Rock Revival's Top 20 Albums of All Time (at the moment)

1. Band of Gypsies (Jimi Hendrix)

This is the album that showed where Hendrix might have gone if he'd survived, black-funk, with the help of drummer Buddy Miles

2. Rush Permanent Waves

This album makes the perfect balance between progressive rock and listenability; more sophisticated than the likes of ELO or Alan Parson, more approachable than Yes: Perfect

3. Deep Purple Come Taste the Band

Deep Purple were always a band for adolescents, but with this they showed they could keep the riffs but funk it up thanks to the art of Tommy Bolin

4. The Koln Concert Keith Jarrett

This is not rock, it's spontaneous Piano Improvisation which puts most rock soloists to absolute shame. If rock is about passion and emotion (and extravagance) then Keith Jarrett is rock.

5. The Stranglers No More Heroes

The Stranglers is all about the bass; it defines their menacing sound and sets off the coolest band in Punk

6.Revolver The Beatles

One of the few albums where every song is worthy of a Number 1 Hit; a perfect album in every sense, their best

7. Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous

You'll only want to listen to them live after this, this album draws you right in to the live experience even though much of it was played in after the effect

8. Elton John Tumbleweed Connection

See post yesterday

9. Van Morisson A Night in San Fransisco

10. Jethro Tull Warchild

Not their most well known album but one of their best if you've heard the others to many times

11.Grand Funk Railroad E Pluribus Funk

Came in a silver round package like a coin: hardcore funk

12.Rolling Stones Black and Blue

Reggae infused, laid back, 'Melody', 'Hey Negrita', proving that they could do without the blues

13. Traffic Low Spark of High Hell Boys

Wow ! Lie on the couch and put this on and you'll never turn back.

14.The Who Who’s Next

15.Wishbone Ash Argus

See post a few weeks ago

16. Bob Seger Live Bullet

Thin Lizzy toured as back up for Bob early in their career; see where they got it from.

17. AC/DC If You Want Blood You’ve Got It

The Jack, Problem Child, Riff Raff: hear the sound of the Aussie Pub in the 70's

18. Black Sabbath IV

19. Bob Marley Survival

Political roots rock reggae

20. America America

This is one of many bands that peaked with their first album

Image: Courtesy Polydor