DIO – Magica (originally 2000, 2013 Niji deluxe edition)
Although Ronnie James Dio was a very vivid songwriter, he only made one true concept album. Magica was intended as a trilogy, but only the first part was completed before Dio’s death in 2010. Magica was released in 2000 as a story of aliens, heroes, villains and magic. Dio’s new band consisted of returning champions Craig Goldy (from the Dream Evil album) on guitar, drummer Simon Wright (Lock Up the Wolves), and original bassist Jimmy Bain. The album, co-written by Dio and Goldy, was considered a triumph in its time. It is a strong return to old-style quality metal after 1996’s questionable Angry Machines CD. This deluxe edition collects the album and all related tracks together in one place.
Without getting into too much story detail, “Discovery” introduces aliens that serve as a framing story. Alien explorers have found the ancient planet of Blessing, but are confused by the written records they find. “Flesh can NOT be mutated into stone, and re-morphed back to the body once again. Continue the investigation with special attention given to one word: MAGICA.”
“Lord of the Last Days” is a dramatic and metallic start. Dio’s slow grooves bring the melody and power of the riff to the fore. “I love the night, so many shadows,” he sings as the villain character Shadowcast. A segue brings us to the single “Fever Dreams”, a song so good that it was performed live in 2001 by Deep Purple with Ronnie as guest. Goldy’s choppy riff is the stuff of metal dreams. Fans who thought Dio strayed too far from the old school before were very pleased.
The music speeds up and becomes more menacing on “Turn to Stone”. Evil has made its move! “Turn to Stone” is classic Dio music, very much in line with Dream Evil (1987). Goldy turns in some killer solo work here, before we move on to the robotic “Feed My Head”. The album loses momentum on the long “Eriel”, and the truth is that the story gets too hard to follow without reading along with the liner notes.
Some smoking soloing introduces “Challis”, a memorable rocker that brings the album back on track. The songs work best when backed by good old riffs. “Challis” is quintessential hard rock Dio, but Dio also has a tender side. The album’s ballad “As Long as it’s Not About Love” is long but exemplary. Then it’s a celtic sounding jig on “Losing My Insanity”, before it transforms into something heavier and almost Sabbathy.
The deluxe edition of Magica contains the original Japanese bonus track, an instrumental called “Annica”. This is on CD 2, but for the most authentic listening experience, you should move it back to where it belongs, on the first disc between “Losing My Insanity” and “Otherworld”. This guitar piece really shows off Craig Goldy’s style and tone. Then “Otherworld” is the climax of the story, good triumphing over evil, and a nice dramatically heavy track.
The alien framing story returns with a reprise of “Lord of the Last Days”, indicating that the tale is not over. Far from it.
The final track on the original album has been moved to CD 2: Dio reading “The Magica Story”, also included inside as text. This is 18 minutes of some of the dullest narration you’ve ever heard. Finishing it once is a challenge, listening to it regularly as a part of the album is madness. Instead, skip to “Electra”, the only song they finished for Magica 2 (or 3). “Electra” was the last single that Dio released in his lifetime, as part of a box set called Tournado. It sounds like a part of Magica, perhaps indicating the next album would have been darker. It’s sad but gratifying to know that the last song Dio put out was a good one.*
Five rare live tracks round out the set, all songs from Magica never released on anything else. Live, the band featured Alice Cooper bassist Chuck Garric in Jimmy Bain’s place. “Fever Dreams” is particularly good, a little bit faster than the original. “As Long as it’s Not About Love” has more passion in the live setting. Most fans have not had the chance to hear live versions of the Magica songs before this package came out.
When Magica was originally released, I was lucky enough to get the Japanese version right away. I was hoping for something more like old Dio, and less like Angry Machines. Judging from my time in the Record Store, I think many Dio fans lost interest in the band after Angry Machines. One of my old customers, Glen, was turned around by Magica. I recommended it to him, and he loved it. Now, I’m recommending it to you.
25 million copies sold. Seven hit singles. A two year world tour. All done under the most difficult circumstances. Def Leppard’s Hysteria is one of rock’s greatest triumphs.
Although the album was released in 1987, the Hysteria story really begins on December 31, 1984. Drummer Rick Allen lost control of his speeding Corvette, and was thrown from the vehicle due to improper use of seatbelts. His left arm was severed. Doctors attempted to re-attach the arm, but infection set in and it could not be saved. It would be understandable if people thought Rick’s career in music was finished. While many artists from Django Reinhardt to Tony Iommi had dealt with physical disabilities, nobody had ever seen a one-armed rock drummer before.
Undaunted, Allen began working on a way around his disability. The band never considered a future without him, and were disappointed by “ambulance chasers” looking for a gig. Rick Allen wasn’t about to allow himself to go down or dwell in his misery. With an electronic kit triggered by his feet and right hand, Allen eventually regained his ability to not only play drums, but play live. This resulted in an inevitable stylistic change. Allen’s drumming style became more staggered, with emphasis on bigger, spaced out snare hits. His electronic kit was no crutch: singer Joe Elliott said he could play it “and make it really sound terrible”.
The next album was supposed to be a big deal. It was Phil Collen’s first Def Leppard LP as a writer, and Rick’s chance to prove he wasn’t out. Unfortunately, when the band started to record, producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange was not available. Instead the band began to work with Jim Steinman (Meat Loaf), but were underwhelmed by the results they were getting. Leppard’s ambition was not just to make another album, but to make something seriously good, memorable and special. Something to surpass Pyromania. Steinman was let go and the band started working with Nigel Green with no progress being made.
The band were taking so long, and suffered so many setbacks and delays, that eventually Mutt Lange was available again, and together they finally began work on the new Def Leppard LP. Co-writing every song with the band, Mutt provided the focus and intense discipline. The stated goal, following the template of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, was to make an album with 12 potential singles.
The long story of this difficult album (false starts, illnesses, studio problems) is only overshadowed by its success. But it took a while to get there.
Disc One: The original album (Hysteria)
The first single “Women” did well enough, but failed to kickstart the mega album sales needed to recoup the losses. “Women” was an odd choice for a first single: a slow robotic rock track, with a killer comic book-based music video. It introduced the new Def Leppard groove: A simple one or two note bass line, layers upon layers of vocals and chiming guitars, but none of the full-speed-ahead New Wave of British Heavy Metal that Leppard were founded on. The year was 1987 and Def Leppard were on the cutting edge.
To get those chiming bell-like chords, Mutt had them recorded one note at a time! This is very apparent on “Animal”, the second single. It too was mildly successful, but not enough to push the album into orbit. Listen to the guitar chords and you will hear something that sounds more like chimes than strings. This is down to the incredibly detailed and overdubbed recordings. “Animal” was a stellar pop rock track, and a fine example of what Hysteria sounds like.
Refusing to give up, a third single was dropped: the ballad title track “Hysteria” and possibly the finest song on the album. The fact that these singles were not the hits the band hoped for at the time has not diminished them. Today they are all concert classics, radio staples, and beloved fan favourites. Leppard even re-recorded the song in 2013 for release on iTunes. (While the re-recorded version is impressive, it is impossible to exactly recreate the magic on this album.)
