Celebrating iconic vocalist Brad Delp today (Mar 09, 2007). Can't believe he's been gone for ten years. His death came as such a surprise. I saw Boston in concert four times prior to his death. And even though he was losing a bit of his range, he still belted out 'More Than A Feeling', 'Don't Look Back', 'Rock And Roll Band', 'Smokin', 'Piece Of Mind'...the list goes on. Loved this guy and he lives on through the music. Brad Delp - 'More Than A Feeling' [Vocals Only]
First time I heard Swede-shredder Yngwie Malmsteen was on Steeler's debut album (w/Ron Keel on vocals) and Alcatrazz ‘No Parole From Rock and Roll' (both released in '83). But man, first time I heard Yngwie's three-and-a-half-minute intro to Steeler's "Hot On Your Heels" I was absolutely floored. I'd always admired Ritchie Blackmore's neo-classical guitar style for years, but this neo-classical shredding was an absolute game changer and set another guitar playing style/technique bar very high. And the 1984 Alcatrazz release 'Live Sentence' proved to me what Yngwie was capable of in a live setting.
When Yngwie released this '84 debut I knew it would be great, but I had no idea it would blow the doors off all three of the previously released albums (in my humble opinion). I was familiar with 'Evil Eye' from the 'Live Sentence' album, but the studio version was so much better. I enjoy every track, but two favorites will always be 'Icarus' Dream Suite Op. 4' and 'Far Beyond The Sun'. Upon first listen though, I was surprised a vocalist was used at all. I became a fan of vocalist Jeff Scott Soto due to this album. Plus, having an opportunity to see him perform live made me realize he'd become more popular as time went on (never imagined he'd join Journey down the road). My brother and I listened to this album all the time. We played it frontward, backward, upside down. We played along to every friggin’ note….on air guitar of course.
Some fifteen months after this release, the local concert gods came through and Yngwie was coming to town June 19, 1985 (it was booked at the same dance club venue where I had seen Metallica three months prior - Graham Central Station). And as a HUGE added bonus, Talas (bass god Billy Sheehan's band) was providing support. I already owned Talas' first two studio albums and "Live Speed On Ice" (another all-time favorite live album). I witnessed greatness that evening - one on guitar and the other on bass. I remained up front for both sets have the highlights etched in my brain for life. Both bands played as though they were performing in front of a sold out stadium of 50,000 fans. My jaw was sore from the many times it hit the ground during both Talas and Yngwie's sets. Remarkable musicianship and I never saw a concert quite like it ever again.
By the way, I can still play this album......note for air guitar note.
Sidebar: I always got a kick out of the ‘J’ he had added to his name. I get the classical connection, seriously, I get it…but I joked about that the most back in the day. Kinda went like this, “You have to listen to the new Ingvay Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay Malmsteen album!" Photos from my personal collection (original Polydor label):
Yngwie Malmsteen - Icarus' Dream Suite Op.4 (1984)
Hopefully Ian Gillan's 'Gillan's Inn' didn't go unnoticed by too many people. It was first released in 2006. Then he went out and performed some shows to support it, re-released in 2007 as 'Tour Edition' and added bonus audio/video from that tour. It's an incredible little package because it's primarily Deep Purple classics, Ian's own solo material, and a few cover tunes. And I don't know, a few of his friends dropped by <insert sarcasm>....people you may have heard of....Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Joe Satriani, Jeff Healey, Uli Jon Roth, Janick Gers, and his Deep Purple partners in crime. I had purchased this ten years ago because I've always enjoyed Ian Gillan's voice (DP and solo) and it included Ronnie James Dio and Tony Iommi...period. Not only does Ronnie give a fantastic vocal performance on 'A Day Late and A Dollar Short', but the behind-the-scenes videos are worth the price alone. Very candid moments. There's also bootleg footage of Joe Satriani performing with Deep Purple (A Blind Man Cries & Speed King) in June 1994 after Blackmore bailed on the band (again). Also, the original 2006 release featured Tony, Ian, Roger Glover and Ian Paice's version of Sabbath's 'Trashed'. That was released as its own compilation album in 2012 entitled, 'Who Cares', but originated from this collection. Ian is a proprietor of British Hard Rock and definitely knows how to build on a good thing when opportunity knocks. I enjoy this one quite a bit.
Ian Gillan / Ronnie James Dio / Uli Jon Roth - "Day Late And A Dollar Short"
This just in from the "holy shit I'm old" department.
My original Metallica "Master Of Puppets" cassette
Couple of Metallica anniversaries today:
Attended Metallica/Armored Saint concert 32 years ago today [Mar 03, 1985].
Metallica released "Master of Puppets" 31 years ago today [Mar 03, 1986].
