Now that NUMUS‘ most recent season is finished, I just want to say that next season, I can’t friggin’ wait to present Sasquatch: The Opera – composed by Roddy Bottum of the band Faith No More. I saw this at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last summer and knew that we had to find a way to bring it to Kitchener/Waterloo. It’s happening in February 2019! We’ll be doing four performances which will feature the original cast and the NUMUS orchestra led by Roddy himself!
GETTING MORE TALE #685: First Signs of Sausagefest
To quote Bon Jon Bovi, it feels somethin’ like summertime.
Ever since my first time back in ’06, summer is about Sausagefest. It’s just a month away now and I can already feel the cool waters of the Beaver River on my feet.
It has been hot in Ontario this past week. I have been sporting my hair long, but the sweaty heat is a severe deterrent. I originally wanted to try have bangin’ long hair at Sausagefest for the first time this summer. That’s not gonna happen. I have surrendered to the summer. The hair is gone. The first sign of Sausagefest has arrived: my shaved head.
Before & After
Other preparations are under way. Several weeks ago, Uncle Meat gave me the list of songs for me to introduce. I’m very excited because the ideas started poppin’ right away. I have been gathering funny audio bits for almost a year now, but I have pared them all down to the funniest. I learned from last year when I took everything to excess, and I think this time I have distilled all my stuff down to the crème de la crème. Trimmed away a lot of fat.
Just as, I hope, the Lamb Lord will be trimming the fat on his massive side of lamb for the BBQ once again.
Now that the hair decision has been made, I have been pondering some new purchases for this year’s Fest.
This will be the last Sausagefest for the old Pontiac. I’ll be getting something bigger in the fall. Space in the car is an issue, since I drive two people and all their stuff. But I want to make room for this baby below.
Someone brought Jon Snow’s sword one year, and I have been known to sport a machete on my belt. This year, perhaps a more practical weapon would be something that could light our way in the darkness after sunset: a Kylo Ren lightsaber.
These beauty “weapons” are dropping in price, and wouldn’t it be super cool to have one as a nightlight? It would sure beat glow sticks. Not a small investment, however, and you wouldn’t want it to get damaged up there.
What do you think, LeBrain readers? Is this a worthy investment? Stand up and be counted in the poll below.
Keep in mind I could use that money for many other, more practical things. New shoes. New glasses. A new tent. New Guns N’ Roses and Def Leppard box sets.
Check back and see where the poll leads and take part in the discussion in the comments.
Back to work on my recordings for song intros. Can’t wait to see the reactions this time.
GHOST – Prequelle (2018 Loma Vista deluxe edition)
Reviewing an album on one listen is rarely wise, but Ghost can do that to you. Their fourth, Prequelle, pushes the Ghost sound further into the 80s, while retaining their heavy roots. Many songs could have been plucked from the year 1986, with that kind of melodic sensibility. Remember how bands like Accept, Loudness and Kiss sounded around 1986? Lush backing vocals sound as if assembled with care by Robert John “Mutt” Lange. Guitar solos are cut from the stone of Mount Kulick. Ghost leader Tobias Forge has never hid his pop roots, and they are clearly coming further to the fore.
With a bold image and faux-Satanic lyrics, Ghost have established themselves in the upper echelons of metal today. That will only be cemented further by Prequelle. In a year that has seen brilliant returns from Judas Priest and Stryper, Ghost complete a trinity of great recent records. With a deft touch, tracks such as “Rats”, “Faith” and “Miasma” deliver hook after hook after hook. Ghost never really wimp out, although their melodic skills are sharper than ever. These songs are written straight out of the textbook, combining heavy and pop influences together in a witch’s brew of addictive audio. The limits are pushed, with an unexpected sax solo being an album highlight. They go epic and progressive too, especially on closer “Life Eternal”.
