MR. BIG – Deep Cuts: The Best of the Ballads (2000 Atlantic)
Although 15 tracks of ballads is more than enough for anyone, Mr. Big’s compilation Deep Cuts has value to collectors. A number of these songs are rare or previously unreleased versions.
Most of Mr. Big’s hits are ballads, so that’s why this thing exists. All the important ones are present: “To Be With You”, “Wild World” (Cat Stevens cover), “Just Take My Heart”, and lots of deeper cuts too. The selling point of this album is the rare stuff, and there’s more than average. “Had Enough”, “Promise Her the Moon” and “Just Take My Heart” are all re-recorded with Richie Kotzen on guitar (who was in Mr. Big at the time). That’s fine; at least they had a reason to do it. “Promise Her the Moon” isn’t vastly different, but “Had Enough” and “Just Take My Heart” have slightly new arrangements. “Had Enough” is much more fleshed out, and sometimes even a little funky. That’s the Kotzen influence.
There are also two “new” songs, one amusingly called “Where Are They Now?” It’s a cool song with a decent chorus, though it certainly can’t compete with the big hits. It could have used more Kotzen. The other newbie, “I’ll Leave It Up to You” sounds more like Richie, and more like a laid back blues. Finally, there is a B-side from the Kotzen era: “You Don’t Have to Be Strong”. This one (from “Superfantastic”, which is also on this CD) is the best of the bunch, not least because it’s a duet with Eric Martin and Richie Kotzen. This is the kind of stuff that is nice to have. It beats hunting down an obscure CD single to get it.
Deep Cuts is rounded out by a whole bunch of classic ballads from the Paul Gilbert albums. And yes, “To Be With You” is the original version, so if you’re buying the CD for one song (shame on you!) then at least you get what you wanted.
Still…it’s a CD with 15 ballads in a row. Not the kind of thing that gets played all the way through in a single sitting.
I’m exposed to a lot of music through the radio. I am lucky enough to hear roughly seven hours of radio at work every day. I feel a bit like Milton from the classic movie Office Space. “I was told that I could listen to the radio at a reasonable volume from nine to eleven.”
I just celebrated my 10 years at my job. There was always a bit of a battle between staff and receptionists over the radio. You see, everybody’s desk phone gets the radio piped in from the same station. It was also the “on hold” music for incoming callers. When I first started, the station was Chym FM. That was a downstep from my prior job at United Rentals, who had Dave FM and all the rock and roll that entailed. But soon enough, my current job switched the station to Dave, after several complaints about the repeat repeat repeat of Chym.
This went back and forth, back and forth, between Dave and Chym. Some clients who were on hold would tell me, “I was really enjoying your AC/DC there.” The receptionist really hated Dave, though. One afternoon she switched us over to a new country station. (That ended swiftly!) Eventually I determined the best course of action was for me to turn off my phone radio, and just bring in my own. So that’s what I did and for the last many years I’ve had my own radio tuned to Dave. I’m happy that this small luxury is accommodated. Rock and roll ain’t noise pollution.
Dave introduced me to many bands that I love today. The Arkells, Monster Truck, Greta Van Fleet and July Talk are just a few from the last couple years. I’m really grateful I get to hear great music every day. The good bands more than make up for the Nickelback, Three Days Grace, My Darkest Days, and other assorted shit they’re forced to play.
The other day, a younger guy at work named Leo came up to me and asked, “Have you heard of the band The Beaches?”
“No,” I answered immediately. “Let me Google them.”
I pulled them up, had a look at the four women that make up the band, and read a few blurbs. “Undertook a tour in 2011 opening for Allstar Weekend” was the line that jumped out, and I said simply, “Yeah, they suck.” Leo laughed that I could know such a thing in 60 seconds of Googling but my judgement had been declared.
I continued reading. “Album was produced by Emily Haines and James Shaw of Metric.” Metric? Hey, they’re cool. They probably wouldn’t produce shit. I approached Leo and told him of my new research. I re-opened the case of The Beaches.
Time goes by. A song comes on the radio. “Here’s ‘Money’, by The Beaches, on Dave Rocks,” said Craig.
Holy shit, The Beaches on Dave Rocks? I put down my pen and listened. It was a song I already knew and liked, but couldn’t remember who it was by. I assumed the singer of “Money” was a guy. Somebody with a high voice, like the guy from Royal Blood, maybe. It turns out, I already liked The Beaches. A band that I declared “sucked” after looking at a Wikipedia page.
