METALLICAΒ – Six Feet Down Under EP (2010 Universal)
This Metallica EP for Australia only, Six Feet Down Under, will be of limited interest to casual fans. The EP (the first of two for Australia) is a decent tour souvenir for those fans, but for fans in Canada or elsewhere who will have to pay much higher prices, this is mostly just a collectible. Β The sound quality varies wildly. Β The tracks were selected as songs that were not often (or ever) released as live B-sides before.
The oldest tunes from ’89 (“Justice” and “Beholder”) are from audience bootleg sources, and are very rough. I have heard much better bootlegs. Β The idea was to give fans rare tracks recorded in Australia, so this really is something geared towards collectors. Β I’s hard to critique the tunes beyond sound quality, because it’s not like you can really discern bass parts or cymbals and so on.
The ’93 tunes are “Through The Never” (extremely sloppy, especially on the rhythm guitar) and “The Unforgiven”. These songs sound a lot better. “The Unforgiven” in particular is a very nice version. Metallica had started recording their shows via soundboard by now.
Then we jump ahead to the ReLoad tour. Personally, I really liked Load, but I wasn’t very hot on ReLoad. I was still excited to hear live versions of “Low Man’s Lyric” and “Devil’s Dance”, but quite frankly, they sound uninspired.
From 2004 we have a really cool live version of “Frantic”, one of the best tunes from St. Anger. Whether you like it or not will depend on how you feel about St. Anger. I liked this version. Wisely, Metallica decided to include only one St. Anger tune. The other tune from 2004 is “Fight Fire With Fire” which is, once again, very sloppy. But hey, at least you know it’s live.
There are liner notes included as per most Metallica singles and EPs. This just explains the purpose of the EP and the sources of each track. Β Sounds like something you’d be into? Then go for it. If you’re not intrigued, don’t plop down the big bucks if you’re buying it on import. Β I will say that Metallica aren’t ripping the fans off; this “EP” is 52 minutes long. Β By way of comparison, Diver Down by Van Halen is 28 minutes.
QUEENSRΕΈCHE –Β QueensrΓΏcheΒ (2013 Avalon Japanese import)
I purchased and reviewed the domestic “deluxe edition” of Queensryche (2013) in July of this year. Β I initially gave it a 3.25/5 stars, but I have since revised that score to 3.5/5. Β The album continues to appeal to me greatly months later, which is more than I can say for most Queensryche discs since Promised Land. Β At the end of that review, I cryptically added, “Oh, and the live bonus tracks absolutely smoke.”
Since nobody likes a tease, I’ve decided to focus on all four live tracks for this review. Β For the very reasonable price of $32 USD plus $3 shipping, I had a sealed copy of Queensryche sent to me from Japan, so I now have all four live tracks. Β If you want the short report: Β They’re good enough that Queensryche should consider releasing a full live CD/DVD. Β I’d buy it based on these four tracks. Β But nobody comes to mikeladano.com for the short version.
“Queen of the Reich” is the first song I ever heard from the original Β Queensryche, as I suspect is true for most of the band’s fanbase. Β Right from the opening scream, I feel that this is the band that represents Queensryche. Β Every note is nailed, as is every scream. Β On this song Todd La Torre can do no wrong, but not just that. Β I would say that his versions are, in general, fresh sounding. Β He is reverent to the originals, but I also hear his own voice. Β I must also commend Scott Rockenfield. Β His drums are heavy as fuck, and his bass drum precisely punctuates every beat.
“En Force” is a welcome surprise. Β In 2001, Eddie Jackson told me that it was considered in the running for the Live Evolution album but did not make the cut. Β The good news is the guys still know how to play it! Β This has never been my absolute favourite track from The Warning, but to hear it live with all the screams intact? Β That’s something I never thought would happen again.
“Prophecy” is a difficult song, and although Todd doesn’t sing it album-perfect, I have to ask myself, who else these days can sing these Queensryche songs like this? Β Not too many singers. Β I just hope Todd doesn’t blow out his voice. Β I’m sure this kind of singing takes its toll.
Last is the classic “Eyes of a Stranger”. Β This is the only bonus track not from the stone ages of the Ryche, the only representation of Operation: Mindcrime. Β It is actually this track, in many respects, that shows off the talents of Todd La Torre. Β It is another side of the spectrum, and Todd pulls this off as well. Β Look, I know Geoff Tate’s the original, etc. etc. Β I get that. Β Focused on the here and now, this is how I’d like to hear Queensryche sound. Β Heavy, slightly progressive rock music with shredding vocals. Β That’s what I like, and Queensryche deliver on these four bonus tracks.
