Photo: Mr. Rossi, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Our Top 10 Wolfmother songs list looks back at the great rock and roll songs of a very classic rock sounding popular modern day rock band. Every once in a while, bands come along that yield a sound that make you just want to say “yeah baby?’ Usually those bands have a sound somewhat related to Led Zeppelin. Bands like Soundgarden or even to a point Guns N’ Roses had that guitar and vocals sound that just screamed pure rock and roll in a very Led Zeppelin type of way. We thought that the first time we ever heard Wolfmother. The band sounds most of times very much like a cross between Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath with a little bit of Lenny Kravitz thrown in for modnerity purposes. The group is centered around the talents of vocalist Andrew Stockdale who is basically Wolfmother. It’s his group, his project, his baby alone. That’s not to take away from the other musicians who have recorded and toured with him,. But it’s also a revolving door of musicians who have changed multiple times over the years.
Our Top 10 Wolfmother songs will take a close look at each track we present and label the musicians and albums the track appeared on. It’s a showcase of the best Wolfmother songs, or at least the ones that stand out to us the most, which there are plenty off. Yet, it’s also a historical perspective filled with information to give better insight into the fabulous musical performances of Andrew Stockdale and his project called Wolfmother.
# 10 – White Unicorn
Well we figured we would open up this Wolfmother songs list with a song with a very heavy Led Zeppelin style rif entitled “White Unicorn.” The opening riff on this song is very similar to Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On.” If the rift didn’t continue to repeat all the way through the song we probably wouldn’t mention Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On,” but it it repeats over and over again feuling the groove of the song. The song was released on the band’s debut album Wolfmother. The album was issued in 2005. The song “White Unicorn,” was released as the second single from the record. It would become Andrew Stockdale and his band’ Wolfmother’s first charting single. The song would hit number twenty nine on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock tracks charts.
As stated in the introduction we also wanted to make sure to list all the band members at the time of these recordings. The first Wolfmother album featured Andrew Stockdale on vocals and blazing guitars, Chris Ross on bass and keyboards and Myles Heskett on drums. All songs on the album were credited as being composed by Andrew Stockdale, Chris Ross, and Myles Heskett. The legendary jazz musician Lenny Castro also performed on the album. The song “White Unicorn,” was the opening track on the album and for many of us the first Wolfmother song we have ever heard.
# 9 -Rock’n’Roll Survivor
We jump many years ahead in time to this killer track entitled “Rock’n’Roll Survivor.” This roaring song was released on the album entitled Rock’n’Roll Baby. Andrew sounds like Ozzy Osbourne on this very cool track. It’s nice to hear rock and roll music like this still being created in 2019. I mean the title of the song pretty much says it all. It sounds like Andrew Stockdale played all the instruments on this one since it’s pretty impossible to find credits for it anywhere.
# 8 – Enemy Is In Your Mind
All classic rock and roll fans love riffs and this one has a great one! Or should we say multiple great riffs. Leaning more towards Black Sabbath than Led Zeppelin on this cool track, the song “Enemy Is In Your Mind,” delivered the goods for Wolfmother fans on Andrews third album release entitled New Crown. The album was released in 2013. The lineup on this great album consisted of Andrew Stockdale on vocals and guitar, Ian Peres on bass and Vin Steele on drums.
# 7 – Dimension
The band’s debut album had so many killer tracks on the album. One of our favorites was this very cool track entitled “Dimension.” This is Jimi Hendrix meets Black Sabbath. We loved the interplay in the video between the musicians. Killer rock and roll Come on, it’s time to get out your pet rocks, yo-yos and happy face pins.
# 6 – The Love That You Give
If there’s one thing that Andrew Stockdale knows how to do really well besides compose great 70s classic rock sounding songs is play that guitar. The man has such a great feel and ferocious style that shines though in every song he plays. On this one he takes it beyond eleven on the rock and roll cool meter. From the great Victorious album.
# 5 –Mind’s Eye
At the halfway point on our Wolfmother songs list we once again return to Andrew Stockdale’s debut album entitled Wolfmother. It’s hard to get away from this album because it was such a fantastic debut. We did not want to fill up this whole top 10 Wolfmother songs list with songs from that album, but there’s just a couple of them we could not ignore. This great track is one of them. “Mind’s Eye” was the first single ever released from Wolfmother.
# 4 – Victorious
In the number four spot on our Wolfmother songs list is the fantastic single and title track called “Victorious.” Andrew Stockdale really seems to find his own voice on this track until the middle part when he very much copies Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid,” riff. The lineup on the Victorious album featured Andrew Stockdale on vocals, guitar and also bass on this album, Ian Peres on organ and sharing drummer duties Josh Freese and Joey Waronker. The album was produced by the great Brendan O’Brien known for his brilliant work from artists such as Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen and so many more.
# 3 – Woman
With a riff to die for and a bit reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” Wolfmother’s “Woman,” would become the group’s highest charting single of their career. It stands as the band’s only top 10 hit on the US Billboard charts where it peaked at number seven on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Track charts. The song was released on the band’s debut album titled Wolfmother in 2006. The song was released as the fourth single from the album.
# 2 – Joker & The Thief
In the number two spot on our Wolfmother songs list is probably the band’s most popular song entitled “Joker & The Thief.” This was a big one from so many perspectives. The video is hilarious as it starred Johnny Knoxville and his fun group of characters from MTV’s classic television show. But of course the real star of this video is the song itself which is just an extraordinary rock and roll masterpiece. The song was released on Wolfmother’s first album entitled Wolfmother. The song “Joker & The Thief,” was released as the sixth single from the album. It has become the band’s biggest selling single of their career.
# 1 – New Moon Rising
Led Zeppelin meets Black Sabbath meets Ram Jam meets Queens meets good grief the sons of classic rock and roll came to save the world and delivers us from boy bands, rap music, hip hop and all music that has failed to come even close to what we experienced in the 1960s and 70s. Yes, millennials, this is how it’s done and it’s being done by one of you. All hail Andrew Stockdale and his attempt to save the world. And yes this is our favorite Wolfmother song because it pretty much sums it all up in every single beat, grovee and riff in this magical song. Yes, we all know how much this music imitates Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, but so what? Rock and roll has always repeated itself adding little variations along the way. Ask Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.
Top 10 Wolfmother songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