Finally, the success that the band and record label were waiting for happened. The track was “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and the North American version of its music video showcased the band’s stunning live show. Def Leppard were playing “in the round” to rave reviews. “Pour Some Sugar”, a retro glam rock tune with a contemporary sound, was a summer smash hit. It was cool, it was catchy, and Joe’s verses almost sounded like rap, although really they had more in common with Marc Bolan of T-Rex.
On a roll, nothing would stop Def Leppard now. Though the goal was an album with 12 potential singles, Hysteria eventually yielded seven. Most rock bands were lucky to squeeze three out of a hit album. Though the album was now becoming a bonafide hit, some critics and fans lamented the death of the original Def Leppard. Others embraced their pop success. The raw edgy guitars were gone and replaced by bright, precise parts working as a whole, in a gigantic pop rock juggernaut. Joe wasn’t screaming out every line, but actually singing now. It hardly matters. With the success of Hysteria, Def Leppard had embarked on a whole new journey and have rarely looked back to their origins.
The singles carried on, through the rest of 1988 and into 1989. “Love Bites” was fifth up, which originated as a country ballad that Mutt wrote and the band Leppardized into something different. It was a hit for the autumn of ’88, a slightly dark ballad for the fall. The victorious glam rock of “Armageddon It” was next, simple and pleasant enough for radio and video, and another huge hit. These were songs that had pep, but wouldn’t frighten mom and dad.
The seventh and final single was a surprise choice: “Rocket”. On album, “Rocket” was 6:37 long, and featured a long experimental middle section. The ambitious mid-section featured loads of NASA samples and sound effects, all backed by the African inspired drum loops of Rick Allen. The song was based a drum beat by Burundi Black, brought in by Joe Elliott, played by Rick Allen and looped. Eventually lyrics were added, inspired by the glitter groups of the 70’s that Leppard grew up with. Lange also used backwards vocals for some of the hooks. The line that opens the track and repeats through the song is the chorus from “Gods of War”, backwards: “Raw fo sdog eht rof gnithgif er’ew.” It was a sharp track to be used as a single, but that unforgettable beat was beyond question.
Hysteria had two more tracks as good as the singles, although they were not. “Gods of War” became a fan favourite, and easily could have been an eighth single. Dark in tone but more epic in quality, it has since become heavily associated with late guitarist Steven Maynard Clark. He was responsible for much of its guitar thunder. The final track that could have worked as a single was the album closer, the ballady “Love and Affection”. As good as any of the actual singles, “Love and Affection” had its own charm and hit potential. It’s long been one of my album favourites, just under “Hysteria” and “Gods of War”.
Rounding out the LP are “Run Riot” and “Don’t Shoot Shotgun”, two rock tracks that would have been highlights on a lesser album. Neither are clearly as brilliant as the hits, but both solidly get the job done with guitar thrills. Finally there is “Excitable”, the only song I’ve never particularly dug. It strikes me as gimmicky and very 80’s, much like “Social Disease” by Bon Jovi. Too reliant on sound effects and gimmicks. So out of 12 tracks, only one was really a dud. That’s not bad by any measure.
Hysteria rode the charts, recouped its costs, and then some. The tour in the round was legendary and resulted in a live video In the Round: In Your Face. Def Leppard were, for a short while anyway, the biggest rock band in the world.
Disc Two & Three: B-Sides and Remixes
As discussed in greater detail in Record Store Tales Part 4: A Word About B-Sides, this album and its singles really clicked with the collector in me. Def Leppard prepared a number of B-sides for Hysteria, and perhaps because these were not produced with Mutt, they all have a harder edge. The four key must-have B-sides were all exclusive studio tracks, and the first four on the second CD of this set.
“Tear It Down” was a speedy but basic rock track considered good enough to include on the next album, and so it was. The B-side version remains its superior, because it is tougher than the one on Adrenalize. The most impressive B-side was probably “I Wanna Be Your Hero”. This B-side from the “Animal” EP has the Hysteria vibe and sound. It easily could have replaced “Excitable” as an LP track, but if it had perhaps Hysteria wouldn’t have sounded as diverse. Dig that false ending! Next, “Ride into the Sun” is a remake of a track from the original 1979 Def Leppard EP. The 1987 update is heavier and far better, a truly impressive upgrade. Finally “Ring of Fire” was even heavier than that, clearly too heavy for what Hysteria became.
The second disc features all the radio edits done for Hysteria‘s singles. Even to collectors, this is padding. Only one radio edit seems to hit the nostalgic notes, which is “Women” with a fade out ending. Incidentally, the only single from Hysteria that didn’t get a single edit was “Animal”, already short at 4:04.
Most important is the cover version of “Release Me”. This track was initially released on the “Armageddon It” picture disc single, but not credited to Def Leppard. Much like their later acoustic B-sides credited to the Acoustic Hippies from Hell, “Release Me” is credited to “Stumpus Maximus and the Good Ol’ Boys”. Engelbert Humperdinck is responsible for the most famous version of “Release Me”, but Stumpus Maximus is definitely responsible for the most twisted. Featuring Def Leppard’s roadie Malvin Mortimer on lead vocals and the rest of the band goofing around on each others’ instruments, “Release Me” is a hoot. Mortimer breaks all known sound barriers with his screaming (and burping) of the lyrics. I was absolutely confused beyond belief upon hearing this for the first time, since I didn’t catch on to this actually being Def Leppard in disguise. They absolutely fooled me; I thought whoever they were, Stumpus Maximus and the Good Ol’ Boys sucked! A hilarious novelty.
Disc two concludes with an 18 minute radio special from the BBC, going through Hysteria‘s songs with Joe Elliott. The third disc consists of remixes and live B-sides from the period. Extended versions of “Animal”, “Pour Some Sugar”, “Armageddon It”, “Rocket” and even “Excitable” all come from 12” singles. A welcome inclusion is the single edit of “Rocket”, the short version of the “lunar mix” . This was excluded from the previous 2 CD deluxe of Hysteria. The video mix of “Pour Some Sugar” is still missing, but that track is on so many albums including the five-million-selling Vault, so we’re not going to worry about it. These extended remixes are, not surprisingly, pretty much for the fans and collectors.
The live B-sides feature the fascinating “Rock of Ages” medley. It seamlessly captures key riffs of classic rock tunes: “Not Fade Away” (Buddy Holly), “My Generation” (The Who), “Radar Love” (Golden Earring), “Come Together” (The Beatles) and “Whole Lotta Love” (Zeppelin). This is all done to the tempo and style of “Rock of Ages”, and quite well, too. Then it’s a lively cut of “Love and Affection”, which was also utilised as the album’s Japanese bonus track. It’s very rare to hear this song done live, and definitely rare to hear a great vintage version done live. Finally there’s a so-so “Billy’s Got a Gun” (same gig). One live B-side is missing, though you can understand why, it is still annoying. “Elected”, the live Alice Cooper cover (same gig again), was on the 2 CD deluxe edition. It was recorded during this period but released in 1993 on the “Heaven Is” single. Because it’s not from a Hysteria single, it was dropped from this box set. Too bad.
