10 more albums every classic rock fan should own

The Best of The Animals, by The Animals

I’ve been trying to stay away from greatest-hits collections on these lists, but this one was hard to pass up because it has so many great songs and because it wasn’t an album that came years after the band was no longer recording. Nope, this album came in 1966 while the band was still going strong. If you like the blues, you’ll love The Animals and this album. There’s tons of guitar-heavy, bluesy tunes here, some of my favorites being “It’s My Life,” “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” You’ll also find some great cover songs here, such as “I’m Mad” originally by John Lee Hooker and “I’m in Love Again” by Fats Domino. Probably the most recognized song on this collection is the classic, “House of the Rising Sun.”

The White Album, by The Beatles

Yes, I didn’t list The Beatles on my first listof classic rock albums, but that was intentional; I was trying to focus on harder rock stuff for that list, and even though The Beatles do have some rock heavy songs, they’re not generally as well known for that kind of material (not as much as a band like Led Zeppelin, for example). Here you’ll find some classic rock greats, like “Helter Skelter” and “Revolution No. 9,” but as with many of the later The Beatles albums there’s a funky mix of harder stuff, soft ballads, bluesy material and just some crazy, mind-boggling recordings. “Dear Prudence” and “Black Bird” are fantastic songs for those of you who prefer softer material from this 1968 album.

The Dark Side of the Moon, by Pink Floyd

If you like classic rock, you have to own this 1973 album. It’s that simple. While this album could seem to be a bit of a departure from traditional classic rock, what with it’s progressive sounds and innovative looping, it’s still an album that draws you in with great guitar riffs and some of the strongest, though sometimes oddest, rock lyrics ever written. “Money” is probably the most straight-forward of all the songs found on “The Dark Side of the Moon,” but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The songs run together throughout the album with no breaks between, creating a constant flowing of moody, surrealistic sound that in some cases assaults the senses and other times lifts up the soul. It’s difficult to pick just a few of these songs to point out, because all of them are great, but “Time,” “Eclipse” and “Us and Them” are possibly my favorites.

Bad Company, by Bad Company

This band’s very first album from 1973 seems like it’s a greatest-hits album. Yep, it has that many great songs on it. “Can’t Get Enough” and “Rock Steady” will keep you rockin’ all night long, and the song “Bad Company” will almost have you weeping at the thoughts of cowboy outlaws on the run.

Hotel California, by The Eagles

If you have listened to a radio any time in the last 30 years for any amount of time, you have had to have heard a song by The Eagles. And this 1976 album includes a number of their greatest hits as well as just some darn good tunes. The song “Hotel California,” as well as “New Kid in Town” and “Life in the Fast Lane,” should be familiar radio hits to just about any FM listener. And there are some sad love songs like “Wasted Time” and “Victim of Love” that can keep you crying over your beer just as well as any classic country tune.

Boston, by Boston

This album is a conundrum. It’s stylistically and thematically similar to a lot of arena rock from the 1970s, but it isn’t. It’s better. It’s stronger. It’s possibly got the best guitar sounds of the 1970s in its tunes. Staple classic rock songs like “Rock and Roll Band,” “Peace of Mind” and “More Than a Feeling” can be found here, as can the nostalgic “Foreplay/Long Time.” Really, this 1976 album is one of the best straight-forward rock albums ever produced. There’s very little fat here, just rockin’ tunes, great lyrics and awesome singing.

Don’t Say No, by Billy Squier

Today Billy Squier isn’t remembered all that much, but back in the early ’80s he was pretty popular. In my opinion, this 1981 album is the best of his work, another album that almost seems as if it could be a greatest-hits recording. You can rock out with “In the Dark” and “The Stroke,” or you can slow down just a tad with “Lonely is the Night” and “Nobody Knows.” Truly an awesome album from beginning to end.

Shake Your Money Maker, by The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes are kind of a latecomer to the classic rock scene, but the band kicked off its career with this powerful, blues-driven album in 1990 and has been remembered ever since. Songs like “Hard to Handle” and “Twice as Hard” are great for blaring out of your car speakers, but there are also softer tunes like “She Talks to Angels” and “Seeing Things” for those tender moments with your favorite other.

