TESLA – Time’s Makin’ Changes – The Best of Tesla (1995 Geffen)
Tommy Skeoch: you’re out! According to the band, Tommy had some drug issues and they drew a line. He went “Steppin’ Over” that line and was fired for it. Thus, the sole unreleased song on Tesla’s very first greatest hits album is an ode to their breakup: “Steppin’ Over”. It was recorded as a four-piece, and the last thing they did together until a 2000 reunion.
The 90s were not kind to hard rock bands, and many of them came to the end of their record deals. Compilations and live albums rolled out to fulfil obligations. Time’s Makin’ Changes – The Best of Tesla is a sad example of one such contractual obligation. As if the bland cover was not warning enough, the skimpy booklet is the dead giveaway.
What it has:
Key tracks such as “Modern Day Cowboy”, “Gettin’ Better”, “Little Suzi”, “Love Songs”, “Signs”, “Edison’s Medicine”, “The Way It Is”, and “What You Give”.
What it lacks: “Hang Tough”, “Shine Away”, “Change in the Weather”, “Call It What You Want”, “Freedom Slaves”, “EZ Come EZ Go”, “Comin’ Atcha Live”, and an unedited “Heaven’s Trail”. The edited version included here is missing too much of the opening.
There are a couple questionable inclusions: “Song and Emotion”, a lengthy tribute to Def Leppard’s Steve Clarke, seems more like deep-cut material. When it comes to the last Tesla album on Geffen, 1994’s Bust A Nut, who can say which tracks the most important. It seems like the album might have been better represented by edgier material like “Rubberband”, or “Solution”. Might have livened things up too.
It’s also kind of deceiving that the two live tracks included are not advertised as live. “Signs”, well, no worries, because it was only ever recorded live. But “Paradise” is also from the Five Man Acoustical Jam album. This is probably done so not to confuse first time Tesla buyers who didn’t realize all this time that “Signs” is a live song.
As for the new song “Steppin’ Over”, it sounds like Tesla even though they were down to one guitar player. It doesn’t sound new or different, just a continuation of the Bust A Nut sound, including the sad wisdom. It takes a neat Zeppelin-y turn around the 2:18 mark but otherwise it’s not what you’d call a greatest hit.
It’s a shame how the Tesla story went down, but you’d do well by at least adding the first three albums to your collection.
STYX – Edge of the Century (1990 A&M, 2019 BGO remaster)
Kilroy Was Hereseemed to be the end of Styx. Although the album went platinum, it was also divisive. The band were fractured and the tour was difficult. Members did not enjoy playing characters on stage. Was this a rock band or was it Broadway? Styx split up in ’84, with members embarking on new projects. Dennis DeYoung did moderately well with his solo debut Desert Moon, and Tommy Shaw had a fairly big hit with Girls With Guns. James “JY” Young went in another direction on his own City Slicker album with Jan Hammer. For all intents and purposes, Styx spent the second half of the 80s completely defunct.
In 1990 two interesting things occurred. First, Tommy Shaw formed a supergroup with Jack Blades (Night Ranger) and Ted Nugent called Damn Yankees. They came out of the gates with a surprising self-titled hit album that didn’t particularly sound like Styx, Night Ranger or Ted Nugent. But it spawned a couple hit singles and went double platinum. When Styx reunited at the same time, it was without Tommy Shaw. Styx would never record with the classic lineup again.
The Styx reunion we got in 1990 was, frankly, not the Styx reunion we deserved. A new guitarist, songwriter and singer would be needed and he arrived in the form of solo artist Glen Burtnik. He was only slightly younger than Shaw, but brought in a modern edge. He was able to sing Tommy’s high parts, and could write. The first single, “Love is the Ritual”, was written by Burtnik and partner Plinky Giglio with no other members of Styx contributing. Clearly, they were trying to turn a page and appeal to a new younger generation, and make people forget all about “Mr. Roboto”, or that dreaded “progressive rock” tag.
The new album was titled Edge of the Century and produced by Dennis, now in control of Styx. Even so, “Love is the Ritual” sounds like a Winger reject, with full-on Beau Hill production. You’d never guess it was Styx, and one suspects this is why it was chosen as the lead single. It was also the first track on the album.
