Second in a two-part review of the 1989 compilation CD, Billy Sheehan – The Talas Years. Part one is here:Sink Your Teeth Into That. More Talas tomorrow!
BILLY SHEEHAN – The Talas Years (Part Two of Two) (1989 Relativity) TALAS – Live Speed on Ice(1983 Relativity)
When we last met Talas, they were a power trio. On their 1984 live album, they were a quartet. Billy Sheehan was the only remaining member of the original lineup, with some hot talent behind him: Mark Miller on drums, Mitch Perry (MSG) on guitar, and the hugely talented Phil Naro singing. Naro has been around, including a stint with Peter Criss. (You can hear a number of his performances on Mitch Lafon’s Kiss tribute CD A World With Heroes.)
There is little question that Naro’s voice brings the songs to another level. “Sink Your Teeth Into That” benefits from his young rasp. Mitch Perry throws in a more articulated guitar solo for an extended section leaving Billy to hold down the riff. Second in line is a new song, “Crystal Clear” which has a biting Police guitar riff. The busy bass holds down the melodic center as Naro soars on top. Live Speed on Ice has great value, since much of its material was actually brand new and never released on anything else. “The Farandole” is another new one, an instrumental of jaw-dropping ability. Dueling bass and guitars dance and parry while the drums hit the heavy blows.
More new tunes: “Do You Feel Any Better”, “Lone Rock”, and “Inner Mounting Flame” continue the ass-kicking streak. Each has their own groove, but “Inner Mounting Flame” truly is live speed on ice. A few older tracks from the album are solid winners: “King of the World”, “High Speed on Ice” and of course “Shy Boy”, the one Talas song that people know today thanks to David Lee Roth. Billy’s signature bass solo is also performed live (and extended), but cleverly retitled. While “NVH 3345” meant “SHEEHAN” upside down, “7718 (3A17)” means “BILL (LIVE)”. With the freedom of the live setting, Bill took his time to showcase some unheard of chops and effects.
Any album that has Billy Sheehan on bass is bound to include a thousand notes of pure thrills, and any record with Phil Naro is going to sound awesome vocally. Therefore, Live Speed on Ice should be a welcome addition to the discerning rock fan’s personal library. The easiest way to get it is on CD combined with Sink Your Teeth Into That as the 1989 compilation Billy Sheehan – The Talas Years. Either way, you win.
A two-part review of the 1989 compilation CD, Billy Sheehan – The Talas Years.
BILLY SHEEHAN – The Talas Years (Part One of Two) (1989 Relativity) TALAS – Sink Your Teeth Into That(1982 Relativity)
Fans of David Lee Roth are probably already aware of Talas via their incredible bassist Billy Sheehan, an innovative genius of the four-string rumble. His first recordings were with Talas (1979-1983), a Buffalo power trio. With Roth, he re-recorded the Talas track “Shy Boy” on Eat ‘Em And Smile. The Talas original can be found on their second LP Sink Your Teeth Into That, or the compilation The Talas Years.
The focus is immediately and obvious on the bass. Billy plays it simultaneously as a lead instrument, and the rhythmic foundation. “Sink Your Teeth Into That”, the title track boasts not only insane playing, but sounds that had never been heard before from a bass guitar. And the song’s pretty good too. It’s raw 80s hard rock, no more no less, except for that bass. “Hit and Run” is just as strong. Talas were not just a bass showcase, but a band that could actually write good songs. These are unpolished and rough songs, with the band (Dave Constantino on guitar and Paul Varga on drums) alternating lead vocals.
The centerpiece of the album is the bass solo “NVH 3345”. Write that down and turn it upside down: it spells “SHEEHAN”. It has been said before that as Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption” was a game changer on guitar, “NVH 3345” is the “Eruption” of the bass guitar. It is hard to imagine more sheer technique stuffed into 2:21. For anyone who is a serious collector of hard rock heroes, “NVH 3345” must find a way into your collection.
“High Speed On Ice” returns to a hard rocking momentum, like “Highway Star” via Buffalo New York. Then “Shy Boy” which needed David Lee Roth and Steve Vai to finally perfect it. Think of this version as a prototype. It is hard to believe that David Lee Roth did not write the line “Gotta keep things movin’ ’til my personality starts it groovin'”, but Roth made it sound like he meant it.
