‘Twas an honour to sit with Rush scholars Tim Durling, Chez Cetra, and Ryan Murphy and talk about this wonderful Rush 50 box set! You’ve already read my review, but what did these other fine folks have to say about this immersive Rush anthology box set?
Perhaps the most interesting testimony came from Ryan, who initially wasn’t all that psyched about the box set. His attitude changed when he started digging in. Why? You’ll just have to watch and see. Tim’s words are below.
To celebrate five decades of basically the best music ever, Rush recently released a career-spanning box set: 4 CDs or 7 LPs with a beautiful outer protective box, a stunning book full of information and amazing new Hugh Syme artwork for almost every song included. Ryan from @Rushfans, Mike from @GrabAStackofRocK and frequent TVC co-host Chez give our thoughts on the value of owning the RUSH 50 BOXSET.
Don’t try to do any math and figure why Rush 50 is out in 2025 instead of 2024. What matters is: Rush 50 is out. It is stunning, both sonically and visually. The box art by Hugh Syme fits right in that Rush mold, akin to Chronicles. That’s to say nothing of the hardcover book inside, which we will discuss later on. The design is excellent. In the back, the CDs peek out of thee sleeve like golden coins. It’s just a really cool looking, and sounding, box set. The remastering here is terrific. Geddy’s bass is wonderfully separate from the guitars, and you can really hear the details as you remember them. Brilliant job here.
Rush 50‘s four discs follow roughly chronologically. They include a generous number of live tracks, which is not at all to the detriment of this set. Some of the live tracks come from other box sets, from live albums, and some are rare or unreleased versions. “Garden Road” is one long desired by Rush fans, though “Fancy Dancer” is conspicuous by its absence. (Don’t assume this is the last collection that Rush will release.)
In the days of downloading via Bittorrent, I found crappy vinyl rips of Rush’s first single “Not Fade Away” / “I Can’t Fight It”. I burned them to a CD, and lamented that this would likely be the only “physical” copy of the single that I would ever own. 15 or 20 years later, this new anthology-style box set Rush 50 includes the single as the first two tracks on disc one. To finally have these songs, officially, physically, and sounding so full and rich compared that that old CDr, it scratches that itch that I have as a collector. If I could afford that first single, I’d have it already. This will do even better, because it’s clean and digitally perfect. It’s also quaint. The almost psychedelic echo on “Not Fade Away” is a detail I didn’t remember.
Similarly, about 15 years ago Rush released the “Vault Edition” of the track “Working Man” for a limited time on iTunes. I burned that to a CD too. Now it is here physically, along with another “Vault Edition” of “The Trees” that I was unaware of. Now we have both on CD. Itch scratched once again.
Wisely, Rush made sure some of the biggest hits that people want are studio versions: “Closer to the Heart”, “Tom Sawyer”, and “Subdivisions” for example. Joe Average, who just wants a cool box set instead of all the albums, often ends up complaining when bands out live versions instead of studio versions of the songs they really wanted. (Trust me, I worked at the Beat Goes On for 12 years.) The other thing is, the live versions they did select are superb. Let me tell you, the Bonham-esque drums on the jammy “Before and After (live)” sound absolutely massive. It’s certainly appropriate for a band of this reputation to include so many live versions. Most of disc two is live.
With equal wisdom, Rush ended this box set with the last songs plays at the their last ever concert. Going back to the very beginning, Rush end the anthology with those final live takes of “What You’re Doing/Working Man”, with just a smidgen of “Garden Road”. It’s an emotional way to end the journey, and this box set is indeed a journey. That’s the wonderful thing about anthology style sets.
The remarkable Hugh Syme worked overtime to produce the art for the hardcover book. Yes, not only do you get words and photos, but also brand new double-page artwork for most of the songs on Rush 50. It is the kind of box set that will give you enjoyment every time you listen to it, because you can crack open that book and just study. My study has barely begun; I have not really been able to look at each and every piece of art yet. Rest assured though, Hugh Syme provides all the justification for the price of this set, with the book alone. If this were a hardcover sold in a store on its own, it would probably be at least $60 bucks as a book.
A massive career like Rush’s deserves a massive box set. You won’t believe it until you hold it in hand. This thing is monolithic; a purchase that will not be regretted.
THE DARKNESS – Permission To Land… Again (2023 Box Set)
Once (and perhaps still) considered one of the biggest jokes in rock*, The Darkness have proven ’em wrong, for it was 20 years ago they dropped this bomb on the world called Permission to Land. Regardless of the ups and downs, the band continues on today with a documentary film in the works. Of course, the obligatory box set was also necessary. Permission to Land… Again collects nearly everything from the era and packs it up for you in a 5 disc set perfect for home consumption. And it’s affordable, too.
CD 1 commences with the original 2003 album, a monolith of Queen and AC/DC’s bastard children, brought to life in spandex and bandanas. The album itself spawned four singles:
“Get Your Hands Off My Woman”, the expletive-laden favourite that still delights today as a fast head banger.
“Growing On Me”, perfectly in the pocket, a melodic hard right classic with just enough bite.
“I Believe In A Thing Called Love”, iridescent and unforgettable as ever, a classic in every sense.
“Love In Only A Feeling”, bombastic and beautiful guitar chords crashing on this prototype for the trademark Darkness ballad. Steve Tyler wishes he could write ’em like this today.
That leaves six killer album tracks, none of which are filler. Opener “Black Shuck” is a monster (literally), rocking heavy and beating the doors down despite your best efforts. “Givin’ Up” should have been a single, but the language, tisk tisk! Foreshadowing Justin Hawkin’s drug issues, this song is literally about “stickin’ that fuckin’ shit” up his nose. Yes it’s surprisingly delightful, and perhaps the most immediately catchy one on the album. “Stuck In A Rut” is different, blasting fast and loud, with Justin singing at max voice. Back to lighter, catchy territory, “Friday Night” is a certain fan-favourite. It easily could have been another single, as Justin literally reads off his weekly schedule. “Monday, cycling, Tuesday, gymnastics, dancing on a Friday night.” Bopping piano accents will keep feet moving. Moving on to “Love On the Rocks With No Ice” (great title), the slow heavy grind smacks you in the head and reminds you this is a rock and roll band. Despite that, the album closes on a lovely ballad “Holding My Own” which also really could have been a single.
