Tesla came out of the gates with everything in its right place: Β a good label (Geffen), great producers (Thompson & Barbiero) and the best management you could ask for (Q Prime). Β The band were and are all top drawer musicians, and they had a batch of killer rootsy hard rock ready to record. Β Ready, set, go!
Tesla have never done anything wimpy. Β Whatever they do, they inject muscle into, even the ballads. Β “EZ Come EZ Go”, the opening salvo, is surprisingly tough for the era. Β Starting dark and ominous, it only takes a verse before it turns to scorch mode. Β Singer Jeff “JK” Keith proved his versatility immediately on this track. Β From whimpering tones to belting at the top of the lungs, JK did it with rasp and incredible lung power. Β Backing him are the underrated guitar duo of Frankie Hannon and Tommy Skeoch, a six-string tag team to rival the bigΒ boys.
“Cumin’ Atcha Live” starts with Van Halen-esque blitzing, except with two guitarists instead of one, fretboards ablaze. Β It takes almost a minute for the song itself to ignite! Β “I’m a mean machine, I’m the kind you don’t wanna meet,” warns Jeff, but I don’t believe him. Β Tesla were known as one of the “nice guy” bands of rock, in contrast to bad boys like Motley Crue. Β Troy Luccketta is a drummer with a recognizable style. Β You can hear it in the way he rides the cymbals. Β On bass, the bearded Brian Wheat, the backbone of the group. Β There is no let up, only a full-on rock assault.
The album generated quite a few single/videos, and “Gettin’ Better” was an easy selection. Β The mellow, ballady (but soulful) opening is just a feint. Β This turns into a good time rocker in no time. Β A message of positivity and perseverance is good on the ears, and it’s nice to hear a kick-ass but optimistic rock song that isn’t sung by Jon Bon Jovi. Β It gets heavier from here. Β “2 Late 4 Love” is not a Def Leppard song, nor Prince. Β It is however pure metal. Β Early Tesla seemed to be a bit more metallic in nature. Β With a Motley chug and a Dokken vibe, it’s not really representative of where Tesla was headed, but it’s good enough. Β “Rock Me To the Top” occupies a similar chug with high quality results. Β Finally, ending the first side is “We’re No Good Together” which actually has some soft, Cars-like synth in the background. Β This slow, bluesy number sure picks up at the ending. Β Jeff Keith really turned in an excellent lead vocal, especially for the slow, soulful parts. Β What a singer!
“Modern Day Cowboy” is one of Tesla’s trademark tunes today. Β There’s that cowboy motif, so popular in the 80’s that you’d think we all rode steel horses. Β Although it is now a Tesla classic, I actually don’t think it’s one of the better tunes on the album. Β It’s a fine, serviceable hard rocker, with edge, drama, acoustics and the works thrown in, but it doesn’t have the melodic sensibilities that most of the album has. Β The guitars sure do smoke.
Nothing wrong with a little piano in a rock ballad, is there? Β “Changes” is a great, heavy ballad with loads of guitars and tasteful keys too. Β I don’t even think I should be calling this a ballad. Β It burns rubber like there’s no tomorrow when it’s time for it.
Since this time, Tesla have become known for performing some amazing covers, both hits and obscure. Β “Little Suzi” is the first, and I’d never heard of the band Ph.D. of whom this is a cover. Β Even if I had, Tesla’s version of the song is diametrically opposed to the dramatic synthpopΒ original, which was titled “Little Suzi’s on the Up”. Β Tesla do it as a folksy, bonfire acoustic/electric rocker complete with a pretty acoustic intro. Β It is instantly likeable. Β Bon Jovi once said “the way to tell if a song is good is to see if it works acoustically.” Β If that is true, then Tesla have proven this of “Little Suzi”.
