Best Rock Albums of all Time


Displayed with notes by Rocco Stilo and Francesco Nunziata based on piero scaruffi's best rock records of all time
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TM, ®, Copyright © 2003 Piero Scaruffi, Rocco Stilo & Francesco Nunziata

1) Captain Beefheart: Trout Mask Replica
  1. Frownland 1.39
  2. The Dust Blows Forward 'N' The Dust Blows Back 1.53
  3. Dachau Blues 2.21
  4. Elle Guru 2.23
  5. Hair Pie: Bake 1 4.57
  6. Moonlight On Vermont 3.55
  7. Pachuco Cadaver 4.37
  8. Bill Corpse 1.47
  9. Sweet Sweet Bulbs 1.47
  10. Neon Meate Dream Of A Octafish 2.25
  11. China Pig 3.56
  12. My Human Gets Me Blues 2.42
  13. Dali's Car 1.25
  14. Hair Pie: Bake 2 2.23
  15. Pena 2.31
  16. Well 2.05
  17. When Big Joan Sets Up 5.19
  18. Fallin' Ditch 2.03
  19. Sugar 'N' Spikes 2.29
  20. Ant Man Bee 3.55
  21. Orange Claw Hammer 3.35
  22. Wild Life 3.07
  23. She's Too Much For My Mirror 1.42
  24. Hobo Chang Ba 2.01
  25. The Blimp 2.04
  26. Steal Softly Thru Snow 2.13
  27. Old Fart At Play 1.54
  28. Veteran's Day Poppy 4.30
First release: Straight, 1969. CD reissue: Reprise, 1990. Personnel and instruments:
Captain Beefheart (Donald Van Vliet): bass clarinet, harmonica, soprano & tenor Sax, vocals, musette
Drumbo (John French): drums
Douglas Moon: guitar
Mascara Snake (Victor Hayden): bass clarinet, vocals
Zoot Horn Rollo (Bill Harkleroad): flute, guitar
Antennae Jimmy Semens (Jeff Cotton): steel guitar, vocals, winds
Mark Boston (Rockette Morton): bass

and as guests:
Ian Underwood: alto sax
Don Preston: piano
Roy Estrada: bass

Artie Tripp: drums
Frank Zappa: vocals

2) Robert Wyatt: Rock Bottom
  1. Sea Song 6.31
  2. A Last Straw 5.46
  3. Little Red Riding Hood Hit The Road 7.38
  4. Alifib 6.55
  5. Alife 6.31
  6. Little Red Robin Hood Hit The Road 6.08
First release: Virgin, 1974. CD reissue: Thirsty Ear, 1998. Personnel and instruments:
Robert Wyatt: guitar, drums, keyboards, vocals
Richard Sinclair & Hugh Hopper: bass
Laurie Allan: drums
Gary Windo: clarinet & bass clarinet, tenor sax, winds, vocals
Fred Frith: piano, viola
Ivor Cutler: vocals, keyboards, concertina
Mongezi Feza: trumpet
Alfreda Benge: vocals
Mike Oldfield: guitar

3) Faust: Faust
  1. Why Don't You Eat Carrots? 9.35
  2. Meadow Meal 8.05
  3. Miss Fortune (live) 16.36
First release: Polydor, 1971. CD reissue: Polygram, 2001. Personnel and instruments:
Werner Diermaier: drums
Hans Joachim Irmler: organ
Jean Hervé Peron: bass, guitar, trumpet, vocals
Rudolf Sossna: guitar
Gunther Wusthoff: keyboards, winds


4) Velvet Underground: VU and Nico
  1. Sunday Morning 2.54
  2. I'm Waiting For The Man 4.37
  3. Femme Fatale 2.37
  4. Venus in Furs 5.10
  5. Run Run Run 4.20
  6. All Tomorrow's Parties 5.58
  7. Heroin 7.10
  8. There She Goes Again 2.38
  9. I'll Be Your Mirror 2.12
  10. The Black Angel's Death Song 3.12
  11. European Son 7.46
First release: Verve, 1967. CD reissue: Polygram, 1996. Personnel and instruments:
John Cale: bass, piano, guitar, keyboards, viola & electric viola
Nico: vocals
Lou Reed: acoustic & electric guitar, keyboards, vocals
Maureen Tucker: bass, drums, percussions
Sterling Morrison: bass, guitar