I saw Metallica perform at a local club in Albuquerque, NM 32 years ago today at a local dance club/bar called Graham Central Station (complete with the multicolored dance floor straight out of 1977's Saturday Night Fever) and one year prior to "Master of Puppets" being released upon the masses. Who knew that a musical juggernaut the size of the moon would be hurled at us in a years time down the road. But before I go there, I have to reflect on this "Ride The Lightning" concert event of a lifetime.
My ticket stub from Metallica/Armored Saint - Albuquerque, NM 03-03-85
Prior to the concert (same day), Metallica did an in-store appearance at a local record store (Sound Warehouse) and the place was MOBBED. The parking lot was.....well...a human parking lot. As spacious as Sound Warehouse was, it wasn't large enough for this crowd. And we're talking 1985, Metallica was not on the radio, not on MTV, and yet they had an underground following that was growing larger by the minute (maybe every half minute). After waiting in line for two hours, I walked up to a small platform (maybe three steps) where James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Cliff Fuckin' Burton were seated. I had my "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning" albums with me. Walked up to James, nervously shook his hand, handed him both albums to sign and told him how much I loved the music. He flashed that shit eating grin, thanked me for being a fan, signed the albums; scratched out "lightning" on RTL album cover with his black Sharpie and wrote "bar tab" over it. Next....haha. Lars and Kirk were in their own world, but both signed the albums. Then there was Cliff. I was more nervous about meeting him than I was James. Cliff was kicking back on the end, talking to a few girls, smiling, laughing, just enjoying it all. Then I walk up and he's super cool. We did the "bro handshake" [sideways, cupped palms] and talked about Kill 'Em All, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Misfits for a minute. He signed my stuff, stood up and gave me a "bro hug". Patted me on the back and sat back down to greet the next person (who happened to be my brother - who was still chatting away with Kirk and holding up the line....haha....people were pissed - but fuck 'em all). Concert time. Line was ridiculous to get in, but once in it looked so damn empty. There were more people at the damn in-store than there were at the show - WTF?! Ticket's were $6.75....that's it! If I had to guess, I'd say there were maybe 100 people at the concert - 150 tops. Armored Saint opened (they were touring behind their debut "March of the Saint") and blew the power out after playing for 10 minutes. Vocalist John Bush informed the crowd they were going to kick our asses harder once the power was restored - and they did. They played as though they were the headliners. Love that band to this day. Metallica hit the stage and it's complete anarchy on the floor. Mosh pits in full force. One big one, then two smaller ones. I was up front for the first two songs with my brother, then got the hell outta dodge. Plus, I was recording the show (shhhhhh.....) on my micro cassette recorder and there was no way I was going to lose that. The show was far beyond my expectations. I was blown away by the power, strength, and energy radiating from the stage. The guys played with extreme conviction proving their musical abilities not only to shred, but to kick everyone's collective ass. Of the hundreds of shows I've attended, that concert remains at the top of my all-time favorite list. And I'll post photos of the signed albums once I dig them out of the archives (I've been digging through it lately anyway). They're both on the Megaforce label (prior to signing with Elektra Records and being re-released). The setlist from the '85 gig:
+++++++++++++++++++++++I N T E R M I S S I O N+++++++++++++++++++++++
*******ACT II - Master Of Puppets is released*******
I was still on my 'Ride The Lightning' high in '86, I wasn't prepared for 'Tallica's next aural assault (I said 'aural'). "Master Of Puppets" split things wide open and set the music/album bar so damn high for every Thrash/Metal band in the world to try and match. This band didn't make videos (yet) to cater to the MTV minions. They didn't wear spandex, tease their hair, or wear makeup. They wore their street clothes, drank from the bottle, killed it onstage, and flat out delivered the goods.
For a band with ZERO radio/MTV airplay, they did pretty damn good reaching the masses and building a global fan base. The seeds were already planted with 'Kill 'Em All' and 'Ride', but 'Master of Puppets' and opening for Ozzy on the "Ultimate Sin" tour set things in motion....then it snowballed into something more massive. I was home sick the day 'Master Of Puppets' was released. My brother picked up a cassette copy for me (see above photo - it's the original one he purchased - still have it) and left on my front doorstep. I had no idea he did that until later in the afternoon when I opened the front door to get the mail. Forgot about the mail, picked up the cassette and made a bee line to my room. Popped it into my stereo and it was life changing for this teenager. "Battery" opened with a majestic acoustic guitar, then segued into ripping riffs in a matter of seconds. Then "Master Of Puppets" set a precedence not many songs can compete with to this day. I probably listened to this song six times straight before moving onto the next track. Those were the best 8 minutes and 36 seconds ever. 'Master Of Puppets' is my generation's "Stairway To Heaven". It's as simple as that. And how could this album continue to get better? Then "The Thing That Should Not Be" kicked in.....just so colossal. I couldn't get over the absolute heaviness of this song. "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" was next. It was the perfect balance of chaos, serenity, and melody. I was then decimated by not one, but two devastating tracks ("Disposable Heroes" & "Leper Messiah") which had contained so many time changes and chugging riffs, I thought, "Who else can play like this?" Pffft...no one. Then the almighty Cliff Burton laid his greatness upon us with "Orion". Not that '(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth' wasn't already phenomenal, but 'Orion' is just gargantuan. It gave me goosebumps when I first heard it and has the same effect on me to this day (as I'm sure it does for so many others). The final track, "Damage, Inc." closes this masterpiece going a jillion miles an hour... "Fuck it all and fucking no regrets Never happy ending on these dark sets All's fair for Damage Inc. you see
Step a little closer if you please...." GAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!