Leading the new album with a song featuring a new unfamiliar singer was a risky move. The turgid track is a clone of Winger’s “Can’t Get Enuff” and features some stinky synth bass. The faux-funk of the rhythm track is unpalatable, and only a hint of Dennis DeYoung on backing vocals indicates that this song has anything to do with Styx. They’re barely in their own music video. Almost as bad are the cringey lyrics.
The song that should have opened the album, “Show Me the Way”, was a legitimate hit. A church-like ballad with soaring chorus, it struck a chord with Americans during the first Gulf War. It has the sound of a true Styx classic and fits well with past ballads. Dennis is a remarkable songwriter and the chorus on this track is just legendary.
Edge of the Century tends to be remembered for “Show Me the Way”, but good Styx-like material is still buried within. Burtnik’s back on the title track, but this infectious hard rocker does sound more like Styx. It fits that slot like a classic Tommy Shaw rocker. The wicked riff is as memorable as the catchy chorus.
The songs alternate from Glen to Dennis, and DeYoung’s ballad “Love At First Sight” is a traditional 80s power ballad with chiming keyboards. It sounds exactly like every other power ballad from 1990, but at least it is a good one. It was the third single and did OK on the charts.
One mark of a good Styx album is a decent acoustic song, and Glen Burtnik has “All In a Day’s Work” for that necessity. It’s just acoustic guitar, vocals, some keyboards and Dennis’ accordion. Very Styxian, especially when they sing together.
The second side opens with a traditional rock n’ roller, “Not Dead Yet”, which is a song by a chicago artist named Ralph Covert, sung by Dennis. It’s DeYoung’s first rocker on the album, and it’s leather jacket cool. Burtnik’s back on “World Tonite”, the cheesiest song on the album. This generic rocker with it’s “Girls wanna dance, boys wanna fight” lyric is pretty awful. Parts of it verge on rap. Its only saving grace is the harmonica that periodically blasts through. In no universe would anybody say “That sounds like Styx to me.”
Dennis is really good at ballads, and “Carrie Ann” is surprisingly strong. Like another “Babe”, it has a strong chorus and memorable hooks. Did “Babe” need a sequel? It matters not; “Carrie Ann” is pretty good for what it is. We’ve had a few ballads now, and an acoustic song, but have you noticed what is missing so far? James “JY” Young. He does not check in until the second-to-last tune, “Homewrecker”. It is a Quiet Riot-like rocker (similar to “Run For Cover”), and unsurprisingly the hardest rocker on the album. JY was overdue. That fact that you can really only feel his presence on this one track is one of the major weaknesses to Edge of the Century. However, they try to make up for it with with a smokin’ guitar solo, and a killer keyboard break from Dennis too. “Homewrecker” may be derivative but JY hasn’t rocked out this hard on a Styx album since “Half-Penny, Two-Penny” back in ’81. It’s over all too soon.
Edge of the Century is still missing one key Styx ingredient, and they save it for last: something big and pompous and overblown. That is “Back to Chicago”. Air-shaking blasts of horns and clarinet accompany a huge broadway-ready chorus. It’s hard to imagine when you start this album on “Love is the Ritual” that you will end it on something as different as “Back to Chicago”. Styx albums albums are often diverse, with heavy riff rockers butting up against pretentious set pieces. But they’ve always been cohesive. By the end of Edge of the Century, any thought of cohesiveness are out the window. Although the same five guys plays on all 10 songs, it sounds like two or three separate bands.
Edge of the Century is like a lost Styx album. The band split after a short tour, with the album going Gold but no further. Due to the sad passing of drummer John Panozzo, this lineup could never exist again. Styx reunited in 1995 (with Shaw), but they stopped playing “Show Me the Way” when Dennis was let go in 1999. “Love is the Ritual” continued to be played live when Burtnik was in the band again (on bass filling in for Chuck Panozzo) from 1999-2003.
Fortunately, the album can be acquired remastered in a fine reissue on BGO Records, paired in a 2 CD set with The Grand Illusion. The reissue includes the original lyrics and liner notes, along with an essay detailing Styx history.
“Listen motherfuckers to the song that should be heard!” bellows W. Axl Rose, cocky as ever.
Guns N’ Roses like to drop bombshells and they did this week when “Silkworms” returned to the setlist after an absence of almost two decades. It had been reworked and retitled “Absurd”, now augmented with Slash n’ Duff’s involvement. In another surprise bombshell, they just released a studio version. The first new Guns N’ Roses music since Chinese Democracy and first with Slash and Duff since 1994.