CD 1 is beefed out with six extra songs, all demos, of tracks that didn’t make the album and tracks that did. Speaking of which, they are rough but so similar to the final versions. Some have bits that were later trimmed out or de-emphasized, like keyboard overdubs and intros. “Black Shuck”, though without the hard-hitting production, might be better in some ways than the album version, with more twists and vocals. There is also a demo of “Out of My Hands”, a fine album B-side.
The best inclusions on this disc, however, are the surprises: demos that didn’t make Permission to Land! “Live ‘Til I Die” went unreleased until 2019’s Easter Is Cancelled, but this version has Eddie Graham on drums. This version is very, very different. Much more AC/DC and dare I say, much catchier and better. There’a also an early demo of “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us”, which was finally released on 2012’s reunion album Hot Cakes. This one is much more similar to the glossier final product.
CD 2 is a treasure trove of goodies! Every studio B-side from the album, some non-album singles, some “clean” versions that we wouldn’t purposely seek out to buy; they are all here. (The live B-sides are included with their respective shows, but we’ll get to those.) This is comprehensive as heck.
The three tracks from the very rare 2002 EP I Believe In A Thing Called Love are included: the title track, “Love on the Rocks With No Ice” and “Love Is Only A Feeling”. The recordings themselves are the same as the final album versions, but the mixes are not. These earlier mixes have slight, but audible differences and can be characterised as a bit less finished. The bass may be more pronounced on some places, and backing vocals in another.
Like some British bands before them, such as Oasis, The Darkness seemed to put just as much effort into their B-sides, often making them album (or single) worthy on their own. The complete studio B-sides here are:
“The Best Of Me”, a crankin’ rocker with a southern vibe.
The aforementioned “Out of My Hands”, a lighter song with a Def Leppard vibe on the guitars. Could have been a hit in its own right. Brilliant chorus.
Concert favourite “Makin’ Out”, which has more of that AC/DC vibe that the Darkness really mined in their early days. A fan favourite for a reason.
“Physical Sex”, another riffy number with an outrageously high chorus.
The ballad “How Dare You Call This Love?” which also could have been on the album, had it been longer. The actual album had two already. A fun song though, with some lovely Lizzy-ish guitar harmonies.
“The best instrumental that AC/DC never recorded”, according to Tim Durling, is “Bareback”, one of the Darkness’ best B-sides ever…if not their best. Thankfully, this song was not just relegated to the dusky corners of the “Growing On Me” single, but received some live workouts too. More on that later.
A song about building a house, “Planning Permission”, is a bit goofy lyrically (mixing cement!), but it gets goofier still as you’ll see. Fortunately it’s a catchy, upbeat Darkness number that has all their trademark guitar and vocal accoutrements.
“Curse of the Tolland Man” is the goofiest of them all, a ghost story, and a song that gets trashed in the liner notes as awful muck, but is defended by Justin and Dan Hawkins as a favourite. The jury remains out, but they are all correct about it.
“I Love You 5 Times” is another ballad, but by this time we’re technically heading outside album territory. Forgettable, but for the strings and Justin’s silly “m-m-m-meees” stuttery vocals. It was actually the B-side to a standalone Christmas single, “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)”, an excellent song in its own right.
This box set is so comprehensive that it even includes the two singles that were not from it.
“Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)“…don’t Google what “bell end” means in British slang. Let’s just say Justin had his tongue in cheek! Great rocker, very Lizzy, and an absolutely Darkness classic. Produced by Bob Ezrin! This track was included on some European editions of the album as a bonus.
Then we have the rarest of them all, and finally available physically for us to buy: 2004’s “Get Your Hands Off My Woman…Again“. Though it does have Frankie Poullain on bass, this song is more a part of the story for the second album, One Way Ticket. The band were experimenting with producer Roy Thomas Baker and this remake was sold digitally. It is here in both “clean” and “explicit” versions. A cleaner, sharper incarnation of the song, for better or worse! The liner notes finally explain the mystery of the added piano part: It was inspired by Ben Folds’ cover of the song, which they thought was an improvement!
CDs 3 and 4 contain three live gigs, and the balance of the B-sides from this era. “Gimme a D! Gimme an Arkness!”
The 2003 set at Knebworth is brilliant. Opening with “Growing On Me”, the band has a bizarre and comedic stage presence, but the song kicks! They are a tight band, and a beat is not missed. They play two B-sides, a manic “The Best of Me” (for dancing, says Justin) and the classic “Makin’ Out”. “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” from the Knebworth concert was previously issued on a German version of the Christmas single. I like when Justin asks the audience which version of “Get Your Hands Off My Woman” they’d like to hear, clean or dirty?
On the same disc is a set from the Astoria in 2003. Opening with a raging “Bareback”, this set is even better than the Knebworth one. What a start! Instrumentals can make a pretty killer opener! From there it’s “Black Shuck”, and a live version of “Get Your Hands Off My Woman” that was previously issued as a B-side to a rare DVD single for “Love Is Only A Feeling”. It’s notable for the strange “me-me-me” singalong thing Justin does at the end. Another thing they do in this set is something called “Buffet”, a pretty cool riff, from a part in the show that is explained in the booklet.
Best of all: The action-packed Astoria and Knebworth shows are both included on DVD inside. Watch Dan play all the guitars so Justin can do the splits! The DVD also includes all the music videos, outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage from their music videos. There’s a cute bit in the EPK (electronic press kit) explaining why Justin always asked the audience to see their thumbs. The editing on the Astoria show is absurdly fast!
