RECORD STORE TALES Part 164: “You scratch my back…”
In the past, (Part 120, in fact) I talked about how T-Rev would keep his eyes peeled for discs that he knew I wanted. It worked out to be a mutually advantageous arrangement; a large chunk of my collection came to me simply because T-Rev knew I wanted something. I’m sure the reverse was also true. But this referred just to discs that showed up in our respective stores.
I had a different arrangement with “QUO”, who worked with me at my own store. In this case, we’d actually buy each other stuff while we were out on our own record shopping excursions. I found the following entries in my journal, illustrating exactly the kind of “you scratch my back…” arrangements that we had. It was pretty awesome.
Date: 2005/10/25 16:26
Today I picked up a Bright Eyes 45, an Arcade Fire 45 for QUO, and the new Motley DVD since I didn’t see the tour. I hope the documentary footage kicks ass! The last Motley DVD (given to me by an ex) really sucked. Maybe Vince actually sings on this one instead of letting the fans do it all!
I actually picked up the Bright Eyes 7″ for QUO as well, but he already had it, so I just kept it for myself. I don’t know which Arcade Fire I bought for him (it was probably “Rebellion”), but the Bright Eyes was “Gold Mine Gutted”. (The Motley DVD I am referring to was Carnival of Sins.)
This was in return of a favour QUO did for me, one week prior!
Date: 2005/10/18 10:00
QUO picked up three CDs for me in Toronto last night:
1. Bon Jovi “Have A Nice Day” single (has two live tracks first released on the box set, but in studio versions). 2. Bruce Dickinson Tyranny Of Souls Japanese import with bonus track. 3. Iron Maiden “The Trooper” CD single.
I remember giving QUO a wishlist. This was back when HMV Toronto still carried Japanese imports (which they no longer do, see rant here). I remember putting Avril Lavigne CD singles on that wishlist too!
This is what obsessive Record Store Guys do. We help each other out. It’s in our blood, the blood of the collector!
QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS – The Cosmos Rocks (2008 Hollywood Records, iTunes + Amazon bonus tracks)
I was surprised as anyone else when, in 1997, Queen continued on as a three-piece (sans the retired John Deacon) with a new track called “Only The Good Die Young” (Queen Rocks). Since then, Queen has continued on with one-offs under the name “Queen +” with the name of the singer. (Adam Lambert, you can fuck right off.)
When they started touring with Paul Rodgers, I salivated! I loved the live album Return Of The Champions, and I was chomping at the bit to hear some new music. Would I, as a long-time Queen fan, be let down?
Not really.
There have always been Queen albums, particularly in the 80’s, that I felt had filler on them. Cosmos Rocks is like that. Some songs are awesome, worthy of the Queen legacy and a proud addition to the canon. Others are limp are dull. And, the best song didn’t even make the CD release! Read on….
The CD kicks off with what I consider to be some cheesy sound effects, similar to but not as good as “One Vision”. Then, Brian May’s guitar kicks in, and the first track “Cosmos Rockin'” really starts. This is a great track, a hard and fast rocker with May’s licks as fluid as ever. Paul Rodgers, perpetually young, is in fine voice. What a great start to a comeback album! Rogers and May ably handle all bass duties on this album.
Rodgers sings most leads on his own, with familiar sounding backing vocals by Roger Taylor and Brian May. On some songs, the lead vocal is split three ways, such as “Say It’s Not True” which is actually an older song from 2003. I like this touch, as it keeps the sound a little more rooted in old-school Queen which always had Taylor and May singing lead. When Rodgers sings, however, with his voice in full power, it is a brand new beast.
