Thank you Uncle Gar and Grampa Winter. Wish you were here to thank in person. I was too young to really know what you did. I thought it must be like the movies. I think I was a lucky kid to know you, just wish I had the chance to know you now I’m older.
RECORD STORE TALES Mk II: Getting More Tale
#334: Tyler and LeBrain – episode one – “Nickelback”
Please welcome fellow Sausagefester, Dave FM listener, and lover of leather-clad blues-infested classic rock and roll: Tyler. We’ve decided to team up for musical commentary on a few different topics. Today’s subject:
Nickelback.
Hope you enjoy, and comment here for discussion.
KISS – Love Gun (2014 Universal Deluxe edition, originally 1977 Casablanca)
Mrs. LeBrain picked this CD up for me on Friday November 7 at the local HMV store, an adventure in itself that we will tell in a future Getting More Tale installment. Love Gun is the first ever Kiss Universal “Deluxe Edition” to be released, hopefully the first of many. You can understand why it would have been chosen first. In 2012 they already released the newly remixed Destroyer (Resurrected), and the second most beloved studio album in Kisstory may well be Love Gun.
Like other Universal deluxes, Love Gun is a 2 CD digipack, with liner notes, rare photos, a fresh remastering and bonus tracks. One of these bonus tracks is previously released. The demo “Reputation” was only released a few short months ago on the commemorative Kiss 40 compilation.
First, let’s talk about disc one, the remastered Love Gun. This sounds about as definitive as it gets. The cymbals sound nice and crisp to me, not fizzling out in the distance. I am very pleased with the sound. You can see that it is not overdriven. You can hear plenty of nuance in the instruments. I hope this is about as close as you can get to the sound of listening to Love Gun in the studio control room.
2014 remaster of “Got Love For Sale”
For a more detailed review of the original Love Gun album, you can check out my original from my 2012 Kiss review series. I rated it 5/5 stars. From that review, “The classics here are among Kiss’ all time best. ‘Shock Me’, ‘I Stole Your Love’, and ‘Love Gun’ are still played in Kiss’ set circa 2012…’Tomorrow And Tonight’ and ‘Christine Sixteen’ were on Alive II.” On the other hand I also said, “there’s a little bit of filler on here. I’m not a big fan of ‘Almost Human’ even though Gene is, and some people dislike ‘Hooligan’ although I love it. I could also take or leave ‘Got Love For Sale’.” Since writing that, I’ve changed my tune on “Got Love For Sale” which I like a lot more today.
And yes, I did have “And Then She Kissed Me” played at my wedding. I’m very proud of that fact.
The rarities here include some goodies that I have never heard before. “Much Too Soon” is a slower Beatles-esque rock ballad. Although I think it’s a pretty cool Gene Simmons experiment, it was clearly not suited to the heavier material on Love Gun. If Gene had released it on his 1978 solo album, it would have been one of the stronger tracks. The aforementioned “Reputation” is another decent tune from the Love Gun sessions. In my review for Kiss 40, I said, “You can hear that aspects of this song later made it into other Gene Simmons compositions such as ‘Radioactive’. This is one of those song titles I’d read about for years, but have never heard until now. Cool. While the song is definitely a demo, and not quite as good as most finished Kiss songs, it does boast a cool dual guitar solo and rocking piano a-la ‘Christine Sixteen’.” The third and final unreleased song is called “I Know Who You Are”, which is actually a demo version of “Living In Sin” from Gene’s solo album, with a different chorus. The verses are the same, and I think I might prefer it to the overly funky “Living In Sin”.
Other unreleased goodies on the deluxe are 1977 demos of familiar songs. “Plaster Caster” is pretty tight in terms of how the final version went. Paul’s “teaching demo” of “Love Gun” is interesting. He’s naming and recording the chords from the song as he goes, presumably to show the other members how to play it. It’s in inessential track, interesting only to fans, but cool nonetheless. This leads directly into an unreleased band demo of the song. You get to hear the evolution in motion. This band demo is all but identical to the final version, right down to the shimmering Frehley chord effects. Then there’s a great instrumental demo for “Tomorrow and Tonight”. Of the demo tracks, this is probably the greatest treasure. I love hearing the bare guitars and drums of the four classic Kiss guys just playing together as only they can. Ace Frehley’s solo is a work in progress but some of the key hooks are already in place.
