If Tattooed Millionaire had not happened, neither would so many things in Maiden’s history: No #1 single (“Bring Your Daughter…to the Slaughter), Janick Gers might never have joined the band, and so on.
Due to the six months downtime between Seventh Son and No Prayer, Bruce decided to have some fun. He first recorded “Bring Your Daughter…to the Slaughter” for the Nightmare on Elm Street 5soundtrack. This opened the floodgates and before too long, Bruce and guitarist Janick Gers had more than enough songs for an album. (Other band members: Andy Carr – bass, Fabio Del Rio – drums.)
And an album there was, and what a fine album indeed! Bruce made no bones about it: This is not a heavy metal album like Maiden. This is a hard rock album, along the lines of his influences: Deep Purple, AC/DC, Mott the Hoople, and more. What was surprising even to me at time was just how good it was.
The first single, “Tattooed Millionaire” was catchy as hell while still sounding very British and uncompromising. Vocally, the song and album combines Bruce’s classic soaring voice, with his newer style of spitting out the words in a furious assault. The combination is effective; Just listen to “Hell On Wheels”. While innuendo-loaded verses are spat out, the chorus soars in a singalong fashion. “Dive! Dive! Dive!” and “Lickin’ the Gun” tackle similar lyrical territory.
But it’s not all sexual innuendo. Bruce tackles more philosophical topics on songs such as “Born in ’58” (a great single), “Son of a Gun”, and “Gypsy Road”. Meanwhile, “Tattooed Millionaire” pokes fun at the rockers of the L.A. scene, loaded with cash but not too much in the way of brains.
Tattooed boys with expensive toys,
living in a bubble of sin.
Money can buy you most of anything,
fix your nose or the mess you’re in.
Some speculated that this was aimed at former tourmates, Guns N’ Roses. I believe Bruce later said the inspiration was Motley Crue!
Bruce admitted that doing a cover song for a single was “cheating”, but “All the Young Dudes” was a great choice to cover. Fear not; Bruce does it justice. Bruce kicks it in the head. Gers’ guitar work is perfect for the song, and it’s good to have a chance to hear him play a more laid-back style, unlike his usual work.
The album spawned plenty of singles, each with their own B-sides worth collecting. But luckily, the fine folks at Sanctuary put all of this stuff together, along with “Bring Your Daughter”, on a tasty bonus disc.
The bonus disc includes some acoustic music (“Winds of Change”, “Darkness Be My Friend”, and the joke song “Ballad of Mutt”). It also has some kickass live covers: Deep Purple’s “Black Night” and “Sin City” by AC/DC among them. Bonus — there’s also a studio version of “Sin City”, and some live versions of the album’s hits.
Absolutely essential: “Son of a Gun”, “Tattooed Millionaire”, “Born in ’58”.
Great: “Gypsy Road”, “Zulu Lulu”, “No Lies”, “All the Young Dudes”
IRON MAIDEN – No Prayer For the Dying(1990, 1996 bonus disc)
Regrouping after a six-month break, Maiden returned to writing mode a changed Beast.
The Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album was artistically rewarding but the band were eager to return to their stripped down heavy metal roots and make a live-sounding album more like Killers or The Number of the Beast, without the production values and ten minute songs that were becoming the norm.
Both Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson were coming off solo albums (A.S.a.P.’s Silver and Gold featuring Zak Starkey (Oasis, The Who), and Bruce’s Tattooed Millionaire). Bruce’s was successful commercially and critically, Adrian’s less so. Still, it came as a complete shock to the fans when it was announced that Adrian Smith had left Iron Maiden.
Or, perhaps, been nudged out. Steve Harris was worried that Adrian was becoming unhappy, and it was especially obvious during the writing sessions for the next album. While Steve, Dave and Bruce were contributing heavy songs, the usually prolific Adrian had nothing but a song called “Hooks In You” that he had written with Bruce. He was clearly unhappy that Maiden were not progressing down the road pointed to by Seventh Son, and were going heavier. Steve took him aside.
When asked how into it he was, the answer came “about 80%”. Steve has always had a simple policy for membership in his band — you had to be into it 110%, or it wouldn’t work. The fans wouldn’t buy it, and Steve couldn’t look them in the eye knowing somebody on stage wasn’t completely into it. Adrian was out.
The band already knew Janick Gers, and he and Bruce had developed a successful writing partnership on his Tattooed Millionaire solo disc. Janick was nevertheless shocked when Bruce phoned him up and asked him to learn some Iron Maiden numbers. Janick initially said no, because he assumed Bruce was talking about his solo project, and they had already agreed to do no Maiden numbers. When Bruce explained it wasn’t for the solo band, it was for Maiden, Janick was horrified.
Janick Gers was really the only guy I can think of that was right for Maiden, also being from the era of the NWOBHM bands (White Spirit). He’d also been in Gillan (the incredible Magic album) and worked with Fish. The songs for the album were already written, all Janick had to do was head over to Steve’s farm, where they were recording the album, and learn the songs.
But that’s all just background, just context. That’s all important, especially to this album, but what is also important is the bottom line. And the bottom line is that this is the first time Maiden turned in something that was almost universally received as a disappointment.
While some fans were clamoring for a return to basic heavy metal songs, short and bangin’ and to the point, others preferred the epic scale of Seventh Son. And it was clear that you can’t just replace Adrian Smith. The songs on the new album, titled No Prayer For the Dying, seemed less finished and not quite up to standard. Not to mention Janick and Dave hadn’t had time to properly gel together, and never quite sync up on this album the way Dave did with Adrian.
The opening song “Tailgunner” is good enough though, not quite an “Aces High” but certainly adequate. Being tailgunner might have been the worst job on the Lancaster bomber, since it didn’t have a belly gunner! (Neither did Enola Gay, tailgunner was certainly the worst job on a B-29)! But Steve and Bruce failed to really nail it lyrically, with lines such as “nail that Fokker, kill that son, gunna blow your guts out with my gun” not living up to past Maiden historic glories.