“Silkworms” is am interesting choice to release as the first new song with the old legends back in the band. It’s always going to be associated with the Chi-Dem era. The version I knew had Robin Finck and Buckethead on guitar. Brain on drums. Tommy Stinson on bass. A lot has changed! Slash is audible but more Slash-y sounds would be have appreciated. Duff sounds brilliant. Why not an actual new song? I don’t know…but at the same time, I’m glad “Silkworms” finally got a release as “Absurd”. It was always deserving of a proper studio release.
Axl sings in that punky “Down on the Farm” character, and the lyrics are as venomous as they were in 2001. “Parasitic demons sucking acid through your heart!” He sounds quite good; better than the concert versions we’ve heard thus far. The vocal is mixed to sound like a megaphone because, hey, it was the Chi-Dem era. There’s a disorienting quiet section in the middle that also hearkens back to that quaint time.
Good tune, but those of us who have craved “Silkworms” for 20 years are biased to a good impression. Those who didn’t like it won’t be turned, and those who want something more like Appetite and Illusions won’t get it this time. If you love Chinese Democracy, add a mark to my score. If you hate it, subtract one or two based on your level of venom.
When I was a kid, I wanted to collect “all” the Def Leppard music videos. Hysteria was pretty much my favourite album for two years. Their videos were ubiquitous. Any time MuchMusic had a new one to debut, you could count on it being a hit. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” was the anthem of the summer of ’88 and the video was on all the time. But some Def Leppard videos were played far less frequently.
The 1988 VHS Historia collected all Def Leppard’s music videos up to “Love Bites”, along with some rare television performances that never aired over here. They were introduced by quaint title cards, and each video was presented in full — no edits.
“Hello America” with Pete Willis was the first one we’d never seen before. Why was the drum kit out front? Nobody knew, but this cool song sounded like a lost hit. The “fake live” trio of “Let It Go”, “High ‘N’ Dry”, and “Bringing on the Heartbreak” ended the Willis era of music videos. These three were seen on TV here, but only rarely. “Heartbreak” was the original album mix.
The big three Pyromania videos by David Mallet were up next, “Photograph” in its uncensored version. Then there’s a TV performance (lip syncing of course) of “Too Late For Love”. This includes a neat set up with Steve Clark and Phil Collen coming down these hydraulic staircases. When spending the money to buy a VHS tape of music videos you can see on TV, it’s nice to get real rarities like this.
“Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” is another serious rarity from Japanese TV. With Union Jacks draped behind, Leppard rarely looked this cool. It’s no shirt required for Rick Allen, and a mop-topped Joe Elliot screams behind his hair into the microphone cupped in his hands. Unfortunately, during the guitar solo the director chose to focus everywhere but on Phil for most of it.
After Pyromania blew up all over the world, Leppard reissued Hign ‘N’ Dry with two bonus tracks. Music videos were made for each: The remixed versions of “Bringing on the Heartbreak” and “Me and My Wine”. The DVD release is mucked up and includes the wrong audio instead of the remix of “Heartbreak” but the VHS has everything right. These two videos are exact opposites. “Heartbreak” is a high budget extravaganza with the two guitarists playing on massive silos, smoke all around. Then there’s Joe crucified on a barge for some reason. The performance stuff is pretty cool at least. But “Me and My Wine” is a total contrast, just Leppard jamming it up in a cheap flat, wrecking stuff and playing in the showing.
And then finally it’s the Hysteria era, the big big hits with the million dollar videos. “Women” was cool, with that Def Leppard comic book theme. “Animal” and “Hysteria” had a lot of mainstream play. There’s also the original UK version of “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, with Leppard playing in a house in the midst of demolition. The “fake live” US version is also included, with the familiar extended remixed intro that was actually unreleased in audio form at that time. It is paired with “Armageddon It”, made from the same batch of concert footage.
Finally, in the days before hidden CD tracks were all that common, Leppard hit you with an unlisted bonus video. It’s “Love Bites”, the brand new video that shortly took over the world for them once more.
Videos weren’t cheap to buy — they were $25 to $30 for something like Historia. What you wanted was value for your money (stuff you didn’t see on TV) and rewatchability. Historia was constantly in our VCR, often for a full play-through. It more than earned its share of my allowance.