I have to say I was very happy with the choice of Paul Rodgers as lead singer, as he is simply one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time, up there with Daltrey or Plant. He is also a gifted writer, although I’m not sure his writing really gelled with Queen. Still, he is vastly different from Freddie, and nobody could ever replace Freddie, so I think this was definitely the way to go. Certainly much better than picking up some guy who lost American Idol…
Some of the other highlights on this album were the heavy-handed first single “C-lebrity” which seems to disparage the reality TV that Queen would later embrace! I prefer the disparaging sentiment! “Surf’s Up…School’s Out!” is another rocker that blows the doors off most younger bands. “Say It’s Not True” is a highlight, as it is the most Queen-like. Of course, with Freddie gone, his dramatic flourishes and piano was also gone, leaving Queen as a straightforward rock band with May & Taylor firmly in charge. What they once had in unique operatic flourishes has been replaced by hard rocking guitars, for better or for worse. It is what it is, and nobody can be Freddie.
“Small” is a fantastic ballad, worthy of the Queen back catalogue. May and Taylor join Rodgers on the lush outro. I absolutely adore this song. But then when you think Queen have lightened up, “Wayboys” assaults the speakers, a rare political statement with a military drumbeat. “Call Me” is another great tune, very vintage Queen in style, sort of an electric campfire singalong.
There is, unfortunately, a lot of filler on this CD, slow-paced plodders that don’t go anywhere or stay in your memory. The thing about the Queen of old is that they were very diverse. You could have a nice jaunty flamenco song like “Who Needs You” on the same album as an epic like “It’s Late”. Queen + Paul Rodgers lacks that diversity. Well, it would have had more diversity if the best song had been included….
That best track I mentioned, that isn’t even on the CD, is available as an iTunes download only. It is a cover of Del Shannon’s “Runaway”, and it is worth the purchase, because it is amazing. I love the oldies, and clearly these guys do too. I wish it had been included on the CD. There is no shame in having a cover tune on your CD, especially when you also have over a dozen originals as well! The iTunes download also came with a new live version of “The Show Must Go On”, but I have no idea when or where it was recorded, except it is a different version from the one on Return Of The Champions. Maybe it is from one of the Queen instant live CDs, of which there are plenty, or maybe it is from the Super Live in Japan DVD that comes with some editions?
There was another bonus track too, one I haven’t heard, because only American residents can get it from the Amazon.com site. Canadians are SOL! “Fire And Water” (a live version), originally by Paul in Free, is that bonus track. Come on, Amazon! Let Canadians buy it too!
The Cosmos Rocks is not a perfect Queen album, but one that stands up in the back catalogue as an interesting and entertaining sideroad. The big difference is that The Cosmos Rocks has more, and bigger, guitars than many Queen albums of the recent past.
SLASH PUPPET – No Strings Attached (2007 Sun City Records)
Slash Puppet were one of the biggest names of the burgeoning Toronto rock scene of the early 1990’s. Unfortunately, unlike their competition Sven Gali and I Mother Earth, they never got signed to a major label. They did, however, manage to sell out 2500 copies of their first recording, The Demo, an independent cassette, via mail order. They were the darlings of M.E.A.T Magazine and appeared on MuchMusic’s Power Hour. Slash Puppet signed a management deal with Ray Danniels and SRO (Rush) who later also handled Van Halen, King’s X, and Extreme.
I was one of the 2500 people who ordered The Demo. Every mail order was accompanied by a glossy 8 1/2 x 11 autographed photo. I still have mine, this is especially treasured since their talented lead guitarist, Lou Garscadden, passed away in 2001. Today, lead vocalist Mif (originally billed as “Tony Terrance Dartanian”, for some weird reason) is a successful actor. That’s him as the mob boss in Norm McDonald’s hilarious Dirty Work, billed under his real name, Anthony J. Mifsud!
Incredibly, for a band that never put out a major label release and split in 1994, Australia’s Sun City Records reissued The Demo on CD in 2007, as No Strings Attached. A well-assembled package, it features liner notes, lyrics, and loads of photos.
This ass-kicker starts with a bang: “Slow Down”. This was the first video, and it even made a return appearance (in slightly remixed form) on the second Slash Puppet release, a self-titled EP. “Slow Down” is an infectious hard rocker, a tougher and faster Faster Pussycat with a way, way raspier singer. It has more integrity than most of the Sunset Strip of the time combined. And this was from the bad bad streets of Mississauga!