Disc Four & Five: In the Round In Your Face (Live)
When I was a young fella, massively into Def Leppard, In the Round In Your Face (taped in Denver over two nights) was the very first live home video I ever bought. To finally, finally have a proper audio edition…there are no words to express the happiness! It always should have been a double live album release and not just a video, but hindsight is always 20/20.
The legendary set consists of hits from Hysteria, Pyromania, and “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak” from High N’ Dry. From the unforgettable Clint Eastwood “Dirty Harry” intro, to the final song “Photograph”, it’s non-stop fun. Though today there is plenty of live Leppard available, nothing tops vintage Joe Elliott screaming like a kid. Aside from a flawless track selection, highlights of the concert include Phil Collen’s new acoustic intro to “Heartbreak”. “Gods of War” is heavy and powerful. “Too Late For Love” gives me chills. Of the newer songs, “Women” is notable for being included as one of the B-sides for “Rocket”. Instead of putting it on the previous disc, it was left intact here, with the concert it came from. Of course, we mustn’t forget what really makes this concert special. Steven Maynard Clark didn’t survive to do another tour with Def Leppard, and this would be the last live recording with him on it.
DVD Disc One: Visual Hysteria
This disc is a new compilation of video clips, the first four of which are previously unreleased. Leppard have three Hysteria-related appearances on Top of the Pops: “Animal”, “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, “and “Rocket”. These lip-synced television appearances are almost comical as people scream for a band miming a hit song. The showmanship of Steve Clark, in his billowy white pants, is sorely missed. What a rock star! On “Animal”, frontman Joe Elliott appears to have pulled a Derek Smalls and stuffed his trousers. Note Phil’s ahead-of-the-times Metallica shirt during “Sugar”. Unfortunately “Rocket” fades out early. Though these videos are old and washed-out, it’s a hoot to have them. Leppard lip-sync again on a familiar video of “Sugar” from the Brit awards.
Music videos were a huge part of the marketing for Hysteria, and a key component to its success. Each one is here, including both the UK and US versions of “Sugar”. These videos bring back such a nostalgic glow. I remember seeing “Women” for the first time, thinking how amazing it was that Def Leppard were back. I also thought about how brave Rick Allen was. He didn’t try to hide his injury. The slow-mo effect of “Hysteria” brings back a lot of memories, as does “Love Bites”. It was a huge hit video in Canada, during a very cool autumn.
DVD Disc Two: Classic Albums
Of all the Classic Albums series DVDs, this was one of my most frequently played. It is now reissued as part of the 30th anniversary box set, a perfect place for it. In case you didn’t know, Classic Albums is a fantastic series of documentaries that go back to the original master tapes. Hysteria is one of many albums they have covered.
Hysteria is such a rich, textured, thick album with a long story so this DVD is an obvious slam dunk. The only thing it lacks is Mutt Lange’s knowledge (a notorious recluse). Otherwise, the band go back to the beginning with the early demos. “Animal” was sparse but remarkably recognizable while still in demo form, down to the false ending. “Rocket” is deconstructed so you can hear the drum orchestra that was laid down, while Joe Elliott talks about how it was inspired. The backing vocals of “Gods of War” are laid out bare, virtually every single word sung and recorded separately! That’s the kind of album this is.
Along with that, Joe, Phil and Sav also perform bits live in the studio. This helps to illustrate the individual parts further. It is revealed to “Love Bites” was brought to the band by Lange as a country song; you can hear the roots on this DVD. Rick Allen is there to discuss his accident, an obviously emotional moment. Steve Clark is discussed too, and current Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell is on hand to talk about the numerous guitar parts that he inherited and has to play live.
My favourite feature of this DVD is actually in the bonus material. It’s the chapter that covers the first shows that Leppard played after Rick Allen’s accident. Originally, Jeff Rich from Status Quo was tapped to play a second drum kit alongside Allen on stage, just in case Allen got tired, slipped out of time, or couldn’t finish the show. There were so many variables that nobody knew what would happen during what really amounted to Allen’s comeback shows. Well, for one show in the middle of nowhere, Jeff Rich was late. If he had turned up on time, maybe Rick Allen would never have found out that he could play a full Def Leppard show on his own. Allen did the show with no help on the drums, and he nailed it. Rich told Allen that his work was done; Allen did not need any more help. And that was it!
The books and packaging
This iteration of Hysteria comes with four individual books and a poster suitable for framing. The Big Book of Hysteria is the main event. Adorned with pictures and full credits, this tells the story of the album from the band’s point of view. There were details in this book that even I wasn’t previously aware of. Why did Rick Savage play guitar on “Hysteria”? What was the original planned 10 track running order of the album? You’ll find that in this book. There is also a track by track rundown of the album by the band.
Next: Ross Halfin’s Portraits of Hysteria. This photo book has many of the classic pictures you will remember from this period. I had several of these as posters on my wall. Halfin was responsible for all of them!
A lovely miniature reproduction of the 1988 UK tour book is complete with cut-outs and even more Halfin photos. Tour books are large affairs, and this being a small reproduction, the text is hard to read. Especially for us old enough to have an original North American tour program in the house.
Lastly, and perhaps most lovely, is the Discography book. Inside are photos and release details of every obscure version ever released of Hysteria, all its singles and more. It’s exhaustive and assembled with consultation from a fan expert.
All seven discs, books and poster are packed in a nice looking, compact box. Each disc has its own gatefold sleeve with yet more memorable pictures inside. They nest inside a cardboard tray with the Union Jack printed on it. Perfect!
Conclusion
I’ve had Hysteria five times now. The first was a gift for Christmas of ’87. I upgraded to CD when I was working at the Record Store. I bought the 2006 2 CD deluxe edition, the DVD of Classic Albums, and Hysteria on 180 gram vinyl. I hope this 30th anniversary box set is the last time I have to do so. I can’t imagine what could entice me to buy it again. A 5.1 surround sound mix? Please, rock gods, don’t do that.
I love Hysteria. But let’s hope this is the last of it.
It’s a song that is a recurring theme for Kiss in the 1980s. It’s a down and out song: Asylum failed to live up to commercial hopes and the band only toured in North America. Paul Stanley was still firmly in control of Kiss. His partner Gene Simmons was now a record label mogul. He signed Loz Netto and House of Lords. Meanwhile, Paul observed bands like Bon Jovi who once opened for them, now eclipsing their success.
Kiss chose producer Ron Nevison for their next album tentatively titled Who Dares Wins. Nevison had recently produced big hits for Heart and Ozzy Osbourne, and Kiss aimed to follow along. The new music was the most commercial they’d written since 1980’s Unmasked. Big name songwriters participated on all but two songs. Much to the chagrin of Kiss fans, keyboards were brought on heavily for the sessions. Paul had been writing on keyboards for the first time. (In concert, keys were played offstage by Gary Corbett.)
The album was renamed Crazy Nights, preceded by first single and video, “Crazy Crazy Nights”. From the first “Woo!”, it’s far too bright and shiny. It’s one of those “gosh, this is so inspiring!” tunes that you’re embarrassed to like. “They try to tell us that we don’t belong, but that’s alright, we’re millions strong.” The awkward change to a higher key at the end is annoying as Paul hits absurd notes. Bruce Kulick’s guitar playing is exemplary, a showcase of true technical mastery, but not the kind of playing associated with classic Kiss.