With a long career travelling landscapes of rock, jazz and metal, Lee Aaron has returned on CD with 12 new tracks that represent some of her best work to date. It’s called Radio On! and it’s an apt title. These are radio-ready tunes built for summer purposes. For best results, roll down those windows and hit the highway with Lee Aaron on your deck, loud.
Lee’s band with whom she wrote and recorded Radio On! include Sean Kelly on guitar, Dave Reimer on bass, and John Cody on drums. With a guy like Kelly contributing licks, you know you can count on some smokin’ guitar hooks and that’s exactly what you get on opener “Vampin'”. Hard hitting, but constructed with melody in mind. Lee is one of those artists for whom time has not passed. As she’s explored genres other than rock, she’s only gotten better and that shows on “Vampin'”. It belies the jazz records in her discography, but make no mistake, this is rock! Kelly’s solo break ensures it.
A collection of vintage-sounding riffs on the mid-tempo “Soul Breaker” lend it a melodic base. Lee uses that to springboard into hook after hook. Future classic potential. A memorable solo is like a maraschino cherry on top. Things turn slightly pop-punk on “C’Mon”, a brilliant single that will be lighting up stereos all summer long. Check out John Cody’s cool drum pattern and the jabbing stun-gun melodies that Lee delivers.
A diverse album this is, with “Mama Don’t Remember” sounding like a rocked-up roadhouse blues. You can picture a band playing this number in a seedy bar with dusty beams of light leaking through the walls. Then it’s the title track and the memorable hook “I wanna die with the radio on”. Me too, Lee!
“Soho Crawl”, backed by bouncy piano, rocks pretty hard in a different direction. Another road is explored on the dark “Devil’s Road”, with bass leading the way. Burning slow, laden with some of Lee’s finest words, “Devil’s Road” has the potential to be the kind of song that makes an album immortal, like a “Black Velvet”.
Picking up the pace, “Russian Doll” has the “Radar Love” rocking boogie, while Lee belts line after line of sticky sweet vocal candy. Kelly dives right into parts unknown for the wicked solo. Live, this is the song that will get people up and dancing. But this album doesn’t linger in the same places too long, and so the mid-tempo “Great Big Love” takes a different road. Opposites attract in the lyrics, and the music leaves lots of room for Lee to do her thang. Her lyrics just keep getting better. “It all comes down to chemistry, the science is in babe and science don’t lie.” There’s a swing and a country feel to it.
“Wasted” goes to dark territory. Serious subject matter, but wrapped gently in some of the most beautiful music Lee Aaron’s ever sung. All before it explodes punkily in the middle for a rousing chorus. Shifting into a funk groove, “Had Me at Hello” has some wicked rhythm. Lee’s playful words are an instrument to their own as the band jams on.
Finally closing on a piano ballad, Radio On! feels like a journey. The last leg is “Twenty One” which is likely to take you back in time. “Always in my mind, I’m 21.” It’s a vocal tour-de-force, ending an album full of ’em.
It’s worth celebrating any time a beloved artist from our past puts out a truly great album these days. For it to be one of the best albums of their career, that’s something very special. Respect to Mike Fraser for another perfect mix. Summer 2021 just gained another mainstay for its soundtrack.
JETHRO TULL – Stand Up (Originally 1969, 2010 2 CD & DVD Chrysalis Collector’s Edition)
Stand Up, from its wonderful cover art (including a fun Jethro Tull pop-out!) to the music in the grooves, is probably my favourite Tull platter. One basic reason is that it sounds like a transitional album, and I’m often drawn to those. It combines the remnants of the blues jams that they specialized in from the Mick Abrahams era (1968’s This Was), and their growing experimental side. It’s kind of the best of both worlds, and it always sounded great — even better on this new remaster. Stand Up has since been remixed by the very talented Steven Wilson (2016’s Elevated Edition), but if you wanted a CD copy of the original unaltered mix, this 2010 edition is what you need. (This mix is available on a DVD in the Elevated Edition, but not CD, and they each contain different bonus material.)