Metallica then toured with Ozzy on the 'Ultimate Sin' tour. I caught their show in May '86 and the place went totally off-the-hook during their set. Holy shit. Biggest mosh pit ever. Judging by the number of people who attended this concert, most were there to see Metallica because more than half cleared out after their set ended. True story. Also, for many, 'Master' signaled the end of an era after Cliff died. Who knows how things would've turned out musically had Cliff lived. There's no telling. But he put his stamp on this and helped make it what it is and will always remain; a masterpiece. Photos of my original MOP cassette [purchased Mar 03, 1986]:
The rust from the screws that hold the cassette together are visible on the inlay card.
Rob Reiner’s classic, “This is Spinal Tap” is the seminal Rock-mockumentary since being released 33 years ago today [March 2nd 1984]. The story of a British heavy metal band’s comeback tour across the U.S. is the BEST rock satires ever. It hits home for so many musicians and remains the ultimate of all inside jokes as this serves as a reminder of the many ‘spinal tap moments’ in their own careers.
You may think a film from the early 80s would have become stale over the years, but that's not the case. I never get tired of watching this. Even if it's on TV, I stop and watch it until it ends. This wasn’t a huge success when initially released across movie theaters, but has become an enormous cult classic over the years. There are so many unfortunate and unforgettable scenes; guitar amp volume that goes to '11', the band getting lost in the hallway of an area on their way to the stage, the mini Stonehenge...the list goes on. The eleven song soundtrack (eleven tracks on purpose, right?) is just as epic as the movie. The music and lyrics captured the wit and charm of the movie, "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight", "Hell Hole", "Stonehenge", "Sex Farm" and the many clichéd guitar riffs that go along with them. Here we are thirty-three years later, it still feels as funny, fresh, and still holds up.
I have professed my love for the band Rush for most my life (late teens actually). I'm not always onboard with bands performing cover songs of bands I hold in high regard (Rush being the biggest of them all). But there are two CDs which are exceptions to my rule; Working Man (1996) which includes George Lynch, Jake E. Lee, James Murphy, Billy Sheehan and a slew of others....AND...this live show; Cygnus and the Sea Monsters - "One Night in Chicago". I purchased the CD/DVD off Portnoy's website eleven years ago. Time flies - crazy. Looks like it's still available here: http://www.mikeportnoy.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=25 and Amazon too https://www.amazon.com/One-Night-Chicago-CYGNUS-MONSTERS/dp/B001156MXW
This was recorded and filmed (there is a DVD version and of course it's posted via YouTube - I posted the video below) back in 2005. It consists of Mike Portnoy (I'm sure you know who he is) on drums, Paul Gilbert (Racer X) on guitar, Sean Malone (Cynic) on bass and Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys, Watchtower, Broken Teeth, Ignition) on vocals. This hour long set is nothing short of incredible. The band blazes through 2112, Cygnus X-1, Hemispheres, and YYZ as if they were just warming up. Mike, Paul and Sean are consummate pros and have more talent in the dirt on their fingernails than most people have at all. The only low-light to this is Jason. I love the work this guy does in his other bands, but his screeching and almost screaming/screeching until he's breathless did not fit this otherwise killer set. There's more music than vocals, so another reason why I'm okay with this one.
It's a blast to listen to (and watch) the guys play pretty much note-for-note and not cringing hoping they'll do the songs justice, because they do them all justice and then some. And also capable of throwing in improv portions as well. In showcase settings such as this (Drum Pad's 20th Anniversary) normally one person has the spotlight. Even though Mike gets in a drum solo, it's not just the "Mike Portnoy Show". I've been a fan of Paul's since the first Racer X was released in '86. He can play anything and proves how well versed he is in Rush and the styles of Alex Lifeson. Same goes for Mike and his adaptation of Neil Peart. NOBODY can play like Peart, but Mike does a fine job replicating many aspects of the songs. And Sean, who is an accomplished bass player and does an impeccable job nailing the songs. No keyboards and that's okay because it would've taken away the rawness.
