In the fourth installment of our new feature which runs every Sunday we are asking the bands that make our contenders for album of the year to list their Top Ten albums of all time. As part of our four-part series featuring every member of SUiCiDE BOMBERS we close with the list from Chris Damien Doll. SUiCiDE BOMBERS new album ALL FOR THE CANDY is out now and you can grab your copy in the links that follow the TOP 10.
The below list suggests that Chris may well have knowledge of my own record collection!
There’s no way I can rank these records by any order. I have just picked 10 records I love and that influenced me in some way or another. Most will probably be familiar to you, but if they aren’t you should check them out.
Zodiac Mindwarp & The Love Reaction – Tattooed Beat Messiah
I have done a bunch of these lists, but think I have yet to mention this one. One of my all time fave records and very obviously a huge inspiration for SUiCiDE BOMBERS. Zodiac Mindwarp is one of those bands that come with a whole universe of their own and has a coolness about them that is untouchable. The acid biker gang from space. Musically it’s pretty straight forward rock’n’roll with heavy use of Judas Priest’s Living After Midnight riff in nearly every song, mixed with a lot of tasty electronics, but what really sets the band apart from most of their contemporaries are the lyrics. Zodiac is an absolute master wordsmith and on this album it’s done to perfection. The intro, “Wolfchild Speech” is one of the best album intros ever and another great example of the imagination and creativity of this band. Highly recommended.
Fave songs: Prime Mover, Backseat Education, Bad Girl City, Untamed Stare, Holy Gasoline, Planet Girl
Sigue Sigue Sputnik – First Generation
I usually mention their 1986 debut album “Flaunt It” in these lists, but thought I’d go a different route this time. First Generation is a collection of the early 4-track demos the band did prior to the recording of the debut album. There’s an energy and rawness here that was of course polished away in the big studio later, but the real selling point of this record is that you get to hear the songs the way they were intended. Georgio Moroder did a great job producing Flaunt It, but he took it upon himself to make every song sound different, which made a few of them lose a little of that Electronic 50’s Rock’n’Roll feel. Here they are all rockabilly and especially Rockit Miss USA really benefits from this. There are some newer demos at the end, most of which are not all that interesting, but “Ultra Violence” certainly is. That’s one of the group’s absolute best songs by far. Great arrangement over a simple chord structure and some of the band’s best lyrics. For those who remember the cold war this will take them right back. Fantastic tune.
Fave songs: Rockit Miss USA (Black and Bluski), Sex Bomb Boogie (Tick Tock and Boom!), 21st Century Boy (TV Messiah), Jayne Mansfield (Blitzkrieg Baby), Ultra Violence (Senseless Sex and Gratuitous Violence)
Vain – Enough Rope
Vain are mostly known for their outstanding 1989 debut No Respect. An album that should have been huge if it was released on a different label, but the fact that it’s one of the most loved underdogs of the 80’s sleaze/glam genre, year in and year out, speaks volumes about its quality. A little lesser known is the fact that Vain have released great quality albums ever since. Style ranging from that of the debut to almost 60’s psychedelia, but always great quality and not once have the band’s unique style and songwriting been lost in translation either. But when the band, in 2011, released a record that equals or tops their debut, most of us were completely blown away. I could go either way with those two records, but most of the time I find myself favoring this masterpiece. Great uptempo songs, big guitars, big drums, Davy’s unique voice and singing style and killer production that, all while keeping true to their original style, yet brings the band into the future. As with any band on this list I could go on and on, but do yourself a favor and check it out.
Fave songs: Greener, Cindy, Enough Rope, Solid Gold, Distance Of Love, Vain, Worship You
Warrior Soul – The Space Age Playboys
Released in 1994, a pretty bleak time in music for someone like me, this was an oasis of cool and one I affectionately refer to as my “surviving the 90’s kit.” After 3 records of droony, political rock… all good… Warrior Soul decided it was time to up the tempo and release a cocaine fuelled party record. Still political, but more in the personal sense like the Sex Pistols did before them, rather than party politics and sprinkled with product placements and lots of flash. Kory Clarke is one of my all time fave lyricists. There’s an ultimate coolness to the way he words himself, but it’s not just hollow coolness. There’s a lot of emotion and meaning behind the words and it hits you across the back of your head like a 2×4. Musically it’s also a very interesting record as the songs are not your typical verse- pre – chorus – repeat arrangements, but have a lot of different parts that all work together nicely. This record works just as well for a party as it does at the gym, or for self empowerment when needed. It doesn’t get any lower and at times that can be very liberating.