“A New Day Yesterday” has the task of opening this new era of Jethro Tull on LP, and it maintains the blues direction. Then immediately, “Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square” brings on the hippy side, with bongos, psychedlic jamming and the world’s greatest rock flautist. “Bourée” proves it, as he jams jazz-rock style along to J.S. Bach. Only Tull can make Bach swing as they do on “Bourée”. From the upbeat jamming “Nothing is Easy” to the exotic “Fat Man”, this album begins to open up Tull’s diversity. “Reasons For Waiting” brings on a lush, orchestrated side of Jethro Tull that some would call pompous and others would call delicate and quaint. But then they just flat out rock — with flute — on album closer “For a Thousand Mothers”. It’s truly the first diverse Tull album, going from corner to corner to explore whatever their hearts desired.
The Collector’s Edition contains valuable bonus music aplenty. The first disc alone doubles the length of the album. It has every bonus track from the previous 2001 remaster, which are the A and B-sides of two standalone singles. These are the swinging’ “Living In the Past”, filler “Driving Song”, the powerful (with horns!) and awesome “Sweet Dream”, and my favourite, “17”. It adds in a mono single mix of “Living In the Past” with some subtle differences. Two BBC live sessions are included via four live tracks, including “Bourée”. There are even amusing radio spots. And that’s just the first disc.
The second disc is an entire concert: Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, 4 November 1970. This would make it a show from the Benefit tour, the album which followed Stand Up. It includes songs from Benefit, such as “Sossity; You’re a Woman”. It also previews the future Aqualung classic “My God”. It is, of course, a great live show…it’s Jethro Tull in their youth after all! Hear Ian Anderson go nuts on the flute solo!
Another highlight is “Dharma For One”, stretched out to 13 minutes to include a bonkers Clive Bunker drum solo. The wicked slidey guitar on “A Song For Jeffrey” is really hot on these tapes too. By this time, John Evan had joined as Tull’s pianist which adds another dimension. Check out the intricate work on “With You There to Help Me”.
Then, as if that wasn’t enough, there is a bonus DVD which contains a DTS 5.1 mix of the whole concert — audio only, however! If you have the equipment to play it, then enjoy. I will usually resort back to the stereo mix on CD but the 5.1 mix offers some additional depth.
For “things you will only watch once” (or twice if you’re reviewing your collection), the DVD also includes a 45 minute Ian Anderson interview from 2010 to check out. The split with Mick Abrahams is one of the most interesting parts though the story of the impasse is familiar. It simply boiled down to styles, and Ian didn’t want to be limited to just one. As such, he considers Stand Up to be the first real Jethro Tull album; the first to tentatively embark on their world-wide musical journey. Of course Mick had to be replaced, and Ian discusses three guitarists that tried out, including you-know-who. Martin Barre was chosen of course, given a second chance after a poor first meeting.
Barre’s furious solo work on Stand Up‘s blistering “We Used to Know” more than justifies the choice.
The packaging is gorgeous, coming packed in a thick, sturdy digipack. Artwork like this deserves a proper showcase, and unless you buy an original LP, this is about as good as it’s going to get.
RECORD STORE TALES #920: Wild in the Streets Helix – Center in the Square, Kitchener, 1987
We simply could not wait to see our first real concert.
As soon as the date was announced, we got tickets: Helix with a band called Haywire opening. Center in the Square, downtown Kitchener. We were second row mezzanine. Bob and I were so psyched to finally see our first real rock concert.
We wanted to bring a banner that said “HOMETOWN HELIX”. We dreamed big.
Helix were hot on the road for their new album, Wild in the Streets. We’d seen the video and knew what their stage show was going to look like. The stage set played on the brick wall artwork from the album cover, with two ramps on the sides, that resembled the “fangs” in the Helix logo. We thought those ramps were absolutely badass. We couldn’t wait to see Brian Vollmer slide down mid-song,
We were not interested in Haywire — too pop. The two girls in front of us were obviously Haywire fans. They had the shirts and were going nuts for singer Paul MacAusland. Bob and I didn’t think much of him, especially when he laid down flat on his face on the stage. “That’s his stage move?” we questioned. Bob liked the guitarist, but I wanted to hear some “real” rock, not this.
A kid from our school, Brian Knight, was there in the loges on the side. He boasted the next day at school that Helix were not that good; he had seen better. Ironically he later went on to roadie for Helix. He could be seen in the 1991 MuchMusic special Waltzing with Helix. He was also acknowledged in Brian Vollmer’s book Gimme An R, albeit his name was misspelled “McKnight”. Sadly, Brian passed away this year.
