Poll: The Best Mid-80s UK Band's American Sellout Record

kmorg wrote:

Perhaps we don't consider it a sellout today, but I remember vividly that is exactly what we labeled SiT when it was new. Maiden using synths??!! NO WAY!! lol

Exactly. At the time, SIT got quite the pummeling as being a sellout. Seventh Son was critically reviled as well at the time of release, but some now consider it a classic (I am not one of them.) People forget these things or weren't around at the time of release.

Wasn't "Destiny" more of a sell-out then "Innocence" was since it had keyboards?

kmorg wrote:

Perhaps we don't consider it a sellout today, but I remember vividly that is exactly what we labeled SiT when it was new. Maiden using synths??!! NO WAY!! lol

I remember that as well. People were calling it Maiden's sellout record back in the day.

Vexer6 wrote:

Wasn't "Destiny" more of a sell-out then "Innocence" was since it had keyboards?

Innocence was the first of many crap albums from Saxon with a more commercial sound.

kmorg wrote:

Perhaps we don't consider it a sellout today, but I remember vividly that is exactly what we labeled SiT when it was new. Maiden using synths??!! NO WAY!! lol

Yeah, there was a bit of WTF when we heard Maiden was using synths.... then we saw the MTV world premier video of Wasted Years and weren't too worried...

Witchfinder wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Wasn't "Destiny" more of a sell-out then "Innocence" was since it had keyboards?

Innocence was the first of many crap albums from Saxon with a more commercial sound.

I disagree, I don't think they were "crap" at all, IMO songs like Back On The Streets, Gonna Shout, Devil Rides Out, Call Of The Wild, Krakatoa, Live Fast Die Young, and Raise Some Hell easily stand up to anything on Crusader and Power And Glory.

Vexer6 wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Wasn't "Destiny" more of a sell-out then "Innocence" was since it had keyboards?

Innocence was the first of many crap albums from Saxon with a more commercial sound.

I disagree, I don't think they were "crap" at all, IMO songs like Back On The Streets, Gonna Shout, Devil Rides Out, Call Of The Wild, Krakatoa, Live Fast Die Young, and Raise Some Hell easily stand up to anything on Crusader and Power And Glory.

I am glad you like it, but I can't stand it. Power And The Glory smashes Innocence into splinters. It is a powerful, heavy, Saxon album. Crusader is merely half good.

Innocence began the process of the slide into mediocrity that they did not reverse until the early to mid 90s. It was a clear attempt to get played on MTV and American radio and it failed spectacularly. There was a silver lining though because this move probably forced the band to avoid the pitfall that so many other metal bands fell into the early 90s - the grunge sellout. Saxon never did this, so in retrospect, their failed commercial bid probably ensured the long term survival of the band.

Witchfinder wrote:

There was a silver lining though because this move probably forced the band to avoid the pitfall that so many other metal bands fell into the early 90s - the grunge sellout. Saxon never did this, so in retrospect, their failed commercial bid probably ensured the long term survival of the band.

I'm sorry but I'm laughing my ass off at the thought of Saxon as a grunge band!!

Temple of Blood wrote:

I don't really consider SiT to be a sell-out record.

Ditto

Saxon's Innocence is No excuse is just a terrible album, that did them no favors. Perhaps if they had recorded that album with better songs, I might have liked the album. Some bands can do great pop metal type of albums, Saxon was not one of those bands.

I remember Ozzy's Ultimate Sin as being insanely popular albums, and I remember loving it when I was 15 and 16. Now adays I still like it, but not as much, maybe because there a few songs that are more filler tunes. Jake E Lee thou is still a bad ass IMO.

Judas Priest- Turbo- I still like the album and its one of those albums that Priest fans now love to hate, but at the time of its release it got a lot of MTV support and went platinum I believe. Critically it got pummeled

Vexer6 wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Wasn't "Destiny" more of a sell-out then "Innocence" was since it had keyboards?

Innocence was the first of many crap albums from Saxon with a more commercial sound.

I disagree, I don't think they were "crap" at all, IMO songs like Back On The Streets, Gonna Shout, Devil Rides Out, Call Of The Wild, Krakatoa, Live Fast Die Young, and Raise Some Hell easily stand up to anything on Crusader and Power And Glory.

Agree with Vexer6 on this one. I like Innocence is No Excuse quite a bit.

Somewhere In Time!

Maiden is my favorite band and SiT and SSoaSS are my top two albums from them.

Witchfinder wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Wasn't "Destiny" more of a sell-out then "Innocence" was since it had keyboards?

Innocence was the first of many crap albums from Saxon with a more commercial sound.

I disagree, I don't think they were "crap" at all, IMO songs like Back On The Streets, Gonna Shout, Devil Rides Out, Call Of The Wild, Krakatoa, Live Fast Die Young, and Raise Some Hell easily stand up to anything on Crusader and Power And Glory.

I am glad you like it, but I can't stand it. Power And The Glory smashes Innocence into splinters. It is a powerful, heavy, Saxon album. Crusader is merely half good.

Innocence began the process of the slide into mediocrity that they did not reverse until the early to mid 90s. It was a clear attempt to get played on MTV and American radio and it failed spectacularly. There was a silver lining though because this move probably forced the band to avoid the pitfall that so many other metal bands fell into the early 90s - the grunge sellout. Saxon never did this, so in retrospect, their failed commercial bid probably ensured the long term survival of the band.

Eh, I don't really see such in the way of songs intended to be radio hits, barring Rockin Again and Rock And roll Gypsy. I also thought their 90s releases Solid Ball Of Rock and Forever Free were pretty good.

Manny-I don't see how it sounds pop-metal-ish at all.

Vexer6 wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Wasn't "Destiny" more of a sell-out then "Innocence" was since it had keyboards?