Well, fuck me!
That should teach me about judging bands by appearances (a lesson I should have learned decades ago). Double dumb-ass on me. I didn’t even guess the gender of the singer correctly, while declaring that they sucked, also while already liking their single. Triple dumb-ass on me!
So who are The Beaches anyway? Toronto sisters Jordan and Kylie Miller are on lead vocals/bass and guitars respectively. They were joined by friend Eliza Enman-McDaniel on drums, and a guitarist named Megan Fitchett. They formed a teen pop rock band called Done With Dolls (a pretty cool name for an all-girl teen pop band) and it was actually they, not The Beaches, who toured with Allstar Weekend. This early Done With Dolls incarnation does not resemble the band they transitioned to. In 2013 Fitchett left and they took on double threat Leandra Earl (guitars/keyboards). They evolved into a sleeker garage rock band. Their image became cooler with a 60s and 70s-inspired evolution. Yet they still have bite.
Check out that irresistibly simple guitar riff. The backing keyboards of Leandra Earl give it some depth, and then the chorus jumps right out. With tunes this good, Jordan Miller won’t have to worry about making money. It’s gonna happen.
Unlike my crush on Avril Lavigne 15 years ago, nobody can accuse me of liking The Beaches just because they’re attractive. Turns out, I liked them when I thought they were dudes.
The title track to their debut LP Late Show is real punk rock, via Debbie Harry and the Go-Gos. It alleviates any question that these girls will kick your ass. They will indeed, and you will like it. It really is easy to like these energetic tunes.
Don’t be surprised if you hear more about The Beaches as summer approaches. Their music sounds like a good fit for summer action, whether in your car or at a party. The buzz is building. They were nominated for Breakthrough Group of the Year for the 2018 Juno awards, taking place this Sunday (March 25). Keep your eye on The Beaches and wish them luck at the Junos!
Mr. Big broke up in 1996, and reformed in 1999 without Paul Gilbert. It wasn’t personal; he just wasn’t available. He was working with a revamped Racer X, and his solo albums were popular in Japan. In a stroke of genius, Mr. Big tapped a contemporary of Gilbert from his Shrapnel records days — Richie Kotzen. Kotzen, like Mr. Big, was popular, could shred, and could write commercial music. Kotzen has a distinct soul/blues vibe that he introduced to Mr. Big along with his own vocals.
The resultant Mr. Big album, Get Over It, was an amalgam of the two artists. Different, but still a good fit. Leadoff track “Electrified” is almost like a new band, based on the quality of the old. Kotzen, like Gilbert, can shred – check out “Hiding Place”. He just does it with more blues. He also sings co-lead vocals on “Static”, the only Kotzen solo writing credit. With him and Eric Martin in the same band, you get two of the most soulful hard rockers on Earth in one place at one time!
The song that, in past days, would have been the “bit hit” is a track called “Superfantastic”. This campfire rock track recalls the good old days, but the bluesy stuff is more interesting. Kotzen pours on the slide for “A Rose Alone”, which sounds like an old Shaw/Blades tune. “Try to Do Without It” is a delightful confection of soul and bluesy guitar.
Get Over It lacks in one way. Mr. Big albums are usually peppered with many unforgettable standout tracks throughout. Get Over It only has a handful of those, stacked near the beginning. It’s an enjoyable listen throughout, with no dull or skipable moments, but it’s missing those high points. The songs you remember for days after. Instead, Get Over It plays like cool bluesy (and sometimes funky) background CD.
GUNS N’ ROSES – Acoustic Session in NY (1987 radio broadcast, Laser Media release)
Radio broadcasts of historic value can be found for dirt cheap. Guns N’ Roses played an intimate set on October 30 1987 at CBGB’s in New York, and today you can own a CD of it just by being in the right Walmart.
The GN’R Lies EP was still over a year away but several tracks were previewed: “Patience”, “Used to Love Her”, the acoustic version of “You’re Crazy” and the controversial “One in a Million”. It was only the second time “One in a Million” had been played live and the audience doesn’t particularly react where you think they would. They do, however, get quite a kick out of “Used to Love Her”. According to Rolling Stone, there were about 100 people in the club that night. They also got to hear the unfamiliar “Move to the City” and “Mr. Brownstone”.