Three 1977 live unreleased tracks are also quite the treat. These are from December 20 1977, in Landover Maryland. This was the second of a two night stand there. If you ever wished the Alive II album wasn’t as polished sounding as it is, then you will be happy with these three tracks. Yes, you get “Love Gun” four times, but who freakin’ cares? It’s “Love Gun”. You also get “Christine Sixteen” and Ace Frehley’s “Shock Me” complete with guitar solo. So suck on that.
The final audio bonus is a 7-minute Gene Simmons interview from 1977, from a radio station in Montreal Quebec. It’s an interesting interview, but I’d be happier if more demos were on the CD rather than an interview. However, let’s be honest — reasonable Kiss fans know that the Simmons/Van Halen demo of “Christine Sixteen” was not going to be on here. Like Eddie and Alex want that to happen.
The packaging is great, with commentary from the musicians and writers involves, and artist Ken Kelly. (These comments are re-printed from other sources.) Also included is Ken Kelly’s original concept for the cover art, which was rejected for not being as grand and large as Kiss felt they were. Finally there’s a two page essay by Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, who says he’s seen them play “Love Gun” live over 40 times, so I’d say he’s qualified. Elliott waxes nostalgic about the days when bands used to release two albums a year.
A final note: The Love Gun deluxe edition is supposed to come with a fridge magnet, but many have been opened and found to be missing the magnet. I have already contacted Universal about a replacement.
4.5/5 stars
Complete studio albums (and more!), part 13
Second review from Mike and Aaron Go to Toronto…Again! I paid $2.99 for this CD at Sonic Boom. A steal.
PLATYPUS – Ice Cycles (2000 InsideOut)
Platypus are: Ty Tabor – Guitars & vocals (King’s X). John Myung – Bass (Dream Theater). Derek Sherinian – Keys (Dream Theater, Alice Cooper, Kiss). Rod Morgenstein – Drums (Dixie Dregs, Winger).
From the information above, you already know several things: 1. Platypus is a supergroup. 2. This is going to have plenty of incendiary playing on it. 3. It’s gonna be progressive. Much like their first album (this is their second), it’s also gonna be fun!
If you’re a fan of any of these guys, you will love to hear them in this band’s context. There are plenty of King’s X-isms, but the personalities of the players have their own influences. Nobody plays drums like Rod Morgenstein, and I always enjoy the chance to hear him work.
The opening track, “Oh God” is quite heavy, with quieter keyboard moments. The track has some serious weight to it. Ty of course is a melodic singer, so that balances it. It’s just one of several standout tracks. “Better Left Unsaid” has a pleasant aura, similar to Faith Hope Love-era King’s X, but with Sherinian’s keyboards lending a completely different sound. Myung doesn’t play bass like Dug Pinnick does, but he does create a thick sound. Morgenstein’s drums have marching band precision.
The heavy melody-driven “The Tower” really gets the engine running during the chorus. The verses lack a bit, but that chorus section is furious, as is the guitar solo. The piano tinkle of “Cry” has a moment that is playfully lifted from Alice Cooper’s “I Love the Dead”, but the chorus is like Alice In Chains! This is a complex track, not instantly likable. Give it some time to sink in. Morgenstein, once again, leaves jaws on the floor.
My favourite tracks are two: the brief “I Need You”, which has the lush Tabor vocals that we know and love. This track is probably the most like King’s X, coincidentally. Then there’s the smoking hot “25” with its Dream Theater keys and Zeppelin guitars. There’s also a Rush riff in there somewhere. This is one of only two instrumentals on the album, but it sure is a corker! Just stunning.
The final track can only be called an epic. “Partial to the Bean (A Tragic American Quintology)” is a instrumental that goes all over the board, in seven parts. If you’ve heard instrumental epics by these players before then I’m sure you know what you’re up against. A challenging but rewarding listen.
That can be said for the album in general. It’s a rewarding listen that will, at times, challenge you. I like that.
3.5/5 stars
Part 1 – Out of the Silent Planet (1988)
Part 2 – Gretchen Goes to Nebraska (1989)
Part 3 – Kings of the Absurd (split bootleg with Faith No More)
Part 4 – Faith Hope Love by King’s X (1990)
Part 5 – “Junior’s Gone Wild” (from 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey soundtrack)
Part 6 – King’s X (1992)
Part 7 – Dogman (1994) + bonus “Pillow” promo single review
Part 8 – Ear Candy (1996)
Part 9 – Best of King’s X (1997)
Part 10 – Tape Head (1998)
Part 11 – POUNDHOUND – Massive Grooves from the Electric Church of Psychofunkadelic Grungelism Rock Music (1998 Doug Pinnick/Jerry Gaskill)
Part 12 – Please Come Home…Mr. Bulbous (2000)
It appears as if the two people Phil Rudd was “attempting to procure a murder” for were hookers. Err, “working girls” according to the mainstream media.
