The Album Before the 'Big One' (w/Martin Popoff) 

Love the fact, that Martin talks about Bands you would never hear anybody else on the Channel discuss lol.

Pink Floyd : Obscured By Clouds .......Dark Side Of The Moon Queen : Sheer Heart Attack.......A Night At The Opera Supertramp :Indelibly Stamped......Crime Of The Century A fantastic show today guys. I just wanted to thank you Pete for mentioning me at the top of the show. It created a bit of buzz in the chat.

Love the idea for the show. A few others. Radiohead The Bends -- before OK Computer, Pink Floyd Obscured By Clouds before Dark Side, Eagles One of these Nights before Hotel California, Steely Dan Royal Scam before Aja.

Love the chats with Martin

Popoff and Pardo are at it again with another great topic. Always enjoy the discussions between Martin and Pete and particularly enjoy Martin as his brings a perspective and discusses band that are not always otherwise discussed on SoT. Already looking forward to Part II of this topic. The only one that pops to mind that don't see mentioned in the other comments to date is based on the show yesterday on Billy Joel. Piano Man might be considered already a top beginning but the first number 1 and always mentioned album is The Stranger which is then followed up by two number 1 albums. But the album before, Turnstiles, is a great album by Billy Joel and often either overlooked or underappreciated. Thanks Martin and Pete for another interesting hour.

Pete's face when Martin is talking about U2 ... lol

Kansas: Masque before Leftoverture Styx: Crystal Ball before The Grand Illusion Dire Straits: Love Over Gold before Brothers In Arms Supertramp: Even In the Quietest Moments before Breakfast in America ( some might say Indelibly Stamped before Crime of the Century)

It’s great to see Martin championing bands not often liked or mentioned on this channel. Nirvana where a hugely influential, band dare I say the greatest of the 90s. Most people who bought nevermind probably weren’t hardcore Nirvana fans just folks who liked a couple of the famous tracks and enjoyed the freshness of the new movement. The hardcore fans where the ones who delved back and bought bleach. Then kept going and appreciated in utero. I will say though don’t change the channel, it’s opened my eyes to more great music than since I was a teenager in the early 90s.

Love the concept and great picks. Loved that Martin picked bleach and such a gnarly almost metal album. My picks Pink floyd-obscured by clouds Pantera-power metal Status quo-debut Red hot chili peppers-the uplift mofo party plan REM-document

I could honestly listen to both of you talking about music for hours. 🎧🎸

Sheer Heart Attack followed by Night At The Opera Fireball followed by Machine Head Masque followed by Leftoverture

In the 80's, having good videos that were played a lot on television, I think, played a big role into bringing in new fans and people who would buy the records. That "white" Fleetwood Mac album remains my favourite to this day, along with Bare Trees.

Great examples . In terms of Fleetwood Mac , I prefer their self titled album over Rumours . Other good examples would be : Obscured by Clouds before Dark Side of the Moon Benefit before Aqualung The Wild , the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle before Born to Run The Yes Album before Fragile Caress of Steel before 2112

Awesome episode. Looking forward to part 2!

Pink Floyd: Obscured by Clouds, a great precursor to DSOTM, more so than Meddle. Probably gets overlooked being a film soundtrack but great tunes on there Rush: Caress of Steel, not to everyone's taste but I really like that album and prefer it to 2112.

Totally with you guys about Europe. "The Final Countdown" is really a blessing and a curse for them (and for us too I again :-) ).

The Who - Magic Bus, then Tommy. Nothing could be more different. Metallica - And Justice for All to the Black album - finally BASS. Dream theater - Falling to Infinity to Scenes From a memory. Pink Floyd - Obscured by Clouds to Dark Side of the moon.

Kiss- Dressed to Kill/Alive ...Def Leppard -High n Dry/ Pyromania and Hysteria ....Quiet Riot 2/Metal Health

As always a great show and great interest

Kansas - Masque was my first thought, especially since I was listening to it the other day in honor of Robby. All the World, Child of Innocence, The Pinnacle, Two Cents Worth, Icarus, Mysteries & Mayhem.....spectacular.