Note: I was pretty ecstatic over the fact Mike incorporated my beloved Sid & Marty Krofft 70s children show "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters". I've included a video clip of the show's opening song at the very bottom. Ahhh, the 70s.
Cygnus And The Sea Monsters - One Night In Chicago (2005)
Scans of my physical CD:
Sigmund and the Sea Monsters opening song (1973-1975) - posted for good measure.
Not sure how many people are familiar with the band 3 Legged Dogg, but it's an album worthy of more attention than it received. The band was <deep breath>: Vinny Appice on drums, the late great Jimmy Bain on bass, ex-Quiet Riot/current Ratt guitarist Carlos Cavazo, ex David Lee Roth/Beau Nasty guitarist Brian Young, and vocalist Chas West (ex-Lynch Mob/Tribe Of Gypsies/Foreigner; currently fronting Resurrection King - which is a great band that includes Craig Goldy and Vinny Appice). <exhale>
Every musician on here gives it their all. I bought this when it was released in 2006 because I was a fan of each one of these guys. I didn't know what to expect and was relieved that the entire album is ass-kicking hard rock and NOT middle of the road or average by any means. I've never heard Vinny's drums recorded this loud before. He always pounds the shit out of his kit, but it seems there was more at stake here. These songs rip and I can never just pinpoint only one song when there are many that highlight this disc. Take you pick, "Give and Take Away" (a radio hit that never came to be - ugh), "Wasted Life", "One Good Reason", and "Long Way Back From Hell" highlight the entire band's tenacity and power. But again, every song here is very well structured. The guys came together and created some heavy-groove-melodic oriented tunes.
This group more-or-less fell apart because Vinny was called up by Ronnie James Dio because the Dio Sabbath group was getting back together [NOTE: 3 Legged Dogg debut was released Oct 2006 and Black Sabbath - The Dio Years was released April 2007]. Not a bad reason.
And who knows if this really would've gone anywhere in this shitty musical climate that began to get much worse in the 2000s. And so many musicians (normally well-known) are offered a sizable chunk of money by certain labels to get together and churn out an album hoping to hit paydirt. Who knows what could've been.
"Sing me a song, you're a singer" "Do me a wrong, you're a bringer of evil........"
I remember purchasing this one on the Rhino/Warner Bros. website in 2007. It was a series called "Rhino Handmade" and it was limited to 5000 copies. I made a conscious effort to purchase two copies for a few reasons; they're limited edition, numbered, and I wanted to keep one factory sealed so I could open the other. Normally my plan of attack as long as the item I'm purchasing isn't too expensive. If I remember correctly, these were $15 a piece. And Rhino/Warner Bros. had just released "Black Sabbath - The Dio Years" a month prior to this one. Knowing the Dio Sabbath lineup was back in business and ready to roll as Heaven & Hell made my year. Sweetening the pot with this collector's item was just icing (molten metal) on the cake.
Having been a Ronnie James Dio fan since his Rainbow days (I didn't know about Elf until the late 70s) and LOVING "Heaven and Hell" and "Mob Rules", buying this was a definite no-brainer. First and foremost, this was an unreleased concert from the Mob Rules tour. I did own (still do) a bootleg CD-R/silver copy; but the sound was pretty horrid. I knew this mastered copy would sound incredible and probably better than the atrocious "Live Evil" quiet/no balls version (which wound up being true). I had only one gripe when I saw the track listing prior to buying it, "Where is "Sign of the Southern Cross"?!" But upon further inspection I saw two tracks not included on "Live Evil"; "Country Girl" and "Slipping Away", so that made up for it. Threw my money at Rhino/Warner Bros., bought two copies and waited for them to arrive....patiently.
OK, not so patiently because I visited my favorite FLAC (Lossless audio) site and someone had already received their copy and uploaded it for the world to procure (one of my favorite words). I couldn't help myself and had to hear it. So I procured the FLAC files, burned them to a CD-R, threw on some headphones and was blown away. Yeah, this is way superior over "Live Evil"...no doubt about it. You could actually hear all the instruments! Holy shit!! That crappy "Live Evil" had everything lost in the mix. This one has Tony's guitar in your face, Geezer's bass slapping you in the head, Vinny's pounding his drums where you could feel it in your chest, and Ronnie singing his damn ass off and not mixed way up over everyone. Finally! Someone did this band justice and released a live album to be proud of for eons. Neon Knights, Black Sabbath, Slipping Away, The Mob Rules, Heaven and Hell, and Voodoo are all show stoppers here. Yes, there's feedback and squelching going on during the show, but it doesn't take away from the performance at all. No telling how many times I listened to this in one sitting (okay okay....five times). One of my favorite live albums of all-time.....period. And a hell of a nod to Ronnie who we lost in 2010 and keyboardist Geoff Nicholls who we lost this year (both to cancer).
