hard rock

REVIEW: Van Halen – LIVE: Right here, right now. (1993, plus “Jump” live single)

VAN HALEN – LIVE: Right here, right now. (1993 Warner Bros, plus “Jump” live single)

The summer of ’93 was the “Summer of Live Albums” here at LeBrain HQ. There were many live discs out to digest, several of them from “must-purchase” bands. Most notable was Ozzy’s Live & Loud which came in a metal speaker grille cover. Iron Maiden also put out A Real Live One, the first of a two-album live set. And then there was a big’un: Van Halen’s first live album, the double Right here, right now.

What did all three releases have in common? They were all boring duds.

Sad but true. In Van Halen’s case, the disappointment was acute. Sure it was “Van Hagar” and not the “real deal” if you believe in that sort of thing, but that wasn’t the issue. There are a few problems with Right here, right now but none of them have to do with the singer. The setlist is a real drag, with way too much material from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. 10 of the 11 songs from F.U.C.K. are on this album! (“The Dream is Over” being the only missing song — you had to buy this on VHS to get it!) A F.U.C.K. song opens the set, another closes the set…it’s too much, especially since F.U.C.K. was (one of?) the weakest Halen albums to date.

Issue #2 is perhaps a bit silly, since Van Halen shows are known for their solos: but this album has too many solos. Eddie’s aside; he always going to blow your mind. Unfortunately, Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen are, quite frankly, boring soloists. Did “Ultra Bass” need to be five minutes long? It’s best when Michael’s just playing, but as fans know his bass solo is half notes, and half noise. Immediately after that is “Pleasure Dome/Drum Solo”, nine whole minutes. The instrumental “Pleasure Dome” section is best since it resembles a song (a driving hard one at that).

The final major issue is one we didn’t even know about until recently. Sammy Hagar revealed in his book Red that this album was heavily overdubbed afterwards, and I wouldn’t doubt it. (Hagar claims that he re-sang the entire thing over again in the studio.) There was always something underneath the surface that didn’t feel right about this album, and that could be it right there. Right here, right now feels dulled, perhaps by too much studio polish after the fact.

It’s not all bad of course, how could it be? “Poundcake” and “Judgement Day” start it off strongly. Then they went and dropped a ballad (“When It’s Love”) and a shitty song (“Spanked”), and all momentum is stopped. The duo of “You Really Got Me” and “Cabo Wabo” are pretty damn great though. There are a couple Hagar solo tracks in set which add some spice to the mix. The acoustic ballad “Give to Live” is just Sammy alone, but “One Way to Rock” is the whole ass-kickin’ band. Of all the Hagar tracks the band has played live, “One Way to Rock” sounds most natural as a Van Halen song. The final surprise is “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, which Eddie does not play keyboards on. Instead he mimics Pete Townsend’s synthesizer part with his guitar. Who purists will hate Sammy’s take on it, but fuck it. It’s a pretty damn good version of a hard to cover classic.

There are a couple other decent tracks to be had. German and Japanese versions contain two bonus tracks: “Mine All Mine” (from the OU812 tour) and another Hagar track, “Eagles Fly”. They can also be found on the “Jump” live single. Unlike much of the rest of the album “Mine All Mine” has some bite to it. It’s a great example of synthesizer working well in a hard rock song. (Unfortunately it fades out early.) As for “Eagles Fly”, this is a song Sammy played acoustic on the occasions he didn’t play “Give to Live”. Although it was played less, “Eagles Fly” edges out the other just slightly by a nose. These two bonus tracks are worth tracking down the single for, or an import version of the album.

I traded up my original copy of LIVE: Right here, right now for a US import that came in a cardboard digipack. Although it has no bonus tracks, it does have some bonus photos, which is still pretty cool.

It’s not fun to say any Van Halen album isn’t essential, but Right here, right now is not essential.

