URBAN: "1994 - the year of 'indie' (punk) rock groups such as Green Day, The Offspring, and not to mention, Weezer, and I quote: "I've got posters on the wall, My favorite rock group, KISS. I've got Ace Frehley. I've got Peter Criss. Waiting there for me. Yes I do, I do [chorus] In the garage, I feel safe. No one cares about my ways. In the garage where I belong. No one hears me sing this song. In the garage", end quote.
"yet another 'one-hit-wonder' kind of band." k
Yep, Weezer sang about your childhood heroes, KISS, and released a more than decent self-titled debut album. The Offspring broke all indie selling records with massive hit singles such as "Come Out and Play", "Self Esteem", and "Gotta Get Away", while Green Day seemed to be yet another 'one-hit-wonder' kind of band (until their excellent comeback album 'American Idiot')
"well, then you're no proper metal fan".
What about basic metal and hard rock? Well... what about Soundgarden? No, seriously, if you can't feel the excellent groove and enjoy the melodic yet utterly heavy melodies of "Superunknown"?? Well, then you're no proper metal fan. Not sure why people still call it "grunge" though, and "grunge" is bad? Whatever! it's basically just a fine mixture of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.
Motley Crue replaced vocalist Vince Neil, who according to the band didn't share their enthusiasm for their new material, with The Scream vocalist John Corabi. Their self-titled album is clearly 'the white elefante' of the year since it didn't quite receive the both thumbs-up from the fans. Yeah, okay, the music would perhaps have been better off being released under a different and new moniker - but it rawks!!
"folks were still very much fed up with the 'eighties' sound".
Foreigner recorded a 'comeback' album and tried a last attempt with original singer Lou Gramm. Very little if any success in the charts - hardly surprising considering the era (folks were still very much fed up with the 'eighties' sound). However, "Mr.Moonlight" speak of quality and plenty of sing-a-long moments. Definitely the most underrated release by the band.
James Christian, the at the time former House of Lords vocalist, recorded his first solo album and it's clearly a better effort than any of the Lords'releases. Thus why it ended up as #2 on RockUnited'com's overall list of the year. That's probably the biggest acknowledgement that "Rude Awakening" has and ever will achive.
In other news, April 8, 1994, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain is found dead and the world lost yet another rock musician at the age of twenty seven (others: Jimi Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the dude from Rolling Stones, etc). His close to life-long struggles with heroin addiction, illness and depression (suicidal tendencies) ended at the barrel of a shotgun.
"oh, how Nancy cried (whhhyyy!! whhhhyyy!!), and oh how we laughed!!! :))) .
Figure skating!!! Yeah, baby! For the first and only time in history, we actually enjoyed watching wimps on ice or at least something related to the ehem, sport?. It's obviously all thanks to the lovely Tonya Harding and her victim aka Nancy Kerrigan. The latter being clubbed on the right leg by an assassin, under orders from Harding's ex-husband, one of the finest moments ever in Olympic ice skating history. Oh, how Nancy cried (whhhyyy!! whhhhyyy!!), and oh-how-we-laughed!!! :)))
Let's face it, figure skating will never be as same again. Why did they ban Tonya??? She made it all interesting for a change. She's a heroin for feck's sake - award her with the 'battering' medal of the year.
Hundreds of thousands of Tutsi were killed in Rwanda and what did the world, UN and U.S.A. do??? Nothing of course since they couldn't find any oil or anything else for that matter worth stealing in the darkest of africa. Nelson Mandela however is inaugurated as South Africa's first black president and the funniest voice in business did, ehem, whatever, presidents do?
Commodore, the ones that developed and marketed the world's best-selling desktop computer, the Commodore 64 in 1982 (and not the band featuring Lionel Richie) declared bankruptcy this year.
"the low-speed chase ends at his mansion, where he surrenders".
The White Ford Bronco made it into the history books as we would watch O.J. "Murderer" Simpson flee live on TV and the low-speed chase ends at his mansion, where he surrenders. His wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were killed outside the home in Los Angeles and the gloves didn't fit or whatever??? What happens if you leave (fake or real) leather gloves outside in the rain? Yes, they shrink!!! no?