Two instrumentals do not (at all) slow down the love affair. Two covers at the end of the deluxe edition (Pet Shop Boys and Leonard Cohen) are an interesting coda. You can make good arguments for only buying the basic 10 song album, because it has a clear beginning, middle and end. If you’re the kind of person who likes staying for the end credit scenes, or enjoys having dessert, then you should check out the bonus tracks. “It’s a Sin” has the detectable Pet Shop Boys disco beats and posh swagger. Tobias Forge’s evil Leonard Cohen impression twists “Avalanche” into something darker and sinister.
However you go for it, make sure you get Prequelle this summer. The deluxe has a neat 3D cover, if that strikes your fancy.
Timothy Gaines ejected from Stryper, unfortunately not on the best of terms. He was swiftly replaced by Perry Richardson of Firehouse, who fit into the rock regime smoothly and easily. God Damn Evil is Stryper’s first with the new bassist, but latest in a long string of credible and crucial Christian metal albums.
But first a word about Walmart, who refused to stock this album based on the title alone.
This exemplifies two huge problems in society today. One: the inability to think for oneself. Two: pandering in fear to the whims of the general public. Walmart were afraid they’d get complaints about an album called God Damn Evil, and so refused to offer it. It’s patently obvious what the title means; just look at the cover art. God is damning the evil. Spelling it out even further, the evil is clearly depicted as “money”. (Maybe the corporate mega-giant doesn’t like this anti-capitalism message.)
Maybe Stryper should have titled this album God Damn, People Are Stupid. You can’t buy God Damn Evil at Walmart, but you can buy Night of the Demons on Blu-ray. Go figure.
The music is what matters most, and the word on the street is that God Damn Evil is their best album yet.
That’s a tough claim. After all, Fallen and No More Hell to Pay are both excellent metal albums, and surely rank among Stryper’s top five. God Damn Evil shares a similar heavy direction, and even matching cover art, forming an ad-hoc trilogy. The new one is the heaviest of the three. Fans were taken aback by lead track “Take It to the Cross”, the closest Stryper have been to thrash metal. From guttural grunts to screams so high they border on self-parody, “Take It to the Cross” is aural shrapnel of the best kind.
The only other track that comes close to “Take It to the Cross” in terms of speed is the Priest-like closer “The Devil Doesn’t Live Here”. There is no question that Stryper can make metal as gleaming as their heroes do.
More traditional is “Sorry”, a metal groove with a slaying chorus on top. It’s one of many contenders for “favourite song”, along with a swaggering “Own Up”. “Lost” reduces the tempo, but not the power. The message is there too, but not overwhelming. Anyone can headbang along. The title track “God Damn Evil” is unexpectedly different, being a straightforward hard rock tune with an anthemic chorus. Stryper fear no evil in “The Valley”, a heavy metal retelling of Psalm 23 (“the valley of the shadow of death”). Another top track is “Beautiful” which bears a Sabbath groove the likes of which is the basis of the genre. It’s melodic, but not a ballad. There’s only one of those: “Can’t Live Without Your Love”, available in Japan in two versions. The standard 80s-sounding power ballad would stand proudly next to “Is This Love” by Whitesnake. The Japan-exclusive acoustic version is even better.
The highlights are many, and filler nonexistent. Without giving up a shade of their integrity, Stryper have managed to remain true to their origins and yet evolve into higher, heavier grooves. The key is the eternal youth of singer Michael Sweet.
Although some still think Stryper are a synonym with bad 80s bands, you’d be wrong to discount them now. Stryper may well indeed have done their best album in 2018.
GETTING MORE TALE #683: I (Don’t) Wanna Be Elected
It’s election season again! The climate today is nastier than ever, even here in Ontario, Canada. We don’t have Trump, but we do have something called Doug Ford. The last name should be familiar to you. He’s the brother of the late crackhead Toronto mayor Rob Ford. Remember that guy?
The important thing is getting out to the polls and having your say. If you do not vote, then I don’t want to hear a peep outta you later on. Not a peep.
Voting is paramount, but unlike Alice Cooper, I do not want to be elected. I can’t imagine what it’s like to put your name out there, only to have the media dig for all your old skeletons. We’re seeing candidates apologizing for things they said and did a decade ago. At least the media wouldn’t have to dig far for my dirt. One look at Record Store Tales Part 7: A Shitty Story, and they’d hang me out to dry with the laundry.
