- F- Fashion

Ok, so a break from the norm and here's one you can't buy and these days probably can't even play anymore??

Hailing from Birmingham, Fashion's essential album is the 1982 Fabrique. To my knowledge this has never been released on CD although a version appeared in 2004 which is about as close as you can get The Height Of however not close enough.

The version you need is the cassette Special edition double play including the album plus all of the extended 12" mixes. Standout tracks Move On (plus Mutant Move) Love Shadow (plus Love Shadow Smokey Dialogue) and Dressed to Kill (Dressed to Kill Double Dub)

This was electronic pop/rock at its best. Maybe one day there will be a transfer to cd in all its glory, for now I'll make do with the cassette sampled version. If you find the cassette (remember them) I hope the player still works and doesn't chew up the tape.

- F - 4 Non Blondes, 5.6.7.8's

A couple of bands that I'll list under 'F' maybe not correct but it's good enough for me and the bands deserve a mention.

Sadly just one studio album from Linda Perry and the 4 non Blondes Bigger, Better, Faster, More from 1992 is an essential buy mainly for the classic What's Up the only other outing was the live Hello Mr President.

Then we come to the 5.6.7.8's who without a certain Quentin Tarantino hearing one of their albums playing in a shop in Tokyo and then including them in Kill Bill, the West may never have heard of them. There appear to be eight albums by this slightly strange band. So if you like all girl Japanese surfer music with attitude step forward the 5.6.7.8's. I've got two of their albums but once you've got Bomb The Rocks containing the wonderfully silly and catchy Woo Hoo that's probably all you need. The compilation covers their singles from 1989 - 1996 forget the Beach Boys and go for the Japanese Beach Girls.

- E - Wreckless Eric

Back to the punk pioneers and one of the original Stiff records artists, Wreckless Eric was label mates with Ian Dury, Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.

I'd normally recommend the early albums; whilst the first two are excellent (Wreckless Eric and The Wonderful World of Wreckless Eric) and a must have for the dedicated collector, especially the various vinyl versions (coloured, picture discs and 10").  I would actually pick Big Smash the first disc being the third album and the second disc is a compilation pulled from the first two.

Full of catchy songs delivered in a similar style to Ian Dury and Elvis Costello. Wreckless Eric classics include Take the Cash, Hit and Miss Judy and Reconnez Cherie and the Final Taxi.

Wreckless Eric teamed up with his wife Amy Rigby in 2008 for the self titled Wreckless Eric And Amy Rigby. If you get the chance, don't miss him live for a highly enertaining show.

- E - Extreme

1989's debut Extreme paved the way for the true classic Extreme II - Pornograffitti. Riff after riff and as many catchy tracks as you can ever need, subtitled 'A Funked up Fairy Tale' they are spot on.  Decadence Dance kicks off with a dramatic metallic build and rips into a typically 80's hair metal singalong before launching into the alternative nursery rhymes of Lil Jack Horny. Get the Funk Out is the live favourite leading into the chart topping ballad More Than Words. Back to over the top screaming guitar and funk beat for Pornograffiti. It ('s A Monster) continues the quality of this classic. Mix equal doses of Aerosmith, Faith no More and Def Leppard and you're getting close to Extreme.

When Gary Cherone joined Queen on stage for the Freddie Mercury tribute they came close to the impossible of finding a worthy replacement - maybe one day....

- E - Evil Stig

Ok, so the reason for including Evil Stig and their album Evil Stig (Rmst) is because I'm a music fanatic and collector which means finding the obscure and strange to add to the collection. I started way back in the late 70's when buying albums by the Runaways was a challenge to say the least.

I followed the Runaways after they split with solo outings from Lita Ford, Cherie (and Marie) Currie and of course Joan Jett. Which is where we arrive at Evil Stig formed after the murder of the Gits singer Mia Zapata by the surviving band members and Joan Jett to raise money for a Seattle self-defense and support group for women. There

Granted this will never set the world on fire and isn't a classic but is it an essential buy - of course it is thanks to the wonderful Joan Jett.

- E - Eddie and the Hot Rods - Edguy

More pub rockers and probably wrongly slotted into the Punk/New Wave category when really they are a rockers.
Kicking off with 1976's Teenage Depression featuring a cover of the Who's The kids are all right and title track Teenage Depression. Follow up Life on the Line includes their classic Do anything you wanna do.

For a (mostly live) best of compilation then The Best of Eddie & the Hot Rods The End Of The Beginning is a good start.

In contrast to the pub band rockers come the stadium rockers from Germany Edguy. Formed in 1992 Edguy is led by Tobias Sammet when he's not recording with his side project Avantasia.