Steve and Bruce also wrote “Holy Smoke”, the first single. This reckless fast number showcased a manic Janick Gers solo, demonstrating how different he was from Adrian. Where Adrian used to compose solos with beginnings, middles and endings, Janick just went for it! Dave was also somewhere between the two approaches. Now, without Adrian’s melodic touch, the band were moving sharply to a more live and spontaneous guitar style.
“Holy Smoke” is about TV preachers, and while they always make a good target in heavy metal songs (I prefer Ozzy’s “Miracle Man”) this one also fails to excite. As a song it doesn’t have much in terms of melody. On No Prayer, Bruce is shouting as often as he’s singing, and with the songs’ new emphasis on raw power, there’s less memorable melody to go around. Janick’s manic gonzo solo does fit the vibe of the song!
The title track is third, a number that tries to be an epic in under 5 minutes. It does indeed have all of the trademark qualities of a Maiden epic except the length: Multiple parts, multiple tempos, soul-searching Steve lyrics, and ample anthemic guitar melody. Yet the song fails to nail it home like, say, “Hallowed Be Thy Name” did.
Better is the badly titled “Public Enema Number One”. This Dickinson/Murray rocker is riffy, straightforward with some decent melodic bits. But again Bruce is hoarsely shouting the verses, and the song careens from section to section that don’t feel like they quite all fit together probably. Like other songs on No Prayer, the song sounds slightly unfinished.
And better again is “Fates Warning”, this time written by Steve and Dave. The opening soft guitar part is a nice change of pace, and a great example of Dave Murray’s tremendous feel. Perhaps in a past life he was a bluesman. Nicko then kicks the song into gear while Steve’s lyrics question the seemingly random nature of life and death. In the middle, is an old-school dual Maiden guitar lead, before Dave nails another perfect one of his own.
Side two begins with the stuttery “The Assassin”. Written solo by Steve, it is rhythmically complex as it is propelled forward. It has a fairly decent chorus but it doesn’t quite resolve itself nicely. Some of the guitar and bass melodies are reminiscent of “To Tame A Land” from Piece of Mind.
This is followed by the superior “Run Silent Run Deep” Submarine warfare is a good topic for a Maiden song, and the song chugs forward like those big diesel engines. This is one of the better songs on No Prayer. Steve and Bruce wrote it together, and Nicko’s precise drum fills accent the song perfectly.
Next is the worst song on the album: Bruce and Adrian’s “Hooks In You”. Lyrically this is one of the worst things ever on a Maiden album. Judging by the opening line, “Got the keys to view at number 22,” it sounds like Charlotte is back to her old tricks. Unfortunately, the band subjected people to this song live. I’ll admit it’s got a great little riff, but Bruce’s shout-growl vocals, lack of melody, and lack of any lyrical intelligence just sinks this one.
And then the baffling #1 single, “Bring Your Daughter…to the Slaughter”. This Bruce song is actually an outtake from his solo project. He recorded and released the original version with Janick Gers on the soundtrack to A Nightmare on Elm Street 5. I seem to remember that soundtrack being panned as “the worst soundtrack of all time” at one point. Steve heard the song, went nuts, and said, “Don’t put it on your solo album: I want to save this one for Maiden.”
Somehow, Steve was right, as it went straight to #1 in the UK, the first and only time this has happened to Iron Maiden. I don’t get it. I don’t get what people like about this song.
“Mother Russia” ends the album on a sour note. Lyrically simple, musically pretty good, “Mother Russia” is certainly not up to the standards of past Maiden album closers. Although it tries to be an epic along the lines of “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” (featuring a similar keyboard section in the middle), it’s just not as great as past epics. At five and a half minutes, “Mother Russia” is the longest song on No Prayer. It is made up of excellent components; I like the melody and the solos big time, but it’s just…not comparable in quality.
Nicko McBrain said on MuchMusic that No Prayer was “the best Iron Maiden yet.” Steve said that the album’s biggest problem is that it didn’t sound live enough without an audience track. I disagree with both. I think the album has an abnormally high quantity of unfinished songs and filler.
Even the cover art was substandard. To go with the live, stripped down sound, Riggs too stripped his artwork of the symbolism and fantasy. Instead, Eddie goes for the throat of a groundskeeper as he emerges (once again) from the grave. All hints to continuity are gone, as Eddie’s lost his lobotomy scar, cybernetic implants, and that bolt that kept his skull on! He even has his hair back. I guess somebody wasn’t happy with the artwork, because it was heavily tweaked for the 1998 remaster, repainting much of it and removing the groundskeeper.
The B-sides to the first single, “Holy Smoke” were the excellent “All In Your Mind” (a cover from somebody called Stray) and Golden Earring’s “Kill Me Ce Soir”. Both songs are pretty damn good. I prefer both to some of the album tracks!
“Bring Your Daughter” had two of its own B-sides: “Communication Breakdown” and “I’m A Mover”. Maiden tackle Led Zeppelin and Free less successfully than they did they other two B-sides. “I’m A Mover” ain’t bad as it allows Maiden to get into a groove they normally wouldn’t, and Bruce seems to have fun with the vocal.
With Geoff’s recent departure from the original Queensryche and his decision to form a simultaneous second Queensryche, I felt I should pull Geoff Tate off my shelf, where it has sat collecting dust for almost 10 years. The web (and comments on this site) has been abuzz with opinions on every side of the Tate situation, so dig in and let me know what you think.
GEOFF TATE – Geoff Tate (2002 EMI)
When I first heard this album 10 years ago, it seemed a lot more “different” than it does now. Now I listen to it and I can hear aspects of it (repetitive drony guitar bits, drum programs, mellow vibes) that Geoff incorporated into Queensryche albums that came later. But this is clearly a Tate album and not a Queensryche record, “Helpless” being one that would not have fit in on any Queensryche album.
Yet try as I might, I cannot get into this album. It has moments that I like (again, “Helpless” is an example with strong vocal melodies and guitar parts), but mostly just fleeting moments. “Helpless” in particular has a nice acoustic guitar solo, flamenco in flavour, that is appealing to me. Yet I find the song still sunk by (what sounds like) awful programmed percussion and bass.
