> If it was 1981 and Escape was just released, would you tell someone to listen to Next? No, you would say listen to this new CD first!

Thanks for telling me what I would do, but you're wrong.

If I thought Next was their best work, that's where I'd point them.

I'm a big Deep Purple fan. I would never tell someone to listen to Bananas (or their upcoming new release) first. I'd point them to Machine Head or In Rock since I feel that's the band's best work and gives a new listener a sense of why the band is important.

As a fan of any band, I'd want to point a newcomer with a band's best work in the hopes that they would become hooked and then go off and explore the rest of the band's catalog.

I see where you're coming from in your approach, but I disagree with it. I believe in starting someone with a band's best work, whether that's the latest album or one that's 20 years old.

In the case of Journey, I like what I've heard of Generations, but I certainly don't rank it as their best work. Thus, I'd never start someone there.