The balance of the CD is from an unknown gig, fully plugged in: “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, a ferocious “My Michelle” and a very early cover of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by the original five. Since you’re never poorer for owning vintage live Guns with Izzy and Steven, the three tracks are welcome bonuses (though a source listing would be nice).
I took Friday March 16 off work to take Jen to her neurologist appointment in Toronto. We left Kitchener at 9 am and arrived shortly after 10. The receptionist told Jen that her appointment was for April 16, not March….
Feeling oh so terrible about it, she said to me, “I’m so sorry, you can watch all the Star Wars you want this weekend, I won’t even watch the Leafs vs. the Habs if that’s what you want.”
I said that isn’t what I wanted. I just wanted to post this story as the next Sunday Chuckle!
It’s time for 10 more WTF Search Terms! WTF Search Terms are those weird and wacky things that people typed into search engines to get here. This instalment is a mixed bag, some of which I can explain and some I cannot!
1.is jeff vwcj bliw vy blow valuable
This person, with fingers too large for their phone, is asking if Jeff Beck’s Blow By Blow album is valuable. Would you have figured it out?
2.what year did ozzy do the randy rhodes tribute tour
A reasonable question — except there was no such “tribute” tour. The Randy Rhoads Tribute live album came out in 1987 and there was no tour to support it. It was recorded on 1982’s Diary of a Madman tour.
3.has bret michaels and richie kotzen made up
Again, a minor detail is wrong here — Richie Kotzen had an affair with Rikki Rockett’s fiance, not Bret’s. And I doubt they have spoken since!
Disclaimer: I am not THE authority on this subject, or even any of its sub-subjects. I know what I like, and I love all of this stuff. But I have not gone so far down this rabbit-hole that I have forgotten about Rush, or AC/DC, or the Cure, or Yes, or Neil Young, or John Lee Hooker, or Charles Mingus. I am not someone who would prefer to burn down a church than be caught listening to Steely Dan (love the Dan). But LeBrain requested this, and I have happily complied. It’s been fun to compile this (almost) completely random spiel on the more extreme end of heavy metal.
OK, so I need to get this out of the way at the outset. No discussion of “extreme metal” would be complete if I did not mention three particular, foundational bands – Venom, Bathory, and Celtic Frost. So – what do I do here? Do I admit that I think that Venom is mostly shit? That I think that the Bathory boat left port a long time ago, and that I despair of ever really catching up? Do I admit that I like Celtic Frost more in the concept than the execution? Well, lookee here – seems like I just did all those things. Consider this me getting those things out of the way. (Side note: Celtic Frost released an album called Monotheist in 2006 that I really like. Tom G. Warrior also has another project called Triptykon that is extremely good. “Aurorae” is just such a great tune. Feel the slow, beautiful menace!)
“Taking the Black”
Immortal – I must start with this band, and in particular Sons of NorthernDarkness, for purely personal reasons. This is the album that got me heading in this direction in the first place. It was in Peterborough, where I had a contract for a year at Trent University. I was introduced to this album by being told: “If you like thrash, then you will like this.” And that is true. Much of the “extremity” of metal is working from that basis. To a 16 year old in 1986, Slayer was pretty extreme to people whose main metal reference point was a band like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, or Iron Maiden. Sons of NorthernDarkness as an entire album is, as far as I’m concerned, a perfect exercise in heavy metal. Is it really fast for a lot of the time? Yes. Does it differ from Slayer? Yes. Is the attitude metal? Gods, yes. This is PURE metal, even if it is quintessential “black” metal as well. If you love early Metallica and Slayer, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t love this. It’s that simple. At the Heart of Winter is also stellar. I almost wanted to start killing people in traffic in Cambridge one day, but At the Heart of Winter kept me in my car and happy instead of committing murder. That is what I’d call a ringing endorsement.
Dissection – The song “Black Horizons” from The Somberlain. Epic. A mix of death and black metal, resulting in a metal anthem that totally rules. The “messy” vocals and the speed can put people off, but this is incredible. It is not “well-produced” by contemporary standards. The snare sounds like something that would happen in your older brother’s shitty apartment’s bathroom. And yet…how does such seeming chaos resolve into something so perfect, so anthemic? Don’t even start to listen to this without listening to the entire song. It doesn’t even really start happening until half-way through. The lesson? You don’t need a lot of money and a great studio to record riveting metal. All you need is the balls. From 4:05 on it is just on a whole other level. And 5:33 is among the most metal metal moments I have ever heard.
