Ranking the '80s albums of Aerosmith, KISS, Blue Oyster Cult, and Ted Nugent (w/Martin Popoff) 

I discovered S.O.T. several months ago and have been watching and catching up since then. I'm 66 and have found in Pete a kindred spirit.

Popoff and Pardo are at it again with another 'blender' ranking show but have moved into the 80s. Again, personal knowledge not deep enough to rank all these albums but that in now way reduces the enjoyment of watching Martin and Pete tear through these voluminous rankings. These episode, in particular, brought a few chuckles during the obvious disagreement of a particular Aerosmith album. If someone ever gets around to doing a "best of SoT" video, the silent but visible reaction of Pete needs to be included. Great episode, gents. Thanks for taking the time to relisten to these as needed and provide such an entertaining episode, including "the you say to-MAY-to, I say to-MAH-to" discussions after the rankings. There ya go!

1. Cultosaurus Erectus (1980) - BOC 2. Fire of Unknown Origin (1981) - BOC 3. Imaginos (1988) - BOC 4. Creatures of the Night (1982) - KISS 5. The Revolution by Night (1983) - BOC 6. Club Ninja (1985) - BOC 7. Music from the Elder (1981) - KISS 8. Lick It Up (1983) - KISS 9. Pump (1989) - Aerosmith 10. Scream Dream (1980) - Ted Nugent 11. Done with Mirrors (1985) - Aerosmith 12. Permanent Vacation (1987) - Aerosmith 13. Animalize (1984) - KISS 14. Asylum (1985) - KISS 15. If You Can't Lick 'Em, Lick 'Em (1988) - Ted Nugent 16. Little Miss Dangerous (1986) - Ted Nugent 17. Nugent (1982) - Ted Nugent 18. Penetrator (1984) - Ted Nugent 19. Intensities in 10 Cities (1981) - Ted Nugent 20. Unmasked (1980) - KISS 21. Hot in the Shade (1989) - KISS 22. Rock in a Hard Place (1982) - Aerosmith 23. Crazy Nights (1987) - KISS

I’d love to see a SOT, or Contrarians on different bands “best” eras. Beginning, middle or end of their careers. BOC really hit a huge stride in the middle of their careers with thier late 70’s and 80’s output.

Fire Of Unknown Origin would be my #1 pick as well. Great LP. Probably BOC's best outside their black & white period.

Welcome back to another edition of our favorite Contrarian Canadian and Pete where Martin could rank Hot in the Shade (which is awful) first, last, or right in the middle. For this week's drinking game I'm retiring "right?" due to alcohol poisoning and writer's cramp from last week. 🇨🇦🍺🥃 Still drink though for: -Production -Contrarian -Martinisms -Adding "eh?" this week for some Canadian "flavour" in honor of the Leafs surviving last night. Will update later! EDIT: Production - 20 Contrarians - 4 Pete's faces/grimaces - roughly 4 (also Rag Doll is the worst Aerosmith song ever) The Martinisms were strong with this one this episode (May the Fourth be with you a day early). Boo-gee - 5 Four on the floor drumming - 7 Jokey - 1 Hard Rock-y - 1 Glammier - 1 Tech-y - 1 Guitar-y - 1 Guh-raj-y - 1 Song doctor-y - 1 Johnny Thunders-y - 3 Pre-cursor-y - 1 Clatter-y - 1 Rockier - 1 Aerosmith-y - 1 Mid-rangey - 1 Carmine App-uh-cee - 1 And there you go, remember everyone no driving after the Funhouse, be good to one another and our four-legged friends (gravel pits are never the answer). 🇨🇦🍺🥃🐕 🐈

I think Imaginos is underrated. True, it doesn't sound like other BOC albums but I just love the claustrophobic over-saturated production. I guess that reflects what Martin said about all the overdubs being added to much earlier tracks from the early 80s. Even though it's in a totally different genre, it reminds me of Floodland by Sisters Of Mercy in the overall mood and especially the production. It feels heavier than other BOC albums but not in a typical HM heavy way.

Ya damn right B.O.C is at the top!

