R.I.P. Clive Burr (1957-2013)

Clive burr was the drummer on the three classic Iron Maiden records. He was one of the earliest memories I have of thinking drums were cool. He died peacefully in his sleep last night and he will be sorely missed.

Thank you, Clive burr...

Manilla Road - Crystal Logic (Black Dragon, 1983)

Witchita, Kansas, 1977: Mark 'The Shark' Shelton and high school buddies Benny Munkirs, Rick Fisher and brothers Robert and Scott Park started playing some progressive hard rock in the local bars. After cutting a couple records and cutting the fat, 1983 saw a new and thrashier drummer in Randy Foxe. With this came a new heavy metal sound that carved a niche for them with this good time / bad time / mystical burner.

This record has every cliche in the book and then some. I love that Manilla Road's lyrics range from nuclear war and holocaust to Norse and Arthurian legend, a bit of Cthulu and maybe something about saving the manatees? Not really sure about the last part, may have misheard it...I want that to be what I heard though.

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Amebix - Arise (Alternative Tentacles, 1985)

The Band with No Name; that was the original moniker for this incredibly significant English band formed in 1978.

They were the first to merge anarcho-punk and heavy metal music in a creative and interesting way and are often cited as one of the key bands to trigger the crust punk movement. Many prominent musicians in the punk scene aided their career as well; Their first album was released due to vocalist Rob Miller getting their demo tape into the hands of Crass who later included the Amebix track 'Universally Challenged' on their Crass Records: Bullshit Detector comp in 1980. Later in 1984, they met Jello Biafra, who signed them as the first UK band to appear on Alternative Tentacles, which is how we know the album Arise.

This record is seminal in the truest sense of the word. Hard hitting, agressive, thought-provoking and cultured (the first track 'The Moor' is based on the Gyorgy Ligeti piece 'Requiem', made famous by the monolith scene in the film 2001.

"Arise you fucking assholes. Speak now or forever hold your peace."

Props long overdue to HPC for the recommendation.

Get this shit if you don't already have it