2/5 stars

COMPLETE VAN HALEN REVIEW SERIES:

VAN HALEN – “Best of Both Worlds” (1986 Warner 7″ single)
VAN HALEN – “Can’t Get This Stuff No More” / “Me Wise Magic” (1996 Warner promo singles)
VAN HALEN – “Can’t Stop Loving You” (Parts 1 & 2, inc. collector’s tin)
VAN HALEN – “Right Now” (1992 cassette single, Warner)
VAN HALEN vs. JOHN LENNON – “Imagine A Jump” mashup by “Mighty Mike”
RECORD STORE TALES Part 186: The Van Halen Tin

REVIEW: Ace Frehley – Milwaukee Live ’87 (2015)

ACE FREHLEY’S COMET – Milwaukee Summerfest Live 1987 (2015 Echoes radio broadcast)

In 1987, Ace Frehley had just begun his comeback. He recorded a well received debut as Frehley’s Comet, with a notable appearance by drummer par excellence Anton Fig. Anton had been working steadily for the Letterman show since 1986 and so was not on the tour this CD was captured from. This version of the Comet featured new drummer Billy Ward. They were recorded live in Milwaukee at Summerfest on June 29th of that year. It was taped for broadcast and somehow survived. Live radio broadcast CDs are so common now that you can even find them at Walmart. Some are worth the cash, others less so. A Frehley’s Comet broadcast from the first tour is automatically interesting to Kiss collectors.

Unfortunately what buyers will discover is that this CD is a harsh chore to listen to. Vocals are back in the mix, bass way up front, and there is a thin haze of staticky air over it. Ace’s perennial opener, “Rip It Out” (from his 1978 solo album) is but a shadow of the better produced version on the Live + 1 EP. This is through no fault of the band, featuring mainstay bassist John Regan, singer/guitarist Tod Howarth, and Ward.

Ace sings lead on most of the material, but Tod Howarth has a couple songs from the first Comet LP. “Something Moved” and “Breakout” (co-written by the late Eric Carr) are fast paced action, while “Calling to You” is anthemic pop rock. Howarth was in excellent voice that night, this much is certain. Ace sings a handful of Kiss tunes as well as solo and Comet material. Gene Simmons originally sang “Cold Gin”, but Ace took it back for himself by singing it live. At the same time, Kiss were also playing “Cold Gin” live (a song Ace wrote) and fans will have to decide who pulled it off best. Ace even tackles “Deuce”, a song Gene wrote. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander?

It really is a shame that the audio hampers the listening experience. It sounds like a legitimately great Ace performance. Having a guy like Howarth in the band enabled Ace to have multiple lead singers like Kiss did. On the Kiss covers, Howarth takes the Paul Stanley role. Billy Ward and John Regan make the songs a little more complex rhythmically than the Kiss originals, but Ace also adds in new and extended solos. The end results are enhanced, Ace-ified covers. No notable tracks are missing; it is a really solid set list of Ace Frehley classics.

There are some who will happily purchase anything with Ace’s name on it (guilty!) and there are others who can live without. Decide who you are and spend your money appropriately.

3/5 stars

REVIEW: KISS – Monster (Japan Tour Edition bonus CD)

This review is for reader Juan, from Spain — thank you for reading!

KISS – Monster (Japan Tour Edition, 2013 Universal Japan)

In my 32 years of collecting music, I have learned a number of immutable laws of the hobby. The Three Laws of Collecting are:

The First Law: Japan shall always get the best stuff.
The Second Law: Anything worth releasing is worth re-releasing.
The Third Law: Kiss fans shall buy anything, often more than once.

The Three Laws of Collecting are why I now have purchased my fifth copy of Kiss Monster. The album came out in 2012, meaning I have bought more than one copy per year since its release: Original CD, vinyl, iTunes, Japanese CD, and now this 2 CD Japan Tour Edition, which has all the tracks from all the versions, and then some.

This is not a review of Monster; we have reviewed that album twice now (once by Mike Ladano and once by Tommy Morais). Rather this is a review of the Tour Edition’s second disc, which is a pretty cool “best of” collection covering a very nice chunk of Kisstory. What can another greatest hits possibly offer? Believe it or not, the Monster Tour Edition has a slightly different slant that might be interesting to die-hards.