Lastly, a word about Parker Lundgren. Β I remember when Kelly Gray joined the band, on Live Evolution he lent a different sound to the band. Β It was good, just different. Β Parker fits much more seamlessly. Β He doesn’t attract attention to himself by playing things differently, he played it the way you remember it.
Yeah, so I bought the album twice. Β You knew I was going to. Β For the bonus tracks:
Part 7.5 in my series on Ace Frehley, sorta! Β Plenty of Ace related coolness here. Β For the last part of the Ace series,12 Picks, click here.
A World With Heroes βΒ A KISS Tribute for Cancer CareΒ β A 40th Anniversary Celebration
Cancer sucks. Β Kiss rules. Β Agreed? Β Buy this CD.
Mitch Lafon executive produced this sucker, and I suspect that means a hell of a lot of work. Β I have never in my travels discovered a cooler Kiss tribute album. Β Do you really need to buy another Kiss tribute album? Β Do you? Β Yes, you do. Β Why? Β For the following reasons:
Profits benefit the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Palliative Care Residence in Hudson, Quebec.
Obscure track selections.
Rare Kiss related gems, such as two Peter Criss Band demos with Phil Naro.
Superstar performers including Mark Tornillo of Accept, Russ Dwarf, Don Dokken, Bonfire, Sean Kelly, Vinny Appice, L.A. Guns, Doro, and many more.
Members of the Kiss family including Eric Carr, Peter Criss, Frehley’s Comet (minus Frehley), Bob Kulick and Phil Naro.
I can’t say enough good things about this compilation. Β Upon first sight, it had enough rarities from artists I liked, as well as Kiss obscurities, to make it a must-have. Β Hearing it, I’m blown away repeatedly. Β It is a heady brew of hits and deep, deep cuts. Β Since there are 51 tracks in total, I can’t go into too much detail. Β I’ll point out some personal favourite moments.
I’m a huge fan of the Revenge album, and I’m a huge fan of Accept. Β Hearing Mark Tornillo do his thing through “Spit” was awesome. Β I think the man’s vocal cords must be made of steel or something for him to sing like that. Β I also loved “Sure Know Something”, although I don’t know Chris BuckΒ & Anthony Cardenas Montana. Β It’s a slinky version, very true to the original but with a Rod Stewart vibe. Β Jeff Paris does a pretty authentic “Shout Mercy” and I give him full points for doing a Monster tune, the newest Kiss song on A World With Heroes.
I’ve loved Brighton Rock since I was a kid, but I never expected them to unplug “Creatures of the Night”. Β This twist takes a moment to get used to, but their haunting arrangement is very original and cool! Β “Larger Than Life” from Alive II is revisited by Brian Tichy and friends, and they do it pretty straight to the original, almost lick for lick. Β It’s great. Β I love that Ron Young from Little Caesar sings “Little Caesar”, a nice wink and a smile there. Β A band called Shredmill contribute their original song “Outerspace”…which was later covered by Ace Frehley on his Anomaly album (giving himself a writing credit). Β Shredmill’s version is more Danzig, where Ace’s was more Ace.
On the second CD, surprises and highlights continue. Β Ron Keel and friends from Tesla and Cinderella knock it out of the park on “Rock N’ Roll Hell”, with a nod at the start to Keel’s own “The Right To Rock”. Β Rick Hughes of Quebec metal masters Sword helps blow the doors off “The Oath”, a favourite from The Elder. Β The L.A. Guns guys (Phil Lewis included) tackle the difficult “Master & Slave” from Carnival of Souls, and it smokes. Β They do it authentic to the grungy original but with Phil’s snarky vocals.
As a Killer Dwarfs fan, I’m always pleased to hear Russ Dwarf’s nasally twang, and he turns in a decent “Hard Luck Woman”. Β (Meanwhile, another bunch of L.A. Guns guys did their own version on disc one.) Β Bonfire contribute a live version of Paul Stanley’s unreleased song “Sword & Stone”, from their Live at Wacken CD. Β I don’t really know who American Dog are, but I love that they covered the Paul Stanley version of “God of Thunder”, not the Gene Simmons take from Destroyer. Β They do it the speedy rocked-up way that Paul originally demoed. Β Jim Crean does justice to “Magic Touch”. Β He’s almost Joe Lynn Turner style on this one.
The second CD ends with two takes of “Beth” (Chris VanDahl sounding like the hoarse Peter Criss on Alive II, and Phil Naro). Β This is in addition to Michael Lardie’s (Great White) version on disc one. Β Naro’s is easily the best of the three.