Bless Pete for referring to Nirvana's Nevermind audience as "modern music fans". 30 years old!

Masque...followed by Leftoverture. My second favorite Kansas album

Precursors to superstardom: Priest - Hell Bent For Leather, Scorpions - Animal Magnetism, Maiden - Killers, Kiss - Dressed To Kill, Aerosmith - Get Your Wings

Pink Floyd: Obscured By Clouds before Dark Side Kiss : Dressed to Kill before Destroyer ( studio follow up) The Cars: Shake it Up before Heartbeat City.

You are so right about the attitude towards Europe, and I must admit I was one of the doubters. The blinkers were lifted after seeing them perform live at a festival and WOW!!! No sign of Carrie but when they finish with Countdown even the most cynical of metal fans are jumping and singing with the rest of the crowd. Truly an underrated band !

Next before Infinity - Journey Masque before Leftoverture - Kansas The Sell Out before Tommy - The Who

The Bob Welch era is my favorite Fleetwood Mac era by far. Actually, it's the only era that I really like. Also, "October" is not only my favorite U2 album, but a top 15 all-time album. Def Leppard "High & Dry" is a contender for this video, too. Thanks for the video, guys!

I would say Supertramp’s Even in the Quietest Moments before Breakfast in America.

This Friday show has become must watch! Martin adds a nice balance.

Another great SOT show. Very educational.

Two best King’s X albums are: 1 Ear Candy, especially for the one-two punch of Looking For Love and Mississippi Moon. 2 Faith Hope Love, especially for the barn burner Moanjam.

Styx Crystal Ball before The Grand Illusion. My wife and I saw the Crystal Ball tour, small venue (around 1,000 people) It was outstanding.

Great show, thanks!

U2, to me, is one of the most important bands in the history of music. Just wonderful.

Tears For Fears - The Hurting, then Songs From the Big Chair. In this case two very different albums. Also Pink Floyd- Meddle, the last proper studio album prior to Dark side of the Moon. Meddle was a great bridge album between the spacey, psychedelic prog to their next decade of classic albums.

Even though it wasn’t big and there was nothing before it, “Boy” is a very underrated album. Cheers guys!

Great show. Looking forward to the Kings X show. Still can’t believe Pete hasn’t embraced the catalogues of the Black Crowes or The Chris Robinson Brotherhood ( Grateful Dead influenced). Just seems right up his alley.

Congrats, you guys have convinced me to explore Europe further. The two choices off the top of my head were ….And Justice For All and High N Dry. Glad Martin did the former and I’d love to see a part two of this discussion. Excellent and diverse choices with intelligent commentary, I learned a lot.

REO speedwagon,nine lives,which has imo,the top nine REO speedwagon songs,"back on the road again".

Gary Richrath - fantastic guitar player!

Martin is a man among men I tell ya. "I love it, it's a great album, there's nothing wrong with it." I have always thought that Nirvana and heavy metal could co-exist. Martin said it out loud. He has my undying respect.

The first record I thought of was Nine Lives. It was the first REO record I bought and it has always been my favorite.

October has always been my favorite U2 album.

Great topic need more of this😎

Point of Entry- Judas Priest Killers- Iron Maiden High N Dry- Def Leppard Permanent Waves- Rush Highway to Hell- AC/ DC

Kansas - Masque, Queensryche - Rage For Order, Styx - Crystal Ball, Queen - II, Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties.

Queen’s Sheer Heart Attack, coming before A Night At The Opera. Not at all bad for an album made when Brian came back from a US tour with hepatitis. Ballads, a great pop hit, a proto-thrash track and a fun show tune: a template for what followed, but a great album in its own right.

"Frampton" > "Frampton Comes Alive" "Go Now" > "Days of Future Passed" "Twice Removed From Yesterday" > "Bridge of Sighs"

Wow, very cool that Martin likes 80s U2! If I remember it correctly almost all members of the Hudson Valley Squares hate the band, what I found kind of sad. I think U2 were pretty much untouchable between „War“ and „Zooropa“.

