Albums That Are Upstaged By Their Album Covers (w/Martin Popoff)

[@stephanf3673]

I remember when i saw the cover of Iron Maiden's first LP in a supermarket. No-one had never talked me about the band, i just the saw the cover, took it to listen. I heard "Prowler", "Remember Tomorrow"... I fell on my knees... I bought it immediately with my pocket money. It was the beginning of a metal love story...

[@shotakuervo]

Around '82 which would put me around 12 years old or so and browsing the local record racks and seeing the cover of Killers and stopping me dead in my tracks. Didn't have a clue of the music, but knew I had to have it. Not surprisingly still my fav Maiden album. Perfect example of the cover helping sell the product.

[@BackwoodsFilms]

I saw some Grateful Dead album covers before I had heard their music and thought they must be heavy and doomy like Black Sabbath because all of the skulls and such... so you can imagine the letdown when I heard the music...

[@gwts1171]

Plus the band name! I love the Dead, but I was the same way originally.

[@walkermelvin9716]

instablaster

[@jamesfetherston1190]

The Dead almost always had great album and poster art, up until the 80s. The last couple of albums were horrible. The funny thing with Sabbath was that they had a lot of the worst art/graphics. First one was cool and spooky, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was pretty good, Heaven and Hell was good, but a lot of the rest looked like they couldn’t be bothered paying for art or investing any time in it.

[@absea7918]

Guess why I bought Boston's first album? Got lucky with that one..

[@gwts1171]

They always had great art.

[@AllThingsElementor]

Oh wow, thought I was the only one who remembered The Godz. Saw them open for Blue Osyter Cult in 1986.

[@corm1000]

The gods are rock n roll machines. Good band from Ohio.

[@mahogany174]

Their first album came out the same time as Van Halen’s first album, so it was sort of overshadowed somewhat.

[@sparkle123494]

Rock Yer Sox Auf!

[@donaldcady3839]

I picked up their records cheap at a local shop. Good band.

[@peterspalda1077]

have a drink every time Martin says "alright, my next choice"... :-))

[@gwts1171]

or "there you go"! I love that dude.

[@alexandergilles8583]

I respect the impact of the album and this might be a hot take, but I think Bat Out of Hell’s album cover is much better and cooler than the actual album itself. Something about that album just doesn’t do it for me

[@thecocomastiux3655]

Personally i love the album, but i do think the cover is misleading. You expect a badass heavy metal album and you get great ballads like Two Out of Three Aint Bad.

[@keithbk]

I agree. I thought that was cool-looking, but man, ick, not for me.

[@villain68]

This was the album I was thinking of. I don't care for Meat Loaf.

[@stuarthecht8196]

The title track of Bat Out of Hell is killer. Todd Rundgren's guitar work literally howls and screams, and I've never heard a guitar imitate a revving motorcycle except here.

[@BassGoBomb]

In the day ... folks didn't listen to Black Sabbath .. and it was just heavy metal .. Bat out of Hell .. certainly depicts the guitar (it's a guitar album) and the m/bike from the title track, the girl .. ..so ovious it's rubbish. Today, of course, since the 'hair bands' it looks corny and a little crass ... but nott at the time .. over here .. in my area ..

[@liquidvizionsmadferit]

Ace looked the best and delivered the best of the four solo albums. Paul at a close 2nd. Gene 3rd and Peter... What a wreck. I wish we could have gotten a Paul and Ace album. That would have been amazing. Paul doing all rhythms and Ace doing all the solos. 10 songs. 5 sung by Paul. 5 sung by Ace. That would have been sick!

[@malco49]

love pete's demeanor (stoic) whenever punk rock is mentioned!

[@daveduffy2823]

Drama is a great album. You have to look at it as a period piece. It reflects the early 80’s. I think what threw people off was expecting the usual Yes, even though they had significant personnel changes. Luckily when I picked up Number of the Beast by the cover, I hit the jackpot!

[@Blogspierre]

Drama is one of Howe’s most blistering efforts. I love it.