But wait, that’s not all, folks. Β iTunes are selling a 51 track version of A World With Heroes, including 11 exclusives. Β Thankfully, you can buy these exclusives separately if you already bought the CD (like I did). Β Once again, highlights are many. Β Doro contributes a 2013 re-recording of “Only You”, which she had a previous hit with back in 1990. Β Russ Dwarf returns with an outstanding “God Gave Rock and Roll To You II”. Β There are two previously unreleased demos by the Peter Criss Band with Phil Naro. Β These feature Peter on drums, but believe me, you can hear that it is the Cat Man and no one else. Β In addition, there’s a third song from this period, but recorded by Phil in 2013. Β There is also a second version of “Larger Than Life”, this time by somebody calledΒ Robot Lords Of Tokyo. Β I don’t know whoΒ Robot Lords Of Tokyo are, but I love “Larger Than Life” and I have no problem with another version of it. Β This one’s done quite differently, and heavier too.
But wait! Β There’s still more! Β Pledgers who pre-ordered the CD got four bonus tracks. Β I missed the boat on these, and you can’t get them anymore. Β I’m bummed about that, but for the sake of completion, the four bonus tracks are:
‘Calling Dr. Love’ – Performed by: Crash Kelly
‘Comin’ Home’ – Performed by: Sudden Flames
‘Heaven’s On Fire’ – Performed by: The Feckers (ft. Irene Slade)
‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’ Performed by: Alain Pernot
I’d love to have these, especially Crash Kelly, but alas. Β The project is still awesome and worth your coins. Β Especially if you’re a self respecting Kiss fan. Β Get it.
5/5 stars
EDIT: Β I now have the tracks. Β Crash Kelly’s is awesome! Β Fun and awesome.
Disc 1:
‘Psycho Circus’ – Performed by: DDRIVE (Phil Naro, Don Mancuso, Dave Sessions, Jt Taylor & Bobby Bond)
‘Spit’ – Performed by: Ken Dubman, Jimmy Callahan, Scott Metaxas, & Mark Tornillo
‘Deuce’ – Performed by: Bill Leverty, Kevin Valentine, John Regan, & Russ Dwarf
‘Sure Know Something’ – Performed by: Chris Buck & Anthony Cardenas Montana
‘Detroit Rock City’ – Performed by: Ron βBumblefootβ Thal, Rex Brown & Brian Tichy
‘Eyes Of Love’ – Performed by: Eric Carr, Benny Doro & John Humphrey
‘Shout Mercy’ – Performed by: Jeff Paris, Troy Lucketta, Eric Brittingham Jeff Labar
‘Creatures Of The Night’ – Performed by: BRIGHTON ROCK
‘Larger Than Life’ – Performed by: Rex Brown, Brian Tichy & Mark Zavon
‘Cold Gin’ – Performed by: Don Dokken & Tommy Denander
‘Love Gun’ – Performed by: Tony Harnell, Mark Kendall, Scott Snyder, Sean Michael Clegg, Kevin Valentine & Tommy Denander
‘Little Caesar’ – Performed by: Ron Young, John Regan & Tommy Denander
‘Hard Luck Woman’ – Performed by: Chris VanDahl, Stacey Blades & Adam Hamilton
‘Outerspace’ – Original demo later covered by Ace Frehley on his Anomaly album – Performed by: SHREDMILL (David Askew, Jesus Mendez Jr, Jaime Moreno)
‘Goodbye’ – Performed by: IMPERIA & BOB KULICK (J.K.Impera, Matti Alfonzetti, Tommy Denander & Mats Vassfjord) – Additional Guitars by Lars Chriss
‘Beth’ β The Grand Piano Version – Performed by: Michael Lardie
‘Tomorrow’ – Performed by: DRESSED TO CHILL (Matt Bradshaw, Rav Thomas & Rhys Lett)
‘Anything For My Baby’ – Performed by: SLAVES ON DOPE (Kevin Jardine, Jason Rockman, Seb Ducap & Peter Tzaferis)
‘Unholy’ – Performed by: Fred Duvall, Glenn Belcher, Mark Slaughter (Guitar Solo), Rob Zakojc & Russ Dwarf
Disc 2:
‘Breakout’ – Performed by: Tod Howarth, John Regan & Kevin Valentine
‘Rock N Roll Hell’ – Performed by: Ron Keel, Troy Lucketta, Eric Brittingham & Jeff Labar
‘Nowhere To Run’ – Performed by: DRUCKFARBEN (Phil Naro, Ed Bernard, William Hare, Troy Feener & Peter Murray)
‘The Oath’ – Performed by: Rick Hughes, Chris Buck & Bob Richards
‘Master & Slave’ – Performed by: Adam Hamilton, Scott Griffin, Stacey Blades & Phil Lewis
‘Calling Dr.Love’ – Performed by: BURNING RAIN (Keith St John, Doug Aldrich, Sean McNabb & Matt Starr)
‘I Stole Your Love’ – Performed by: S.U.N. (Brian Thomas Tichy, Sass Jordan & Tommy Stewart) With Derek Sharp (Of The Guess Who)
‘Reason To Live’ – Performed by: Johnnie Dee & Derry Grehan of HONEYMOON SUITE with Michael Foster & Bill Leverty of FIREHOUSE
‘Hard Luck Woman’ – Performed by: Fred Duvall, Glenn Belcher, Rob Zakojc & Russ Dwarf
‘Forever’ – Performed by: Terry Ilous, Sean Kelly With Jeff Paris.
