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Top CDs Of 2005

Note that some albums are new releases, others are re-issues or albums acquired in 2005

30). Arena - Pepper's Ghost (Verglas Music)

29). Time Machine - A Vertigo Retrospective (Triple compilation) (Mercury Records)

28). Nektar - Evolution (Eclectic Discs)

27). Demon - Better The Devil You Know (Spaced Out Music)

26). Nightwish - Once (Nuclear Blast Records)

25). Seventh Key - Live in Atlanta (Frontiers Records)

24). Robin Trower - Living Out Of Time - Live (Ruf Records)

23). Tony Martin - Scream (Frontiers Records)

22). Leslie West - Got Blooze (Blues Bureau International)

21). Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution (Epic Records)

20). Iron Maiden - Death On The Road (EMI Records)

19). Magnum - On a Storyteller's Night (Sanctuary Records) (Re-issue)

18). Lana Lane - Lady Macbeth (Frontiers Records)

17). Iommi - Fused (Sanctuary Records)

16). Birth Control - Alsatian (Maximum Desaster Records)

15). Dream Theatre - Octavarium (Atlantic Records)

14). Bruce Dickinson - Tyranny of Souls (Sanctuary Records)

13). Porcupine Tree - Deadwing (Lava Records)

12). Ides of March - Beware the Ides of March Live! (Ides of March Records)

11). Neal Morse - ? (InsideOut Records)

10). Chicago - Live at Carnegie Hall (Rhino Records) (Re-Issue)

09). Pendragon - Believe (Pendragon Toff Records)

08). Soul Sirkus - World Play (Frontiers Records)

07). Mostly Autumn - Storms Over Still Waters (Mostly Autumn Records)

06). Thunder - The Magnificent Seventh (Frontiers Records)

05). Gov't Mule - Deja Voodoo (Evangeline Records)

04). Malo - En Vivo/Live (EMI Latin Records)

03). Cold Blood - Transfusion (DIG Music)

02). Pallas - The Dreams of Men (InsideOut Records)

01). Deep Purple - Rapture of The Deep (Edel Records)

Top DVDs Of 2005

Some re-issues, some not quite 2005 releases!

20). Ozric Tentacles - Live at The Pongmaster's Ball (Snapper Music)

19). Gentle Giant - Giant On The Box (DRT Entertainment)

18). Seventh Key - Live in Atlanta (Frontiers)

17). Threshold - Critical Energy (InsideOut Music)

16). Nektar - Live In Germany 2005 (SPV)

15). Magnum - Livin' The Dream (SPV)

14). Triumph - A Night of Triumph Live (TML Entertainment)

13). Living Loud - Live at Sydney Fox Studios 2004 (EMI)

12). Carl Verheyen Band - Live in LA (Provogue Music)

11). Doobie Brothers - Live at Wolftrap (Sanctuary)

10). Anna Vissi - Live! (Columbia)

09). Judas Priest - Rising In The East (Warner Music Vision)

08). Lynyrd Skynyrd - The Vicious Cycle Tour (Sanctuary)

07). Krautrock Meeting - Various (SPV)

06). Rush - R30 (Anthem Music)

05). Molly Hatchet - Live in Hamburg (SPV)

04). Mostly Autumn - At The Grand Opera House (Classic Rock)

03). Blackmore's Night - Castles and Dreams (SPV)

02). Cream - Royal Albert Hall, May 2005 (Warner Music Vision)

01). Earth, Wind & Fire/Chicago - Live at The Greek (Sony/BMG)

RECOMMENDATIONS

Sometimes, some of the hardest questions you can ask a music lover or collector are "What is your favourite album?", or "Who is your favourite guitarist/drummer/vocalist, etc?"

I've been asked, and have asked, those questions on many occasions and I've thought about and discussed (argued!) them with friends and fellow collectors/music lovers for years, and yes, they really are difficult questions to answer. Sure, there are albums/musicians that will always be "favourites", maybe because of the memories and emotions they evoke, or for a myriad of other reasons.