CREED – My Own Prison (1997 Wind-Up, originally Blue Collar)
Have you ever gotten flak for an artist or genre of music that you enjoy?Β Not a whole lot of fun, is it?Β Try to imagine that negative opinion not just as common, but as something resembling the general consensus.Β One that not only discounts anyone that disagrees, but actively mocks and ridicules them.Β Ask anyone you meet on the street: who are the βworstβ musical artists of all time?Β Chances are, one particular scapegoat of late-90sβ rock will come upβ¦Β To say that Creed is a controversial band is putting it lightly.Β Perhaps no group in the history of rock and roll has been a casualty of its own fame quite the same way the band composed of vocalist Scott Stapp, guitarist Mark Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall have.Β While the amount of fans often rivalled the number of critics in their heyday, as of 2015 the predominant word is negative.Β Whether it be from fans moving on or the bandβs hiatus keeping them from speaking up for themselves, anything positive is rare.Β Case in point: Scott Stappβs recent mental breakdown in December featured the most press coverage the frontman has had to endure since the turn of the millennium.Β EVERYBODY had something to say about it, oftentimes hateful.Β What of him now?Β Heβs pulled himself back together and aside from his own personal PR, only one or two websites actually reported the news.Β Iβm sure more than a few readers of this review will think heβs still whacked out on drugs, despite spending the last five months at home with his family.
Unfortunately, Creedβs status as something of a pariah maintains that I canβt just hop into the music and give you my personal take.Β If I were to do so, Iβd likely have more than a few commenters simply reiterating age-old hate for the band or questioning the validity of my perspective because Iβm not slinging feces.Β So letβs get to it: perhaps the most common strike against Creed is the idea that theyβre heavily derivative of Pearl Jam.Β Umβ¦ have you ever listened to either of these bands?Β Generally speaking, Pearl Jam is angry garage rock with guitars that bite but donβt shred, and songs that are intended to coast primarily on the emotion conveyed in Eddie Vedderβs vocals and lyrics.Β Creed is arena rock with soaring pop hooks and beefy guitar riffs.Β Forgive me if I donβt find those two approaches to be all that similar.Β Not to mention the fact that Creed rarely ever treads the political ground that Pearl Jam does, and that the perspective of Pearl Jamβs material is often outward, with the Creed being much more introspective.Β To put it simply, Pearl Jamβs songs are often βyou, you, youβ while Creedβs are βme, me, me.βΒ If you consider such a point-of-view as pretentious I understand, but Iβd rather have someone pointing a finger at themselves than me or a hypothetical βthem.β
Of course, this comparison between the bands primarily stemmed from the similarities in Vedder and Stappβs vocal styles, specifically their employment of whatβs known as βyarlingβ (which involves putting an βRβ sound behind enunciations).Β Iβm not going to try and convince anyone that the two frontmen donβt sound similar, but there are important differences that even a cursory listen will highlight: Vedder has more range and is much more likely to yelp, with his voice cracking as he gets higher and more intense.Β Stapp has a richer timbre but over-pronounces his words in a somewhat silly manner that has become common fodder for haters that fancy themselves comedians.Β I understand the comparison, but postulating that Stapp βcopiedβ Vedder isnβt wholly substantiated.Β Claiming that he sounds exactly like Vedder and applying that comparison to the whole band is outright lunacy.Β This didnβt make any sense to me when I only knew either band from their radio hits; having actually dug into each bandβs body of work in subsequent years, it now strikes me as pure propaganda.Β The fact that the Pearl Jam comparison is blanketed over pretty much EVERY band of the so-called βpost-grungeβ era just confirms that suspicion.
The next common (and even more ridiculous) complaint is that Creed is somehow Christian rock.Β Come again?Β Creed isnβt Christian rock anymore than AC/DC is Satanist metal.Β Talking about God in a song does not make it religious in and of itself; Christian music involves God as the subject nine times out of ten, with some sort of message of hope through Him conveyed therein.Β With Creed, God is only ever mentioned as being there; Stappβs lyrics allude to the Divine in the same way a person might speak of gravity.Β Heβs not trying to convert or otherwise convince anyone of his religious convictions, heβs simply stating them as one might a fact of life.Β If you dislike this quality thatβs fine but it doesnβt make Creed Christian music, even if some of the members are open about their religious convictions.
