Self Titled Albums with Self Titled Songs

In Duluth, MN, Wilco have come and gone wowing the Northland once again and even becoming an offical Duluth band as bestowed on Jeff Tweedy and Co. by Mayor Don Ness. Listening to Wilco's latest studio album, the self titled Wilco which also contains a self titled song, I got to thinking; What other bands have a self titled album containing a self titled song? After a few hours scrounging my mind and the interent here are my findings, let's go on a musical journey.


First up The Monkees. Yes, the music industry created band executives hoped would capitalize off the continuing wave of Beatlemania. So in the summer of 1966, Americans recieved the group, the band, the song, and the show all called the Monkees. Davy Jones became a teen idol and the Monkees, much to the ilk of people like Jan Werner of RollingStone Magazine, recoreded some great songs. Eventually they did learn to play their instruments.



In 1970, Black Sabbath released their infamous first album which laid the ground work for the heavey meatl genre. The band, the album, and the first track were all named after 1963 Boris Karloff horror film Black Sabbath which inspired the four British boys from Birmingham to abandon their previous band name Earth, and experiment dark heavey music. Needless to say, they inspired generations of headbangers to come, and reaffirmed Satan's place in Rock and Roll.



One of the greatest rock supergroups of all time, Bad Company, consisting of members from Free, King Crimson, and Mott and the Hoople bursts onto the scene in 1974 with their self titled release. Lead by vocal king Paul Rodgers and named after the 1972 film starring a young Jeff Bridges, Bad Company scored a slew of hits throughout the 70s and early 80s, and their self titled track is a Classic Rock stable to this day.



In 1977, God himself, Lemmy Kilmister, graced creation with the release of Motorhead's first studio album. The first album and the first track tell you everything you need to know about this band's 35 year history: they're the loudest, heaviest Rock N'Roll band under the sun. Interestingly, in 2000 Motorhead released their 16th album We Are Motorhead which also features the song "We Are Motorhead." Should this count on my list? Does Lemmy love Jack Daniels? Hell Yes!




Pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavey Meatal, Iron Maiden released their debut album in 1980 and would go on to become one of the founding pillars of todays metal sound. Sung by the groups original lead singer Paul Di'Anno, the title track is a raw furrey of twin guitars, pounding drums, and punk gutter vocals. These guys were just getting ready to take over the world and this track remains in their set list 30 years later; go Eddie!


Yet another metal band, Metal Church's 1980 debut is an often forgotten metal classic. Amazing drumming accompanied with a balance of speed and brooding Sabbath-esqu work, the title track is the epidomey of great really 80s metal. Sadly the group called it quits last July following their performance at Rocklahoma, but the Church remains an amazing alternative to anything your organist might anoint the congregation with this Sunday.



Apparently the early 80s was a good time for self titled albums containing self titled songs. Minor Threat released it's first EP, Minor Threat, in June 1981, and though the band folded in 1983, they left a huge influence on the American hardcore punk scene. The final self titled track on the EP, is fit to form hardcore punk banter over a punching guitar, and the number ends just as abruptly as the band themselves. Apparently they were only a minor threat.



Everyone loves David Bowie, but everyone does not love the band he formed in 1988. The group started, stopped, started, and disbaned on Bowie's whim to either endulge or escape this solo career, and completed two albums. Critics often write off Tin Machine as a failed attempt from Bowie to re-invent himself once again, but as far as we're concerned, looking at their self titled song from the self titled album, what's cooler than seeing Bowie bearded and in a rock band? At least here, Tin Machine rocks. (Maybe I should listen to the whole album)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNw45DYfAlM (Youtube wouldnt let me embedd the song so use the link)


Waylon Jennings' second country supergroup, the Old Dogs released their self titled album with its self titled lead off tune in December 1998. At a combined age of over 250 years (1,750 dog years), country legends Waylon, Mel Tillis, Bobby Bare, and Jerry Reed spend their lone release running through new songs crafted by famed author Shel Silverstein. No new tricks needed here, as the legends do what they've always done; sing great songs.
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fnfpxqqjld0e (sample of song available at the bottom of the page)


A side project/group that never fully got to materialize, Rebel Meets Rebel was recorded on and off again between 1999-2004 and consisted of legendary country outlaw David Allen Coe and the entire metal band Pantera minus volcalist Phil Anselmo. Any chance of the group touring or recording new material was destroyed in December 2004, when lead guitarist Dimebad Darrell Abbott was murdered onstage while performing with his other group Damageplan. Dime's brother Vinnie Paul Abbott (drummer) produced and released their work with Coe and Rex Brown (bassist) as an album in 2006. Rebel Meets Rebel was well received by meatal fans, the album and self titled track blending metal with southern rock.



Metal's latest supergroup, Hellyeah formed in 2006 releasing their self titled debut the subsequent year, and consisting of Chad Grey and Greg Tribbett(Mudvayne), Tom Maxwell (Nothing Face), Bob Zilla (Damageplan), and Vinnie Paul (Damageplan, Pantera). As metal as these boys are, and as the lead off self title track showcases, the album also has a dirty country music backdrop. They're wearing cowboy hats for a reason.



In 2008, Rage Against the Machine vocalist Zack de la Rocha teamed up with former Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore to form One Day As A Lion. The duo dropped a five song EP in July to strongly positive reviews, and promised a full fledge album by the fall. The album and a supposedly planned tour have yet to materialize, with Rocha doing sporatic shows with this former band. Will One Day as a Lion release new music or tour? Will Rocha and crew make a new RATM album? We have no answers, so enjoy the self titled last song off One Day as a Lion's sole release.



Back to where we started. Unlike the other artist listed, Wilco's self titled song came off is seventh album and not its debut. Way to break the mold Mr. Tweedy.


Well that's the list. Can you name any other hat-trick bands? Later in the week I'll post a blog on bands that almost made the list, some of them arguably should have been included. I mean cut Motorhead a break, but than again...they are Motorhead.