Tull’s “Benefit” before Aqua

"It's the big one." - Fred Sanford

Dressed to Kill -Kiss, In Color- Cheap Trick, iron maiden Killers, Priest Hell Bent for Leather, Scorpions- Animal Magnetism, Yes - Time and a Word

I think the Nirvana thing isn't about fickleness, per se. I just think Nevermind was a bandwagon album. The numbers that bought Bleach was a more accurate representation of the band's actual fanbase.

“…And Justice” is a great album. I bought it the day it came out and it basically became a guitar primer for me at 14 years old, opening many doors. I would come home from school every day and play along with the album. I learned about speed, prog, time signatures, palm muting, alternating between soft and loud, and even a tiny bit of classical and harmony. It is a shame that it is produced so poorly. It would be amazing to hear it with a new mix. My parents may have become as familiar with it as it I was! AND, I recognized the black album for what it was, followed its development and was “on board” as Pete put it. But I never had the connection to it as Justice or the earlier ones. That divide only widened post-black album.

Journey: Departure before Escape Toto: Turn Back before IV

I’ve got 3-4 of your books Martin. Love em.

Rumours gets all the acclaim, but I actually like Mystery to Me, Bare Trees, and the 1975 s/t Fleetwood Mac album even more. Agree with Pete about many listeners, and their general reaction to 'style jumping.'

You convinced me to try Europe again… I gave a listen last year when I first heard you talk about them but perhaps didn’t give am enough attention at the time. Great show today !

Finally somebody after 3 years mentioned U2 . Bravo Martin !

Accepts breaker before restless and wild!

Look at the two discs before Slide it In, you knew this band was going places

Martin and Pete are the best duo on RU-vid

Per usual, the first band’s debut album was overlooked by the more popular one. Mudhoney were around for a few years before Nirvana started even talking with each other. The Melvins had been playing in the very early 80’s See their Mangled Demos 💿 from 1981-86 until Gluey Porch Treatments in @‘ 86-87 sessions for Sub Pop; Am/Rep outta Minneapolis with The Cows as their flagship act as well: Lubricated Goat 🐐 from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 who combined Jazz; Psychedelics 😉 & their own version of an amazing array of songs for L.G. Play The Devils Music in the early til mid-80’s up until The Great Olde Ones a sorta greatest hits album, which is anything but this band was known for putting into stores! Thanks 🙏🏻 again Pete, DJP Boston Massachusetts USA 🇨🇳🏳️

Great topic:) Hello from the Okanagan!

When this episode was announced last week the first album that came to mind was Pink Floyd´s Meddle. A great album from start to finish.

Amazing..!!

Janet Jackson's "Dream Street" immediately preceded her death metal / prog masterpiece "Control."

I think part of the problem with "Bleach" is that what copies there were of it once "Nevermind" got big got scooped up quickly and the original Sub-Pop release became an instant collector's item. It wasn't easy to get at first. By the time it was easier to get the initial grunge explosion was over and the major labels were trying to push a poppier version of grunge as well as trying to force "the next big thing" on everyone. As a result hip-hop got a lot more popular, and at the time those who wanted to hear all three Nirvana albums had them.

I was very much into REO growing up, but never want back further than You Can Tune a Piano... until I heard you Pete discussing the earlier period. Now, I love that era.

ELP's "Trilogy" followed by "Brain Salad Surgery," "Led Zeppelin III" followed by "untitled" (Zep IV), Bruce Springsteen's "The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle" followed by "Born to Run," Billy Joel's "Turnstiles" followed by "The Stranger," Elton John's "Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player" followed by "Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road."

Mac didn't want Stevie Nicks just Buckingham. He dug his heels in and insisted Stevie and he were a package and the rest is history

A few that come to mind: Fleetwood Mac- Fleetwood Mac Led Zeppelin III Metallica- ...And Justice for All Pink Floyd- Obscured by Clouds RHCP- One Hot Minute Live- Mental Jewelery Alice in Chains- Facelift Nirvana- Bleach Soundgarden- Badmotorfinger Smashing Pumpkins- Gish Black Sabbath- Black Sabbath Deep Purple- Fireball

"Document" by R.E.M.. R.E.M.'s "Unforgettable Fire" in a way. This was their peak together with "Life's Rich Pageant". I think "Nevermind" was the kind of album that almost everybody had in their collection back then, even people that weren't especially into the kind of music Nirvana were making, and even people who weren't so much into listening to or collecting music. People who only had 15 or 20 Cds they would play when some buddies would come over to have a few beers. When Cobain died, they bought "MTV unplugged", not "Bleach", so "Bleach" kinda stayed Nirvana's "underground" record, which ,to me, might even benefit it's spiritual value.