[@domielakrabi3276]

The heaviest looking album by Thin Lizzy is definitely "Thunder and Lightning".

[@Maximillian200HP]

I'd love to see albums you checked out BECAUSE of the cover AND the music lived up to the cover.

[@bryangarcia5599]

Manowar's entire discography

[@bryangarcia5599]

Swamp Dogg - _Rat On!_

[@martymartin2894]

Most of maidens

[@bryangarcia5599]

@@martymartin2894 Well, that goes without saying, I should think.

[@martymartin2894]

@@bryangarcia5599 are u being sarcastic or agreeing with me.

[@ldchappell1]

I was overwhelmed by Elton John's 1975 album Captain Fantastic. If the over the top intricate cover art didn't grab you, the album came with two booklets. One for lyrics and the other was filled with old scrap book photos. It also contained comic book art that depicted how EJ got started. The album also had a poster and a bumper sticker which read "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy..from the end of the world to your town!" The cover art was also depicted on the record label itself. All that stuff was nice but at age 17 I thought the album was a disappointment. That was then but now I'm 63 and I love the album.

[@JohnnyRecently]

I underwent the same Captain Fantastic transition.

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

yeah as you get older and you realize that Bernie and Elton friendship that has lasted. and how they got together back in the Gus dungeon days just before even tumbleweed connection and the empty sky. and what's interesting is Bernie has really lived up to that moniker he wanted to be a cowboy and he's owned a ranch out in Santa Ynez California for years.

[@ldchappell1]

@@truckerkevthepaidtourist I had no idea that Bernie Taupin was a resident of my state, although Santa Ynez is about a 5 hour drive from me.

[@doctorx3]

I love Nightlife, but it is their most low key and laid-back album. What's crazy is that it works. Very sly and wounded bedroom music. "Bad Reputation" is almost at that level, too.

[@KickflipGnasty]

I'm right there with you. I think it's a wonderful album.

[@JosephFrancisBurton]

Pete picked Yes Fly from Here, but I think Heaven and Earth is an even better cover with even worse music. In fact, I think there are a lot of Roger Dean covers that upstage the music .. 😂

[@keithbk]

Also, I think "Fly from Here: Return Trip" is much better than the original "Fly from Here."

[@aspen3542]

Anyone else buy Molly Hatchet albums just by looking at the cover? The music wasn't that bad either.

[@killerdude35]

I was just going to say this. I like Molly Hatchet ok but I thought they were more metal based on the album covers.

[@MartyMurray]

You can't go wrong with Frank Frazetta!

[@anthonyrivers1619]

Hell yes!

[@mahogany174]

Take No Prisoners was the one that caught me out. Not a terrible album but not what I was expecting.

[@eltronics]

Loved the covers, but knew the music before I bought. thank you Rolling stone and WNEW-FM in NYC (as always)

[@Danimal77]

I love love love Diamond Head's "Borrowed Time" album, even more so than their debut album.

[@jupiter7x7]

Same here. Love this album. Wore this out in the old dorm room back in the day.

[@tomfisher2103]

When I was a kid thought the Grateful Dead were a metal band/hard rock band from just looking at some of their album covers.

[@sterioapple]

Same here. In like '73 when Deep Purple,Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep were new bands to me I saw those Grateful Dead albums and came real close to buying a couple. I would have hated them then! Couldnt risk the money so I bought more Purple & Sabbath!

[@Mariazellerbahn]

40:30 Would the black spaceship be a nod to Disaster Area's stuntship?

[@kennycraig6769]

I bought Warhorse's first album on the strength of the cover and I loved it.

[@jazzpunk]

Only recently picked that one up...because of this Channel.

[@leonardspinazzola6714]

The next Helloween album better be their best ever or it will never live up to that beautiful work of art.

[@lonegroover]

Interesting comments on Nightlife. I recall that Scott Gorham said in an interview a few years ago that he was very disappointed with the limp production.

[@captainbeyond7469]

Very entertaining show!!! I guess I’m the contrarian on Angel. “White Hot” is actually my favorite Angel album. It was the first Angel album I ever bought as a kid and in keeping with the theme of this episode I bought it because of the cover had no idea who Angel were at the time.