1. Rock In A Hard Place 2. Done With Mirrors 3. Creatures 4. Penetrator ( Billy Squiers band) 5. Cultasaurus 6. Let the Music Do the Talking 7. Scream Dream 8.Fire of Unknown 9.Crazy Nights 10.Animalize

Like the love for BOC.

Pardo and popoff =perfection ! Thanks guys

I love this channel Pete. Been watching it for a long time. Appreciate your time and dedication to talking about the standing the test of time classic music we all love man appreciate it!

Maybe next week rank albums by Canadian bands: Rush, Triumph, April Wine & Saga

A suggestion for a show in the future inspired by Pete's reaction to the covers album of CCR. What makes us like a song? If the arrangement is changed suddenly a song can sound a lot better, add a piano part or a different drum beat, or make the guitars more crunchy, and you end up liking a song that you didn't like before. So what makes a song and what makes you like a song? I would like to think I like songs themselves no matter what the production or arrangement but I'm probably kidding myself. If the instrumentation or production is something I don't like I probably won't like the song but if the instrumentation or production is something I like, I will like the song a lot better. So what is production, what is 'the mix', what is arrangement, what is instrumentation, what is the essence of a song, and how much you like a song depends on those things?

I was a child and teenager in the 80s. I listened to most of these albums after they came out. But I bought “Pump” when it came out on vinyl and it blew my mind and I still think it's the last great Aerosmith album. I think Kiss and Nugent started the decade with good albums and ended with embarrassing albums. I am a late fan of BOC, I listened to them when I was 28 years old and I like them more every day. 1- Aerosmith - Pump (1989) 2- Blue Öyster Cult - Fire Of Unknown Origin (1981) 3- Blue Öyster Cult - Cultösaurus Erectus (1980) 4- Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation (1987). 5- Kiss - Creatures of the Night (1982) 6- Aerosmith - Done with Mirrors (1985). 7- Kiss - Lick It Up (1983) 8- Blue Öyster Cult - Imaginos (1985) 9- Ted Nugent - Scream Dream (1980) 10- Kiss - Unmasked (1980) 11- Blue Öyster Cult - The Revölution By Night (1983) 12- Kiss - Music from "The Elder" (1981) 13- Blue Öyster Cult - Club Ninja (1985) 14- Aerosmith - Rock in a Hard Place (1982). 15- Ted Nugent - Nugent (1982) 16- Kiss - Crazy Nights (1987) 17- Ted Nugent - If You Can't Lick 'Em...Lick 'Em (1988) 18- Kiss - Asylum (1985) 19- Kiss - Animalize (1984) 20- Ted Nugent - Little Miss Dangerous (1986) 21- Kiss - Hot in the Shade (1989) 22- Ted Nugent - Penetrator (1984)

1. Cultösaurus Erectus 2. Fire of Unknown Origin 3. Creatures of the Night 4. I've Got the Rock & Rolls Again 5. Permanent Vacation 6. Scream Dream 7. Done with Mirrors 8. Imaginos 9. Let the Music Do the Talking 10. Unmasked 11. Rock in a Hard Place 12. The Revölution by Night 13. Pump 14. Frehley's Comet 15. Intensities in 10 Cities 16. Music from "The Elder" 17. Penetrator 18. Little Miss Dangerous 19. Lick It Up 20. Club Ninja 21. Animalize 22. If You Can't Lick 'Em...Lick 'Em 23. Asylum 24. Nugent 25. Crazy Nights 26. Once a Rocker, Always a Rocker 27. Hot in the Shade 28. Flat Out 29. Whitford/St. Holmes

Kiss Killers, while part compilation is a great underrated album. Nowhere To Run is a top 5 Kiss song

Pete morphs into Martin and puts Permanent Vacation in the toilet 🤣🤣🤣

AWESOME PICKS SOME BANDS ALBUMS I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THANKS I'M GOING TO CHECK THEM OUT THANKS !!!

i think this concept is great. Would love an extreme metal edition of this. For example "Ranking the 90s albums of Cannibal Corpse, Death, Morbid Angel and Immolation"

Great episode gentlemen!

