Moby Dick vs Rat Salad

Now for those of you who do not instantly recognise what this post is about, allow me to explain…

The first reference is nothing to do with Herman Melville’s famous novel about a big white whale. Nor is the second item anything to do with a new dish being served at the Wuhan markets that will potentially lead to another “pandemic”. (Although both are completely plausible.)

No. These are the titles of two rock tracks that Dani has been playing off against each other. He is tying to decide which is the best. There are some similarities. Both are instrumental numbers which lean heavily on the drums. Moby Dick was on Led Zeppelin’s second album released in October 1969. Rat Salad is from Black Sabbath’s third album (Paranoid) released in September 1970. So you could argue that Black Sabbath were influenced by Led Zeppelin. I really have no idea. Although I was around back then I was too young to know or care…

More Sabbath…

Thankfully my son has finally started to venture outside of Black Sabbath’s first and third albums. They are both good albums but I was getting a bit sick of hearing them all the time when we are in the car (as Dani takes control of my iPod). He now listens to some of their second offering (Masters of Reality) and most of their fourth album – Vol.4 (always referred to as Volume Four). Incidentally I always thought Volume 4 was Black Sabbath’s best album. But I have been known to offer alternative views on that one… I have the vinyl copy – somewhere – complete with booklet style photos inside.

The other week we were out riding our bikes and every time I thought I may need to slow down and check that he was still behind me I could hear him happily singing The Wizard to himself as he peddled away. That made me laugh. Definitely one of my favourite Sabbath tracks it has to be said.

Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic
(The Wizard by Black Sabbath)

His conclusion?

So which is the best track out of Moby Dick and Rat Salad? According to Dani: The drumming in Rat Salad is best but Moby Dick has the better guitar riffs. But I am sure I will have to listen to them both another few hundred times before we get a definitive answer to the question.

What do you think?

By the way. It’s not all Rock n Roll. Recently he has also been listening to Boney M.
Yes, I also have Boney M’s Greatest Hits album on my iPod. Doesn’t everyone? It’s a far cry from Black Sabbath but definitely a nice change…