Up next is “Touch”, a nearly tuneless mellow drone with something that sounds like telephones dialing a melody in the background. Ugh. The track after, “Every Move We Make” has a nice simple guitar melody, a pretty one that could have had some feeling in it, but it’s choked under a blanket of samples and effects. Geoff never comes up with a memorable vocal to go with it either. It does have some nice sounding (real) drums, and some cool guitars. “In Other Words” rests itself on piano and acoustic guitar backed by what sounds like viola. The music is pleasant sounding, just not memorable. It picks up steam towards the end. Perhaps this one could have made a most excellent Queensryche album closer, similar to “Someone Else?”, in another world. “A Passenger” has memorable moments, although it awkwardly stumbles from one section to others that sound nothing alike.
Best song: Epic closer “Over Me”. Great cascading guitars, liquid bass, no nonsense.
There’s nothing wrong with albums like this, every artist needs to explore their creative muse. More power to Geoff for doing it. But I’m not particularly into this kind of mellowness. Back in the record store days, if I had no idea who Geoff Tate was, I wouldn’t know where to file it and I guess that’s the point of doing a solo album like this. At no point does it rock, but it’s also too aggressive in spots for Easy Listening and New Age. It incorporates aspects of world music and electronica but couldn’t be called either. None of that is bad — I love a lot of records that can be described in similar ways, when genres collide. (Accidentally On Purpose, by Gillan/Glover perhaps?) The problem here boils down to the songs — they’re just not all that good. Marillion make albums that you might say sound like this — but better.
Maiden’s spectacular Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour seemed the perfect time to do another live home video. Future Maiden tours were to be toned down stageshow-wise for quite a few years. It also enabled Maiden to take a break while Steve Harris took 6 months to edit the video himself. In the meantime, Adrian and Bruce were able to write solo albums. We’ll get into that.
In the meantime, “Moonchild” opens the set. Sadly the acoustic part is just a pre-recorded tape, but Bruce just howls his way through this one. As Bruce welcomes the Birmingham crowd to the show, the band break into “The Evil That Men Do”, probably the best live version of this song available. Steve charges into it and the rest of the band keep up.
This is followed by a deuce of classic Maiden tunes that were-not-but-should-been-on Live After Death! These would be “The Prisoner” and “Still Life”, also available on the single for “Infinite Dreams”. “Still Life” is a rarity to hear live so this is a nice treat; I think it’s an excellent song. One of my all time favourites.
“Die With Your Boots On” was included on Live After Death but I ain’t complaining! You can hear that Bruce has lost a little bit of his range on some of the high notes; it is what it is. It’s an awesome tune and this version has a certain reckless abandon.
The single, “Infinite Dreams” follows, and I always felt it was one of the better Seventh Sontunes. It works live, especially once the band kick it into gear halfway. And if you somehow managed to fall asleep, an especially screamy “Killers” will wake you up.
That’s it for classic Maiden for a while. The next four numbers are all from the most recent two albums: “Heaven Can Wait” (with singalong), “Wasted Years” (which Bruce seems to struggle with), “The Clairvoyant” and the epic “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son”. At 10 minutes long, Bruce makes sure the crowd doesn’t fall asleep, getting them to sing along.
The CD closes with a double whammy of classic Maiden: “The Number of the Beast” and “Iron Maiden”. Bruce implores the Birmingham NEC to scream for him, and scream they do.
The VHS version had two extra songs, lopped off the CD for time reasons. They are, unfortunately, an amazing “Hallowed Be Thy Name” and the single “Can I Play With Madness”.
A DVD version of Maiden England with a remastered and complete CD was confirmed by Maiden manager Rod Smallwood to be forthcoming on March 25, 2013.
Maiden England was a good package, and it’s cool to have the Seventh Tour documented on video, with that cool arctic stage set and crystal balls, and all that. Comparing it to Live After Death is just…well…you can’t. Live After Death was 25 minutes longer therefore more comprehensive, and perfectly mixed. Maiden England sounds a little more…I dunno…muddy, maybe?
IRON MAIDEN – Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988, 1996 bonus CD)
Maiden finally did it. After years of denying that their albums had been concept albums, Maiden went ahead and wrote a concept album! The circumstances were coincidental. The album was to be their seventh. Steve Harris had already written his album epic, the title track “Seventh Son of Seventh Son”. Meanwhile, Bruce had written down lyrics such as “Seven deadly sins, seven ways to win…” Seizing this serendipitous moment, Maiden plunged forward with the tale of a boy born with healing powers and the ability to see the future…everyone’s but his own.
A boy born as the seventh son to a seventh son, in some folklore, was prophesied to have such powers. But the inability to foresee his own fate was a cruel joke by none other than Lucifer himself. In the story, the sides of good and evil battle for the soon-to-be-man’s soul, hoping to bend his powers to their will.
If Bruce was a basket case on the prior album, Somewhere In Time, he had bounced back by Seventh Son. With no less than four writing credits out of eight songs, Bruce must have been satisfied that Maiden were incorporating acoustics, and keyboards. It was all in the name of texture and light & shade. Bruce had hoped that one day Maiden would make their Physical Graffiti and perhaps this is it.
I recall when it came out that there was some backlash: Some Maiden fans did not take too kindly to the obtuse lyrics, acoustic guitars, and softer more progressive direction. When you listen to both albums back to back, on a whole I think Seventh Son is heavier than Somewhere In Time, by a hair. Yet compared to Powerslave or Killers, clearly this was new and different. Some didn’t like that, while others took the time to get to know and love Seventh Son. I can recall being perplexed by the lyrics, struggling to figure them out, and wondering if the symbols written on the lyric sheet were clues.
At the same time that Maiden were exploring new directions, so was cover artist Derek Riggs. No longer wishing to draw Eddies with axes in people’s heads, he came up with something very different that suited Maiden’s more mystical musical direction. Here’s another one I wish I had on vinyl! Clearly no longer on our plane of reality, but still with his cybernetic implants, Eddie seems to be giving birth to a new generation of Eddies! On the back, the Arctic ice forms seem to represent past Eddies. Altogether, seven of them…
The acoustics and keyboards are evident right from the get go as they form a major part of “Moonchild”, written by Bruce and Adrian. It’s a strong opener, quickly getting up to speed, with lyrical angels and demons swooping upon you as Bruce spits out the words. I recall Bruce saying in a Canadian interview that he enjoyed playing multiple characters on the album, and when singing as the Devil, he drank “a couple cups of tea.”