The extremely catchy ‘Squeeze It In” follows, a mid-tempo groover, and my personal favourite song. This one just drips sleaze with a knack for gritty melody. Up next is “Hard On Love”. It’s another concoction of raspy lead vocals, catchy backing gang vocals, and pure sex. It’s twice as hard as anything Hollywood was producing at the time. “Bad Girls”, which closed side one of the original cassette, is about the only misstep. While the song is another adrenaline-filled sex romp, the chorus lacks punch.
It’s here that I think the CD edition of No Strings Attached differs from The Demo. If memory serves correctly, side two began with “Overload” and closed with “Turn It On”. On the CD, the track order seems switched. Unfortunately, my original cassette copy is now lost.
Regardless, “Turn It On” is fast paced, raspy and built for sex. It’s not an upper-echelon song, it’s more similar to “Bad Girls”, the chorus is a bit thin. The band compensates with the excellent “Evil Woman”. Great chorus, great hooks, and it sounds great in the car. It also has a cool dual guitar solo by Lou Garscadden and Frank “Bart” Bartoletti, proving these guys had the chops.
The dark and slower-paced “Some Kind O’ Lady” provides some variety on an album that is otherwise very party-oriented. This killer tune was always one of my favourites. It has some killer soloing and a great riff. The verses kind of remind me of a Testament ballad like “Return To Serenity”, but before Testament even wrote that song. Maybe it’s the grit in Mif’s voice that reminds me of Chuck Billy.
“Overload” closes the CD on an upbeat note. It has a fast, playful riff, sleazy lyrics and plenty of grit. It’s totally headbang-worthy. And with that, the CD ends, listener exhausted by half an hour of pure heavy glam rock!
The production values for this album are not the greatest. Keep in mind this was originally a self-financed demo tape, never meant for wide release, and never intended for CD. The guitar solos are often buried, and the backing vocals sound a bit thin. What does come across is the grit of Mif, an underrated singer and frontman (by all contemporary accounts).
As mentioned, Slash Puppet returned with an EP later (released by indi Fringe), amped up, better sounding and more mature without losing an ounce of their street-tough sensibilities. Look for a review of that ultra-rarity in a future edition of mikeladano.com!
Hockey season has begun! Enjoy this Record Store Tale….
RECORD STORE TALES Part 163: Hockey
The date: May 14, 2004
The location: My store
The characters: Store employee Matt, and a really dumb kid who claimed to be 20 years old, selling used discs.
The NHL playoffs were in full swing. Oftentimes, when you’re selling used CDs, it takes time to go through them all and assign values to them. Customers like to make small talk during this time. In Canada, small talk often amounts to hockey talk. According to my journal, the conversation unfolded as below.
Dumb Kid Who Says He’s 20: “Who are you cheering for in hockey?”
Matt: “Calgary.”
DKWSH20: “Calgary? What for, why aren’t you cheering for someone Canadian?”
Matt: “Calgary IS in Canada.”
DKWSH20: “It is?”
Matt: “Yes.”
DKWSH20: “Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve looked at a map.”
ZZ TOP – La Futura (2012 Best Buy edition, 2 bonus tracks, American Recordings)
Unfortunately I didn’t get this album until January of 2013. As such, it didn’t make my Top Five of 2012 list. If I had got it sooner, would it have made the list? Probably. It did make lots of lists. It made Every Record’s top 10 of 2012.
I love this album. I’ve played it every day since I got it! From mournful ZZ blues (“Over You”) to skunky funky ZZ blues (“I Gotsta Get Paid”) to trademark anthemic ZZ rock (“Flyin’ High”), this album has pretty much everything I love from ZZ Top!