CD 4 is a full-length show from 2004 at Wembley recorded on Dan’s birthday, and the last show on the tour. It’s especially cool, because the band were already road-testing new songs from One Way Ticket. Opener “Grief Hammer” was a new song that would become a B-side in 2005. It has a stuttery riff with elements of that AC/DC vibe, but the band were clearly moving beyond that pigeonhole. It takes balls to open a set at Wembley with a new song that nobody had heard before. From there they visit more familiar territory with the favourite “Givin’ Up”. A manic “Stuck In A Rut” blasts out immediately afterwards.
Other B-sides played at Wembley include the fan favourite “Makin’ Out”, “Physical Set” and that “Buffet” again! Future classics “Dinner Lady Arms” and “Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time” are rolled out alongside the hits. “Dinner Lady Arms” is a tad harder than the soft-Leppard style of the later version, though the chorus still soars into the stratosphere. “Seemed Like Such A Good Idea at the Time” is presented without introduction, and Justin on piano with a more spare arrangement than the elaborate album version to come. This is more power ballad, and less experiment in extravagance.
As the 17 song set rolls through classics and hits, it’s clear this disc could be a standalone live album if the band choose to release it as such. Great banter, and the band were obviously having a blast on stage. At the end, there are two more surprises. One is an abbreviated cover of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid, performed solo by Justin on piano. Finally, they close the show with a bombastic “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)”, which works brilliantly in the end slot. There is no feigning joy and surprise here. All the delight is pure and genuine.
The final ingredient you need in a box set such as this is a kickass booklet with loads of reading. Look no further, as Dan and Justin exhaustively tell the story from session to session and song to song. The stories will keep you in stitches as the band shed light on things you never knew before. Eddie Graham was the most “normal” one of the bunch, but they have survived it all, and the Darkness keep going!
We live in the age of box sets. The Darkness have risen to the occasion with, dare I say it, the perfect version of Permission To Land. Will they pull this trick again in the future with One Way Ticket? They should, because they have demonstrated an understanding of what makes a great box set. In short:
Complete collection of B-sides, even from formats as obscure as DVD single.
The rare demos and EP versions we’ve been wanting.
Non-album singles.
Even those clean versions that we normally wouldn’t try too hard to collect.
Live concerts.
Extensive liner notes.
DVD with added value and live shows.
Reasonable pricing and packaging.
5/5 stars
* One evening in 2003, I was listening to the Darkness with my girlfriend in my living room, late at night, heavily intoxicated. I suddenly jumped and said “I get it! These guys are not a joke at all! They are dead serious about what they are doing! Listen! Just listen!” It was an epiphany and I was right.
BONUS! Check out Tim and I discussing this box set and more!
“One does not simply walk into Encore. The back door is guarded by more than just books. There is music there that does not sleep, and the big speakers are ever playing. It is a rich treasure trove, riddled with finds, and vinyl and accessories; the very air you breathe is bathed in music!”
RECORD STORE TALES #1089: The Introvert Goes Out! (To Encore!)
I have so much music in the house, still sealed, unplayed, that you could argue I never need to go to a record store again.
Some of that sealed music came from Encore, during the pandemic, by mail order. I have two unopened John Norum Rock Candy remasters.
The reality of it is, I’m in an introvert who prefers staying home and ordering online, so I have to be in the right mood to go out, even record shopping. However, one of my mental health goals this winter is to get out more, and Encore Records is an obvious easy choice. Thanksgiving Sunday was cold, wet and winter-like, so we bundled up and drove to a deserted downtown Kitchener. Encore’s rear parking lot was empty.
Jen found the stairs challenging, but front or back, Encore has stairs. The challenge was met and we were greeted by old friend Al King, still slinging vinyl in downtown Kitchener, over three decades after I bought my early scores from him at Sam the Record Man.
There were plenty of new releases to decide upon, but I immediately chose the new Darkness Permission To Land…Again 20th anniversary box set. 20 years? Can it be? It has been 20 years since those bastards at the Record Store killed my soul. The Darkness was one of the few bands that got me through that era of my life. We talked about this with Al a bit. There was a bit of a one-sided rivalry with Encore and the Record Store at which I used to work, back in the early 2000s. One of our employees (that I trained on buying) left us and went to them. My understanding is that a phone call was made, a tale that they still tell today….
Anyway, the Darkness 4 CD / 1 DVD box set has all the bonus tracks, demos, B-sides, single edits, and three live gigs (on two live CDs). Very thorough. It also has all the music videos, and even the 2004 remake “Get Your Hands Off My Woman…Again” which really falls into the One Way Ticket era better.
Even when I worked at the Store, there was always more at Encore that I wanted to buy. They just got better stuff. Prove me wrong. I began to browse…
Even though this was a quick impromptu visit to pick up a new release or two, I ended up spending $200.
On the new release rack: King Kobra – We Are Warriors! Check out this lineup: Carmine Appice and Johnny Rod, original members of the band, on drums and bass. Paul Shortino of Quiet Riot and Rough Cutt on lead vocals, and still sounding strong! Carlos Cavazo of Quiet Riot and Ratt on guitar! Rowan Robertson of Dio on guitar! That’s a lineup with some pedigree folks. The album sounds good. It rocks hard and it’s heavy. The best song is the “bonus track” called “Side By Side”. Just classic all around.
Also on the Encore front rack was the new Coney Hatch, Postcards From Germany. Amazon fails again: I cancelled my “pre-order” (now weeks late) right in front of Al and bought a copy from him instead. It will be cool to hear their first new studio tracks since the Four album all those years back. Not to mention there are songs on this live album that were not played at the El Mocambo for that prior live release.
One does not simply walk into Encore. The back door is guarded by more than just books. There is music there that does not sleep, and the big speakers are ever playing. It is a rich treasure trove, riddled with finds, and vinyl and accessories; the very air you breathe is bathed in music! Al was playing some Gentle Giant that really ticked my fancy. That is a band I will need to investigate further down the road. I found the musicianship challenging and strangely appealing.
I didn’t buy anything on vinyl, though Encore had a good chunk of the Kiss studio albums that I still need to add to my vinyl collection. Vinyl is so expensive these days. $36 for albums I used to buy for $10. Especially considering I’m not going to play the record very often, and I already have the music many times over. However, when I want them, Animalize, Asylum, Rock and Roll Over and the self-titled debut are all awaiting me. There were also quite a few in the Arkells vinyl section that called my name.
