The KISS RE-REVIEW SERIES Part 35: Vinnie Vincent solo #2.
VINNIE VINCENT INVASION – All Systems Go (1988 Chysalis)
Ex-
guitarist Vinnie Vincent could have made it big as a solo artist. He had the talent, and the songwriting ability. What he didn’t have was self control. It’s too bad, because his second album was far more accessible than the first. With a movie tie-in with the lucrative Nightmare on Elm St. movie series, the Invasion was primed and ready….
And then the band split.
According to singer Mark Slaughter (on an instalment of the Eddie Trunk show), Vinnie told Mark that was going to fire bassist Dana Strum. “Where does your loyalty lie?” he asked the vocalist. Mark told him if Dana was going, he’d rather go with Dana. So that’s what happened. Mark and Dana formed the successful Slaughter, while drummer Bobby Rock joined another huge band called Nelson.
This all came as a bit of a shock to fans, who expected the Invasion’s second album All Systems Go to take off. It spawned two singles/videos that were right in sync with popular rock at the time. Vinnie toned down his guitar excesses from the first album, and Mark Slaughter was obviously the kind of frontman born to rock. A damn shame.
All Systems Go wasn’t a skimpy album: 11 tracks plus two CD-only instrumentals. Vinnie took sole writing credit on every track, including the drum solo. For extra fun, the tracks are not listed in order on the back cover and the instrumentals are unlisted. This is a throwback to the way records were sometimes released in the 60s and 70s. The tracks (including the instrumentals) are listed in the correct order on the CD itself. This kinda sucks when you are actually listening to it and want to know which song is playing.
This is the album that lived up to what Vinnie was capable of, although he stated a preference for the first “uncompromised” first album. “I should never have changed singers,” he said without mentioning Mark by name. Mark’s sassy vocalizin’ dominates the album, which might have pissed off Vinnie. His charisma and talent is immediately obvious on the sleazy groove rocker “Ashes to Ashes”. A tight song with a good riff and a great chorus is all you need. Vinnie’s solo is no less impressive, but much more innovative and suiting to the song. Guitar heroism in the making…almost.
“Dirty Rhythm” brings more sleaze: faster, more cowbell and more Sunset Strip. The Invasion had more talent than the average glam rock band of the day, and so this is pretty exceptional stuff for the genre. Where they really succeeded was with the radio friendly stuff. The Freddy Krueger crossover ballad “Love Kills” should have been massive. We the benefit of hindsight, we can see that Mark Slaughter was born to be a star. He was absolutely the right singer for these songs.
Goofy title aside, “Naughty Naughty” is a decent return to sleazy glam, and “Burn” rocks similarly. “Heavy Pettin'” is an even worse title, concealing another good glam rocker. Perhaps lyrics weren’t Vinnie’s greatest talent, but there’s not much else wrong with it. Guitar heroism returned on “The Star-Spangled Banner”, played by an orchestra of electric guitars! It’s an apt intro for “Let Freedom Rock”. It’s over the top fun, and the guitar solo would make Yngwie pee his leather pants.
The other single “That Time of Year” was just as good as “Love Kills”, if not better just because it’s not as dark. Its midtempo rock pseudo-ballad stylings were instantly likable. It’s easy to imagine it as a hit, despite a glut of soundalike bands in 1988. Vinnie’s solo verges of majestic. It’s really hard to imagine was he didn’t like about this album. It’s not a bad thing that the songs dominate over the solos; the solos are more impressive when they serve the song.
Had the band not split, and if they released a third single, it could have been “Ecstasy”. Don’t forget, Vinnie wrote “Tears” which was a pop hit for John Waite, and even recorded by Peter Criss. “Ecstasy” is its spiritual sequel. “Deeper and Deeper” also has pop qualities, but is clearly a rocker. The point is this: don’t underestimate Vinnie Vincent.
Out of the blue, the LP/cassette version of the album ended on heavy shred metal. “Breakout” kicks ass. If fans felt at any point that the album was going soft, then “Breakout” would have redeemed it for them. The only real issue is a problem on many of the songs on this album: the production. It’s thin, and the backing vocals tend to be shrill. “Breakout” could be rib-busting with more crunch.
On CD, there are two instrumentals to close. “The Meltdown” is a messy cacophony of drums and electronics. You’ll be thankful it’s over. Stick around for Vinnie’s acoustic tune “‘Ya Know’ – I’m Pretty Shot”. What a diverse and schooled player he is. From classical fingerpicking to blues and traditionals, is there anything he couldn’t do with just six strings? Years from now, this is what Vinnie should be remembered for. This one acoustic instrumental should establish him as a genius on the same level as Randy Rhoads and Yngwie Malmsteen.
Potential was almost fully realized here. If the sound was thicker and the disc was trimmed for length, All Systems Go would be fully classic.
3.5/5 stars
mikeladano.com 
You definitely could tell there was something special about Mark. I loved Slaughter. Vinnie was a talent wasted, but so glad to see him going to be at the Kiss Expo in Atlanta. It is real encouraging that he is doing promos for it now so maybe it will really happen after all. Still early though.
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It is looking more and more likely! Maybe Vinnie has chilled a bit. I’m hoping for a big return.
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Yes. This album a very good one, I think. But think about it, if Mark had been the singer on the first album and the production had been more like on this album, how great could that record had been?
About the song writing credits, I know that Vinnie is a stellar song writer but after listening to Slaugther’s debut album, wouldn’t you say there’s a similarity in the song writing on that album and on this one? Especially the more melodic tracks. Hmmm. I have always wondered if Mark and Dana had a hand in the song writing for Love Kills, That Time Of Year and Ecstasy. Maybe Ashes To Ashes and Dirty Rhythm too. On the other hand, neither Mark or Dana have claimed any credits for All Systems Go so maybe it’s just my suspicious mind.
