50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Brilliant Artists

[pdw1]

I have caused chaos on another site I frequent with this list.

So how many of these do you own?
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/horrible-albums-by-brilliant-artists-1234672895/

I'll admit to St Anger & Union

So what would you add to this list?

[Slim]

Well at the risk* of stating the obvious - there are three or four Rush albums that should be on there.






*certainty

[pdw1]

Perhaps I should have pointed out this thread is in Other Music so NO RUSH.

[Matt2112]

I have only Van Halen III, which actually is a very..."worthy" inclusion in that list.

Eddie was at a real low point during the period that was made, and for a fair while after come to that.

However, fast forward 14 years and he'd more than cleaned himself up for the band's swan song, A Different Kind Of Truth, a corking, all-killer-no-filler crackerjack of an album which arguably contains his best guitar performance in the whole VH catalogue.

[David L]

I have only Van Halen III, which actually is a very..."worthy" inclusion in that list.

Eddie was at a real low point during the period that was made, and for a fair while after come to that.

However, fast forward 14 years and he'd more than cleaned himself up for the band's swan song, A Different Kind Of Truth, a corking, all-killer-no-filler crackerjack of an album which arguably contains his best guitar performance in the whole VH catalogue.

Wasn't the lion's share of that record put together years before it was released?

[Matt2112]

I have only Van Halen III, which actually is a very..."worthy" inclusion in that list.

Eddie was at a real low point during the period that was made, and for a fair while after come to that.

However, fast forward 14 years and he'd more than cleaned himself up for the band's swan song, A Different Kind Of Truth, a corking, all-killer-no-filler crackerjack of an album which arguably contains his best guitar performance in the whole VH catalogue.

Wasn't the lion's share of that record put together years before it was released?

There were several songs that were originally old demos and some unreleased material from the early days, but they were re-worked and recorded for ADKOT with the new stuff in 2012.

[captainkurtz]

I have only Van Halen III, which actually is a very..."worthy" inclusion in that list.

Eddie was at a real low point during the period that was made, and for a fair while after come to that.

However, fast forward 14 years and he'd more than cleaned himself up for the band's swan song, A Different Kind Of Truth, a corking, all-killer-no-filler crackerjack of an album which arguably contains his best guitar performance in the whole VH catalogue.

He played well on the tour but the record is a stinker.  Gary was a pretty cheesy choice as well.  Urgh.  Despite the final hurrah, that was really the end of VH as any kind of force..

[Slim]

Of the 50 listed, I have:

It's Hard - really not so bad but my post-Moon expectations of The Who are not that high anyway
Calling All Stations - does have its moments but I only ever listened to it once or twice
The Elder - actually a mostly enjoyable, interesting album. God knows there are worse Kiss records than that.
Give My Regards To Broad Street - a super record and the redone Fab Four tunes work beautifully.
Never Let Me Down - yes, terrible album

Could have sworn I owned Gone Troppo as well, but I don't. Must have been thinking about George Harrison, but the same comments would apply.

Interesting comments about that Monkees album. They came up with some very wacky stuff toward the end of their career after they started playing their own instruments and taking themselves (too) seriously.

That piece has certainly piqued my interest to hear some of these records. Will download the Clash one later. And the Van Halen one. I tuned out after their second album and only bought some of the later albums many years later. Was never really interested in the Sammy Hagar ones.

[Matt2112]

I have only Van Halen III, which actually is a very..."worthy" inclusion in that list.

Eddie was at a real low point during the period that was made, and for a fair while after come to that.

However, fast forward 14 years and he'd more than cleaned himself up for the band's swan song, A Different Kind Of Truth, a corking, all-killer-no-filler crackerjack of an album which arguably contains his best guitar performance in the whole VH catalogue.

He played well on the tour but the record is a stinker.  Gary was a pretty cheesy choice as well.  Urgh.  Despite the final hurrah, that was really the end of VH as any kind of force..

Yes, creatively he was at a low point, then on subsequent cash-in tours he looked a wreck and his playing was (relatively) atrocious; once he'd cleaned up he was as good, if not better, than ever.

[Thenop]

The obvious 3 for me:
Metallica, Yes and of course, Kiss.
I actually am kind of fond of the Elder. Bought it upon release, I was 12, it was my favourite band at the time and ate up everything they had released. Still like it, like said: there are far worse Kiss albums out there...
The Yes one is, well, not that great, but again, Yes has gone sideways a few times.
And St. Anger, well...the documentary was at least interesting so I'll give them that. I do really like the title track from that one, Some Kind of Monster is a good song, All Within My Hands is not bad at all..It has its place in the Metallica catalogue.
Now Lulu on the other hand....

[pxr5]

A few clunkers that I know about on this list, for me Genesis, Yes and Metallica. Is Kanye West a brilliant artist though?

[Matt2112]

Is Kanye West a brilliant artist though?

Karaoke artist at best.

[Slim]

That piece has certainly piqued my interest to hear some of these records. Will download the Clash one later. And the Van Halen one.

Listened to the Clash one (Cut the Crap) this afternoon, while out on the bike - actually a good album, I think. I believe the trouble with it is that they recorded some of the defining, most vital music of their time and this isn't that. But I listened to it with low expectations and I was surprised - there are some really good tunes on here. It's pretty spirited and imaginative.

[Nick]

The obvious 3 for me:
Metallica, Yes and of course, Kiss.
I actually am kind of fond of the Elder. Bought it upon release, I was 12, it was my favourite band at the time and ate up everything they had released. Still like it, like said: there are far worse Kiss albums out there...
The Yes one is, well, not that great, but again, Yes has gone sideways a few times.
And St. Anger, well...the documentary was at least interesting so I'll give them that. I do really like the title track from that one, Some Kind of Monster is a good song, All Within My Hands is not bad at all..It has its place in the Metallica catalogue.
Now Lulu on the other hand....

I really like The Elder, bit of a weird trip for Kiss but the music stands up.

[Nickslikk2112]

Got St Anger and Aerosmith's Nine Lives off that list.

Can't decide if St Anger or Vapid Trials is my least favourite. Hideous the pair of them.