Steppenwolf: John Kay (vocals, guitar); Michael Monarch (guitar); Goldy McJohn (keyboards); Rushton Moreve (bass); Jerry Edmonton (drums). Includes liner notes by John Kay. Originally released on MCA (31020). All tracks have been digitally remastered. The beginnings of heavy metal can be pinpointed to a single song, Steppenwolf's biker classic "Born to Be Wild," featured on this classic self-titled 1968 debut. Originally from Canada, Steppenwolf exploded out of the West Coast, led by singer/guitarist John Kay. The band took the blues rock of Cream and cranking the volume a few notches higher to create its own style. There's more to Steppenwolf's great debut than just the aforementioned "Wild" rock standard. There's a fun tribute to Chuck Berry in "Berry Rides Again," the sexually-charged "Sookie Sookie," and the anti-drug statement "The Pusher" (later covered by Blind Melon in the '90s).

• Genre: Pop
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 01/22/2013