Deathspell Omega – LOL OMG. Paracletus has to be my favorite full-length. It won’t let anything else be. You get it or you don’t. It’s that simple. One YouTube comment I have read about Paracletus called it enigmatic and maddening. I’d have to agree. But, to help you on your way, I’d suggest trying the song “Malconfort” which encompasses everything “good” about this band in a fairly succinct (for them) five minute package. No one else can make guitars sound like this. It’s just as revolutionary as what Piggy did to the thrash riff with classic Voivod. Yes, this is meant to be difficult and disturbing. That’s why it’s extreme. Does it make sense? Yes, in some alternate universe. If you can get down with that then do. Nothing else I say will make any difference. Of course, if you want to start with something a little more “accessible,” then I’d go with Drought. My favorite release, even if it’s not a full-length. The song “The Crackled Book of Life” is one of my favorite things recorded this century. The change at 1:30, and then the buildup that follows, never fails to get my juicy bits a-tingle.
Closely related is Blut Aus Nord, who are less chaotic and more industrial, but just as evil. Both are French, by the way. Sacre bleu!
MGLA – best black metal band on the planet right now IMO. Direct and catchy, great riffs, phenomenal drummer with great grooves and a sense of drama. The repetition is built into the sub-genre itself, but their changes make it so worthwhile. If you want to see how an “extreme” metal band handles the “live and in concert” experience, then you will want to check out their live shit on YouTube. One of my favorite bands at the moment, and this moment has lasted for almost three years. Exercises in Futility is as good a place to start as any. One of my favorite albums released this century so far. The first track typifies what I love about them – the riffage is hooky yet dissonant at the same time, and the drummer’s approach to his cymbals is utterly unique. You have to train your ear to “get this,” but once you have then nothing else will ever scratch that itch.
Drudkh – “Only the Wind Remembers My Name.” They get much faster and more complicated than this, but this is my favorite tune by them. This is what a classic “Black Metal” band should sound like, except that there is that guitar solo, one of my favorite ever, which turns this song into something so much greater. Listen to that solo: it’s worth more than a hundred “glam rock”/”pop metal” solos put together. But they have so much else to offer. They combined their black metal with post-metal with A Handful of Stars and as far as I’m concerned, that is an incredible album. Start with the beginning of Microcosmos to get the full black metal flavor, and then go to A Handful of Stars. The latter album is why I love Agalloch so much. So similar, yet different. And what I’m talking about here is HEADPHONE METAL. This is not “party metal”. Listen by yourself, in a dark room, with raging volume. Yes, there is a guy growling at you, but he’s just barking orders. What you need to accept is the grove that the drums and guitars are laying down. Is it too fast? Then just lay back and absorb it. You will get it in time.
Agalloch – Ashes Against the Grain baby. Love this. Sink in. Hooks aplenty, but this is taking time between the hooks. Requires patience. Don’t let the vocals put you off. Listen to the instruments. The voice is just another instrument. Remember that. Climax? Yes please! These guys basically wrote the textbook for “post-black metal,” and much of that involves (mostly) the patience it takes to arrive at the climax. And it has atmosphere galore. Favorite song is likely “Falling Snow.” Goosebumps every time.
Wolves in the Throne Room – Thrice Woven is the latest album, and it easily made my top-10 for 2017. If you don’t get into this then you might as well just give up on Black Metal entirely. It has of all the faults and all the virtues of black metal. Is it too fast? Then just listen and bob your head to the half-time. If you don’t like the riffs themselves, then give up. And, of course, the vocals are nutty. Par for the course, people. This album is pretty much as pure as it gets without being recorded in 1991 in some Norwegian asshole’s basement.
(I would be remiss in talking about Black Metal if I did not mention Burzum. Filosfem is absolutely crucial, and your reaction to this album will largely dictate your reaction to Black Metal for the most part, though it is often slower than Mayhem or Darkthrone. “Dunkelheit” is the main song I’d take for a spin, and yes the production can be VERY irritating. The vocals are certainly disgusting, but the sense of mystery and otherworldliness is all there in spades. Atmosphere, repetition, and a strangely seductive discordance is the order of the day here. I totally get why people dismiss it, and I totally get why people dig it. It is the anal sex of music, after all. Also, Varg Vikernes is a garbage person, so that’s a deal-breaker for some. And yes, there is a strong current of fascism and Neo-Nazism running through a lot of black metal, which totally sucks balls.)