The used CDs offered many temptations. I could have filled up on Saga. Frank Zappa beckoned me over, but I started in the A section and made my first questionable buy. Why, after 25 years, am I finally buying Aerosmith’s Geffen-centric live album A Little South of Sanity? Because I can’t justify spending $150 on the Japanese Greatest Hits with three exclusive live discs, and not patch up these glaring holes in my live Aerosmith collection. I’ve played A Little South of Sanity a number of times at the Store when it was new, and I know I don’t like it. Too many backing tapes. You can hear two or three Tylers singing together at once. Jen hears it too. I’ll probably play this once for review, and never again. Collecting!!
In the “G” section, I decided to finally start my Glass Tiger collection. I wanted Diamond Sun on vinyl initially, but when CDs are right there for eight bucks, you can’t say no. Diamond Sun is a wonderful album, I discovered, with a couple serious deep cuts such as the epic “It’s Love U Feel”. Impressive musicianship, and a tad on the progressive side at times, even though this is ultimately a pop rock band. I also picked up the compilation CD Then Now Next. This includes a variety of single versions, unreleased songs and new stuff including a Beatles cover!
Over in Journey, I found the remastered version of Steve Perry’s 1994 solo album For the Love of Strange Medicine. All these years, I’ve never played this album. I’m sure it’ll be mellow, even though he has members of Winger and Hardline in his band. In the liner notes, Perry is very bitter about his treatment by record label executives. The remaster has five bonus tracks (some of which were on Greatest Hits + 5 Unreleased), two of which are exclusives.
I also snagged a CD that I thought I needed, that I didn’t, that I will gift to a friend.
The winter season is often commenced by Thanksgiving. I would consider this a good start. We plan to see more of Encore this season. I look forward to it, in fact, which is not something I usually say about going out in the winter time.
Moderation, though. Moderation. Need to absorb all this new music, which will take time! Until next time…
So it shall be written, so it shall be done! The Metallica box set has been unsealed, opened, and displayed. And I am glad that I did it. Yes, I could have turned it around for $1600 but I chose to let the music be played as intended. (Then there was an added screw-up, which I quickly fixed before too late, you’ll have to see it!) Obey your Master, and watch this epic unboxing of the Master of Puppets box set.
The box included prints, lyric sheets, buttons, 3 LPs, 10 CDs, 2 DVDs, and a cassette. We tried to get a look at all of it. Pause to gaze at the track lists in detail.
In addition we took a peak at some new arrivals:
Judas Priest – Hero, Hero vinyl in pristine condition
Alice Cooper – Killer and School’s Out deluxe CD editions
Official Tee Bone Man stickers
Jex brought the fire with some cool video from Geomatrix. You have to check this out. See for yourself at about the 32 minute mark.
A big thank-you to an exhausted Max the Axe, who tried to make an appearance but suffered at the hands of the Streamyard gods. We never found out what was wrong, but Tim sympathizes!
We had our “Ask Jex” questions this week – a pair from first-timer Rob Daniels. Thanks Rob! Great questions. Keep them coming.
Finally, sincere appreciation to Paul Shortino for a wonderful Cameo, giving us a shout out at Grab A Stack of Rock, to the tune of “Dreaming Again” by Rough Cutt. The guy still has an amazing voice. We ran this Cameo twice, once at the start and once at the end of the show.
Thanks for watching and we will probably see you again next Friday evening!
That was a blast (as always!) By popular demands, Aaron returned! True to form, the man known as “Mr Books” presented…books! Leonard Cohen, Charlie Watts, a certain black guitar wielded by David Gilmore, and more! As for Harrison, he too had some books to show, as well as some interesting discs by Concrete Blonde and a smashingly cool lightsaber!
I unboxed the new Queen Miracle box set, a Black Sabbath Sabotage, and a Def Leppard From London to Vegas. We took a look at the contents of each. The Queen box set is suitably majestic, featuring a lovely hardcover book and loads upon loads of music to listen to.
“Ask Harrison” returned tonight, with questions from Lana (via Tee Bone) and California Girl, and a bit of a curveball “Ask Mike” as well. Warning: there could be more “Ask Mike” coming in the future!
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK…with Mike and the Mad Metal Man Episode 7: Special guest Aaron KMA
Aaron‘s back! Due to popular demand, the big guy has agreed to return for another hour of rock. Tonight, I plan on unboxing my Queen The Miracle box set, and others with time permitting. I have two sealed Rush box sets (Hemispheres and Permanent Waves) and a sealed Metallica (Master of Puppets) that could be opened tonight. It’s up to you — whatever you want!
Harrison the Mad Metal Man and Aaron always have something interesting to show and tonight will be no exception. So let’s wait and see!
We also have the popular “Ask Harrison” returning tonight, with Lana (via Tee Bone) and MarriedandHeels offering up a pair of questions and a curveball. Hopefully we will learn a little about the elusive Australian madman and his homeland tonight.
Friday December 16 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. Enjoy onYouTubeor onFacebook.
No matter how I do this, I’m doing something out of order. So here goes. Hi! Welcome to the DEF LEPPARD REVIEW SERIES where we will attempt to cover in some way everything Def Leppard here at LeBrain HQ. Some of these articles will be re-reviews. Some will be beefed up, some will be streamlined.
What about order? Deciding to start with The Early Years box set, we could go in two ways. We could run through Discs One through Five, starting with On Through the Night. Or, we could go chronologically and begin on Disc Four, Too Many Jitterbugs, which has the first EP and early demos pre-dating the album. Obviously, we’ve decided to to go in disc order, and worry about chronology later. So let’s get, let’s get, let’s get, let’s get rocked.