I first heard the single, the aforementioned “I Gotsta Get Paid” (a rewrite of a rap song called “25 Lighters” by somebody named DJ DMD) on the Mandy Grant Show, on 107.5 Dave FM. I fell for it immediately, but I was wary of buying the album at first. After all, most ZZ discs since Eliminator and even Afterburner didn’t do too much for me, even though they all have tunes worth putting on a road tape. Maybe the difference is that, on La Futura, ZZ Top are working with Rick Rubin? Or maybe it’s that they haven’t recorded a studio album in almost a decade? I don’t know, except to say that ZZ Top absolutely nail it on La Futura.
The overall sound is both slick and dirty at once, a balance that they haven’t always hit in the past. Frank Beard’s drums sound absolutely perfect, the way you want a real drum kit to sound, no goofy samples here! Of course, the Reverend Billy F. Gibbons’ guitars are always greasy goodness, and full of dirty soul. What sets this album apart is a rediscovered ability to write memorable, catchy blues rock songs. “I Don’t Wanna Lose, Lose, You” is a perfect example of the kind of rock tune that ZZ Top are known for, groovy and instantly memorable. “Chartreuse” and “Consumption” are the same, just awesomely great Top tunes as memorable as some of their best from the days of yore. “It’s Too Easy Mañana” is a perfectly bluesy mess of guitars, bass and drums, while “Big Shiny Nine” is another trademark upbeat Top rocker.
My favourite song, that I keep coming back to, and can’t get out of my head, is “Flyin’ High”. It’s just an awesome song, melodic as hell, and worthy of single status. That’s my pick for second single right there. What a riff, what a song! Back in ’83, this would have been a smash hit.
I shelled out for the US Best Buy edition, which has two bonus tracks. Shipping and taxes all-in, I paid $35 for “Threshold of a Breakdown” and “Drive By Lover”. Both are great tunes, but it’s especially worth having “Drive By Lover” because it’s the only song on which bassist Dusty Hill takes the lead vocal. I’ve always been a fan of bands that have two lead singers, and I’ve always liked Dusty’s voice.
My only beef is the packaging. What you see is what you get: A simple cardboard case, no booklet. You get liner notes but no lyrics or anything else particularly special for buying a physical edition. Too bad.
4.5/5 stars
Note: The first four tracks were previous released on the iTunes only Texicali EP. But if you prefer physical product, like I do, this is a no-brainer way to go!
Add my voice to the chorus of people disappointed with British Lion, the debut solo offering from Iron Maiden’s visionary founder, Steve Harris. It’s not just because it doesn’t sound like Iron Maiden, because I wouldn’t want it to sound like Iron Maiden. It’s because Steve’s hired the most bland lead vocalist I’ve heard in many moons. Mr. Bland’s name is Richard Taylor, and he lacks any sort of grit, power, or character. I’m sure there was a method to Steve’s madness, and a reason he chose Mr. Bland to sing for him. I’ll be damned if I can figure it out.
Steve self-produced this album, with Kevin Shirley mixing, and sonically it sounds good, especially the final track: The lush “The Lesson” features strings and acoustics, and sounds great. Unfortunately a good sounding production can’t inject life into these dull songs.
I hate to use such harsh language as “dull” and “bland” where Steve Harris is concerned, but I’ve played the album five or six times now, and I still can’t remember most of these songs distinctly. There’s one standout: the pop metal “Eyes of the Young”, which has a catchy chorus and is instantly memorable. There are far more songs that are instantly forgettable: the single “This Is My God”, for example, and the aforementioned “The Lesson” despite its production values. “Us Against the World” isn’t bad, starting with keys and organ before some dual guitar harmonies kick in. But then Mr. Bland opens his mouth.
Steve’s trademark bass is more groove oriented and less rinky-dink, which is fine. He seems to gel well with the rest of the band, but unfortunately aside from some tasty guitar solos, the rest of the band is generic sounding and lack a distinct identity. I lay most of that straight at the feet of Mr. Bland. A really great singer could have injected some passion into these otherwise unremarkable songs.
A nice added touch: The CD comes with mp3 copies, so you don’t have to rip to your portable device. It comes in two forms: mastered loud, and mastered very loud!
RECORD STORE TALES Part 162: “Is it out in Toronto?”