“King of the World” and “Outside Lookin’ In” occupy the mid-tempo range, and that would be Billy singing those high screams. Both good songs with the memorable hooks to go with the bass hijinks. Shadows fall on “Never See Me Cry”, a darker side of Talas but still with the hooks intact. Second to last song “Smart Lady” is the only loser. There isn’t room for songs that just don’t cut it. “Hick Town” ends the album on a better note, with bass pyrotechnics and thrills to go.
Sink your teeth into Talas, and come back tomorrow for a look at Live Speed on Ice.
Every year, like the most reliable loyalty program in the world, Marillion reward their fanclub members with a special Christmas release. Each one has exclusive music on it, some more Christmas-y than others. The main exclusive on the 2005 Christmas release is a live set by “Los Trios Marillos”: a stripped down trio version of the band. Los Trios does acoustic versions, usually for radio sessions, and consists of singer Steve Hogarth, guitarist Steve Rothery, and bassist Pete Trewavas. These 13 tracks were recorded in Washington DC for XM radio, featuring a wonderful cross-section of Hogarth-era favourites.
That’s not all, of course! Marillion deliver their traditional Christmas message at the start of the CD, campy and tipsy. Bonus points if you’re from North America but can still translate everything the band says. It takes them a few takes to finally get it to their, err, satisfaction. “We hope you have a really good Christmas, don’t get too drunk, and we’ll see you next year.” Then, “That’s not written down at all!” Usually these albums include a brand new studio Christmas track too, and this time it’s the celtic “Erin Marbles”. It’s a hyperactive Irish jig with mandolin, tin whistle, squeezebox, fiddles and bodhran. Calling this a Christmas track is a bit of a stretch, as it is basically the song “Marbles” from the same-titled album done up for fun, mixed with a medley of Christmas tunes. There is no question it’s fun for the fans, but nobody except fans will “get it”, so it’s not really useful for mom’s Christmas mix CD this year.
The Los Trios set commences with the downer “Hollow Man” which is an abrupt change of moods. The was recorded live with an audience, but they are so quiet during “Hollow Man” you could hear a pin drop, which makes the song that much more haunting. It is performed solo by Hogarth only accompanied by piano. “It’s a little early in the morning to be singing,” says Steve. Fortunately things become upbeat if only for a little while on “Cover My Eyes”, a song that is brilliant acoustically. If you have heard Marillion’s piano treatment of this single, then you will recognize this arrangement. It might have been too early to sing that morning, but Steve manages just fine, including the high “pain and heaven” section that challenges every mere mortal. Rothers and Pete join Hogarth at this point for the B-side “The Bell in the Sea”, which Steve mis-introduces having lost his place in the set list! It’s live radio, folks. This is the jazzy bass-oriented acoustic version that the band had been performing since at least 1998, very different from the nautical epic original. They then return to the song that H was beginning to introduce, “Runaway” from Brave. It was the song that kickstarted the whole concept of the album. It is a dark and emotional band and fan favourite, but stripped down to a trio format, it is even more delicate.
The first of four songs from the most-recent Marbles is the dancey hit “You’re Gone”. Acoustically it is a different animal, but just as beautiful. The focus isn’t on the beats but on the melody. Another song that is completely altered is “Dry Land” from Holidays in Eden. It is slowed down with a gentle electronic pulse as it rolls softly. “Fantastic Place” from Marbles flows naturally from there, and Rothery’s solo is absolutely supernatural. The set really moves at this point, with minimal talking. “This is the 21st Century” from Anoraknophobia burns quietly but strongly. On album it percolates with unusual electronic effects, but live it simmers with the hot tone of Steve’s guitar.
“Easter” is a bright light in the set. This version starts very quiet, slow and understated. It’s an inventive take, and it slowly builds to the resemble the original, though it ends early. “Marbles 1” and “Don’t Hurt Yourself” are the last of the new songs presented, and the audience get right into it. “Don’t Hurt Yourself” has to be one of the best songs Marillion has ever written, and the clapping crowd energizes it. “Don’t Hurt Yourself” was one of many highlights on Marbles, but here it is head and shoulders the winning track. A wonderful performance of an exceptional track.
Old favourites end the radio session: “Answering Machine” (from Radiat10n) and “Man of a Thousand Faces” (from This Strange Engine). “Answering Machine” should be very familiar, as this acoustic mandolin and guitar arrangement has been recorded many times before. The handclapping crowd returns to finish “Man of a Thousand Faces” with class. This song has always been acoustic, so this does not tread far from its roots, though it is shortened for the trio format.