DEF LEPPARD – On Through the Night (The Early Years Disc 1) (Originally 1980, 2019 remaster)
The obscenely young quintet from Sheffield were starstruck. Drummer Rick Allen was just 16 years of age. There Def Leppard were in Tittenhurst Park, Ringo Starr’s home formerly owned by John Lennon, with Judas Priest producer Tom Allom, laying down tracks for their debut LP. Signed to Vertigo, the band was filled with awe to be on the same label as their heroes Thin Lizzy. Recording nine songs from their live set and two newly written tracks, the band took just three weeks to get the job done. Unfortunately, so much time was spent on Steve Clark and Pete Willis’ guitar overdubs, that Joe Elliott only had two days left to record all his vocals. This can be heard on the final product. At least Joe got to sleep in Lennon’s bedroom for the duration of the recording!
On Through the Night is a beefy 11 tracks, written mostly by Clark and Elliott with seven Rick Savage co-writes and seven by Pete Willis. It showcases ambition, promise, and raw talent. In a word: potential. One of its major strengths is the dual guitar team of Clark and Willis. Clark tends to be thoughtful and compositional in his solos, while Willis effectively jumps on the wah-wah.
“Rock Brigade” wastes no time getting cranked, 16 year old drummer Rick Allen going wild on the big tom rolls. An adrenalized band gets to work on a serious riff, while Clark and Willis dart in and out with curt fills. The handclaps sound lifted from a Judas Priest anthem, but this song burns it up. Joe’s vocals are set back in the mix a bit more than we’re used to, but there are hints of the kind of backing vocals that Def Leppard would endevour for in the future. In short, “Rock Brigade” kicks ass.
A strange layered vocal mix fails to hit the mark that Leppard would do with regularity later on, but it does serve to introduce “Hello America” uniquely. This naive rocker even has a little bit of synth to accent the sugary chorus, but otherwise sticks to the driving riff. Clark comes in with a wicked solo, showing off some of the creative technique he’d be famous for. A strange video clip for “Hello America” was filmed, with the drum kit featured at the front of the stage and everybody else behind. Rick Savage got stuck at the very back.
The acoustic guitars are out for “Sorrow is a Woman”, too heavy to be called a power ballad. The choruses rock heavy as anything else, though the verses remain quiet. This is one of the tunes that Joe could have used some more time refining. For fans of the early solo work of Clark and Willis, get ready for some pretty epic guitar constructions. They tell their own stories within the song.
One of the two songs written in the studio was “It Could Be You”: Fast choppy metal, with a Priest-like riff and unusually high Elliott vocals. Cool riff but more refinement time needed. Its energy is remarkable and as with all the tracks on On Through the Night, Rick Allen burns it up on the drums as a supernovic ball of nuclear combustion.
Taking it back to a metallic city groove, “Satellite” is the first use of one of Joe’s favourite astronomical objects in a Def Leppard song. This is a great car tune. Cool and classy staccato guitar picking on the second verse. Takes an unexpected acoustic detour midway, showing the ambition and ability that these five kids had in their blood. Then it breaks into another unique guitar section after the Willis guitar solo. Clearly, not the commercial techniques later employed by the band, but more an effort to emulate some of their heroes like Page and Lynott, as best they could.
Talking of ambition, “When the Walls Came Tumbling Down” closes side one with nothing but. A pretentious Joe Elliott monologue introduces the track cheesily enough.
In the first day of the first month, in some distant year, The whole sky froze gold. Some said it was the aftermath of the Radium bomb, And others told of a final retribution. A terrible revenge, from the gods.
The post-apocalyptic settings is a metal niche unto itself, launched by Black Sabbath and maintained by Aerosmith, Queensryche and Judas Priest. This is not one of Def Leppard’s more successful attempts at getting serious, but you have to marvel at their cohones for trying.
The “Wasted” riff, a Steve Clark creation, is one of Leppard’s most legendary. This simple steamer is pure power set to music. That riff, what a riff! Just a few chugs and then a unified resolution. But what a riff! No wonder the band had to resurrect it in recent years. The fans wouldn’t let it stay buried. “Wasted” is a centerpiece gem, and itself contains a certerpiece of a guitar solo by Clark, skillfully constructed by the young protege.
“Rocks Off” contains the annoying crowd noise overdubs, clearly artificial, but you can’t stop this little one from launching. Once again it’s all about the riff, and the Clark era of Def Leppard do not get enough recognition for their riffs. The song is disrupted by a solo section that harshly pans the guitars from right to left in distracting fashion.
The other song that was written in the studio is the surprisingly strong “It Don’t Matter”. Some very rich guitars, properly spaced in the mix, make for some cool riffs and licks. There’s a laid back chorus and good backing vocals. The cowbell is also effective except it’s not a cowbell. The band didn’t have one so they used the house tea kettle for which they were properly scolded by the housekeeper Ruth. Thing is — it sounds OK!
Moving on to the penultimate track, “Answer To the Master” has a verse that is stronger than its chorus, which is really more about the riff. Rick Allen gets the spotlight for a brief moment before the band break into an AeroZeppelin-like funk. “Whole Lotta Walk”? Then there’s a startling guitar solo section more influenced by the likes of Lizzy.
Finally Leppard decided to go with a big epic as their album closer, “Overture”, which also closed their debut EP (which is on Disc Four of The Early Years). It’s another post-apocalyptic soundtrack, a multi-parted manufacture. Some truly great guitar parts are buried within, but this track is an example of overreach. The kind of truly epic recording they were striving for could not be achieved in the time they had, but you can hear frequent shots of brilliance. Each riff and lick has its own unique hook.
On Through the Night went to #15 in the UK but failed to crack the top 50 in the US, charting at #51. It did not go Platinum until 1989, well after Hysteria made Def Leppard into demigods. If anything it planted the seed and made the band more focused on what they wanted to achieve when they had a second chance. And it wouldn’t be long before fate hooked them up with Robert John “Mutt” Lange, which would alter their course forever. On Through the Night stands today as a Polaroid of an innocent past, when Def Leppard caked on riff after riff in an effort to reach the heights of the bands they adored. It lacks focus, both within the songs and on Leppard’s collective strengths. Focus that they would soon gain in spades, and later in excess!