Steve’s “Infinite Dreams” begins slow, in line with past Maiden ballads, the sound of precious Fenders caressing your ears as our protagonist emerges from a nightmare. Soon the tempos change (more than once!) and Bruce lets loose a scream from hell. (As kids, this is the first time we noticed Bruce losing some of the smoothness and range of his high voice.)
The first single, “Can I Play With Madness” is third. It too was controversial in a way: The music video didn’t have Iron Maiden in it! Aside from some Powerslave footage playing on a TV in a catacomb, the video starred Monty Python’s Graham Chapman and a certain Mr. Eddie. The mystical video did little to enlighten us kids on the meaning of the lyrics! Musically, it’s another anthemic Maiden hard rock single, but perhaps the most commercial one yet.
The second single, “The Evil That Men Do” closed side one. Like the previous song it was written by the triumvirate of Steve, Bruce and Adrian. It boasts a powerful singalong chorus and some great guitar melodies. Lyrically, our protagonist has now “slept in the dust with his daughter,” and I think you can guess who’s daughter he’s referring to. This song represents one of the very few times Maiden sing about love, albeit in this case it’s a sub-plot of a concept album.
Side two opened with Steve’s 10 minute epic, “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” which essentially sums up the plot so far. It’s not as dynamic as some past epics as “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, nor as riffy. It is still quite an excellent epic, slow and meandering but of course with ample changes and parts to keep your attention. Like “Rime” it has a slow spoken word section in the middle.
“The Prophecy”, written by Dave Murray and Steve Harris, continues the story. The seventh son has foretold a disaster and the village is doomed. The townspeople do not believe him. Yet disaster does strike while “Lucifer smiles, looks on and waits,” and the town blames him for bringing a curse! Musically this is not the best song on the album, and it comes close to filler territory. Yet the end of it is an intricate medley of sad acoustic guitars, weaving an ancient-sounding melody. It is moments like this that are a great example of Maiden and acoustic guitars working together appropriately. The third single, “The Clairvoyant” begins with some of Steve’s patented rinky-dinky bass melodies before the dual guitars crash in. This melodic winner, written alone by Steve, is one of the best. Not only are the verses soaring, but it is taken to a whole higher level when Bruce digs into the choruses. Nicko’s drum fills are exactly perfect (as they always are) punctuating the right moments with thunderclaps and rain. It ends with a bright note though: “As soon as you’re born, you’re dying…to be reborn again!”
Does that happier fate befall our protagonist? Spitting out disgust at the society that rejected him, he indicts them for their crimes. “So I think I’ll leave you, with your bishops and your guilt. So until the next time…have a good sin.” Yet he finds that to be reborn again might not be a good thing after all, Bruce throwing in a hinting snicker at the end…The name of the song is “Only the Good Die Young”, and it is a great Maiden closer. One of the best. And you just have to love that ending!
Yes, Seventh Son is indeed a triumph. I think the reaction to it at the time was more indicative of the times. People feared for Maiden losing their edge, as Priest seemed to do (Turbo), while newer heavier bands citing Maiden as an influence gained some traction. If Maiden had gone even softer after Seventh Son, then I think that a portion (a minority) of fans would have given up on them. Maiden seemed to be aware of this, though…
I find Martin Birch’s production to be a tad muddy…just by a hair though. I’d like it a little brighter personally. Minor nitpick.
For the first time, fans had four singles to collect! “Infinite Dreams” was thrown out there as a single at the end, right around the time of release for the new live video, Maiden England!
Singles breakdown is below. For whatever reason, although the other nine songs are included, the 1996 2 CD reissue of the album excluded “Heaven Can Wait”. Too bad. There was room on the disc.
“Can I Play With Madness” included the comedy song “Black Bart Blues”. Please allow Bruce to introduce you to Black Bart, a suit of armor that rode on the back of their tour bus! On the heavier side, Maiden throw in an authentic cover of “Massacre” by Thin Lizzy. As I kid I was amazed it was cover, because it seems custom made for Maiden once you hear this version!
“The Evil That Men Do” (besides having the best cover art, that folded out into a Monsters of Rock poster) had two great B-sides: Re-recordings of old Maiden classics, with Bruce singing! In fact neither Bruce, nor Adrian, nor Nicko were in the band when “Prowler” and “Charlotte The Harlot” were originally done. The new versions, dubbed “Prowler ’88” and “Charlotte The Harlot” ’88 are captured nice and raw, much like the originals but with better production values. Bruce really nails it on “Prowler ’88”
“The Clairvoyant” was released a a live single surprisingly, in gatefold sleeve no less. It contained live versions of “The Prisoner” (finally, since it wasn’t on Live After Death!) and the aforementioned “Heaven Can Wait”, complete with “whoah-oh-oh” singalong.
“Infinite Dreams”, which coincided with the new live video, was also live. It was backed by awesome live versions of “Killers” and “Still Life”, two more songs that weren’t on Live After Death. A CD version of this video didn’t come out until 1994 so for a while this was the only place you could get them.
The Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour portended some changes. The stage productions had gotten so large that the band were afraid of being lost in it all. Bruce complained on Canadian TV that he’d sweat buckets on stage only to have a fan approach him and ask him something about the “fucking crystal ball”. But deeper problems were afoot. Bruce seemed creatively revitalized, but Adrian was clearly unhappy on stage. The band knew it. But in the meantime, Steve Harris had a live video to edit, and Bruce had plenty of time off for solo activities…
5/5 stars
1996 2 CD reissue: 4/5 stars – knocking off a point for excluding “Heaven Can Wait” live.
You lucky, lucky boys and girls. Not only do you get TWO KISS MONSTER reviews for the price of one today, but you are getting a guest review from the scholarly Tommy Morais! This guy is one of the most fanatic rock fans I know, and one of the top rated reviewers on Amazon.ca.
And then, after Tommy’s review, I present to you part 52 of my own series of Kiss reviews! FYI, neither of us had read the others’ review when we did this. Anything they have in common is coincidental!