Fast forward to delivery day. They arrived! When I removed them from the packing envelope I just sat there trying to figure out which one I should open and which to keep sealed. They're both numbered, but the number is found INSIDE the packaging, not outside on the back insert like most. UGH! Such a dilemma for me. Then I started thinking about the newly burned CD-R I had just created. I already know what it sounds like so should I even open these? My final decision? Never opened them. They're both sealed to this day. I have no clue what they're numbered. Maybe I have #0001 or #5000...who knows. Or, maybe when I'm on my death bed I'll crack them both open.
Side note: "Mob Rules" was re-released in 2010 as a deluxe edition and includes this show as the bonus second CD. I'm sure you can find it on YouTube if you haven't already gone that route.
I own this concert below and it's another favorite of mine. Tony's pre-Black Sabbath guitar interlude is nice and easy then he fuckin' riffs into the song. Love it! Only one Tony Iommi.
Where were you in '97 when Saxon unleashed the beast? < sung to "Denim and Leather" > Yeah, dorky, but that song popped into my head when I started typing.
Let me preface this by saying I'm a HUGE Saxon fan. Love the classic stuff from the 80s and everything leading up to "Battering Ram" (2015) and their 10th live album "Let Me Feel Your Power" (2016). 1997's "Unleash the Beast" is one of my favorite Saxon releases of all time (behind "Power and the Glory" which is my favorite). Pretty bold, I know. Especially since it was the first album without Graham Oliver (guitarist and one of the founding members).
New axe slinger Doug Scarratt was brought into the fold in '96 (his first appearance with the band was 1996's live album "The Eagle Has Landed Prt II") and that classic Saxon sound was nowhere to be found. Graham has his own sound and style which no one can replicate. Yes, a little devil's advocate here, but as I mentioned, this one is second to PATG.
Every song is incredibly melodic, in-sync with the next song, and pretty damn heavy (with the exception of "Absent Friends" - but heavy lyrically) and that's been missing in the Saxon repertoire from Rock The Nations (1986) through Dogs of War (1995). Of course just my opinion, but I've listened to those albums a lot and they don't pack a punch like any of the tunes on this album.
Doug brought in some much needed ass kicking riffs and solos. Entire album is tops, but choosing some "listen to these now" songs I'd go with "The Thin Red Line, "Circle Of Light", "Cut Out The Disease" (written about Graham Oliver - ouch), "Ministry Of Fools", and the title track. That's half the album right there (Track 1 "Gothic Dreams" is a 90 second intro). The rhythm, back line, solos, Biff well, being Biff.....what's not to like?
I cannot begin to fathom that this album will be 20 years old this year on Oct 14th. I had a golden opportunity to see Saxon on this tour March 22, 1998 at a local podunk country facility called Midnight Rodeo (full capacity was 1600). Sold out day before the concert. I was able to interview Biff and Doug (on camera) for a local public access cable show (cue Wayne's World - "We're not worthy!") which my buddy did once a week; from a studio, not his basement. Dream come true to finally meet the band - especially Biff (hence the signed CD booklet - they also signed my Power and the Glory, Crusader and Wheels of Steel too).
Interview went well. I was a tad nervous sitting next to Biff; a vocalist I've idolized since 1981. And I royally screwed up pronouncing Doug Scarratt's last name (sounds like 'carrot' with an 'S') and I mispronounced it....twice...on camera. STOP TAPING! And proceeded to bury my face in my hands. Biff put his arm around me, laughed and said it couldn't get any worse from here. HA! Doug laughed as well. At first he seemed annoyed, but he knew I was nervous and 100% fanboy. Hell, I tried not to. I've met a ton of bands in my life and always kept my cool, but Saxon was just one of those legendary bands - idols.
Got through the interview unscathed, took pictures, signed album covers, CD booklets, and off I went to stash the video camera (as in VHS - video tape recorder) so I could be up front for the show. Of course back then, I bootlegged many concerts I attended with a cool little micro-cassette recorder that I could hide on me. If the end product was being able to identify each song, then the cassette was a keeper.
The concert was two hours and they played most of Unleashed and of course the anthems that put them on the map: Wheels of Steel, Denim & Leather, Princess of the Night, 20,000 Feet, Dallas 1 PM, Motorcycle Man, Strong Arm of the Law, Power and the Glory and Crusader. I'm sure I'm missing a few more. But the guys were on fire and it was awesome to see them in such an intimate setting. Saxon normally plays to 5,000-20,000 people in stadiums over in Europe.
That night I had the time of my life. My bootleg recording came out okay too. There was so much shoving, crushing and shit going on up front (as usual), that the recorder mic was covered up too much in my pocket. I didn't think to check on it because I was having way too much fun. Normally I checked on the mic position, but not that night.
A moment in time I'll always remember.
