The Year 1986 Albums Calendar and Rankings

1986 was a one of those years in the 80's that I look at with a lot of albums that seemed either to be a transition for some artists, or the start of their career, which in some cases, the peak, at least commercially.

As it seems, it wasn't actually both all that deep, and even at the top, my favorites aren't all-time favorites exactly.

I mean sure, Awaken the Guardian is often considered the best John Arch Fates Warning album, but it's actually not my favorite. I still do enjoy it a lot though, per why it's my #1. Skylarking I would still probably rank as my favorite XTC album, but it is a bit of splitting hairs I suppose. Tones, So, Master of Puppets, 5150, all quality LPs, but not ones I think of as among my favorites from the 80's. Although Master of Puppets is hugely influential and probably still my go-to Metallca record, but I also can't claim to be that huge a fan of course.

Anyway, another year with a lot of pop and metal and jazz. Some prog, but I guess overall, this is 1 of the lesser years from the 80's, but like basically every year, there's still some good work that is worth noting and when it was released.

Of course I was 10 years old in 1986, and while I recall some of these albums and songs from them, the majority I didn't know until long after the actual year.

1. Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
2. XTC - Skylarking
3. Eric Johnson - Tones
4. Peter Gabriel - So
5. Metallica - Master of Puppets
6. Van Halen - 5150
7. Marillion - Brief Encounter
8. Queensryche - Rage for Order
9. Queen - A Kind of Magic
10. Robert Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists - The League of Crafty Guitarists Live
11. Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory
12. Huey Lewis and the News - Fore!
13. Megadeth - Peace Sells...but Who's Buying?
14. Genesis - Invisible Touch
15. Janet Jackson - Control
16. Paul Simon - Graceland
17. The Beastie Boys - License to Ill
18. Prince - Parade: Music From the Motion Picture "Under the Cherry Moon"
19. Duran Duran - Notorious
20. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Live/1975-85
21. Billy Joel - The Bridge
22. Various Artists - Top Gun Soundtrack
23. Boston - Third Stage
24. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
25. The Police - Every Breathe You Take: The Singles
26. Pat Metheny and Ornette Coleman - Song X


...


Bangles - Different Light
rel January 2, 1986


Janet Jackson - Control
rel February 4, 1986


Animotion - Strange Behavior
rel February 1986


Smithereens - Especially for You
rel March 1, 1986


Metallica - Master of Puppets
rel March 3, 1986


Depeche Mode - Black Celebration
rel March 17, 1986


Van Halen - 5150
rel March 24, 1986


Prince - Parade: Music From the Motion Picture "Under the Cherry Moon"
rel March 31, 1986


Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring
rel March 1986


Journey - Raised on Radio
rel April 21, 1986


Various Artists - Top Gun Soundtrack
rel May 13, 1986



Peter Gabriel - So
rel May 19, 1986


Emerson Lake and Powell - Emerson Lake and Powell
rel May 26, 1986


Europe - The Final Countdown
rel May 26, 1986


Queen - A Kind of Magic
rel June 3, 1986


Genesis - Invisible Touch
rel June 6, 1986


Eric Johnson - Tones
rel June 15, 1986


Sam Kinison - Louder Than Hell
rel June 15, 1986


Corey Hart - Fields of Fire
rel June 18, 1986


Madonna - True Blue
rel June 30, 1986


Marillion - Brief Encounter
rel June 1986


Pat Metheny and Ornette Coleman - Song X
rel June 1986


Sting - Bring on the Night
rel July 1, 1986


David+David - Boomtown
rel July 7, 1986


Queensryche - Rage for Order
rel July 14, 1986


Teena Marie - Emerald City
rel July 22, 1986


Billy Joel - The Bridge
rel July 28, 1986


R.E.M. - Life's Rich Pageant
rel July 28, 1986


Steve Winwood - Back in the High Life
rel July 30, 1986


Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
rel August 18, 1986


Huey Lewis and the News - Fore!
rel August 20, 1986



Paul Simon - Graceland
rel August 25, 1986


Toto - Fahrenheit
rel August 1986


Cameo - Word Up!
rel September 9, 1986


Megadeth - Peace Sells...but Who's Buying?
rel September 19, 1986


Eddie Money - Can't Hold Back
rel September 21, 1986


Boston - Third Stage
rel September 23, 1986


Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
rel September 29, 1986


Bruce Hornsby and the Range - The Way it is
rel September 30, 1986


a-ha - Scoundrel Days
rel October 6, 1986


Slayer - Reign in Blood
rel October 7, 1986


Talking Heads - True Stories
rel October 8, 1986


Berlin - Count Three and Pray
rel October 13, 1986


Stacey Q - Better than Heaven
rel October 17, 1986


Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory
rel October 20, 1986


The Police - Every Breathe You Take: The Singles
rel October 25, 1986


XTC - Skylarking
rel October 27, 1986


Roxette - Pearls of Passion
rel October 31, 1986


Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Live/1975-85
rel November 10, 1986