‘Sword And Stone’ – Taken From Bonfire Live In Wacken – Performed by: BONFIRE (Claus Lessmann, Hans Ziller, Chris Limburg, Uwe KΓΆHler, Harry Reischmann)
‘God Of Thunder’ – Performed by: AMERICAN DOG (Michael Hannon, Steve Theado & Keith Pickens)
‘She’ – Performed by: RAZER (Chris Powers, Chris Catero, Jordan Ziff, Paul Sullivan, Eric Bongiorno & Chuck Alkazian)
‘New York Groove’ – Performed by: SLAVES ON DOPE (Kevin Jardine, Jason Rockman, , Elizabeth Lopez & Peter Tzaferis With Marty OβBrien)
‘Magic Touch’ – Performed by: Jim Crean, Phil Naro, Vinny Appice, Steve Major & Stan Miczek
‘Tears Are Falling’ – Performed by: Willie Basse, Bruce Bouillet, Scott Warren & Mike Hansen.
‘Rock N Roll All Nite’ – Performed by: Harley Fine, John Regan & Atom Fellows
‘Shandi’ – Performed by: Dani Luv, Scott Griffin & Matt Starr
‘Beth β Bonus Track’ – Performed by: Chris Vandahl & Scott Griffin.
‘Beth β Bonus Track’ – Performed by: Phil Naro, William Hare & Ed Bernard
iTunes exclusives:
‘No, Iβm Not Afraid’ (Previously Unreleased Peter Criss Band Demo from 1991) – Performed by Peter Criss and Phil Naro
‘Wait For A Minute To Rock Nβ Roll’ (Previously Unreleased Peter Criss Band Demo from 1991) – Performed by Peter Criss and Phil Naro
‘Back On The Streets’ (2013 Mix originally from Return of the Comet) – Performed by Richie Scarlet, John Regan, Tod Howarth, Arthur Stead & Steve Werner (The Comet Band)
‘Only You’ (2013 Recording) – Performed by DORO
‘God Gave Rock N Roll To You II’ – Performed by Russ Dwarf
‘Iβm An Animal’Β (2013 Mix originally fromΒ Return of the Comet) – Performed by the Comet Band
‘Let Me Go Rock Nβ Roll’ – Performed by The Oddfathers
‘Surrender In The Name Of Love’ (Written by Peter Criss & Phil Naro) – Performed by 24K featuring Phil Naro and Mladen Alexander
‘Love Gun’ (Tommy Denander Guitar Solo Mix) – Performed by Tony Harnell, Kevin Valentine and Tommy Denander
‘Larger Than Life’ (2013 Remaster β Robot Lords Of Tokyo version) – Performed by Robot Lords Of Tokyo
‘Cold Gin’ (2013 Remaster from L.A. GUNSβ 1998 Wasted EP) – Performed by L.A. Guns
VAN HALEN –Β The Best of Both Worlds (2005 Warner)
Musically, I can find very little fault with this collection. How can I? When you think about it, musically Van Halen are above reproach. In the 1970’s, they were without equal. No other band could boast such a series of excellent albums, a charismatic and innovative frontman like Dave Lee Roth, or (obviously) a unique guitar mutilator like Edward Van Halen. Van Halen defined the term “party rock”, but they also rocked with intelligence. They combined challenging arrangements with near-impossible guitar work, clever lyrics, an excellent image, musical influences dating back to the 1920’s, and music heavier than that of many of their rivals.
So how could this compilation possibly fail if the music is that strong? This album is completedly torpedoed by the sequencing of the songs. Β That factor alone makes The Best Of Both Worlds a struggle to listen to. Β There seems to be a notable effort to downplay David Lee Roth’s contributions in favor of Sammy Hagar’s overall.
By song selection, on paper this album looks good. However upon one listen you will realize what works and what doesn’t. Kicking off the album with Eddie’s groundbreaking solo “Eruption” seems like a good idea at first. It serves to remind the listener right from the beginning why Eddie is considered one of the best, if not the very best, guitar player of all time. His sound is warm and “brown” and he creates noises that nobody had ever heard before….
…But “Eruption” is followed by the first of the new Sammy singles, “It’s About Time”. Trying to glue “Eruption” to a new song just doesn’t work. A Dave song would have sounded much more natural. It is a jarring transition, and it gives me the impression that Van Halen is trying to up-sell the Sammy Hagar period in some way. Β The overall effect is an album that is has absolutely no cohesion.
