Greatest Album of 1979 - Preliminary Round 1

[Marky Dread]

It's insane to me that as things stand, kiss is moving forward and the b-52s and xtc (and the raincoats!!!) are getting left behind.

KISS is on here as a joke, Im sure Leo Sayer (new band idea Leo Slayer - plays death speed/metal covers of Leo Sayer songs) or Styx also released albums that year that so sucked less than Dynasty.

Also in the face of the other bands B52'S and XTC dont belong past the 1st round

But the joke inclusion has votes. So does that skew the result slightly.

KISS with more votes than XTC or The B-52's is dumb.

Anyway all the obvious ones.

London Calling
Armed Forces
Machine Gun Etiquette
Setting Sons
The Specials

I don't feel bad about leaving out any of the rest as it's small margins with some. All UK because they are simply the ones I grew up with. If this was about US punk bands then a lot of what came before 1979 would be getting my vote.

[Toppers Boppers]

I nominate Inflammable Material by Stiff Little Fingers.

Seconded! A glaring omission.

Thirded. And these...
THE STRANGLERS - The Raven
THE FALL - Live At The Witch Trials
HUMAN LEAGUE - Reproduction
BILL NELSON'S RED NOISE- Sound On Sound
THROBBING GRISTLE - 20 Jazz Funk Greats
THE CRAMPS - Gravest Hits

[Marky Dread]

I nominate Inflammable Material by Stiff Little Fingers.

Seconded! A glaring omission.

Thirded. And these...
THE STRANGLERS - The Raven
THE FALL - Live At The Witch Trials
HUMAN LEAGUE - Reproduction
BILL NELSON'S RED NOISE- Sound On Sound
THROBBING GRISTLE - 20 Jazz Funk Greats
THE CRAMPS - Gravest Hits

I would second The Raven for sure. Bill Nelson was mentioned further up the thread.

Tough call for Doc picking certain bands over others. I'll cut him all the slack he needs as this is really difficult.

[Olaf]

Look at the fun Doc's having with this poll...

[Dr. Medulla]

I nominate Inflammable Material by Stiff Little Fingers.

Seconded! A glaring omission.

Thirded. And these...
THE STRANGLERS - The Raven
THE FALL - Live At The Witch Trials
HUMAN LEAGUE - Reproduction
BILL NELSON'S RED NOISE- Sound On Sound
THROBBING GRISTLE - 20 Jazz Funk Greats
THE CRAMPS - Gravest Hits

I would second The Raven for sure. Bill Nelson was mentioned further up the thread.

Except you already nominated The Ruts, so you can't second a record.

Tough call for Doc picking certain bands over others. I'll cut him all the slack he needs as this is really difficult.

Nah, it's all good. I never believed I'd hit all the candidates with my list. It was a big scoop to get those that I figured were obvious, then have the community figure out what was being missed. It's pretty much worked out as I hoped it would. (Until people start complaining that nominated choices didn't make the cut and I explain they have to be seconded and then they grumble about not reading the instructions.)

[Dr. Medulla]

Look at the fun Doc's having with this poll...

Ha! Nah, as I said above, it's functioning the way I set it out. I took care of the obvious stuff and y'all fill in the extra spots.

[revbob]

It's insane to me that as things stand, kiss is moving forward and the b-52s and xtc (and the raincoats!!!) are getting left behind.

KISS is on here as a joke, Im sure Leo Sayer (new band idea Leo Slayer - plays death speed/metal covers of Leo Sayer songs) or Styx also released albums that year that so sucked less than Dynasty.

Also in the face of the other bands B52'S and XTC dont belong past the 1st round

But the joke inclusion has votes. So does that skew the result slightly.

KISS with more votes than XTC or The B-52's is dumb.
...

Agreed but Heston as a registered member of the KISS Army is sworn to promote them at every turn.

[Marky Dread]

I nominate Inflammable Material by Stiff Little Fingers.

Seconded! A glaring omission.

Thirded. And these...
THE STRANGLERS - The Raven
THE FALL - Live At The Witch Trials
HUMAN LEAGUE - Reproduction
BILL NELSON'S RED NOISE- Sound On Sound
THROBBING GRISTLE - 20 Jazz Funk Greats
THE CRAMPS - Gravest Hits

I would second The Raven for sure. Bill Nelson was mentioned further up the thread.

Except you already nominated The Ruts, so you can't second a record.

Tough call for Doc picking certain bands over others. I'll cut him all the slack he needs as this is really difficult.

Nah, it's all good. I never believed I'd hit all the candidates with my list. It was a big scoop to get those that I figured were obvious, then have the community figure out what was being missed. It's pretty much worked out as I hoped it would. (Until people start complaining that nominated choices didn't make the cut and I explain they have to be seconded and then they grumble about not reading the instructions.)