No thanks!
Some rock stars have thrown their hats in this brutal ring. Kid Rock has recently floated the idea. We’ll see if he ever puts his money where his mouth is. Not all who tried can rely on their fame for an easy win.
Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic gave elections a shot in 2009. He didn’t win, but he did run for Wahkiakum County Clerk to make a point. The state of Washington’s laws allow you to run for office for any political party — even fictional ones. Krist made one up and ran. We hope being in Nirvana was good enough for the bassist.
Wyclef Jean wanted to run for President of Haiti in 2010, but wasn’t taken seriously because he doesn’t live there or speak the local languages well enough. He put in the paperwork, but did not qualify. A former American Idol, Clay Aiken, got a little further. Aiken ran for congress in North Carolina. He won the Democratic primary by a hair with 40% of the vote, but did not win the seat. Can’t fault the guy for trying. It takes guts!
Yet, there are a handful of success stories.
In 2005, Martha Reeves (of the Vandellas) ran for and won a seat on Detroit’s city council. Jon Fishman of Phish got himself elected to city council of Lincolnville, Maine, making him perhaps the only rock drummer ever to win an election.
The most successful musician turned politician in history would have to be Sonny Bono, hands down. He was elected mayor of Palm Springs in 1988, and was even mentioned as the mayor in a Beavis and Butt-head music video with Cher! (“We need a chick that used to be married to some dork, and now she’s all wild and stuff.”) After this, he served in the US House of Representatives, from 1994 until his death in 1998.
Unfortunately, Alice Cooper has never run for political office. That’s a shame.
There are more, but politics are not for everybody. At least we all get to vote.
But how? Where do you toss your one vote? Some feel the best way to stop “Ford Nation” from turning Ontario into a mini-Trumpistan is to vote for the New Democrats (or NDP) party. Others feel Doug Ford is the only choice for an economically troubled province, laid to waste by 15 years of Liberal mismanagement, handouts and scandals.
Choose wisely.
When I turned 18, my first election was provincial. I had been working my first retail job at a grocery store, and the issue that I chose to cast my vote on was Sunday shopping. Working at the store, Sundays were the only guaranteed day off and I wasn’t eager to start working them. The NDP party led by Bob Rae promised they would not allow Sunday shopping in Ontario. I voted NDP for the first and so far only time. Rae won, and almost immediately, made Sunday shopping legal.
Fool me once…shame on you?
We have some excellent candidates in my riding, including Amy Fee (wife of Craig) on the Progressive Conservative side, and former boxer Fitz Vanderpool for the NDP. But the truth is, I can’t wait to cast my vote and get it over with. Do you know how many political calls we had last night? Had to be at least 10.
I’m sick of elections. Wanna be elected? No friggin’ way.
I like where I live. It’s quiet. There’s lots of green. There’s a park across the street. In the summer, baseball teams play there. Most people here are seniors. Not a lot goes on. I’m probably the loudest neighbour, and that’s not saying much. You can usually catch me cruising home after work, some Kiss on the car stereo. That aside, there’s only a little noise pollution.
Down at the end of the street, let’s call it “Shady Street”, there is a meandering roadway that leads to a dead end. This is my favourite place for morning walks. The tree cover keeps it cool, and you never have to worry about traffic. Therefore it’s a perfect stroll for hard rock on the earbuds. Because it’s so secluded, you can throw in some air guitar if you have a good song going. Nobody’s going to see you. There’s nothing down there.
Well, almost nothing.
At the very end, right next to the dead end sign, is an old security camera. It has been there for years. To the left, a single long driveway dotted with multiple imposing “NO TRESPASSING” signs. At the top of that long driveway, a large house with seemingly no occupants. Many years ago, I read a story about a grow operation that was busted on Shady Street. I assumed it had to be that house. In the yellow pages, the address is listed as “Shady Street Electronics”. But you rarely saw any customers, or inhabitants for that matter, going down to the very end of Shady Street.