Ulver – Bergtatt – “Capitel 1 – Troldskog Faren Vild”. Clean vocals, driving pace, wicked riffs – this is essential early Black Metal that is still accessible to those who don’t like it when goblins “sing.” Good bass motifs (if you really listen for them), and a full-on nifty guitar solo. Yes, the production is dodgy compared to today, but that really doesn’t matter. For a beafier cover of this, check out Winterfylleth’s version on their latest album. But the original, sweet Jayzus – the acoustic interlude around the 5:50 mark, and then the new riff and groove after that? Fuckin’ stupidly awesome. No respectable headbanger can have a problem with this. AT ALL.
Winterfylleth – Kings of English black metal (screw Cradle of Filth). They have the anthemic qualities of Iron Maiden but are more aggressive and abrasive. But that “abrasiveness” in the riffage is the whole point, and once you train your ear to accept riffs that aren’t just in fourths or fifths, you will be hooked. “The Swart Raven” is as good an example as any to exemplify why I love the black metal style of riffage (well, that and Mgla).
Never got into Darkthrone, but if there is a Gorgoroth song I really like it is “Sign of an Open Eye” – stately pace, repetitive in a good way, and the riff has all the requisite dissonance without sounding like an orc was being raped in the recording of it. This could easily be a boring listen without the necessary submersion required to “get it” – kind of like a hobbit getting raped by an orc, come to think of it. And that’s OK. I’m not here to judge.
“Choose Death!”
Like my “relationship” to Black Metal, my appreciation for Death Metal has huge gaps in it. I do not particularly enjoy some of the essential bands in the genre, like Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, or Deicide. I typically like my Death Metal as some sort of hybrid, usually involving black or prog. Like I said at the outset, I am no purist or completist, and I think a lot of death metal is just dumb. But…
Entombed – Earlier albums like Clandestine and Left Hand Path put Swedish death metal on the map, spawning a legion of copycats, and single-handedly popularizing the Boss HM-2 distortion pedal. But for my money, it’s the death-and-roll of Wolverine Blues that really catches my ear. An essential 90s metal album for sure. Just give the title track for a spin. That is attitude and swagger, my friends.
Akercocke – “Shelter From the Sand” – this is what happens when you combine progressive metal, death metal, and black metal. Love this. How do you combine Mayhem, Death, and Rush? THIS. Again, if you’re going to get it you must listen to the whole thing. Everything goes sideways halfway through in a very good way. It goes in places that rule, and should be totally accessible even to people who hated the first half of the song.
Carcass – Heartwork is the opus, as far as I’m concerned, though the earlier, grindcore stuff is good. Yes, their earlier stuff influenced many other bands, but the really GOOD bands picked up on this album. I remember seeing the video for the title track on MuchMusic’s Power Hour (remember that?) and really digging it at a time when I was getting deeply into thrash. And again, if you like the thrash then there is ZERO reason not to like this as well. With a different vocal style this would have been HUGE, but c’est la vie.
Death – Probably the true progenitors of the sub-genre, Death is the earliest bridge between thrash and death metal (other than Possessed, which gave the world Larry Lalonde, now playing guitar for Primus). Slower and less brutal than what death metal turned into, Death is nevertheless a band that anyone into thrash should appreciate, just like Immortal. My favorite of theirs is probably Symbolic, which features the mighty Gene Hoglan on drums. The curious thing is that “melodic death metal” (or melo-death) came around after Death, um, died, but I would argue that this band invented “melo-deth” already. Check out “Crystal Mountain” to see what I mean.
Cynic – Serious Death connection here, since Paul Masvidal and Sein Reinert both played on Death’s album Human. I bought Focus on cassette not long after it came out, and it took a helluva lot of getting used to. Like a hybrid of death metal and jazz fusion, with some weird robotic vocals. My favorite of theirs is “How Could I” – in particular the 2004 remix which has a gorgeous outro and ending. Just…..wow.
Paths to Possession – This is kind of a Cannibal Corpse spin-off (the “vocalist” is the same), but this is quite melodic. The riffs are much more interesting, and I first heard this around the same time I first heard Immortal, but the grim Norwegians really won my frostbitten heart. Nevertheless, this is still really good “death metal,” on the more melodic-side (at least on the guitar end – the vocals are still Cookie Monster on steroids). The first track of Promises in Blood, “Darklands,” is filled with killer riffs.