This is the first time “Psycho Circus” has opened a Kiss compilation. It was their tour opener in 1998-99 and so naturally fits this slot. It was one of the stronger tracks from Psycho-Circus itself, which was otherwise a pretty disappointing reunion album. Mainly because Peter and Ace barely played on it. Indeed, on this track you will get Kevin Valentine on drums and Tommy Thayer on guitar, uncredited. That said, the track still kicks ass and has proven to be the only song from that album that still gets played now and then.

I’m always happy to hear oldies like “Let Me Go, Rock ‘N’ Roll” on a hits CD. The same goes for “Black Diamond”, one of the more epic Kiss tracks. These old album cuts might not be as well known to casual fans and might surprise even Kiss haters. However, no casual fan or Kiss hater is going to be hearing the Monster Tour Edition. So the die-hards again will be hearing “Shout it Out Loud”, “Rock and Roll all Nite”, “Detroit Rock City”, “God of Thunder”, “Love Gun” and “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” for the umpteenth time. Mixed in among these are some of the second-tier hits from the 80’s: “I Love it Loud”, “Lick It Up”, “Heaven’s On Fire”. The exact mixture of ingredients is different, but these songs have been on best-of CDs by Kiss before.

The one unique inclusion is “Say Yeah” from 2009’s Sonic Boom, its first appearance on a hits disc. Its place here is deserved. Sonic Boom represented a strong return to the studio for Kiss after a decade long absence. “Say Yeah” was one of three songs played live in concert, and sounds the most like a timeless Kiss anthem. (Sonic Boom was represented on the last greatest hits compilation, Kiss 40, by “Modern Day Delilah”.)

Finally there is the riffy “Right Here Right Now” which was previously the iTunes bonus track for Monster. A physical copy is always better, and a Japanese high quality HMCD is even better than that. And don’t worry — the original Japanese bonus track, a live version of “King of the Night Time World” from the Rock the Nation tour, is still intact on disc one. (More on that in the video below.)

This version of Monster is finally the definitive one with all the tracks in one place. The bonus hits disc is some pretty awesome icing. When you have as many hits discs as Kiss do, you may just wonder “what’s the difference”? Each one is different in its own often minor ways, and fans who appreciate this stuff will enjoy hearing a couple unique tunes for a change.

The only flaw with this HMCD reissue is that it lacks the original 3D lenticular cover. That is a bummer. I simply kept my original cover (it is a separate piece you can take out) from a prior version of Monster which I later gifted to a friend. In fact that friend reviewed the single disc Japanese Monster!

I must add another law to my Three Laws of Collecting:

The Zeroth Law*: You shall always have some buyer’s regret.

It is true. I had all these songs before. The only one I didn’t have physically was the iTunes download “Right Here Right Now”. But I “had” to have it. I could question that. “You could have put that money towards some new tires”. The CD could have paid for a week of lunches at Harvey’s. A fool and their money?

I’m fine with that.

$/5 stars

*I didn’t make that word up. Isaac Asimov added the Zeroth Law of Robotics to his Three Laws in 1985.

REVIEW: House of Lords – Sahara (1990)

By request of reader WARDY!

HOUSE OF LORDS – Sahara (1990 BMG)

House of Lords put out an impressive debut but didn’t sell a lot of copies. When the second album rolled out in 1990, their guitarist Lanny Cordola was gone and in was new guy Michael Guy. Although Guy is credited on guitar, in reality the album was recorded with Doug Aldrich and a number of guests. Weirdly, thanked in the credits for “additional inspiration” is Nick Simmons, who was one year old at the time. Sahara was of course on Simmons Records.

It’s a different sounding House, less regal but with more hooks per acre. The opening number “Shoot” draws liberally from the wells of both Led Zeppelin and Motley Crue. “Chains of Love” is Coverdale-lite, with singer James Christian pouring on as much sass as possible, but without Coverdale’s sly nods and winks. Whoever is playing the guitar solo on “Chains of Love” laid down a killer.