The FIFA World-Cup of '94 (my homeland Sweden ended up at a might fine third place!) ended in tragedy as Colombian footballer Andres Escobar is shot dead. His murder is commonly attributed as retaliation for the own goal Escobar scored in the 1994 FIFA World Cup against the United States.
The Channel Tunnel between England and France is now open for business, The great John Candy dies (RIP) and the car ferry MS Estonia sinks in the Baltic Sea, killing 852 people (mostly Swedes, and of course people from Estonia and Finland).
KIMMO: And now that Urban's filled you in on the important events, I might throw in a few random thoughts of 1994. Let's see... I was studying, living in the countryside, had a beat-up Ford... as for music, I did enjoy some of the big sellers of the time, including Green Day and Offspring, but their appeal didn't last long. I kinda went back to bands with actual singers... and thus those bands aren't on my list. Hell, I don't even have "Dookie" or "Smash" in my collection.
Since most of the melodic acts had been dropped from the majors, not a lot of music videos were made in the genre. To compile the twenty videos for the YouTube playlist, I really had to scrape from the bottom of the barrell...
[ 1994 ] Back to the nineties' index
Alan, Bandi, Kimmo, Martien, & yours truly, Urban of RockUnited.Com have once again been spending weeks, months, wading through a bunch of nasty looking artcovers and albums. Only this time it's the nineties and not like our first massive series of the eighties! Indeed, not an easy task, tracking back in space and time, especially since most of us are still mere kidz (early teens) at the early days of this era of grand and fantastic music. Check out the left-side border for our yearly write-up in 'black', and this is RockUnited's official 'Best-Of-Album Chart of 1991', calculated from the individual charts. No live-ones, EP's or compilations are included, merely studio albums. You can find them all and complain about our personal taste (or rather the complete lack of it) further down this page! This is merely our humble and tiny celebration of the 90's metal days or daze for that matter. Enjoy or not - this is the nineties: 1993.
THE ALBUMS OF THE YEAR: 1994
70. Big Bang Babies - Black Market
69. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
68. Bad Habit - Fool's Paradise
67. Marilyn Manson - Portrait Of An American Family
66. Bang Tango - Love After Death
65. Heartland - Wide Open
64. Jaded Heart - Inside Out
63. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
62. Electric Boys - Freewheelin'
61. Jimmy Martin - Kids Of The Rockin' Nation
60. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple
59. Annihilator - King of the Kill
58. Snakes in Paradise - Snakes in Paradise
57. Black Crowes - Amorica
56. Skin - Skin
55. Angra - Angel's cry
54. Glenn Hughes - From Now On...
53. Walk The Wire - s/t
52. Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes
51. Doctor Rock and the Wild Bunch - Stark Raving Mad
50. Weezer - Weezer
49. Freak Of Nature - Gathering of Freaks
48. Steve Lukather - Candyman
47. Asia - Aria
46. Mikael Erlandsson - The 1
45. Green Day - Dookie
44. Running Wild - Black Hand Inn
43. Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible
42. Marty Friedman - Introduction
41. Cinderella - Still Climbing
40. Clif Magness - Solo
39. Elegy - Supremacy
38. Tony Macalpine - Premonition
37. Alice Cooper - The Last Temptation
36. Tamas - The Dreamlake
35. Atlantic - Power
34. The Almighty - Crank
33. Bobby Kimball - Rise Up
32. Tiamat - Wildhoney
31. Frontline - The State Of Rock
30. Stevie Salas Colorcode - Back From The Living
29. Eyes - Windows of the Soul
28. Jonathan Cain - Back to the Innocence
27. Stan Bush - Dial 828 888-8638
26. Talisman - Humanimal
25. Motley Crue - Motley Crue
24. Tesla - Bust A Nut
23. Queensryche - Promised Land
22. Savatage - Handful Of Rain
21. Brett Walker - Nevertheless
20. Magnum - Rock Art
Their one and only album release at EMI records, Rock Art takes contemporary approach with stripped down arrangements, blues, rock and roll and basic melodic rock into their sound. It's definitely a huge step away from their rather pompous sound of the late eighties. "On Christmas Day" is a reflection upon the WWI Christmas truce of December 1914. Neat!