[@gwts1171]

I like it, but it doesn't live up to the "metal-ness" of the cover.

[@marcessex7831]

I knew the Peter Criss solo album was going to be on your list, Pete. You've mentioned it in other videos and I'm starting to think the crushing disappointment of that album has traumatized you lol.

[@patriotpizzaman]

I had the same thing happen with that one. I tried really hard to like it and I had to admit it was really bad. Not easy for a 13 year old Kiss fan in 1979. I eventually got down to only listening to "You Matter To Me" and pulling it for a different album. Gene's was a major letdown for me as well.

[@bronzeagekid8223]

Boy, that Dream Theater album is so perfect for this. I remember first hearing it and just thinking, "What happened here??!!"

[@TheOutlanding]

Nooo! Fly From Here was the THE best thing yes had produced since Big Generator, a brilliant throwback to the Drama sound and with Trevor at the producer helm. It received rave reviews describing the bands songwriting as fresh, bold and dare it be said, hungry. I agreed wholeheartedly. Granted, with Trevor involved I think many expected 90125 part 2 but as a concept album based on an old Downes / Horn suite that they often played live on the Drama tour it truly delivers. It is a grower I'll grant. Anderson panned it expectedly as minimalist and too throwback but I'd recommend giving it another chance... And in sequence. You can't skip around on it.

[@chrismuimbwa6424]

So Martin, what is heavier in Alice Cooper's carrier than "Fields of Regret" or "Lay Down and Die, Goodbye"?

[@micolsen8895]

I really enjoyed LOVE BEACH last night. Album cover was never even looked at.

[@gwts1171]

It's a lot better than "Hot Seat"!

[@JohnnyRecently]

Lot of people love Yes- "Fly From Here"

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

And that's perfectly fine...I find most of it unlistenable. Funny how with albums like this, when it came out, you couldn't pay folks to listen to it, buy it, or talk about, and when the band play those songs live, people flocked to the beer stand or the bathrooms. Now people claim how much they love it. Go figure!

[@georgelamie7001]

Lots of people like Bud Light too.

[@DamageCase91]

I know, but I didn’t care for it-until the Drama reunion with Horn re-doing the vocals; then all of a sudden I thought, “yeah okay, this is pretty good!”

[@dangerdolls]

Warlock's "Burning the Witches" and Mama Lion are the first two to come to mind, obviously for the breast of reasons. )_)

[@sherryraisbeck9547]

I immediately thought of those KISS solo covers too🤣, and they sure looked cool on t-shirts, wish I still had mine, wore it till it fell apart!

[@shotakuervo]

Kiss still sells them on their online store. Never put it past Gene to miss on making a buck.

[@TheSylvanpass]

I don't recall being disappointed because of expectations created by an album cover. Your Nazareth entry reminds me that No Mean City might've approached that, but it's OK. It just doesn't sound like it looks. With that, your music purchasing MO is so beyond mine--which accounts for your broad musical knowledge and taste. You're much more experimental than I am. Nice entry, Pete.

[@HelgeKS]

Now do «album covers upstaged by the album!»

[@marguskiis7711]

Most of Deep Purple albums

[@unchattytwit]

Pete, you've gotta give Fly From Here another listen, mild and measured yes but there's a great theme and think of it as a continuation of Drama 31 years on - ghosts on an abandoned airfield that was 1980. Seriously, it'll grow on you, sit down, put on the 'phones and crack open an ale. Plus, you've got the Trevor Horn's retake, Fly From Here Return Trip not the original Fly From Here with Benoit David as vocalist which I think is beautiful and more vital. Not sure whether you're distinguishing between the albums.

[@nicodegallo7886]

You guys should talk about albums you think would be better with a different track order. For example, I think Close to the Edge sounds better in reverse order.

[@chrisk2240]

Especially when you consider that their live shows from that tour opened with "Siberian Khatru."

[@gwts1171]

Interesting! I'm going to listen to it that way today.