Even then, to properly interpret these allusions, one must also have some understanding of Stappβs upbringing.Β He, like many youngsters, was born into a religious home.Β He had little interaction with his real father, and his mother remarried when he was still a kid.Β His stepfather Steven Stapp (from whom Scott took his last name) was a dentist by trade, but a zealot in practice.Β He made Scott study the Bible for several hours each day and conclude his time by writing essays about what he learned from the passages he perused (Scott later came to find that Steven was using his essays for Sunday school lessons).Β Think thatβs bad?Β Itβs not even the worst of it: whenever Scott messed up, he was physically beaten by Steven.Β As in abused.Β Steven also set a specific time each week that Scott was to be thrashed for sins that his stepfather βknew he committed but didnβt see.βΒ Scott was also punished whenever Steven caught him listening to rock and roll, because itβs βthe devilβs music.βΒ To top it off, the doctrine advocated was of an unforgiving God that would damn a soul to Hell for the slightest trespass, lest they live a perfect life.
So why am I telling you all of this?Β Because personal experience naturally informs art, and if you were brought up in a household like this, chances are youβd address those feelings through song as well.Β Itβs all in HOW one addresses these topics that informs the atmosphere.Β Scott didnβt write lyrics that concerned themselves with theology because he wanted listeners to believe it, he wrote them because HE didnβt know what to believe about the God he had shoved down his throat by his stepfather.Β Itβs a fair assessment to assume that his childhood had a massive effect on his personality, not to mention the disparate reactions to the Creedβs music.Β Itβs a wonder Stapp didnβt have a meltdown before 2014.Β Of the common complaints about this band, I consider the Pearl Jam point open for debate.Β Do the bands sound alike?Β To a degree; both play dour hard rock.Β Thereβs only so much variation one can attain within that template, after all.Β The Christian rock charge, however, is simply untrue.Β Overall, as far as Iβm concerned, both of these sleights were coined not because of their accuracy, but moreso to knock the band off of their perch when they got huge.Β With the passing of time, these legends have become fact, and the legend is being printed.Β (As a final point, it behooves me to point out that the band was originally to be called Naked Toddler until Brian Marshall suggested the name be changed to Creed).
Finally, you have the general complaint of the era to contend with: Creed is most often resigned to the βpost-grungeβ monicker.Β I donβt care who you are or what you think about grunge, designating a bunch of later artists with a βpost-β label when they make pretty much the exact same type of music as their forbears is ridiculous.Β Does that make Poison and Guns Nβ Roses βpost-hair metalβ since they appeared relatively late in that particular cycle?Β I get that the so-called post-grunge bands are considered much less authentic than their precedents, but the problem with that line of thinking is that grunge didnβt really invent anything, nor were they all that βoriginal.βΒ Sure, grunge killed hair metal, but thereβs a distinct difference between killing and conceiving.Β The faces of the sub-genre, Nirvana and Pearl Jam, are watered down punk with a hard rock flair.Β Think AC/DC is simplistic?Β Nirvana rocks three chord riffs like thereβs no tomorrow.Β That βyarlβ that is so often attributed to Eddie Vedder?Β He wasnβt even the first from the scene to use it, much less music at large.Β Layne Staley of Alice In Chains holds that dubious distinction for the grunge crowd.Β As far as the styleβs far-reaching beginnings, Ray Charles, George Jones and Jim Morrison of the Doors all sung with such an affectation before Eddie Vedder was ever a glint in his fatherβs eye.Β Nevermind the fact that Stapp often cites Morrison as perhaps his most formative influence, along with Def Leppard and U2 (or that Scott honed his singing skills in black churches, whose members would frequently goad him to use βsoulβ as he sung (read: yarling)).
