(October 2018) I have completed episode 187 of my “opus project.” This edition: THE RUNAWAYS. The first all-female hard rock band, they paved the way for many others (think L7 and The Donnas). KISS may have sold out arenas but their contemporaries The Runaways were no less hard-charging and loud. They also gave us Joan Jett and Lita Ford.
Favorite album: Gueens of Noise
Favorite song: Cherry Bomb
Compared to expectations: ↑
(October 2018) I have completed episode 184 of my “opus project.” This edition: MOTÖRHEAD. Rock n’ roll to make your eardrums bleed: the way it should be. Lemmy never diverges from the core concept: loud and fast and whisky-fueled, but even over four decades it never got stale. Beauty in its purity. I came late to Motörhead, which was a mistake.*
Favourite album: Overkill
Favourite song: Ace of Spades
Worst album: March ör Die
Best later album: Bastards
Compared to expectations: ↑
* imagine the enhancement of my musical trajectory if, in 1979, I had bought Overkill instead of Van Halen II
(July 2017) I have completed episode 131 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: GUNS N’ ROSES. Not much rocked in the 1980s. But GnR sure did.
Favorite album: Appetite for Destruction
Favorite song: Sweet Child o’ Mine
Compared to expectations: same
(march 2017) I have completed episode 116 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: L7. No-frills punk/grunge/metal. They’ll always be on my shitlist.
Favorite album: Bricks are Heavy
Favorite song: Deathwish
Compared to expectations: same
(December 2016) I have completed episode 103 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to an band’s full discography. This edition: JUDAS PRIEST. Good ol’ fashioned heavy metal. And they still bring it (latest album was 2014). Rob Halford: best lungs this side of Freddie Mercury.
Favorite album: British Steel
Favorite song: You Got Another Thing Comin
Favorite period: 1977-1980
Compared to expectations: same
(June 2016) I have completed episode 86 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography. This edition: SPINAL TAP. None more black.
Favourite album: Intravenus de Milo
Favourite song: Stonehenge
Favourite drummer: John “Stumpy” Pepys
Compared to expectations: same
(February 2016) I have completed episode 75 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s full discography from start to finish. This episode: AUDIOSLAVE. If you like Soundgarden or Rage Against the Machine, you’ll probably like Audioslave, but less than you like Soundgarden or Rage Against the Machine.
Favorite album: Audioslave
Favorite song: Show Me How to Live
Compared to expectations: ↓
(August 2015) I have completed phase 56 of my “opus project” in which listen to a band’s discography from start to finish. This episode: THE DONNAS. Because rock n roll! The female Ramones. Such fun.
Favorite album: Spend the Night
Favorite song: Rock ‘n’ Roll Machine
Low points: the final two album, an unfortunate foray into anthem rock
Compared to expectations: same
(May 2015) I have completed phase 53 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s entire discography from start to finish. This episode: AC/DC. Because sometimes you just need some power chord cock rock. However, I am not sure whether the listening experience would have been much different if I had listened to one album 17 times rather than each of their 17 albums in order.
Favourite album: Highway to Hell
Favourite song: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Favourite period: Bon Scott (75-79). Duh.
Least favourite album: Blow Up Your Video
Compared to expectations: ⇓
(June 2014) I have completed phase 27 of my “opus project,” in which I listen to a band’s entire discography. This episode: JET.
Favourite album: Shine On
Favourite Song: Bring It On Back
Compared to expectations: same
Opus Project 