Best Power Ballads

[FanchesterCity]

I loved heavy rock until MTV came along bands started being good looking and fitting Floyd Rose to guitars.

It all went wrong when such music became acceptable to women. That really should have been the warning it was going to hell in a handbag

[Dr Nowt]

[Dr Nowt]

I loved heavy rock until MTV came along bands stared being good looking.

It all went wrong when such music became acceptable to women. That really should have been the warning it was going to hell in a handbag

 

What you really need is a German locals bar in the early hours and complete command of their jukebox.

 

No women around to get in the way of some quality time spent with other gents in leather chaps, all singing heavy rock and metal and doing appropriately retarded air guitar.

 

I swear by it, at least once a year.

[stringvest]

What you really need is a German locals bars in the early hours and complete command of the jukebox.

 

No women around to get in the way of some quality time spent with other gents in leather chaps, all singing heavy rock and metal and doing appropriately retarded air guitar.

 

I swear by it, at least once a year.

 

how true that is.  You have to leave before the homo eroticism gets turned up to 11 though, or you're getting your buns burst.

[FanchesterCity]

The only thing I have to console myself is the fact my wife's fanny smells of patchouli.

 

If I ever catch that fucker though....

[TheHowieLama]

how true that is.  You have to leave before the homo eroticism gets turned up to 11 though, or you're getting your buns burst.

 

Read the first line of the post again - too late.

[Cardie]

You've got the touch, you've got the poweeerrrrr

 

 

Doesn't count if you don't have Transformers the Movie as the video, although at a push Dirk Digglers version is also acceptable.

 

[Sugar Ape]

[Chris]

I've been thinking a bit about Total Eclipse of the Heart. It ticks almost all of the boxes, but I think it being by Bonnie Tyler prevents it from entering the Hall of Fame. The artist must at least exist in the heavier world.

[TheHowieLama]

This got away from you a little Chris. You were pretty descriptive in the OP but not strict enough as the thread went on.

 

Can I suggest a Top 10 poll at the end of this thing?

[Chris]

This got away from you a little Chris. You were pretty descriptive in the OP but not strict enough as the thread went on.

 

Can I suggest a Top 10 poll at the end of this thing?

 

Sounds like a plan.

[FanchesterCity]

I've been thinking a bit about Total Eclipse of the Heart. It ticks almost all of the boxes, but I think it being by Bonnie Tyler prevents it from entering the Hall of Fame. The artist must at least exist in the heavier world.

Wasnt it a Jim Steinman track?

 

It's got his print all over it

[TheHowieLama]

Yep sounds like a Meat Loaf outtake

[TheHowieLama]

Which is not as good as meat loaf take out.

[Chris]

Poll added. Sorry if it seems rather 'my post' centric, but fuck y'all. It's my topic.

[Dr Nowt]

First vote wins, yeah?

 

I'm screenshotting this.

[stringvest]

If Jeremy Clarkson could get an erection, he'd be jazzing all over this thread.   

[Carvalho Diablo]

I cannot believe that my nomination for Led Zep's Since I've Been Lovin' You has scandalously been excluded from the poll.

 

I demand a re-poll !

[Chris]

I cannot believe that my nomination for Led Zep's Since I've Been Lovin' You has scandalously been excluded from the poll.

 

I demand a re-poll !

 

Led Zep isn't power ballad material. They transcend the genre. And if any Led Zep were to go in it would be "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"

[FanchesterCity]

Keep on lovin' you...

 

If there was a formula for the classic rock ballad... this is it. From the understated start, big drums then the big power chords and harmony chorus... right through to an understated melodic solo... and the vocal lines that force you to lift your head up and aim for those higher notes..

 

Boston with a close runner up, but let down by slightly harder to remember lyrics.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Led Zep isn't power ballad material. They transcend the genre. And if any Led Zep were to go in it would be "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"

 

[FanchesterCity]

All Of My Love (Zep) is close to a ballad

[Chris]

Keep on lovin' you...

 

If there was a formula for the classic rock ballad... this is it. From the understated start, big drums then the big power chords and harmony chorus... right through to an understated melodic solo... and the vocal lines that force you to lift your head up and aim for those higher notes..

 

Boston with a close runner up, but let down by slightly harder to remember lyrics.

 

Amen to that. It's not just Keep On Lovin' You with REO Speedwagon either. Take it on the run is almost as good and I can't fight this feeling anymore

[FanchesterCity]

There was definitely a period in the 80s when a tonne of bands converged styles... from fairly heavy types like Whitesnake through to bands like Chicago (formerly more jazzy) - they all seemed to create this 'easy listening' / AOR rock stuff... the production was always rich and heavily compressed (techies will know this term). Lots of harmony, some synthy rich pads in there and chorused guitars. Even the likes of Yes got Trevor Horn in to give them a massively over polished sound.

 

Maybe MTV was to blame, or maybe it was the producers of the era, or even the gear they used, but it became very similar. It was a great sound at first, but ended up being a laughing stock once it became formulaic. Quite a few bands sold out to this sound in my opinion - it made money and they compromised their music for it.

[Carvalho Diablo]