Aerosmith were out of the gates fairly early into their career when their first anthology style box set was released in 1991. They were still going strong, at the peak of their popularity. Their career had two distinct eras marked by the record labels they were signed to: first Columbia, and then a resurgence with Geffen.
There was also a long gap between Aerosmith studio albums. Pump was released in ’89 but it took them four years to come up with Get A Grip. While Geffen waited for Aerosmith to complete Get A Grip, their old label Columbia was allowed to release compilations. In late 1991 they put out a brand new video for a remixed “Sweet Emotion”, although ironically the remixed version wasn’t included in the forthcoming Pandora’s Box set. Regardless, there was a stop-gap. November saw the release of Pandora’s Box just in time for Christmas, with three CDs of music, including a whopping 25 rare, unreleased, or remixed tracks.
Disc 1
They hit you right from the start with a rarity: Steven Tyler’s “When I Needed You” from 1966 and his band Chain Reaction. You can barely tell it’s the same singer, but this quaint number is a great opener for a box set with this kind of scope. Basic 60s rock with a hint of psychedelia. Onto the first album, it’s “Make It” with an unlisted false start — another cool touch. “Movin’ Out” is a completely different take than the one from the debut. It’s superior because it’s harder and more raw. (Did Pearl Jam rip off part of the guitar lick for “Alive”?) “One Way Street” is the album version, but an unreleased “On the Road Again” is a fun laid back jam. Clearly B-side material, but it’s Aerosmith and light and loose.
A sax-laden “Mama Kin” from the first album is the first bonafide hit presented, and like most of the hits in the set, it’s the original version. It is immediately obvious from the upbeat groove just why it was a hit. Up next, it’s the slick “Same Old Song and Dance”, the heavy “Train Kept A Rollin'” and haunting “Seasons of Wither”, all from Get Your Wings. Major props for including the underappreciated “Seasons of Wither” in this box as the song has never had the exposure it deserves. According to the liner notes, it was written by Steven Tyler on a guitar found by Joey Kramer in a dumpster. The fretting on the guitar was “fucked” but it had a special tone. The tuning of that guitar “forced” the song right out of Tyler.
An unreleased live version of “Write Me a Letter” from 1976 is overshadowed by the song that follows it. It’s the “big one”, the ballad “Dream On”, and usually the centerpiece of any side that it’s on. The random placement on the second half of CD 1 is a little puzzling. The title track “Pandora’s Box” follows, a dirty slow funk.
The first disc closes on a trio of rarities. A 1971 radio jam on Fleetwood Mac’s “Rattlesnake Shake” goes on for 10 awesome minutes and dominates the disc. They swiftly follow that with “Walkin’ the Dog” from the same radio broadcast. Finally, a slinky “Lord of the Thighs” from the Texxas Jam closes CD 1. Two more Texxas Jam tracks can be found midway through CD 2, which is mildly annoying.
Disc 2
The second disc represents the musical growth of Aerosmith. A massive “Toys in the Attic” builds on the past: more energy, better production, more speed. “Round and Round” is Sabbath-heavy, a sound the band rarely explored. Only “Nobody’s Fault” (which comes later on this disc) stands as a heavier Aerosmith monolith.
Behind the scenes Aerosmith were suffering from drug-induced absences in the studio. One day when Joe Perry and Steven Tyler were late, the core trio of Joey Kramer, Brad Whitford, and Tom Hamilton just jammed. The result is “Krawhitham”, a menacing unheard jam. It’s a testament to the “other three” guys in the band and features some stunning playing even if the riff is a bit lacking. This rough and ready track is followed by four slick Toys in the Attic hits in a row: “You See Me Crying”, “Sweet Emotion” (the original mix), “No More No More” and “Walk This Way”. Each song different, each song perfect. “You See Me Crying” may be the most underrated Aerosmith ballad ever released.
Two more Texxas Jam tracks occupy the middle of disc two: “I Wanna Know Why” and “Big Ten Inch Record”. These jams are a blast, but why not bunch all the Texxas tracks together? Next, “Rats in the Cellar” from Rocks has the same energy as “Toys in the Attic” but with a nastier bite. “Last Child” is a remix, a slight one at that. The bass sounds deeper. An unreleased Otis Rush cover follows called “All Your Love”. This electric blues is fully formed with a satisfying mix and could easily have made an album. Why didn’t it make Draw the Line? That album already had a cover, “Milk Cow Blues” (included here on disc 3) so it is unlikely they wanted two. Did they choose the right song?
The aforementioned “Nobody’s Fault” is preceded with a snippet of the demo, called “Soul Saver”. It truly is a monster of a track and one of the band’s few true heavy metal songs. Nuclear holocaust is a perfect theme for metal, but Tyler’s lyrics are more thoughtful than many of his competitors. His tormented vocal is one of his career best. “Sorry, you’re so sorry, don’t be sorry. Man has known, and now he’s blown it upside down, and hell’s the only sound. We did an awful job, and now they say it’s nobody’s fault.”
“Lick and a Promise” is a necessary speedy shot in the arm. Though “Adam’s Apple” is replaced by a live version from 1977, it is the sonic blueprint for a million bands that tried to copy Tyler’s sleazy antics. Two Draw the Line tracks close the CD: the title track itself (remixed), and “Critical Mass” . Again the remix is slight.
Disc 3
The final CD is the decline, but not without plenty of high points. (“High” points, get it?) The first high point is a 1978 live version of “Kings and Queens”. “Good evenin’ boss. Been a long time coming,” greets Tyler to the hometown Boston crowd. Live versions don’t usually surpass their studio counterparts, but this one might for its seasoned, raw vibe.” Joe Perry’s backing vocals make it.
The previously mentioned “Milk Cow Blues” from Draw the Line is an upbeat shuffle, getting the blood pumping once more. A snippet of a demo called “I Live in Connecticut” leads directly into “Three Mile Smile” from Night in the Ruts. It allows you to hear how a tune evolves from an idea into a complete song. You get to hear that again on “Let it Slide” and “Cheese Cake”. If you love when Joe Perry pulls out his slide guitar, then you will love this pairing. We’re well into the Aerosmith stuff that doesn’t get enough credit when it’s good. “Bone To Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy)” is another unsung gem…and the liner notes will tell you exactly what a “Coney Island white fish” is. The autobiographical “No Surprize” is pretty fine too.