The Long Road, by Nickelback

Yes, you’ve heard this band way too many times on the radio. Nickelback seems to be one of those bands you either love or hate, but I mention them here because their post-grunge and hard rock sound show that classic rock is still alive today. “Someday” and “Feelin’ Way Too Damn Good” are likely the most notable, radio friendly tunes from this 2003 album. Even if you’re not a fan of this band, you have to at least give them credit for helping to keep electric guitars on the radio.

Daughtry, by Daughtry

Daughtry isn’t the most original, nor the hardest-hitting group out there, but with this 2006 debut recording, Chris Daughtry and band have shown that new talent is still coming from the hard rock arena. “It’s Not Over” and “Home” are some of the better-known tunes from this album, but there is some strong material here, such as “What I Want,” which even features Slash on guitar.

For more: 10 Albums Every Classic Rock Fan Should Own

100 movies everyone should see

1. Gone With the Wind
2. Casablanca
3. The Wizard of Oz
4. American Beauty
5. It's a Wonderful Life
6. Raiders of the Lost Ark
7. Star Wars
8. Say Anything
9. Schindler's List
10. Chinatown
11. The Godfather
12. The Godfather, Part II
13. Annie Hall
14. A Streetcar Named Desire
15. Tootsie
16. Rocky
17. Duck Soup
18. The Searchers
19. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
20. Fight Club
21. Alien
22. Halloween
23. Fantasia
24. Pulp Fiction
25. Night of the Living Dead
26. The Graduate
27. Saving Private Ryan
28. Patton
29. Titanic
30. The Sixth Sense
31. 12 Angry Men
32. Spartacus
33. Sophie's Choice
34. Blade Runner
35. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
36. All the President's Men
37. True Grit
38. The Big Lebowski
39. The Shawshank Redemption
40. Jaws
41. The Manchurian Candidate
42. Rebel Without a Cause
43. Unforgiven
44. Nayakan
45. Modern Times
46. The Great Dictator
47. Citizen Kane
48. Lawrence of Arabia
49. The Matrix
50. Persona
51. Psycho
52. Raging Bull
53. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
54. Dr. Strangelove
55. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
56. Once Upon a Time in the West
57. The Maltese Falcon
58. Apocalypse Now
59. Taxi Driver
60. Braveheart
61. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
62. Yojimbo
63. King Kong
64. Godzilla
65. The Killer
66. Ringu
67. Battle Royale
68. West Side Story
69. On the Waterfront
70. Notorious
71. The Road Warrior
72. North by Northwest
73. Pinocchio
74. Nosferatu
75. Dracula
76. Frankenstein
77. An American Werewolf in London
78. It Happened One Night
79. 2001: A Space Odyssey
80. A Clockwork Orange
81. The African Queen
82. The 13th Warrior
83. Easy Rider
84. Greed
85. The Deer Hunter
86. Midnight Cowboy
87. La Dolce Vita
88. The Seven Samurai
89. Singin' in the Rain
90. Nashville
91. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
92. Swing Time
93. Network
94. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
95. Cabaret
96. Ben-Hur
97. The General
98. The Apartment
99. GoodFellas
100. Vertigo

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10 classic movies every horror fan should see

Note: Click on the posters to see a larger image.

Nosferatu (1922)

Do yourself a favor and see this original, not the 1979 remake. And yes, this is a silent movie except for the orchestral music. It won't matter. Even if you're not into silent films, this movie will creep you out. Actor Max Schreck's portrayal of the vampire Count Orlock is still, almost 90 years later, one of the most frightening portrayals of a vampire on the silver screen. In my opinion, it might be one of the creepiest portrayals of anything ever on the big screen. The story is basically that of Count Dracula, though the producers and director didn't have the right for Dracula at the time, so they had to change the names. The plot is basically the same, perhaps even closer to Bram Stoker's book in many ways than other cinema versions of the tale.

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

This movie starred the late, great Vincent Price in one of his most memorable roles as the spooky millionaire Frederick Loren. It was somewhat difficult to pick one Price movie from the many he made, but this one has always stuck in my head as one of the most disturbing since you never know what's really going on in the story. Also, one of my favorite creepy endings to the older horror movies. Like many other movies on this list, you can skip the remake from 1999 which has very little in common with the earlier version of the film other than a title and a (very) few plot similiarities.