Off the Wall - When Michael Jackson still looked like Michael Jackson

Hey, Martin picking U2's October. Nice one. I heard they lost some tapes and other materials before recording, so they had to frantically put some songs together at the last minute. Lost gem on there is "Rejoice". Give it a listen, it really does rock. One of my favorites.

Interesting show concept that begs a follow-up: Albums That Came AFTER The Big One.

I can't really think of a band who are so much despised over one track when they have a wealth of great albums as Europe. Excellent band

October - amazing album. First vinyl I ever bought back in the day. And under rated gem that I’m kinda glad no one knows about.

2nd time seeing Martin on the channel. Cool guy, like him.

Judas Priest- Hell Bent for Leather/Unleashed in the East/Point of Entry Deep Purple- S/T 3rd Album/Fireball Black Sabbath S/T Debut Iron Maiden- Killers Motörhead- Bomber Pink Floyd- Meddle/Obscured by Clouds Yes- Fragile Genesis- Selling England by the Pound Queen- Sheer Heart Attack Fleetwood Mac 1975 U2- The Unforgettable Fire Rush- Permanent Waves Led Zeppelin III

YESSSS! King’s X ranking!!!

Accept- Restless And Wild Europe- Wings Of Tomorrow Kix- Midnite Dynamite Twisted Sister- You Can't Stop Rock N Roll Whitesnake- Saints And Sinners

The perfect example of this topic is From Genesis to Revelation to Trespass. The music, production, songwriting, orchestration, and performances all took quantum leaps. They made the music mirror the emotional content, from melancholy to wonder to rage. The Anthony Phillips/Tony Banks combination only had one album to flourish, and it was wonderful. Gabriel’s vocals went from adequate to epic.

Def Leppard - High n Dry Fates Warning - The Specter Within (Awaken the Guardian was big to me) Metallica - Ride the Lightning Slayer - Hell Awaits

Nirvana ‘Bleach’ and Smashing Pumpkins ‘Gish’ were good albums.

Major love to martin for mentioning something about u2 in the channel. Feels like they are never discussed, considering the diversity of the channel

Zulu Records! You're taking me down memory lane, Martin. That place used to be my second home.

Queensryche was my favourite band and Rage for order was such an amazing album and the predecessor to the more popular and widely acclaimed Operation Mindcrime

Going with a band who I adore their early stuff and I don’t see get talked about much here. How about Red Hot Chili Peppers Mother’s Milk right before Blood Sugar Sex Magik?

Obscured by Clouds-Pink Floyd Not my favorite Floyd album but I have probably listened to it more times than any PF album next to Animals and Wish You Were Here. “Stay” is probably the most beautiful song they ever did and “Wots the Deal” most overlooked song. When Dream and Day Unite-Dream Theater Loved this album the first listen and every listen after. It’s different. But it’s still my favorite band. “The Killing Hand” is one of my all time favorites from Dream Theater. Caress of Steel-Rush This was when Rush really started to display greatness. I know most think 2112 but I think it’s this album. “I Think I’m Going Bald” is really weird but the rest of the album is flawless and I always go back for more. Tears for Fears-The Hurting A really Proggy New Wave album. More Proggy than just about anything I can think of 70’s Prog bands doing in the 80’s. But that’s pretty much Tears for Fears in general. This album is solid. Start of the Breakdown is what you would have thought Yes or King Crimson would have been doing in the 80’s if they hadn’t changed so much. Pale Shelter, Memories Fade, Suffer the Children. Essential album. Nightwish-Century Child I actually prefer it over Once. It can be really heavy, soft, beautiful, and progressive. Their most versatile album. Love it. Queensryche-Rage for Order Way ahead of its time. And the use of synthesizers don’t ruin the album one bit. In fact they made it better. Really kicks the door open for Progressive Metal. Weather Report-Black Market Still very experimental but more accessible at the same time and I can’t figure out why. Classic album and as essential as it gets with this band.

