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52 albums – 52 years of WRIF (1 per year)

In honor of WRIF’s 52nd anniversary (we were born on February 14th of 1971) I challenged myself to select only 1 album from each year. These selections are my personal…

4. "Damage, Inc." - ‘Master of Puppets’ (1986)

‘Master of Puppets’ is one of Metallica’s greatest albums, and the record comes to a screeching halt with the fiery “Damage, Inc.” With five-and-a-half minutes of pure rigor and hard-charging heavy metal, the song is aggressive, fast and imaginative– the perfect way to cap off such a legendary record. (AE)

Elektra

In honor of WRIF's 52nd anniversary (we were born on February 14th of 1971) I challenged myself to select only 1 album from each year.
These selections are my personal favorites from that calendar year and should you choose to compile a similar list, please note that it is equal parts fun and painful to pick an absolute favorite.

The Who (barley edges out Led Zeppelin IV)

Who's Next

Honorable mention to the other Deep Purple album in '72 "Made In Japan"

Machine Haed

There is no dark side of the moon really, as a matter of fact it's all dark.

Pink Floyd

It's a Zappa thing.

Frank Zappa

one of the albums that changed my young (quite young at the time) life.

Alice Cooper

maybe...the greatest year for rock & roll. (I vote yes).

Kansas

My favorite Queen album and all-time favorite album cover.

Queen

perhaps the best debut album of all time? (again, I vote yes).

Van Halen

Another Bob Ezrin produced album had had a huge impact on me.

Pink Floyd

None more black indeed.

AC DC

Triumph were my first concert, first band I ever met, and my favorite during my middle school years.

Triumph

ah yes, the high school era for me.

Judas Priest

I may have been into metal at the time, but I was never too far from my prog/art-rock roots

Yes

Up the Irons!

Iron Maiden

Excuse the curve ball...but, I do enjoy the simplesity of The Cure.

The Cure

'86 was my first time seeing Metallica (I've seen them 15 times...so far).

Metallica

1987 was the single most inspirational, directional-shifting year of my life, so this was a very difficult selection.

Joe Satriani

Are you noticing there are a few concept albums, and a few with strong underlying themes?

Queensryche

'89 was the start of my "musician" years, and no band had a greater influence on my band at the time Surreal.

King's X

The year his Royal Vainess reinvented what was possible on guitar.

Steve Vai

1991, my first year doing radio as a full-time job (I started as a part-timer in 1989), and nobody played more Metallica at the time.

Metallica

probably my favorite album of the 90s

Dream Theater

One of dozens of bands I helped to break in the 90s.

Candlebox

An under-rated album from the most under-rated band of them all.

King's X

The best album of 1995, and the launching point of TSO.

Savatage

I was still a musician in 1996, and King's X were still my guide on how to do things right.

King's X

This was the start of my love for the mighty Foos!

Foo Fighters

This would be my pick for the best produced/mixed album in my entire collection.

Savatage

I've joked for years that my middle name is weird, but if I were to collect evidence...here ya go.

Buckethead

My personal favorite of the TSO collection.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

The early 2000's were very difficult years for me personally and Savatage helped me get through it all.

Savatage

The early 2000's were very difficult years for my wife at the time Sabrina, and Audioslave gave her another reason to keep up the fight.

Audioslave

A key album and band for my radio career as I was just launching my new syndicated venture, The Chop Shop Guitar Show.

Shiedown

An album you've never heard of from a band you probably don't know, but easily my favorite of 2004.

3

More Foos please.

Foo Fighters

Tool's best album to date.

Tool

It took me a while to acquire a taste for The White Strips, who know I would some day end up at Jack's wedding. What? you were there too?

White Stripes

I like all things Shinedown, but this is by far my favorite from the band.

Shiedown

the definition of the word SUPER-Group.

Chickenfoot

The best twin guitar band album of the era as well I think.

Avenged Sevenfold

Did I say more Foos? - Why yes I did.

Shinedown

I know it's 2 separate albums, but conformity and I don't play well together.

Stone Sour

Another band I helped to break, as I was among the first to play the band dating back to their Guitar Gangsters record.

Volbeat

They were the best live band of 2014 as well.

Nothing More

I still only get certain songs from Muse, but his effort captured my attention front to back...yes I still listen to full albums. (I told you my middle name is weird).

Muse

Seal the Deal and Let's Boogie...my favorite album and album title of 2016.

Volbeat

Saw them at The Shelter, then St. Andrews, then Pine Knob and then the Fox.

Royal Blood

There also one of my favorite bands to hang with. Good people and funny as hell.

Halestorm

It's a moody record, but the musicianship is just so solid.

Tool

It was also one of the more over-looked albums of that year.

The Struts

Just a little more Foo for thought.

Foo Fighters

Shinedown's most ambitious project to date.

Shinedown

30 years on the radio. 16 at WRIF and 15 of those as a national radio personality as host of The Chop Shop. Co-Host of The Sound Of...Podcast.