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TOP TEN DEBUT ALBUMS


TOMMY TUNES

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This is a subject I've had on my mind for years. Never got to formalizing it. So here goes. I definitely reserve the right to change them (as well as put them in order) later in this thread (especially after I check my CD library as well as others lists) but these are the ones that come to mind in no particular order.

Eric Carmen / Eric Carmen

Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols / Sex Pistols

Blondie / Blondie

The Ramones / The Ramones

The Monkees / The Monkees

Go Girl Crazy / The Dictators

My Aim Is True / Elvis Costello

The Cars / The Cars

The Raspberries / The Raspberries

The Pezband / The Pezband

The Records / The Records

Get The Knack / The Knack

Beauty and The Beat / The Go-Gos

Horses / Patti Smith

Bad Reputation / Joan Jett

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One of the Brit mags (Mojo, Uncut, or Q) did a list like this about a year ago, and Guns & Roses' "Appetite For Destruction" was their top pick. (And, dare I say it, I believe Patti Smith's "Horses" placed in their top 10!)

Offhand, I'd say -

I agree with your picks of the Pistols, Ramones and Dictators

Other seven -

The Clash - The Clash (UK version)

Moby Grape - Moby Grape

Big Star - #1 Record

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?

The Stooges - The Stooges

Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man

The Band - Music From Big Pink

runner-ups - MC5 - Kick Out The Jams, Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground, Eric Carmen - Eric Carmen

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"Meet The Beatles" American version....

Even though there were other previous releases on various labels, this one is the "official" first...."I Wanna Hold Your Hand", "This Boy", "All My Loving", "I Saw Her Standing There", etc is tough to beat!

Eric's first is one of my all time faves.

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Good poll.

Some great ones have already been mentioned, so I'll just hit some others.

The A's - The A's

Tommy Keene - Strange Alliance

Graham Parker & the Rumour - Howling Wind

John Eddie - John Eddie

DL Byron - This Day and Age

The Beat - The Beat

20/20 - 20/20

Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul - Men Without Women

Ok...that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

I would have added the Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience, but that was technically their second CD.

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Speaking of Meet The Beatles, check out the album "Meet The Smithereens" a newly-released track-by-track tribute to the 1964 Beatles release covered by the great Jersey power-poppers The Smithereens. I've been a Smithereens fan for many, many years and even had Pat DiNizio (lead singer and songwriter) perform at my house on his "Living Room Tour" a few years back. I think you'd be surprised at how well the band pulls it off! You can listen to samples/buy it at iTunes.com. HIGHLY recommended!

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Certainly not the best, but definitely ones that I've enjoyed over the years:

Elvis - My Aim Is True

Dwight Twilley Band - Sincerely

Eric Carmen - Self titled

Phil Seymour - Self titled

Rockpile - Seconds Of Pleasure

Eddie Money - Self titled

Don Henley - I Can't Stand Still

Marshall Crenshaw - Self titled

Los Lobos - How Will the Wolf Survive

Counting Crows - August And Everything After

ABBA - Self titled

Bad Company - Self titled

Marv

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Mine is a little bias, as half came out when I was in college:

Boston

Heart

Foreignor

The Knack

Eric Carmen

Eddie Money

The Cars

Meet The Beatles

Henley

Boston's debut album is practically their greatest hits, from beginning to end.

My theory on why so many artists have their most popular album as their debut, as they are pulling from 10 years of songwriting and performing, it hits, then the label wants the sophmore album in 9 months... little harder challenge. Some pull it off though.

The biggest stars, including McCartney, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Queen, REO, Elton John, etc. took a couple albums before their home run.

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Hard list to compile. Most of my favourite bands started out by releasing that which I consider to be far, Far, FAR lesser than even their merely average work. I also will have difficulty listing anything from any virtual 'one hit wonder' groups as the legitimacy of their 'rendering' comes into question in terms of its authenticity.

Chicago

Eric Carmen*

Emmitt Rhodes

Led Zeppelin

Jimi Hendrix

Christopher Cross

Dennis Wilson

The Vinyl Kings

Rod Stewart** [peaked right off the top and then his stuff went down, Down, DOWN]

CCR

Byrds

Actually I feel VERY reluctant to include anyone who enjoyed meaningful success AS A FRONT MAN previously. As a result *Eric and **Rod are both questionable in terms of their initial lps actually being "debuts" in the true sense of the word.