The Beatles cover “Come Together” was one of the very few worthwhile tracks on the awful movie soundtrack Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Fortunately for Aerosmith fans, it has long been available on their 1980 Greatest Hits. And it’s not the last Beatles cover on this box set. But it’s the last real hit before the disc takes a serious detour.
“Downtown Charlie” is really ragged; punk rock energy with nobody at home in quality control. It sounds like one of their “drunken jams” according to Joe Perry in the liner notes. Wicked playing but no cohesion. And then they split — Brad Whitford with Whitford/St. Holmes, and Joe Perry with the Joe Perry Project. Even this is documented. “Sharpshooter” by Whitford/St. Holmes is a box set highlight, even though it sticks out like a sore thumb by sounding nothing like Aerosmith at all. This is straight hard rock, with Derek St. Holmes on lead vocals. Though an astounding vocalist, he is the Antityler and the song does not fit in any way on the tracklist. Too bad since it’s such a great track. More at home is Joe Perry’s “South Station Blues” from I’ve Got the Rock N’ Rolls Again. It’s preceded by an Aerosmith demo called “Shit House Shuffle”. Aerosmith didn’t use the riff, so Joe did on his solo album. It totally works with his lead vocal, though it’s a shame Aerosmith never used the idea themselves. Another wasted jam, “Riff and Roll”, had potential as the kernal of a song, but Tyler’s voice is completely shot. You can hear what they were going for. It could have worked on Done With Mirrors had they finished it.
Aerosmith carried on in 1982 with Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay replacing Perry and Whitford. The resulting album Rock In a Hard Place was inconsistent but not without some gems. “Jailbait” doesn’t indicate anything was out of place, a worthy followup to frantic manic blasts like “Rats in the Cellar”. But they only lasted one album before cooler heads prevailed and the classic lineup reunited.
With Perry and Whitford back again, Aerosmith began recording new albums for Geffen. Columbia still released Aerosmith albums regularly, like Classics Live and Classics Live II. A previously unreleased oldie from the Get Your Wings days called “Major Barbra” was included as a bonus on Classics Live. Pandora’s Box includes a second version of “Major Barbra”, a rougher alternate take. It’s a full minute longer than the version of Classics Live, including harmonica solo. Another track Columbia released was the classic “Chip Away the Stone” (written by Richie Supa), on 1988’s Gems. This obscure single never had a proper album release until then, despite its awesome nature. The Pandora’s Box version is an alternate version, with noticeably less piano in the mix.
The penultimate track is the unreleased Beatles cover “Helter Skelter”, dating back to 1975. This one got a bit of airplay in 1991 when the box set was released. It is undoubtedly rough but with suitably aggressive and heavy hitting groove. The box set is then closed by “Back in the Saddle”, an apt way to describe Aerosmith’s career since.
But wait, what’s this? “There now, ain’t you glad you stayed?” asks Steven Tyler after a few seconds of silence. Why, it’s the hidden bonus track! The unlisted instrumental was written by Brad Whitford and actually titled “Circle Jerk”. It is very similar to the previous “Krawhitham” instrumental on disc two, but heavier.
Now, what about that remixed “Sweet Emotion” that was released to promote the box set, but wasn’t actually on the box set? The remix was done by David Thoener and featured some structural changes. The music video was a smash hit. You could buy it as a standalone single, with “Circle Jerk” and another unreleased instrumental bonus track called “Subway”. All three were re-released again as bonus tracks in 1994 on the massive Box of Fire. The Thoener remix has been issued many times over the years on compilations and movie soundtracks.
There’s little doubt that Pandora’s Box was good value for the money. For the fans who didn’t have the albums, most of the hits are included in studio versions. The remixes are minor enough for them not to notice. For the rest, the wealth of unreleased bonus material justified buying three CDs. Unlike other box sets like Led Zeppelin’s four disc airship, Pandora’s Box is not designed to be an ecstatic listening experience from start to finish. It is a study in early Aerosmith from the roots to just before the reunion. It is the rise and fall, and still fighting to get back up. It is uneven with mountainous peaks of spontaneous rock and roll chemistry, and also the tired struggle to keep producing music. Much like its subject, Aerosmith, Pandora’s Box is a flawed portrait.
In most timelines and biographies, they’ll have you believe that the original lineup of Loudness had already peaked by 1987 and were creatively and commercially going downhill. While the commercial side of things was out of their control, creatively Loudness were still writing great songs. Though they did have one more EP in them, Hurricane Eyes is the final album of the original Minoru Niihara era of Loudness. It was recorded by Kiss and Jimi Hendrix producer Eddie Kramer with one track by Andy Johns. Though not as heavy or complex as Disillusion or noteworthy as Thunder in the East, it is thoroughly enjoyable from side A to side B. The commercial bent is obvious on some songs, but it doesn’t really blunt the impact.
Like most Loudness albums from the classic era, the band recorded lyrics in both English and Japanese and both versions of the album are included in this luxurious 5 CD box set. In Japan, the Loudness catalogue has been treated reverently but this is the beefiest of all their deluxe sets. Along with both versions of Hurricane Eyes (including minor musical differences), the set includes a disc of album demos, and another disc of alternate mixes and rhythm tracks. The fifth CD is a live set from the Hammersmith Odeon from 1986. Like any set of this nature, you’ll be listening to the same songs in four or five versions, but fortunately they stand up to such immersion.
Though Hurricane Eyes represents a peak effort to break into the American market, and some songs verge on Dokken homages, it’s a strong album loaded with hooks and enviable guitar theatrics & riffs. And regardless of some of the more radio-friendly material, it also boasts the thrash-like “S.D.I.”, a speed metal riff-fest that remained in the Loudness set list long after after Minoru was let go. The technical playing on “S.D.I.” is outstanding, and that’s laid bare for you to hear in the instrumental mix on Disc 4. The guitar solo is pure Eddie meets Yngwie. “S.D.I.” opens the English version of the album, but closes the Japanese. It works excellently in either configuration.