There are a variety of other diatribes against Creed, such as the band taking itself too seriously (didnβt Nirvana, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, among others?), that Scott Stapp was an arrogant ass (John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Axl Rose?) and that the band was too commercialized…sigh.Β This accusation has to be the MOST fragile of the stones thrown at these guys.Β Just because a song or album is mainstream does not in and of itself guarantee any sort of quality, good or bad.Β Anyone that attempts to postulate otherwise is too far up their own ass to give any other line of thought consideration.Β Sure, rock and roll has always had rebellion in its blood, so I can understand that the idea of a rock band NOT pushing such an image as odd.Β But letβs not forget that the most respected band of all time, the Beatles, was also the most commercial.
Thereβs also the charge that the band simply blended in with most of the other like-minded superstars of the time, with LeBrainβs popular line being to colloquially refer to them all as Theory of a NickelCreed.Β Maybe so, but if the band was so βgenericβ why are they singled out as one of the βworst of all timeβ?Β Just because they got big?Β And the only way to fight it was to backpedal 110% the other way?Β Politics, politics, politicsβ¦Β and thatβs not even the worst of it.Β By far the most immature response to this band over the years has not been so much in terms of their output, but the fact that a disturbing amount of haters act like no one else has a damned right to enjoy this band.Β As if Creed deserves to be burned at the stake and obliterated from the public record along with anyone that admits to being a fan.Β If hold anything but contempt for them youβve obviously been living under a rock and havenβt experienced the βgood stuffβ yet.Β Are you kidding me?Β Yeah, and Creed fans are the stupid ones.
Preamble over.Β Can we move on to the actual music now?Β Thatβs what weβre here to discuss, but my pen is pre-ordained to at least address these concerns beforehand, lest I be case out of the βeliteβ musical regime (which will probably happen anyway since, you know, my argument about Creed consists of more than the age old operandi βthey suck because they suck.βΒ Even now I feel readers skipping past my prose to the comments section to light their torches and take my ass to task for my βtransgressionsβ).
Released in 1997 and selling over six million copies in the United States alone by 2002, My Own Prison heralded the arrival of Creed.Β According to a decent amount of the more casual fans and even some critics, this is their best album, and one after which many jumped ship in indignation.Β Why?Β Because of the first three records from the band, this one is decidedly the least commercial.Β The songs mostly just crunch and end, leaving the listener to sort out the details.Β Few are trying to be populist anthems.Β Itβs not my favorite Creed album, but I can see why itβs a popular choice.Β The album weaves through mostly introspective stories of faith and loss, with slight forays into light political fair on βIn America.βΒ Overall, this is a moodier and less bombastic affair than the bandβs subsequent albums.
Tremontiβs lead guitar ordains the album opener βTornβ with melancholy, and Stappβs vocals maintain the atmosphere.Β βPeace is what they tell me/love, am I unholy?/Lies are what they tell me/Despise you that control meβ he sings.Β The guitars crash in in full force on the word lies, underscoring the inherent evil of the practice.Β βThe peace is dead in my soul/I have blamed the reason for/My intentions poorβ goes the chorus.Β I love the atmosphere and passive, rather than assertive, anger conveyed with the lyrics and instrumental.Β Say what you will about this band but they know how to start an album (perhaps not coincidentally, βTornβ along with followup album Human Clayβs opening track βAre You Ready?β are my two favorite songs from this band).
Next comes βOdeβ, a quintessential tune about being mistreated by others.Β Scott hints at his past here: βOne step on your own/And you walk all over me/One head in the clouds/You wonβt let go youβre too proud.βΒ This track is a weaker standout, but still pretty good.Β The title track follows at number three.Β Perhaps Iβm biased, but I consider the song βMy Own Prisonβ to be a classic of β90s rock.Β The one feat Creed is rarely credited for is their knack for catchy and memorable hooks.Β Thereβs a reason they were so popular, and forgive me if I donβt think theyβve sold 40 million albums just because the general populace has βterrible taste.βΒ Stapp is often cited for being too earnest with his lyrics and lacking subtlety; well, as far as Iβm concerned life isnβt subtle, and he captures that aspect well.Β I consider the lyrics of βMy Own Prisonβ to be pure poetry: βSo I held my head up high/Hiding hate that burns inside/Which only fuels their selfish pride/Weβre all held captive/Out from the sun/A sun that shines on only some/We the meek are all in one.βΒ Iβd be entertained just reading this stuff; canβt really say the same for βLithiumβ or βEven Flow.βΒ As a song, Tremonti and Marshallβs haunting guitar work and Phillipsβ dejected drumming elevate the experience to another level.