Saxon - Munich, GER May 20, 1998 (bootleg - AUDIO ONLY)
Being a fan of Ron Keel (Steeler, Keel, and yes...even Iron Horse) I had to track this CD down. If you're a Keel fan, then this one should be on your list of lists. I guarantee it's the heaviest album he's ever made. I was always interested in Japanese metal bands in the 80s. I bought all the #Loudness #EZO #Anthem and #Lazy I could find. But when I read about guitarist Akihito Kinoshita's Saber Tiger with Ron Keel on vocals, Anthem founder Naoto Shibata on bass, and ex-Loudness/EZO Hirotsugu HonmaI on drums, I knew I had to find this one. Thorn in my side for too many years. So, getting back to it, this is Saber Tiger's major debut Project One released in 1997. Some twenty years ago I had read about this in a metal 'zine, but I was never able to find a copy. Remember, this was back before the internet became the monster it is now. I could never locate the '97 release on Fandango Records, but I was able to locate a copy of the 2003 VAP release from a local store in Japan. Make no mistake, this album kicks MAJOR ass. This has the shredding, melodies galore, a huge fat bottom end, and the production is top notch. It's too damn bad this album went completely unnoticed outside Japan because it’s a phenomenal release. Saber Tiger - I'll Still Be Loving You (1997)
I've always been a fan of live albums. I'm sure owning KISS Alive allowed that to happen. Not all live albums are worth their weight, but there are many I enjoy listening to more frequently than others. Angra's "Holy Live" EP is one of them.
Fortunately, I jumped onto the Angra boat early on when their debut album Angels Cry was released in 1993. I was writing concert and CD reviews for a local music fanzine and their label had sent me a copy to review (still thankful to this day because I also interviewed guitarist Kiko Loureiro - Megadeth anyone?).
I'm skipping past Angels Cry, Evil Warning EP (1994), and Holy Land (1996) for now because this little pitbull of a recording has a huge bite. First, it's a short one clocking in at 35 minutes, but it's a pretty powerful snapshot of a band gelling so well. The musicianship is Dream Theater-Rhapsody-Helloween level. Not bad for a young band at the time. And vocalist Andre Matos....kills it live. Why he's not considered one of the top vocalists in the world is beyond my thought capacity.
I wouldn't go so far to call Angra just power metal, because they're a bit prog too. Every time I listen to this, I crank it up loud and it feels like I'm transported back to this show in Paris in '96. My only complaint is that it's only 35 min and not maybe an hour. But their studio albums made up for that. Plus, Angra released a proper live album much later after a few members left (including Andre - ugh)....but I digress.
Short, sweet, and to the Brazilian, prog-power metal point.
I was on a complete old-school Soilwork kick today. I have nothing against recent releases (The Ride Majestic, The Living Infinite, The Panic Broadcast etc.), but they definitely don't crank out the ultra metal music they once did.
Which is why I started things off with their debut album Steelbath Suicide (1998). First Soilwork song I ever heard was #SadisticLullabye and the second was #TheAardvarkTrail Needless to say, I was hooked from there. The melodies are so insanely perfect.
Anyway, then it was onto The Chainheart Machine (2000). The second track #Bulletbeast" is such a phenomenal tune. Definitely one of my all-time favorites due to the minute and a half music interlude in the middle of the song. I'm sure I had that tune on repeat for a half hour.
Then it was on to their third release, A Predator's Portrait (2001). Floored by this one completely. Hard to choose a favorite, but #BastardChain #PredatorsPortrait, and #TheAnalyst come to mind. I'm a sucker for Swedish metal bands. And vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid has such a unique voice. He can scream and rage one minute, then sing clean the next. He's pretty remarkable and ranks up there as one of my Top 5 singer. Google/Wiki him and you'll see how many guest appearances he has on other albums outside of Soilwork.
Also, guitarists Peter Wichers and Ola Frenning lay down such intense fretwork and incorporate out of this world melodic overtones. It's a shame neither one of them are part of this band anymore.
If you've never heard of Soilwork, then now is a good time as any to check them out. I have a funny feeling I'll be listening to more Soilwork tomorrow. Soilwork - Steelbath Suicide (1998)
I've listened to so much music this week. Here are a few of my favorites. They're worth searching YouTube, CD Baby, Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and/or ReverbNation.
I received "Turbo 30 [30th Anniversary Edition]" a couple weeks ago and have been listening to it non-stop. Say what you will about the guitar-synths they used, but I had no problem with this when it was released back in '86. And there are many Priest fans who wrote them off too. Was it the follow-up to "Defenders of the Faith" I was expecting? Definitely not. I expected another guitar-driven, balls out, Glenn/KK all out guitar attack. Priest were having fun in the mid-80s, so this was their quintessential 80s party album. It was light and had a lot of that pomp-and-flair.