The English album continues with “This Lonely Heart”, a hook-laden hard rocker anchored by a solid riff and soaring chorus. Lynch and Dokken must have been jealous they didn’t write it because it’s right up their alley. The album title Hurricane Eyes comes from a lyric in “This Lonely Heart” but what you’ll remember mostly is that indelible chorus. Keyboards are poured into “Rock ‘N Roll Gypsy”, an obvious choice for a radio single. Though it didn’t hit the charts you can certainly hear the effort in it. On the Japanese version of the track, the keyboards are present but not mixed in as prominently. It’s the better of the two mixes, with more of that Akira Takasaki guitar up front.
“In My Dreams” is the first power ballad, with focus on the power part. Akari has some sweet anthemic guitar melodies in his pocket for this very Scorpions-sounding track. This gives way to another blitz of a song, though not as over the top as “S.D.I.” was. “Take Me Home” has similar urgency but more deliberate pace. “Strike of the Sword” is in similar metal territory with a fab Akari riff. The vocal melodies sound a little disconnected from the song though.
Don Dokken’s turf is revisited on “Rock This Way”, a mid-tempo ditty within hit territory. You could imagine this being written for the concert stage, so you can have a singalong chorus — “Rock this way!” Picking up the pace, “In This World Beyond” is a bit more complex though retaining an insanely cool chorus. The Loudness guys really developed an absurdly good chorus-writing ability by this point! But stick around to be strafed out of the sky by Akira’s machine-gun solo. “Hungry Hunter” returns us to mid-tempo rock ground, though it’s not their most remarkable song.
The American album ends with “So Lonely”, a re-recording of “Ares’ Lament” from 1984’s Disillusion, also in the closing position. Disillusion didn’t get a lot of attention outside Japan, and “Ares’ Lament” was a clear highlight. Though the structure is essentially the same, “So Lonely” is a tamed version” of the more traditional metal original. Keyboards are added, replacing the Akira-shred of the original. The chorus is beefed up and placed front-and-center. It suits Hurricane Eyes and though it’s merely a blunted version, it’s still quite excellent. It’s a demonstration of how you can take a song and tweak it into a different direction.
“So Lonely” isn’t present on the demo CD, presumably because they didn’t need to demo their own classic tune. Instead there are two tracks that didn’t make the album, but would be finished in the future: “Jealousy” and “Love Toys”. The 1988 Jealousy EP would see the first track released (but only in Japan). This is the most Dokken of all the songs, with one of those concrete riffs that George Lynch was prone to writing with ease. Maybe when Dokken broke up, Don should have given Akira Takasaki a phone call. The more frantic and metal “Love Toys” was revisited in 1991 with new lead singer Mike Vescera, for the On The Prowl album of re-recordings. Both tracks had potential in the unfinished demo stage. In fact all the Loudness demos on this disc are nearly album-ready. They’re rougher but also appealing for that same reason.
Disc 4, Behind the Hurricane Eyes is a hodgepodge of alternate mixes and rhythm tracks. The eight rhythm tracks (essentially mixes without vocals and solos) include another version of “Love Toys”. The mercilessly tight rhythm section of Munetaka Huguchi and Masayoshi Yamashita come to the fore on these tracks, as does Akira Takasaki as the riffmaster. “S.D.I.” is present on this CD twice, in rhythm track form and as a straight instrumental. You will be getting plenty of “S.D.I.” in this box set! You’ll also enjoy the brighter “Top 40 Mix” of “Rock This Way”, a really good remix that sounds perfect for the hits of the era. A mix of “So Lonely” with an earlier fade-out isn’t that interesting, but still desired by the collector. “Hungry Hunter” and “This Lonely Heart” are present in “old mix” and “rough mix” respectively. Differences are minor.
You could find yourself with a bit of ear fatigue after hearing so many versions of the same songs. Fortunately Disc 5 is a live set from the previous tour with none of the same songs. Buckle up. Opening for Saxon at the Hammersmith Odeon, Loudness went straight into “Crazy Doctor” from Disillusion after a glowing intro from Biff Byford. It’s right to the throat from the start and this CD has their full set. “1000 Eyes” from Lightning Strikes follows, the album for which they were touring. Loudness could have used some backing vocals live to beef up the chorus, but Minoru does a remarkable job on his own, givin’ ‘er all over the place. It’s also cool to hear Akira go from rhythm to lead so effortlessly live.
There is honestly something charming about someone who isn’t a native English speaker really giving their all to talk to an audience in English. Minoru is clearly happy to be in “London rock and roll city!” and the audience lets him know he’s welcome. The awesome “Dark Desire”, also from Lightning Strikes, follows and Akira lays down a mesmerising solo. Then a long dramatic intro opens “Ashes in the Sky / Shadows of War”, a highpoint of an already great set.
The big Loudness single in 1986 was “Let It Go“, a truly special pop metal song. This version opening for Saxon at the Hammersmith might be the best live recording if not the most energetic. Afterwards the late Munetaka Higuchi takes a drum solo (presumably to give Minoru’s voice a rest after this workout!). There’s a brief segue into Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, and Minoru introduces the band. That pumps up the crowd for Loudness’ biggest hit “Crazy Nights” complete with crowd singalong. “MZA!” After smoking through this one, Akira takes a blistering solo break. The set closes with “Speed” from their third album The Law of Devil’s Land. They saved the most aggressive song for last. Couldn’t let Saxon have it too easy, right?
Though hard to get, these Loudness deluxe editions from Japan are really beautiful to hold in hand. The thick booklet is printed on glossy paper, and though the liner notes are in Japanese, lyrics are provided in both languages. The rest of the booklet is stuffed full of tour photographs whose only language is rock and roll. Loudness certainly looked the part. The set also includes a little reproduction backstage pass, but the main feature is the music. Diehards are going to love it.
mikeladano.com 