I guess this is one of those weird urban myths. Growing up in Kitchener in the 1980’s, some people used to think we got new releases later than big urban areas like Toronto. I can distinctly remember childhood friends of mine having this discussion with me. Just swap out the names of the bands depending on the person.
Me: “I saw the new Judas Priest video today. It was awesome. I can’t wait for the album.”
Friend: “It’s not out yet?”
Me: “No, I asked at A&A Records and it’s out in about a month.”
Friend: “Yeah, but that’s here. I bet it’s already out in Toronto. Toronto gets everything first.”
I thought maybe that was just an isolated myth, relegated to our group of friends in the Stanley Park part of town. We didn’t have much in the way of record stores within walking distance. There was a Zellers (no longer there, now a Walmart), and later on the aforementioned A&A Records and Tapes. When all we had was Zellers, you could imagine they might not order the new Judas Priest on the day of release. It wasn’t their thing.
When I was working at the record store many years later, I discovered this urban myth did indeed perpetuate among different groups all over town! I had heard more than once, “It’s gotta be out in Toronto, right?”
For example, in May 1996, I did have this exact conversation:
Customer: “Do you have the new Tragically Hip?”
Me: “No, it comes out on Tuesday though. Do you want me to reserve you a copy?”
Customer: “Tuesday? That’s just here though, right? Toronto would already have it, right? I’m going to try in Toronto on Saturday.”
No! Why would Toronto already have it? This wasn’t the 1800’s, delivering parcels on horseback! I don’t get where that idea started, but it did exist, and let this article be a remembrance of an earlier age of CD ignorance!
I’m done my series of Maiden reviews, so Aaron has challenged me to get out of my comfort zone. Together, we will be reviewing some of the albums he bought in Toronto during Record Store Excursion 2012. I’ve never heard any of these albums before, in fact I know almost nothing about most of these bands. Here’s part 1. Enjoy. (?)
I know nothing about Dave Bidini, I know nothing about this band, and I know nothing about this album. I didn’t cheat by reading up on them, or reading other reviews. I truly went into In The Rock Hall blindly with open ears.
It’s obvious these guys don’t give a crap about commercial songwriting. Anything considered standard, radio-friendly, or easy is tossed out the window in short order. The songs twist and turn through different, sometimes contradictory sounding sections. It sounds like it was painstakingly composed, piece by piece. This is all good — I like a challenging listen. It’s all done with a wink and a smile. They sound like they’d be very loud, live. It’s also obvious they love their ganja, as the subject comes up more than once!
The guitar work is striking. Like I said, I didn’t do any cheating to learn more about this album, so I have no idea who the guitar player is, but he or she has weaved together some unorthodox hooks. Riffs and melodies strike you from the speakers, demanding that you pay attention!
“I Wanna Go To Yemen” crosses acoustic riffing, latin-sounding clapping, unusual beats and electric guitars with some pretty funny lyrics:
I wanna go to Yemen, I wanna go with you, We’ll get high in the morning, And in the afternoon
It defies categorization, which is a good thing. I’m not too keen on the singer’s flat vocals, I’m hoping they will grow on me. It reminds me of Pavement, a band I’m not too into. But it demanded a second listen, on which it grew further.
“On Camoragh Lake” starts with annoying beeps and gratuitous “fucks”. It’s pretty tuneless until you get to the chorus, which features some nice electric chords and female backing vocals. The song takes a turn around the 2 minute mark, getting a bit more passionate and noisy. It has some guitar squeaking that would make both Joe Satriani and Tom Morello happy. This annoying song gets more and more catchy as it goes on. It grows on you, with more listens.
Third is “Big Men Go Fast on the Water” (well, it was true for Vince Neil)! This is the most melodic and straightforward tune thus far, very enjoyable. This is the first song I can say I truly enjoyed from start to finish on first listen.
Another great tune follows, the passionate “Last of the Big Dead Things”. This dark, acoustic, beautiful tune was instantaneous. But just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, they go into a shouted section at 3 minutes, and then a quiet whisper.