Yes, I was surprised when I first heard Turbo Lover, Locked In, and Private Property. But I listened to the album three times in one sitting, just to take it all in and not pass judgement on a band I've admired for so long. And suffice to say, I embraced this one wholeheartedly. Again, their party album during a fun period in their lives while riding another pinnacle of fan adoration.
This Turbo 30th anniversary edition (actually 31 yrs - ha ha) is remastered and includes the concert radio broadcast from Kemper Arena - Kansas City May 22, 1986. Oddly enough, this is a concert I have on cassette. I remember racing home from work so I could record it off the radio (ah, memories). Great package and it still sounds great. My hair still stands on end when I listen to Out In The Cold.
I also included my original ticket stub. I saw them on the Turbo tour May 2, 1986. And Raven was the support band (they had released "The Pack Is Back"....but I won't touch that one).
I've reacquainted myself with Bandcamp here recently and have listened to SO much music. It's amazing how many independent bands are out there doing their thing. And aside from Bandcamp there's also Soundcloud, CD Baby, ReverbNation, Spotify, and the always uber-popular YouTube.
Some of the music I've been listening to last week:
Overkill - Grinding Wheel (2017)
Been a fan since their inception back in the 80s. They
continue to release quality tunes, but with some filler tracks (just a couple). Their Thin Lizzy cover
Emerald is pretty epic though.
Accept - Restless and Live (2017)
Can never get enough Accept in my life. This live one
has so many classic songs. Even if you’re a diehard and can’t get past
the fact that Udo doesn’t sing in this band anymore, you’ll dig Mark
Tornillo (ex-TT Quick). He’s pretty damn close to emulating Udo without
overdoing it.
The Priest album so many hated (or still hate). But I
dug it immediately. Was it a change up? Absolutely. But I liked it right
away when I heard “Locked In” and “Turbo Lover”. Plus this anniversary
set comes with a 1986 concert; originally broadcasted over the radio live
– I still have that on cassette too.
Black Star Riders - Heavy Fire (2017)
Can’t go wrong with this band. Especially having ex-Thin
Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham involved. But the entire band are high
caliber musicians. This is the band which was formed out of the ashes of
Thin Lizzy in 2012. In my humble opinion, this is BSRs strongest release
to date.
MutinyWithin - Origin (2017)
A band who had gone through so much turmoil – Google it. Never thought there would ever be a third
album and here it is. I
pre-ordered early enough to get a physical CD copy. Happy about that since the MP3 files
floating around online sound like absolute crap.
Big Wreck - Grace Street (2017)
Another band I’ve always liked since hearing “The Oaf
(My Luck Is Wasted)” back in 1997.
Bandleader Ian Thornley is a genius.
Witherfall - Nocturnes and Requiems (2017)
Formed by ex-members of White Wizzard, Kobra and the
Lotus, and Into Eternity. The
music bears resemblance to Savatage and Nevermore.
Iron Reagan - Crossover Ministry (2017)
Crazy damn crossover Punk Thrash band which includes members
of Municipal Waste, Cannabis Corpse, and Darkest Hour.
Zerozonic - Zerozonic (2017)
I’ve been a longtime fan of Norwegian guitarist Daniel
"Død" Olaisen going back to the early 90s days playing in
Satyricon and then forming Scariot in 2000 (power/prog Metal) and Blood
Red Throne (death metal) in 2001. Daniel possesses so much melody when he
plays. One can tell his influences
are Chuck Schuldiner, Dimebag Darrell, and Joe Satriani.
The Offering - The Offering EP (2017)
It’s a solid EP. Call them melodic death metal, heavy
metal…..I don’t know. It’s a mix
of everything. I’ve listened to it
like 10 times already.
Well, as goes many of my blogs, we have another milestone to celebrate. And this one is a doozie.
Like many others who have laid claim that KISS Destroyer is the album that got them into the band or Hard Rock music (or both); I was most certainly the latter. KISS changed my life forever with this one.
KISS released their landmark album Destroyer40 years ago today (March 15, 1976). Of course there's always going to be a number of people who say it's their least favorite or the worst album etc. But the majority will side with this one being their masterpiece; the uber-KISS album to own if you're going to own one KISS album. When people ask me my favorite KISS album I tell them it's a toss up between Destroyer and KISS Alive. And I've read the horror stories about Alive and Alive II not being so very "live". But I digress because I love both of those albums and big part of my youth (or my "yute" as actor Joe Pesci would say). And I could care less what was recorded in a studio and what was passed off as an actual 'live' performance. Just take my allowance, please!
Jumping in the way-back machine here, Destroyer is one of the first pieces of vinyl I purchased with my own money (the first one being The Monkees Greatest Hits). Yes, haha...funny, but I loved that album. AND I was eight years old. But I redeemed myself for missing the KISS boat earlier and the third album I bought was KISS Alive. Anyway, moving on......