Innocence was the first of many crap albums from Saxon with a more commercial sound.

I disagree, I don't think they were "crap" at all, IMO songs like Back On The Streets, Gonna Shout, Devil Rides Out, Call Of The Wild, Krakatoa, Live Fast Die Young, and Raise Some Hell easily stand up to anything on Crusader and Power And Glory.

I am glad you like it, but I can't stand it. Power And The Glory smashes Innocence into splinters. It is a powerful, heavy, Saxon album. Crusader is merely half good.

Innocence began the process of the slide into mediocrity that they did not reverse until the early to mid 90s. It was a clear attempt to get played on MTV and American radio and it failed spectacularly. There was a silver lining though because this move probably forced the band to avoid the pitfall that so many other metal bands fell into the early 90s - the grunge sellout. Saxon never did this, so in retrospect, their failed commercial bid probably ensured the long term survival of the band.

Eh, I don't really see such in the way of songs intended to be radio hits, barring Rockin Again and Rock And roll Gypsy. I also thought their 90s releases Solid Ball Of Rock and Forever Free were pretty good.

Manny-I don't see how it sounds pop-metal-ish at all.

Actually calling it pop metalish was not a good description, really more an AOR direction, I just did not care for this album and 'Rock the Nations' thou I did love 'Solid Ball of Rock'

I don't consider any of the albums listed as sellouts, unless your referring to arenas and then it would be Iron Maiden.

Wow...the albums you listed are all my favorite albums by each of the bands except Saxon. I do love Innocence Is No Excuse but my favorite would be denim and leather..then again I love all of Saxons albums.
I consider Somewhere in time and seventh son of a seventh son tied with number of the beast..all#1 albums to me. I wish I could find more albums with the Somewhere in Time sound. Priest...Turbo is hands down my favorite Priest album and definitely wish there were more with that sound.

manny wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

Vexer6 wrote:

Wasn't "Destiny" more of a sell-out then "Innocence" was since it had keyboards?

Innocence was the first of many crap albums from Saxon with a more commercial sound.

I disagree, I don't think they were "crap" at all, IMO songs like Back On The Streets, Gonna Shout, Devil Rides Out, Call Of The Wild, Krakatoa, Live Fast Die Young, and Raise Some Hell easily stand up to anything on Crusader and Power And Glory.

I am glad you like it, but I can't stand it. Power And The Glory smashes Innocence into splinters. It is a powerful, heavy, Saxon album. Crusader is merely half good.

Innocence began the process of the slide into mediocrity that they did not reverse until the early to mid 90s. It was a clear attempt to get played on MTV and American radio and it failed spectacularly. There was a silver lining though because this move probably forced the band to avoid the pitfall that so many other metal bands fell into the early 90s - the grunge sellout. Saxon never did this, so in retrospect, their failed commercial bid probably ensured the long term survival of the band.

Eh, I don't really see such in the way of songs intended to be radio hits, barring Rockin Again and Rock And roll Gypsy. I also thought their 90s releases Solid Ball Of Rock and Forever Free were pretty good.

Manny-I don't see how it sounds pop-metal-ish at all.

Actually calling it pop metalish was not a good description, really more an AOR direction, I just did not care for this album and 'Rock the Nations' thou I did love 'Solid Ball of Rock'

Destiny sounds kind of AOr-ish due to the keyboards, as when I hear the word AOR, I think of bands like Survivor, and to me "Rock The Nations" and "Innocence" don't really sound like AOR, I guess you could say they sound kind of glam-rockish.

I'm also a huge Turbo fan.

brokentulsa wrote:

Priest...Turbo is hands down my favorite Priest album and definitely wish there were more with that sound.

Baffling. Such a terrible album of puerile tripe.

Witchfinder wrote:

brokentulsa wrote:

Priest...Turbo is hands down my favorite Priest album and definitely wish there were more with that sound.

Baffling. Such a terrible album of puerile tripe.

You must be thinking of St. Anger

Vexer6 wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

brokentulsa wrote:

Priest...Turbo is hands down my favorite Priest album and definitely wish there were more with that sound.

Baffling. Such a terrible album of puerile tripe.

You must be thinking of St. Anger

Well, at least Turbo has 2 good songs, and it did not feature a drum sound akin to a trashcan being hit with wet spaghetti. So there is that in its favor.

kmorg wrote:

Perhaps we don't consider it a sellout today, but I remember vividly that is exactly what we labeled SiT when it was new. Maiden using synths??!! NO WAY!! lol

I had some bonehead friends that reacted that way to Somewhere In Time, I just ignored them and continued to be a fan of the album. Those friends reacted even more violently toward Seventh Son when it came out. I never had any problems with either album and consider them to be just as good as anything else they released during that era.

My issues with Maiden didn't start until No Prayer came out which was just a giant step backward by a group that had been progressing and maturing nicely up until that point.

S.D. wrote:

kmorg wrote:

Perhaps we don't consider it a sellout today, but I remember vividly that is exactly what we labeled SiT when it was new. Maiden using synths??!! NO WAY!! lol

I had some bonehead friends that reacted that way to Somewhere In Time, I just ignored them and continued to be a fan of the album. Those friends reacted even more violently toward Seventh Son when it came out. I never had any problems with either album and consider them to be just as good as anything else they released during that era.

My issues with Maiden didn't start until No Prayer came out which was just a giant step backward by a group that had been progressing and maturing nicely up until that point.

I found No Prayer to be a rather underrated album myself and I actually prefer it over Seventh Son.

Quote :

Baffling. Such a terrible album of puerile tripe.

hey, I am all about hair metal first and turbo pushed them in that direction. Yes!

I went with Turbo - they clearly were trying to be mainstream on that record.

Temple of Blood wrote:

I don't really consider SiT to be a sell-out record.

Neither would I.