While there are many, many songs that rock my Abysmal world, these are the ones that find their way to my ear canal more frequently than any others. To my ears, they sound just as fresh after thousands of listens as they did the very first time we became acquainted. To listen to these songs for yourself, just click on the song titles which are linked to the songs (and the videos where there is one). They are in no particular order as each one is my favorite on any given day.
1. Wild Flower (The Cult) – There’s just something about the spirit and sound of this song that has commanded my full and undivided attention from the first time I heard it. Songs don’t come any more root-simple than this one, winning the day with a chorus that will have you singing along…and in my opinion the sexiest rock guitar sound ever conceived. I won’t mention the cheesy 80’s rawk dog soundstage video that accompanied this track…
2. Let The Good Times Roll (Tricky Woo) – This relentless headache of a song sounds like it could just fall apart under its own energy at any point, but it never does. Absolutely fun and chaotic beyond description, this song epitomizes the sound and spirit of the Sometimes I Cry album…a sound fueled by barely controlled electricity. And clocking in at a generous 1 minute and 55 seconds. (note: when you click the link to listen, Let the Good Times Roll actually starts at the 2:35 mark…you’ve been warned. Aspirin not included)
3. Middle of the Busiest Road (Badlees) – One of the greatest choruses of any song ever recorded in my opinion, and (with respect to their seemingly endless catalogue of great songs) the Badlees most shining moment. Upbeat and spirited, this song is just perfect…and a classic of the roots-rock persuasion.
4. Ain’t No Rest For the Wicked (Cage the Elephant) – A bonafide stone cold classic forever and ever amen. Period. End of story. Immediately infectious, this song was my introduction to this band and my favorite CD of 2009. Absolutely slammed it’s way into the 10 Most Truly Abysmal Songs of all time…there’s not a week that goes by where I don’t listen to this song and, indeed, this album. Just an incredible calling card from one of the best albums of the past 25 years.
5. The Dragonfly [live version] (Clutch) – No offense to the original version of this song on The Elephant Riders CD (still good), but the live version of The Dragonfly is my favorite song of alltime on any given day. Nothing makes my hair stand on end like Tim Sult’s guitar intro and the subsequent kick-in to the song live. And the song is about the Rites of Spring from the point of view of a newly hatched dragonfly. Just fun and exciting stuff!
6. Siva (Smashing Pumpkins) – Yeah, I know the Pumpkins have sold millions of pancakes, but I don’t personally know anyone with any recollection of this song – the very song which made a fan out of me. From their debut album Gish (when Billy Corgan sported long locks and a hippy disposition), this song just blew me away when I first saw the video back in 1991 (?). A careening rollercoaster of aggression, melody and effortless dynamics.
7. At Long Last (Swell) – One of those songs that takes me somewhere new every time I listen to it. Simple in its structure, it’s all about atmosphere as this was the first song I ever heard that melded acoustic guitar with distorted electric guitar in a way that just stopped me in my tracks. Made me an instant fan of this band, which I remain to this day.
8. Fire in the Head (The Tea Party) – A stone cold bonafide classic of indescribable proportions in my world, the grandeur and groove of this song still makes my hair stand on end even now…nearly 15 years after the fact. They were slagged by some “experts” for their sometimes overt middle-eastern Zeppisms, but for my ears it always sounded like inspiration rather than derision. Nice tip of the hat to the aforementioned inspiration with the Kashmir-ish symphonic touches that work magic here.
9. Moon June Spoon (Spot) – Infectious from the very first note, this song never really got the attention it deserved, though it was a minor hit in the alternative boom of the mid-90’s. Smart riffing, ludicrously catchy melodies and intelligent lyrics delivered with passion, Spot was just spot-on with this song.
10. Whiskey Pocket/The Lemon (Hot Head Show) – 2010 is the second year in a row where a new song has displaced one of the original 10 Most Truly Abysmal Songs, and on any given day the one-two punch of Whiskey Pocket and The Lemon from Hot Head Show’s The Lemon EP could be my favorite song of all time. I could not deny this tandem a spot on this list ’cause truth is there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t listen to it at least a couple of times. Almost beyond description.