[@dancalmpeaceful3903]

An album that did NOT disappoint - The first Motley Crue album. It ended up being a really decent album.....and impressive to this day if you're a heavy metal fan...

[@jerseyforhawks]

Excellent LP, all thrill, no fill.

[@dancalmpeaceful3903]

@@jerseyforhawks Yeah...it was interesting. I bought it at Camelot records back in the day....all because the cover looked like it would rock. Within about 9 months or so...they became as big as hell. Saw them at least once - they once toured as the opening portion of the show with Iron Maiden. I"m actually on an album due to that show. One of their albums features a live version of "Smokin' In The Boys Room" and you'll see it was recorded in Cleveland at the old Richfield, Coliseum.

[@johnmichaelwilliams6694]

Popoff and Pardo and album covers versus music. A great topic as I used to browse music stores looking for new music because local radio tended to play the same songs repeatedly. And , like most who do so, I feel into the trap a few times, too. Thanks, gents, for your discussion of this topic and looking forward to a Part II.

[@richardmay8153]

Thanks to Martin for The Godz reference. Totally right about that cover and album. I love that record, actually. I like a sense of humor in my music. But after the debut record ending with that amazing second side of Under The Table, Cross Country and Candy's Going Bad..... let alone Gotta Keep A Runnin' ending side one..... A rockabilly tune to open the follow-up? Legendary mistake made there. I understand your Brownsville Station reference, Martin, but I love that band as well. R.I.P. Eric Moore, Glen Cataline from The Godz who both died in 2019.

[@reckia]

I laughed when Martin took out Billion Dollar Babies/ Battle Axe!

[@SteveHughesOfficial]

Pardo / Popoff always killer.....I can’t think of any albums......but that Witchfynde album - see you in Hell always bugged me back in the day. The goat is goofy but if it was a heavy and evil album musically I’d have been fine with a muppet Satan.

[@kevindudley9617]

Cool idea for an episode. Definitely would like a follow up to it.

[@tonylema5334]

Thank You Martin, I was listening to this on my long commute to work this morning, thanks again for saying the album titles and artist

[@chiragchittar4179]

Fantastic show as always! I wanted to know what is really the difference between one of the shows you guys did with Chris Alo where you selected album covers that looked heavy but the music wasn't? But glad to see something on those lines and agree with most of the picks. Ram it down is a killer choice haha. Anyway here are my 5 picks Be bop deluxe-axe victim (even though I absolutely love this album. Just not as ominous as the cover is) Shooting star-shooting star Grateful dead-wake of the flood Zz top-deguello Pagan altar-room of shadows Honorable mentions Black Sabbath-headless cross Traffic-when the eagle flies John Fahey-dance of death and other plantation favourites

[@aidenswords5809]

I remember buying grand funk shinin on 30+ years ago, the cover came with a pair of 3D spectacles that had to be torn from album cover and worn to look at the cover that wos predominantly red and green giving 3D effect, as the glasses were gone from my used copy i missed out on all the fun

[@robertchristie8992]

what shirt does pete have on?

[@sterioapple]

I heard Michael Schenker was actually smashing his own car for that shot.

[@michaeltocker2817]

Wow.. I love that first Generation X and think the cover fits the music perfectly imo.At the time many punk bands were learning and bashing away, similar chords and message .. I liked many,but Gen X were different ..tight,young, energetic with catchy believable,punk/pop melodies w/the great Moonish basher on drums, Mark Laff.

[@riotsquad66]

Totally agree. The first Generation X LP is an absolute melodic punk masterpiece.

[@JohnMacRae23]

NIce segment...agree with most.... but I think ELO Zoom and YES Fly From Here are strong albums... Yes hit the bed with the next album though

[@Morbidous]

I recently bought Demon - The Plague (and although they have been around for decades I wasn't familiar with them), judging by the name and cover I must admit I was expecting something much heavier, closer to speed/thrash.

[@twikirobot6897]

....we all were.

[@mrsary7868]

As I like stuff less heavy, I take these videos as recommendations.