A pretty stinky song called “I’ll Fight Hell to Hold You” is a mish-mash of mismatched parts and very high notes. It inspired my neighbor George to say, “If a song this poor made the album, can you imagine the songs that didn’t?” Gene wrote about 25 songs for Crazy Nights. Shudder. “Bang Bang You” is pretty weak too, keeping things in “park” rather than “drive”. It’s also the second time Paul referrs to a previous Kiss song in the lyrics. This time Paul states that he’s gonna “shoot you down with my Love Gun, baby.” On “Crazy Crazy Nights”, Paul stated that we “Love It Loud”. Reminding fans of better songs from more nostalgic times?
Bruce Kulick gets a smoking guitar into on Gene’s first track, “No No No”. Every trick in the book is thrown down in a mere 45 seconds. The track is a sudden fast thrash into heavier territory. However it’s track 4, and it’s Gene’s first song? That’s problem numero uno. The second issue is Gene’s newfound smooth singing style. The demonic growl is gone, and Gene adopted a clean voice that does not really sound much like Gene Simmons. He continues that style on “Hell Or High Water”, a pretty good tune in fact.
Things go a ridiculous extreme on “My Way”, another one of Paul’s “inspirational” tunes. “I’m gonna talk like I talk, walk like I walk, My Way.” Sinatra this is not. What sinks it are the stupidly high notes that Paul hits. Paul Stanley was simply one of the great voices in rock, bar none. He could do things that few people this side of Freddie Mercury could do. But just because you have a car that can go 200 mph doesn’t mean you have to keep it floored. Save it for when it counts.
Side two commences with another atrocity, “When Your Walls Come Down”, which never would have been in consideration for a better album. Consider that Eric Carr wrote a number of ideas for this album that weren’t used, like “Dial L For Love”. That unfinished song had a Van Hagar vibe that was on trend, and potentially better than crap like “When Your Walls Come Down”.
The first Kiss ballad since “I Still Love You” on Creatures of the Night (1982) is “Reason to Live”. A weak ballad is of little interest, and the music video surprised some by having Bruce Kulick on stage playing damn keyboards! Paul and his buddy Desmond Child are responsible for a song we’d rather forget.
Simmons returns with a great number called “Good Girl Gone Bad”. Cliche title aside, this understated dusky prowler has melodic qualities in common with some of Gene’s better material on Unmasked. Another decent song, Paul’s “Turn On the Night” is a hokey but good enough anthem for the 80s. It’s co-written by Diane Warren, who later scored it big with a little song called “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing“. It will be too bright for some fans, but it’s a tasty pill if you can swallow it. Paul has always had a way with a chorus. Bruce’s solo is another standout. “Turn On the Night” is actually pretty good. The music video seemed to be a continuation from “Reason to Live”. The blonde woman that torched Paul’s car seems to be now sabotaging a Kiss concert on a roof top? I’m very confused.
Crazy Nights ends with a fart, a pretty low-grade Simmons tune named “Thief in the Night”. On a better produced album like Creatures, a song like this could have smoked the competition. On a plastic, thin album like Crazy Nights, it completely misses the gut.
It’s probably unfair to lay the blame for Crazy Nights at the feet of Paul Stanley and Ron Nevison. If Gene wasn’t out trying to discover the next big band, and was actually focused on Kiss, could they have gotten it together? The fact is that Kiss are at their best when running full steam. It’s always been a partnership between Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons as the primary writers. Crazy Nights represents a point at which these partners were working like broken cogs.
It’s a damn shame.
Today’s rating:
1.75/5 stars
Uncle Meat’s rating:
0/5 steaks
Meat’s slice: For this Meat’s slice, we include an actual commentary, as Uncle Meat listened to the album in real time.
Uncle Meat: This first shit tune…sounds like a wrestling entrance.
Mike LeBain: Totally. It’s of the time.
UM: It’s shit.
ML: You couldn’t even give this 0 steaks.
UM: It’s Warrant…It’s Poison…It’s shit.
ML: You’d have to go to rotten ground beef for this. And that’s…fuck what’s his name…
UM: And that key change is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!! So awful.
ML …Ron Nevison produced.
UM: This is shit.
ML: Enjoy my friend. It gets pretty silly later. Wait until you hear My Way. Mark my words. Reemember: MY WAY. I’ll walk like I walk, talk like I talk, My Way…
UM: If I end up taking a walk and killing a 48 year old Chinese woman…It’s on you my friend.
ML: I realize that. It’s right here in permanent Internet records.
UM: Well…first absolute shit tune is over…and it’s rated dung.
ML: Second song is worse.
UM: The shit storm is over Randy… Oh no it’s not Mr Lahey…because here comes song 2. I’m using that in my review of this album…
ML: HAHAHAHAHAH
UM: I’m so glad I shaved my head two days ago…or I would be lighting my hair on fire. Bang Bang You…just about to start. I see it’s a Desmond Child vehicle. Grrrr This is so garbage…hot steaming garbage. I dont know if I can do this whole album.
ML: HAHAHAHAHA Bang Bang You… You have to finish it now.
UM: I hate this.
ML: You can tell this is the period when Gene wasn’t around anymore.
UM: My bum is embarrassed for my ears right now.
ML: You think this is bad, I invite you to play Hot in the Shade.
UM: OK…fuck man…it’s only song 4 of this one…hold it now.
ML: I’ll shoot you down with my love gun baby.
UM: I’m not guaranteeing I’m getting through this one.
ML: You can’t walk away now.
UM: And…I might just review the first 4 songs…and say… ok…I’m done…don’t care about the rest…goodbye. Goodbye. That would make a point.
ML Nope you HAVE to play MY WAY. I need you to hear track 6.
UM: Who is singing No No No? Kulick?
ML: Gene.
UM: Doesn’t sound like him.
ML: He doesn’t sound like him on any of the album.
UM: Oh…ok…he sounds different.
ML: Nevison forced him to drop his normal voice.
UM: Passable.
ML: Barely.
UM: Kinda reminds me of Skyscraper by David Lee Roth.
ML: Same era. Very plastic and keyboardy and samply on the drums.
UM: Better than the first 3. Eric carr’s only writing credit. Does Kulick or Carr sing any tunes?
ML: Nope just Gene or Paul. Eric was promised a song and didn’t get one which made him very bitter. Apparently he stopped speaking to Paul around the next album.
UM: I mean on any album.
ML Eric sings two. He sings Beth on Smashes and Thrashes. And Little Caesar on Hot in the Shade. Bruce sings one. I Walk Alone on Carnival of Souls.
UM: Ok…that’s weird.
ML: Funny thing there: Both guys sang their first original Kiss songs on their LAST Kiss albums. In Fact Bruce’s song is the last song on his last Kiss album.
UM: Neat.
ML: In the current band Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer both have two lead vocals each.
UM: Hell or High Water is…boring…not offensive like earlier. Sounds like Tesla.
ML: But you can hear his voice is smooth not rough.