Clearly suspicious, but the grow operation was a long time ago. Walks down Shady Street have continued to be pleasant, with or without the earbuds. Air guitar is still optional.
This spring, however, I have observed some unusual activity.
Two weeks ago, a group of three teenagers on bicycles sped down Shady Street and did not turn around at the end. What would three teenagers on bikes be in such a rush to do down the dead end road? It struck me as odd immediately. I’ve never seen that before.
Last week, I crossed paths with a dirty guy on a bike heading down there, carrying a large black garbage bag.
I wonder if that house at the end of Shady Street is back in business again.
This is my neighbourhood, and I’m going to take my walks where I take my walks. But I might leave my earbuds at home next time, if traffic is indeed picking up….
DOKKEN – Return to the East Live (2018 Frontiers Japan CD/region 2 – DVD set)
Even the most devout Dokken fan must acknowledge that Don is not the be-all and end-all of singers. A good singer, yes, but never in the top tier. Now that age has taken its toll (as it always does), Don relies on the backup singing of Jeff Pilson, Mick Brown, and George Lynch to hit those high notes. The classic Dokken lineup reunited for some shows in Japan, and even recorded a new song to go with it. Fortunately Dokken were up to the challenge, even with the shortcomings that age creates.
Some of the audience looks too young to have known Dokken when they first rocked Japan back in the 80s, but most are die-hards. Don himself looks cool as a cucumber, with George and Jeff on either side holding down the fort. Most importantly it seems they had a good time. Lynch is simply compelling to watch, as he plays impossible licks while making it look so easy.
There’s no messing around with this setlist. All classic Dokken, all 80s, no filler. They focused on what the fans wanted and they delivered. The band sounded great. Pilson’s all-important bass is given enough room in the mix to be effective. Songs like “It’s Not Love”, “The Hunter” and especially “Alone Again” buzz with electricity. Vocally, with great backup singers like Jeff, the band were able to pull it off. It’s a high energy reunion show. It’s just too bad so many people in the audience spent it on their phones.
The DVD and CD tracklists are, strangely, not in the same order. You can hear some obvious vocal overdubs in places, most notably “Kiss of Death”. There are some sloppy edits on the video. Don’s lips don’t always match the words, and there are annoying graphic overlays, but it’s a good show with plenty of closeups. Jeff Pilson is a dynamo on stage, but Wild Mick has lost nothing over the years either. He hammers on his kit as if he’s still 25 years old! There is little interaction between the members on stage, except for Jeff who is all over the place, including the keyboards. Don grins like a Cheshire cat when George lays down those familiar solos. He picks up the guitar himself for oldies like “Breakin’ the Chains”.
Both the CD and DVD portion have unique bonus content. After the main feature, you will find 45 minutes of behind the scenes footage, directed by Don. Shaky camera work aside, this is fascinating fly-on-the-wall stuff. Chatterbox Don is full of energy, even when losing his fedora hat. Eagle-eyed Trailer Park Boys fans will recognise road manager Tom Mayhue, their nemesis in the Out of the Park series. As the band pick apart the set and put it back together again, you get a real sense that they just wanted to get it right but not at the expense of fun.
You will find two exclusive bonus acoustic songs on the CD. “Heaven Sent” (with congas) and the obscure “Will the Sun Rise” are studio re-recordings, giving both songs a fresh, mellow gleam. That’s not the main feature, however. For obvious reasons, the brand new song “It’s Another Day” is the centrepiece, and as such it is presented as the very first track on the disc. While the live set is undoubtedly a very significant memento for fans, nothing really excites them like a brand new song — their first together as the classic lineup two decades. And it’s a solid B+. Grooving with a head of steam, “It’s Another Day” is very reminiscent of the excellent and underrated Dysfunctional album from 1995.
The Japanese bonus track this time is the early Dokken classic “Paris is Burning” live, which is also on the DVD but not the standard CD or download versions. Don’t you hate when a track is missing that is only on the DVD? Sure you do.
Jeff Pilson says that he wanted Dokken to end (if this is the end) on an up note. “Just a really positive exclamation point to a great career. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
mikeladano.com 