33 Jan 16th-Jan 22nd, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | FRI 1/17 SAT 1/18 SUN 1/19 WED 1/22 THURS 1/16 TRASHY ANNIE WITH JEN POP! DOORS: 7:00PM / SHOW: 7:30PM THE SUGAR THIEVES DOORS: 7:00PM | SHOW: 8:00PM JIMI PRIMETIME SMITH / BOB CORRITORE BLUES BAND DOORS: 7:00PM | SHOW: 8:00PM AZ BLUES HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY DOORS: 12:00PM | SHOW: 1:00PM GREG KOCH FT. THE KOCH MARSHALL TRIO DOORS: 6:30PM | SHOW: 7:00PM Anniversary Party 10 classic albums turning 40 in 2025. BY TOM REARDON A hh, 1985. If you were born in 1985, you are going to turn 40 years old this year. That’s a fun thought. For many of us, though, it was a formative year for our musical tastes. There are tons of great records that celebrate the big 4-0 in 2025, so without hesitation, let’s take a look at 10 of them that have aged with various levels of grace, beauty and ridiculousness. ‘...And No One Else Wanted to Play,’ SNFU From the world of punk rock, Canadian punk legends SNFU put out “…And No One Else Wanted to Play” in 1985. This ball of energy was put out by the dudes from Youth Brigade on their Better Youth Organization record label, and it exploded off the turntable much in the same way SNFU singer Mr. Chi Pig liked to explode off the stage with one of his signature leaps during their amazing live shows. Check out “Misfortune” and “Bodies in the Wall” to hear SNFU in their prime. “…And No One Else Wanted to Play” is still a classic 40 years later and SNFU’s best record by far. ‘More Coffee for the Politicians, (Phoenix Underground Music Compilation #3)’ Locally, Placebo Records released the third of their unforgettable compilations of local bands in 1985. “More Coffee For The Politicians (Phoenix Underground Music Compilation #3)” is not as well known as the label’s other two comps (1982’s “Amuck” and 1984’s “This is Phoenix, Not the Circle Jerks”), but for my money, it’s every bit as good as those other two. It wouldn’t be a Placebo comp without J.F.A. making an appearance with “Julie’s Song,” but “More Coffee…” also features J.F.A. frontman Brian Brannon’s other ’80s project, Racer X, with “Jojoba Blues.” “More Coffee for the Politicians” includes the usual cast of ’80s Phoenix weirdo savants such as Sun City Girls and Mighty Sphincter, but it also boasts some of the other underground greats like The Harvest, Bootbeast Carnival, ONS, Maybe Mental, Keening, Joke Flower and a hugely underappreciated track by Kill Everyone called “Icons.” Zany Guys, Dirt Clods, Hellfire and Domino Theory round out the lineup. Every track is well worth a listen, and not a single band sounds like another. Fans of heavy punk, noisy post-punk, psychedelic candy rock, pre-industrial grunge and sun-damaged garage rock will love it. ‘Meat Is Murder,’ The Smiths Feeling mopey with a taste for the best guitar and bass riffs you’ll ever hear? Look no further than The Smiths’ “Meat Is Murder.” Sure, you know “How Soon Is Now,” but what about the fantastic opener, “Headmaster Ritual”? Do you know that one? You should. “Meat Is Murder” was The Smiths’ second full-length album, and guitarist Johnny Marr and bassist Andy Rourke absolutely shine here. “What She Said” is another straight-up rocker that often gets overlooked in The Smiths’ canon, but every song here is simply superb. ‘UTFO,’ UTFO Old-school hip-hop fans will want to remember that UTFO’s self-titled debut album dropped in ’85. The biggest hit on the record was “Roxanne, Roxanne” and it spawned one of the first diss tracks, “The Real Roxanne,” which is on the record as well. One of the great things about UTFO is the exceptional and often socially conscious wordplay, especially from The Kangol Kid (the late Shaun Fequiere) and The Educated Rapper (Jeffrey Campbell). UTFO’s influence can be heard in the hip-hop acts that followed them even decades later. “Beats and Rhymes” is a fairly dated song, but the track just oozes nerdy ’80s hip-hop fun. ‘Hell Awaits,’ Slayer Metalheads will remember that Slayer’s “Hell Awaits” made its debut in 1985 as well. This is one of the greatest thrash metal records of all time. From the opening title track, “Hell Awaits,” to the anthemic weirdness of “At Dawn They Sleep,” “Hell Awaits” sets the stage for what Slayer would become before the band (sort of) retired a few years ago. If you’re ever wanting to do something a little crazy while DJ-ing, mix “Necrophiliac” into the outro of John Coltrane’s song “Giant Steps.” It totally works. ‘Bonded by Blood,’ Exodus Staying in the thrash metal world, “Bonded by Blood” by Exodus is another member of the class of ’85. The San Francisco Bay Area could certainly push out great thrash bands, and Exodus is among the very best of them. “A Lesson in Violence” remains one of the heaviest, (Courtesy of BYO Records) (Courtesy of Placebo Records) (Courtesy of Sire Records) (Courtesy of Select Records) (Courtesy of Metal Blade Records) >> p 34 ▼ Music
