THREE PERFECT METAL RECORDS: MOTORHEAD ACE OF SPADES, AC/DC LET THERE BE ROCK & VAN HALEN'S FIRST

Ace Of Spades
1980

612 Miles To Go

Motorhead Ace Of Spades

Motorhead drives a musical locomotive of thrash fury, after learning as much from the punk rockers as they did the metal heads.

And even after nearly 40 years of recording and performing, Ace Of Spades, the band's fourth release, remains their classic anthem and the opus of their extensive album collection.

Fronted by Lemmy Kilmister - the bassist, singer and legend of the "only one name needed" fraternity - Motorhead's Ace Of Spades is full of sex, sins, debauchery and destruction delivered with a power, speed and rage that continues to influence scores of bands three decades after its release.

Guitarist Fast Eddie Clark scorches the solos on every song, while "Philthy" Phil Taylor pounds the drums at breakneck speed throughout.

Lemmy's raspy roar is funeral bell clear, so you decide which lyrics are supposed to be funny and which ones are serious.

"The pleasure is to play/It makes no difference what you say/I don't share your greed/The only card I need is/The Ace Of Spades."

There's no gamble here.

Draw the Ace Of Spades from your deck every time you need the hammer to fall. You'll love it like a reptile.

Ace Of Spades Song For The Soundtrack: Ace Of Spades

Let There Be Rock
1977

AC/DC Let There Be Rock

AC/DC blast their amps into overdrive with Let There Be Rock.

Chronologically, it's the band's fourth release, but the second for the U.S. (1977) following High Voltage (1976). T.N.T (1975) and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976) preceded it as well but weren't released internationally until later.

On Let There Be Rock, the brothers Young, Angus and Malcolm, burn through song after song with their distinct blend of Chuck Berry/blues/metal guitar torching.

Original lead singer Bon Scott screeches and grins through the verses of one nighters and life in rock 'n' roll, two themes that dominate nearly every AC/DC album before and after.

And, there are no romantic power ballads allowed.

Five of the eight cuts are staples of AC/DC's live shows in both the Bon Scott and Brian Johnson eras - Let There Be Rock, Bad Boy Boogie, Problem Child, Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be and Whole Lotta Rosie.

It's no small feat that all five songs maintain as much of their electricity on the studio cuts as they do live.

Plug in.

Turn on.

Turn it up.

Let there be rock.

Let There Be Rock Song For The Soundtrack: Problem Child

Van Halen
1978

Van Halen Van Halen

Van Halen had us at: "I live my life like there's no tomorrow."

Then came the nuclear Eruption that made Eddie Van Halen an instant member of the Guitar God pantheon.

The deal was closed with their cover of the Kinks' Your Really Got Me.

They "ain't talkin' 'bout love" either. Van Halen is all about the hottest girls, backseat sex and Runnin' With The Devil.

Lead singer David Lee Roth delivers the lusty lyrics with a Tarzan shriek and physique. He knows the girls want to be with him and the boys will do anything for an invitation to the after-show party. Even if it never comes, they can argue among themselves about whether or not Eddie plays as well as Jimi Hendrix or Jimmy Page.

Bassist Michael Anthony and drummer Alex Van Halen romp the rhythms at ramming speed to launch what became a multi-platinum juggernaut.

Their on the road antics are as legendary as Led Zeppelin.

The eventual fallout between Diamond Dave and the band opened the mic for Sammy Hagar, only to have him depart and eventually Roth return. The one-album Gary Cherone era in between only merits a footnote.

Eddie's cemented his place in guitar lore. Now, the best bar argument is over which version of the band is better - the original line-up or Van Hagar.

I'll take David Lee Roth and the first Van Halen every time.

Van Halen Song For The Soundtrack: Ice Cream Man

Running Data For Saturday, June 1:
10.66 Miles
2:03:23

Mileage In The Change Jar: 0.12 Miles