[@johnmarchington3146]

Sorry, guys, but I think "Fly From Here" is a great album and I'm always playing it

[@tylerpatterson4787]

Hey Pete, I don’t know if you know this new band, but if you have the new band to check out is Dirty Honey, they have a new album out April 23, if you like classic Aerosmith, zeppelin and a little Guns N’ Roses. They only have an ep out that came out 2 years ago, and already have 2 singles out for upcoming album.

[@jockmctodger]

Meh...

[@tylerpatterson4787]

It’s just another band for him to check out, that’s all!

[@jockmctodger]

@@tylerpatterson4787 Sorry, I was only joking. They sound pretty good actually, I'll look out for the cd👍

[@tylerpatterson4787]

It’s cool Jamie, sorry for that comment. Peace out ✌️

[@jupiter7x7]

Angel. Favorite band growing up! Still have the posters and paraphernalia from being in their fan club all those years ago. On Earth As It Is In Heaven, great album!

[@d.nakamura9579]

Montrose’s ‘Jump on It’ was IMO a really good classic hard record that was under shadowed by its infamous album cover.

[@guywoznicki7847]

I’ll give you my most vivid memory from teenaged record buying. I liked Foghat and owned the debut and Fool For The City. Now I’m in a record store in 1979 and see this really cool looking Boogie Motel. Oh my God it was awful! I listened a second time and almost cried for the money I blew. I swore I would never buy another record simply by looking at the cover. Of course I waived this rule when facing the “dollar bin.”

[@enriquevp77]

It happened to me last year but in the opposite way with a vinyl that graved my attention just by its cover, it was a re-release of "Warfare - Metal Anarchy" that at that point I've never heard of, I didn't even notice it had the NEAT RECORDS logo print on the back cover. The artwork looked like an old band, kind of cheesy, kind of cool, anyway I bought it based on the art cover. It was until I got home that I googled it and learned they were a cult NWOBHM band from Newcastle England same city where I bought the album, and it ended by being a great going blind choice. And talking about great album covers that at the point resulted in a sort of disappointment was "Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell". I bought this album at a really young age in the mid-'80s and I really didn't get it, it took me a lot of years to understand the approach to the music, or what it was about.

[@Danimal77]

Judas Priest's Ram It Down has 3 killer songs imo: Ram It Down, Hard As Iron, and Blood Red Skies.

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

and the rest? Fairly pedestrian. That's why it's a perfect fit for this topic.

[@zachary1966]

To me, its much better than (overrated) Painkiller...never really like it, except the title song. My favourite Priest album has always been Point of Entry. But hey, we all had different taste 😁

[@russellcraft7269]

Maybe I’m weird, but I have never bought an album based on the cover.

[@independenceltd.]

How old are you?

[@russellcraft7269]

@@independenceltd. I’ll be 65 in June, not that I see what difference that should make.

[@stephaneherringtoniowritin9180]

@@russellcraft7269 Lol

[@independenceltd.]

@@russellcraft7269 Cuz unknown rock bands, especially in the late 70s and early 80s, were using album art as a marketing device. I'm sure it was more effective if you were a teenager around that time, but I thought the technique was fairly common knowledge.

[@russellcraft7269]

@@independenceltd., they were doing that earlier as well. For me it is more that I didn’t actually start buying albums until I was 15-16, and had already learned “don’t judge a book by the cover”. Also, I pretty much stayed away from unknown bands until I had heard their music, so by the time I would buy something the cover didn’t mean all that much. Yeah, I knew cool covers (can’t believe Pete was bashing Jethro Tull’s covers; Aqualung, Thick as a Brick, Warchild, Living in the Past, and Songs From the Woods, are classic cover art) but didn’t make decisions based on them. Now, I can remember four late 70’s albums that I almost didn’t buy because of the cover art and in retrospect wish I hadn’t. Renaissance - Camera, Camera. Yes - Tormato. Genesis - Abacab. Starcastle - Real to Reel. (Yeah, I’m a bit of a proghead.)

[@davidbagnall335]

I know somebody that bought the Dixon House Band Album for the cover and thought the music did not match the cover and played it not on rotation!