19. Dream Theater - Awake
Dream Theater's record label were keen for the band to create a heavier, darker album and 'Awake' saw Petrucci use a seven-string guitar for the first time, establishing a more riff-based writing style (read: boring material). Not as fun as the excellent "Images and Words" and quite the commerical failure (even though it went to #32 on billboard).
18. Therapy? - Troublegum
Therapy? Yes, please! The band was formed in Northern Ireland in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing. Tuned into the post Manic Street Preachers sloganeering, the band was described as the last great hope for British heavy metal. I wouldn't go that far, one-hit album kind of band really, and yes, it's Troublegum.
17. The Offspring - Smash
'Smash' is the third studio album by American punk rock band The Offspring, released through Epitaph Records, it's a real 'Smash' hit in the year of 1994. Fueled by hit singles "Come Out and Play", "Self Esteem", "Gotta Get Away", the album set the all-time record for most units sold by an independent label. Peaked at number four on the Billboard 200.
16. Michael Sweet - Michael Sweet
The first solo album by the (at the time) former Stryper lead vocalist/guitarist. The album was basically a collaboration with the late and great Gregg Fulkerson (previously with the band: Blue Tears) as he's credited as co-producer, songwriter, musician, and backing singer (RIP). FM Radio friendly material only not quite as successful as the 'yellow and black'.
15. Live - Throwing Copper
Live, ehem, yet another one-hit album kind of band. Hardly an instant success though, but eventually, the singles gained 'Throwing Copper' the number one position on the Billboard 200 chart on May 6, 1995, its 52nd week on the chart. The third longest gap between an album first charting and reaching number one. Where are they now???
14. Yngwie Malmsteen - The Seventh Sign
The most technically gifted hard rock guitarists of all time (?) and a pioneer in the style of shred guitar. Yes indeed, the donut lovin' Swede, without a doubt one of the all-time great guitar players, not quite the songwriter though. The first album with U.S. vocalist Michael Vescera (ex-Obsession) and the beginning of the downward spiral really.
13. Pearl Jam - Vitalogy
The third studio album by the "grunge" rock band Pearl Jam, the music on the record was more diverse than previous releases, and consists of aggressive rock, ballads, and several experimental tracks. The band was having trouble (clash of egos) collaborating, so most of the songs were developed out of jam sessions. The second fastest selling CD in history.
12. Freddy Curci - Dreamer's Road
Freddy's back!!! The former Sheriff and Alias vocalist with his first solo album release. His multi-octave vocal range holds the 'Guinness World Record' for 'Longest Note Held' in a pop song, for the ending note of "When I'm With You". Some of the "Dreamer's Road" songs were originally meant for the second Alias album and it's a glossy AOR affair in the trad. style.
11. Foreigner - Mr.Moonlight
'Mr. Moonlight' - The album was the first (and also the last) full-length album release with original singer Lou Gramm since 'Inside Information' in 1987. Gramm left the band for a solo career in 1990, but rejoined the foreigners after merely a couple of years away from the gang. Underrated release and you can find plenty of sing-a-long moments on this platter.
10. Marillion - Brave
Yet another fine concept album by Marillion. What's it about, you ask? Well, the main idea is based on a news story Steve Hogarth heard on the radio about a girl who was taken into police custody after being found wandering the Severn Bridge. She did not know who she was, where she came from and refused to even speak. #10 in the U.K. chart - nice!
9. Steve Perry - For The Love Of Strange Medicine
Sam Cooke of AOR aka Steve Perry with his second solo album. Obviously known as the great lead vocalist of the band Journey between the years of 1977–1987. The album was certified as gold (500,000) in sales by the RIAA, as of Sept. 1994. However, it was clearly not enough and Perry decided to hook up with Journey again (the years 1995–1998).