LEON'S LISTS

LEON'S ALL-TIME FAVOURITE ALBUMS
The following is a list, in no particular order, (except perhaps for numbers ten down to one!), of my 100 all-time favourite albums, and I can recommend them to anyone who professes to love music.

100. Budgie - Squawk
99. Blue Cheer - Highlights and Lowlives
98. Santana - 3
97. Tower of Power - Tower of Power (3rd album)
96. Caravan - And The New Symphonia
95. Black Sabbath - Volume 4
94. Frumpy - By The Way
93. Samson - Thank You and Goodnight
92. Billy Cobham - Spectrum
91. Savoy Brown - Street Corner Talking
90. Toad - Toad
89. Livin' Blues - Blue Breeze
88. Affinity - Affinity
87. Deep Purple - Fireball
86. Tommy Castro - Live at The Fillmore
85. Barbara Dennerlein - Junkanoo
84. Lighthouse - Live
83. RPM - RPM
82. Camel - Mirage
81. Al Di Meola - Elegant Gypsy
80. Hawkwind - Space Ritual
79. Fusion Orchestra - Skeleton In Armour
78. Captain Beyond - Dawn Explosion
77. Atomic Rooster - In Hearing Of
76. Off The Edge - Site Under Construction
75. Ten Years After - Ssssh
74. Jericho - Jericho
73. Sebastian Hardie - Four Moments
72. Blood, Sweat & Tears - Mirror Image
71. Tonton Macoute - Tonton Macoute
70. Snail - Snail
69. Armageddon - Armageddon
68. Grobschnitt - Grobschnitt
67. Beggars Opera - Waters of Change
66. Patto - Hold Your Fire
65. Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour 1974
64. Cobra - First Strike
63. Chase - Ennea
62. Rush - Hemispheres
61. Black Sabbath - TYR
60. Wishbone Ash - Argus
59. Gov't Mule - Dose
58. Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
57. Mostly Autumn - Storms Over Still Waters
56. If - Waterfall
55. Kansas - Live at The Whiskey
54. Malo - Dos
53. Iron Maiden - Powerslave
52. Spooky Tooth - The Mirror
51. Yes - Fragile
50. Gentle Giant - In A Glass House
49. Porcupine Tree - Coma Divine
48. Robin Trower - Bridge of Sighs
47. Warhorse - Warhorse
46. Lighthouse - One Fine Morning
45. Saxon - Denim and Leather
44. Tempest - Tempest
43. First Aid - Nostradamus
42. Janus - Gravedigger
41. Birth Control - Count On Dracula
40. Free - Fire and Water
39. Atomic Rooster - Made in England
38. Nektar - Down To Earth
37. Gravy Train - Ballad of a Peaceful Man
36. Hard Meat - Through a Window
35. Uriah Heep - Sonic Origami
34. Led Zeppelin - 2
33. Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
32. Atlantis - Live
31. El Chicano - Revolucion
30. Renaissance - Ashes are Burning
29. Tasavallan Presidentti - Milky Way Moses
28. Chicago - Live at Carnegie Hall
27. Threshold - Hypothetical
26. Quidam - Quidam
25. May Blitz - May Blitz
24. Deep Purple - Burn
23. Steamhammer - Mountains
22. Bedlam - Bedlam
21. Marshall Tucker Band - Running Like The Wind
20. Budgie - Never Turn Your Back On A Friend
19. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Vicious Cycle
18. Colosseum - Live
17. Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night
16. Spring - Spring
15. Gravy Train - Staircase To The Day
14. Hackensack - Up The Hard Way
13. Grand Funk Railroad - E Pluribus Funk
12. Freedom - Through The Years
11. Spock's Beard - The Light
10. If - 3
9. Beggars Opera - Pathfinder
8. Deep Purple - In Rock
7. Camel - Camel
6. Uriah Heep - Very 'eavy Very 'umble
5. Atomic Rooster - Death Walks Behind You
4. Greatest Show on Earth - The Going's Easy
3. Warhorse - Red Sea
2. Nektar - Remember The Future
1. Captain Beyond - Captain Beyond
Back to Top