11. Mental Hopscotch (Missing Persons) – Yeah, I know…this is new wave to the core, but there’s a certain magic about this song to me with Dale Bozzio’s quirky Betty Boop vocals weaving in and out and around a purely new wave soundscape punctuated by drummer Terry Bozzio’s always creative and interesting drumming. Gotta love those roto-toms and pouty posing for the video cameras. Yeah, I know this is supposed to be only a Top 10 list. These go to 11.
Honorabysmal Mention:
Long Gone (UFO) – When rockheads speak of UFO, it always seems to be about the 70’s era when the enigmatic Michael Schenker was serving up the licks to compliment the riffs. Maybe I’m missing something, but I always found his riffs to be very average though at times he could be brilliant, and I much prefer albums like Making Contact and The Wild The Willing and The Innocent over anything from the Schenker days. This song is from The Wild The Willing… and is just a classic and classy rocker radiating melody and a sense of dynamic and hook that not even a dry, blocky, plodding drum mix can ruin.
Circus Maximus (Clutch) – It was hard to not include The Mob Goes Wild as Clutch’s entry on this list, as that was the song that put me over the top as a die hard Clutch fan, but the truth is hardly a day goes by that I don’t listen to this song. Circus Maximus’ jazz-based central riff is one of the most ear-catching I’ve ever heard, punctuated by the relentless Maines/Gaster rhythm section and Neil Fallon’s inimitable vocals. “And just when you thought it could get no stranger, may I present the semblence of a Scandinavian doppelganger.” That line just cracks me up every time and might be my alltime favorite rhyme.
10. Little Face (The Cult) – Sporting a sound totally different than the pure rock stylings of the Electric album (though equally effective), this song just haunts me. The atmospheric electric guitar, peppered with some nice acoustic strumming, works to great effect along with Ian Astbury’s most passionate vocal performance weaving a romantic, if melancholic, tapestry of sounds. One of my 2 favorite Cult songs.
2009 Weathermaker
2009 Jive – R.E.D
2009 Nuclear Blast
1997 Capitol Records
1992 Charisma Records
1996 Relapse
1990 Def American
1. Matthias Jabs (Scorpions) – I’ve always been amazed that this guy didn’t receive much more accolades for his guitar playing. His counterpart Rudy Schenker (no slouch, mind you) has always been better known, but Jabs has one of the most searing and expressive guitar styles I’ve ever heard and is one of very few guitarists whose solos just make my hair stand on end. He has fast fingers and can shred with the best of them, but he has always been more about melody and his string bending is some of the most expressive I’ve heard. Just really exciting stuff. He’s the only guitarist from a “star” band you’ll see in the Abyss, simply because he never got the recognition. Simply unstoppable during Scorpions’ heyday CD’s: Lovedrive, Animal Magnetism, Blackout, and Love At First Sting.
2. Denis D’Amour (Voivod) – RIP – Up until his death in 2005 from colon cancer, Denis D’Amour (known as “Piggy” in his band’s early days) was the unheralded guitar master for Canadian prog-thrash band Voivod. He’s another one who was undoubtedly nimble of finger, but his true strength was his pure creativity. Mixing together elements that just didn’t belong together in the conventional way of thinking, D’Amour took jazz chords, dissonance, melody, intelligence and algebra to create a totally unique and original world of sound that progressed from sheer noise in the early days to progressive thrash in the mid-80’s to (in my humble opinion) the peak of his genius on the incredibly melodic Angel Rat and The Outer Limits CD’s. Most Voivod fans hated those discs, but I think they showcased a truly brilliant guitarist’s amazing technical and creative scope. And there’s nothing wrong with being able to hum the damn songs, too.
3. Yuji ‘You’ Adachi (Dead End) – A guitarist most of you have probably never heard of from an amazing band that you’ve probably never heard of, Adachi’s solo on the song “The Damned Thing” from Dead End’s Ghost of Romance CD ranks among my 10 favorite solos of all time. Not simply for the deft fingerwork, but for the creativity, melody and emotional expression. Adachi’s style really defined Dead End’s sound, which was a combination of technical metal and goth with some street glam visuals thrown into the mix for good measure. The fact that most of their songs are sung in Japanese was an obvious shortcoming in trying to break the US market, but the band’s talent and penchant for memorable hooks makes them a band I constantly return to, and Adachi’s solos never compete with the song itself but rather add a big fat exclamation point.