Thank God this wasn’t the final tour…
There are always new songs to hype a compilation like this. Β “It’s About Time” is the strongest of the three, all of which are Van Hagar. It is as close to upbeat as they were likely to get, with all the personal strife going on. Β The lyrics are pretty obviously about the return of Sammy Hagar. But something sounds wrong, something sounds un-Halen. The missing ingredient is bassist Michael Anthony, who did not play bass, nor write, nor sing background vocals on these songs. Without Anthony, you can tell something is missing. (You’ll notice how far back he is in the group photo, too.) Β The other two songs, “Up For Breakfast” (dumb title, dumb lyrics) and “Learning To See” (A musical attempt at being dramatic and wise) are nothing to write home about.
Then we begin juxtaposing Dave songs with Sammy songs, one after the other, for nearly the entire remainder of the album. Folks, taken on their own, each one of these tracks is a hit…but playing the album, this doesn’t sound good in the speakers! Sammy-era Halen was a different beast from Diamond Dave. Β Sammy’s poppier, from a completely different and more mainstream point of view. Without beating this point into the ground, for one example, take a look at the tracklist: Sam’s “Dreams” is squeezed in between Dave’s “You Really Got Me” and “Hot For Teacher”! Β The only time this sequencing really works is when “Jump” is followed by “Top Of The World”. The songs traditionally follow each other in concert because they share the same riff. Β Listen to the outro of “Jump”. Β It is the main riff to “Top Of The World”.
I asked Craig Fee for his opinion on these shenanigans, and he had this to say:
When I saw this arrive on my desk as a promo, I was confused. Β Why would you mix Diamond Dave tracks with a bunch of wanky new Sammy songs? Β What would possess anyone to include the Red Rocker singing Dave’s material in concert and not have a single DLR live cut?Β
My feeling is that this is a ripoff move in order to hammer home the fact that Van Hagar were touring! Β They make sure to mention this in the liner notes. Β It’s an unfortunate but fairly common practice, and a sure sign of record company meddling.
Had they devoted 1 disc to each ‘era,’ I don’t think it would’ve pissed me off as much as this one did. Β And where the fuck is Gary?! Β More importantly — why are we, the die-hard Van Halen fans — continually starved for live material from the 1978-84 era?
One star. Β For the album art.
The album rocks and rolls along, Dave then Sam, Dave then Sam, until the end when you are presented with the live tracks. Β As Craig said, all are Van Hagar, previously released onΒ Live: Right Here, Right Now. I’m sick of that album. It’s been mined endlessly for B-sides, and all three songs appear elsewhere on this album in their original DLR studio versions! Much like the album openers, these close the disc rather weakly.
Craig is right about being starved for classic 1978-1984 live material. Β Even assuming the Van Halens remove that particular pickle from their behinds, they didn’t have to recycle old Van Hagar live stuff. Β The wasted CD space could have been used to give this album a more well-rounded feel, covering Van Halen’s whole career. The compilation covers 1978-1995, and then skips ahead to 2004 with the three new songs. Excluded are cool singles from the lost period, like “Me Wise Magic”, “Humans Being” and “Without You” (from Van Halen 3Β with Gary Cherone). Β Or, they could have just put more classic David Lee Roth tracks on there, since the album’s a bit Sam-heavy. Β Anything but more live re-releases! Β Fair Warning is criminally under-represented.
Taking a quick scan of the liner notes will reveal that the brothers Halen really are trying to re-write their history. Not only are the Cherone years not even mentioned, but the Dave years are discussed only briefly. No pictures of the band with Dave are included, even though he makes up at least a third of the album (the best third of it).
I will mention one other little point before I finish. One track, “Finish What Ya Started”, sounds like it is defective, ending abruptly. Β The band and producer received complaints about this, but it is no error. While mastering this CD, producer Glen Ballard decided to extend “Finish What Ya Started” beyond its original fade point until the tape runs out, when it ends abruptly. This longer, previously unreleased version was not advertised as such and led fans to think the track was defective.
So there you have it — as it currently stands, TheΒ Best Of Both Worlds is sadly the most comprehensive Van Halen collection out there. Β May as well go ahead and make your own. Β At least the music is above reproach.
TESLAΒ – “Call It What You Want” (1991 Geffen UK single)
Yesterday, I reviewed Tesla’s damn fine third album, Psychotic Supper. Β As part of that, I wanted to talk about this single, the album’s second. Β It’s an excellent companion to the album proper.