LEON'S ALL-TIME FAVOURITE GUITARISTS
My favourite/recommended guitarists, once again, in no particular order, (except numbers ten down to one!) are:

50. Jukka Tolonen (Tasavallan Presidentti)
49. Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash)
47. Ronnie Earl
46. Kim Simmonds (Savoy Brown)
45. Stan "The Man" Webb (Chicken Shack)
44. Ricky Gardiner (Beggars Opera)
43. Jan Akkerman (Focus)
42. Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
41. Jeff Kollman (Cosmosquad/Sign of 4/Mogg Way/Edwin Dare)
40. Tommy Castro
39. Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad)
38. Phil Keaggy (Glass Harp)
37. Peter Hanmer (Off The Edge)
36. Neil Schon (Santana/Journey)
35. Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt (Iron Butterfly/Captain Beyond)
34. Allan Holdsworth (Soft Machine/Tempest)
33. Frank Marino (Mahogany Rush)
32. Tommy Bolin (James Gang/Deep Purple)
31. Alex Lifeson (Rush)
30. Paul Kossoff (Free/Back Street Crawler)
29. Robin Trower
28. Mario Millo (Sebastian Hardie/Windchase)
27. Tony Joe White
26. Carlos Santana
25. Clem Clempson (Colosseum/Humble Pie)
24. Toy Caldwell (Marshall Tucker Band)
23. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
22. Trevor Rabin (Rabbitt/Yes)
21. Terry Smith (If/Zzebra)
22. Ollie Halsall (Patto/Tempest)
21. Jeff Beck
20. Ian Crichton (Saga)
19. Peter Parks (Warhorse/Fandango)
18. Jimi Hendrix
17. Joe Satriani
16. Alvin Lee (Ten Years After)
15. Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs/Deep Purple)
14. Al Di Meola
13. Rory Gallagher
12. Rik Emmett (Triumph)
11. Michael Schenker (UFO/Scorpions/MSG)
10. Pat Travers
9. Leslie West (Mountain)
8. Roye Albrighton (Nektar)
7. Terry Kath (Chicago)
6. Mick Box (Uriah Heep)
5. Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple/Rainbow/Blackmore's Night)
4. Gary Moore
3. Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
2. Andy Latimer (Camel)
1. Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers/Gov't Mule)


Back to Top LEON'S ALL-TIME FAVOURITE DRUMMERS
My favourite/recommended drummers, once again, in no particular order, (except numbers ten down to one!) are:

50). Simon Wright (Dio)
49). Don Brewer (Grand Funk Railroad)
48). David Garibaldi (Tower of Power)
47). Curt Cress (Atlantis/Passport)
46). Lee Kerslake (Uriah Heep)
45). Trevor Morais (Peddlers)
44). John Weathers (Gentle Giant)
43). Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden)
42). Ginger Baker (Cream/Blind Faith)
41). Eroc (Grobschnitt)
40). Nick Mason (Pink Floyd)
39). Steve Upton (Wishbone Ash)
38). Phil Ehart (Kansas)
37). Phil Collins (Genesis/Brand X)
36). Gil Moore (Triumph)
35). Michael Shrieve (Santana/Automatic Man)
34). Cesar Zuidewijk (Golden Earring)
33). Bernd Noske (Birth Control)
32). John Marshall (Nucleus/Soft Machine)
31). Bill Bruford (Yes/King Crimson)
30). Simon Phillips (Toto)
29). Dennis Elliot (If/Foreigner)
28). Virgil Donati (Soul Sirkus)
27). Tommy Aldridge (Black Oak Arkansas/Ozzy Osbourne)
26). Harry James (Thunder)
25). Carmine Appice (Cactus/Beck, Bogert & Appice)
24). Mike Portnoy (Dream Theatre)
23). Ian Mosley (Darryl Way's Wolf/Marillion)
22). Corky Laing (Mountain/West, Bruce & Laing)
21). Mac Poole (Warhorse)
20). Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy)
19). Carl Palmer (Atomic Rooster/ELP)
18). Dave Holland (Trapeze/Judas Priest)
17). Fritz Randow (Eloy/Saxon/Victory)
16). Matt Abts (Gov't Mule)
15). Keef Hartley (Keef Hartley Band/Dog Soldier)
14). Skip Prokop (Paupers/Lighthouse)
13). Paul Hammond (Atomic Rooster)
12). Buddy Rich
11). Cozy Powell (Bedlam/Rainbow/Black Sabbath)
10). Shane Gaalaas (Cosmosquad)
09). Bobby Rondinelli (Black Sabbath/Blue Oyster Cult)
08). Deen Castronovo (Bad English/Journey)
07). John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
06). Dennis Chambers (Barbara Dennerlein/Niacin)
05). Neil Peart (Rush)
04). Billy Cobham
03). Bobby Caldwell (Captain Beyond/Armageddon)
02). Jon Hiseman (Colosseum/Tempest)
01). Ian Paice (Deep Purple)

Back to Top LEON'S ALL-TIME FAVOURITE MALE VOCALISTS
Here's my top male vocalist list:

50. Phil Mogg (UFO/Mogg-Way)
49. Chris Farlowe (Colosseum/Atomic Rooster)
48. Joe Lynn Turner (Deep Purple/Brazen Abbot)
47. G.G.Shinn (Chase)
46. John Lawton (Lucifer's Friend/Uriah Heep)
45. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
44. Mac (Threshold)
43. Mike Harrison (Spooky Tooth)
42. John (JW) Hodkinson (If/ Wolf/Rogue)
41. Nick Barrett (Pendragon)
40. Ted Bullet (Thunderhead)
39. David Clayton-Thomas (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
38. Robert Lamm (Chicago)
37. Bernie Shaw (Grand Prix/Uriah Heep)
36. Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
35. Doug Gray (Marshall Tucker Band)
34. Ronnie James Dio (Elf/Black Sabbath/Dio)
33. Clint Cunningham (Off The Edge)
32. Jack Russell (Great White)
31. Rob Halford (Halford/Judas Priest)
30. Danny Joe Brown (Molly Hatchet)
29. Rod Evans (Deep Purple/Captain Beyond)
28. Terry Ilous (XYZ)
27. Dennis De Young (Styx)
26. Zachary Stevens (Savatage)
25. Steve Augeri (Tall Tales/Journey)
24. Terry Kath (Chicago)
23. Martin Griffiths (Beggars Opera)
22. Bruce Dickinson (Samson/Iron Maiden)
21. David Byron (Uriah Heep)
20. Geoff Tate (Queensryche)
19. Tony Joe White
18. Roye Albrighton (Nektar)
17. Neal Morse (Spock's Beard)
16. Dave Walker (Savoy Brown)
15. Ashley Holt (Warhorse/Rick Wakeman)
14. Alex Ligertwood (Brian Auger's Oblivion Express/Santana)
13. Biff Byford (Saxon)
12. Steve Marriott (Small Faces/Humble Pie)
11. Tony Martin (Black Sabbath/Mollo Martin)
10. Dave Hill (Demon)
09. Danny Bowes (Terraplane/Thunder)
08. David Coverdale (Deep Purple/Whitesnake)
07. Davey Pattison (Gamma/Robin Trower)
06. Paul Williams (Juicy Lucy/Tempest/ Allan Holdsworth)
05. Glenn Hughes (Trapeze/Deep Purple/Black Sabbath)
04. Nicky Moore (Megaton/Hackensack/Samson)
03. Paul Rodgers (Free/Bad Company/The Firm)
02. Ian Gillan (Deep Purple/Gillan)
01. Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers/Gov't Mule)