You can’t buy this CD anymore and the chances of stumbling upon one in the shops are nil, however you can still download it by joining the official Marillion webUK fan club. It is well worth it. You get three thick, glossy full colour magazines, this year’s Christmas CD, and access to download all the old ones and much more. Worth thinking about, or adding to this year’s Christmas list.
The below is a personal non-preachy discussion on living life as a Christian heavy metal fan. I’m not interested in changing anyone’s personal convictions, just telling a story. If this bothers you, press “back” now.
GETTING MORE TALE #533: Spirituality as a Heavy Metal Fan
Any fan of heavy metal music who is also a believer in the Lord above has had to come to grips with this apparently hypocrisy. How can one follow the word of God and yet listen to Ghost?
Believe In One God Do We, Satan Almighty, The Uncreator Of Heaven And Evil, And The Unvisable And The Visable, And In His Son, Begotten Of Father, By Whom All Things Shall Be Unmade, Who For Man And His Damnation, Incarnated, Rise Up From Hell, From Sitteth On The Left Hand Of His Father, From Thense He Shall Come To Judge, Out Of One Substance, With Satan, Whose Kingdom Shall Haveth No End.
I wrestled with this contradiction very early in life. As a young Catholic-raised kid discovering rock music, I wanted to make up my own mind. One of my earliest sources of music via the magic of Sunday afternoon taping sessions was my next door neighbor George. In addition to the Kiss discography, George had most of the Maiden, Priest and Ozzy catalogue either on LP or cassette. George wasn’t particularly religious, but one afternoon he did tell me, “I won’t listen to anything Satanic.” I took that to mean that Maiden, Priest and Ozzy lyrics checked out A-OK.
Many people of faith have found that their religious convictions shake and waver over the years. That period for me began in the 1990s, although I never considered myself an agnostic or an atheist. I was in the early years of my University career; that period when you think you know it all. I remember some fierce discussions around the dinner table with me loudly proclaiming that I was the only sitting authority on whatever subject had come up. My parents remember them too, as the naive younger me spouted off about whatever I read on an overhead projector. Meanwhile, I was frustrated that they didn’t seem to be giving my lecture serious enough consideration. Some dinners ended up with me storming up to my room in anger with my food unfinished.
One of my earliest courses in University was my first year introduction to Anthropology. The prof, whose name long escapes me now, was an animated character. His long hair was always tied up in a ponytail on the back of his head. He wore suits and ties to class, which most profs did not. Many (especially in the psych department) preferred socks and sandals. He told anecdotes and moved around a lot. He always kept one hand on the podium. The class noticed his storytelling sessions always proceeded with one hand firmly anchored, keeping him in a tight orbit at the front of the classroom. He was a fantastic teacher and I briefly considered a career in Anthropology before I realized it involved a great deal of travel and going out of doors.
He was most certainly an atheist, which is unsurprising considering that the first semester of the class was about primate evolution. He was fascinating, and though I never doubted the science of genetics and natural selection, he certainly proved to me that the simple 7-days 7-nights story of the Bible did not happen as simply as it was written. That could only be allegory for a sequence of events that humanity did not have words for or basic knowledge of at the time. Knowledge is cumulative. We know now that we can follow the development of life through fossils, getting older and older as we dig deeper. Things line up, make sense. He explained to us why the concept of a “missing link” is a logical fallacy.
None of this bothered me. Even though I wouldn’t consider myself a spiritual person at that age, I just assumed any God who is truly all knowing and all powerful could easily create the universe as it was, with the laws of nature, physics and all the matter inside it, via the Big Bang. It would still turn out exactly as He envisioned it to, because that’s the definition of an all powerful God. There didn’t seem to be any contradiction to me. I tried to argue this as part of an intro Philosophy course paper that I wrote the same year. I attempted to go to the quantum scale to explain things and blew it fabulously. That paper was a C-, if I recall correctly. The T.A. that marked it suggested that the quantum section should have been axed completely. (He was absolutely right!)
At the same time, I was very deeply invested in a love of heavy music, having collected at least 400 tapes at that stage. Stryper aside, none of them were Christian rock. There were plenty of masters of the dark arts, however: Alice Cooper, the Ozzman, the Sabs, Priest, Maiden and the lot. As least, that’s the way many religious folks seemed to think it was over the years. I couldn’t hear any Satanism in their lyrics. Look at the words to Sabbath’s “After Forever”:
I think it was true it was people like you that crucified Christ, I think it is sad the opinion you had was the only one voiced, Will you be so sure when your day is near, say you don’t believe? You had the chance but you turned it down, now you can’t retrieve.
