& & by Mike Corrigan - Spokane & & & &





Kiss Alive from 1977 could also be called the Best of Kiss because it includes live versions of the best of the group's first three albums including one of the greatest rock anthems of all time: "Rock and Roll All Nite." And they actually sound better than the studio versions to boot.


I love AC/DC but they were never better than on "Highway To Hell," the last album with original singer Bon Scott who later choked to death on his own vomit. Yuk.


The Motor City Madman also known as Ted Nugent was in great form on Free For All. He was still writing tough songs like "Dog Eat Dog" and "Together." On his very next album, he started to get pretty silly.


Aerosmith may have been high on smack at the time they recorded Toys in the Attic, but they never sounded better or wrote any better songs than the title track or "Sweet Emotion." Too bad their output since this record has been mostly mediocre.


Fly Like an Eagle was also the last really great album by The Steve Miller Band. It's spacey, mellow and rocking, too, with most of Miller's biggest hits represented. In "Take the Money and Run" he gets to rhyme "Texas" with "facts is." Cool.

The Evolution of the Japanese Sword @ Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture

Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Continues through May 4
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