5) Doors: The Doors
  1. Break on Through (To the Other Side) 2.25
  2. Soul Kitchen 3.30
  3. Crystal Ship 2.30
  4. Twentieth Century Fox 2.30
  5. Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar) 3.15
  6. Light My Fire 6.50
  7. Back Door Man 3.30
  8. I Looked at You 2.18
  9. End of the Night 2.49
  10. Take It as It Comes 2.13
  11. The End 11.35
First release: Elektra, 1967. CD reissue: id, 1988. Personnel and instruments:
Jim Morrison: vocals
Ray Manzarek: keyboards
Robby Krieger: guitar
John Densmore: drums

6) Tim Buckley: Lorca
  1. Lorca 9.53
  2. Anonymous Proposition 7.43
  3. I Had A Talk With My Woman 5.55
  4. Driftin' 8.10
  5. Nobody Walkin' 7.30
First release: Elektra, 1970. CD reissue: Asylum, 1992. Personnel and instruments:
Tim Buckley: guitars, vocals
John Balkin: bass & electric bass, pipe organ
Lee Underwood: acoustic & electric guitar, keyboards, electric piano
Carter C. C. Collins: congas

7) Pere Ubu: The Modern Dance
  1. Non alignment pact 3.18
  2. Modern dance 3.28
  3. Laughing 4.35
  4. Street waves 3.04
  5. Chinese radiation 3.27
  6. Life stinks 1.52
  7. Real world 3.59
  8. Over my head 3.48
  9. Sentimental journey 6.05
  10. Humour me 2.44
First release: Blank, 1978. CD reissue: Geffen, 1998. Personnel and instruments:
David Thomas: percussion, vocals, musette
Tom Herman: guitar
Scott Krauss: drums
Tony Maimone: bass
Allen Ravenstine: synthesizer, keyboards

8) Royal Trux: Twin Infinitives
  1. Solid Gold Tooth 2.02
  2. Ice Cream 3.38
  3. Jet Pet 4.28
  4. RTX-USA 2.22
  5. Kool Down Wheels 2.18
  6. Chances Are The Comets In Our Future 6.25
  7. Yin Jim Versus The Vomit Creature 5.30
  8. Osiris 3.51
  9. (Edge Of The) Ape Oven 14.35
  10. Florida Avenue Theme 1.05
  11. Lick My Boots 4.19
  12. Glitterbust 3.43
  13. Funky Son 2.48
  14. Ratcreeps 2.51
  15. New York Avenue Bridge 3.42
First release: Drag City, 1990. CD reissue: id, 1994. Personnel and instruments:
Neil Hagerty: guitar, vocals, percussions
Jennifer Herrema: organ, vocals, percussions

9) John Fahey: Fare Forward Voyagers
First release: Takoma, 1973, CD reissue: Shanachie, 1992. Personnel and instruments:
John Fahey: guitar
  1. When the Fire and the Rose Are One (13:55)
  2. Thus Krishna On The Battlefield (6:36)
  3. Fare Forward Voyagers (23:42)

10) Nico: Desert Shore
  1. Janitor of Lunacy 4.01
  2. The Falconer 5.39
  3. My Only Child 3.27
  4. Le Petit Chevalier 1.12
  5. Abschied 3.02
  6. Afraid 3.27
  7. Mutterlein 4.38
  8. All That Is My Own 3.54
First release: Reprise, january 1971. CD reissue: Warner Bros, 1993. Personnel and instruments:
Nico: vocals, harmonium, marimba
John Cale: vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards, multi instruments
Adam Miller, Annagh & Vicki Wood: vocals

11) Popol Vuh: Hosianna Mantra
  1. Ah! 4.43
  2. Kyrie 5.20
  3. Hosianna - Mantra 10.15
  4. Abschied 3.10
  5. Segnung 6.00
  6. Andacht 0.40
  7. Nicht Hoch Im Himmel 6.17
  8. Andacht 0.35
First release: Pilz, 1973. CD reissue: High Tide, 1994. Personnel and instruments:
Florian Fricke: piano, harpsichord
Klaus Wiese: tambura
Conny Veit: guitar
Robert Eliscu: oboe
Djong Yun: vocals
Fritz Sonnleitner: violin

