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Stinkfist – Tool (1996)

Tool are one of the most innovative bands in the history of music. In the early 90’s when the industry was scrambling to sign anything that they thought was “alternative or grunge” Tool got scooped up and since that time have been called everything from art rock to prog metal. Aside from unique music, the band also gave unique interviews where they liked to mess with media and make things up; one of their favorite tall tales was the inspiration they took from a late 1940’s book about the study of human pain. Singer Maynard James Keenan once said Tool was “a practical application of that books principals”, which may or may not have inspired him to write a song like “Stinkfist”.

Run to the Hills – Iron Maiden (1982)

In the early 80’s glam metal exploded out of the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles with bands like Quiet Riot, and Motley Crew. This didn’t sit will with a lot of metal fans who didn’t like the look or the sound these bands were calling metal and directly out of that frustration came bands like Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax. Those bands wanted to make music more like the bands they loved from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal like Judas Priest, Diamond Head, Saxon and Iron Maiden whose 1982 album “The Number of the Beast” should be a requirement in music school….or at least at any party where drinking outside is involved.

For more on the history of heavy metal check out our brand new series Metal Evolution which premieres Nov 25th 10pm ET.

Bandages – Hey Rosetta! (2011)

A petty big year has just gotten a whole lot bigger for Newfoundland and Labradors’ Hey Rosetta!. Their latest album “Seeds” has been a music critic’s wet dream; they were short listed for the Polaris Music Prize; were part of a sold out Australian tour with City and Color; and now they have just signed with ATO Records. ATO is a US based record company founded by Dave Matthews and home to bands like Primus, Gomez and My Morning Jacket. “Bandages” is not only a great song but comes to us with one of the best videos of the year.

Whistle for the Choir – The Fratellis (2006)

A few years back I slapped The Fratellis 2006 debut album “Costello Music” on my iPod in preparation for an interview. From Glasgow Scotland, the Fratellis debut peaked at 2 in the UK, they scored a top 20 hit with the tune “Henrietta”, and beat out Lily Allen for the 2007 Brit Award for “best breakthrough act”; you’d recognize their song Flathead form an iPod commercial a few years ago. Anyway, it occurred to me at some point after the interview that I was still listening to that album a lot, and I’m still listening ….too bad the broke up.

Roll Away your Stone – Mumford & Sons (2010)

On the strength of just 1 full length album Mumford and Sons have gone from UK clubs to headlining festivals and arenas around the world; don’t forget that they formed only about 4 years ago. When the debut album, Sign No More, came out singer Marcus Mumford read a couple reviews and actually cried. He cried because he agreed with the criticisms, he said the reviews picked up on the few small things that he was most self conscious of (forget getting him to admit what) and from that moment the band agreed to stop reading reviews. Recently they joined Eminem and Adel as the only acts to sell 1 million full album downloads- which should help with the tears a little bit.

thanks for listening
=maw