Great review, Mike. I agree on just about everything you wrote here.
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Hey Jon! I definitely think Mark and Dana had some kind of impact on the songs. But who knows, as you said they’ve never gone after Vinnie for money. But that too could be a choice they made for any number of reasons, such as “not worth it”.
It’s too bad things went down like they did. I think Vinnie had a 8 album contract. They could have been huge.
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Come to think of it…Vinnie DID take writing credit on the drum solo…
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Way too much over the top wacka doodling guitar on this album. VV will always be the guy that saved KISS from the junk heap with some great songwriting and playing on Creatures and LIU! Revenge as well with the co writes…
I will indeed give him his due for that but he needed a stronger opinion to tell him to knock off as he was the captain of his own destiny which imploded but while he had Demon and Strachild as his bosses his was great ….
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Wacka doodle! Yeah although I don’t think Vinnie is a “band” player, he would do well with a partner who had 50/50 say. A David Lee Roth to his Steve Vai, perhaps.
Vai himself has a saying: “Sorry, I can’t help myself!” You either like it or you don’t. Same could be said for Vinnie. I like Vai’s solo stuff, but Vinnie’s first album can take a walk.
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I heard little about this album in the UK back then. From the two tracks you feature, it does sound like it’s better than the first one.
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I think it’s like night & day. For whatever reason this sounds like a band. The first album was a wank.
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I think immediately upon hearing the solo for “Ashes to Ashes” I was relieved. He was still going over the top, but there was much more substance to the solo, and the melodies weren’t being buried in crappy production and guitar wanking off. Someone must have told Vinnie to cool it.
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Yeah I have always wondered about that. Was it more of a band effort? Did the label reel him in a little bit? Is that Dana Strum’s influence as co-producer? Either way, I have always said: Vinnie Vincent is brilliant when he’s slightly restrained.
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I had heard OF these guys but not heard them. Thanks for the info!
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At the risk of sounding too negative… This album (and lineup/circumstances at the time) was totally awful and vinnie knew it (and proudly proclaimed it) then and NOW! So go listen to the ONLY VVI album that matters. A true legendary masterpiece in the the FIRST VVI album! Good day.
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I’m glad Vinnie is back but we don’t have to agree with him on which album is better. Ted Nugent hates Double Live Gonzo. But it’s my favourite and a lot of other people’s too. I’m glad you like the first VVI. I’m glad Vinnie likes it. But art is subjective. Always has been always will be. There are no absolutes.
But we are beating a dead horse here so let’s move on rather than keep moving in circles.
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Yep, that’s just another beautiful thing about music… We all feel/perceive it differently! But sorry to say, I wouldn’t care if vinnie himself likes it or not. I will always love and treasure the first VVI album. It’s on my list of best EVER! Right alongside other underrated classic masterpiece debuts such as… drum roll please… Ratt’s 1st Ep, Great White’s 1st ep/LP, and Spread Eagle’s 1st album…> Unfortunately on this short list, only Ratt continued to sound amazing after their first. They did so up until/including Detonator… But the others (including VVI) sadly tamed and toned down their music for the forever worse :(
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I think we’re on very very different pages. You say “right up there with Ratt, Great White…”
For me to be worthy of the kind of praise you give, it would have to be up there with Zeppelin and the Beatles. Ratt and Great White are a whole tier below what I want out of a 5/5 star album.
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The records I mentioned are indeed 5 star GEMS… But sorry man, you just named a few overrated (by the fairweather pop lemming masses) brainwash bands I wouldn’t be caught dead listening to… Oh and please spare me any “these bands were huge influences on stuff I like” speeches…> I can’t stand zeppelin. A good song to illustrate that fact is by another fav. band of mine screeching weasel who wrote an early song called “I Hate Led Zeppelin”… Zeppelin is garbage in my world. Always has been. The beatles were a radio hit band who have some decent “hits”. Nothing more. I been listening to music for many many years and that sleaze metal genre remains my favorite. But I mostly enjoy 80’s-90’s metal and punk period. I don’t like soft tame safe commercial POP music. Hence why I criticize the 2nd VVI album and LOVE the first VVI album… I might like some 80’s-90’s pop “hits” I heard on the radio. But I don’t buy cd’s for just 2 songs… For the most part, you have to buy metal or punk to get GREAT FULL ALBUMS OF MUSIC! And I’ve got 1000;’s and 1000’s of cd’s/tapes/lp’s in my collection :P
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Yeah man I think we have zero in common musically. Less than zero even. Thanks for the name calling (again). I think we are done here. I’ll ignore future comments.
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Less Than Zero?
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Ah you found it :)
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Who gives a rat about genres? A good song is a good song. I listen to everything from Frank Sinatra to black metal and there are only two kinds of music, good and bad. The world of music is beautiful when the mind is open and when the narrow mind is out the door.
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I like Neil Diamond, Captain Beefheart, Poison, and Slayer among many. I don’t shut my mind to anything like Curtis. This is going to make a great instalment of WTF Comments .
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I am not sure I can “be on the same page” with someone who doesn’t believe the Beatles aren’t worthy of ANY praise, or who believes that Screeching Weasel is good / influential…at all…
Sorry.
It is very ignorant to say the Beatles suck…you can say you don’t like them, but they don’t suck.
I HATE Celine Dion… But I would never say she can’t sing.
Your taste in music is just very different than Mike’s.
Nuff said.
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The final four or five Beatles albums are so far beyond “pop”, that I wish I had some of whatever Curtis is smoking. He clearly has never heard Tomorrow Never Knows if he thinks the Beatles are a pop band.
And where would Vinnie Vincent be without Led Zeppelin? Flipping burgers probably.
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