UM: I just wrote down one line now in the first minute of My Way. “Bon Jovi can fuck right the fuck off already”. Oh man this smells. It’s like actual runny sharts are oozing throught this speaker. OK… Reason to Live is on a new shelf of shit. Holy Fuck. Of course…Desmond Fucking Child. What a shit hat. It sounds like St. Elmos Fire meets Michael Bolton working out in a shit gym. OK…I’m done it’s off…I can’t do anymore…no fucking way. Done.
Crazy Nights is the last album reissued in the Mercury CD remasters series. No album more recent than this has been remastered and reissued.
When we last met our heroes, they were a fractured bunch with differing priorities. Gene Simmons cut his hair and went to Hollywood. Paul Stanley was steering the Kiss ship singlehandedly. They were down a guitar player (Mark St. John) but were fortunate to find his replacement in Bruce Kulick. Not only was Bruce an old acquaintance (his brother Bob played on a number of Kiss tracks) but he was also just what the band needed. He added a shot of stability and wrote good material. He has three writing credits on his first album Asylum, and that was just the beginning.
Paul and Gene produced Asylum, in a similar way to how Animalize was recorded. As had become routine, Gene wasn’t around to record some of the bass parts in Paul’s songs. Jean Beauvoir returned to fill in, while Paul also played some bass. Without Gene fully committed, Asylum was the second Kiss album in a row hobbled by his reduced participation. Animalize was a huge selling album for Kiss having gone platinum. Asylum sounds like Paul wanted to duplicate that record.
Eric Carr opens the album with a thunderously memorable drum intro. Carr didn’t have to try to impress anybody; his drumming brought Kiss to a higher level musically. His double bass work on “King of the Mountain” would make Lars poo his pants. For Carr fans, “King of the Mountain” surely must be considered one of his brightest moments. Fortunately the song also kicks ass. As one of the Kulick co-writes, the new guitarist impresses immediately. His soloing style was so much smoother than his predecessor Mark St. John. He had similar speed and ability but better composition when it comes to solos. Meanwhile, Paul takes this high octane speed rocker and turns it into a rallying call of encouragement.
I’m gonna climb the mountain, I’m gonna hit the top, I wanna go where nobody’s ever been, I’m never gonna stop.
Who needs Shakespeare when you just need a good shake? “King of the Mountain” is fuel injection for the bloodstream.
Over to Gene. “Any Way You Slice It” kicks ass. He had a habit of barking out his lyrics in the 80s, and “Any Way You Slice It” is very bark-y. The riff really catches air and takes off. Back to Paul, and a big single. “Who Wants to Be Lonely” has a chug and a plaintive chorus. Paul’s vocal abilities were at a peak, but it sounds like Gene was nowhere near the studio when it was recorded.
There are a lot of contributions from outside songwriters on Asylum, from people such as Desmond Child and Jean Beauvoir. One of the few songs without them is “Trial By Fire” by Gene and Bruce. Once again the rhythm is a chug, but this simple little rocker is appealing. There’s nothing wrong with the chorus, but it has never been played live. Nor has Paul’s “I’m Alive” which just takes the speed thing to an absurd level for this band. Kiss isn’t a speed metal band and “I’m Alive” isn’t a memorable song. “I’m hot enough to give you chills.” I’ll take your word for it, Paul!
Flip the album and you’ll hear “Love’s a Deadly Weapon”, which both Gene and Paul have a credit on. This is noteworthy, because the pair hadn’t written anything together on Animalize and only one track on Lick it Up and The Elder each. That’s all the co-writing credits they had together after the infamous Kiss solo albums. However, “Love’s a Deadly Weapon” isn’t really a co-write. It’s one of Gene’s songs, with a title and some words taken from a Paul Stanley demo called “Deadly Weapons”. Again, Kiss takes the speed level to the absurd. This ironically renders the song powerless.
Fortunately Paul’s big single “Tears are Falling” brings back the quality. It was one of the few songs from this era to continue to be played live. It was kept in the set on the Revenge tour, and had been brought back periodically by the current lineup of the band, even appearing on their last album Kiss Rocks Vegas. That’s because it has a chorus that goes on for days and days. Bruce’s guitar solo is one his most memorable, which doesn’t hurt either.
Gene’s “Secretly Cruel” shows off his sleazy side, on a likeable but forgettable album track. He wrote this one solo, just as Paul did for “Tears are Falling”. And it’s sleazy from there in. “Radar for Love” is a Paul/Desmond composition with a groove and a chorus that nails it.
And then it’s “Uh! All Night”. Yes, “Uh! All Night” is the name of a song.
I’ll confess that when I first heard “Uh! All Night” in 1985, I didn’t know what “Uh!” meant. I figured it meant “partying” or something. And there was a period when I really liked this song, but that was over 30 years ago and it sure has worn out its welcome.
Kiss went on tour again, never leaving home territory except for one date in Toronto. This was a step backwards for the so-called “Hottest Band in the World”. Asylum wasn’t the hit album that Animalize was. Money was becoming a problem. These are problems they aimed to solve next time.
The irony is, although Asylum wasn’t as big as Animalize, song for song it’s probably a better album.
RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW – Live in Birmingham 2016 (2017 Universal)
Ronnie Romero has one of the toughest jobs in rock. As the singer in Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, he must fill the shoes of many past vocal champions: Ronnie James Dio, Graham Bonnet, Joe Lynn Turner, as well as Ian Gillan and David Coverdale from Deep Purple. The really difficult thing about it is the main guy he’s compared to: Dio. Fortunately, this Ronnie is no Dio clone.
Blackmore’s newest incarnation of Rainbow has been doing light touring and recording new material. From their 2016 show in Birmingham comes this live album, a welcome addition to the Rainbow catalogue. 20 years since their last tour with White, Rainbow has an all-new lineup including Jens Johansson, the top rated keyboard player who made his fame with Yngwie Malmsteen and Dio himself. Also on board are members of Ritchie’s acoustic Renaissance project Blackmore’s Night: David Keith and Bob Nouveau on drums and bass. Backing them are singers Lady Lynn and Candice Night from the same project.
What everything really has to come down to is the lead vocalist. Ronnie Romero cut his teeth with Chilean band Lords of Black, a power metal group with some minor Blackmore influences. Ritchie obviously has a good ear. One wouldn’t immediately think of Romero has the next singer for Rainbow, but the fit is good and snug. Ronnie can sing the old Dio material and is an instantly likeable frontman. He has the power and range available to do Dio material, but his rasp is actually reminiscent of another Rainbow singer, Graham Bonnet. On this album, Romero does the hit single “Since You Been Gone”, originally performed with Graham. It’s the most authentic version of the song since the original.
As online forums have discussed and debated, Rainbow have a very Purple-heavy set. Nine songs are Purple classics, making up the majority, including an odd choice in “Child in Time”. Have Rainbow ever performed that song before? Perhaps it was put back in the set simply because Purple haven’t played it in 20 years either. “Burn” is no problem for Ronnie Romero though. He’s very comfortable in David Coverdale’s range.
Could more Rainbow songs have been squeezed in at the expense of a Purple oldie like “Woman From Tokyo” or “Highway Star”? Sure. But it’s Ritchie’s ball game. He wrote those songs, and if he wants to open his set with “Highway Star”, he sure can. “Soldier of Fortune” originally from Stormbringer is a surprise and all the more successful for it. Whitesnake will sometimes play it live, but Purple do not, and Rainbow may never have before. That leaves seven Rainbow songs, mostly Dio era. “Stargazer”, “Catch the Rainbow” and “Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll” are indispensable.