It’s kinda cool that you both are Blue Oyster Cult fans But for completely different reasons or different albums Huge BOC fan Thanks guys

Martin: "I really like Dude looks like a lady, it's clever" Pete: physically performing the Homer Simpson meme trying to disappear back into the bushes. Lol 😂😂 Funhouse Classic!

Good to see Rock In A Hard Place getting it's due recognition. I love Done With Mirrors too.

Of all those albums, my fav is probably Unmasked. Full on nostalgia, first Kiss album I bought in "real" time, still love it. Cheers.

I have always had a sweet spot for Asylum because it was the first Kiss i purchased. In 1996 my wife got me tickets to see the original band and I was down the rabbit hole ever sense. Discovered Ted when he was opening up for Kiss on that 1996 tour.

Well done this made me think of the 70's bands who released albums in the 80's

Creatures/Scream Dream/Lick It Up/Elder/Frehley's Comet/Permanent Vacation/Fire Of Unknown Origin/Trouble Walkin/Unmasked/Nugent/Out Of Control/Club Ninja/Animalize/Penetrator/Crazy Nights/Intensities..I've forgotten the others.

I put the emphasis on Blue... BLUE Oyster Cult...

Pete makes a great point about the Aerosmith albums. For me growing up in the 80's those albums was great then. Has I got older the 70's albums are the ones that I listened to the most. Not saying that the later 80's albums are bad. And the hit singles I like listening to them

As I grow older i lean on 80s KISS more than their 70s material. Gene and Paul were much better singers and musicians and near the end of the era Kiss sounded amazingly live.

Pete and Martin are the best.

1 Cultosaurus Erectus 2 Fire Of Unknown Origin 3 The Revolution By Night 4 Imaginos 5 Club Ninga The rest I'm just not into them at all, maybe Music From The Elder might be Okay.

What was technically a late 80's record by Blue Öyster Cult .. "Imaginos" (1988) - was not at all a real band record - but had it been a whole-hearted project by the full original line-up - would have likely topped the list of 80's records from bands who peaked in the 70's.

Raise your hand if you wore the Peter Criss solo album t-shirt in junior high? There were 4 of us with Peter's t-shirt and we all became buddies.

Intensities in Ten Cities is full of ferocious playing. Ignore the lyrics!

Creatures of the Night is a clear winner for me. I enjoyed this episode!!

Pete ranking from the heart. I like it.

Crazy long ranking (missing some that I just don't know): 1. Creatures of the Night (32 all time) - KISS 1982 2. Pump (92 all time) - Aerosmith 1989 3. Permanent Vacation (just under my top 300) - Aerosmith 1987 4. Lick It Up - KISS 1983 5. Cultosaurus Erectus - Blue Oyster Cult 1980 6. Asylum - KISS 1985 7. Fire of Unknown Origin - Blue Oyster Cult 1981 8. Trouble Walkin' - Ace Frehley 1989 9. Animalize - KISS 1984 10. Done With Mirrors - Aerosmith 1985 11. Frehley's Comet s/t 1987 12. Unmasked - KISS 1980 13. Imaginos - Blue Oyster Cult 1988 14. Music from the Elder - KISS 1981 15. Rock and Hard Place - Aerosmith 1982 16. Scream Dream - Ted Nugent 1980 17. I've Got the Rock n' Rolls - Joe Perry Project 1981 18. Second Sighting - Frehley's Comet 1988 19. Hot In the Shade - KISS 1989 20. Penetrator - Ted Nugent 1984 21. Let the Music Do the Talkin' - Joe Perry Project 1980 22. Nugent - Ted Nugent 1982 23. Crazy Nights - KISS 1987 24. The Revolution By Night - Blue Oyster Cult 1983 26. If You Can't Lick 'Em…Lick 'Em - Ted Nugent 1988 27. Club Ninja - Blue Oyster Cult 1985 28. Litte Miss Dangerous - Ted Nugent 1986

Intensity in Ten Cities is a Banger! 🔥

BTW, great show / great discussion !