Psycho (1960)

This is the one that truly began the serial killer genre in films. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho turns 50 next year, but it still is a quite disturbing film in so many ways. Again, better than the later remake from 1998. Anthony Perkins does a perfect job as the seemingly weak Norman Bates, secretly a psychotic who at times believes he is his mother and as her must murder people to protect herself and him. If you are turning to this movie for the first time, don't expect the more modern take on slasher films. You won't find a masked madman chasing teens through the woods. Instead, Norman has a hotel where guests check in, but they don't always check out.

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

This might not be the first zombie movie ever made, but it is definitely the one that got the ball rolling, leading to a whole string of zombie movies by director George Romero and kicking off the modern zombie craze in fiction. I still think this is the best of all the zombie movies ever made. It's creeping music and the black and white imagery add to the terror of this movie. There's even a subtext concerning race relations and how humans treat humans. Truly, one of the great horror movies of all time.

Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (1972)

How did this movie make the list? It's campy. It's funny in places. The script is goofy, as is the directing and most of the acting. But this little-known movie has something about it. Maybe it's the solid zombie effects, which is a shocker of its own since this movie was shot on a shoestring budget of about $70,000. The sheer absurdity and creepiness also adds to the effect of this film. The plot is about a bunch of actors who travel to an island, then perform a ritual as a prank. Unfortunately for the actors, the ritual actually works and the undead begin climbing out of their graves seeking the living. An odd movie. You have to see it to believe it. Steeped in the counter culture of the times.

The Exorcist (1973)

A little girl possessed by a demon. Need you know more? If you're a fan of horror and you've not heard of The Exorcist, you must have been living in a box for a long time. There's next to no blood and gore here, and no serial killers or monsters you can see, but there's plenty here to terrifying, mostly the unknown and the Satanic. Can even priests of God deal with a minion of Satan? See this one to find out. The ending isn't pretty.

Halloween (1978)

One of the most iconic horror films of all time. It also has what now is a more-than-familiar story. A psycho in a mask stalks horny teenagers and kills them, usually with a really big knife. Every movie with a similar story that was made after this one pales in comparison. Director John Carpenter's creepy soundtrack keeps you on the edge of your seat, and the silent killer who always knows where to be at the right time is downright disturbing. And, believe it or not, there's not a lot of gore to be found here.

Alien (1979)

One of director Ridley Scott's most memorable movies. By today's standards, Alien is sort of slow. But that's part of it's genius, especially when you see it for the first time. You're not sure exactly what's going to happen, and though it takes a while for the action to pick up, once it does things begin to happen very fast and very nastily. A lot of the violence is not actually on screen, but you can tell what's happening. I think this one kept me up nights when I was a kid. The plot should be familiar by now. A crew on a spaceship accidentally picks up an alien lifeform, and the alien is not a nice thing to have around.

The Thing (1982)

This horror flick is one of those rare cases where the remake is better than the original. Director John Carpenter's 1982 movie far outshines the original 1951 film. A lot of that has to do with the fantasticly gruesome special effects, but there's also solid acting from Kurt Russell and a script and storyline that's quite strong. The plot? A group of scientists at a station in Antarctica stumble upon an alien lifeform that means them, and the rest of humanity, no good. What makes matters worse is the alien can assume the form of anyone it kills, so the scientists don't always know who is still human and who has become the creature.

Opera (1987)

The only foreign film on the list, and it deserves to be here. Director Dario Argento is likely best known for his horror film Suspiria, but I always preferred this lesser known film because of its sheer horrific believabilty (though admittedly there are some plot points that stretch that believability). In Opera, an opera star is kidnapped several times and forced to watch the torture and murders of her friends. No one knows who the killer is, but eventually it's revealed. And just when you think the heroine is safe, she's not. The ending to this movie is quite unusual in that it makes a huge departure from the style of the rest of the film, but I believe that's part of the point, to be jarring.

10 horror short stories online for free

Here you will find tales of horror. Some of these tales are not for the squeamish, just to warn you beforehand. Some are quite gory, others more literary. Some quite short, some a little longer. Here you will find undead, serial killers, aliens and much, much more.

