..All Gods know they need a Lord, and in the world of music, even the biggest "Gods of Metal & Hard Rock" have turned to legendary producer Max Norman. Ahead of the curve, Max Norman began using computers to sample tracks of music in the early 90's and is well known for using cutting edge technology to achieve the best sound quality possible, and all Gods of Metal & Hard Rock listened.
Today, Max Norman is considered a "Lord of Metal & Hard Rock" and the mere mention of his name in certain circles commands attention. If you look, you will find him attached to numerous classic Metal and Hard Rock albums, many of which are now turned to for reference by critics and historians alike. His works with Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Randy Rhodes, Megadeth and a few other Gods of Metal & Hard Rock showcase his storied career in music history.
In addition to Ozzy Osbourne and Megadeth, albums by Bad Company, Armored Saint, Dangerous Toys, Lynch Mob, Loudness and Jean Beauvoir (Plasmatics) are just a few more that graced the ears and sound board of Lord Norman, who by the way, is still producing albums today. On January 23, 2019, Max Norman was inducted into the Hall of Heavy Metal History.
This special episode of Shockwaves Skull Sessions Podcast features legendary producer Max Norman along with Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and Armored Saint vocalist John Bush, Part 1 of a 2-Part Special. On this episode the three, along with host Bob Nalbandian, discuss Max Norman’s extensive production catalog of the ‘80s, from the debut Blizzard of Oz record in 1980 through Dangerous Toys 1989 S/T debut. We hope enjoy Part:1. Click on the icon below.
A few albums in the Max Norman discography:
"Blizzard of Oz" - Ozzy Osbourne
....5X Platinum (U.S.) - Platinum (Canada) - Silver (UK 1981) - Silver (UK 2013)
#7-UK Albums Chart
#8-RPM 100 Albums Chart (Canada)
#21-Billboard 200
#3-Top Pop Catalog Albums Chart (U.S.)
#9- 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time (Rolling Stone 2017)
"Blizzard of Oz" is the solo debut album by Ozzy Osborne and the first of two albums recorded with legendary guitarist Randy Rhodes
"Diary of a Madman" - Ozzy Osbourne 3X Platnum (U.S.) - Platinum (Canada)
#2-Top Pop Catalog Albums Chart (U.S.) - #14-UK Albums Chart - #16-Billboard 200 - #17-RPM 100 Albums Chart (Canada) - #42-New Zealnad Albums Chart "A classic rock record in every way", "lifted out of the ordinary by the legendary rock axe god, Randy Rhoads." - BBC Music
"A lasting classic that stands as the definitive showcase for Randy Rhoads." - Martin Popoff (Canadian Journalist)
"Diary of a Madman" is the 2nd studio album by Ozzy Osbourne and the final Osbourne album featuring guitarist Randy Rhodes
"Speak of the Devil" - Ozzy Osbourne
....Platinum (U.S.) - Gold (Canada) - Silver (UK) - #10-RPM 100 Albums (Canada) - #14-Billboard 200 - #21-UK Albums Charts
A double album consisting entirely of live renditions of songs originally recorded by Osbourne's previous band Black Sabbath, "Speak of the Devil" is the first Osbourne album to feature guitarist Rudy Sarzo.
"Bark at the Moon" - Ozzy Osbourne
.....3X Platinum (U.S.) - Plaitnum (Canada) - Silver (UK) - #19-Billboard 200
"Bark at the Moon" is Osbourne's 3rd studio album and the only studio album to feature double bass drum pioneer Tommy Aldridge
"The Ozzman Cometh" - Ozzy Osbourne
....2X Platinum (U.S.) - Platinum (Canada) - Gold (Finland) - #13-Billboard 200 - #7-Canadian Album Chart - #7-Finnish Albums Chart - #21-Swedish Albums Chart
"The Ozzman Cometh" won a 1997 Metal Edge Readers' Choice Award for Best Hits or Compilation Album
"Tribute" - Ozzy Osbourne
2X Platinum (U.S.) - Gold (Canada)
"Tribute" was released in memory of Randy Rhoads, Osbourne's guitarist who died in a plane crash while on tour in Florida in 1982. The album features studio outtakes of Rhoads recording the classical-influenced acoustic guitar piece "Dee" which Rhoads wrote for his mother Delores; the single was originally included on Osbourne's debut solo album Blizzard of Ozz.