Sepultura (early) – These Brazilian titans were as much death metal as thrash in their early years, before they became the thrash juggernaut that gave us “Arise,” “Roots,” and “Chaos A.D.” Mind you, those latter two albums helped create nu-metal (along with Helmet, another band whose place in history will be unfairly shadowed by garbage). But I’m not going to hold that against them. I’m not going to recommend anything, because you should really know who they are by now if you know that “heavy metal” is an actual thing.
Other bands: Gojira gets put in this category and I’m not sure why. Their last few albums are amazing, and I get it. Meshuggah needs to be mentioned, but they are somewhat controversial because many people hate what they have spawned (djent) in the same way that other bands I’ve mentioned have inspired lesser bands. Do I dig the Meshuggah? Absolutely. Obzen is a good starting place for some, their earlier stuff a better place for some others who prefer the thrash more than the djent. “Bleed” is, well, fucking exhausting, actually. I mean to listen to, never mind playing the goddamn drums. YIKES!
Slugdge – This is a very recent discovery, and I am frickin’ LOVING IT. With a name like that you’d expect it to be low, slow, and sticky. But it’s actually sharp, up-tempo, and technical (often with a strong Ackercocke vibe). This is the kind of band I really like to support, because they are going for a niche market – a couple of guys in England who never do live shows, and just basically make records that some people pay money for. The drums are programmed, but they sound pretty damn organic nonetheless. Their song and album titles parody other titles from metal (“Dim and Slimeridden Kingdoms,” “Spore Ensemble,” “Transilivanian Fungus,” “Slave Goo World.” And the entire mythology is pseudo-Lovecraftian, centered on a cosmic alien space slug named Mollusca. It’s all very silly, but it is AWESOME. I am very happy to end this entire post with this. “Putrid Fairytale” or “War Squids” from brand new album Esoteric Malacology is probably where you should begin your servitude to the mighty Mollusca! This album is pretty much guaranteed to be on my 2018 Top-Ten list, unless Tool plans on releasing ten albums this year. Which would be the funniest thing ever.
It’s 2018 and the Priest is back. The excitement for the mighty metal band’s return has been restrained by the knowledge that Glenn Tipton is too ill to tour. Parkinson’s disease — what a bastard that is. Co-producer Andy Sneap has stepped up to take over Glenn’s guitar parts on tour.
Meanwhile on album, Glenn’s contributions to Firepower can be heard. Sneap and classic Priest producer Tom Allom recorded one of the most biting Priest albums to date. More impressive than the sound they captured are the performances. Rob Halford in particular is more expressive than he has been in years.
At 14 tracks and almost an hour, Firepower suffers only from too many tracks. There are a couple that clearly could have been cut and left for B-sides or bonus tracks. “Flame Thrower” (similar to “Hot For Love” from Turbo), though a cool title, would have been great on a B-side. On album, I’d rather race ahead to some of the more exciting tracks.
Firepower throws it back to sounds of the past. Sometimes it’s Painkiller, and sometimes Angel of Retribution. Rock writer Heavy Metal Overload noticed sonic similarities to Halford’s Resurrection CD. At other times it’s brand new, because guitarist Richie Faulkner brings new things to the table, such as slide.
There are many highlights among the 14 tracks. “Evil Never Dies” and “Never the Heroes” both immediately jump out for their melodic mastery. Rob is sounding better than he has on the last couple, with a few tasty screams to enjoy. As time goes on, new favourites will replace old. Perhaps it’ll be “Spectre”, “No Surrender”, “Children of the Sun”, “Rising From the Ruins” or even “Flame Thrower”! Another highlight: mellow album closer “Sea of Red” which bears lyrical similarities to “Blood Red Skies” from 1988’s Ram It Down. In general, Firepower is about fighting back.
The cover art by Claudio Bergamin is Priest’s new mascot, “Titanicus”. Silly name aside, this one Priest’s best album cover in decades. (Mark Wilkinson continues to contribute to the packaging art as well.) Notice how Bergamin’s lines match up with the style of past Priest albums like Screaming for Vengeance.
It’s hard to imagine a better album this late in their career. Priest have done it again. Firepower lives up to its name.
A highschool guy named Rob Petersen recommended Winger to me. Rob was one of the only kids with long hair. I was so jealous of him. He had the Rick Allen curls and everything. Girls thought he was cute. I thought maybe some of his cool could rub off on me. Luckily I sat next to him in Mr. Lightfoot’s history class.