The album hits something of a snag with the next few tracks in that none of them really stand out from one another (hey, I can make the case that this band is highly underrated but I never implied they were perfect; no artist is).Β βPity for a Dimeβ is your typical βno one cares about meβ song that never really distinguishes itself.Β The atmosphere of the album bolsters this track along with the other weak links, but otherwise itβs one that you skip when going for the meat.Β The melody is decent, but the point of the lyrics is quickly lost in their redundancy.Β Even then, the guitar work starting at 3:50 is a real treat and a standout of Tremontiβs contributions.
βIn Americaβ is caught in the same net as βPity for a Dimeβ, essentially reprising the same theme.Β However, the twist is that Stapp is noting other opinions rather than his own.Β Iβve often felt the perspective that Stappβs lyrics convey to be a hint of subtle genius; heβs merely playing the part of observer, not necessarily βjudgeβ of the politics he addresses.Β While I think heβs overlooked as a lyricist, Stapp makes a crucial mistake in his treatment of the central conceit: the hook plays as βONLY in America.βΒ Even as someone that actively avoids politics and the news, I know that very few (if any) of the social issues brought up in this song occur solely in Uncle Samβs domain.Β Even if the premise is flawed, the theme of being torn between two extremes is powerful.Β That military-esque drum beat at the beginning is a nice touch as well.
Two of the more intense tracks from My Own Prison are βIllusionβ and βUnforgiven.βΒ The formerβs dissident fascination with the nature of life is engrossing.Β While I wouldnβt call it a standout, itβs also hard to dismiss.Β If anything, the song helps maintain the atmosphere and momentum, even if you probably wonβt catch yourself reaching for this album solely to hear it.Β However, if youβre just letting the album play it certainly adds to the experience.Β As for βUnforgivenβ, remember Scottβs stepfather and his violently fundamentalist ideas about God?Β Well, the title should speak for itself.Β Stapp bluntly speaks of his childhood and feelings about that time in his life.Β The music is appropriately menacing on this track and itβs a popular live song for the band despite not being released as a single.Β Tremontiβs guitar solo is especially striking, no doubt a major part of the songβs popularity.
βSisterβ is next, perhaps my least favorite track from Creedβs debut.Β Interestingly, it maintains the theme of βUnforgivenβ, with the focus shifted onto a sibling of Scottβs that endured similar treatment as he did.Β Itβs still perhaps the weakest track, but I like the continuity and pondering of the idea of his younger sisters having not one role model as he did, but two (counting Scott himself).Β Who says Creed have no artistic merit?Β The instrumental and overall atmosphere of the song are much lighter than previous tracks, perhaps underscoring the love one feels for their immediate family.
The ninth slot is filled by a song called βWhatβs This Life For,β one of the four monster singles from this album.Β This is another favorite of fans, myself included.Β I appreciate the passion in this track and the yearning for answers.Β Call me a sap, but havenβt we all wondered this exact thing at SOME point in our lives?Β Sure, itβs not exactly profound nor does the song really offer anything resembling a solution, but I like it.Β Shoot me.Β (Side note: some assessments of the song Iβve read cite the βdonβt have to settle no Goddamn scoreβ part as eliciting giggles.Β Am I alone in wondering just what might be funny about that part?Β Just because Scott says βGoddamnβ?Β Note that this word is omitted from the single version; it was 1997 after all).