[@kenborody3296]

Great episode! Disagree with Rock Island....The Whalers Dues. Another Christmas Song, Ears Of Tin, Big Riff Ans Mando, Strange Avenues, etc...This is one of Tulls great underrated albums. Song for song stronger than Crest, which is great as well. My favorite Tull album of the 80s by a long shot....Nice album cover too!

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

It's funny how when we do a show like this, and an album like Rock Island is mentioned as being perhaps 'middle of the road' for that band and perhaps somewhat disappointing, people are coming out in droves to defend it, but yet when we did the Tull ranking the album show, Rock Island comes up near the bottom of most peoples rankings of their catalog. I've heard and seen Rock Island consistently come up very low on so many peoples lists of the Tull discography for 30 years. Go figure. I don't dislike it, just think the cover art is more impactful than the album itself.

[@kenborody3296]

@@seaoftranquilityprog I hear ya! It's funny because I feel I'm listening to a different Rock Island than most haha. Hey, maybe a good idea for a show...albums we love but most fans rank low.

[@gokhanaya]

writing this 3 years after this airs but.. just to remind anyone who'd care: Ian Anderson has said in some interviews that at the time he was following ZZ Top and wanted to have a piece of the popularity of their style.. and conceived much of the album in ZZ Top's vein, not only Kissing Willie.. of which he said he later regretted :)

[@jonathanjordan5234]

Really enjoyed that one. Made me smile. Cheers guys.

[@KickflipGnasty]

I love Generation X's self-titled debut. That's an iconic early pop punk album.

[@gwts1171]

True, but the cover makes it look like a much heavier record. I always thought of their music in the same way as those early Joan Jett records. Kinda retro rock. I like both of the a lot, though!

[@KickflipGnasty]

@@gwts1171 I actually don't really think the cover makes it look 'that heavy'. I thought Martin was really reaching with that one. Because they weren't 'that' nice sounding and the cover also isn't 'heavy' per se. Not to mention they were still pretty damn punk. I never thought of them as weak sauce.. They just look like an awesome rock band on the cover, and that's what the album is

[@brianchappell4054]

This is/was a very fun, quirky subject. Ya just gotta miss the full sized album covers.

[@Jamesharris-lo9nn]

Another great topic guys! I agree with most of the albums discussed. But I have to say that I really like the Zoom album from ELO/Jeff Lynne. 😁🎸👍

[@Paulthediecastguy]

I would have to pick Savatage Fight for the Rock.Cool album title. The band on the cover hoisting the flag up. But you listen to it and it's pretty mellow.

[@riotsquad66]

Love the Generation X debut! Packed with speedy riffs, Keith Moon style drumming, catchy melodies and sneering vocals. One of Henry Rollins` 20 favourite punk albums of all time.... Cover photo by Gered Mankowitz who did many of the iconic mid-sixties Stones albums.

[@interstellaroverdriven6450]

Spirit '12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicous': I remember getting this as a teenager and thinking based on the album cover it would be the best album to eat acid and listen to and was so disappointed when heard it that I cried. I have come to love Spirit for different reasons (great musicianship, eclectic instrumentation, etc.) but the aforementioned album is no where near as psychedelic as the cover would suggest.

[@dtltmtgt]

Fun show as always for a Friday morning! 👍

[@damienlejeune7840]

Skid Row - "Slave to the grind" Never thought that this album with a weird painting on it would change my life for ever...

[@jockmctodger]

Great album

[@nrood79]

The album artwork for Subhuman Race was a Goya painting.

[@davidl570]

But I think the Slave cover is a good indication of the music--it seems to show just how heavy that album is. Didn't mislead me, at least!

[@damienlejeune7840]

@@nrood79 In fact , it's a piece of Michelangello "the judgement day". It's the sail of Charon , if I have good memories ...

[@damienlejeune7840]

@@davidl570 In fact, I did not understand what's going on on this cover...

[@Blogspierre]

I am SHOCKED that no one mentioned Kansas’ “Monolith”. One of the greatest covers in rock history, enrobing one of the most middling records. I personally like a lot of the album, but the cover promises enormity. As does the title.