As a result I would exchange Boston and AC/DC for them with absolutely NO 2nd thought whatsoever.

[Michael Jackson's Off the Wall is therefore, to my way of thinking, not a debut at all. A comeback though? Yes...absolutely. Same for Don Henley]

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Oh My...so many to choose from...but my list must include......no particular order

Hendrix - Are You Experienced?

Meet The Beatles

Chicago Transit Authority

Christopher Cross

Get The Knack

Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True

Led Zep I

GNR - Appetite For Destruction (not sure if that's the debut..but what the heck)

Eric Carmen - self titled

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my 10 faves

1. New York Dolls- New York Dolls

2. Pernice Brothers- Overcome By Happiness

3. Van Duren- Are You Serious?

4. Wonder Stuff- 8 Legged Groove Machine

5. Even Johansen- Quiet & Still

6. Pretenders- Pretenders

7. Big Star- # 1 Record

8. Dwight Twilley Band- Sincerely

9. Psychedelic Furs- Psychedelic Furs

10. Trash Can Sinatras- Cake

ten biggies

1. Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced

2. Velvet Underground & Nico- Velvet Underground & Nico

3. Ramones- Ramones

4. Sex Pistols- Never Mind The Bollocks...

5. The Who- Sings My Generation

6. George Harrison- All Things Must Pass

7. John Lennon- Plastic Ono Band

8. REM- Murmer

9. Nirvana- Nevermind

10. Byrds- Mr. Tambourine Man

ten worthy of a place...

1. Oasis- Definitely Maybe

2. Jellyfish- Bellybutton

3. 20/20- 20/20

4. Marjorie Fair- Self Help Serenade

5. Bongos- Drums Along The Hudson

6. The Strokes- Is This It

7. Jarvis Cocker- The Jarvis Cocker Record

8. Vapors- New Clear Days

9. The Church- Of Skins & Heart

10. Nick Lowe- Pure Pop For Now People (aka Jesus Of Cool)

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Toto/Toto

Cyndi Lauper/She's So Unsual

Sheena Easton/Sheena Easton(in my opinion her best....she had hits afterwards, but this was the album with the most consistent quality)

Fresh Cream

Black Sabbath

Rubinoos

Pink Floyd/Piper at the Gates of Dawn

I'd have to agree with Joe Jackson's. Haven't heard it for a while, but a great album.

Nobody mentioned the Doors.....

Chicago Transit Authority debut was spoiled by that "Free Form Guitar" crap. Although Terry Kath is one of my favorite all-time guitarists.

I saw Colin Hay do a solo acoustic set at a local park(Bremerton)for "Whaling Day". He still plays and sings great!!

Michael Jackson had other solo releases before "Off the Wall".......let's not forget "Ben" .....so "OTW" is not a debut, in anyone's book.

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Surprised you didn't have "Go Girl Crazy" on your list. - TT

i luv the songs from Go Girl Crazy, but I don't like the production on the album... i don't usually listen to it that much-- although, live, those songs are monumental... i also think they made their strongest album last (much like the Raspberries)

the Strokes debut really held up for me

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Chicago Transit Authority debut was spoiled by that "Free Form Guitar" crap. Although Terry Kath is one of my favorite all-time guitarists.

I agree that that 'item' detracts from the album's being totally great. BUT...as it was 2 discs worth of music...we don't have to toss it out with the bath water just as we wouldn't 'wiz' on the Beatles White Album because of that gawd-awful Revolution 9.

#9...#9...#9...#9...#9... [made we wanna do a #2]

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Off the top of my head,and in no particular order:

Television-Marquee Moon

Patti Smith-Horses

Marshall Crenshaw(s/t)

Eric Carmen(s/t)

New York Dolls(s/t)

The Clash(s/t)UK edition

Lloyd Cole and the Commotions-Rattlesnakes

The Doors

Moby Grape

Shoes-Black Vinyl Shoes

Buffalo Springfield(s/t)

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