12) Red Crayola: Parable Of Arable Land
  1. Free Form Freak-out 1.31
  2. Hurricane Fighter Plane 3.31
  3. Free Form Freak-out 2.23
  4. Transparent Radiation 2.33
  5. Free Form Freak-out 4.18
  6. War Sucks 3.53
  7. Free Form Freak-out 1.51
  8. Pink Stainless Tail 3.13
  9. Free Form Freak-out 3.02
  10. Parable Of Arable Land 3.01
  11. Free Form Freak-out 4.11
  12. Former Reflections Enduring Doubt 4.59
First release: International Artist, 1967. CD reissue: Spalax, 1994. Personnel and instruments:
Mayo Thompson: vocals, guitar?
Rick Barthelme: bass, drums?
Steve Cunningham: guitar?
Rick McCollum: keyboards?
Tom Smith: drums
?

13) Klaus Schulze: Irrlicht
  1. Ebene 23.23
  2. Gewitter (energy rise - energy collaps) 5.40
  3. Exil Sils Maria 21.26
First release: Brain, 1972. CD reissue: Spalax, 1995. Personnel and instruments:
Klaus Schulze: organ, synthesizer, guitar, keyboards, percussions, vocals
Colloquium Musica Orchestra

14) Nick Cave: The Good Son
  1. Foi Na Cruz 5.39
  2. The Good Son 6.01
  3. Sorrow's Child 4.36
  4. The Weeping Song 4.21
  5. The Ship Song 5.14
  6. The Hammer Song 4.16
  7. Lament 4.51
  8. The Witness Song 5.57
  9. Lucy 4.17
First release: Mute, 1990. Personnel and instruments:
Nick Cave: vocals, piano, organ, harmonica
Mick Harvey: guitars, bass, percussions, background vocals, vibraphone, string arrangements
Blixa Bargeld: guitar, background vocals
Kid Congo Powers: guitar
Clovis Trindade, Rubinho: vocals
Thomas Wydler: drums, percussion
Roland Wolf: piano
Alexandre Ramirez, Altamir Téa Bueno Salinas, Helena Akiku Imasato, Léa Kalil Sadi: violin
Akira Terakazi, Glauco Masahiru Imasato: viola
Braulio Marques Lima, Cristina Manescu: cello
Bill McGee: string arrangements

15) Lisa Germano: Geek The Girl
  1. My Secret Reason 4.32
  2. Trouble 2.20
  3. Geek The Girl 3.40
  4. Just Geek 2.43
  5. Cry Wolf 4.59
  6. ...A Psychopath 4.36
  7. Sexy Little Girl Princess 3.38
  8. Phantom Love 3.21
  9. Cancer Of Everything 4.00
  10. A Guy Like You 3.18
  11. ...Of Love And Colors 3.54
  12. Stars 2.31
First release: 4AD, 1994. Personnel and instruments:
Lisa Germano: vocals
Kenny Aronoff: drums
Malcolm Burn: dulcimer, piano. guitar, drums

16) Morphine: Good
  1. Good 2.36
  2. The Saddest Song 2.50
  3. Claire 3.07
  4. Have A Lucky Day 3.24
  5. You Speak My Language 3.25
  6. You Look Like Rain 3.42
  7. Do Not Go Quietly Unto Your Grave 3.21
  8. Lisa 0.43
  9. The Only One 2.42
  10. Test-Tube Baby/Shoot'm Down 3.11
  11. The Other Side 3.50
  12. I Know You (Part I) 2.17
  13. I Know You (Part II) 2.45
First release: Accurate, 1992. Personnel and instruments:
Mark Sandman: organ, bass, guitar, vocals
Dana Colley: saxes, vocals
Billy Conway & Jerry Deupree: drums