Those charges have been DROPPED.
He still faces the drug charges, and charges of making threats.
Meanwhile, AC/DC have said that the Rock Or Bust album and tour will proceed on schedule, with or without Phil Rudd. I hope Simon Wright and Chris Slade have their phones charged.
RECORD STORE TALES Mk II: Getting More Tale
#333: Social Media
“Social media”, as they call it today, is nothing new. Before Twitter there was Facebook. Before Facebook there was MySpace. Before MySpace there was Friendster, and so on. What has changed is the degree to which we have included social media sites into our lives. They’re already integrated into our phones and software, making it easy to dive in. Some have shunned all social media, and who can blame them? It’s not for everybody to put your life out there, or to see these endless streams of useless info pouring in. If you only have “x” amount of online time a day, it’s easy enough to waste it all on Facebook.
Social media has its ups and downs. Obviously we can now see breaking news all over the world as it happens. We can also see false rumours start like fires, with “re-tweets” and “shares”. You know this and I know this, so I won’t spend too much time commenting on it. Social media can be a brain-killer. It can reduce our teens to near illiteracy, as they spout their “urs” and “lols”. (“Ur” drives me nuts. Is it so hard to type “your”?) Social media must be used wisely, if you choose to partake. To the ignorant, it can have devastating results.
I believe in using social media for myself, but wisely. Here are some positive things that have come from social media:
1. Direct contact with the stars.
The one time I received a message from Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row) regarding something I wrote on MySpace about Helix was pretty exciting to me. Now, you can tweet your own thoughts to your rock star heroes, and some of them actually read them! Our good friend Heavy Metal OverloRd received a direct response from David Coverdale of Whitesnake, to his suggestion for a future Whitesnake DVD release. I’ve been thanked or complimented for my reviews and stories by members of Helix, Killer Dwarfs, Harem Scarem and Judas Priest. Dave Bidini liked that my reviews are “different” from the mainstream, and that comment really made me feel great!
The kind of interaction we can have today with our rock heroes is unprecedented. I don’t mean the types who hire a social media guru to do all their online posts. I mean the kind who are hands-on with their accounts. I enjoy having the chance to say to somebody, “I really liked that song.” Music is about communication and it’s nice to have another avenue of feedback.
2. Creating your own social groups.
Here on WordPress, there is a strong, supportive community of writers. Some of us are pros, most of us are not. Quite organically, many of us have grouped together to read, support, and offer feedback. There’s no organization to it, it’s just a bunch of us here who have similar interests and comment regularly. There’s no exclusion. It’s just writers who read and enjoy each other’s work. It’s a great, positive atmosphere that I believe has made us all better writers. Very little negativity seems to happen here.
3. Surprise “follows”.
I’m fascinated by the people who follow me on Twitter. Even though I’d never contacted her, followed her, or reviewed any of her music, Serena Ryder follows me. I don’t know why, but I still think that’s pretty cool. Other surprise followers included Olivia Black of Pawn Stars fame. Leatherwolf followed me, and I’ve been a fan of theirs for a long time. Then, I was followed by local cosmetic surgeon Dr. Takhar. I assume she heard me on the radio, rather than thinking I need some work done…but I could be wrong!
Best for me though, a couple writers I really admire have read some of my stuff, and have left positive comments. That means more than any Pawn Star or plastic surgeon. I really looked up to those two guys when I was starting to write.
There have also been some drawbacks to social media.
1. Too much music.
For every band that I love who has followed me, such as the aforementioned Helix and Killer Dwarfs, there are plenty that I’ve never heard of. Some turned out to be pretty good! But each one would probably like if I had a chance to listen to their music and review it. I only wish I had the time! I have a home life, and I work full time. Mikeladano.com is something I do in my spare time, and it’s something I love doing. I love listening to and talking about music. I wish there were enough hours in the day to listen to everyone. I guess there is such a thing as “too much music”.
2. Haters gonna hate.
You’re going to encounter haters online. Geoff Tate fans, for example, have made a nuisance of themselves here in the past. Worst for me personally were the Record Store Tales haters. Social media meant it was inevitable that Record Store Tales would be read by people who didn’t like what I wrote, or that I wrote anything at all!