Zombie Tears

That's tears, as in the water that leaks from your eyes. How can zombies cry? Do zombies cry? Perhaps, perhaps not, but sometimes a zombie can have remorse, or at least the one in this story does. It's a first-person account of how one man became a zombie and what happened to him afterward. There's definitely some gore here, and some cursing, so readers who do not like such may want to move on elsewhere. Just a suggestion.

Walking Between the Rain

Do vampires exist? And are there things more deadly than vampires? This short story examines vampire mythology to a very small extent, with a focus upon the very existence of such. No blood and guts here, but this tale might shake you up a little. Or it might not. Depends upon your tastes.

The Note

The shortest story found in this collection. Extremely short. In fact, it's probably shorter than these remarks about the story. This tale raises a question: What lengths would you go to to protect the ones you love?

Devil and Devil Damned

This is historical horror, taking place in 1586 in Europe. Priests have failed at an exorcism and have called in the help of an occultist. But this occultist is more than he seems. Just to possibly draw a little more interest to this story, the main character here was also featured in the story above, "Walking Between the Rain."

Interlude in Lombardy

Another historical tale, this one taking place in Italy in 1892. And yep, a certain figure returns once again. This particular story was a challenge to myself, an attempt to write horror without anyone dying, no bloodshed and no monsters or serial killers. I think it works.

Day Trip (pdf)

This is pretty straight-forward Hollywood B-movie material. A couple goes for a trip into the woods, becomes lost and is hunted down by something rather nasty. Not a nice way to spend a mini vacation. There's some gruesome stuff here, so beware. And if you like happy little endings where everything is explained and tied up in a bow for you, this probably isn't your kind of story. Also, the link to this story will take you to a PDF file for Deadman's Tome magazine (though it was called Demonic Tome until a few months ago), and you'll have to search through the PDF for this particular story; while you're there, enjoy some of the stories by other writers.

August (pdf)

Another PDF file, so be prepared to look around for this particular story. In this tale, a private detective with some unusual abilities is called upon to remove a ghost from a home. But looking into the ghost's past, the detective wonders if he should really send the ghost on. Language and gore are fairly strong here.

Forlorn (pdf)

Deadman's Tome online magazine ran this story in its PDF edition, so check out the table of contents to find this tale. Here, a serial killer is on the loose on a college campus. Who could the killer be? And what are his motivations?

Everyone is Zombies (pdf)

It's a zombie story without actually any zombies. Or is it? You be the judge. No gore here, but there are some disturbing trains of thought. This is one of those stories that gets into a character's head and stays there.

Hot Off the Press (pdf)

This story was written to be somewhat reminiscent of the old science fiction stories and TV programs from the 1950s and 1960s. If you remember "The Twilight Zone" and "Outer Limits" from television, you should have a pretty good idea of what kind of story this is. It's not solid horror, almost more light science fiction with some light horror elements. This is another PDF file, so check the table of contents for the story. This story was published by the fine folks at Ray Gun Revival online magazine.

10 albums every classic rock fan should own

Led Zeppelin, by Led Zeppelin

It's unfortunate Led Zeppelin is often remembered only as a hard rock band, because this group of guys had a lot of variety in their music, from Celtic-influenced tunes to blues to softer tunes to sometimes goofy stuff and to, yes, hard rock. There are a number of albums from this group to pick from, and any of them could have made this list, but I've gone with the very first album, "Led Zeppelin," because it doesn't get as much overplay on the radio as what's probably a better-known album, "Led Zeppelin IV." This album, "Led Zeppelin" has a strong mix of blues and harder rock and some touches of folk music. The song "Dazed and Confused" from this album was one of the early concert staples for Led Zeppelin, and it's easy to understand why with all the heavy ups and bluesy downs in this song; Jimmy Page really gets a chance to shine as a guitarist on this song, as he does on the entire album, and the vocals of a young Robert Plant are as hefty as ever. Also, I picked this album over others because I felt the lyrics were some of the strongest from Led Zeppelin. Released in 1969.