Perhaps you’ll think before you say that God is dead and gone, Open your eyes, just realize that He’s the one, The only one who can save you now from all this sin and hate, Or will you still jeer at all you hear? Yes! I think it’s too late.
Because the song also has a line that goes “Would you like to see the Pope on the end of a rope – do you think he’s a fool?,” some folks are likely to get their panties in a bunch. Context in any art form is important, often true with lyrics. It’s hard to imagine Ozzy sitting there seriously worshipping Satan when he’d rather be drinking, don’t you think?
At the same time, I was collecting the albums of Savatage, and their lyrics sometimes had a clearly Christian bent. Their Streets album features a character called “D.T. Jesus” and a full-on Holy character redemption. This didn’t bother me either. It stirred warm memories of Bible stories that I learned in school. Most importantly at that time, I was learning that music lyrics are not always meant to be taken at face value. Take Poison for example. You might think that the “Unskinny Bop” might be an exercise regime. They cleverly disguised their true intention with made-up words. Ozzy isn’t singing about his belief in the undead in “Bark at the Moon”. Maybe he’s inspired by some movie he saw as a kid. Does it really even matter? It’s just a song. It’s just entertainment.
There is one instance when paying attention to the words does really matter, such as when a vulnerable youth might think “Flying High Again” sounds really fun and cool because Ozzy said so. But that is where the parents must step up. It’s not Ozzy’s responsibility, nor the state’s, to monitor what your kids are doing. Pay attention to what they are listening to and make sure you give them the straight talk on any issues that concern you. That’s what my parents did (unbeknownst to me). My mom read over the lyrics when I wasn’t home. She never had made any musical demands of her son other than “turn it down” when it was too loud.
I felt a stronger return to my faith around the time I met my wife. Our connection seemed beyond just two random people falling for each other. It seemed like two puzzle pieces coming together. Like I’d finally found the one who understands and puts up with my bizarre self, and vice versa. It’s not about thinking “I was made for loving you, and you were made me loving me,” so much as feeling it. One thing I learned from Philosophy class is that faith is not something you can prove or disprove. The definition of an omniscient and omnipotent God means He or She could create the universe we live in without leaving any trace of His/Her existence, nor any purpose we can comprehend. Maybe we’re all just chess pieces on a big chess board. You don’t know and you can never prove it one way or another, because how do you know your “proof” isn’t just another move in the chess game?
Faith means you believe something or not. I think science is pretty bang-on with how it describes how the universe behaves, and will continue to modify and reshape its theories based on what comes flying out of the next particle accelerators. It’s an exciting time to be following science, as we unlock some of the most elusive particles predicted by theory. At the same time, events in my life (far more than just meeting my wife) have made my heart lean further in the direction of faith than disbelief. I think whoever it is that created the universe did so with the laws of nature that we study today. I think that science is peering into the mind of God, as Einstein suggested. I came to these conclusions on my own; only later did I realize many got there before me.
As for lyrics about Satan even though I’m on the other guy’s side? I think it’s all about being a good person in the time you’re given on this Earth. I don’t care what you call it; that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. As long as you try to go about your life without being an asshole, sure we can be friends. For example I’d be foolish to exclude you from friendship just because we don’t share the same opinions on (delicious) olives. I’d be equally foolish to exclude you just because you have different ideas about how we all got here. I think, if anything, we’re all here to help each other. We should do that anyway, even if it’s just holding a door open for your neighbor. There are some things that some Christians consider hellfire-worthy sins that I could care less about. It was always important for me to find a balance between my spiritual beliefs and what I know to be right or wrong. I’ve encountered a few Christians who say that homosexuality in a sin. A really bad one, too. I don’t want anything to do with that statement. I know in my mind and my heart that it doesn’t matter what gender you’re attracted to. What matters is using your time on this Earth to be the best person you can be.
I like Ghost; I don’t have to sing along to their music if I’m not feeling the words. That’s free will, and I don’t think I’ll go to hell for exercising it, even though some folks have warned me that’s where I’m headed. I hope that when it comes to the important choices in life, I’ve made more of the good kind than bad. At the end of it all, that seems to be more important.
Reverend X. Much different than Catholic school. Is that a phone book?