17) Bob Dylan: Blonde On Blonde
  1. Rainy day women nos 12 & 15 4.33
  2. Pledging my time 3.42
  3. Visions of Johanna 7.27
  4. One of us must know (sooner of later) 4.53
  5. I want you 3.06
  6. Stuck inside of mobile with the Memphis blues again 7.04
  7. Leopard-skin-pill-box hat 3.50
  8. Just like a woman 4.39
  9. Most likely you go tour way and I'll go mine 3.22
  10. Temporary like Achilles 5.03
  11. Absolutely sweet Marie 4.46
  12. 4th Time around 4.26
  13. Obviously 5 believers 3.30
  14. Sad eyed lady of the lowlands 11.19
First release: CBS, 1966. CD reissue: Columbia, 1992. Personnel and instruments:
Bob Dylan: vocals, harmonica, piano, guitar, keyboards
Al Kooper: organ, guitar, horn, keyboards

Robbie Robertson & Wayne Moss: guitar, vocals
Joe South & Jerry Kennedy: guitar
Rick Danko: bass, violin, vocals
Bill Atkins: keyboards
Wayne Butler: trombone
Kenneth Buttrey & Sanford Konikoff: drums
Paul Griffin: piano
Garth Hudson: keyboards, sax
Richard Manuel: drums, keyboards, vocals
Hargus Robbins: piano, keyboards
Henry Strzelecki: bass
Charlie McCoy: bass, guitar, harmonica, trumpet

18) Neu!: Neu!
  1. Hallogallo 10.07
  2. Sanderouwgebut 4.51
  3. Weinensee 6.46
  4. In Glck 6.53
  5. Negativland 9.47
  6. Lieber Honig 7.18
First release: UA, 1973. CD reissue: Astralwerks, 2001. Personnel and instruments:
Michael Rother: bass, guitar, keyboards
Klaus Dinger: bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals

19) Foetus: Nail
  1. Theme From Pigdome Come 1.52
  2. The Throne Of Agony 5.18
  3. ! 0.04
  4. Pigswill 6.13
  5. Descent Into The Inferno 6.17
  6. Enter The Exterminator 4.43
  7. DI-1-9026 4.40
  8. The Overture From Pigdome Come 3.01
  9. Private War 1.06
  10. Anything (Viva!) 6.50
First release: SomeBizarre, 1985. CD reissue: Homestead, 1995. Personnel and instruments:
Foetus (Jim Thirlwell): multi instruments, vocals

20) Suicide: Suicide
  1. Ghost Rider 2.34
  2. Rocket U.S.A. 4.16
  3. Cheree 3.42
  4. Johnny 2.10
  5. Girl 4.05
  6. Frankie Teardrop 10.27
  7. Che 4.52
First release: Bronze, 1977. Second release, with additional tracks: ZE, 1980. CD reissue: Demon, 1995. Personnel and instruments:
Alan Vega: vocals
Martin Rev: synthesizer, multi instruments, electronics

21) Van Morrison: Astral Weeks
  1. Astral weeks 7.00
  2. Beside you 5.10
  3. Sweet thing 4.10
  4. Cyprus Avenue 6.50
  5. The way young lovers do 3.10
  6. Madame George 9.25
  7. Ballerina 7.00
  8. Slim slow rider 3.20
First release: Warner Bros, 1968. CD reissue: id, 1987. Personnel and instruments:
Van Morrison: guitar, vocals, sax, keyboards
Richard Davis: bass
Jay Berliner: guitar
Connie Kay: drums
Warren Smith: percussion, vibraphone
John Payne: flute, sax soprano

22) Residents: Not Available
  1. Edweena 9.25
  2. Making of a Soul 9.56
  3. Ship's A'going Down 6.30
  4. Never Known Questions 7.05
  5. Epilogue 2.25
First release: Ralph, 1978. CD reissue: Mute, 2000. Personnel and instruments (not surely identified):
Homer Flynn & Hardy Fox: multi instruments
Philip Lithnam: guitar

23) Pop Group: Y
  1. Thief Of Fire 4.35
  2. Snowgirl 3.21
  3. Blood Money 2.57
  4. We Are Time 6.29
  5. Savage Sea 3.02
  6. Words Disobey Me 3.26
  7. Dont Call Me Pain 5.35
  8. The Boys From Brazil 4.16
  9. Don't Sell Your Dreams 6.40
First release: Radar, 1979. CD reissue: id, 1996. Personnel and instruments:
Mark Stewart: guitar, vocals
Gareth Sager: sax
Simon Underwood: bass
John Waddington: guitar
Bruce Smith: drums