Regardless of the drawbacks, I don’t regret using social media to promote mikeladano.com. I’ve made readers out of people who only knew me as “LeBrain” on the radio, and that’s what I was going for in the first place.
If you don’t like social media, I get that. I support your decision to use it or not. Aside from a few bumps in the road, it’s worked well for me to get my stories and reviews out there. It’s part of the online landscape now, like it or not!
This is just too weird for the “nice guys of rock”, AC/DC. It’s way too early for me to comment. This may explain, however, why Phil was absent from AC/DC’s new lineup band photo.
Some quotes from the article:
“The veteran rocker apparently tried to have two men killed.”
“He was also charged with possession of meth and cannabis.”
“He faces up to 10 years in prison.”
Rudd is currently out on bail, with a hearing on November 27. The new AC/DC album Rock Or Bust is out on November 28.
Read More: AC/DC’s Phil Rudd Charged With ‘Attempting to Procure a Murder’
DEREK KORTEPETER – Stochastic (2014)
A short while ago, I reviewed the debut EP Compilation Vol. 1 by UCLA musician Derek Kortepeter. Since then Derek has put the finishing touches on his first full-length album Stochastic, an even more experimental collection.
Music like this is difficult for me to review as it’s pretty far out from the mainstream. Take the opening track, “Veritas”. The first 45 seconds are the sounds of guitar scrapes and echos, before the grand chords commence. As an opening track, this is both a welcome and a warning: It says, “If you find me intriguing, dive in! But if this is not much more than noise to you, farewell!” Not everybody is going to get music like this.
“Veritas” flows seamlessly into “Burning Embers” which uses backwards guitar as a melodic hook. Heavy, noisy guitars and drums soon flood the speakers. It’s difficult to grasp at the rhythm, but Derek does not make music that does not challenge him. Just listen. Allow the music to seep in, and you will begin to pick up on the melodies and rhythms within. It’s there in the contrasting guitars and keys. At this point I’ll mention that Derek plays all the instruments on Stochastic himself.
“Illusions” plays with odd drum rhythms and mixes guitars with synths into an atmospheric whole. I couldn’t tell you what effects he’s using on his guitar but it sounds cool to me. There’s lots of echo and bluesy playing on “Solitary”. I find that there is plenty to love here, you just have to really listen and let it happen. In particular, even though this isn’t a “guitar album”, I was drawn to that instrument.
“Fusion” is a favourite track of mine. This is a jazzy, upbeat mellow tune with a tropical feel. The piano is a key instrument here, while Derek noodles cool jazzy licks on his six string. Elsewhere (like on “Glitch”), I hear elements of Steve Vai’s fearlessness and playfulness. Steve Vai once said, “Sorry folks, I can’t help myself,” in regards to his experimentation. I think Derek can probably relate.
Another moment I really enjoyed is a multitracked cacophony of guitar and drums in “Solar Wind”. But it’s not just noise. It’s easy to see how somebody could hear it as noise, but there’s a lot going on here. (I can’t tell you exactly what is going on, but trust me, it’s happening. It’s very dense.) Then it goes sparse, with only one guitar, which throws you a bit (in a good way).
Finally I’ll quote Derek from his own website, because I think what he says hits the nail on the head:
“Many records, when they find their groove, bring the listener to a certain element of familiarity. This LP is quite the opposite of that. I want you to react, to think, to be moved, to be jarred, to be confused, and ultimately form an opinion on what it is that you are hearing. Whatever the “Stochastic” system determines for your mind, I can promise that it will be a unique result. This result will not be repeated in the consciousness of another human being listening to the same songs.”
Stochastic by Derek Kortepeter is available at CD Baby, iTunes, and beyond.
4/5 stars
SKID ROW – Slave to the Grind (1991 Atlantic “clean” and “dirty” versions)
The Skids knew the second album had to kill. The band, always heavier live than the first album implied, also knew the second album had to sound more like they did in concert. And following up a huge hit debut, they also demanded the album be all killer, no filler. Raising the bar and ignoring the record company, the band re-convened and kicked every ass in the room. The result is Slave to the Grind, one of the best hard rock albums of ’91 period.
The first single “Monkey Business”, which is essentially just dirty grooves n’ screams, was about as commercial as the album got. With this as first single, it was clear that Skid Row didn’t care whether they got played on MTV or not. There was nothing glossy or slick about it. It’s still obvious that there’s something special here, and I credit that to two factors: the songwriting talents of Snake Sabo & Rachel Bolan, and the frontman chops of Sebastian Bach. Bach commands this song. It’s not just his vocals. It’s his confidence, his swagger, and his ego shining through.