When grunge took over the airwaves in 1991-1992, a lot of older guard bands found themselves without a record contract. W.A.S.P.’s 1992 concept album The Crimson Idol failed to generate enough interest for Capitol Records to continue investing in the band. A greatest hits contractual obligation album was a typical move for bands in this situation, and that is how First Blood…Last Cuts came to be. With that in mind, the 16 track album is great bang for the buck. Rarities and new songs add value, and the photo-loaded booklet is tons of fun.
A rarity right off the bat, “Animal” was a non-album single and W.A.S.P.’s first. It’s better known as “Fuck Like a Beast”, and that might explain why it wasn’t on the W.A.S.P. album. A good but not exceptional track, it does boast a nice metal chug, but it’s otherwise just there for shock value. It is primitive metal akin to the first LP, with Blackie in full screech. You either like W.A.S.P. or you don’t.
“L.O.V.E. Machine” from the first LP is remixed with the first verse re-recorded, for some reason. Presumably Blackie must have been dissatisfied with the original. There are several remixes on this CD, including singles “I Wanna Be Somebody”, “I Don’t Need No Doctor” (a metalized Ray Charles cover via Humble Pie), “Blind In Texas” and “Wild Child”. The remixes generally have a sharper drum sound, particular the tracks originally from the muddy first album. The remixing leads to an uneven listen. Rather than sounding fresh, the remixes feel off-kilter and slightly unfamiliar, especially when butted up against non-remixed tracks. The muddy “On Your Knees” follows the remixed “I Wanna Be Somebody”. The transition between the two songs, both originally from the same album, could be better.
Thankfully the strong songs outnumber the middling by a hefty margin. “Headless Children” and “The Real Me” (a Who cover from Quadrophenia) remain two highlights of the W.A.S.P. canon. The chugging heavy epic “Chainsaw Charlie” has never been topped by Blackie.
The final incentives are the two new songs, although one (“Rock and Roll to Death”) was recycled on 1995’s Still Not Black Enough. “Sunset and Babylon” is special as it features Lita Ford on guest lead guitar. The nimble-fingered Ford adds some character to the tune, a pretty standard rock n’ roller from Blackie and cohorts.
At 75 minutes, First Blood…Last Cuts is a long running album providing great value. Perhaps it runs a song or two too long, but nit picking aside it is a solidly hot listen through. The drunken cowboy blasts of “Blind in Texas” are as fondly remembered as the gentle strumming on ballads like “Hold On to My Heart”. Indeed, as the album runs on to its second half, ballads begin to outshine the rockers. “Forever Free” remains one of W.A.S.P.’s brightest stars, as likeable as it was in 1989. “The Idol” is a darkly beautiful ballad demonstrating that Blackie Lawless is indeed deeper than just his assless chaps. Although the album dialogue should have been chopped for this greatest hits CD, it just breaks up the flow.
Most people do not need all the W.A.S.P. albums. In fact, scientific studies have shown that one or two W.A.S.P.’s is all the average homo sapiens will ever need. First Blood…Last Cuts would be solidly recommended CD for your first or only W.A.S.P. purchase.
I thought it would be fun going forward to re-post old chapters of Record Store Tales that you may have missed. Enjoy this Christmas-themed re-post!
RECORD STORE TALES Part 150:SmellsLike Presents
Our original computerized inventory system forced us to manually type in every album title ourselves. Out of sheer boredom, often we’d shake it up a bit. For example, just for laughs, we’d often input Alanis Morissette’s album Jagged Little Pill in the system as Jagged Little Pillow. Or whatever.
When we saw this Celine Dion Christmas album come in, somebody came up with a clever custom title for our system. Remember that Marilyn Manson album, Smells Like Children? Take a look at the Celine Dion album cover. You’ll understand why we used to call this one Smells Like Presents!
Al Atkins was the original lead singer in Judas Priest, before “Bob” Halford was invited to join. You’ll find a number of Atkins credits on the first two Priest albums, even though he was out of the band by that time. In fact, Atkins formed a band called Judas Priest in 1969. The band were named by bassist Bruno Stapenhill. They split in 1970, and Atkins went looking for a new band. He found them in Ken “KK” Downing and Ian “Skull” Hill, who were looking for a singer. With Atkins and drummer John Ellis, they eventually settled on the name Judas Priest, same as Atkins’ prior band. And yes, that means that Ian Hill is actually the only remaining original member of Judas Priest.
Atkins wrote and co-wrote much of Priest’s earliest material. Before he left, he wrote a song called “Whiskey Woman”. Rob Halford used that song and merged it with one of his called “Red Light Lady”. The result was “Victim of Changes”, the first and perhaps greatest of Judas Priest’s epics. Two other songs he wrote in Priest were “Mind Conception” and “Holy is the Man” which were demoed but never released.