“Call It What You Want” isn’t a bad song. Β It has a great chorus even if I find the verses sub-par. Β Where Tesla have always excelled is in their rootsy but eloquent musicianship. Β Not only are there Lizzy-esque dual guitar harmonies, but there are other things that border on country style.
I also dig the lyric, dated although they may be:
“Heavy metal, hard-core, punk, pop, or thrash, You can call it anything, it don’t matter to me, Call it what you want, It’s all music to me.”
I think Tesla more than most hard rock bands around in 1991 were about breaking down boundaries between genres, and I’m sure this lyric was sincere to them. Β I know guitarist Tommy Skeoch had a thrash side project going at the time called Thrash Tandoori.
I hate when bands use a regular album track as a B-side! Β Nonetheless, “Freedom Slaves” is one of the best (if not the best) song from Psychotic Supper. Β This is the hard rock/heavy metal side of Tesla shining through. Β A Leppardy riff accompanies a song that boasts an anthemic chorus and dark verses.
The next two tracks are both previously unreleased, and both are covers. Β “Children’s Heritage” is what I’d call an obscure cover! Β I’ve never heard this, nor the band that wrote it, Bloodrock a 70’s band from Texas. Β It’s a good song, straight ahead riff based hard rock. Β It’s also self produced by Tesla, and is a lot looser than the album material.
More familiar is the old blues classic “Cotton Fields”, rocked up and slowed down from its CCR incarnation. Β It bares almost no resemblance to the classic Leadbelly version, but it does rock. Β Dirty slide guitars and wah-wah solos render this version almost as if Zeppelin were covering it. Β That’s the overall vibe anyway, and few hard rock artists were sounding this raw and authentic in 1991!
In a rare Β (I assure you)Β lapse of memory, I’ve forgotten where I got this CD. Β I think Trevor got it in used, at his store, and sent it to me. Β This would make sense, since one of his customers, Gord Taylor, used to sell him metal CD singles that he bought in Europe. Β So that piece fits the puzzle. Β Either way, whoever originally bought it paidΒ Β£4.50 at HMV.
Tesla singles are rare in these parts, but thankfully both of these B-sides are now available on the compilation Tesla Gold.
“We’re just children of the 60’s, watched the 70’s go by. Β Now we made it through the 80’s, my my how time does fly!” – Jeff Keith
Full unfolded cover art
Cover as it appears in case
TESLA – Psychotic Supper (Geffen, 1991)
Psychotic Supper, the 3rd studio album by Tesla, is thus far their most adventurous and experimental. Is is neither as immediate as Mechanical Resonance nor as focused as The Great Radio Controversy, instead focusing on longer song structures and diverse influences. Β It is difficult to penetrate, and even once you do finally dig in, there are some songs that simply refuse to stick to the memory. However one must applaud Tesla for sheer musical ability and refusal to do the commercial thing and sell out for the long awaited third album.
Taking their love of Nikola Tesla to the nth degree, they present a history lesson in the smokin’ “Man Out Of Time Edison’s Medicine”. What an incredible song. I still remember seeing the music video and being blown away by the solos. Not only are there guitar solos, but Tommy Skeoch torments the theremin, before Frank Hannon slipps on a bass and plays a bass solo too!
Great rock tunes include: “Change In The Weather”, the groovin’ “Freedom Slaves”, the jokey but smokin’ “Toke About It”, the aforementioned “Edison’s Medicine”, and the thrash-like “Don’t De-Rock Me”. Y’see children, back in the 80’s when Al Gore’s wife Tipper was a founder of a pro-censorship group called the PMRC, there really were places called de-rock centers. You could send your kids to detox them off rock music and turn them onto safe alternatives. No lie. (Is it any wonder that bands like Nine Inch Nails and Nirvana came along during this period?)
There are also a series of long, exploratory songs such as the mournful “Song And Emotion”, dedicated to Steve “Steamin'” Clarke of Def Leppard who passed away in January of that year. Skeoch paid tribute to Clarke’s “Gods of War” parts with his E-bow solo, listen for it. Β Tommy Skeoch was a devoted Def Leppard fan, and Tesla had also opened for the Leppard because they shared management.
There are ballads too. I don’t think any are particularly standouts in the way “Love Song” was, but “What You Give” was a respectable hit. Β I don’t check out Tesla so much for the ballads (even though they are excellent at them) but for the rockers. Β Jeff Keith’s raspy but powerful voice can excel at either. Β The man is one of the most underrated singers in rock.
If grunge didn’t hit, I could have imagined this album spawning multiple hit singles and videos for at least a year.
4/5 stars
I only own one single from this album, which is “Call It What You Want”. Β It has some interesting B-sides, so tomorrow, we’ll take a look at that one! Β Hope to see you then.