The acoustic cover “Can’t Find My Way Home” (Blind Faith) is pretty true to the original minus the falsetto, and would have to be one of the better power ballads from a rock band in 1990. House of Lords turn a serious corner on “Heart on the Line”, which sounds like a title for a ballad. This however is a speed racer, a chugging riff powering a rock-corker, which turns Cheap Trick on the chorus. Unsurprisingly, it was written by Rick Neilsen. Brilliant playing and soloing on this one. Then they rip off a song title from Coverdale himself, “Laydown Staydown”. Winger-esque sleeze rock is all this is, not even touching the brilliance of the Deep Purple song that inspired the title.

A much more impressive track opens side two, “Sahara”. This is progressive hard rock, with drummer Ken Mary layering a tribal drum effect that would have been very ahead of its time in 1990. This too degenerates into something more Winger-like as well, but it jumps from that back into more progressive sections, keeping things balanced and interesting. The second slot on side two is predictably another ballad, a good one called “It Ain’t Love”. Not just the title, but the gang chorus reminds of Dokken. Some fine soloing resides here to sink your fangs into.

The lead single was another power ballad, “Remember My Name”, which the band did not write. As an impressionable youth in 1990, I hated this single. “Never lead with a ballad,” was my thinking. I had been looking forward to new House of Lords since the debut slayed me in ’88. I didn’t want the first song to be a ballad they didn’t write. I still don’t think it’s a very good track. And surely a mistake to include it on the CD right before another ballad. “American Babylon” redeems it, coming back with a strong push. “Kiss of Fire” nails it with the knockout punch at the end, a blazing smoker with powerful keyboards that remind us of vintage Deep Purple. Finally it seems House of Lords nailed a song that lived up to their inspirations.

Perhaps it was the rotating cast of characters on guitar, but Sahara drifts further from the sound that made House of Lords unique in 1988. The danger of grasping for hits while taking their sound deeper in the mainstream was real. Though it is still an entertaining listen, Sahara is very uneven which makes it a bumpy ride.

3/5 stars

REVIEW: The Cult – Hidden City (2016)

THE CULT – Hidden City (2016 Dine Alone)

There have been a few times in Cult history when it seemed unlikely they would be making any more albums. Thankfully, these fears were unfounded. Thankfully, because The Cult are so damn great at making albums.

Their latest is Hidden City, and it continues their upwards trajectory. Teamed up once again with Bob Rock, the band created a powerful recording, very Cult-like and loud. It is a cohesive and impressive collection of songs that tend to defy individual description. It is easy to pick our favourites such as “No Love Lost”, “Birds of Paradise” or “Hinterland” (my personal fave), but Hidden City is more than the sum of its parts. Its components are strong compositions that highlight the strengths of the band: Ian Astbury’s powerful and unique voice, and Billy Duffy’s unmistakable riff stylings. Hidden City collects the light and shade and presents them as a multi-coloured hue.

Its grooves are huge but textured. The songs reveal more hooks the more you listen. The Cult’s performances are top notch. The album is electrifying. Hidden City must be considered a latter-day high water mark, an album that builds on the last few records and continues pushing forward. The Cult rule again.

5/5 stars

This is a 200 word review in the tradition of the #200wordchallenge

REVIEW: Union – Union (1998, 1999 reissue with bonus track)

The third and final Kulick review from our Kulick week at mikeladano.com!

Tuesday: Blackjack – Blackjack (1979)
Wednesday: Blackjack – Worlds Apart (1980)

UNION – Union (1998, 1999 Spitfire reissue)

A mighty Union was formed from the ashes of two classic bands’ lesser-known lineups. First up is Bruce Kulick, formerly of Kiss and now in Grand Funk. Kulick had been taking an increasingly important role within Kiss, leading to the Carnival of Souls LP which Bruce was instrumental in writing and recording. With him was John Corabi who had just been booted from Motley Crue after making (arguably) their best album (or one of). Corabi was in a bit of a state. His confidence in himself was shaken after the Motley experience, who seemed impossible to please when their album tanked. John told Bruce that he didn’t want to sing anymore, he just wanted to play guitar. Bruce’s response was “Dude, you’re fuckin’ high!”