The only real issue with the recording lies with Ritchie. The guitar should be louder. It’s far too quiet. You cannot hear enough of what he is doing. Comparing to another live album, Black Masquerade recorded in 1995, the guitar was in your face and seemed more aggressive. It seems strange that a guitar-dominated band like Rainbow would have the instrument toned down on the live album, but many listeners have said the same thing: “Needs more guitar”.
All the new musicians are more than capable, and after hearing these songs done a million times, it’s nice to hear some new twists on solos and fills. Romero’s native tongue is Spanish, and there are times he slips up on some old Deep Purple lyrics (particularly “Perfect Strangers”). This never matters, because nobody screws up Deep Purple lyrics more than Ian Gillan himself! The main thing is Romero has the right voice. It’s unbelievable that he can sing a long set like this with such power throughout, seemingly with ease.
Long live rock ‘n’ roll, long live Rainbow, and long live Ronnie Romero. It’s easy to be skeptical, but most doubters will be silenced by the newest incarnation of Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. This is a pleasant surprise and one of Rainbow’s most enjoyable live albums due to the charismatic Romero.
ALICE COOPER – Paranormal (2017 Edel 2 CD edition)
Both Alice Cooper and Bob Ezrin had a lot to live up to with their latest collaboration Paranormal. Excluding 2015’s covers album Hollywood Vampires, their last record together was the remarkable Welcome 2 My Nightmare in 2011. Bob Ezrin has already produced one of the more impressive rock albums of 2017, Deep Purple’s InFinite. Considering this recent track record, one might say we expect the goods this time too.
Paranormal is a great album, loaded with fantastic Alice Cooper material of different rock and roll styles. It is not up to the level of brilliance of Welcome 2 My Nightmare. That album (a concept album sequel) was dense with ideas and composition. Paranormal is a step towards something less conceptual and more like a traditional album. The big surprise this time out is the drummer: U2’s Larry Mullen plays on 9 of the 10 core songs, and you’d never guess that without reading the credits.
The title track is impressive on its own. It has a haunting guitar hook and vocal, and is built a bit like Alice’s horror material from the 80s. That’s Ezrin’s pal, Roger Glover from Deep Purple on bass. Back to the early 70s, get down with some hard rocking “Dead Flies”, but don’t let your guard down. Relentlessly, “Fireball” blazes down the terrain, kicking aside everything not nailed down. Alice doesn’t have anything that sounds like “Fireball” on any of his other albums.
The lead single “Paranoiac Personality” (a single worth tracking down for an exclusive live B-side) is similar to “Go to Hell” (from 1976’s Alice Cooper Goes to Hell). It’s the kind of magic that happens only when Alice Cooper and Bob Ezrin work together. Memorable Alice Cooper rock, accessible enough for radio play, but within the personality of Alice.
Moving on to sleaze rock, “Fallen in Love” is a strong entry. If it sounds a little greasy, that’s probably because Billy Gibbons is on it. It’s followed by a speedy trip called “Dynamite Road” with a neat spoken-word style vocal. It suits Alice’s storytelling lyrics. After a couple of heavy bashers, it’s good to get back to a groove on “Private Public Breakdown”. These are some impressive songs, each different from the other but fitting the whole.
A kickin’ horn section joins Alice on “Holy Water”, a fun and unorthodox rock and roll sermon. Then there’s a good old fashioned punk rocker called “Rats”. It might remind you of Michael Monroe’s classic “Dead, Jail or Rock ‘N’ Roll”. It’s the only song on disc one that Larry Mullen doesn’t play on. “Rats” has the surviving original Alice Cooper band: Michael Bruce, Neal Smith, and Dennis Dunaway.
Going for a haunting close, there is an understated song called “The Sound of A” to end the album proper. This truly recalls Welcome to (and 2) My Nightmare. Original bassist Dennis Dunaway co-wrote and plays bass on the track. Although he was not in the band during the Nightmare era, that is what immediately comes to mind. This is the kind of song that has the potential to become an Alice classic a few years down the road.
Cooper has been generous with bonus tracks on his last few albums, and Paranormal has a fully loaded second CD. There are two more brand new songs featuring the surviving members of the original Alice Cooper band. Steve Hunter is also on board with some slippery slide goodness. “Genuine American Girl” is a transgender celebration, the kind of thing that would have been cutting edge in 1972, but today is just timely. Smith co-write this with Alice and Ezrin, and it’s a remarkably catchy little tune. “This is no-man’s land and I live here every day” sings a gleeful Alice. It does sound like something the original band could have played back then. “You and All Your Friends” (Cooper/Dunaway/Ezrin) is more of an anthem. A crowd could definitely sing along. These two tracks serve as reminders to what great players the original band members are. Neal Smith is absolutely a drumming maniac and Dennis Dunaway is still one of kind.
There are six more bonus tracks, all live cuts from 2016 featuring Alice’s stellar live band. It’s good to have these, because really the only thing missing from the new songs is guitarist Nita Strauss. She’s a monster player. For those hoping to hear Nita on Alice’s new album, at least she’s on the bonus tracks. The live cuts are a fairly standard selection of 70s hits (all but “Feed My Frankenstein”). You know what you’re getting: expertly performed Cooper classics by his gang of professional rock and roll misfits.
Paranormal is yet another late-career triumph by Alice Cooper. It’s just a hair shy of mind blowing.
Respect to Lee Aaron! She’s persisted through the decades with a multi-faceted career, including her early metal roots. What she really needed was some kind of compilation CD that captured it all. 1992’s Powerline is a good compilation but some of Lee’s most interesting work came after. Radio Hitz and More… fills in some of the blanks from the past 20 years. You can only get it via Lee’s website as a promotional item. I bought a T-shirt and got the CD with it, signed and personalized.*
Even if it haunted her career at times, “Metal Queen” is a damn fine song. Period, end of sentence. Today we can see that “Metal Queen” had it all: killer quintessential riff, howling vocals and a searing solo. Few metal singers could touch Lee Aaron’s ability. While the fans knew she could do more than metal, she absolutely owned it on “Metal Queen”. Hail to the queen.
Lee eventually shifted into a hard rock mold. “Whatcha Do to My Body” was a big hit, and it’s next in radio edit form. It delivered big hooks and didn’t require any song doctors. Lee Aaron and her longtime guitarist John Albini wrote it and were rewarded with loads of MuchMusic video play. However the two did collaborate with an outside writer on “Powerline” (1987) and that outside writer was surprisingly former Rainbow singer Joe Lynn Turner. “Powerline” is a bit light and heavily reliant on keyboards, sounding a little like Heart.
The songs included from Lee’s “rock” period are all pretty much hits in Canada. “Hands On” followed “Watcha Do to My Body” in regular video rotation. “Sweet Talk” and “Sex With Love” were singles from another big Lee Aaron album, Some Girls Do (1991). The title track “Some Girls Do” is here and very Van Halen. Two of Lee’s most stunning ballads are included too. “Barely Holdin’ On” could be her best song, period. “Only Human” was from the 1987 pop rock era, but is a strong ballad regardless. Only a few notable singles are missing. The always likeable Disco-dis “Shake it Up” is too hard to find out there in the wild. Another big ballad, “Peace on Earth” is missing in action. However the space does not go to waste.