As a huge Aerosmith fan I’m surprise to see people dislike permanent vacation and pump, I get the 70s aerosmith is the best aerosmith can’t argue that, but I think there are some great rock songs on later albums I don’t mind the hits but the deep cuts for most of the later albums are really good

I always agreed with you pete on the earlier ace frehley albums Tod howarth was a great contributer and vocalist...Tod has a few solo albums out his first one entitled Siloutte came out I think around the time of second sighting. It's a pretty good album in my opinion. I personally think he should reuite with him and reform frehleys comet

Thank you for all the great content you guys put out!

Another great show. You both got number 1 correct. Great album.

Fire of unknown origin is the only album on this entire list that I like. When the '80s rolled around I abandoned almost all of the mainstream stuff outside of Rush and got into hardcore punk thrash and death metal

Pete, thanx for the Orioles shout-out!

Listen to this Pete dude. He’s never steered me wrong. Bands I’ve not heard of who this dude has ranked high have been sweet additions to my collection. Like the recent self titled Angel album i just acquired. Tremendous. Listen to Peter Sea. It’s juicy listens. Listen to him!!

My #1 of these bands would be KISS - Creatures of the Night. It's actually my alltime favorite KISS album

I have a funny/sad story about Ace during the 80's. Apparently he would come into Arelene's Grocery totally wasted and have pills stuck to his heavy makeup he wore back then. Just a mess. I can't imagine seeing a hero with pils all stuck to his face like pimples.

Could the next one of these involve some bands yet to be dealt with in this little series? Say The Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd etc? Anyway, keep up the good work thanks guys!

Crazy Nights was great Paul’s voice was outstanding during that period,Bruce’s soloing was excellent too.

Another fun show. Love it when you disagree. PV on this show. My top 5 of those albums I know 1. Creatures of the Night 2. Pump 3. Cultosaurus Erectus 4. Scream Dream 5. Lick It Up

I love it when Skow says Celtic Frost. I always picture Larry Bird singing extreme metal.

Totally agree with you pete on aerosmith Permanent vacation

Best show on youtube. Btw, minus a couple of tracks. I think permanent vacation is pretty awful also

As soon as I saw this title, I said ‘Fire of Unknown Origin’ out loud!

Idea for a future show using this format? Priest, Scorps, Accept and IDK one more perhaps - ranking 80s

Over here in Canada, in our click, we still say INGWEE Malmsteen :)

I had never heard of the Deadringer album until Brendon Snyder mentioned it in one of his "What just dropped" videos. I kinda dig it.

When Ted Nugent released Little Miss Dangerous he had co-starred in an episode of Miami Vice & had a couple of songs played on episodes.

You can tell all you need to know about the kind of Rock and Roll I love by my top 5. I pretty much don't listen to mid-late 80s KISS, Nuge, or BOC. 5 Rock In A Hard Place 4 Intensities In Ten Cities 3 Once A Rocker Always A Rocker 2 I've Got The Rock & Rolls Again 1 Done With Mirrors

Nugent's 10 cities live album kicks ass! Yes there are a couple clunkers. Put up or shut up with Charlie's vocals is killer. If Charlie fronted his own band singing with this intensity with high energy, fast, hard driving songs, with an 80s ballad thrown in, he most probably would have alteast had a gold album. Stand outs, Put up, my love is like a tire iron, Spontaneous, and jailbait. As Pete said, Ted's guitar playing is killer throughout the album and reminiscent of Double Live Gonzo.

BOC Rules!

damn, I was really hoping Damn Yankees would be part of this show, but I looked it up and it came out in 1990

Martin always says “anywayS” with an “s”. Isn’t it “anyway”? Either way you’re awesome Martin!

I love the way Martin pronounces Nirvana.

Mine are 1. Rock In A Hard Place-Aerosmith. 2. Fire Of Unknown Origin-Blue Oyster Cult. 3. Cultosaurus Erectus-Blue Oyster Cult. 4. Revolution By Night-Blue Oyster Cult. 5. Scream Dream-Ted Nugent. 6. Imaginos-Blue Oyster Cult. 7. Club Ninja-Blue Oyster Cult. 8. Intensity In 10 Cities-Ted Nugent. 9. Done With Mirrors Aerosmith.