In the Spring of '76 our family moved to Livingston, NJ. Not the epicenter of rock 'n roll, but as long as I could get New York City radio stations on my radio, then I was happy. I was into whatever was on the radio (light Rock - Chicago, Fleetwood Mac etc.).
Not one piece of furniture was moved into the house yet and my sister was already beating up on a neighborhood boy a few houses up the street from us. The guy she was pouncing on (Brian) was Don's brother; Don being the kid who turned me onto Destroyer, thus turning me into a KISS/Rock music fanatic. And I mean fanatic.
After Brian's Mom came to the house to not welcome us to the neighborhood, but to find out why her son was forced to eat dirt and getting beat upon (aka; ass handed to him), she had brought her son Don along. He was my age and awkward like me, so we actually bonded immediately. Not to say his brother didn't give me shit every time he saw me at his house. The paybacks to my sister beating his ass was by way of a punch to my back, arms, charlie-horse, headlock, ultimate wedgies.....it was never ending. But Don and I figured out how to keep his brother out of the room while we were in there.
Play-by-play of how it all went down for me:
Don: Have you heard the new song "Detroit Rock City"?
Me: Huh?
Don: You know, the song by KISS.
Me: Who?
Don: <blank stare>
Me: <blinking>
Don: You've never heard of KISS?
Me: I've heard of kissing.
Don: NO! The band KISS. With the makeup and costumes!
Me: <still blinking> <staring off and getting ready to make a run for it>
Don then places a vinyl record onto this massive stereo system, drops the needle and I hear the opening sequence of "Detroit Rock City" which is a radio announcer talking about a head-on collision car accident. Then a person is heard jingling keys, opening a car door, starting the engine, revving up the engine, jamming his radio, speeding away while singing KISS' own tune "Rock N Roll All Night". The car revs off.......
The guitar kicks in.....Da na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na....drums BOOM!! BOOM! More guitar: Da na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na......drums BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! Then Paul sings:
"I feel uptight on a Saturday night Nine o' clock, the radio's the only light I hear my song and it pulls me through Comes on strong, tells me what I got to do I got to Get up Everybody's gonna move their feet Get down Everybody's gonna leave their seat You gotta lose your mind in Detroit Rock City...."
My eyes widened. I sat their motionless and felt a little out of body experience going on at that moment. I was deep in thought, "What......what....what is this? How come I never heard it before today? Why have I never heard of KISS?" Once I snapped out of it, I asked, no I told Don to lift the needle and play that song again. But this time we sat on the bed and sang along to the lyrics printed on the album sleeve. I sat there staring at the KISS logo too. It was just coolest logo I ever saw in my short life.
When I heard the car accident portion of the song I didn't put two and two together and thought the accident was another car. Forgive my ignorance, I was a pup. And it took me a few weeks to figure out the song was about a guy who died on his way to a rock concert (hence the foreshadowing of the song's intro). But the parts of the song that hooked me was the guitar (no doubt about it - fell in love with the guitar because of this one song) and the chorus "Get Up/Everybody's gonna move their feet/Get down/Everybody's gonna leave their seat".
After listening/singing along to "Detroit Rock City" ten times or so, we started to read about the KISS Army and we had to join. Don went off to find a few bucks, a couple envelopes and stamps. When he left the room, I went over to the record player and saw the Destroyer album cover for the first time. And the first time I ever set eyes on the band. The makeup....the costumes.....I kinda freaked out. Maybe even pee'd a little. I was looking at a devil band (no fault of my own, I was brought up in a Catholic family). I couldn't look away from the cover. I never saw anything like it.
When Don came back to the room he saw me standing there with the album cover in my hand with my mouth wide open. He asked me what was wrong. Said I looked like I saw a ghost. I was speechless. Between "Detroit Rock City" and the album cover, I didn't know what hit me. Mind you, at this point I hadn't listened to any other song on Destroyer except for DRC. When Don asked me if I wanted to listen to the rest of the album I was like, "THERE'S MORE????"
We listened to the rest of the album and...............the rest is KISStory. I was hooked from that point on. Once I bought my own copy of Destroyer I listened to it for months on end. I learned all the lyrics, air guitars, and air drums. The broom and tennis racket were my new instruments, the basement was my stage and the mirror, my audience. My parents had a phenomenal stereo in the basement and it was louder than my little suitcase style record player. So when Mom and Dad were at work I would blast KISS on the stereo. If they only knew back then. Yeah, my ass would've been sore and grounded for months. Good thing I learned some ninja skills early on.
From there I moved on to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple (yes, late to those too...I know), then Van Halen in '77. I was the only ten year old in my class at the time who even knew who Van Halen was, but that's for another blog.