I like to think the entire album is summed up with the final track βOne.βΒ Stapp reprises that poetic quality from before: βSociety blinded by color/why hold down one to raise anotherβ he sings.Β Relevant in 2015, donβt you think?Β βOne, oh one/the only way is oneβ he imparts on the chorus, backed up by another bright riff from Tremonti.Β The song goes on to note the aforementioned prison the narrator finds himself in, as well as the desire to escape and the likelihood of it happening.Β To be honest, songs like this remind me much more of U2 than Pearl Jam, with that βsave the worldβ vibe coming in full force.Β As such, the song falls prey to some of the same problems that ilk does by sweeping the more intricate complications of these social issues under the rug, but itβs hard not to appreciate the intent behind the song.Β I especially like the βflyingβ effect at 3:16, where the sound circles between speakers, as if to βuniteβ them once the song kicks back in, just as the band wishes for the world to be united.
Well, if youβve read this far, I trust that I have your full attention and that youβve been at least slightly entertained by my ramblings.Β A little known fact about this album is that two different versions exist.Β Recorded for a meager $6,000, My Own Prison was originally published through Blue Collar Records, a label founded by Creed to get their music out.Β The band received some airplay with this version in their native Florida before attracting the attention of major labels.Β An exact figure of their pre-fame sales is hard to find, but My Own Prison is quoted as shifting several thousand units before it was bought and reissued by Wind-Up records.Β Creed were then called back in to re-record parts of the album, while the rest was remixed to make for a more polished listening experience.Β I picked up one of the original copies on eBay a few years ago for about $50.Β Back in the day, these things were known to go for a few hundred.Β So how do the tracks compare?
Well, the first thing you notice is the lack of dynamic range.Β Sure, Creedβs albums have always been among the numerous victims of the loudness wars, in that theyβre mixed to blow your head off with sheer noise.Β However, believe it or not, the dynamics seem more stylized on the Wind-Up version when compared to the original.Β The opening seconds are a perfect example of this: whereas the first strains of βTornβ are a bit quieter before the song crescendos in the re-release, the original is pretty much the same volume throughout.Β This goes for all of the tracks to some degree, with certain parts louder and softer given the version.Β On a related note, the bass is non-existent on the original version, similar to how it was missing from Metallicaβs β¦And Justice For All.Β The remix brings it out a bit more, though ultimately the lead guitar and vocals mostly overpower the other parts.
The re-recorded material mostly amounts to some vocals.Β On certain song choruses of the βofficialβ version, Stapp and Tremonti can frequently be heard singing in multiple keys at the same time.Β Here, itβs mostly just one at a time.Β It sounds to me like an additional acoustic part was added to βIn Americaβ as well.Β Reverb was also applied to the remix, which I feel adds to the overall atmosphere of the recordings.Β Some songs also start at different points, with the odd note or two being cut off, as with βMy Own Prison.βΒ The biggest and most noticeable change is the omission of the original intro to βWhatβs This Life Forβ, a quiet little melody that appears nowhere else in the song.Β Tremonti is known to play it at concerts when performing, but itβs completely missing from the Wind-Up version.
Overall, if you resent the commercial tendencies of Creed, you might do well to seek out the original mix of this album.Β This is the band at their rawest.Β However, I wouldnβt recommend a purchase unless youβre actually a fan as prices are frequently steep and the remix isnβt THAT different when all is said and done.Β I have one because Iβm a collector and completist, as well as a curious listener.Β I also have an inkling that as this album nears its 20th anniversary, we might see something of a special edition that features both mixes on separate discs (the perfect gimmick).Β Not that I urge you to wait for a hypothetical re-release, but itβs a thought.Β Wind-Up released a vinyl compilation celebrating the labelβs 15th anniversary in 2013, with the original version of βWhatβs This Life Forβ featured.Β They obviously have access to the masters and might put it to use at some point.Β All in all, the rawer mixes can readily be found on YouTube if you are so inclined to seek them out but donβt want to pay collector prices for an original copy.