What Brian claimed was simply untrue. It might have been our first real rock concert, but it was a hell of a first. We didn’t know a lot of the songs but we knew the hits and some of the deep cuts from Walkin’ the Razor’s Edge. They certainly played everything we wanted to hear, including the new single “Dream On”, “Wild in the Streets”, “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'”, “Rock You”, “Heavy Metal Love”, “(Make Me Do) Anything You Want”, “Kids are all Shakin'”, and “Deep Cuts the Knife”. They also played a new tune that we found amusing. It went, “Bend over and kiss your ass goodbye” (“Kiss It Goodbye”). Fritz Hinz took a drum solo, and turned around and shockingly revealed his bare bottom with nothing but a jock strap. We laughed – we were easily entertained!
The highlight of the show was when Vollmer climbed the loges, and then ran all the way across the mezzanine, right past our noses! We could hardly believe it. Bob reached out his hand but Brian didn’t slap it. I simply made a fist, like “right on man”! It was amazing how we’d been watching this guy climb up, and then make his way in our direction…and then he ran past and it was over in a second! Before we knew it he was on the other side, and climbing back down to the stage again. We knew he had a reputation for climbing on top of things and doing somersaults, but we sure didn’t know that was going to happen when we bought our tickets!
Helix didn’t make as much use of the side ramps as I thought they would, but they did put on a hell of a show. Doctor Doerner played that big doubleneck that we wanted to see so bad, and of course the “Wild in the Streets” guitar. We got to see all their stage moves and tricks, and yes, the women in the audience were unlike any we’d ever seen before outside of a video.
We got all the songs we wanted, plus a few we didn’t know like “Dirty Dog”. They put on one of the most energetic shows that I’m ever likely to see. It was the MTV/MuchMusic era and all we had seen before were music videos. The quick cut-and-paste editing of a music video is hard to compete with. Helix had to work hard on stage, and they went above and beyond that night.
Not a bad “first”. What I did notice was that Vollmer’s voice sounded thinner than on album. I wondered if all concerts were like that? I couldn’t believe how deaf I was afterwards! Both of us were experiencing this for the first time. It was a strange sensation and we must have been yelling in the car the whole way home, when my dad came to pick us up.
We couldn’t stop talking about Helix for days. Weeks. They didn’t really have to win us over; they were hometown heroes to us. Instead Helix just cemented our loyalty. It is said that a great rock show can change a life. In this case, it simply affirmed everything we had hoped.
STYX – The Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight Live (2011 Eagle Records)
Although legacy bands like Styx may not write and record new music as often as they used to, there have been a couple interesting effects from this. Legendary discographies have been mined by a handful of classic bands, playing rare tracks live that haven’t been played on a stage in decades, if ever. Sometimes, bands play full albums. A few even play two! Styx chose The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight for live resurrection.
Dipping back to 1977 and 1978, Styx picked two of their best records to perform. Kind of the “sweet spot” between Tommy Shaw joining the band on Crystal Ball, and the drama with Dennis DeYoung on Cornerstone. There are numerous of songs they never played live with Lawrence Gowan on vocals before, if at all! They had to re-learn their own songs to put on this concert. You can’t accuse them of taking the easy way out!
Tommy even tells you where the side breaks come!
With Todd Sucherman on drums, the songs are naturally heavier here. Gowan’s voice lends a different sound to them too. Bassist Ricky Phillips is rock solid as always, but original bassist Chuck Panozzo still comes out to play bass on the odd track live. His rumble on “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)” is nice and prominent in the mix.
The songs have other notable differences, like more guitar solos. James Young does Dennis’ old spoken word part on “Superstars”. Some might wonder, “Why listen to this, when you can play the original albums with the original members any time you want?” It would be unwise to compare the talents of Gowan and Dennis, but why can’t you just be a fan of both? Some people want to hear Gowan singing “Come Sail Away”, and especially “Castle Walls” which was only played once before in 1978 and a handful of times in 1997. There are many such songs on this recording. “I’m OK” (which Gowan sings) was dropped after 1979, until this tour. “Lords of the Rings” (James Young on vocals) was only played once in 1978.
There are stories, and songs for the diehards. This isn’t a package for someone looking for greatest hits. It’s also not the same as listening to an old album. This is for the Styx fan who loves the past and present equally.