My first introduction to Edguy was Rocket Ride: Special Edition followed by the EP Superheroes which is also available with a DVD. The latest release Age of the Joker (2 CD, Digipack, Limited Edition) is also a recommended buy. The live releases include the high street friendly Fucking With Fxxx (2CD/DVD) that's also available as a double disc version and Burning Down The Opera: Live (2CD) .

- D - Ian Dury

Starting out with pub rockers Kilburn and the Highroads Ian Dury was at his best when teaming up with the Blockheads. Despite releasing the classic New Boots and Panties [2CD Deluxe Edition] on Stiff Records in 1977 and slotting into the Punk/New Wave genre, the band where always far removed from the raw punk sound. Ian's lyrics also placed the band into a different league.

New Boots is as strong today as when it was released and remains an essential disc. The original release didn't include the punk anthem Sex and Drugs and Rock & Roll but later releases including the deluxe edition added it. There really isn't a weak track on the debut - Sweet Gene Vincent, Clever Trevor, Blockheads and Blackmail Man to name but a few.

Follow up Do It Yourself [2CD Deluxe Edition]from 1979 has also been released in the double  disc deluxe format, the extras include the non album track singles Hit me with your rhythm stick and Reasons to be cheerful  part 3 in addition to a set from the Stiff's live Stiffs tour.

Laughter [2CD Deluxe Edition] kicks off with the catchy Superman's Big Sister and Delusions of Grandeur whilst the bonus tracks include I Wanna be Straight and a collection of Blockheads instumental demos.

- D - Dropkick Murphys

Let's Go Murphys, America's answer to the Pogues come across as a ramble rousing explosion on stage, off stage, one of the friendliest group of guys you could meet.

If the Murphys are in town go and see them live. Debut album Do Or Die from 1998 includes Boys on the Docks and Skinhead on the MBTA. Stand out tracks on 2001's Sing Loud Sing Proud are the Irish classic The Wild Rover and The Spicy McHaggis Jig. There are two excellent Murphy's compilations that are a perfect introduction to the band Singles Collection and Singles Collection Vol.2: 1998-2004 - B-Sides Covers Comps and Other Crap .

The Murphy's have been captured well live and it's hard to beat their Live on St. Patrick's Day from Boston, MA and the 2010 St Patrick's Day gigs Live on Lansdowne: Boston, Ma 12-17 Mar 2009/+DVD  the bonus DVD shows all of the madness and an audience who know how to have a good time.

The Dropkick Murphys won't win any prizes for originality but for energy and enthusiasm they are hard to beat.

- D - Dream Theater

Prolific is probably the best description for Dream Theater whose debut When Dream and Day Unite was released in 1989. A total of twelve studio albums in some twenty years is probably not that impressive although none are weak and some positively epic including the latest A Dramatic Turn Of Events .

Supporting the studio albums are the live albums, studio demos and my own favourites the Bootleg Series covering full classic albums. MASTER OF PUPPETS covers the mighty Metallica, Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast:... followed. If Deep Purple are your band then pick up the Dream Theater version of Made in Japan. Pink Floyd's classic Dark side of the Moon : Official Bootleg coninued the series of classic covers.

If that wasn't enough there are the side projects by Mike Portnoy Amazing Journey covering the Who's Tommy, Hammer of the Gods tribute to Led Zeppelin and Yellow Matter Custard - the Beatles tribute.

Dream Theater tend to be classified as Prog Rockers - I would label them traditional Rockers.

- D - Dread Zeppelin

If you thought Devo were eccentric, strange and odd (well you're right they are) then I give you Bob Marley and Elvis Presley mixed with Led Zeppelin aka Dread Zeppelin. Debut Un-Led-ed kicks off with the mashup Black Dog and Hound Dog followed by Heartbreaker and Heartbreak Hotel. It doesn't let up, this shouldn't work but it does and continues with Whole Lotta Love and Moby Dick. If that isn't enough the madness continues with Dejah Voodoo - the Best of Dread Zeppelin where you also get crazy versions of Kashmir and Stairway to Heaven.

- D - Devo

"Are we not men? We are Devo" The crazy world of the De-Evolution Band from Akron Ohio hit the UK in 1977 with the mightly strange Jocko Homo single. If the debut single wasn't odd enough then follow up Satisfaction still stands as one of the strangest Rolling Stones cover versions. Joining the Stiff records label Be Stiff was another signature tune for the band.

Appearing on stage in paper boiler suits ripped off to reveal knee protectors and the later flower pot hats Devo certainly made their mark. Debut album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo/Devo Live now including extra live tracks is the best place to start with Devo, or better still dive into the excellent compilation Pioneers Who Got Scalped there are too many highlights spread over these 50 tracks but classics include Whip it, Come back Jonee, Be Stiff, Freedom of Choice and Jocko Homo. Not content with their Stones cover, look out for the re-interpretation of Jimi Hendrix - Are you Experienced also included on the Pioneers disc.