TOMMY’S TAKE
Out of all the guest shots Mike “LeBrain” Ladano has had, it seems he knew the contributors for years and they wrote great personal stories. Well, I’ve always been the black sheep at anything I did and this is no exception. I’ve only known Mike since 2010 and we’ve never met in person. However, I know that Mike is one of the most enthusiast fan and a hardcore collector there is and his passion for the website’s content is genuine and largely impressive. Sure I have all the studio and live albums from all my favorite bands, books, magazine, flags etc. but Mike takes it one step further and owns stuff I could only dream to own and afford, his collection is like no other as you’ve probably seen here. I first came to know LeBrain when he read some of my Amazon reviews and e-mailed me about them. He was kind enough to let me know he liked some of my reviewing work, particularly the one I did for Ratt’s Infestation album (2010). I soon discovered we both shared a love for many of the same bands and we’ve been talking Rock N’ Roll since then: albums, musicians, gossips, upcoming releases what we’d like to see etc. Best of all, Mike knows his music and you cannot understate his love for music and those bands that personally, have kept me going and rockin’. What follows is both Mike’s and my review of the new KISS album, Monster. But just before here’s to your host, all his dedication and the time and effort he puts into this website which I admire and visit daily. Cheers!
KISS – Monster (2012)
I think it’s safe to say that even though they’ve truly upset and angered some fans (to the point of leaving the KISS army) Paul and Gene still command a vast KISS army around the world. With Sonic Boom, KISS was back and it was a nice return after 11 years of complete studio silence and lack of a new album. SB was mostly well received as a return to form and a great KISS album. Then there are fans who didn’t buy the album because it’s not KISS and it’s disrespectful to Ace and Peter who were the originals to have Tommy and Eric wear their makeup. I understand both sides completely and agree with both, but I liked Sonic Boom for what it was and three years later it’s follow up (and 20th studio!) album, Monster is I have to say, better. While I was glad that there was a new KISS album and I enjoyed it, SB sounded a little too 80’s rooted at times. However, Monster is heavier, doesn’t feel like 80’s KISS and its edgy and aggressive and did I say heavy? The guitars are turned up LOUD and the drum is almighty, the sound that comes from it is massive, anthemic and fist pumping Hard Rock formula pushing far into Metal territory and as a fan, that’s good. It helps that there are no ballads either. At this point it shouldn’t be about “Fake KISS” and so on like there was a lot of talk on the Sonic Boom Amazon page, the music should stand on its own. Buying the new KISS album was always like an event, an obligation in some way whether it was Love Gun or Dynasty or Crazy Nights and now, Monster.
Opening track and first single “Hell or Hallelujah is in your face heavy, and I was surprised at how fast it sounded. To me it sounds like something from Love Gun in ’77 like “I Stole Your Love” meets the speed of “Gimme More” from Lick It Up or perhaps another fast 80’s KISS tune. It works really well, it’s anthemic, it’s pure KISS and Paul sings it like he’s on fire and the backing vocals just get it done. “Wall of Sound” is Gene being the real demon Gene Simmons again. He’s menacing and attitude comes throughout, it’s one of the best songs on Monster. “Freak” is a track that I love if not just for the lyrics, they’re representative of KISS in a way and Paul does nicely here, it’s catchy and hits it home. “Back To The Stone Age”, now this is what I’m talking about! The sound is massive, heavy and Gene’s voice, he’s got that angry demon voice we all love. The lyrics are cool and very Gene, there’s even a neat little breakdown and it’s one of the best songs here absolutely. “Shout Mercy” is undeniably catchy and has that classic, quintessential chorus that made their classic songs memorable and radio staples, and the “whoohoos” back vocals add to the catchiness, you’ll see.”All For The Love Of Rock And Roll” is one that I quite like, it’s slower paced and less aggressive and Eric Singer does a wonderful job on the vocals (“All For The Glory” was one of my favorite songs on SB).On an album where pretty much the songs are heavy it’s nice to have something to balance it out, and while not a ballad this song does just that. I could almost see it as a single on radio. “Eat Your Heart Out” starts out with just the band singing and nothing else, those harmonies sound great and you know it’s going to be a cool track. It kicks in and doesn’t let you down, another strong one. “Outta This World” is sung by Tommy Thayer and it fits the Spaceman persona nicely, I much prefer this one to the song he had on Sonic Boom, it’s a good rockin’ track I was impressed by Tommy and he comes off as more of his own this time around. “Take Me Down Below” has obviously sexual innuendo and the reason this one is special is because Gene and Paul share lead. Gene has his story that’s reminiscent of “She’s So European” from the 1980 Unmasked album (talks about a lady, standing there, champagne, perfume, now she’s standing next to me, very Simmons) and Paul comes up with something and then the chorus and it works nicely I wish they did this more often. The only song that didn’t really do it for me was “Last Chance” but while it’s not awful I think the album might have ended stronger without it. I haven’t gone through every song or every little detail but I think you get the idea of my appreciation.
I was initially worried about the album being delayed as usually that’s never a good sign, but the album is excellent and those fears were unfounded it turns out. They’ve been at it for 40 years now (almost) and it doesn’t show, they have that drive and that passion in the sound. I think it shows more of their influences too, in one song I detected a really Zeppelin-ish part and so on which I think was great.
Gene really surprised me on Monster with his lyrics, voice and attitude he really contributed amazing stuff time around that exceeds what he did on the previous album, I think his songs may just be the best ones here. It’s not a retro album, its KISS being KISS and kicking it up a notch and sounding tighter and heavier and it works extremely well. Sonic Boom grew on me, Monster I loved immediately (SB had that extra re-recorded KISS Klassics CD and live DVD but Monster stands proudly on its 12 songs people).
To me Sonic Boom wasn’t a five stars KISS album, while very good it didn’t take it to the next level which is exactly what Monster does. Is it the perfect KISS record? Look at this point it’s better than I could have anticipated, exceeds the last one which was really good and it stands on its own, plus they’re heavier this time around and it’s the record they needed to follow up SB with. To me it’s full marks on this one, Monster really is a Monster and it impressed me! Nicely done and I don’t say just because I’m a die-hard fan with everything they’ve made. Initially the band talked about having another painting as the album cover much like Destroyer or Love Gun and that didn’t happen, a slight let down. Now I’d just love to see KISS play a big chunk of this album in a LIVE setting, they sound made for the stage and I can only imagine how well it would work.