And so it was that Bruce and John teamed up (with Brent Fitz and Jamie Hunting) in the aptly named Union.

You wouldn’t call Union a supergroup, but they did create a fine album. It is in the mold of the last albums these guys made separately (Motley ’94 and Carnival). Union turned out as an angry, dark rock record, very much a child of the 1990’s. With Kulick on guitar, Union was more than a 90’s alt-grunge retread. The 90’s are omnipresent in the droning riffs and staggered rhythms, but then Bruce dumped out his tackle box of guitar tricks. Bruce evolved over the years from a guy who played really fast on 80’s Kiss albums to a serious player interested in pushing his own limits. Where he used to be content to play flurries of notes, on Union he goes for maximum gut impact. It’s less about playing the notes than bending them to his will.

It’s also quite clear how much writing Bruce and John did in their respective bands, judging by the sound of this. “Around Again” bears groovy similarities to tracks like “Jungle” by Kiss and “Uncle Jack” by Motley. There’s a pissed-off attitude, and musicianship that would make Nikki Sixx crap his pants. Thankfully Union have a good batch of songs backing them. Much like the previous Kiss and Crue records, Union is not instant love. It takes about three good listens to penetrate its metal-grunge (with a touch of Beatles) hybrid sound. Union usually seem to go for the guts rather than singalong melodies.

One of the exceptions to this rule is the pure fun “Love (I Don’t Need it Anymore)”. This is the one that hooks you on the first round. With a funky little riff and a chorus that sinks right in, it slays. The ballad “October Morning Wind” is another catchy track, an acoustic number a-la Zeppelin. Think of a track like “Loveshine” from the Motley album for the right ballpark. Stealing a Zeppelin title, Union’s song “Tangerine” is a groove rock tune like a heavier Aerosmith.

On the other side of the spectrum: psychedelic rock. “Let It Flow” is a trippy song broken up into sections called “The Invitation”, “The Journey” and “The Celebration”. I think John was smoking something green when he wrote the lyrics, but Bruce’s sitar-like guitar is the perfect complement. “Empty Soul” has similar scope, being a pretty huge song with musical goodness coming out the wazoo.

Adding the Beatles cover “Oh Darlin'” to a reissued version of the album is a little greedy, but fortunately worth it. As it turned out this band only made two studio albums, so more Union is good Union. If you recall the original song, Paul McCartney gave it his best rasp screams. Up to bat is John Corabi who can sing that way in his sleep. It’s a perfect match and “Oh Darlin'” is a nice little extra on which to end an exceptional album. The only issue I have with “Oh Darlin” is actually its placement as the last song. Previously, the solo-written Corabi acoustic ballad “Robin’s Song” was the closer, much like “Driftaway” was on the Motley album. You become accustomed to “Robin’s Song” as a closer, because it has that quality to it. “Oh Darlin'” is not a closer. It would have worked better earlier in the track list, so feel free to shuffle as you choose.

Whatever version you acquire, any fan of Kulick and/or Corabi would be foolhardy to live without this CD. It ranks as one of the best albums by either.

4.5/5 stars

Gallery: HELIX guitar picks

These. Are. COOL.

To promote their new album Rock It Science, Helix released this set of five custom guitar picks. It is available at their site for only $10, and they feature the excellent album art (by Brent Doerner) on the front. On the back, each pick has a photo of a band member: Brian Vollmer, Daryl Gray, Greg “Fritz” Hinz, Kaleb “Duckman” Duck and Chris Julke.