Who's Next, by The Who

The Who might or might not be one of those bands that comes to mind initially when thinking of classic rock music. Many tend to think of them more as a 1960s rock band, along with groups like The Beatles and The Animals. But many of these bands were huge influences on classic rock, and The Who is sort of a band that bridges the gap from the earlier '60s bands and the classic rock that really came into its own in the 1970s. This particular album, "Who's Next," came out in 1971 and it has some fantastic songs, including harder-edged pieces like "My Generation" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" as well as the soft and moody "Behind Blue Eyes." If you're a classic rock fan but not familiar with The Who, you really deserve to check out this album and the band.

pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd, by Lynyrd Skynyrd

There are some who might not consider this a classic rock album, but more of a Southern rock album. But the truth of the matter is that Southern rock has long been a sub-genre of classic rock. This album from 1973, the band's first major release, has several radio favorites and just some darn good tunes, though the Southern rock anthem "Sweet Home Alabama" won't come until the band's second album, "Second Helpings," in 1974. Still, soulful songs such as "Tuesday's Gone," "Simple Man" and the ever-popular-but-maybe-played-too-much-on-the-radio "Free Bird" can be found on "pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd." And there's always the classic, upbeat "Gimme Three Steps" tune here.

Toys in the Attic, by Aerosmith

Aerosmith is another of those bands with so much material that it's difficult to pick which album is their best, and I wanted to stay away from greatest-hits albums for this listing. But after giving it some thought, I concluded that "Toys in the Attic" from 1975 is deserving of attention. If for no other reason, two powerful Aerosmith staples made me pick this album, "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion." But there are other great songs to be found here, including "Round and Round" and "Toys in the Attic."

Van Halen, by Van Halen

This might be one of the greatest rock albums of all time. It had a humongous effect on rock music over the next dozen years after its release in 1978. Eddie Van Halen's howling guitar and singer David Lee Roth's flashy wardrobe are just two of the things from this band that had a big impact on hard rock music in the 1980s and beyond. This might not be Van Halen's best-known album, but in my opinion, it's the band's bestalbum overall. What classic rock fan could forget such songs as "Runnin' With the Devil" and "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love?"

Back in Black, by AC/DC

This band has a ton of albums and a ton of songs, but "Back in Black" is likely the best known of the lot. Released in 1980, this album contains some hard-rocking tunes like "Hell's Bells," "Back in Black" and "You Shook Me All Night Long." There's even the slower-edged "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" to round things off. This is another of the greatest rock albums ever.

Appetite for Destruction, by Guns N' Roses

If you're old enough to remember 1987, you should remember that it seemed like hard rock music was just about dead. Sure, the hair bands were around, but other than Motley Crue most of them were pretty soft compared to true hard rock and classic rock. But then "Appetite for Destruction" came on the scene and it changed everything. Really, it was like a breath of fresh air, and this album is definitely one of the best, if not thebest, rock album from the 1980s. With kicking songs like "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City" and "Nighttrain," you can't go wrong.

Nevermind, by Nirvana

I can imagine what some of you who are reading this right now are thinking. Nirvana? A classic rock band? Yes, definitely. Don't believe me? Listen to you local FM classic rock radio station for a day or two and I bet you'll hear at least "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from this 1991 album. Much like "Appetite for Destruction," this album forever changed rock music, but in a much bigger way. This album basically kicked off a national music craze that stayed strong for the next several years and can still be felt today. Songs such as "Polly" and "In Bloom" only helped to fuel the grunge drive.

The White Stripes, by The White Stripes

Too new a band for you? Are you thinking classic rock died off in the 1970s? You're wrong, and this 1999 album proves it. Yes, this isn't the most popular album from this band, but it's the one that kicks the most tail. There's lot of hard, guitar-driven, bluesy tunes here, including "The Big Three Killed My Baby," "Stop Breaking Down" and "Jimmy the Exploder." I wanted to make sure to list some more modern music, because classic rock still lives today, and this album is living proof.

Cocky, by Kid Rock

Yeah, Kid Rock was originally known more for his hip hop and rapping abilities, but his handful of albums have included not only classic rock tunes, but sometimes out-and-out Southern rock music. I picked this 2001 album because of its variety of songs. Yep, there's some hard-rockin' stuff like "I'm Wrong, But You Ain't Right" and "Forever" to be found here, but there are also some some slower, soul-filled tunes like "Lonely Road of Faith" and the ballad duet with Sheryl Crow, "Picture." Kid Rock keeps to his roots on this album, also, with some hip hop flavor and some country added in. But that's what Kid Rock is about, mixing up the genres.