5/5.
I’ll leave you alone and let you read what you came here to read and what we’ve all been anticipating, LeBrain’s review of KISS’ new album, Monster. I’ve been anxious as to what Mike thinks and we haven’t even discussed it yet, I’m anxious to read it myself. Enjoy!
LEBRAIN’S TAKE
CHECK OUT MY QUICKIE VIDEO ON THE 3D COVER ART!
KISS – Monster (2012 3D lenticular cover, iTunes editions)
Right from that opening guitar salvo there’s no question: it’s Kiss. And Kiss have made a remarkable album. Not only is Monster a logical follow-up (and up-ratchet) to Sonic Boom, but it shows that Kiss are not afraid of growth. Monster succeeds in sounding like new Kiss, where Sonic Boom succeeded in sounding like old Kiss. Nothing wrong with that, I like Sonic Boom. But I already bought that album once.
Immediately you will notice that Monster is heavier, both song-wise and production wise. It sounds as if Kiss are attempting to scale Mount Zep. Songs like “Wall of Sound”, “The Devil Is Me” and “Back to the Stone Age” are all classic Gene attitude, totally up his alley and he kicks them in the ass. Listen to his bass kickin’ it on “The Devil Is Me”! Actually I want to draw special attention to Gene as a bass player on this album. Producer Paul Stanley wisely chose to place emphasis on Gene’s bass, and meanwhile Gene decided to throw in some of the tastiest bass-licks from his bag o’ tricks. Nobody will ever compare Gene Simmons to Geddy Lee, but there is absolutely no question that Gene’s bass playing is perfect for these songs.
Meanwhile, there’s Paul: yes, his voice is really rough in spots, but he works around it successfully. Eric Singer and Gene Simmons can be heard backing him on a song like “Freak” (another great tune) creating that classic Kiss sounding harmony. The combination of all four Kiss singers helps conceal Paul’s roughness. And besides, every once in a while he goes for the high notes, and using them sparingly makes you appreciate them more. The first single, “Hell Or Hallelujah”, demonstrates how Paul still manages to kick ass in the studio within the confines of his voice.
At first the only song I wasn’t digging was “Eat Your Heart Out”. It threw me, right from the a cappella harmony that opens the song. Now, I’m digging it. From Gene’s signature slinky bass to Eric’s cowbell and Paul’s sly backing vocals, I love this song. It’s an upbeat party tune like you want from Kiss.
“Outta This World”, written solely by Tommy Thayer, is his vocal showcase. It’s another great song, not too different from his previous “When Lightning Strikes”. It’s a great example of Tommy’s songwriting prowess. Clearly, this is the right guy right now for Kiss.
Not to be outdone, Eric Singer’s lead vocal, “All For the Love of Rock and Roll” (written by Paul) is my current favourite song. It’s probably the most “rock & roll” sounding of all these new Kiss songs. It has a certain guitar jangle that would have been at home on some of the first 6 Kiss albums. Think “Mr. Speed”. Eric has always been a great singer and I don’t understand why Kiss didn’t take advantage of this, by having him sing lead on albums back in the 1990’s.
Gene and Paul trade vocals on “Take Me Down Below”, but even better is “Last Chance” which closes the album. At first, by the opening bass, I’m thinking “Plaster Caster”; but then the riff kicks in. When Pauls sings the chorus, Gene’s infectious “Ahh, ahh ahh’s” under it seal the deal. This is a great tune. Hope it makes the live set.
Best Buy and iTunes have a bonus track: “Right Here Right Now”. The beginning is like Kiss meets AC/DC! Then it slides into an old-school Kiss singalong rocker. Awesome tune, shame some people won’t get a chance to hear it.
MVP: Gene Simmons. Not only did he contribute some great songs, but his bass kicks this whole album in the nuts. Not to mention he’s singing a lot more backing vocals, which just makes it sound more like Kiss!
Most improved: Tommy Thayer. To quote the Heavy Metal OverloRd himself, Tommy is throwing in fewer “second-hand-Ace-isms”. I agree heartily! He sounds less like Ace, and more like Tommy. Just listen to his solo on “Wall of Sound”. Ace wouldn’t have played something like that. Which is fine — Kiss don’t have to keep trying to sound like 1977 anymore. They should (and did) try to make an album that sounds like one that these four guys — Gene, Paul, Eric and Tommy — would make in 2012. And that’s just groovy.
5/5 stars
OF NOTE: I have not yet located the Japanese edition. Oh, but I will. Bonus track: “King of the Night Time World” live.
Part 10 of my series of Iron Maiden reviews! Although this book came out in 2010, I decided to talk about Paul Di’Anno during the 1987 period, when Paul released his Paul Di’Anno’s Battlezone album, Children of Madness. This was the first time I heard any of Paul’s post-Maiden music.
PAUL DI’ANNO – The Beast (2010 John Black Publishing)
Paul Di’Anno, when not in jail for assault or disability fraud, is in a state of perpetual arrested development. Scattered among the cool rock stories about touring with Kiss and rocking the stage aside Steve Harris, Di’Anno is like a little boy who will never learn his lesson. Girlfriend after girlfriend, fight after fight, arrest after arrest, Di’Anno never seems to grow up. As if an apology makes up for it, he says he is “deeply ashamed of” a drunken incident when he repeatedly pummeled a woman half his size in the face. Di’Anno states that ,”if I could turn back the clock, I would,” but he also admits that it wasn’t the first time it happened.
Paul continues to snort and drink everything that passes his way, while bedding every “bird” and smashing every bloke that gets in his way. In the meantime, there’s this story in the background about this band he was in called Iron Maiden. He talks about singing Deep Purple’s “Dealer” and “All Right Now” by Free at his audition. He describes the feeling of helping to build this band, and it sounds like being in the center of a tornado. It doesn’t take long for fame to have its effect in a negative way.