With Ace experiencing a second Golden Age back in Kiss, 1997 was the perfect time for various parties to cash in with compilations and re-releases. Β It made sense for Megaforce to put out a collection of Ace’s better solo work along with unreleased live tracks. Β With Frehley’s Comet bassist John Regan in the executive producer’s seat, at least 12 Picks has input from somebody on the inside.
This is a pretty logical collection. Β Since it has “Into the Night”, “Rock Soldiers”, “Words Are Not Enough”, and even “Hide Your Heart”, you could easily make an argument that casual fans can start and stop here. Β Sure, they’d miss great favourites like “Calling To You” and “Do Ya”…but leaving tracks off opens doors to sequels, no?
If you imagine an album still having two sides, then the studio tracks make up side one. Β Side two consists of live versions of Kiss favourites and others. Β These are all from the Second Sighting tour with Jamie Oldaker on drums, unfortunately not Anton Fig for these versions. Β They are however previously unreleased on any audio format. Β These are some (but not all) of the songs from the Live + 4 VHS video cassette. Β This video was never released in Canada, and I’ve never owned it. Β Unfortunately, “Something Moved” from the VHS tape is not included. Β To date it is still frustratingly unavailable. Β From the same gig (Hammersmith Odeon) but unreleased until now is “Deuce”. Β Other tracks from the concert would later trickle out elsewhere.
“Rip It Out” remains a stunning opener, although this version is hampered by the lack of Anton on drums. Β Jamie Oldaker has a different feel, laying back behind the beat and I don’t think that’s the way these songs are best presented. Β His fills are simpler than Anton’s, and things like the drums solos in “Rip It Out” and “Breakout” suffer for it. Β The rest of the set is Kiss-heavy: Β “Cold Gin”, “Shock Me”, “Rocket Ride” and the Simmons-penned “Deuce”. Β Frehley performs “Cold Gin” with the right groove, which Kiss had trouble nailing without him. Β I like the little touches, like the fact that the bassline doesn’t stray from the original much. Β It lends these Ace versions a Kiss-like authenticity. Β Tod Howarth backs up Ace’s lead vocals in a manner that recall’s Kiss’s multiple lead vocalists.
Although the setlist itself is pretty smokin’, the muddy drum sound and lack of Anton prevent the live portion from igniting. Β Thankfully Ace has plenty of fuel when he solos, but this live side is noticeably inferior to the excellent Live + 1. Β That’s too bad.
12 Picks came with a guitar pick in one of several (12?) colours. Β I got black!
BRIAN MAY & FRIENDSΒ – Star Fleet Project (1983 Capitol Records)
This near-legendary mini-album is probably infamous for the wrong reasons. Β Ask a friend if they’ve heard this record. Β If they haven’t, they may respond, “But that’s the one with Eddie Van Halen, right? Β And they did that song for Clapton, and he hated it, right?” Β That’s how the story goes anyway.
The fact is that Star Fleet Project is actually really good, and so is “Blues Breaker (Dedicated to E.C.)”. Β And yes, this is one of Eddie Van Halen’s rare cameos outside his eponymous band. Β I am a fan of both Queen and Van Halen, but my love of Van Halen trumps my love of Queen. Β As a Van Halen fan, it is really exciting to hear Eddie playing outside his band’s box. Β On a technical level, I don’t know exactly how Eddie is torturing his guitar strings, but I sure love the sounds that come out of it. Β I’m hearing Eddie at what many people consider to be his creative peak. Β This is the era of 1984, “Jump”, and “Beat It”, considered by many to be the greatest guitar solo of the decade. Β It’s sheer nirvana to hear Eddie tapping over Brian May’s trademark guitar sound. Β It’s two things you never pictured together. Β Once you hear them together, it’s like Reece’s peanut butter cups!
Eddie throws every trick he has into the bag. Β Tapping, squeals and eruptions, it’s all here. Β As for Brian, he does double duty on lead vocals as well, on two tracks: Β “Star Fleet” and “Let Me Out”. Β “Star Fleet” (8 minutes in its album incarnation) is a theme song that Brian covered, from a Japanese show that his son was a fan of. Β It’s the most commercial of the songs, but I have to say I love it. Β The chorus isn’t the best, but the guitar playing blows my mind every single time.
Queen fans may enjoy the piano blues “Let Me Out” best, as it sounds like it would have fit right in on News of the World. Β I can imagine Freddie putting his spin on it quite easily. Β Brian takes the first solo, but next time he says “Help me, Edward!” and it’s Van Halen playing the blues. Β You don’t get this on Van Halen albums. Β Brian and Ed alternate, and then Eddie blazes the fretboard shredder style. Β To hear these two guys going back and forth over a blues progression is such a monumental moment.