In 1996 Lee Aaron resurfaced with a new band called 2preciious. The lineup included Lee and the three Dons from Sons of Freedom! A strange combo to be sure, and the alternative-flavoured album they came out with didn’t make waves, though it got decent reviews. “Mascara” is edgy acoustic rock, completely unlike Lee’s previous work. There’s even a rare European-only track called “Concrete and Ice” which is a bass-heavy 90s groove rocker. Great stuff; it’s unfortunate it didn’t gain traction, because with Alanis Morissette being so big at the same time, perhaps Lee could have tagged along.
The next stage of Lee Aaron’s career was her entry into the jazz world. 2000 saw the release of her album Slick Chick, and in 2004 there was Beautiful Things. Tracks from both are here, including the instantly likeable “I’d Love To”. It’s a little jarring to hear “Handcuffed to a Fence in Mississippi” in the middle of a bunch of rock tracks, though.
This compilation is great for gathering together a bunch of Lee Aaron’s diverse hits, but that’s not all. Track 18 is a little bonus for collectors. From Sweden Rock, it’s killer track “Baby Go Round” originally from Emotional Rain. This live version is available nowhere else, which is like catnip for collectors.
77 minutes of music, for free? How do you spell N-O-B-R-A-I-N-E-R?
4/5 stars
*If ordering, check before assuming they still offer signed CDs.
First in a long line of non-essential Priest live albums, here’s ’98 Live Meltdown. Why did bands at certain points feel the need to add the year to the title? Warrant – ’96 Belly to Belly – Volume One. Kind of silly, right? For fans who know their metal history, 1998 falls in Judas Priest’s Ripper Owens years. Priest had just released their first album without Rob Halford, Jugulator. Live Meltdown (let’s leave out that ’98 part for simplicity’s sake) captures the tour that followed, from various uncredited dates.
Fortunately the album is better than its title and awful cover art. (Shame on you Mark Wilkinson!) Ripper Owens provided fresh young lungs and with him at the mic, Priest were uber-powerful live. All the new tunes from Jugulator were better in the live setting too. “Blood Stained” is devastatingly powerful, and an enthusiastic crowd eats it up. There are a few extraneous Jugulator tunes. The world could have lived without “Death Row” and “Abductors”, and maybe the title track could have been thrown in instead. Fortunately the track list is an otherwise excellent mix of new tracks and old cuts.
Priest deserve points for re-imaging their Joan Baez cover “Diamonds and Rust”. The acoustic version was completely new for Judas Priest and Ripper could easily handle the heavy and the light. Even though it’s acoustic, “Diamonds and Rust” represents Sin After Sin on a CD that gives face time to nearly every Priest album. Rocka Rolla and Ram It Down are shunned as usual, but otherwise the only albums without tracks on this are Turbo and Point of Entry. There is an emphasis on the classic material from the 70s, solid songs from the early 80s, and four tracks from Painkiller. It’s a well-rounded album, and by the next live release (2003’s Live in London) they changed it up and added “Turbo” and “Heading Out to the Highway”.
Ripper was a great lead singer for this band during Rob’s absence. He took one of the hardest jobs in rock and roll and did it with class. Ripper had the goods. He could scream the notes. He added his own slant with guttural growls. He struggled with “Painkiller” proving he’s a mere mortal but still he got the job done.
Live Meltdown was self-produced by Priest and Sean Lynch, but the guitars are too low in the mix. The emphasis is on Ripper, but it seems to come at the expense of the volume of the rhythm guitars. And the packaging is atrocious. While it is true that most metal bands like Priest found themselves on smaller record labels, this is worse than a 90s indy band. Fortunately the music and performance justify its existence.
Curious fans are advised to pick up Live Meltdown for the best representation of the Ripper Owens years. It’s better than Jugulator and Live in London. Fans are unanimously happy that Rob Halford is back in Judas Priest today, but that shouldn’t be taken as a slight against Ripper.
THE BLACK CROWES – The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (originally 1992, 1998 American remaster)
On their first album, the Crowes were old time soulful rock and roll saviours. They were a retro treat, an antidote to the Poisons and Bon Jovis and Warrants. By their second album, the Crowes became artists. Fraught with tension, ther brothers Robinson battled over creative direction. Songs were recorded, re-recorded, dropped, replaced. But it all happened very quickly. The songs were written in a matter of weeks, and the album was recorded in a matter of days, according to Chris Robinson.
There was also a lineup change. Guitarist Jeff Cease (who didn’t play much on the first album anyway) was out and Marc Ford from Burning Tree was in. Perhaps most importantly, the Crowes added a full-time keyboard player. Canadian-born Eddie Harsch (R.I.P.) fit like a glove and became a fan favourite relatively quickly. Unusually, Harsch isn’t on the front cover though he’s on the back and inside of The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion.
Get stung! “Sting Me” is one of the songs the brothers fought over. One liked the fast one that opens Southern Harmony. One preferred the original slow version that’s included as a bonus track. The fast version won out and you will get why. It’s hyper-fast, but with the southern flavour added in shots. Backup singers Barbara and Joy are all over the album, including “Sting Me”, putting a soulful spin on everything.
Can I have some “Remedy”? Track two was a #1 hit for a stunning 11 weeks. A slick groove and funky electric piano make this one a blues rocker for the ages. In one track, the Crowes stepped away from their previous derivative sound, and hit the warp drive. It’s such tremendous leap in terms of growth. Barbara and Joy have the chorus covered while Chris scats his way into the charts.
The acoustic side of the Crowes comes out on “Thorn in My Pride”, which also points the way forward to 1994’s Amorica. Congas and organ add a slightly psychedelic slant, but the song also gives way to an electric jam. Another single and another hit for the Black Crowes. Going further into electric blues, “Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye” is raw and exposed. The band and producer George Drakoulias captured a warm and bare sound, and no track shows it off better. You can hear the hum of hot amplifiers. And those amps get cranked up on “Sometimes Salvation”. Heavy blues, emphasis on groove. Drummer Steve Gorman has long been this band’s secret weapon.
Side two is cranked immediately on the rock and roll “Hotel Illness”. Guitars crash and slide, it’s a harmonica blowin’ good time. Southern Harmony takes a few listens to fully penetrate but a track like “Hotel Illness” takes no time at all. Then the black moon starts-a-creepin’. There’s a dark swampy vibe to “Black Moon Creeping”, but heavy with growling guitar explorations. “No Speak No Slave” crawls up next, bustin’ down the doors with some sweet guitar harmonies. For songs like “No Speak No Slave”, guitar players have admired this album for a long time. Then it’s on to “My Morning Song” which returns the emphasis to some soul singin’.
An acoustic cover of Bob Marley’s “Time Will Tell” sounds like a jam, but those things are often the magical moments. That’s what “Time Will Tell” is, a magical moment. It’s a snapshot of a group of musicians just singing and playing with their hearts.