Back to Top LEON'S ALL-TIME FAVOURITE FEMALE VOCALISTS
My top female singers:

50. Marsha Hunt
49. Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane/Starship)
48. Elkie Brooks (Vinegar Joe)
47. Cindy Peres
46. Eve Moon
45. Dale Krantz Rossington (Rossington Collins Band/Lynyrd Skynyrd)
44. Joy Yates (Pacific Eardrum)
43. Celia Humphris (Trees)
42. Patti Santos (It's a Beautiful Day)
41. Donna Summer
40. Etta James
39. Tarja Turunen (Nightwish)
38. Wendy Oldfield (Sweatband)
37. Jane Kevern (Room)
36. Marlena Shaw
35. Vivienne McAuliffe (Principal Edwards Magic Theatre)
34. Pauline Wilson (Seawind)
33. Jerney Kaagman (Earth & Fire)
32. Deborah Coleman
31. Tina Turner
30. Julie Driscoll/Julie Tippetts (Brian Auger & The Trinity)
29. Rachel Jones (Karnataka)
28. Maggie Bell (Stone The Crows)
27. Jane Relf (Renaissance/Illusion)
26. Sonia Nedelec (Minimum Vital)
25. Nina C.Alice (Skew Siskin)
24. Lisa Bouchelle (Mastermind)
23. Sonja Kristina (Curved Air)
22. Alison Williams/Alison O'Donnell (Mellow Candle)
21. Lani Groves (Sergio Mendes)
20. Floor Jansen (After Forever)
19. Darby Mills (Headpins)
18. Lisa Battle (Big Brother & The Holding Company)
17. Siebe-Rein Schaaf (Flamborough Head)
16. Lee Aaron
15. Genya Ravan (Ten Wheel Drive)
14. Koko Taylor
13. Anna Vissi
12. Doro Pesch (Warlock)
11. Lana Lane
10. Emila Derkowska (Quidam)
09. Jenny (Janita) Haan (Babe Ruth)
08. Janis Joplin (Big Brother & The Holding Company/Full Tilt Boogie Band)
07. Annie Haslam (Renaissance)
06. Linda Hoyle (Affinity)
05. Inga Rumpf (City Preachers/Frumpy/Atlantis)
04. Candice Night (Blackmore's Night)
03. Heather Findlay (Mostly Autumn)
02. Jill Saward (Fusion Orchestra/Shakatak)
01. Lydia Pense (Cold Blood)

Back to Top LEON'S ALL-TIME FAVOURITE KEYBOARD PLAYERS
Here's my top keyboard players list.