Only two albums in, Paul sheds some light on his departure. There were musical differences as he did not like the polished, more progressive direction that the band was seeking. His heart was no longer in it, and he knew it. This seems to have manifested itself in bad behaviour, and deteriorating relationships. After a final gig in Copenhagen, Paul handed in his resignation. While he has nothing bad to say about the guy who replaced him, he has special praise for Adrian Smith, “the best all around guitarist that Maiden have had.”
I just wish this book was more about the music and less about the drinking, drugs, and fighting. It doesn’t take too long to realize that Paul Di’Anno isn’t much for self-improvement. He tells his story with several winks and smiles, and lots of laughs too. At this same time this there’s dark undercurrent of violence and underachievement.
The Beast isn’t what I’d call an inspiring read, but it’s raw and real. The man has loads of stories. Whether they’re your cup of tea is really up to you!
The discussion came up during Thanksgiving. I had the laptop up at the cottage, and the whole family listening to the 80’s Weekend on our favorite rock station, 107.5 Dave FM. As part of it, they played “Time Stand Still” by Rush.
I asked my sister Kathryn, “Is this your favourite Rush of the 80’s?”
“No,” came the answer. “I prefer ‘The Pass'”.
So that got me thinkin’. Yeah, “The Pass” was an awesome song! Sure it’s not “YYZ” or “Subdivisions” or one of those better known 80’s anthems, but it stands up. I enjoyed the production, with the emphasis on Geddy’s bass as the main hook. I always preferred this song to the first single from Presto, “Show Don’t Tell”. I was disappointed that “The Pass” was not one of the Rush singles chosen to be on their compilation, Chronicles. “The Pass” is well crafted song, lyrically relevant, emotional yet tough.
IRON MAIDEN – Somewhere In Time (1986, 1996 bonus CD)
After the yearlong World Slavery Tour, to hear it told by Steve Harris, lead singer Bruce Dickinson had “lost the plot”. Bruce on the other hand felt that the next album should be a game changer: their Physical Graffiti. But burned out from the road, all he brought to the table were some acoustic tunes which were all rejected. According Steve Harris, it wasn’t so much that the songs were acoustic. It was because they weren’t very good. This was the first time Bruce didn’t get a writing credit since The Number of the Beast! And instead of Physical Graffiti, Bruce said that they “just made another Iron Maiden album.”
Bruce and Janick Gers acoustic, 1990
In spite of the lack of Bruce songs, Steve, Adrian Smith and even Dave Murray came in with enough songs for an album. They also came in with synthesizers for the first time. All three were credited with guitar or bass synth on Somewhere In Time, a sound that threw some of us for a loop. Also for the first time, Adrian would take sole writing credits on several Maiden songs (lyrics, music and all) which lent his more melodic bent to the resulting album.
The production, again by Martin Birch, was paradoxically both cold, and warm. It’s a chilly sounding album, but the synths actually bring some warmth back to it. Unfortunately there isn’t as much guitar grit as before, everything sounding smoothed out.
“Caught Somewhere In Time”, the excellent opener, starts right off the bat with synth; Maiden were laying their cards on the table. The gallop is still there and Steve still drives the Beast forward withi his bass. The synth doesn’t really detract from it. It is plenty riffy, and Bruce’s voice soars with the excellent chorus. This is a Maiden rocker to sing along to.
Adrian contributed the first of the two singles: “Wasted Years”. This classic song was my introduction to the new Maiden sound, since it came out a bit before the album was available. Not only was the video great (black and white footage of the band rehearsing with collages of Eddies and tour photos) but the song was also great. This is definitely hard rock Maiden, the kind of thing that made good Maiden singles, like “Flight of Icarus”. The lyrics, also by Adrian, are clearly about the road life and I’m sure Bruce could pour his heart into the words.
Two lacklustre songs follow: “Sea Of Madness” and “Heaven Can Wait”. Neither song have ever really blown me away, but at the same time “Heaven Can Wait” turned into a tour classic for many years so what do I know? It was the traditional concert spot for the crowd to sing along. Smith contributed “Sea of Madness”, while Steve wrote “Heaven Can Wait”. I do like the slow part in the middle of “Sea of Madness”, with its nice solo.
That ended side one. Side two started with “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner”, one of Steve’s longer songs. It was based on a short story of the same name, and I have to admit that lyrically it’s not one of those Maiden songs that really has me waiting to sing the next line. The choruses are pretty straightforward: “Run, on and on. Ru-uu-un, on and on. The loneliness of the long distance runner.” The synth in this song is effective although the song is arguably filler.
(Of note: The intro portion of this song would really serve as a blueprint for many many Maiden songs to come. You know the kind: Steve’s rinky-dinky-rink bass, backing a mellow guitar melody, with mild synth in the background. “Fear of the Dark”, starting 30 seconds in, is similar. “Mother Russia”, 30 seconds in. Most of The X Factor. And so on.)
The excellent “Stranger In A Strange Land” follows, the third of Adrian’s writing contributions. This was the second single, and a good choice it was. A catchy mid-tempo song, it took advantage of the textures of the new synths effectively. I’ve read in the past that it’s based on Stranger In A Strange Land by Heinlein, but I fail to see the connection. I always felt it may as well be about the 1984 film, Iceman. The lyrics fit.
“Stranger” was also host to another excellent Adrian guitar solo. It was around this time that I bought a white guitar simply because Adrian played one in the video! And yes, the video was an excellent summation of their stage show, with giant inflatable Eddie coming out of the stage!
Steve and Davey’s “Deja-Vu” is up next, and I have always loved this one. It’s the only song under five minutes, and it has a furiously fast pace. The synths take a bit of the edge off, but this one is irresistible
But alas, we are now at the end: The 8th and final song is yet another Steve Harris epic album closer. This time the topic he chose was “Alexander the Great”. Another historical topic for me to devour! I later majored in history. I wonder how much of that was due to my two greatest influences? My dad, and Iron Maiden?