I recorded the music video for “Seventeen”, which was OK, but didn’t particularly stand out. Kip Winger’s abs did. Towards the end of the video, he did this weird thrusty-dance with his bass. This is memorable to me because the tape that “Seventeen” was on, was also used for a school video project. I made a music video for “Nothing But A Good Time” by Poison with friends, for a school award. I recorded my copy on the same tape as “Seventeen” — immediately after it, actually. When we presented the video to the film teacher, she caught the tail end of “Seventeen”, and Kip’s thrust. “Oh,” I heard her comment, and I sensed it was more disgust than titillation.
Kip Winger mid-thrust
Despite their image, Winger possessed a rare rock pedigree. Classically trained bassist and singer Charles “Kip” Winger was fresh from Alice Cooper’s band, as was keyboardist Paul Taylor. Kip also performed on Twisted Sister’s Love is for Suckers LP in 1987, with future bandmate Reb Beach. Most impressively, drummer Rod Morgenstein was an alumnus of Steve Morse’s Dixie Dregs. Yet all these massive players went and made a commercial hard rock album with, let’s face it, pretty juvenile lyrics at times.
It’s hard not to be critical of Winger for this. Knowing what these guys are capable of, the debut album Winger seems like pandering. They did sneak in a few progressive hints, such as a string quartet on “Hungry”, but the impression was that they were just another hard rock band with big hair and candycane hooks. They were underachieving, from a certain point of view.
Winger was in the batch of the first CDs I ever got, for Christmas of 1989. This was based almost entirely on Rob Petersen’s raving. Another reason I chose it was the “CD bonus track”! One of the incentives for buying a CD player was to finally get songs that were only on the CD release. I had mixed impressions. The first “side” was decent but the second was a little filler-heavy.
I’m sad to admit this, but Winger’s version of “Purple Haze” was the first time I ever heard the song. Ozzy’s version was the second. Go ahead, judge me.
Winger could have taken it further on their second album. In a way, they did: progressive songs and complex rhythms stood alongside the pop rock tracks. While they advanced in that regard, they took a step backwards in another. Some songs were even dumber: “Can’t Get Enough” for example, was a transparent re-write of “Seventeen”, and the ballads were dreck. Worst of all was Kip’s very unnecessary rapping on “Baptized by Fire”.
Two songs, “Rainbow in the Rose” and “In the Heart of the Young” (the title track) were so far above and beyond the pack, they could have come from a different album. These two epics drip of the kind of progressive rock you know these guys can play. Yet they kept it radio accessible, somehow, even while Rod Morgenstein is playing rhythms my brain can barely compute.
While Winger II charted higher and sold as well as the first, 12 months later it was hopelessly outdated by the birth of grunge. Winger then fell victim to two of the 90s greatest antiheroes, Beavis and Butt-Head. A black Winger shirt was worn by nerd character Stewart, and the band were repeatedly mocked. This eventually killed Winger off as a business. Gigs dried up. Fortunately for fans, Kip Winger and Mike Judge of Beavis and Butt-Head recently had a make-up session. Even Kip admitted, “Winger was a band that was popular for some of the wrong reasons, man.”
The third album, Pull, is a reference to skeet shooting. Kip knew that for all the chances they had, they may as well throw the album into the air and take shots at it. “Pull!”
It was a lose-lose situation and both Winger and the public lost by Pull‘s commercial failure. Keyboardist Paul Taylor had left, and so Pull features less of the instrument and a far heavier sound. Taylor was eventually replaced by John Roth, a guitarist. The message was pretty clear. Pull featured some of Winger’s best tracks: “Down Incognito”, “Blind Revolution Mad”, “Junkyard Dog”, and “Who’s the One”. Had Pull come out in 1990 instead of 1993, things would have gone very differently. Instead, Winger broke up.
The happy news is that like many bands, Winger reunited (the John Roth lineup occasionally with Paul Taylor as a fifth member), and started putting out albums again. Good ones, too. Their last Better Days Comin’ is pretty great.
As further proof of Winger’s greatness, Reb Beach went from there to Alice Cooper, completing the circle. Winger, after all, was originally founded by two ex-Cooper players. He was then picked to replace George Lynch in Dokken. And Kip? His 30 minute symphony “Ghosts” should speak for itself.
Those who are curious but sceptical should check out Winger’s Pull, and the albums that followed. Go ahead and wing it!
MR. BIG – Deep Cuts: The Best of the Ballads (2000 Atlantic)
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