8. King's X - Dogman
'Dogman' is the fifth studio album by U.S. hard rock power-trio King's X. It marks the band's second album under Atlantic and their first to be produced by Brendan O'Brien, who had just previously produced hotshots such as Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and The Black Crowes. Wonderful mix as always of progressive metal, funk and soul, and sadly underrated!!!
7. Soundgarden - Superunknown
'Superunknown' was a critical and commercial success as it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Lyrically, the album is quite dark, moody, and mysterious, as much of it is often interpreted to be dealing with issues such as substance abuse, suicide, and depression. Hey, it's 'grunge rock' after all... or is it??? Nah, just a classic hard rock release really.
6. Boston - Walk On
The return of Mr. Multi-layer aka the slowest working stiff in the world. It took guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer, Tom Scholz, some eight years to come up with the 1994's Boston album. 'Walk On' managed to breakthrough the grunge barrier though, certified platinum by the RIAA, and reached #7 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. Classy!
5. Gun - Swagger
The third album from (Glasgow) Scottish hard rock band Gun, perhaps mostly known for it's smashing cover of "Word Up!", originally recorded by Cameo in the eighties. The single was a Top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart and the band won an MTV award for best cover version. It's easily their best selling album, but unfortunately not quite their big break.
4. Nouveaux - Beginnings
Huh? Nouve-what??? Parisianne wannabees? Nope, it's utterly smooth and catchy rock straight out of Nashville, TN, and released by the Benson Music Group. Never heard of them, you say? Well, it's "christian" rock quite similar to the most laidback Def Leppard sound vs. the commercial Petra. One "hit" wonder kind of band though - but really good.
3. Megadeth - Youthanasia
Quite a change from the raw and aggressive thrash metal albums in the eighties to a slower, more melodic hard rock formula which obviously already began with their commercial breakthrough, 'Countdown to Extinction'. Recorded in E-flat (tuned down half a step) and a huge success in the charts (#4 in the U.S. Billboard, #6 in the U.K.).
2. James Christian - Rude Awakening
James Christian - the (at the time) former House Of Lords vocalist with his first solo album (also ex-Jasper Wrath, Eyes, L.A.Rocks, etc). 'Rude Awakening' (in my humble opinion), better and catchier than any of the 'Lords albums. The only problem??? You simply couldn't record this kind of music in 1994 and expect people to like it! Great AOR though.
1. Tyketto - Strenght In Numbers
"Standing alone like the day that I was born. Out on my own I believe this
boy had grown, standing alone". Yet another Tyketto at RockUnited.com #1
album list of the year (see also: 1991). The wolves wrote some marvelous
tunes (like the above quote and power ballad) in their early days and
Danny Vaughn (ex-Waysted) is a perfect kind of frontfigure for the band.
Excellent melodic hardrock.
[all album comment nonsense by: Urban]
INDIVIDUAL LISTS OF 1994 *Personal Stuff* |
|
Urban:
1. Soundgarden - Superunknown
|
Kimmo:
1. James Christian - Rude Awakening |
Martien: 1. Dream Theater - Awake Alan: 1. The Offspring - Smash
|
Bandi: 1. James Christian - Rude Awakening
|
| SELECTED SONGS OF 1994: | ||
James Christian - Don't Start Me Up |
Green Day - Basket Case Magnum - On Christmas Day Mötley Crue - Hooligans Holiday Nouveaux - Hurt So Bad Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun Alice Cooper - Lost In America Frontline - Another Love Freddy Curci - Perfect World Glenn Hughes - Why Don't |
Michael Sweet - All This And Heaven Too |
Check out our 1994 YouTube playlist for some of the videos to these songs (and a few others)!
|
||
So you think we're way off mark? Well, here's your chance to cast your vote!
PS. If the form doesn't work, just copy the question to your e-mail program and send your answers to giveaway "at" rockunited.com.