Guitar picks are great to collect and here at LeBrain HQ, we can always appreciate a cool set of custom plectrums. They’re fun, they don’t take up a lot of space (I’ll be storing mine inside the CD case) and they just look cool. Feast your eyes upon these beauties and if you decide to go for a set, don’t forget to order the Rock It Science CD to go with ’em!

REVIEW: Helix – Rock It Science (2016)

NEW RELEASE

HELIX – Rock It Science (2016 Perris)

Helix just don’t stop! Never have, never will. They have been an ongoing property since 1974, steadily releasing albums with only minor gaps between. They keep playing live, year after year. They keep recording new music, ensuring there is always fresh product for fans to pick up at one of their unflagging shows. The latest is a new “greatest hits” CD called Rock It Science, featuring a smattering of tracks from all over their career and one new song.

Bands and record labels are often guilty of exploiting their fans for one or two new tracks and a whole bunch of stuff they already own. Helix fans generally don’t feel that way. They want to support the band (“the hardest working band in Canada”), and it’s worth noting that most past Helix “hits” CDs are out of print now, and there is very little overlap in songs. What overlap exists is usually limited to the “big hits” – songs like “Rock You” and “Heavy Metal Love”. Incidentally, the hits from the Capitol years included here are the re-recorded versions from Best Of 1983-2012. Fear not, they are very authentic remakes. You gotta do what you gotta do to get paid!

Brian Vollmer has been good about including deeper cuts on his compilations. “Billy Oxygen” and “You’re a Woman Now” from the first album are brilliant. These are two of their best songs, period, and they commence Rock It Science brilliantly. Any Helix CD that includes “Billy Oxygen” is better for it. This jazzy little rocker is one of their more complex arrangements, written and sung by the “Doctor” Brent Doerner. Speaking of Brent, he designed the artwork for the CD and directed the music video for “(Gene Simmons Says) Rock is Dead“. That’s the new track on this CD (click the link for a review of the song) and a damn fine one it is. Brian co-wrote it with his partner in crime, Sean Kelly, a brilliant musician in his own right.

A few other treasures worth mentioning are the lava-hot “Get Up!” from 2006, and the ballad “Good to the Last Drop” from 1990. This is the single remix version of the song, which tips the scales as the slightly superior (and more rare) mix. “Shock City Psycho Rock” (1998) is a pleasant surprise. This is a track written by bassist Mike Uzelac in the early 1980’s but not recorded until the 90’s. (When they recorded it, Uzelac was actually a missing person. He has since returned to the land of the living, but I can remember meeting his brother back in the Record Store days and that is when I first heard the story that Mike hadn’t been seen by family or friends in years.) Mike Uzelac was a talented writer and contributed lots of material to Helix. “Shock City” is one of the fastest and most destructive tracks in their catalogue. Finally, “Even Jesus (Wasn’t Loved in His Home Town)” is a favourite, notable for its biting lyrics and brain-searing chorus.

So go ahead and give them an R. The band is like an institution, a hard working gang of rockers that aim to please each and every time. Buy the CD direct from the band and you’ll get a signed copy with some great liner notes detailing some rare band history. Rock It Science would make a fine first Helix album for any collection.

4/5 stars

REVIEW: The Four Horsemen – Left For Dead (1988-1992) (CD/DVD set)

“You know, Sean Connery was the best Roger Moore they ever had.” — Frank C. Starr

THE FOUR HORSEMEN – Left For Dead (1988-1992) (2005 CD/DVD set)

“Nobody said it was easy…and they were fucking right!”

The final review in this Four Horsemen series is a valuable live album/DVD set. The CD was put together from “a box of old tapes”, all from 1992 gigs (one of which was Toronto), and there are ample liner notes discussing the band’s history and the songs herein. It’s a brilliant live set, loaded with energy and Frank C. Starr’s unmistakable charisma. Every track sweats whiskey. With an opening one-two punch of “’75 Again” and “Moonshine”, you know you’re in for an action packed ride. “Moonshine” is particularly cool, because the album version featured an authentic over-the-phone lead vocal, but the live one is full-on. Throwing in a couple extra screams, Frankie added the icing on the cake. Man, we so miss Frank C. Starr.