Atkins worked a 9-5 job after Priest, but got back into music again in short order. His fourth solo album, Victim of Changes, was essentially a tribute to his Judas Priest years. It is a collection of new recordings of (mostly) a lot of numbers that Priest played live during the Atkins era. As a gimmick, he had Priest’s drummer from the 1980s, Dave Holland, on this album.
Atkins and Halford couldn’t sound less alike. Rob is known for his high-pitched operatics. Atkins has a gutsier, grittier sound, somewhat like a Paul Di’anno meeting Blaze Bayley. There is no question that Rob is the right singer for Judas Priest, so it is really only a matter of curiosity to hear these tunes with Atkins singing. The tunes are at least good.
The unreleased “Mind Conception” commences the disc, re-recorded and very modern sounding especially in the guitars. It is difficult to know exactly what the original “Mind Conception” sounded like, but it’s very safe to say it would not have sounded like this. In the liner notes, Atkins states the original demos were recorded stoned and with a sore throat. “Holy is the Man” has a slower groove to it, and would work very nicely as a modern Priest track. As the only representation of these unreleased tracks available, die-hard Priest collectors will want to hear them. Another track of interest is the cover of Quatermass’ “Black Sheep of the Family” which Priest played live at their earliest gigs (along with Hendrix’s “Spanish Castle Magic”). Rainbow’s recording is still the one to beat.
The familiar Priest tracks are actually anything but. They are probably arranged more like the way Priest used to play them in the early days. “Never Satisfied” is extended with a tough bluesy acoustic intro. The heavy parts have a Zeppelin-y beat, due to Holland’s straightforward style. Same with “Winter”. Then there is “Caviar and Meths” which is a whopping 7:12 long. According to Atkins, this song was their big finale live, but never recorded in full in the studio. This version is the full-length arrangement that they used to close with live. And it’s brilliant. Finally there is “Victim of Changes” itself, and Atkins has some help from a backup singer for the high parts that Rob does.
There are a couple tracks that could be considered filler, since they have nothing to do with Judas Priest. These are the instrumentals “The Melt Down” and “Metanoia”, written by guitarist Paul May. They are excellent tracks, however, and should not be ignored. (“Metanoia” serves as a postscript to “Winter” on the CD.) They are European sounding heavy metal tracks, loaded with guitar drama and ferocity.
Check out Victim of Changes for a glance at what Priest might have sounded like with Al Atkins singing lead. One can hope for those unreleased demos to surface, but one can also wish for the moon.
Many rock stars claim to have seen ghosts, or had supernatural experiences. Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath and Mick Mars from Motley Crue are notable examples. A black shape that Butler saw scared him “shitless”. Ke$ha even claims she has had sex with a ghost, though that seems a little outlandish. Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek of the Doors think they may have been contacted by the spirit of Jim Morrison. Sting thinks there is one in his house. Ace Frehley claims a ghost threw a book at him, though substance abuse may have been a factor.
Tales of spirits and hauntings go back thousands of years. As old as civilization itself are tales of the supernatural. Yet over all this time, nobody has ever captured any tangible evidence that would satisfy science that ghosts exist. This certainly does not mean ghosts do not exist. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. We are still learning much about the universe. Skeptics have good reasons to be skeptical, while others have decided to go ghost hunting for themselves. Ritchie Blackmore was well known for performing seances in his Deep Purple days and over the decades. He stated that he has contacted many spirits, and “ghosts are very real, but not in the physical sense.”
Artist’s probably very accurate impression of an actual Blackmore seance
The only experience that I simply cannot explain I have had happened when I was in grade 9 or 10. I was sleeping, it was the middle of the night. I was awaken by a shocked feeling that someone has just hit me hard in the face with an object like a pillow. Like if you wanted to prank your brother or sister awake and smacked them in the face with a pillow as hard you can in the middle of the night. I woke up with a start and there was nobody in the room, nor any object that would have hit me in the face. My pillow was under my head the whole time. Was it a ghost? All I know is that I can’t explain it.
This reminds me of an experience Mick Mars wrote of in Motley Crue’s The Dirt. Something (a ghost or an alien) seemed to shake his bed regularly. He could physically feel it, just like I could feel the pillow smacking me in the face.