Fave songs: Rocket Engines, The Drug, Let’s Get Wasted, The Pretty Faces, Rotten Soul, Generation Graveyard
Sex Pistols – Never Mind The Bollocks
Simply one of the best records ever made! The songwriting is superb and sound is truly original and it’s 100% Sex Pistols, even when they borrow from other bands. Johnny Rotten’s straight for the throat, unapologetic, attack lyrics are a class of their own and I think he’s the first writer in history to do this like that… at least that I know of. Highly inspirational and absolutely one I have in mind from time to time myself. The SUiCiDE BOMBERS song “iKill (Suicide Romeo)” definitely gives a lyrical style nod to mr Rotten. The guitarlayering of this album is also quite unique and one I have learnt a lot from.
Fave songs: Bodies, God Save The Queen, Problems, Anarchy In The U.K, Pretty Vacant, New York
W.A.S.P. – W.A.S.P.
I could easily fill up this whole list with just 80’s Hollywood records, but that would just show one side of my musical taste. Still, W.A.S.P. was probably my all time favorite band as a kid and one that still sticks with me today. Nearly all their records are great, but none better than the debut. Blackie is a fantastic lyricist and not only does he have a unique “character voice,” but he can really sing too. He has a fantastic voice and doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves for it. The record is loaded with cool riffs, but W.A.S.P. also do the “one powerchord to break your ribs” thing that I love. I guess this one is familiar to all your readers already and if it isn’t… go find it right now.
Fave songs: I Wanna be Somebody, L.O.V.E. Machine, B.A.D., School Daze, Hellion, On Your Knees
Hanoi Rocks – Self destruction Blues
I could never do one of these without Hanoi Rocks. One of the most important bands to me ever! Many will list their last two 80’s records Back To Mystery City or Two Steps From The Move as their favorites and as good as those are and as flawless and punchy the production got and the much improved performances, I find that the songwriting was the best on the first three. This, being a compilation of singles, b-sides and unreleased tracks, giving the best of both worlds with some of the best songwriting the world has ever seen, as well as mostly great performances and great production. With that being said, you can’t go wrong with any of Hanoi’s 80’s records. What I find most inspirational about the band is their arrangements. Well worth investigating further.
Fave songs: Love’s an Injection, I Want You, Café Avenue, Nothing New, Kill City Kills, Whispers in the Dark, Desperados, Dead By X-Mas
New York Dolls – New York Dolls
Before the New York Dolls, glam was jumpsuits and uniformed… either that or the slightly hippie crossdressing of very early David Bowie. The New York Dolls took what the Stones had started on Jumping Jack Flash and multiplied it, and for the very first time Glam was dirty, street level and dangerous. In a way that none had done before and very few have done since. Musically many dismiss them for being just a bluesrock band who weren’t all that tight, but if you listen to songs like Frankenstein and Jetboy, there is a lot to the songwriting here that the band is not given credit for. Again I want to point out the lyrics. David Johansen paints a picture of New York City at the time that fits perfectly with the music and attitude of the band. A great record that should belong in every household.
Fave songs: Vietnamese Baby, Frankenstein (Orig.), Trash, Subway Train, Jet Boy
Motley Crue – Shout At The Devil
I love 80’s Motley Crue and especially this record. Again it’s a record with a vibe and feel to it. All the way from the brilliant intro to the closing track. The band looked cool, they played cool and had great songs. Nikki Sixx is a great songwriter and a cool lyricist, but the thing that really screams Motley Crue to me, when it comes to their songwriting is the way Nikki changes chords over repetitive guitarriffs to open up for huge vocal melodies and big choruses, as showcased beautifully in for instance Too Young To Fall In Love. With their early records those riffs are mainly in the Judas Priest category, but Sixx kept this up even on the Girls Girls Girls record where the riffs were more bluesbased rock in the style of Aerosmith. Highly inspirational.
Fave songs: Shout At The Devil, Looks That Kill, Bastard, Red Hot, Too Young To Fall In Love, Ten Seconds To Love, Danger
Jacobites – Old Scarlett
Both Nikki Sudden and Dave Kusworth were dear friends of mine and two people I was lucky enough to play lead guitar for on several occasions. Their self titled debut album and especially the follow up, Robespierre’s Velvet Basement are usually regarded as their best efforts and what great albums they are, but I find in discussions that some find the band a little too “loose” for comfort. They might take a little getting used too, but once there, you’ll love it. This, however, was the second record after their early 90’s reunion. This is a lot less loose; great performances, great production and great songwriting and they still deliver in that romantic Rolling Stones way they are so good at. If you like bluesbased rock like Rolling Stones and Dogs D’Amour, you’re gonna love this.
Fave songs: Over & Over, When Angels Die, Falling Apart, Puppeteer’s Son, Love’s Cascade
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Anyone who wants signed records, CDs, t-shirts, pins or hoodies… mail the band directly on SoMe… we also made a video you can look up on our platforms with all the merch available.