Dan's Album Analysis and Rating - Tesla (The Great Radio Controversy)

[@SONIC-BOOM-TV]

I had that on cassette right when it came out. Nobody I knew ever knew them until 5 man acoustic jam came out. I bought Mechanical Resonance on vinyl back then but not this one for some reason. Probably about two years ago I found a scratched up copy with no cover. I Probably give this album a 9 or a 10.

[@offthecharts2272]

I knew of them before FMAJ... just never bought them... And yes, this album is a BANGER!

[@themindseyecmh]

I actually just bought this album at goodwill yesterday lol I like Tesla, but I haven't really gotten that into them yet, I now own their first 4 albums and there's alot of really good songs, but they've yet to really click with me. I'll have to give this one a listen soon!

[@offthecharts2272]

LOL Great minds think alike? Yeah, when I first heard Tesla, I liked only a few songs... took me a while to LOVE them... but yeah, the Greatest Hits helped... and seeing them live helped even more!

[@BlackBelgianDog]

Good review! I've listened Tesla since my friend bought Mechanical Resonance and let me tape it lol. Really loved Five Man Acoustical Jam which I think one of the first unplugged albums of rock/metal bands, which was trend for a while. Jeff Keith's vocals are fantastic, just right amount grit for me. How about analyzing some classic Alice Cooper? Maybe Love It to Death, Billion Dollar Babies or maybe his first solo Welcome To My Nightmare? All are great albums imho. Didn't check but I have a feeling you might have those 😁

[@offthecharts2272]

Yeah, I never owned FMAJ... maybe one day I'll get it if I see it at a good price! I've added your suggestions to the list! Thanks for the suggestions!

[@chriswren5045]

Great album! I was Junior in HS when this came out in the late 80s.

[@offthecharts2272]

@@chriswren5045 yip! I think i was in the same grade when this came out! 😋. Thanks for watching and commenting! 🤘🏻

[@davebrowne8252]

They're a band I VERY seldom listen to, but when I do I always wonder why I don't listen to them more often. Their early stuff is fantastic. Not as familiar with their later stuff. Their cover of 'Games People Play' from Bust a Nut is just outstanding.

[@offthecharts2272]

Yeah, I felt the exact same way! I used to hardly listen to them, then I got their discography (for a second time) and thought to myself "why did I sell these in the first place??" LOL If you want to venture out to their newer stuff, check out their reunion album "Into the Now"... one of my faves! And yeah, Tesla doing covers is GREAT... they did 2 albums of covers called Real to Reel... and for one of my Led Zeppelin fan friend to say Tesla's version of "Thank You" was better than the original! (his words, not mine) :)

[@davebrowne8252]

@@offthecharts2272 I have about half of their albums I think, I must get the rest of the someday, thanks for the recommendations Dan.

[@offthecharts2272]

@@davebrowne8252 NP!

[@UncleDaffy313]

@@offthecharts2272 Those Real-To-Reel albums are truly great! Not ALL the songs are winners, but some of them are fantastic! Can't even remember which ones are best, but I know I liked their cover of UFO'S "Rock Bottom" a lot.🪨

[@offthecharts2272]

@@UncleDaffy313 Yes! That version is great of UFO's Rock Bottom!

[@UncleDaffy313]

I haven’t hung ornaments on my Christmas tree in close to a decade (due to cats), but when I did, I had a Tesla ornament on my tree! On AOL in the music discussion folders (basically bulletin boards), there was a lady who ran one with a music trivia game. She would post lyrics & questions and you would e-mail her your guesses of song title & artist, then she’d post answers the next day, along with scores. This was in the late ‘90s, so it worked. Nowadays everyone would cheat with those “find a lyric” websites. Back then, you had to know the info yourself. At Christmas I offered the regular players a free CD-R of Christmas Rock songs from my collection that I paid for myself. She was a huge Tesla fan and the leader of their Street Team in Colorado, so she sent me the ornament as a thank you.😺🎄

[@offthecharts2272]