One night 10 years ago, I have the opportunity to try a little ghost hunting myself. I wrote an email about it to a friend, so here are the fresh details from that night:
We were in Mississauga at a party. These two guys lived in the house and somehow the conversation got to weird stuff they’d seen. Including:
A man standing at the top of the staircase, looking down into the basement.
A child wandering around the house.
A pale woman at the front door.
All these figures were solid, not transparent, seen by more than one person, and more than once.
They also:
Heard yelling, the sounds of people falling down stairs, and someone banging on the dryer in the basement even when the house was otherwise empty.
And they saw:
Coins on the floor where there were none before.
The dryer was known to move a few feet even when unplugged, blocking a doorway in the basement.
So we turned off all the lights and went down to the basement to shoot some video on my cameraphone. We shot ten minutes of video. In the first minute, Alex dropped the camera because he was startled by seeing a face in front of him. The face was not on camera but we ran our asses off out of there. In the last minute, upon replay, we got a very strange light on camera. I can’t explain it as the room was pitch, pitch dark. Yet you can see a tiny pinpoint of light on camera, bright and distinct. And that creeped me the fuck out!
I still have it on video and can’t explain it.
I can explain it now. I reviewed that video many times. It was disappointing to reason out that there was still one obvious light source in that pitch black room. The screen of the camera phone itself had a slightly blue colour. Same colour as that pinpoint of light. It was just the reflection of the screen on the glass window of the dryer. A mundane but simple explanation. I’m sure most are.
*All due respect and inspirational credit to1537 for regularly using Lego in his artwork. I am but a mere ghost of your talent, sir.
Ted Nugent has expressed his displeasure with Double Live Gonzo! I wish I still had the 1990 magazine interview where he trashed the record, because I have to strongly disagree. To these ears, Double Live Gonzo! is another one of those incredible 1970s cornerstone live albums that every self respecting rocker should listen to at least once. It’s the album that spawned the name “Nashville Pussy”, and houses the definitive live take of “Great White Buffalo”.
Double Live Gonzo! was recorded at multiple shows. The shout-outs to Nashville and San Antonio (“suck my bone-i-o!”) make that obvious, but it’s not a detriment to the LP. With Derek St. Holmes on guitar and vocals, Ted and the gang bring the rock and roll noise to the best party in town. All you have to do is hit play and hold on tight. It’s an intimidating track list at first: three songs run over 10 minutes, with the majority over 5:00. There is Terrible Ted on the front cover, covering his ears as if in pain from the powerful feedback contained inside.
Ted’s hits are present (“Catch Scratch Fever”, “Stranglehold”, “Yank Me Crank Me”) but are overshadowed by more epic rock orgasms. “Great White Buffalo” and its incredibly dexterous riff is the main attraction. Though this song was originally recorded by Nugent’s Amboy Dukes, the live version is the most important. Love Ted or hate him, no serious rockers should have to live without “Great White Buffalo” in their collections. It’s all about that riff, which is hard to duplicate but impossible to forget.
The Indian and the buffalo, They existed hand in hand, The Indian needed food, He needed skins for a roof, But he only took what they needed, baby, Millions of buffalo were the proof.
But then came the white man, With his thick and empty head, He couldn’t see past the billfold, He wanted all the buffalo dead, Everything was so sad.
The Amboy Dukes’ “Hibernation” grandstands with some equally impressive musical chops (as do all the songs). Almost as good as “Hibernation” itself is its live intro. Ted introduces his guitar to the crowd: “This guitar right here is guaranteed to blow the balls off a charging rhino at sixty paces,” he claims. “You see this guitar definitely refuses to play sweet shit, you know, it just refuses.” However “Hibernation” is pretty sweet, as far as rock n’ roll goes.
If you are looking for some “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang”, then Terrible Ted has your prescription: it’s “Just What the Doctor Ordered”. The Nuge has done a few live albums over the years, but none as beloved as Double Live Gonzo! For its minor faults (it could sound beefier with less crowd noise), Double Live Gonzo! serves the needs of the masses looking for some full bluntal Nugentity. His gut-busting guitar playing can’t be touched and with Derek St. Holmes in the house, you also don’t have to listen to Ted singing lead on every track.
Double Live Gonzo! isn’t just for guitar players, but guitarists will absolutely dig Ted’s incredible licks and control of feedback. Few guitarists can command the instrument like Ted does. Players will find much to examine, while the average listener can just look forward to a double serving of 1970s live rock. No lyrical messages, just brutal sonic massages.
