...I'm curious if any of you read the subject book by Martin Popoff? A fun read, and full of a lot of great bands that were under the radar, many of which could usually be found in the bargain bin. Here are some vids from some of my favorite "finds"......

War Babies / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHFkWVysn3s

Power Trio From Hell / http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=512ADB50145FFF94&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&v=54HBqoNjcK0

Colliison / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWLult2waLk&feature=related

Anacrusis / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3RFVFkkpvA

Watch Tower / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw1lxY_Cyks&feature=related

I have his "Top 500 Metal Albums" book.

......I need to pick up his Guide To Southern Rock as well. I really enjoyed style of writing. it was like a couple of buddies just throwing out ideas on CDs while just hanging out..................

I want to pick up his book on Rush.

I have the "Collector's Guide To Heavy Metal" book. I gotta say that he comes across as VERY biased against most forms of metal except for traditional metal and classic rock. If you read some of the reviews you can get a clear picture of who his favourite bands are and who they aren't. I think that, to review bands and music properly, you have to be objective about the music styles themsleves and see how they relate to a fan of that style. If you're not a fan of black metal, then you shouldn't be reviewing a black metal album.....unless you just want to give all black metal albums low scores across the board, which is pretty much what he does.

I have all four Collector's Guide. As long as you understand his tastes, they are ok. He doesn't like 99.9% of all thrash bands. He loves groove based bands, grunge and classic metal. He tends to bag on a lot of pop and glam bands.

Some of his reviews are just flat out the opposite of what I think. Stryper is one example where he rates these guys very, very low, I would rate them very very high.

He also reviews Ultimatum's Symphonic Extremities. He gives it a low rating, due to the production, which is fine considering what that album was (basically demo material) and the fact that it is his opinion. He does comment on liking my vocals, which is cool. However, he adds a little comment at the end saying that the band has released several other albums since with no improvements. This is not opinion, this is just flat out incorrect.

However, on other reviews he is dead on. He give Mortification's "Hammer of God" a great review. Most people I know tend to bag on that album, but I think it's one of Morty's best as well.

He does have a lot of underground stuff, but he is far from exhaustive. He is missing a lot black metal, death metal, thrash metal and a ton of Christian stuff. He's missing some classic bands like Deliverance, Vengeance Rising, Guardian, Recon, Precious Death, Bride, The Crucified, Holy Soldier, Barren Cross, etc. etc. However, he manages to review X-Sinner, Tamplin, Believer, One Bad Pig, Mortification and Ultimatum. Go figure

Write a book Ult. I think you know as much as anyone about metal.

I read The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal cover to cover every day in college (this was back in '94, when it was one volume). I love Popoff's style and agreed with most of his opinions. As long as you figure out his tastes it's the best guide ever written, by far. Even the stuff I like that he didn't, I still found his opinions valid. I just love his crazy use of language, which he's unfortunately toned down as he's aged.

I've emailed with him a few times, and sent him a bunch of Christian metal dubbed on tape (this was '94!), like Tourniquet, Precious Death, Betrayal, etc, hoping he'd put them into the next edition. I don't think he did, but I haven't checked the newer editions.

For what it's worth I do remember him telling me via email that he was a Christian and went to church. Back then, anyway.

I have his book about Rush 'Contents Under Pressure'...

Me, a Rush fan?

Oh, I love Rush, just saw a Rush tribute last Saturday, they were really good!

Brothers?