Day 0522 - Back to Mystery City

Hanoi Rocks "Back to Mystery City" (1983)

The book referred to these guys as the meeting point between glam-rock and punk... which I kind of doubted and assumed they'd just sound like every other 80s rock band - newsflash: I was wrong.  This does have the anthemic vibe, flashy guitar solos and some of the glitz that I'd associate with glam; but also has a lot of humour to it and punky energy and swagger in places.

A couple of members of Mott the Hoople helped the band produce this, their third album overall, and their first with new improved drummer Razzle.  The success of the album landed them a three album deal with CBS.  Unfortunately the band broke up after Razzle was killed in a car accident while a passenger in the car of Vince Neill from Motley Crue.

Day 0498 - The Message

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five "The Message" (1982)

 
One of the first 'rap' albums, though this is packed with everything from funk, soul and almost krautrock grooves with robot voices over it. 

It's similar to a few of the early hip hop records, both in its socially conscious (if sometimes mildly homophobic and misogynist) lyrics, and its magpie-like approach to creating musical tracks.