“Needle Beach / Outdoor Motors” has a vague (but only vague) surf-rock sound, but it’s more distorted and twisty/turny than that. I’m not sure why the band seems to be obsessed with water themes, but hey, it’s all good. This one’s a bit too odd to get on first listen, but it does hit a catchy vocal part towards the end.
Better is “Hey Paul and Donna”, a nice acoustic one with a great chorus. “Hey Paul and Donna, I’m glad you took the train to Taranna!” That’s Toronto, for those who don’t know! It has a vintage 1960’s sound, and is probably the simplest, instantly catchy song on the album.
“Popcorn” features some intricate catchy guitar licks. It’s also a pretty simple catchy tune, the melody doesn’t do much for me, but that guitar part is truly great. I wish I could play that effortlessly. At 2:40 it takes another twist, with female vocals, almost sounding Christmas-carol-y.
Distorted robot vocals usher in “The Best Thing About The 80’s Was You”, complete with apropos drum programs. If you like 80’s music, this is a whimsical homage. If you don’t, like me, this one built for the skip button. It’s all tongue in cheek, but it’s not for me. “‘The Final Countdown’, the 80’s was you!”
There’s nothing simple about “Eunoia”, a 10 minute monster. It starts as a poem, with Tom Waits-esque backing music and noise. Then it goes into some nice guitar chords and understated vocal melody. It’s powerful and melodic. As you can imagine, it has multiple sections, each with some incredible guitar work, demanding that I pay attention. Just when I’m getting tired of one section, it twists into something else.
Up next is the percussive “Earth (Revisited)”, a humourous retelling of human history. It’s anchored by relentless drumming, and plenty of ooh’s and ahh’s.
The album closes with another long one, the title track, “In The Rock Hall”. Somewhat obviously, this one is about the Hall of Fame in Cleveland, but with a tongue in cheek. The lyrics are amusing, musically I felt like we’d already visited this territory.
Coming up with a simple rating is not easy. One cannot overlook the chops, the unorthodox stylings, the variety, and the refusal to keep things simple. On the other hand, I found the ooh’s, ahh’s, and la-la-la’s tiring, as well as the perpetually flat lead vocals. I don’t know how often I’d want to come back to this one. Striking a balance, I’ll rate In The Rock Hall:
Alas, the end: Part 45, the final chapter of my series of Iron Maiden reviews!
In case you’re new to LeBrain’s blog,you may as well go back and start here. I have covered every album, every EP, every single, every rarity that I have had access to. I don’t know if a more comprehensive review of Maiden material can be found on the web. Enjoy.
It’s been a slice. Without further delay, here’s the final part. En Vivo!
IRON MAIDEN – En Vivo! (2012 CD, blu-ray, EMI)
Once again, Iron Maiden have followed a studio album with a live album. Unlike the last one, Flight 666, this time Maiden released a set representing the tour for their last studio platter, the excellent Final Frontier. For the first time, you will have a chance to own live versions of songs like “El Dorado” and “Coming Home”, mixed with a standard set of Maiden classics, recent and vintage.
The splendid set starts with a pre-recorded version of intro “Satellite 15”, which melds directly into “The Final Frontier”, an excellent Maiden rocker with a chorus built for the live experience. This version brings to the forefront Maiden’s melodic guitar goodness, along with Bruce’s powerful pipes. Adrian Smith rips the solo to absolute shreds, only to be followed by an energized Dave Murray. What a start. It’s an absolutely flawless start, and the Chilean crowd goes wild.
Just like the album, the band then seamlessly moves into “El Dorado”, which is superior here to its album version. More guitars, faster pace, more backing vocals, a more lively lead vocal…what more could you want? Even the most cynical fans, only there to hear “Run to the Hills”, would be blown away if they only opened their ears.
“2 Minutes To Midnight”, which was also available on the Flight 666 and Rock In Rio CD’s, is next. This one, I probably could have done without, after hearing it on two prior live albums, not to mention A Real Dead One and the immortal Live After Death! It is a great song, no doubt, and there’s nothing wrong with this version. But why not throw in something else, like “Icarus” maybe?
