!!!

[@scottrap]

13:15 I used to feel that way about punk until I opened my eyes a little. All I knew initially was there were a bunch of morons stage diving and Fear singing Beef Bologna🤣

[@vinylrichie007]

Beef Bologna is a bit dumb but Lets Start A War kicks ass.