“And when the night comes to the city I say…I’m sleeping my day away.” – D.A.D.
D.A.D. – No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims (1989 Warner)
There we were sitting in Bob Schipper’s basement after school on some Thursday in late 1989. Suddenly Bob’s attention was caught by a music video. We always had our eyes open for unique guitars. Neither of us had ever seen a two string bass before. The neck was insanely thin. The song was called “Sleeping My Day Away”, and the band was D.A.D. — Disneyland After Dark. They already had two albums out in their native Denmark, but this was their first North American single.
It wasn’t just the bass. Even the song was unique. Anchored by a simple three-note lick played on a fat hollowbody guitar, the song had an edge we were unfamiliar with. The singer, Jesper Binzer, had a cool rasp. He wore a tie in the video and the bassist (Stig Pedersen) wore a medic’s helmet! Bob loved ’em. So did the music magazines. It’s a shame that didn’t translate into North American success.
When the bassist’s medic helmet erupted with fireworks during the guitar solo, I didn’t know what to think about D.A.D. Were they serious? Were they a joke? I should have just listened to the music, but it wasn’t easy to find their album.
D.A.D.’s No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims is made up of 12 sparky rock tunes. They range from 2:04 at the shortest to 4:36 at the longest. If guessed that punk rock must be an influence, you would be correct. No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims has that energy and sneer, crossed with the melodic sensibilities of classic hard rock. Also a knack for a memorable lyric; not the easiest task when English is your second language.
“Jihad! I’m gettin’ mad! And there’s no fuel left for the pilgrims,” sings Jesper, somehow stretching the word “mad” into two syllables. “Jihad” is an adrenaline-fueled blast, revealing the band’s punk rock roots. But they slow it down to a strong beat on “Point of View”, a melodic bright spot with more of that catchy hollowbody echoing hooks. “Rim of Hell” slows it down further, turning up the menace. “They throw the best damn parties at the rim of hell,” goes the hook, and you’ll be ready to jump in by the end.
“ZCMI” brings AC/DC to the table, adding to the stew of influences. Iggy is definitely in D.A.D.’s record collection too. “Girl Nation” is another catchy highlight, with Jesper imagining an interstellar “female civilization”. Elsewhere, the chorus “I win with a Siamese twin!” tells us where Jesper’s mind is. It’s certainly a unique lyrical theme in music. “Wild Talk” edges into Kiss territory; but it’s Kiss when Bob Kulick was secretly playing guitar! Closing on “Ill Will”, thrash metal is the final genre to be conquered!
No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims contains no duds, and has nothing to skip. Though “Sleeping My Day Away” is clearly the best song, it is among a very strong batch. D.A.D. have that punk rock sense of humour that runs through the album. A reckless, who-gives-a-shit attitude that hints this band will do anything so long as it’s fun to do. It’s a great little album that didn’t particularly fit in with any of their peers coming out of Hollywood.
– Off the Soundboard – Tokyo 2001 (Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan, March 13, 2001 – 2021 Universal)
Hell yeah, Kiss have started releasing official bootlegs. Proving that they “get” the concept, the first in what we hope will be a long series, is a lineup never before heard on any official Kiss release. After the lengthy reunion and Psycho Circus tours, Kiss embarked on a “Farewell Tour” that really wasn’t. It was just the farewell to the original lineup, and specifically Peter Criss. Ace Frehley stayed on board for the time being and Eric Singer was brought in as the new Catman. This lineup lasted until Frehley left and Criss came back for the Kiss Symphony, but was never documented in any official capacity.
Confusing? Just know three things:
This is really valuable to fans.
ACE FREHLEY, LEAD GUITAR!
Paul Stanley was still in great voice back in 2001.
Alright, Tokyo. You wanted the best, you got the best. Let’s have a listen.
An electrifying “Detroit Rock City” opens, and immediately you can hear the pitter-patter of the new Catman making itself evident. Stanley is in fine form, high energy. And the sound is damn decent. Sure, you could wish the vocals were mixed louder and the bass a little lower, but the “official bootleg” is a more honest experience than a polished-up Alive album. And Paul really nails it.