Hahahahaha! THat's awesome! I do have Rock n Roll ornaments for my Xmas Tree (when I did build one) :) PS: I LOVE Trivia stuff for music! :)

[@UncleDaffy313]

I also have about 8 to 10 Alice Cooper ornaments. When I heard those came out & you could get them at Spencer Gifts and at Sam Goody, I drove around to most of the malls in the Dallas area and bought them up, because most stores only had 1 to 2 of that one on hand. 🎄

[@offthecharts2272]

@@UncleDaffy313 ya I think thats where I got mine…. When we had a Spencer Gifts here…. 😞🤷🏻‍♂️

[@lgf213]

GREAT review! I think this is their best album. I actually listen to Five Man more.

[@offthecharts2272]

Thank you! I need to get familiar with FMAJ... I am not a huge fan of live albums (anymore)... but if I find it at a decent price, I shall get it! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Yanner39]

Never been a big Tesla guy. Even when we were in high school, they just weren’t in our repertoire of bands.

[@offthecharts2272]

You’re absolutely right! No one in our immediate circle had them (when they came out)… only started in the mid-90s for me…

[@KellyPhendler-x7j]

Great album. Greta band. Saw them back up Def Leppard in the early 80's.

[@offthecharts2272]

@@KellyPhendler-x7j seems everyone has seen them with Def Leppard at one time eh? Thanks for watching and commenting! 🤘🏻

[@UncleDaffy313]

If I had to pick one favorite song from the band, it’s not on this album, but it would be, “I Ain’t Superstitious,” their cover of the old Willie Dixon Song.🐈‍⬛ I also really like, "Comin' Atcha Live" from the Replugged album.

[@offthecharts2272]

When and where did they record "I Ain't Superstitious"? I don't seem to have that song? I know Megadeth covered it... :)

[@UncleDaffy313]

I "think" I first bought that on a vinyl single (possibly a B-side), and loved it! When I wanted a digital version, I couldn't find it on any albums, so bought it as a digital download (through Amazon Music, not iTunes). I eventually saw it on a CD that was, of all things, a greatest hits compilation. I'm only guessing, but you know how sometimes they stick a new song on a "hits" package, even though it's not a hit? Maybe they did that to promote it with fans who already owned the other songs.🤷‍♂

[@UncleDaffy313]

I heard of Tesla in late ‘80s & had seen “Modern Day Cowboy” on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball, & also heard two other songs (can’t remember what). I loved one, I hated one, & I thought one was OK. Before I spent money on them, I wanted to know if they were a great band, a good band, or a crappy band with 1 or 2 decent songs. A guy in my college class had two tickets to Def Leppard, with Tesla as opening act. His friend cancelled at last minute. At first I thought he was trying to sell them, but he just wanted to know if someone else would go with him, and he knew I liked metal. So I went along & paid for parking (since admission cost me nothing). BOTH bands put on a great show (but I too preferred Tesla over Def Leppard) & I began buying Tesla releases! That tour was concert-in-the-round, where all sides of the stage had viewers.

[@offthecharts2272]

Hahahahaha! That's awesome! Make sure to tell my nephew you preferred TEsla to Def Leppard! Hahahaha :)

[@Matias-music-71]

I don't mind them , but they frustrate me , hard to explain ...., just somehow I think they are decent but they never get me over that edge ..,

[@Matias-music-71]

I would love for you to do Primal Fear's debut ..., ??

[@offthecharts2272]

All good! I used to find them “ok” but now love them! Hard to explain. 😂

[@offthecharts2272]

I don’t own it but have two friends who do…. Ive put it on the list!

[@Matias-music-71]

@@offthecharts2272 , I think they are a criminally under rated band , too many dismiss them as a Judas Priest clone or something but they have deliscious melodies and hooks , killer riffs , vocals great too

[@offthecharts2272]

@@Matias-music-71 Oh, I know exactly what you mean by "JP Clones"... we were guilty of saying that back in the day also...

[@Yanner39]

@jjesmer is a cool guy.

[@offthecharts2272]

Yes he is! 🤘🏻