4. Tim Sult (Clutch) – How do I love Clutch? Let me count the ways. I can think of 4…Neil Fallon, Dan Maines, Jean-Paul Gaster (the Master) and their sound-loving guitarist Tim Sult. What I love most about Sult’s playing is that it’s all about sound. He can serve up some tasty solos when it’s appropriate, but his real forte’ is the manipulation of sound effects and melody to create a variety of moods that can really sum up life itself without uttering a word. Some of the most hummable melody lines and booty-shakin’ riffs on the planet, and a real sense of fun style.
5. Chris Leblanc (Chris Leblanc Band) – The first time I heard Leblanc play in Baton Rouge back in the early 1990’s, he was undoubtedly a talented player and I liked his music. In a time when grunge was the rage, Leblanc took his cues from the blues and Austin blues/rock stylings while also having an open mind to the popular sounds of the day. The thing I respect most about him is that he’s all about the song. His solos are even better now than before as his style has truly become his own, and he shares a major characteristic with other truly abysmal guitarists here…his solos are never in competition with the song itself and always manage to make the song just that much better. And damn if he didn’t write one of my all-time favorite songs, “The Other Side” from his Talent Show album, showcasing his love for sweet vocal harmonies to go along with super guitar hooks. Here’s to you Sweetroll!
6. Jimi Hudson (4 Mag Nitrous) – I admittedly know very little about this guy, other than when 4 Mag bassist/vocalist Kib gave me a copy of Southern Wisdom and Know-How and I cranked it on my stereo…the opening riff of “Cut Throat” just made me get off my lazy keester and do some air guitar. Yeah, I admit it. The rest of the disc proved that he’s no one-trick pony, either. Too often, guitarists with this kind of speed and technical prowess get too wrapped up in showcasing their skills and forget about things like hooks and memorable songs. Not Hudson, as riff and solo alike are just pure electricity and twisted melody. Man, I can’t wait to hear more from this guitarist and the band.
7. Ty Tabor (King’s X) – Musicians from metal to pop to grunge admire this guy. Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam credits King’s X for actually inventing grunge. Some people may argue that point, but what is inarguable is his heavenly talent and inimitable style. Take a listen to King’s X (especially the incredible trifecta of their first three discs) and you’ll hear for yourself a tone, sound and style that’s like no one else. His guitar sound is totally unique to him and, along with just ridiculously wonderful vocal harmonies, defined the sound of King’s X. Oh yeah…his soloing is melodic and tasteful, too, often acting as a bit of a foil to some of his heavier riffs. Definitely a guitarist with his own unique take on things.
8. Jeff Martin (Tea Party) – My heart is still broken that Martin flew the coup and left the Tea Party in…ummm…an extended hiatus. While his penchant for drama can sometimes be a bit much, I have just always loved his style and songwriting. There’s always a dark (not quite goth, but pleasantly close) mood to his Tea Party material, and he experiments with alternate tunings like no one else I’ve heard. Creativity is at the forefront here, and while he can rip some blistering solos when the song calls for it, it’s his creativity and ability to create darkly beautiful moods that makes him a no-brainer inclusion amongst my favorite Abysmal guitarists. Check out “The Bazaar,” “Heaven Coming Down,” “Angels,” “Fire in the Head” and “Sister Awake” for some of my favorites of his.
9. Hillel Slovak (Red Hot Chili Peppers) – RIP – There’s just not much of this guy’s recorded work around, given his career and life being cut ridiculously short by his heroin addiction and subsequent overdose at the tail end of the Uplift Mofo Party Plan tour. In my book, Slovak was an innovator and should get much more credit as such than he does. He was only on two RHCP discs (Freaky Styley and Uplift Mofo Party Plan), but it was on Uplift Mofo that he really made his mark. Take a listen to it. This was 1987…there was no one like him. His guitar sound slices through the mix (and your lame-O speaker cones) and he has the chops to match. A true rock original in my book, he melded together funk, R&B, rock, metal, punk and blues like no one before him. Solos and riffs alike are just loaded with passion and attitude.
10. Jordan Copeland (Hot Head Show) – So help me, I can’t even begin to try and define his style. With adroit fret work, he fills his role in this most unique of power trios with both colour and skill. Seriously…you HAVE to 
1988 Megaforce/Atlantic