24) Vampire Rodents: Lullaby Land
  1. Trilobite 4.43
  2. Catacomb 4.03
  3. Crib Death 4.22
  4. Dogchild 3.24
  5. Gargoyles 3.51
  6. Grace 4.34
  7. Tremulous 0.53
  8. Glow Worm 2.23
  9. Lullaby Land 3.04
  10. Dervish 3.55
  11. Scavenger 5.06
  12. Exuviate 5.11
  13. Akrotiri 4.10
  14. Toten Faschist 2.25
  15. Nosedive 3.07
  16. Bosch Erotique 2.17
  17. Hubba Hubba 1.46
  18. Cartouche 1.52
  19. Awaken 1.43
  20. Raga Rodentia 5.42
  21. Passage 3.39
First release: Re-Constriction, 1993. Personnel and instruments:
Daniel Vahnke: vocals, guitar, orchestration, electronics
Victor Wulf: synthesizers
Andrea Akastia: violin, cello
Jing Laoshu: percussion
Marc Bennett: guitar
The Sandman & Jared Hendrickson: vocals

25) Bruce Springsteen: The River
First release: Columbia, 1980: CD reissue: id, 1995. Personnel and instruments:
Bruce Springsteen: bass, guitar, harmonica, vocals
Roy Bittan: piano, keyboards
Danny Federici: organ, vocals
Clarence Clemons: sax, vocals
Garry Tallent: bass, horn
Steve Van Zandt: guitar
Max Weinberg: drums
Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman: vocals

25) Hash Jar Tempo: Well Oiled
First release: Drunken Fish, 1997. Personnel and instruments:
Roy Montgomery, John & Michael Gibbons: guitar
Joe Culver: drums
Clint Takeda: bass

25+) Butthole Surfers: Psychic Powerless
First release: Touch&Go, 1985. CD reissue: id, 1990. Personnel and instruments:
Gibby Haynes: vocals
Paul Leary: guitar
King Coffey: drums
...and others musicians, not identified yet!

25+) Soft Machine: 3
First release: Columbia, 1970. CD reissue: id, 1991. Personnel and instruments:
Mike Ratledge: piano, organ
Robert Wyatt: drums, vocals
Hugh Hopper: bass
Elton Dean: alto sax, saxello
and, as guests:
Rab Spall: violin
Lyn Dobson: flute, sax soprano
Nick Evans: trombone
Jimmy Hastings: flute, bass clarinet

25+) Type O Negative: Slow Deep And Hard
First release: Roadrunner, 1991. Personnel and instruments:
Kenny Hickey: guitar, vocals
Josh Silver: keyboards, vocals
Pete Steele: bass, vocals
Sal Abruscato: drums

25+) Frank Zappa: Uncle Meat
First release: Bizarre, 1969. CD reissue: Barking Pumpkin, 1986 (with excerpts from movie). Personnel and instruments:
Frank Zappa: guitar, vocals, percussion, keyboards
Ray Collins, Nelcy Walker: vocals
Jimmy Carl Black, Billy Mundi: drums
Roy Estrada: electric bass, vocals
Don Preston: electric piano
Bunk Gardner: piccolo, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto, soprano & tenor sax, bassoon
Ian Underwood: organ, piano, harpsichord, celeste, alto & baritone sax, flute, clarinet
Artie Tripp: drums, marimba, vibraphone, tympani, several percussion
Euclid James Sherwood: tenor sax, tambourine
Ruth Komanoff: marimba, vibraphone

25+) Minutemen: Double Nickels On The Dime
First release: SST, 1984. CD reissue: id, 1995. Personnel and instruments:
George Hurley: percussion, drums
Mike Watt: bass, vocals
Dennes Boon: guitar, vocals

25+) Fugazi: Repeater
First release: Dischord, 1990. Personnel and instruments:
Ian MacKaye, Guy Picciotto: guitar, vocals
Brendan Canty: drums
Joe Lally: bass