"Rust in Peace" - Megadeth
....Platinum (US) - Platinum (Canada) - Gold (UK)
Canada - #11-Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time
United Kingdom - #11- Albums of the Year (Kerrang!), One of the Most Important Albums of the 90's (Terrorizer), 200 Greatest Albums of the 90's (Classic Rock & Metal Hammer)
#6-50 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time (Music Radar), #3-50 Hottest Thrash Albums of All Time (Metal Hammer) - #4-Top 25 Metal Albums (IGN) - #1-Best Heavy Metal Albums of 1990 (About.com) - #1-Best Heavy Metal Albums of the 1990's (About.com), #19-100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time (Rolling Stone) - One of the 69 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time (Revolver), One of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (Robert Dimery)
2019 - #1 in Metal Hammer's review of Megadeth albums with the reviewer crediting the album as "a masterpiece with no obvious flaws, not an ounce of filler or flab and some of the most obscenely thrilling moments in all of recorded metal history." The album is responsible for "kick-starting the ‘90s with a sustained blast of immaculate, state-of-the-art savagery that continues to send shockwaves through the metal world today." Read Full Review
Countdown to Extinction - Megadeth
...3X Platinum (U.S.) - 3X Platinum (Canada) - Silver (UK)
#2-Billboard 200
#5-UK Albums Chart
#5-New Zealand Albums Chart
#6-Japan Albums Chart
#9-Norweigan Albums Chart
#10- Swedish Albums Chart
"Best Metal Performance" - Nominated (GRAMMY Awards)
Considered the band's commercial breakthrough, certified triple platinum two years after its original release, and became the band's most commercially successful album.
2019 - #4 in Metal Hammer's review of Megadeth albums with the reviewer stating "by any sane reckoning, Megadeth’s most commercially successful album is a classic, the tunes were massive, the lead guitar trade-offs took the roof off and world domination was inevitable"
Youthanasia - Megadeth
...Platinum (U.S.) - Platinum (Canada) - Gold (Finland) - Silver (UK)
#4-U.S. Billboard Alums Chart
#4-Swedish Albums Chart
#6-UK Albums Chart
#9-Australian Albums Chart
#10-New Zealand Albums Chart
#11-Canadian Albums Charts
#11-Japan Albums Chart
#13-German Albums Charts
#20-Dutch Albums Chart
1994 - "Youthanasia" released a promotion that included the first official 'website' for a band
2014 - #29-"Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" - Guitar World
2019 - "Youthanasia" hits #9 on Metal Hammer's review of Megadeth albums stating
"Many fans baulked at Megadeth’s deliberate drift into less thrashy, more mainstream territory, but with hindsight Youthanasia is a very strong record and one that makes a lot more sense. Some of the band’s finest ‘90s cuts are contained within: Train of Consequences, Addicted To Chaos, Reckoning Day and A Tout Le Monde are all certified monsters and Blood of Heroes is one of the great unsung Megadeth tunes." - Dom Lawson (Metal Hammer)
"Delirious Nomad" - Armored Saint
"Who would have thought a band with a good but ultimately unoriginal debut album (March of the Saint) could transform itself in a classy, world class Heavy Metal act and release one of the best albums of 1985? It remains some of the truest, honest to god demonstration of classic Heavy Metal brilliance…At its most refined, that is. As it happens, Delirious Nomad would remain Armored Saint’s magnum opus, one as savory today as it was on its release day…Even better, maybe." Stefan / Metal Reviews
"The Awakening: Vol.1" - Voodoo X by Jean Beauvoir
The single "The Awakening" is featured in the Wes Craven blockbuster film 'Shocker' along side "No More Mister Nice Guy" by Megadeth. The video for "Voodoo Queen" is the first time in music history a live voodoo ritual with a high priest performing sacred Haitian rituals was captured on film. The album is considered a Hard Rock classic.
"Thunder in the East" - Loudness
....#74-Top 100 Chart (US)
The band Loudness is the first Japanese Metal band to be signed to a major label in the U.S.
The album features the single "Crazy Nights", the band's biggest hit in America. It was the first time a Japanese band entered the US Top 100 chart where it remained for 23 weeks
"Dangerous Toys" - Dangerous Toys
....Gold (U.S.) - Billboard 200
"Dangerous Toys" remains the band's best-selling album] and received the highest chart position in the U.S.
"Wicked Sensation" - Lynch Mob
The debut album by Lynch Mob is George Lynch's first release since leaving Dokken. The album had two successful singles, "River Of Love" (19) and "Wicked Sensation" (#31) on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart
Information for this promotion was gathered from various sources including reviewing interviews with Max Norman, friends and colleagues who have worked with him, various magazine articles as well as the "know it all" Wikipedia. If you find any information incorrect please email allindianz@gmail.com