The final track (and all of side 2) is the infamous “Blues Breaker”. Β I’m not sure what E.C. didn’t like about it (I’ll just assume he was too humble to accept such flattery). Β You don’t get to hear Eddie Van Halen nor Brian May jamming very often. Β This is the second such jam, and this one well over the 12 minute mark! Β You’ll wonder where the time went. Β As an admirer of both guitarists, I’m constantly in a state of anticipation for what they will play next. The backing band are not slouches either: Alan Gratzer β drums, Phil Chen β bass guitar, Fred Mandel β keyboards. Β They captured this stuff mostly live off the floor, and that’s the way the record sounds.
Finally, a word about the current status of this mini-album. Β Used vinyl is probably your best course of action. Β While this is easy to find on counterfeit bootlegs, official CD releases were scarce and confined to rare CD singles and Japanese imports, vinyl is much cheaper than any of those. Β I first encountered this record in the collection of a creepy dude, as recounted in Record Store TalesΒ Part 229: Β Silent Knight. Β That was 1994, and I still have never seen any of the CD releases of Star Fleet Project in person. Β Besides, that big robot on the cover just looks better on an LP sleeve doesn’t it?
1990: Β Everybody was buzzing about the sophomore album by Boston’s Extreme, and their stellar lead guitarist Nuno Bettencourt. Β Extreme II: Pornograffitti (“A Funked Up Fairytale”)Β is one of the last great hair metal albums of the era. Β It is chock full of diverse songs, great playing, great writing, and adventurous arrangements. Big kudos must of course go to Nuno whose guitar playing is at once tasteful and (pardon the pun) extreme. Β Not to be outshone is lead vocalist Gary Cherone who was at his peak here.
A loose (very loose) concept album, Extreme II commences with atmospheric rainfall, which introduces us to “Francis”: our protagonist and the kid on the front cover. The crashing licks of “Decadence Dance”, the first single, interrupts this moment. Β Gary’s lyrics are witty and Nuno’s fingers nimble. Β The song kills.
There is a wide swath of styles covered on Extreme II. Obviously funk is a big one (“Get the Funk Out” with a blazing horn section, “When I’m President”, the title track.) Β Of course there are the landmark acoustic ballads “More Than Words”, “Song For Love” and “Hole Hearted”. The cool thing about this trio of singles is that all three ballads are different. Β None of them share the same style as well. Β “Hole Hearted” is more a campfire rock song than a ballad anyway. Β While “More Than Words” is now considered the prototypical acoustic ballad, it must be remembered that when it came out, it was unlike most. It contains no drums and only one acoustic guitar. Gary Cherone’s vocals merge harmoniously with Nuno’s creating this lullaby effect.
Other interesting songs include the lounge tune, “When I First Kissed You”. I once read Nuno saying that his inspirations were Queen and Prince, artists who were fearless to include different styles on their albums. Meanwhile, “Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee” contains some of the greatest and fastest guitar soloing of any era. It doesn’t get much more diverse than this withoug losing coherance, but Extreme II holds together as a concept and an album.
The album is filled out with killer hard rockers: Songs like “Suzy Wants Her All-Day Sucker” and “He-Man Woman Hater” are some of the catchiest rock songs this side of Aerosmith, but are tricky enough to keep your interest peaked. By the time the album ends, you’ll be exhausted from rocking out so much, but you’ll still want to start over again from the beginning. Β The album appears to be designed that way, since it closes with the same rain and thunder.
This is a must-own classic for any hard rock fan who likes it smart.
5/5 stars
Once you absorb this album, you have to pick up the following companion pieces:
1. The “More Than Words” and “Hole Hearted” singles, which contained different remixes of “More Than Words”, one being A Capella with congas.
2. The “Song For Love” single, the B-side of which was Extreme’s amazing cover of Queen’s “Love of my Life”. Incredible cover, which was designed to segue into “More Than Words”. Β They did it this way when played live, as they did at the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.
3.The Guitars The Rule the World (the first one, not Vol 2). Β This has a Nuno Bettencourt electric blues instrumental called “Bumble Bee (Crash Landing)”. Β This is the second part to “Flight of the Wounded Bumble Bee”, which on the album was trimmed down to exclude the “Crash Landing” portion. Β When I recently ripped this album to my computer, I used Audacity to recreate the original complete “Bumble Bee” track. Β I dropped the file into the correct place on the album to create an “unedited” Pornograffitti experience. Β It was kind of cool how it worked, segueing into “He-Man Woman Hater”.
The oldest tunes from ’89 (“Justice” and “Beholder”) are from audience bootleg sources, and are very rough. I have heard much better bootlegs. Β The idea was to give fans rare tracks recorded in Australia, so this really is something geared towards collectors. Β I’s hard to critique the tunes beyond sound quality, because it’s not like you can really discern bass parts or cymbals and so on.
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