50. Mic Michaeli (Europe/Glenn Hughes/Brazen Abbot)
49. Ton Scherpenzeel (Kayak/Camel)
48. Tony Kaye (Yes/Flash/Badger)
47. Thijs Van Leer (Focus)
46. Gary Wehrkamp (Shadow Gallery)
45. Toivo Pilt (Sebastian Hardie/Windchase)
44. Mark Stanway (Magnum)
43. Manfred Mann (Chapter Three/Earth Band)
42. Roy Phillips (Peddlers)
41. Trent Gardner (Magellan)
40. James Taylor (James Taylor Quartet)
39. Dave Sinclair (Caravan)
38. Geoff Peacey (Lake)
37. Robert Lamm (Chicago)
36. Jim Gilmour (Saga)
35. John Novello (Niacin)
34. Fred Schendel (Glass Hammer)
33. Dave Greenslade (Colosseum/Greenslade)
32. Jean-Jacques Kravetz (Atlantis/Randy Pie)
31. Derek Sherinian (Planet X)
30. Chester Thompson (Tower of Power/Santana)
29. Eric Norlander (Rocket Scientists/Lana Lane)
28. Jonathan Cain (Journey)
27. Jurgen Fritz (Triumvirat)
26. Tony Banks (Genesis)
25. Gregg Rolie (Santana/Journey/Abraxas Pool)
24. Kerry Minnear (Gentle Giant)
23. Ron DeMasi (Malo)
22. Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater)
21. Iain Jennings (Mostly Autumn)
20. Gary Wright (Wonderwheel/Spooky Tooth)
19. Don Airey (Colosseum 2/Deep Purple)
18. Alan "Taff" Freeman (Nektar)
17. Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep/Blackfoot)
16. Ryo Okumoto (Spock's Beard)
15. Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer)
14. Kips Brown (Spring)
13. Rick Van Der Linden (Ekseption/Trace)
12. Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers)
11. Peter Bardens (Camel)
10. Rick Wakeman (Strawbs/Yes)
09. Frank Wilson (Velvett Fogg/Warhorse)
08. Barbara Dennerlein
07. Rod Argent (Argent)
06. Steve Winwood (Traffic/Blind Faith)
05. Duncan Mackay (Camel/Budgie/Alan Parsons Project)
04. Alan Park (Beggars Opera/Tiger/Bliss Band)
03. Jon Lord (Deep Purple)
02. Brian Auger (Trinity/Oblivion Express)
01. Vincent Crane (Atomic Rooster) Back to Top

LEON'S TOP BASSISTS
Here's my top bassists list.

50. Andy Fraser (Free/Sharks)
49. Merv Goldsworthy (Samson/FM)
48. Doug Pinnick (Kings X)
47. Tim Bogert (Vanilla Fudge/Cactus/BBA)
46. Felix Pappalardi (Mountain)
45. Tommy Shannon (Double Trouble)
44. Dickie Petersen (Blue Cheer)
43. Stan Haldane (Alan Bown)
42. Pete Trewavas (Marillion)
41. Leo Lyons (Ten Years After)
40. Neil Murray (Whitesnake/Black Sabbath)
39. Dave Hope (Kansas)
38. Pete Way (UFO/Waysted/Mogg Way)
37. Mars Cowling (Gnidrolog/Pat Travers)
36. Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire)
35. Fred Babich (Fourth Estate)
34. Dartanyan Brown (Chase)
33. Lemmy (Hawkwind/Motorhead)
32. Chuck Panozzo (Styx)
31. Mel Schacher (Grand Funk)
30. Ross Valory (Journey)
29. Chris Glen (Teargas/Sensational Alex Harvey Band/MSG)
28. Glyn Havard (Jade Warrior/Dogstar Poets)
27. Mike Levine (Triumph)
26. Chris Squire (Yes)
25. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
24. Mark Clarke (Tempest/Uriah Heep/Colosseum)
23. Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck)
22. Bob Daisley (Khavas Jute/Ozzy Osbourne/Living Loud)
21. Stu Hamm (Joe Satriani)
20. Tommy Caldwell (Marshall Tucker Band)
19. Lee Dorman (Iron Butterfly/Captain Beyond)
18. Nick Simper (Warhorse/Fandango/Quartermass)
17. Jeff Berlin (Bill Bruford/Allan Holdsworth)
16. Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath/GZR)
15. John Myung (Dream Theatre/Jelly Jam)
14. Colin Bass (Camel)
13. Allen Woody (Gov't Mule)
12. Jimmy Dewar (Stone The Crows/Robin Trower)
11. Jaco Pastorius (Pat Metheny/Weather Report)
10. Roger Glover (Deep Purple)
09. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
08. Francis "Rocco" Prestia (Tower of Power)
07. Mark King (Level 42)
06. Michael Manring (Attention Deficit)
05. Burke Shelley (Budgie)
04. Barry Sparks (Cosmosquad/Sign of 4)
03. Stanley Clarke (Return To Forever)
02. Geddy Lee (Rush)
01. Gary Thain (Keef Hartley Band/Uriah Heep) Back to Top

Leon Economides

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