'Rust Never Sleeps' & 'Ragged Glory'

By my count, this is the final two Neil Young albums on the 1,001 list. Which means I'm finished.

Certainly, my horizons have expanded by watching all these films and listening to all of these records. Young might be the best example of an artist that I cared so little for and knew so little about that I found out I liked a lot.

These are two of his later albums included on the list, Ragged Glory released in 1990 and Rust Never Sleeps, a partial live album, released in 1979. There was about a five-year stint where, according to whoever comes up with this list, Young wasn't putting out very good albums.

Granted, artistically and commercially, this was a dry spot for Young. I guess through five decades you are bound to have one or two.

I think both albums are pretty good. Early in his career, I felt he could do no wrong. That caught up with him. Still, it's all very good.

'Fun House' & 'Raw Power'

With Raw Power, never had you cared about a mix of an album in the history of rock and roll.

It's the third album from the incarnation of The Stooges, at this point they were Iggy and the Stooges, following Fun House and The Stooges. In my opinion, it's better than those other two. A lot more rawer. Listening to The Stooges, you realize just how much modern "alternative" bands owe to them. Some of today's rock songs are almost direct rip offs of Stooges songs. And to be honest with you, I doubt today's bands are ripping The Stooges off as much as they're ripping off The Clash, Nirvana or the Sex Pistols.

As for the mix on Raw Power, Iggy Pop initially did mix using just three of the 24 channels available, putting guitars on one, vocals on another and drums on the third. The record company refused to release it. So, David Bowie was brought in and he remixed seven of the eight songs in a day on an extremely old board. He added what he could talking over the changes with Iggy and putting out one of the most influential albums of all time.

As it is, Iggy is complementary of the mix and the apparent members of the group don't like it all. In 1996, Pop was invited to do a remix, which he did, and everyone hated it. Maybe we should learn that when David Bowie does you a favor, you just accept it.

What I find most humorous about the band disliking the initial Bowie mix was that they were all either heroin addicts or alcoholics and the musical chairs that was the line-up, they had zero room to really complain. The "band" lasted about five years, they broke up once, fired any number of guitarists and were lucky to probably make two albums like Raw Power and Fun House.

'The Adventures Of Augie March'

One detail that Saul Bellow never includes (at least, I overlooked it) is Augie March's age.

There's a broad and varying amount of happenings for March as he comes of age and, yet, we really don't know how old he was when he was stealing books, training an eagle to catch lizards in Mexico, working for a union, working for the Einhorns or volunteering for the Merchant Marines during World War II.

There are hints throughout how much time elapses. We can gather relatively accurately how much time elapses between stages in March's life. We just don't know how old he is, and I think that's important. Chances are, it was entirely on purpose: Age maybe not putting March's personal philosophy in the right context. However, a 21-year-old March running down to Mexico is different than a 29-year-old March running down to Mexico. I think.

Really good book. The fact that all these women are falling over themselves for Augie March makes it a perfect fiction.

'Back In Black'

A gigantic, popular album and for good reason. There are good songs here and they're very accessible to the Everyman. I don't think it's bad, but it certainly doesn't get my blood flowing like it did 12 years ago.

What I want to know is where this Brian Johnson guy came from.

AC/DC's original lead singer, Bon Scott, died of alcohol poisoning in February 1980 at the tender age of 33.

The band recorded Back in Black, after discussing disbanding after their lead singer bit it, in April and May of 1980 and they released the album in July 1980.

The band had already, as you might expect, starting writing material for the album with Scott before he died and finished writing it with Johnson, who penned the lyrics over Angus and Malcom Young's music. Mind you, Back in Black has the band's most popular songs including "You Shook Me All Night Long," "Given The Dog A Bone," "Shoot To Thrill" and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution." Johnson just didn't continue the band. He essentially put the band on the everlasting map of rock music. He helped make them one of the most popular rock bands of all time.

Johnson had been in a band called Geordie (which sounds completely retarded) and released two albums through the 1970s. He was brought in by AC/DC after apparently their manager recommended him and even Bon Scott himself had mentioned Johnson to his bandmates at a time as being someone that sounded like Little Richard.

He auditioned and got the gig. He wasn't anyone special. Worked just as hard as probably a million other musicians. But not everyone get's Bon Scott's attention. Fewer have Bon Scott die of alcohol poisoning opening up their spot on a world-renowned rock band.

Fun facts: Johnson's brother Maurice works as a cook for the band. Also, AC/DC's last five albums have sold one million, 2.5 million, two million, five million and five million records. Not only can you not name either of the five albums (on purpose) but you can't name a song of any of them.

'Muddy Waters Live At Newport 1960'

Often, when you go through the 1,001 lists for books, records and films, you discover art that is truly influential, that really made an impact on others and spurred a plethora of other art, some of which could very well be considered better. But it never exists without that first step.

This album might fit that mold. By the time Muddy Waters, the famous bluesman, performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and released it several months later, he was already well known around the world.

By 1960, he'd made a name for himself as rock and roll began to really break. Thing is, unlike Buddy Holly or Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters had already made his mark.

Born in 1915 (or 1913, depending on the story), by 17 he'd already picked up the guitar and was performing around the country and making Chicago the hub for American blues in the north. He'd already recorded and by 1950s he was already recording on his own and making pretty good bank.

All before Elvis, Buddy and the Beatles. Meanwhile, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Rod Stewart and every other bluesy rocker in England were cutting their teeth on Waters' bark and his steely guitar. Live at Newport was evidence of the changing tide in rock music as it showed a proven bluesman going electric. Never had those infamous guitar heroes heard the instrument like the day they put the needle on this record. Now that's an album to hear before you die.

'The Man Who Fell To Earth'

I was talking about this film with a friend and the conversation turned to that of filmmaking in the 1970s. Primarily, how directors could do whatever they want and the films, generally, are better.

Certainly standards were lax back then, but I think there was also a very influential cadre of directors willing to make the film they wanted to make and as long as they stood firm they would continue to make the films they wanted.

I also think the filmmakers weren't as focused about making money as studios are today and films done by renowned directors tend to make money nonetheless.

Also, I'd be naive to think that everything done in the 1970s was fantastic and everything done now is pathetic. Truth is, I wasn't even born in the 1970s and I've failed to largely see any of the bad films because I'm sure there were plenty.

The amount of sex and nudity in The Man Who Fell To Earth is ridiculous. Ridiculously awesome. It's also something today's filmmaker wouldn't be able to do without giving it an R rating and not making any money because 14 year olds can't get into the theater.

This film completed a pretty nice run for director Nicolas Roeg, who did Walkabout, Don't Look Now and this film in succession.

'The Rise & Fall'

The greatest non-ska ska album. Probably ever.

The Rise and Fall was not released in the United States (for reasons unknown to this reporter) despite "Our House" being a pretty popular single (No. 7 in the United States after it was released on the compilation album, Madness.

This album is called "experimental." Only because a ska band didn't make a ska record and basically made a pop album. And that's "experimental." It's not experimental, it's just a band that wants to make a popular record so he can make more money. There's nothing wrong with that, but if I go to a restaurant where I always order a hamburger and order a hot dog, that doesn't make me "experimental." Just hungry.