Spot on Pete. Permanent Vacation blows!

Quite a task to muddle through these albums. I think Kiss and BOC were probably the best. But Rock and a Hard Place is my favorite of all of them with Kiss albums ending at Creatures.

3:53 Yep, we _are_ asking about other 1980s bands but Martin has a decent rationalization. I appreciate that he always tries to have some thread of logic to the narrative. These bands don't interest me but I hope you do another show like this, with more 1980s bands...

No Day-boo albums in this ranking show!

i just got Martin’s Ted Nugent book from Amazon yesterday

BTO, Creedence, Atlanta Rhythm Section

This time I agree with Martin;-) PErmanent vacation and Pump rock!

Here’s my top 10 1. BOC Fire of Unknown Origin 2. Aerosmith Permanent Vacation 3. BOC Cultosaurus Erectus 4. Aerosmith Done With Mirrors 5. Aerosmith Pump 6. Aerosmith Rock in the hard place 7. Kiss Creatures of the night 8. BOC Club Ninja 9. Kiss Lick it Up 10. Kiss Asylum

Thanks for reminding me how much I love Rock In a Hard Place. Now on my 4th listen. Who was the real musical mastermind of Aerosmith? This album could have totally fit into their 70's discography no doubt about it. This album doesn't skip a beat for me. When I listen to Aerosmith it has to sound like this. Not like (Dude) Looks like a lady or Love in an Elevator.

I agrre with 90% of the lists. I love "The Elder" though I would prefer an alternate universe where Kiss was a prog band (Wishbone Ashy?) releasing albuns like "The Elder". But I understand it´s like almost not the same band as the rest of the discography

1) Fire of unknown origin 2) Creatures of the night 3) Cultasourus erectus

Whitford/St. Holmes is great. Surprised Martin had it so low. I love Whitford's guitar tone.

I don't get the hate for Permanent Vacation. Very little screams Pop. To me, stuff like Rag Doll and Dude(Looks Like A Lady) had an R&B slant. Hangman Jury is a jam. It's odd that Pete said that he didn't like that the Joe Perry Project had different singers. Well, they were a project. Interesting that Pete said that Kiss's Hot In The Shade was their "hair metal" album. To me, that started with Asylum. Just look at the video for Tears Are Falling. They look fem in the video. I even recall either Bruce or Paul having a pink guitar. Pete didn't mention that the later, great Brian Howe(who later joined Bad Company) sang on the Ted song Tied Up In Love. I dig The Elder. If you ignore the concept, it's another Destroyer. Pete's wrong. I was five when Permanent Vacation came out, and I love both eras of Aerosmith. Technically, Rock In A Hard Place has one replacement guitarist. Rick Dufay doesn't actually play on it

Creatures of the night and asylum are my no1 and no2

Permanent vacation is terrible listen, but I think Pete despises it for its commercial cheese factor. As much as I dislike it, it isnt worse than a peter chriss solo record. Revolution by night is still a fine record. Its way better than imaginos, I agree with Popoff.

It’s FRAY-LEE, Martin

Permanent Vacation did JUST THAT to Aerosmith for me. I bought a one way ticket to as far away as I could get from them after that. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

In response to Mr. Pete. I get you stand by your opinion of Uncle Ted's 80's albums. But, you have to remember, he was asked by producers to change his sound and enter the 80's with the use of keyboards and different guitar tones. That being said, Scream Dream kicks total ass. The attitude and guitar playing or excellent. Just for the the song Wango Tango alone makes this a classic. Terminus Eldorado is a great hidden gem. It's my favorite Nugent album. Then we have the little miss dangerous album. It's my least favorite of Ted's 80's albums. The drum machines and other garbage kill the album. But, little miss rocks ass and there is some good songs with great guitar playing. Moving on to Penetrator. Tied up in love is heavy ripping Ted. Thunder thighs in a a complete rocking Ted classic. Lean mean rock and and roll machine kicks ass. No man's land is cool ripper with a cool Ted vocal melody. Take me home is a cool Uncle Ted rock lullaby. If you can't lick 'em is another underrated gem. Listen to the solo on the Ted ballad Spread Your Wings. Awesome song. Skintight, if you can't lick 'em, etc. great attitude and guitar. I jammed this album over most of the shart like Aerosmith and Bonjovi nonsense. The guitar and Teds attitude were all there. I would throw in Damn Yankees that came out in 89 and Ted's playing was great. It was the producers that put Ted's twang way down in the mix. He talked about it after the fact. His guitar playing was awesome those Damn Yankees records. Just giving my two cents. I love Sea of Tranq and respect all the people on this channel. I'm a Ted guy and he made some good music in the 80's that needs to be heard. Rock on Mr. Pete!