That was such an enjoyable show. Loved the discussion about ZZ Top (I really like El Loco), REO Speedwagon (9 Lives is my favourite REO album). & Europe (I totally agree - just love ‘Bag of Bones’ ). Quite a few of my choices were picked, so I’ve had to come up with some new ones. Foreigner - Head Games (followed by 4) Bryan Adams - Cuts Like A Knife (followed by Reckless) Tom Petty - You’re Gonna Get It (followed by Damn the Torpedoes) AC/DC - Highway to Hell (followed by Back in Black) J. Geils Band - Love Stinks (followed by Freeze Frame)

Here's one: Pink Floyd's 'Obscured By Clouds,' which was followed by 'Dark Side of the Moon.' I actually LOVE 'Obscured,' too -- there's some truly great material on there. I listen to that album far more often than 'Dark Side' these days, as well.

Huey Lewis- Picture This, Boz Scaggs- Slow Dancer, AD/DC- Powerage, Tubes- Remote Control, John Waite- Ignition

I always thought that The Eagles album ‘One Of These Nights’ is just as good as their follow up hit ‘Hotel California’. I saw them on that tour with Jackson Browne & Linda Ronstadt. I thought at that time they hit their peak with ‘Lyin Eyes’ & ‘Take It To The Limit’. Little did I know that following year I would be wrong.

Whitesnake's Slide it in is a fantastic album , I saw the tour in the UK .

Mine are 1. Secret Treaties/On Your Feet Or On Your Knees-Blue Oyster Cult before Agents Of Fortune 2. Get Your Wings-Aerosmith before Toys In The Attic 3. Black Sabbath-Black Sabbath before Paranoid 4. Twice Removed From Yesterday-Robin Trower before Bridge Of Sighs 5. Rust In Peace-Megadeth before Countdown To Extinction

"Treated Bad Again" from Wings of Tomorrow is the most vicious riff of Europe's career. The lead guitar on "Stormwind" is an instant earworm. Killer record front to back. Even the ballad "Dreamer" works. I had Final Countdown first, backtracked to pick this up, and love them both to this day.

Some very good unusual choices here. Great show and I guess there will be other interesting stuff for a part 2. My picks: Nursery Cryme before Foxtrot. Genesis already had their classic line-up without having all-classic songs. Porcupine before Ocean Rain: Echo & The Bunnymen already went a little bit more neo-psychedelic - especially with „Higher Hell“ before scoring big time with the 1984 record and „Killing Moon“.

Oh, I have a few right here: *Genesis - Selling England By The Pound (followed by The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway) *Pink Floyd - Obscured By Clouds (Dark Side Of The Moon) *Iron Maiden - Virtual XI (Brave New World, and the return of Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith) *Emerson, Lake And Palmer - Trilogy (Brain Salad Surgery) *Metallica - Master Of Puppets (And Justice For All) *Nightwish - Imaginearum (Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Floor Jansen on vocals) *Deep Purple - self-titled (Deep Purple In Rock, and the classic lineup) *Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality (Vol 4) and Never Say Die (Heaven And Hell) *Faith No More - Introduce Yourself (The Real Thing, and Mike Patton on vocals) *blink-182 - Dude Ranch (Enema Of The State) *Queensryche - Rage For Order (Operation: Mindcrime) and Dedicated To Chaos (self-titled, the downfall of Geoff Tate) *Epica - Requiem For The Indifferent (Retrospect and The Quantum Enigma, Simone Simons cementing her rise to power) *Judas Priest - Ram It Down (Painkiller) *Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy (Physical Graffiti) *Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (Rainbow Rising)

Fun show and great choices. Another would be Def Leppard High 'n Dry, which I prefer to the juggernaut Pyromania. Switch 625!!