You're simply the best version of Stalin we have hands down. Where do I send my vote?

[Dr. Medulla]

Seconded! A glaring omission.

Thirded. And these...
THE STRANGLERS - The Raven
THE FALL - Live At The Witch Trials
HUMAN LEAGUE - Reproduction
BILL NELSON'S RED NOISE- Sound On Sound
THROBBING GRISTLE - 20 Jazz Funk Greats
THE CRAMPS - Gravest Hits

I would second The Raven for sure. Bill Nelson was mentioned further up the thread.

Except you already nominated The Ruts, so you can't second a record.

Tough call for Doc picking certain bands over others. I'll cut him all the slack he needs as this is really difficult.

Nah, it's all good. I never believed I'd hit all the candidates with my list. It was a big scoop to get those that I figured were obvious, then have the community figure out what was being missed. It's pretty much worked out as I hoped it would. (Until people start complaining that nominated choices didn't make the cut and I explain they have to be seconded and then they grumble about not reading the instructions.)

You're simply the best version of Stalin we have hands down. Where do I send my vote?

Your support will be remembered, comrade, when the show trials begin. And if you have reason to accuse comrade Heston of crimes against the people, well, that would be considered an act of patriotism.

[Marky Dread]

Thirded. And these...
THE STRANGLERS - The Raven
THE FALL - Live At The Witch Trials
HUMAN LEAGUE - Reproduction
BILL NELSON'S RED NOISE- Sound On Sound
THROBBING GRISTLE - 20 Jazz Funk Greats
THE CRAMPS - Gravest Hits

I would second The Raven for sure. Bill Nelson was mentioned further up the thread.

Except you already nominated The Ruts, so you can't second a record.

Tough call for Doc picking certain bands over others. I'll cut him all the slack he needs as this is really difficult.

Nah, it's all good. I never believed I'd hit all the candidates with my list. It was a big scoop to get those that I figured were obvious, then have the community figure out what was being missed. It's pretty much worked out as I hoped it would. (Until people start complaining that nominated choices didn't make the cut and I explain they have to be seconded and then they grumble about not reading the instructions.)

You're simply the best version of Stalin we have hands down. Where do I send my vote?

Your support will be remembered, comrade, when the show trials begin. And if you have reason to accuse comrade Heston of crimes against the people, well, that would be considered an act of patriotism.

Consider me a patriot at least for this poll.

[Dr. Medulla]

I would second The Raven for sure. Bill Nelson was mentioned further up the thread.

Except you already nominated The Ruts, so you can't second a record.

Tough call for Doc picking certain bands over others. I'll cut him all the slack he needs as this is really difficult.

Nah, it's all good. I never believed I'd hit all the candidates with my list. It was a big scoop to get those that I figured were obvious, then have the community figure out what was being missed. It's pretty much worked out as I hoped it would. (Until people start complaining that nominated choices didn't make the cut and I explain they have to be seconded and then they grumble about not reading the instructions.)

You're simply the best version of Stalin we have hands down. Where do I send my vote?

Your support will be remembered, comrade, when the show trials begin. And if you have reason to accuse comrade Heston of crimes against the people, well, that would be considered an act of patriotism.

Consider me a patriot at least for this poll.

Oh, don't worry, everyone eventually gets a bullet in the back of the head when Stalin's in charge.

[WestwayKid]

Head Injuries by Midnight Oil was another great 1979 release.

[Wolter]

Also, in a slight counter to the usual '79 trend, Devo released their weakest of their first three LPs that year, Duty Now For the Future. A fine record, but the releases on either side of that one are more important and better. 79 doesn't quite win them all, I suppose.

I still think Secondhand Daylight is a great album, but I prefer Magazine’s releases on either side of 79 as well.

[Wolter]

Thinking about the discussion earlier up about punk in the US, and I’d say that 79 was the fallow period between the first wave and the early 80s rise of hardcore and other forms of punk throughout numerous local scenes. Just one of those weird blips where a bunch of bands had broken up and a bunch of kids inspired by them were just starting to pick up instruments.

[Dr. Medulla]

Thinking about the discussion earlier up about punk in the US, and I’d say that 79 was the fallow period between the first wave and the early 80s rise of hardcore and other forms of punk throughout numerous local scenes. Just one of those weird blips where a bunch of bands had broken up and a bunch of kids inspired by them were just starting to pick up instruments.

The music biz—record companies and press—resisted the initial hype of punk far more effectively than in the UK, and when the Ramones, Television, Devo, and Talking Heads didn't move the needle appreciatively (big surprise), the industry stuck with classic rock and disco until the disco bubble burst and almost killed everything. The hardcore kids were savvy enough to see the music industry for the predatory vulture it is.