“Deuce” has plenty of those Frehley solos and fills that we miss so much today. Gene is fully engaged and frankly, you don’t miss Peter. Paul says a quick hello in Japanese, and teases the crowd in expert frontman fashion. Then it’s “Shout It Out Loud”, a pretty standard version. Frehley’s “Talk To Me” from Unmasked is the real treat. It is not the first live version released (there was an earlier live take on The Box Set with Eric Carr) but it is rarely heard.
Paul always asks the crowd “How we doin’ so far,” and the pace is slowed down for “I Love It Loud”. This version has particularly good backing vocals in comparison with others. Then Paul needs to know if the crowd is having a good time, just before he pulls off some impressive soulful bellowing. It’s time to call the “Firehouse”, another solid version. Eric Singer’s drumming is noticeably more regimented but the fills are big and bold. It’s just great to have Ace on lead guitar.
Kiss setlists are often safe, and a steady stream of Kiss standbys roll out: “Do You Love Me”, “Dr. Love”, “Heaven’s On Fire” and “Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll”. It’s a Kiss concert; none of these songs vary much from night to night. None of them suck; Kiss were sounding good and Eric Singer helps beef up the vocals. The extended intro to “Heaven’s On Fire” really highlights what a truly exceptional singer Paul Stanley was. Gene on the other hand is pretty ragged on “Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll”, not being able to decide what voice he’s singing in. Great to hear Ace take a long solo on it though, all the while Eric Singer filling the backdrop with snares n’ toms.
Frehley takes the spotlight once more on “Shock Me” with his feature solo. Gimme a Frehley version of “Shock Me” any day over a Tommy version. Ace does a weird “Shock Me-ee-ee” thing on the chorus. After telling the crowd that “Tokyo rocks,” he blasts through the fanfare of “Also sprach Zarathustra” on his Gibson. It was indeed the year 2001! Frehley’s solo (almost 10 minutes of it) is a CD highlight for those who miss the Spaceman.
Ending the first disc, “Psycho Circus” was the only track from the most recent Kiss album left in the set. It is always reliable, sounding like classic Kiss, even more so when Ace plays the lead solo (which he didn’t on the album). Continuing on disc two, “Lick It Up” makes its appearance. This is a track that that rules completely with Ace Frehley. “Lick It Up” has always been, let’s face it, a bland song. When you add Ace soloing on it, it’s got some flavour. Could be that the Tokyo Dome version of “Lick It Up” is the best available take out there.
Gene’s bass break is boring without the visuals, but “God of Thunder” is pretty hot, Ace throwing in some squeals that remind you why the real thing was special. This track also includes Eric’s drum solo. Momentum is built on “Cold Gin”, and the monolithic “100,000 Years”. Raw and heavy Kiss with vintage Frehley? Again, outside of Kiss Alive itself, these are probably the best versions you will hear. Paul’s usual sing-a-long in “100,000 Years” is part of the party. “Do you feel alriii-iii-iight!” Nothing is edited out, even when Paul is busy handing out T-shirts and all you have is Eric keeping the beat. Fans appreciate that authenticity.
There’s still plenty of heavy tonnage rock left to go. “Love Gun” can’t be left out, fireworks blasting as Paul flies out over the crowd (which is why the song has an extended intro without vocals). Once Paul’s on his platform in the middle of the arena it’s off to the races. No place for hiding indeed!
The surprise is “I Still Love You” from Creatures of the Night. The only ballad, and a track that was rarely played after the reunion. It has always been a big Paul moment, and this is performed solo without Simmons, Frehley or Singer as part of the intro to “Black Diamond”. Speaking of which, “Black Diamond” is also an album highlight; a version with Eric Singer on lead vocals and Ace Frehley on lead guitar!
The pairing of “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” and “Rock and Roll all Nite” are an odd one, but that’s the closing duo that got the Tokyo crowd screaming.
Besides the couple rarely played songs, the cool thing about this Tokyo setlist is the pacing. It starts with a bang, and it never really lets go. Even the solo breaks are really just big intros or outros that amplify the moments around them. Then the whole show manages to even pick up the excitement at the end with stellar performances of “Love Gun” and “Black Diamond”. It is also encouraging that Kiss are realizing the value of past lineups, and official bootlegs. As long as they remain willing to highlight songs and band members from nooks and crannies in the band’s history, then the Kiss Off the Soundboard series is a promising one.
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– Off the Soundboard – Tokyo 2001 (Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan, March 13, 2001 – 2021 Universal)
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