Devo returned in 2010 with Something For Everybody you know you want to if you can't beat em join them "We're all Devo"

- D - Def Leppard

"I suppose a Rock's out of the question?" formed in Sheffield in 1977, part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (including Iron Maiden, Saxon, Samson, Girschool and Motorhead) Def Lepppard have produced a number of essential albums over the years.

1983's Pyromania (Deluxe Edition) includes the hit Photograph, it was followed by Hysteria probably my first choice Leppard album for Rocket, Animal, Pour Some Sugar On Me and Armageddon It. The Deluxe edition now also adds b sides and live tracks; Alice Cooper's Elected plus a Rock of Ages medley (Not fade away, My generation, Radar love, Come together, Whole lotta love)

Adrenalize (Deluxe Edition) opens with the live favourite Let's Get Rocked. look out for the limited edition double disc version of Slang the bonus disc is a live acoustic set from Singapore.

Yeah ! is Def Leppard's cover versions album. You'll get reviews ranging from the worst album they ever recorded to five stars... I'll go for the five star review. The band start with a T-Rex cover, followed by David Essex and throw in Sweet, Mott the Hoople and Thin Lizzy. There are a number of different versions available of this cd with alternative tracks even a bonus version exclusive to Wal Mart Yeah! Bonus CD With Backstage Interviews which includes covers of Iggy Pop's Search & Destroy and David Bowie's Space Oddity.

- D - Dead Men Walking

A supergroup /side project led by the Alarm's Mike Peters and a changing lineup including Pete Wylie (Wah), Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Kirk Brandon (Spear of Destiny), Billy Duffy (The Cult), Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats), Captain Sensible (The Damned) plus other guests - Mike Jones (The Clash), Lemmy (Motorhead), Derek Forbes (Simple Minds), Brian Setzer (Stray Cats) and Bruce Watson (Big Country).

Whilst primarily a live group, there are a number of excellent live sets available mostly sold via the bands website (seemingly offline at the moment), with a bit of digging these discs turn up on Ebay and Amazon.

Look out for Live (recorded at the Guildford Festival in 2001), Live at Leeds (2003) and Live at CBGB 's New York (2005).
The cds include cover versions from each band member including - Do you believe in the westworld, Spirit of '76, Never take me alive, Pretty vacant, Wildflower, Edie, Runaway boys, She sells sanctuary, Smash it up and Neat neat neat.

Well worth catching them if the band tour again.

- D - The Damned

Credited with releasing the first UK Punk single New Rose and the first Punk album Damned Damned Damned now released as a 30th anniversary special edition over three discs containing all of the classics - Neat Neat Neat, Stretcher Case Baby, Help and New Rose.

Despite many lineup changes the original base of Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible are still touring and well worth catching if you can.

1979's Machine Gun Etiquette [25th Anniversary Edition] also re-released in expanded form includes Smash it up (part 1 and part 2) plus bonus tracks Ballroom Blitz and White Rabbit (on some versions). The Black Album again re-released in deluxe format with an excellent second disc, contains The History of the World (part 1) an extended version of White Rabbit and many live tracks.

Anything released in 1986 included single release Gigolo, the double disc version also includes their hit single Eloise that was never included on their original album releases.

Before leaving the Damned, it's also well worth checking out the one off Give Daddy the Knife, Cindy credited to Naz Nomad & the Nighmares the lineup includes Dave Vanian as Naz Nomad and original Damned drummer Rat Scabies as Nick Detroit

- D - Bruce Dickinson

The first time I came across Bruce Dickinson was fronting Samson and credited as Bruce Bruce. Of course the airline pilot, fencing champion, author, and actor is best known for his two spells as vocalist for Iron Maiden. I'm sure I'll return to both Samson and Iron Maiden but for now let's look at Bruce Dickinson during his solo period from 1990 - 2005.

Releasing six albums plus a best of compilation and a triple live set there aren't really any weak albums. As ever start at the beginning with  Tattooed Millionaire including a few interesting covers; All the young dudes, Sin City, Black Night and the excellent Riding with the Angels (from Samson). The Chemical Wedding is a darker album the title track re-appearing on the film of the same name also written by Bruce and featuring a cameo appearence from him as well.

Alive is a triple live set featuring a live studio disc, live at the Marquee and a re-release of the Scream for me Brazil cd. There are quite a few duplications across the three discs but still a very worthy addition to the collection. Tyranny Of Souls was the last solo album released by Bruce, let's hope he finds time between Iron Maiden and his other activities so record another some time. Bruce can also be found on the track Into the Black hole on Ayreone's album Universal Migrator 1&2