Then back to new material: a haunting “The Talisman” and the anthemic “Coming Home”. “Coming Home” in particular seems perfectly designed for the live concert environment. Both songs bring forth all the complexity and passion of The Final Frontier, with the crowd supplying ample backing vocals. Clearly, Chilean fans don’t mind new songs.
One of my personal favourites of more recent vintage is next: “Dance of Death”. I love Bruce’s Hamlet intro: “There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” The vocal is a tad more shaky than the version on Death on the Road, but once the song gets going, Bruce finds his footing. He has the crowd in the palm of his hands the whole way.
“The Trooper” only makes the ecstatic crowd that more crazy. Unlike “2 Minutes”, this is a song I never tire of. The solo just smokes, the Three Amigos blasting through. Then onto “The Wicker Man”, a song not heard on a live album since Rock In Rio, although some fans (like me!) are lucky enough to own a 2002 version on the Japanese “Rainmaker” single. “The Wicker Man” is a modern classic, a song that I believe belongs up there with “The Trooper”. Once again, Adrian performs a flawlessly melodic solo. One more track from the Brave New World album follows it, “Blood Brothers”. I was a bit surprised to see this slower one resurrected live, but like the other songs, this one was perfectly built for a live audience. Bruce wouldn’t even need to sing on the chorus, so loud is the audience.
The last of the newer songs is next, the amazing “When the Wild Wind Blows”. Not brief at 10 minutes, this is one of my favourite songs from The Final Frontier. The crowd is on board for every moment, every riff, every section, every emotional breath from Bruce’s mouth. Truthfully, if Maiden were not a band with over 30 years of classics in the back catalogue, this song would be considered a standard, never to be missed. But when you could easily play a 6 hour set of nothing but classics, it’s hard to squeeze them all in. All I can say is, I hope this song makes future tours, but at 10 minutes, don’t be surprised if it’s left out in favour of older classics.
And speaking of older classics, get ready for a whole slew of them: “The Evil That Men Do” (so much more powerful with three guitars!), “Fear of the Dark”, “Iron Maiden”, “The Number of the Beast”, “Hallowed Be Thy Name”, and “Running Free”. “Running Free” contains the usual band intros (Nicko being described as “the indescribable, the inevitable, the inimitable, the uneatable”), and the crowd goes wild once again.
And the listener is exhausted, after over 2 hours of regal metal classics performed by one of the best, if not the best, heavy metal band in history. The best? Well, I don’t want to open that debate. But after revisiting the entire catalogue these past few months, I’ve definitely gained a new respect for a band I already loved. The growth of this band, not always appreciated, has been steady with integrity. And the live experience is still one that tops bands less than half their age. En Vivo! proves this.
A blu-ray release provides the same concert experience with stunning visuals, plenty of space-age Eddies, and a manic Bruce running to-and-fro, while the rest of the band defy age. There’s also a great bonus feature: 88 minutes of documentary footage called “Behind the Beast”, chronicling the creation of the Iron Maiden live show.
RECORD STORE TALES Part 161: The Woman Who Got Her Bike Stoled
The date: July 15, 2005
The location: My store
Straight from my journal, here’s the tale.
One weird thing happened today. This strange woman came in to sell CDs, but left her bike outside unlocked, and it had been stolen. Now, instead of blaming it on the lack of a lock on her bike, she decided to blame the lack of surveillance cameras outside. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know any CD store that has cameras OUTSIDE. But apparently that’s “dumb”.
She came back later in the day, telling me that she ran into two guys drinking beers in the woods. She had a beer with them. She came back into the store saying “Now I have a ‘cheap’ buzz on.”
Now I’m wondering, does she mean “cheap” as in “free”? Or did these two mysterious woodsmen charge her for the beer? The mind reels.
My journal does not say if the woman ever found the bicycle or not. Typical day on the shady side of town!
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