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

Well, I'm a big fan of the album, so I don't feel the cover upstages it at all.

[@Blogspierre]

@@seaoftranquilityprog I’m glad to hear it. 👍

[@tomlangley6236]

White Hot kicks ass!...Bought it on 8-track in '78---bought it again on CD not long ago...A band before their time!

[@gorkaanduezamanrique2449]

DIO: Master of the Moon Hardline: Leaving the end open

[@robcarrier1969]

Whaaaaat, that's the only MSG album I really like!

[@kamranmalik8546]

- The X Factor (1995) & Virtual XI (1998) - Demolition (2001) - Forbidden (1995) - Fly From Here (2011) - Reach for the Sky (1980) - St. Anger (2003) - Savage Amusement (1988) - High Civilization (1991) - Jethro Tull The Broadsword and the Beast, Rock Island to J-Tull Dot Com

[@siskokidd]

Albums aside, The Godz were a hot live act. They always had drummers and guitarists who crushed their live shows. They had a glorious live sound with perfect heavy rock guitar and drum tones. A number of videos of them through the 90's, and even into Eric Moore's health decline through the 2000's will attest.

[@RickNBacker]

I disagree on Angel - "White Hot"... one look at that cover and I KNEW I would be disappointed! I could already see they were turning away from the great extended heavy-prog arrangements of the first two albums.

[@davej9228]

Never bought an album based on the cover art because you can't hear a picture.

[@stonecoldfloors8200]

Of course nowadays we can just jump on KZbin and check before buying. But in the 80s when i was 14 it was easy to be won over by a cool cover... it was deffo a marketing tool. Especially before they shrank when CDs came in. Actually a lot of the albums i was into (and still am) DID have cool covers so it kinda worked both ways.

[@Blogspierre]

There was a time when, if you didn’t take a chance on the artistic decision by the artist of the cover, you never took any chance of discovering something new. It was either you’d heard it before, or you were totally familiar with the artist.

[@zeelias_zezito65]

HOT SPACE - Queen. Nice minimalist art. UNION - Yes. Nine great musicians together to do a lot less than expected. ABANDON - Deep Purple and TEST FOR ECHO - Rush. Their most beautiful graphic art, but musically in my bottom-3 list of the band. WE CAN'T DANCE - Genesis POWER - Kansas FREE AS A BIRD - Supertramp LOUD HAILER - Jeff Beck

[@kmjr2400]

Angel = White Hot 🔥 , is a great album.

[@tomlangley6236]

Your Damned right!

[@marknorman9657]

Diamond Head - Borrowed Time: label interference was insane. MCA took the view that with a limited pressing of Lightning To The Nations there were some tracks on there that a mass audience would have missed. I don't think Borrowed Time - which I love for the simple fact of its scale of ambition (and the fact I was 17 when it came out and thought it was very sophisticated 🤣) - was the album the band had in mind. But they were in their early 20s, just signed to a major label and under pressure to deliver. What're ya gonna do, right?

[@ingolfrvargr]

The first album I though of was Bat out of Hell by Meat Loaf. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE this album now. I remember regularly flipping through my parents' record collection as a kid and always being fascinated by the cover art. Then when I was getting into heavier music at age 12-13, I remember finally putting it on the turntable, expecting some Maiden-esque heavy metal... you can imagine my disappointment! Took me years to give it a second chance, but it eventually clicked with me. Another one is Dangerous Charm by Sinner. One of the first albums I bought for my own money. There was just something about this cover that screamed 'BUY ME, I'M AWESOME' but holy hell, what a horrible album!

[@jockmctodger]

I really enjoy these discussions, thank you

[@63mckenzie]

I loved the Godz's debut album. Cross Country and their cover of Candy's Gone Bad were incredible.

[@GrahamS67]

So funny. When I saw the title the first album I thought of was "Built to destroy"

[@haydensessions4722]

I have an idea for a future episode pete. Songs that you're not crazy about on a record but love the live version and vice versa. For example Rainbow - man on the silver mountain album version is great but I don't like how they speed it up on the live versions. I think I'd be good for a Hudson Valley squares episode!