It’s a noisy affair, which actually suits this band just fine. It’s appropriate that a Four Horsemen live album isn’t an overdubbed and glossed collection. What it sounds like is a live band in a tiny club. All three of the Horsemen’s singles are included in live form. The slide-drenched “Tired Wings” goes down a treat. “Nobody Said it Was Easy” and “Rockin’ is Ma Business” are both electrifying; the latter especially so. You don’t hear a singer with a voice like Frank’s very often. He had the grit, the power and the ability, wrapped up in a rock star-sized bottle of Jack. Frank Starr has to be one of the greatest unsung losses in modern rock.

And what a band behind him! There is a constant and very hard-hitting beat at the back, courtesy of the man-mountain Ken “Dimwit” Montgomery. According to the liner notes, Dimwit was a psychiatric nurse in addition to being a hell of a punk rock drummer. The name Dimwit was clearly a joke, but there is a dark side. The rigors of his work and the amount of care and emotion that went into it may have contributed to the depression and substance abuse that eventually took his life. It’s sad really, but thankfully these live recordings exist.

One non-album cut is included in this set, a slow raunchy one called “Can’t Get Next To You”. The AC/DC influences are obvious as this one is clearly in the musical mode of “The Jack”. The fans wouldn’t have known this song, but Frank wants to see how many people know the album. Introducing “Hot Head” he announces, “Let’s see if some of you fuckers actually went out and bought this shit!”…right before an equipment breakdown! And it’s all there, documented for history. Leaving in things like amp troubles makes for a more authentic listening experience.

All told, only two songs from the legendary first Four Horsemen record are not on the live CD: “Can’t Stop Rockin'” and “Homesick Blues”. Although unlisted, “I Need a Thrill” does contain the “Something Good” coda, just like the album. It’s even longer, with some absolutely consummate playing from lead guitarist Dave Lizmi. The low grade sound quality perhaps enhances the overall experience. This was a dirty rock and roll band and that’s how the live CD sounds. That seems right. With almost the entire first album plus an unreleased song, any Horsemen fan worth his or her salt should probably get their ears on this. But there is still the DVD to feast our eyes upon!

Interspersed with rare footage and interviews, you get all the original Horsemen music videos, starting with “Rockin’ is Ma Business”. The stark music video for “Nobody Said it Was Easy” is a previously unseen version with some risque shots. An interesting clip from MTV has the band mistakenly called “Four Horseman”. (Apparently it was Riki Rachtman’s first show. But then MTV got the name wrong on a later episode too! MuchMusic got it right though.) A rare live bootleg of “Hard Lovin’ Man” is audio garbage but video gold. “High School Rock and Roller” is a blast to watch, especially the moving mountain that was Dimwit on drums. There is big stage action from October ’91, opening for Lynyrd Skynyrd (“’75 Again” and “Rockin’ in Ma Business”). Perhaps most interesting are some rejected music videos that didn’t see the light of day. An early version of “Tired Wings” (with a pre-fame Kate Moss) is pretty crap and rightfully hated by the band. Better than this is a rare “Mexican version” of “Nobody Said it Was Easy”. The intro borrows liberally from “The Old Man Down the Road” by John Fogerty, but it’s cool watching the band mime in a hot dusty town in Mexico. Then there is a never before seen $2000 budget video for “Welfare Boogie” from the original EP. This video was rejected by MTV because the band were “too ugly”.

DVD special features are sparse but cool. There is an exclusive acoustic demo version of “Tired Wings”. What a different spin this is! In demo form it was a slow acoustic drawl, laid back with angelic band harmonies. The lyrics and melodies are identical but the arrangement is completely different. This is set to a nostalgic slide show of rare band photos. There is also a band commentary track for the main feature (Haggis, Dave Lizmi and Ben Pape). Lots of laughs, memories and anecdotes. And making fun of “Dave Lizmo’s” hockey stick-style guitar neck. Mostly they poke fun of each other’s clothes. It’s a lot of fun to hang out with the Horsemen. The audio commentary track is a highly recommended shambles.