If “Monkey Business” didn’t scare your little sister, then the second single “Slave to the Grind” definitely did. For the first time, Skid Row jumped straight into the thrash metal deep end. Drummer Rob Affuso had the chops to do it, and it really was a natural step to take. Other bands were getting heavier in 1991 too, but none of them took a turn like this. Skid Row raised the bar for everyone in their field in ’91.
The other singles from the album were technically “ballads”, although the band were eager to point out that none of them were anything like “I Remember You”. They were dark and edgy. The record company execs no doubt shit their pants when they heard the magnificent “Wasted Time”, which I can only describe as epic. It’s an incredible song, and it’s one of the few that Bach had a hand in writing. Baz wrenches all the emotions from his soul and that’s what I hear coming from the speakers. “Quicksand Jesus” and “In A Darkened Room” are only a little less impressive. They share the same kind of mood and sonic landscape. There is really nothing commercial about any of them. They all have headbanging moments and integrity.
Rounding out the album were several very strong deep cuts. “The Threat”, track 3 on the disc, easily could have been a single. In fact Terry David Mulligan of MuchMusic asked Sebastian if it was going to be selected as a future video, so I’m not alone in thinking that. “Psycho Love” is a bangin’ bass groove, laid to waste by Bach’s scorching vocal. “Livin’ on a Chain Gang” is another standout, an angry one about injustice. Then you have slow, landmine-infested blasters like “Mudkicker”, and fast smokers like “Riot Act”. All strong songs. The only one I’m not keen on is “Creepshow”, a jokey tune about the kind of people you’d see on daytime talk shows.
Skid Row knew well ahead of time that some markets would not release an album with a song called “Get the Fuck Out” on it. This fun punk rocker sounds like a Rachel song, but Bach’s attitude nails it. It’s probably a bit of a novelty, but it’s fun. “Fuck you if you can’t take a joke!” says Bach in one line. But it’s OK: if you can’t take the joke, you can buy the version of the album without “Get the Fuck Out”. Earlier pioneers in the clean/dirty dual releases, Skid Row saved the song “Beggars Day” for the Walmart version of the album. (Also sold by Columbia House in Canada.) I think it’s cool that they gave both markets added value with exclusive songs. This song is more traditional metal (perhaps Priest-like) than the rest of the record, but it’s equally strong.
Michael Wagener produced this album with a raw, unpolished finish. But there are backing vocals where you need ’em, and the instruments are clear and in your face. It still sounds heavy today, unlike a lot of other music from the same year. It just seems like everything clicked, and all the factors were in place. Slave to the Grind kicks ass with the best of them.
4.5/5 stars
RECORD STORE TALES Mk II: Getting More Tale
#332: Getting Older Everyday
I’ve been lucky enough to marry a simply awesome lady. Jen is a remarkable human being, but she also has one additional gift: the gift of looking perpetually young. She still sometimes gets carded, mistaken for a student, and so on.
Meanwhile here I am: Captain Grey Beard. I still look pretty young when I’m clean shaven. When I have a beard, forget about it! My beard started greying a year or two after marriage. I don’t think the two events are connected…but you never know.
Now, things are so bad that I have twice been mistaken for Jen’s father.
The first time it happened, we were at the Keg. It was Jen, her mom, and myself. The server handed Jen a hot plate without enough warning and she burned her hand slightly. While she and her mom went to the washroom to run some cold water on her hand, the manager came out to apologize. He said to me, “I’m so sorry about what happened to your daughter.”
My daughter! Oh man. That was a shitty meal, I’m sorry Keg, but you blew that one! None of us were in a good mood after that.
The second time it happened, Jen was meeting me at work. She walked in as our shipping supervisor was heading out the door. He’s a nice guy, about my age. The following day, he asked me, “So who was the young lady that you were meeting here yesterday? Was that your daughter?”
I didn’t stab him in the eye with a pencil.
And then, this past summer, something similar (and weird) happened.
Jen and I were out for a nice evening stroll. There were some kids playing near the park by our place. They were younger kids, none of them would have been older than about 10. As we walked past, I heard one kid yell the following:
“LOOK! That lady and that old man peed their pants!”
I looked around. There was nobody else on the street! They were referring to us, and I assure you that we had NOT peed our pants! I don’t know where that came from, but it was probably the first time I’d been referred to as “old man”!
mikeladano.com 