I actually love Pump!!!🖤💛♠️🤘🏿…..

I love 70's Aerosmith, I like 70's Ted Nugent and I'm okay with 70's Kiss - but everything those three bands put out in the 1980's for me is just complete trash. I do "like" the Blue Oyster Cult albums of the 1980's but nowhere near as much as the stuff before or afterwards, the exception being Imaginos which I think is a great Blue Oyster Cult album. The fact that the 1970's was so great as a decade for music (the greatest decade ever for music, in my opinion) meant that there had to be a decline as time went on and I genuinely believe "Video Killed The Radio Star" when it came to rock music and where how a band looked became as important as the music that they made when we reached the 1980's. I still to this day loathe music video unless it's a live performance because in my view "short video films" are there to distract from the music, not enhance it. And it's there to pander to the millennial generation that constantly needs video stimulation but struggles to sit and focus on a piece of music or read a book due to poor attention spans. Back when I reached the end of my teenage years and really got into music and live gigs, five guys could sit in a comfy chair in a room with a beer each and just listen in silence to the entire side of an LP, have a chat about it for a while, then do the same thing for the second side. We learned patience and concentration, we gave our music "the space to breathe" - it wasn't a case of "okay, that's that one listened to, what's next?" We learned to have a proper appreciation of music back then, it wasn't about treating it like "Pick 'n' Mix" sweeties on the likes of Spotify - I want that track there, and two of this one here, and sprinkles on the top. And that's why, in the 1970's, we had such a high proportion of great albums that were great from start to finish. Sure, there are always exceptions, but the 1980's was more about getting two hit singles (with music videos) on an album and the rest being filler.

Remember seeing that Lick It Up video as s kid and thinking..... No wonder they wore make up.😅

Great episode, gentlemen. Go Phillies! (Sorry Pete)

Hot take: the version of Astronomy from imaginos elevates the song and makes it better than the original

I noticed that "Blue OYSTER Cult" versus "Blue Oyster CULT." Skow and Alo say it the same way. Must be an NYC thing.

Great show guys. I tell my kids that Aerosmith was one of the best bands ever, then MTV destroyed them! Their 70s output cannot be matched.

Last week I defended Martin but this week he goes and criticises Hughes/Thrall even though it’s totally off topic ha-ha. And he said he doesn’t like Devine Wind from Cultösaurus Erectus 🤷‍♂! In the UK we hear quite a lot of Australian sports commentators and they all say debut deboo ! It’s an Aussie thing I think 🇬🇧

Nice video.

Imaginos is just great. That's it.

Love Martin he also said NA-DEER instead of NAYTER and I love when he says BOOOOOGIE AND GRAJ instead of GUH-RAJ But he’s Canadian so I get it

Pump is a masterpiece.

My favorite Martin saying a word weirdly is drama. My problem word is cool. I tend to leave the l out and say coo. I have two teams each that I root for in MLB and the NHL My Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche are still in the playoffs and in MLB my two teams are doing great like last year, the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves. Hoping for Martin's Toronto to beat those Bruins. My favorite's here would be Fire of Unknown Origin, Cultosaurus Erectus, The Revolution By Night & Scream Dreams.

Pretty interesting but have mixed feelings about most. Three aerosmith (not pv, which is a decent sell-out) and lick it up mix with boy classics from early part of decade. Also like the occasional jpp song. To be honest "let music..." sounds better on dwm, especially the lyrics. Another great one: "I love it loud." Remainder is hit and miss with two known because of excellent pandora's box.