4.5/5 stars
The back cover has a mis-print. “Hibernation” is 16:55 long, not 6:55.
The first record store I worked in no longer exists. It closed (moved actually) in 1996, but even the physical location it was in has gone. It was tucked away in a mall, but that unit was torn up and enlarged and made into a discount store.
That entire mall has changed completely in the last 20 years. I spent a lot of years in that mall as a kid, teen and young adult. Before the record store opened in ’91, I would mostly shop at the Zellers store. Zellers wasn’t bad. They carried 7″ singles, and that is the very store about which Record Store Tales Part 4: A Word About B-Sides was written. The fact that they even had singles made my early music collection much more interesting. Once I even spied a very rare Def Leppard promotional cassette called Soundtrack to the Video Historia. It was exactly that — a cassette version of all the songs on Leppard’s Historia home video. I assumed it would have the rare video mix of “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, and I wanted it. But they wouldn’t sell it to me, even though it appeared in their flyer that week. Whoops.
During my highschool years, the mall even had an A&A Records & Tapes. A&A closed up shop nationwide in 1990-91 (much sooner in our mall). Now Zellers is gone too (turned into a Walmart) and the grocery store Zehrs has grown supersized. My first ever job was at the Zehrs store. Now I can’t find my way around it; it’s too huge. Trying to find a box of crackers takes me 15 minutes. I have so much history with that mall. My dad worked there before I did. Amazingly, the bank at which he used to work is still open, though completely changed and enlarged. His old office is now just part of the general reception area. The old vault, which my dad used to let me into when we visited, is also long gone.
When we were really young, my mom, sister and I went to visit my dad at the bank regularly. We liked playing with the calculator and his phone. My sister enjoyed sitting in his big chair. Within reach of her tiny hands was the silent alarm, hidden under his desk. She found it, and decided to try it out and see what it did. Nothing! Nothing at all. We left and headed home, while my dad continued work. A few minutes after we departed, in rolled a squad of cops responding to the silent alarm! My dad had no idea, but he figured it out in short order.
Needless to say, I grew up with that mall as a second home. When I was in grade school, it was basically right next door. I knew every inch of it, at least the way it used to be. The Baskin Robbins – long gone. Little Short Stop where I bought all my comics, candy and Star Wars cards — gone. The sole restaurant — gone. Black’s Photography – gone. Radio Shack – also gone. Entire wings of the mall don’t exist anymore, swallowed up by other stores. Nothing decent moved in to replace them. Walmart took over the skeleton of Zellers and the grocery store expanded. Everything else was taken up by crap discount stores of questionable value. Nobody shops there anymore. The mall is dead. It used to be infested with mall rats. Now you couldn’t find a teenager within 100 meters of that place.
The second record store I worked in was also in Kitchener, but not in a mall. It was in a strip plaza. That strip plaza has also completely changed over the last 20 years. When we first moved in there, they had a coffee shop and a bank. The coffee shop was gone within the first year and the bank a few years later. There were two gigantic gift and craft shops – both gone. There was a dollar store where we could pop in and buy a bag of chips – gone. “Cheese chips” was our thing at that location. It was a new flavour to us, cheddar cheese. We bought a lot of cheese chips from that store.
That plaza doesn’t even look the same anymore. Today, most of the stores have been bulldozed, including my old record store. However they moved down a little ways; not too far for the customers. These stores were torn down to make way for a new grocery store. Quite a shock, to see my old store reduced to rubble. There was nothing but concrete shambles where I spent every weekday for many years not so long ago! A strange sight to behold. So much happened on that little patch of rubble! Half of Record Store Tales came from that destruction zone.
I think it would be fascinating to take a look at these places in another 20 years. Will they even exist? Will anyone care? Or am I just another old fogie reminiscing about the “good old days”? You only live once and I’m very happy to have lived where I have.
BILLY SHEEHAN – The Talas Years (Part Two of Two) (1989 Relativity)
There is one instance when paying attention to the words does really matter, such as when a vulnerable youth might think “Flying High Again” sounds really fun and cool because Ozzy said so. But that is where the parents must step up. It’s not Ozzy’s responsibility, nor the state’s, to monitor what your kids are doing. Pay attention to what they are listening to and make sure you give them the straight talk on any issues that concern you. That’s what my parents did (unbeknownst to me). My mom read over the lyrics when I wasn’t home. She never had made any musical demands of her son other than “turn it down” when it was too loud.
AL ATKINS – Victim of Changes (1998 Pulse)
mikeladano.com 