“Alexander the Great” has been criticized by some as being a lesser epic. I really don’t know. At this point you’re into splitting hairs. Who cares? It’s still awesome. Maybe you don’t like it as much as “Ancient Mariner”; maybe you prefer “Fear Of the Dark”. It doesn’t matter: It’s a Steve epic and that means fast parts, slow parts, different tempos and riffs. And through it all Bruce manages to spit out the tricky lyrics:
A Phrygian king had bound a chariot yoke
And Alexander cut the ‘Gordian Knot’
And the legend said that who untied the knot
He would become the master of Asia
The choruses are awesome, and I consider this to be one of Maiden’s lesser-known triumphs.
And what about that album cover? Absolutely my favourite Maiden cover of all time, look for all kinds of hidden messages. What time is it again? Oh yeah…
I imagined that after Eddie’s resurrection on Live After Death, he had emerged some time in the future (around the time period of Blade Runner, it appears) and gotten himself some cybernetic enhancements. The cover is, in essence, an updated take on Killers. Emerging from his Spinner, Eddie’s traded in his hatchet for a laser. On the back, you can see the members of Maiden themselves witnessing Eddie’s deed. Notice Nicko’s goggles? He’d just got his pilot’s license!
The artwork for the singles were equally awesome: On “Wasted Years”, we see Eddie travelling back in time to 1986…chasing the T.A.R.D.I.S.? Its B-sides were excellent! As far as B-side material goes, these were two of the best. “Reach Out” was a rare thing: A song written by an outside writer, Adrian’s buddy Dave “Bucket” Colwell who would later end up in Bad Company. Perhaps even more astonishing was the lead vocalist: Adrian Smith! Martin Birch compared it to Bryan Adams-type rock, but fear not! Bruce shows up by chorus-time to blow you away with his wail, as he answers Adrian’s lines. Pure awesome in a nice sweet hard rock package.
Then there was “The Sheriff of Huddersfield”, a not-very-complimentary roast of Maiden manager Rod Smallwood! “‘Rufus the Red’ has a crane by his bed, to wrench himself up in morn’, but if you dare to tread at the foot of his bed, you’ll wish you’d never been born!” Not a great song, it’s still pretty damn funny. Rodney, it seems, had fallen for the L.A. lifestyle and the band were not beyond giving him a hard time about it!
The “Stranger In A Strange Land” single had even cooler artwork: Eddie entering a space bar full of space-scum and villainy! Looking like a cross between Harrison Ford’s Deckard, and Clint Eastwood’s “Man With No Name”, Eddie ignores their stares. This might be my favourite Maiden single art of all time. (Of ALL time, Kanye!)
Its B-sides were two covers: “That Girl” (FM) and “Juanita” (Marshall Fury). “That Girl” is a pretty good hard rock song, very much in line with a song like “Reach Out”. I never liked “Juanita” much though.
Don’t worry – Maiden’s arrangement is nothing like this! Makes you wonder why they covered it though.
I have a real soft spot in my metal heart for Somewhere In Time. Although it sags a bit in the middle, and it’s toned-down Maiden, this is still one of my personal favourites. It came out when I first started high school, and you can’t compete with nostalgia. Although today many consider inferior to the albums that came before and the album that came after, I have to rate it pretty high.
DAVID LEE ROTH – Your Filthy Little Mouth (1994 Warner Japanese edition)
I’ll admit it, I like this album a lot, and I have since it came out in ’94. It was, however, a total flop. I will never forget the summer of 1994. Working in a record store for the first time, there was a lonely stack of Your Filthy Little Mouth discs sitting right next to an equally tall stack of Motley Crue self-titled CDs. I don’t think I sold one that entire summer, though not for lack of storeplay. It was the times, and if this album had been released in 1989, I’m sure it would have been a smash hit across multiple radio formats.
By this time, David no longer had a “real” band. Long gone were the days of Vai and Sheehan, and even poor Jason Becker was now gone, struck with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Dave started writing and playing with guitarist Terry Kilgore, and utilized a lot of studio cats on these sessions. Kilgore’s playing — bluesy, stratty and tubey — was lightyears away from the futuristic sounds coming from Planet Vai.
The album skirts multiple genres, which earned Dave equal amounts of praise and derision. We all knew Dave had lots of different T-shirts in his drawer. “She’s My Machine” is a groove rocker, mid-paced and sexy with Dave doing his best Van Halen impression. Other songs, such as “Big Train” explored the fast and speedy side of Dave’s boogie rock. Deeper in, “Cheatin’ Heart Cafe” (an excellent duet with Travis Tritt) and “Hey You Never Know” hang on the outskirts of Nashville quite successfully.
Meanwhile on side two, you get the eclectic reggae and urban sounds of “No Big ‘Ting” and “You’re Breathin’ It”, neither of which work and weaken an otherwise strong collection of songs. “Your Filthy Little Mouth”, the title track, quickens the pace back to where we started. It is a strong rocker with some of Dave’s patented fun and cool lyricism. The album ends on a slower note — Willie Nelson’s “Night Life” (previously covered by Thin Lizzy) and a track called “Sunburn” which recalls “Coconut Grove” from the first EP.
A stupid and terribly unnecessary remix of “You’re Breathin’ It” is a bonus track, and the final song — unless you own the Japanese version (I found mine at a record show in Guelph Ontario), which tacked on a cool blues called “Mississippi Power”. “Mississippi Power” was also available on the “She’s My Machine” 7″ single (which I also bought at a record show in London Ontario many years before that). The Japanese version also had a sticker. Wheee!
Lyrically, Dave was at the top of his game, spinning fun and witty lyrics like never before or since in his entire career. Only Dave could sing, “I got a steel-wheeled radial prophylactic for you, and I ain’t afraid to use it now.” All over the album, you will find double and triple entendre as well as Dave’s personal philophy of life. Are you a passenger, or an engineer? “Whatever gets you to the end of the line”. “Take the traveller and the tourist — the essential difference is, the traveller don’t know where he’s going, and the tourist don’t know where he is!”
When the album flopped, Dave disappeared for a few years and went to Vegas. By 1998 he had snapped up John5 (from Rob Halford’s 2wo), and put together the awesome DLR Band which could rival Van Halen in chops and aggression. Your Filthy Little Mouth stands as an interesting detour on Dave’s road of life.
4/5 stars. Only a couple stinkers (and one useless remix).
mikeladano.com 