The CD/DVD set can be ordered straight from the band, and it comes autographed. I think mine is signed by Haggis but I cannot be sure!

4/5 stars

REVIEW: The Four Horsemen – Welfare Boogie (21st Anniversary Edition)

THE FOUR HORSEMEN – Welfare Boogie (originally 1990, 2009 Anniversary Edition with bonus tracks)

It feels right to review this re-released EP only after we have already discussed Nobody Said it Was Easy and Gettin’ Pretty Good at Barely Gettin’ By. Until I met T-Rev at the old Record Store, I didn’t even know such an EP existed. But he had it; an original copy purchased somewhere in the States before we met. He taped it for me (same songs both sides) and that was the first I heard of the Horsemen’s 1990 debut EP. I hunted high and low for another CD copy, but failed until this 2009 reissue. Originally and simply titled The Four Horsemen, the reissued EP sports the new title Welfare Boogie, and five bonus tracks.

According to the liner notes, the band didn’t mind if they sounded a bit like AC/DC since “nobody is doing AC/DC anymore, not even AC/DC”. The EP has the same raw and rough vibe of Powerage-era Bon Scott, but with a guy who can also scream like Brian Johnson. “Welfare Boogie” itself works as an example. It’s a basic riff, a rawk vibe, a shout-along chorus and a charismatic shrieker (Frank C. Starr). This track and the laid-back rock and roll “Shelly” were both written solely by drummer Ken “Dimwit” Montgomery. Dave Lizmi’s guitar solo is equal parts Angus Young and Ace Frehley. The date might say 1990, but it sounds more like 1978. “High School Rock N’ Roller” was written by founding member, Haggis (aka Kid Chaos aka Stephen Harris), who had finished a world tour with the Cult. Once again, it’s easy to point at early AC/DC as the prime influence. The one track that sounds more like punk rock (Dimwit was from D.O.A.) than AC/DC is “Hard Lovin’ Man”. Starr might not have written it, but it’s clearly about him. I have heard him reference his tattooed weiner before in a RIP Magazine interview. (“It has eyes!” he seemed to beam with pride.) The lyrics:

“I got heart of stone,
And a hand of steel,
Got a tattooed pecker,
And a Batmobile.”

“I”m a hard lovin’ man,” he boasts, before inviting “come here baby and see how hard I am.” All this to the rock and roll blitzkrieg of a song so fast that it doesn’t even break the 2 1/2 minute mark. The four tracks combined make for a grand little EP, not even 13 minutes long! In and out, mission accomplished. Thankfully the bonus tracks extend the experience for those wanting a little bit more action.

A cassette demo of “Rockin’ is Ma Business” demonstrates a work in progress as the band fiddled with the arrangement. Comparing the final track to the demo, it sounds like it ingested a steady diet of coffee and gin before cranking it up to 11. Always interesting to hear these early works in progress. The bones are there but the meat is only being added. “The Needle” is an unreleased song, a menacing night prowler with teeth flashing in the gloom.

“Born to Boogie” transformed completely between this demo and a later demo included on Nobody Said it Was Easy. According to the liner notes here, this song eventually mutated again into “Can’t Stop Rockin'” from the album. This track however is just a good time boogie with a bouncy riff lifted from “New York Groove” by Ace Frehley. Then there is “Ain’t Telling Me”, a purely AC/DC stomp with a hint of Guns N’ Roses on top like a cherry. Finally, a fun track called “Bring On the Girls” goes down like a round of tequila. You can hear that the chords here later became “Moonshine” on the LP. Even the bass line is identical, but this is a more party-hearty version of a fondly remembered deep cut.

This collection of songs was never meant to be more than a warm-up. The main course was always intended to be the LP. When a band is as good as The Four Horsemen were, the EP still impresses more than a thousand other bands’ proper albums.

3.5/5 stars

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NEW RELEASE

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