Whilst debating which albums I was going to come up with for this piece I pretty much forgotten all about ‘Axe Attack’, one the very few compilations I ever owned. But how could I not include a record containing 14 artists, 13 of whom I would eventually buy full length albums by (and just in case you are wondering I never did get into Frank Marino & Mahogony Rush). 

But thinking back I never did really “own” Axe Attack, it was a record I borrowed from my next door neighbour and proceeded to break the sacred oath; the one that constantly reminded us that “Home Taping Is Killing Music”.  

Released at a time when rock still ruled the airwaves, almost all of the artists were already vaguely familiar to me, none more so than Rainbow’s glorious ‘All Night Long’, surely Graham Bonnet’s finest three minutes. At school in the Black Country Priest were always our band, local boys made good and major players in the NWOBHM explosion; with ‘Breaking The Law’ they had an anthem that took them into the charts and onto ‘Top Of The Pops’, which way back then was an achievement that actually meant something. At the time I was less convinced by Maiden, and never really warmed to Paul Di’Anno’s cocky style; instead being far more taken with Coverdale’s blues rock innuendo and Aerosmith’s uplifting ‘Sweet Emotion’.  

But the band seemingly everyone was into back then was AC/DC and of course they adorned denim jackets on every street corner, their infamy having become more pronounced since Bon’s demise. On ‘Highway To Hell’ it sounded like you were listening to his life and death story in all its debauchery and glory. As for ‘Paranoid’ and ‘Bomber’ these were pure Heavy Metal heaven; if you were into Rock then you simply had to know these two songs or risk being exposed in the playground for your lack of knowledge and taste. 

If I had been asked to recall the track listing without looking I could have sworn ‘Wheels of Steel’ was on there. But that must have come later. In any case, ‘Axe Attack’ really did contain everything the trainee Rocker needed to know.

Let us know your views on Axe Attack Volume 1

Track Listing

Rainbow - All Night Long
Ian Gillan - Running, White Face, City Boy
Judas Priest - Breaking The Law
Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever
Scorpions - Make It Real
Girlschool - Race With The Devil
U.F.O. - Doctor Doctor
AC/DC - Highway To Hell
Whitesnake - Ready & Willing
Iron Maiden - Running Free
Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion
Frank Marino & Mahogony Rush - You Got Living
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Motorhead - Bomber