The Beastie Boys - License to Ill
rel November 15, 1986


Frank Zappa - Jazz from Hell
rel November 15, 1986


Duran Duran - Notorious
rel November 18, 1986


Cutting Crew - Broadcast
rel November 22, 1986


Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
rel November 1986


Robert Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists - Live!
rel November 1986


Tesla - Mechanical Resonance
rel December 8, 1986


Bill Connors - Double Up
rel 1986


The Chick Corea Elektric Band - Elektric Band
rel 1986


Stanley Jordan - Standards, Volume 1
rel 1986


Michael Manring - Unusual Weather
rel 1986


Miriodor - Recontres
rel 1986

Michael Nesmith and the First National Band @ The Troubadour 1/25/18

So the wife and I made the trek out the Sunny Hollywood, California to see Michael Nesmith and his newly formed live 1st National Band perform last night, January 25th.

Details:

1st off, it was at The famed The Troubadour club, which I took some pics below, and many famous bands and artists have played there. But of course, the #1 to me is the classic Kevin Gilbert live album from 1995, that was later released as a DVD.

It was kind of surreal to be there, knowing 22+ years before Kevin and his Thud band played and recorded that show.

I can say, I thought it would be larger, but it does not look much if any different than from the video clips.

So 2ndly, of course the wife LOVES Michael Nesmith maybe more than I do Kevin. And the music he and this large ensemble group performed was largely from Michael's 1st 3 albums, which were under the "First National Band" name.

Now, my favorite Nez tune, "Wax Minute" was not on 1 of those 3, per it comes off Tantamount a Treason, which was the "2nd National Band"

but alas.

This show SMOKED! His band is fantastic! Of course it includes 2 of his 3 sons, Christian and Jonathan, both on guitars and vocals. And Christian's partner Circe Link did a lot of background vocals including harmonies along 1 other female singer.

Pete Finney who he got to play all those sweet, smooth and trippy Red Rhodes slide-guitar parts.

Jim Cox on Piano
Jason Chesney on Bass,
Christopher Allis on drums

I'm not sure if I can name every highlight, but 2 of them were definitely 2 of the tunes my wife looked forward to most.

"Lady of the Valley" and "Tengo Amore"

omg, LADY OF THE VALLEY is totally trippy! Like Pink Floyd trippy almost.

And Tengo Amore, has this outstanding percussive rhythm to it.

Even the standards like the 2 Monkees tunes, Joanne and Rio sounded wonderful; and more full even compared to the 2 other shows we saw Mike in 2013.

I gotta say, if we never get to see Nez again, this was 1 helluva show to remember. But per the wife, there may be both an East Coast tour for the First National Band in the works, and also a Mike and Micky Dolenz tour that may be happening soon. And in fact Micky Dolenz was at the show (he attended the show on Tuesday at the Coach House as well), sitting next to Jessica Nesmith. We ended up seeing him outside as well before the show.

Also 1 other possible celebrity sighting was Branscombe Richmond who may be best known for his role in the show Renegade (alongside Lorenzo Llamas). It was either him, or someone who looked A LOT like him.

I included some other pics below as well, just spending time in Hollywood. We stayed literally 1 block off Hollywood Blvd, and saw literally hundreds of those stars on the walk of fame. Rush, Phil Collins and Hall and Oates included. I just only stopped to snap a pic of The Monkees one.

And we went to Amoeba. I found some stuff, but didn't grab everything. I'll try and make a video showing/telling I hope. Of course the prices of everything out there is higher, and the driving/drivers are crazy. But I successfully avoided the hated 405 Freeway at least.


Nevada Fighter
Calico Girlfriend
Nine Times Blue/Little Red Rider
The Crippled Lion
Joanne
Dedicated Friend
Two Different Roads (Michael Nesmith song)
Grand Ennui
Lady of the Valley
Propinquity (I've Just Begun to Care)
Different Drum (Michael Nesmith song)
Papa Gene's Blues (The Monkees cover)
Tomorrow and Me (Michael Nesmith song)
Tengo Amore
Keys to the Car
Mama Nantucket
Bye, Bye, Bye
Some of Shelly's Blues (Michael Nesmith song)
Silver Moon
Rio (Michael Nesmith song)
Thanx for the Ride

Encore:
Beyond the Blue Horizon (Jeanette MacDonald cover)

dredg: Back in the Studio 1/26/'18

Not that this is anything large in terms of DETAILS, but as I have followed and at times posted in here and Social Media, dredg were looking to make new music, it was just when, how long, etc. And I imagine a lot of it was timing for the band members and their schedules.

But it is good to finally get actual confirmation it's happening.

When it comes out? I wonder if it won't happen until late in the year or maybe even in 2019. But I do suspect this could be the 1st album they make in a long time without any expectation from any labels, etc. I.e. this is dredg, how dredg want to make music. And especially how long its been and the overall experience of their last record Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy from 2011.

But, as a HUGE fan, I am incredibly excited to anticipate this album, whenever it does get released (6 months, or maybe in the next couple of years).

Per Facebook



Drew Roulette Day one of writing a new record.