Martin Popoff's 500 greatest metal albums of all time?

anybody else read this book, and what are your thoughts on this book? I have been reading slowly and if I run across a cd I don't own or not familiar with I have been ordering it, anyway just wonder if anyone else has read this book and what you think of the poll?

I have a couple of his Heavy Metal Collector's Guides and quite enjoy them. I don't always agree with his opinions, but I respect his knowledge of metal history.

if they'd publish his books on TP i'd buy them.

I usually hate these type of books as I tend to always disagree with the choices. I do however have a few books by martin popoff, I like his style of writing and he has a vast amount of knowledge of metal/rock. Personal faves are his books on the history of Rush and a recent purchase, Painkillers the history of Judas Priest. His complete history of the 70's, 80's and 90's are quite good as well.

Never heard of this guy, but every other "history of metal" or "the greatest destination of the essential history of the world of metal or whatnot" just make me angry because they include stupid bands that are not metal in any way.

sam wrote:

Never heard of this guy, but every other "history of metal" or "the greatest destination of the essential history of the world of metal or whatnot" just make me angry because they include stupid bands that are not metal in any way.

Then you'll hate Popoff because he includes bands like Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Thin Lizzy, Rainbow, Queen, Blue Cheer, Blue Oyster Cult, etc. in his history of heavy metal. Of course, Martin is also old enough to remember and have been a part of the scene in the 70's.

I like Popoff's writing specifically because he usually gives me enough information even about something he hates to let me know that I might actually like it even if he doesn't. I don't agree much with his lists or tastes though. For one thing he used to totally over react to (his fellow) Canadian bands, either loving them or hating them. I haven't seen the Top 500 book, but he once listed Queen S/T as The Greatest Metal(!?) Album Ever. Now that's a great album by a great band, no question, but the best metal ever? Please. I recall that he did have the actual greatest album (at left) listed second though, so that helps

i don't care the less for mpopoff's 500000000 greatest albums...but sure nowadays you must read at least 10 mpopoff's books in order to be a metalhead ( already all the guys from the music stores worship them)......

The lists and books are never anything I waste my time with..always chock full of hype, predictability, never one single record that I myself would consider a top 10 or 20 anywhere in the hundreds or whatever.... 500 is a bigger number, but there's also more potential for beating the dead horse. I might skim through it if it's ever online sans writeups..

His books are pretty good, i like the fact that he includes alot of bands that the sands of time have forgotten and introduces them to a whole new audience....myself included.

I've discovered some great forgotten bands through his books including Collision, Sons Of Freedom, The Big F, Last Crack, I Love You etc.

SAHB Healer wrote:

but he once listed Queen S/T as The Greatest Metal(!?) Album Ever. Now that's a great album by a great band, no question, but the best metal ever? Please.

Yeah that and Sabotage and Physical Graffiti make up his unholy trio of greatest Metal albums.....with the Dictators Bloodbrothers rounding off the 4.

I have no problem calling Queen's S/T a heavy metal album by the way....nor do i have a problem calling it the best heavy metal album.

Heavy Metal is a relative musical state that Queen and in particular early Queen passes in and out of many many times.

I have read this book and I liked it.

I also own "The Collector's Guide To Heavy Metal: Volume 1, 2, and 3. I can't say I agree with all of his ratings, but anyone who gives Highway Chile "Storybook Heroes" a 10 out of 10 is okay in my book.

His book was based on a on line poll he took with metal fans around the world, it does contain some predictable choices such as Metallica-Master of Puppets at #1, etc but he is a great writer and even if you don't agree with some of his viewpoints, he does know his history and it is nice someone who doesn't think heavy metal began with Slayer (not that there is anything wrong with Slayer)

ultmetal wrote:

sam wrote:

Never heard of this guy, but every other "history of metal" or "the greatest destination of the essential history of the world of metal or whatnot" just make me angry because they include stupid bands that are not metal in any way.

Then you'll hate Popoff because he includes bands like Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Thin Lizzy, Rainbow, Queen, Blue Cheer, Blue Oyster Cult, etc. in his history of heavy metal. Of course, Martin is also old enough to remember and have been a part of the scene in the 70's.

I don't mean bands that were the foundation of metal or bands on the edge of the hard rock/heavy metal.

this steams from me browsing through "the essential book of metal" or something, and about halfway through the book named pantera "one of the premier band sin the thrash scene. or called alice in chains a band every metal fan must hear before they die. or other garbage like that. It just makes me boil to see all these little newbies worship pantera or slipknot or whoever as the greatest metal to every walk the earth. I've asked some of them why do you think slipknot is death metal (or whoever) and they'll mention some review or some book they read once.

ultmetal wrote:

I have a couple of his Heavy Metal Collector's Guides and quite enjoy them. I don't always agree with his opinions, but I respect his knowledge of metal history.

Same here.

especially those collectors guide he wrote they should have the title: "collectors guide based on what info i found from my german friends and the internet". sure he was a huge part of his appartment and his internet connection....

ultmetal wrote:

I have a couple of his Heavy Metal Collector's Guides and quite enjoy them. I don't always agree with his opinions, but I respect his knowledge of metal history.

agreed

I have this book of the 500 greatest metal albums and i like the coments of the people involved in the records but dont like how MARTIN POPOFF writes. He doesnt go straight to the point and what he writes is not very interesting or/and easy to understand sometimes, not even for english natives.

I wish I knew how to read. Illiteracy hurts.

spectrefate wrote:

I wish I knew how to read. Illiteracy hurts.

Don't feel bad. At least it's got some pretty pictures for ya.

I just bought his book Black Sabbath: Doom Let Loose from BN. I'm about 100 pages into it, pretty good so far. I like that there seems to be more of a focus on Geezer, Bill and Tony talking about the music than Ozzy talking about it. Although that may be because Ozzy just wasn't available as much for interviews.

I had thought about picking it up for years, but I wasn't really a big Sabbath fan until the last two years or so when I came across all the Gillan, Hughes and Martin albums. I'm glad Popoff doesn't just go for the "highlights" (Ozzy/Dio years) and gets into each album. I look forward to reading about those "dark" times.