As with the other Crowes remasters from the 1998 reissues, Southern Harmony has bonus stuff. All four have a sticker inside with an ad for the forthcoming Crowes album By Your Side on the back. There are two music videos, a screensaver, and a “link to the Black Crowes’ website!” More importantly there are two bonus tracks. The aforementioned “slow” version of “Sting Me” is interesting but the fast version sets it apart but the other mid-tempo material on the album. Another fast tune, “99 lbs” is an instantly likeable blues cover, more straightforward than the album itself. It’s more like Shake Your Money Maker Crowes. Great tune for a bonus track.
If you’re familiar with this album, you may agree. If you’re not, you probably know this album for its reputation. Southern Harmony and the Musical Companion is an essential album for any rock collector with integrity. They don’t come more authentic or proudly individual than this. Get some.
“Politicians make decisions, they’re the ones to blame, so don’t blame me.”— Ozzy Osbourne
OZZY OSBOURNE – No More Tears (originally 1991, 2002 Sony remastered edition)
No More Tears was a big hit for Ozzy and is usually hailed as a “comeback” and “his best album since Randy Rhoads”. But is it?
No More Tears certainly offers chills, thrills and new sounds. Slide guitar on an Ozzy album? Check out “Mr. Tinkertrain”. Zakk Wylde was starting to spread out and grow, really exploring his southern roots and adapting that to heavy metal. No More Tears might be the peak of Ozzy’s collaborations with Zakk, as they really did produce some magic here. Some of the stuff Zakk does on “Mr. Tinkertrain” alone is career-defining.
Ozzy was also trying to escape his “satanic” image, and No More Tears was his step away from that. It’s also a step towards the mainstream. Second track “I Don’t Want to Change the World” is an example of Ozzy’s turn to radio-ready hard rock. It’s a shame because after the chunky guitar assault of “Mr. Tinkertrain”, a speedy metal track like “Don’t Blame Me” would have been perfect in the second slot. “I Don’t Want to Change the World” is unfortunately not much better than a Motley Crue filler track. It’s repetitive and despite Zakk’s squeals and licks, fails to launch. His solo at least scorches hot. Then the whole thing gets stuck in the mud. “Mama, I’m Coming Home” (lyrics co-written by Lemmy) was the hit ballad that I never liked. “Mama” more than any of the other tracks really represented Ozzy’s desire to break free of the shackles of his own image. There are better ballads on the album. “Mama” is so generic it could have been recorded by literally anybody.
Moving past, the album catches a little air due to the groovy chugging riff of “Desire”. The stock melody doesn’t do it many favours, but momentum is restored.
Ozzy did well by discovering his newest member, bass player Mike Inez who later went on to Alice in Chains. Inez was a co-writer on the title track “No More Tears” and his bass line has become a signature hook. “No More Tears” is one of Ozzy’s greatest achievements as a recording artist. This is a direction he should have explored further. Even though it’s incredibly memorable and accessible, “No More Tears” has slightly progressive and psychedelic elements mixed in. Its groove was detuned and modern, but the samples and keys bring it levels above what most other mainstream bands were doing in 1991. And then there’s Zakk’s slippery slide guitar expertise. It just doesn’t get any better than “No More Tears”. Ozzy wanted to move beyond being the clown prince of devilish metal? Mission accomplished and then some, in a completely fearless 7:24. Ozzy was an innovator when he was in Black Sabbath, and in 1991 he became that again on “No More Tears”.
Opening side two, “S.I.N.” is great old-school Ozzy metal. Call it “S.I.N.” or just “Shadows in the Night”, this track has the kind of classic hooks and soaring vocals that Ozzy is so good at delivering. Ozzy had a core writing team of Zakk and drummer Randy Castillo, who wrote this killer. Lemmy stepped in to help out on “Hellraiser” which Motorhead recorded as well on 1992’s March ör Die. “Hellraiser” is too middle of the road to be classic. Even Motorhead’s version kind of sucks.
A stock ballad called “Time After Time” is a tad better than “Mama, I’m Coming Home”. It has some pretty sweet melodies and harmonies going for it, and another brilliant Zakk solo. “Zombie Stomp” brings back the heavy, simply by living up to its name. You got a name like that, you better stomp, and this one stomps like all the beasts in the jungle are coming for you now. It’s also plenty of fun. Surely an underappreciated Ozzy career highlight. Drummer Randy Castillo had a lot to be proud of on this one, as he took the spotlight for the two minute tribal intro. When that’s all over, Zakk powers the groove.
More fun ensues on “A.V.H.” (no idea what that stands for). A little bit of southern pickin’ from Zakk gives way to an adrenaline powered blast. It’s a shorty compared to some of the more epic lengthy songs. Finally “Road to Nowhere” ends the album with a retrospective. “I was looking back on my life, and all the things I’ve done to me.” It’s easily the strongest ballad on the album and one of Ozzy’s personal best. “The wreckage of my past keeps haunting me,” wrote Ozzy in 1991, perhaps not knowing that it always will.
There is no arguing the importance of the song “Mama, I’m Coming Home” in the career of Ozzy. It went top 30, and was huge on MTV. Would No More Tears be a better album without it? Should Ozzy have released it as a single or on a movie soundtrack? Try this. Remove “Mama” from the album, and put the B-side track “Don’t Blame Me”* in between “Mr. Tinkertrain” and “I Don’t Want to Change the World”. There is something to be said for a good B-side, and Ozzy has done a number over the years. Yet “Don’t Blame Me” is far too good for that fate. It combines riff with groove and hooks like nothing else on the album, and just listen to Zakk’s funky pickin’. Fortunately it’s on the 2002 Sony remastered CD, along with a lesser B-side called “Party With the Animals”. You might remember it from the 1992 soundtrack Buffy the Vampire Slayer. “Animals” is definite B-side material.
Back to our original question. Was No More Tears the “best album since Randy Rhoads”? It’s quite good and easily his biggest since Randy Rhoads. But it has filler, and some of that filler is downright annoying. The remastered edition is the one to get, since you don’t want to miss out on “Don’t Blame Me”. Bark at the Moon is likely the high water mark since the passing of Rhoads. No More Tears is still one to own, even if you have the hits, for some killer and underrated album tracks (and one B-side).
3.5/5 stars
* Two early album titles used for this record were Don’t Blame Me and No Dogs Allowed.
DIO – Magica (originally 2000, 2013 Niji deluxe edition)
DEF LEPPARD – Hysteria (2017 Universal 5 CD/2DVD 30th anniversary edition)
Disc One: The original album (Hysteria)
My favourite feature of this DVD is actually in the bonus material. It’s the chapter that covers the first shows that Leppard played after Rick Allen’s accident. Originally, Jeff Rich from Status Quo was tapped to play a second drum kit alongside Allen on stage, just in case Allen got tired, slipped out of time, or couldn’t finish the show. There were so many variables that nobody knew what would happen during what really amounted to Allen’s comeback shows. Well, for one show in the middle of nowhere, Jeff Rich was late. If he had turned up on time, maybe Rick Allen would never have found out that he could play a full Def Leppard show on his own. Allen did the show with no help on the drums, and he nailed it. Rich told Allen that his work was done; Allen did not need any more help. And that was it!
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