[@brettsmusicreviews2641]

Alice Cooper Easy Action - not the band's best, perhaps a misleading album cover, but a sonic leap forward from Pretties for You. It was a decent segue for what was to come later :)

[@noose-ix7in]

Peter Criss's album called #1 CAT (from 1994) is pretty good, it rocks like hair metal!

[@steverinhop]

I never thought Generation X's first album was not punk enough. But, I sometimes questioned their authenticity. "We're so punk we have a song called 'One Hundred Punks'!".

[@dimeraRaven]

Quite an interesting idea for a show, the first one I can think of is "Youthanasia" by Megadeth. I don't really care for that album but the cover is pretty cool. Other ones that fit this criteria for me: "A Twist In The Myth" by Blind Guardian Absolutely love this album cover, though I do enjoy the music too, I think when I came across the album I thought the music would be stronger. Still not a bad record, but the strength of the cover surpasses the music in my opinion. "Infernal Overkill" by Destruction. Another album where I like the music, but that album cover in my eyes is absolutely sick. The music just doesn't match it. "Plagues of Babylon" by Iced Earth. Love the album art here, but I am not a big fan of this album. It has some good songs but overall I think I like the cover more than the contents. "Wrath" by Lamb of God. Great album art, saw them on this tour and they did play the couple of songs that I like on this album, but overall I am not a fan. Probably my least favourite Lamb of God offering.

[@planetbarrett6055]

Dream Theater - The Astonishing That Comes To Mind.

[@gemini2012100]

Oh god yes! I tried listening to that album and kept thinking, When is this album going to end? Maybe it would be better if they left out all those "Nomac" instrumentals.

[@andydio1964]

I haven’t heard Dream Theater since Portnoy left!

[@atmaweapon2803]

2XS has at least "Back to the Trenches," one of their best heavy songs.

[@QBandBookingKC]

Pete, Zoom is great, give it a bunch of spins. It is a Jeff solo album he just used the name.

[@haitolawrence5986]

Yep. Love that album.

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

It's ok...I wouldn't call it great. Decent enough for what it is.

[@orchidcarpetcleaningrp6061]

Love to listen to Pete and Martin

[@johncollier9280]

This made me think of the first album I bought BECAUSE of the cover. I walked into my local record store and looked at a wall full of new releases. One caught my attention and I took a chance...Led Zeppelin's debut album. A lucky choice.

[@thomashubner697]

Built to destroy has the best solos of all Shenker albums. And no other albums sounds like it. Unique! I love it. But if heaviness is all you are looking for this is not your choice.

[@gwts1171]

Man, I love that Tuff Darts album! The cover IS deceptive, but it's a great power pop record. Also, it's weird with Styx - later you had Cyclorama which has a terrible cover and it's a really good album! I didn't even listen to it at first because of the art. That'd be a good show - bad covers/good albums. Maybe you've done that... I'll check the playlists. Thanks, guys!

[@DokkenSabbath]

Black Sabbath - Forbidden KISS - Sonic Boom AC/DC - The Razors Edge Manowar - The Triumph of Steel Judas Priest - Jugulator Gene Simmons - Gene Simmons '78 Judas Priest - Ram It Down

[@abe3802]

Next show - when you can tell by the cover that a band has gone through some changes fore wores. When the classic logo is gone or style of the cover is totally changed.

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Beatles White Album comes to mind

[@mr.jamesvincent3519]

The Godz - Nothing is Sacred . Great cover...looks like a very Heavy Metal album.....but, it's just a pretty cool Rock n Roll party album. Rolled a lot of joints on that album cover back in the day! lol

[@starshiptrooper7670]

I liked Fly From Here (Yes) inside and out. I didn't care for the flying turkey on the front. An eagle would have been better. IMO Here's one for you. Heaven and Earth by Yes. Wonderful cover by Dean but the music is lacking and it was Squires last studio album with the band he cofounded. I'm not putting the Fish down. I miss the man very much. peace...