25+) Mercury Rev: Yerself Is Steam
First release: Beggars Banquet, 1991. CD reissue: Columbia, 1992. Personnel and instruments:
Jimmy Chambers: drums
Jonathan Donahue: guitar, vocals
Dave Fridmann: bass
Sean Mackiowiak (Grasshopper): guitar
Suzanne Thorpe: flute
David Baker:vocals
and, as guest:
C. Gavazzi: trumpet

25+) Gun Club: Fire Of Love
First release: Slash, 1981. CD reissue: id, 1993. Personnel and instruments:
Jerry Lee Pierce: lead & background vocals, slide guitar
Ward Dotson: guitar & slide guitar, background vocals
Rob Ritter: bass
Terry Graham: drums
Tito Larriva: violin
Chris D., Lois Graham: background vocals

25+) Red House Painters: Down Colorful Hill
First release: 4AD, 1992. Personnel and instruments:
Mark Kozelek: vocals
Gordon Mack: guitar
Anthony Koutsos: drums
Jerry Vessel: bass

25+) Slint: Spiderland
First release: Touch&Go, 1991. Personnel and instruments:
Britt Walford: drums
Brian MacMahan: vocals, electric guitar
David Pajo: guitar
Todd Brashear: bass

25+) My Bloody Valentine: Loveless
First release: Sire, 1991. Personnel and instruments:
Bilinda Butcher: guitar, vocals
Kevin Shields: guitar, vocals, sampling
Colm O'Ciosoig: drums, sampling
Deb Googe: bass

25+) Velvet Underground: White Light White Heat
First release: Verve, 1967. CD reissue: Polygram, 1996. Personnel and instruments:
Lou Reed: vocals, guitar, piano
John Cale: vocals, electric viola, organ, bass, multi instruments
Maureen Tucker: drums, percussion
Sterling Morrison: vocals, guitar, bass

25+) Captain Beefheart: Safe As Milk
First release: Buddah, 1967. CD reissues: Castle, 1988; Buddah, 1999 (with 7 bonus tracks). Personnel and instruments:
Captain Beefheart (Donald Van Vliet): vocals, guitar, marimba, harmonica
Taj Mahal, Milt Holland: percussion
Ry Cooder: bass, guitar
John French: drums
Jerry Handley: bass
Antennae Jimmy Semens, Alex St. Clair, Russ Titelman: guitar

25) Husker Du: Zen Arcade
  1. Something I Learned Today - 1:58
  2. Broken Home, Broken Heart - 2:01
  3. Never Talking to You Again - 1:39
  4. Chartered Trips - 3:33
  5. Dreams Reoccurring - 1:40
  6. Indecision Time - 2:07
  7. Hare Krsna - 3:33
  8. Beyond the Threshold - 1:35
  9. Pride - 1:45
  10. I'll Never Forget You - 2:06
  11. The Biggest Lie - 1:58
  12. What's Going On? - 4:23
  13. Masochism World - 2:43
  14. Standing by the Sea - 3:12
  15. Somewhere - 2:30
  16. One Step at a Time - :45
  17. Pink Turns to Blue - 2:39
  18. Newest Industry - 3:02
  19. Monday Will Never Be the Same - 1:10
  20. Whatever - 3:50
  21. The Tooth Fairy and the Princess - 2:43
  22. Turn on the News - 4:21
  23. Reoccurring Dreams - 13:47
First release: SST, 1984. CD reissue: ???, ???. Personnel and instruments:
Grant Hart: drums, vocals
Bob Mould: guitar, vocals
Greg Norton: bass

25) Third Ear Band: Thrid Ear Band
First release: Harvest, 1970. CD reissue: ???, ???. Personnel and instruments:
Glen Sweeney: percussions
Paul Minns: oboe, recorder
Richard Coff: violin, viola
Ursula Smith: cello

25+) Gong: Flying Teapot
First release: Virgin, 1973. CD reissue: Charly, 1999. Personnel and instruments:
Daevid Allen: guitar, vocals
Steve Hillage: guitar
Tim Blake: synthesizer, keyboards
Christian Tritsch: bass, guitar
Didier Malherbe: flute, sax, winds
Gilly Smith: vocals
Jaurie Allen & Pierre Moerlen: drums
Mike Howlett: bass, vocals
Francis Moze: bass, piano, synthesizer
Rashid Houari: congas

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