For those interested, thereβs also a bonus track version of the Wind-Up issue featuring an 11th song by the name of βBound & Tied.β The bonus track version was available in Central America and Europe, though it might be a little harder to find these days. For U.S. listeners, the song was made available via the soundtrack to the 1998 film Dead Man on Campus. If you can get your hands on the bonus track version of My Own Prison for a reasonable price, Iβd say go for it. βBound & Tiedβ is a forgotten gem from Creed, with an intriguing into in which each instrument comes in at a different point, gradually intensifying the sound. I especially like the vocal effects, as well as the menacing guitar riff from Tremonti. The lyrics are also much more ominous than most Creed songs: βTongue-tied, restless and wanting/Looks like you might bite, you might bite/Breathinβ in, breathinβ out, youβre weakened/The poisons hit your mind, your mind/Timeβs ticking and itβs got you thinking/Youβre happy with your life.β The band seems to be commenting on the double-edged sword that is fame; you seek it, yet canβt escape it once itβs attained.
In conclusion, if you actually made it this far (scanning or skipping doesnβt count!), my final verdict is that this album is solid.Β Classic?Β Perhaps at times, but itβs not anything resembling horrible, either.Β If your standards are so lofty that a slightly generic album of solid hard rock is your idea of βhorribleβ music, I envy your musical taste.Β Hereβs hoping that My Own Prison and Creed as a whole are subject to a re-evaluation of sorts at some point in the future.Β If you can listen past your gut reaction to the name and pay attention to the music, youβll probably find something to like.
Rating: 3.5/5
Thanks for reading, guys! Thank you, Mike, for the opportunity to do this! LeBrain has given me the option to review Creedβs discography, so if you want more let us know in the comments! (P.S. I take no responsibility for the bandβs music videos. Theyβre atrociously dated and corny, at least for the next two albums, and if your only exposure to Creed is of the visual kind I donβt blame you for thinking theyβre garbage.)
No sir, thank you Mr. Acca Dacca for a very thought-provoking review! Β I really appreciate the time and effort he put into this monster of a review. Β I have definitely opened my ears to this band. – LeBrain
Part two of a Bon Jovi two parter! Β For the lastΒ instalment, 1984’s Bon Jovi, click here.
BON JOVIΒ – 7800Β° Fahrenheit (1985 Polygram, 2012 special edition)
Sophomore slump? Bon Jovi’s first record didn’t set the world alight, but their second, 7800Β° Fahrenheit sounded like they’d run out of material. It had a darker overall vibe, butΒ managed to go gold in the US. To this day, 7800Β° Fahrenheit remains an inconsistent listen with a few great songs and a number of pure filler.
Although I was backtracking through their catalogue after Slippery When Wet, I was decidedly disappointed with 7800Β° Fahrenheit. Based on the excellently fun single and video “In and Out of Love”, it wasn’t unreasonable to expect more. That song was a blast, quality-wise sounding like a Slippery also-ran. It’s the only tune that periodically shows up on Bon Jovi hits albums. This remastered edition also has a smoking live version of the tune (from Tokyo), featuring an extended jam and guitar solo by Richie Sambora, before Tico Torres gets the spotlight for a drum solo! It’s a 12 minute track total, not the kind of thing you expect in a bonus track.
“Tokyo Road”, another hard rocker, is also worthy of praise. Japan was about the only place Bon Jovi were big. I could do without the boring “Sakura” intro though. Wow, does that thing get old fast. Otherwise, “Tokyo Road” is superfine. Jon seems to find these songs embarrassing today. They were certainly not very sophisticated lyrically, but neither is “When you breathe, I wanna be the air for you.”
Also on the better side are “The Price of Love” and “The Hardest Part is the Night”. Every good Bon Jovi has to contain a few heartbroken rockers. These two do the job while retaining an edge of toughness. Having Richie Sambora unfettered on axe sure does help. I’ll also admit a fondness for the single/video “Only Lonely”. Bon Jovi captured that tone of desperation. This rock ballad also appears as a live bonus track, much tougher and stronger than the studio version. It sounds like possibly a rehearsal tape.
“Only Lonely” had a pretty high budget music video for a band of Bon Jovi’s stature. It’s cheesy as hell and absolutely hilarious to watch today. So serious! It almost appears like a trailer in some kind of Bon Jovi movie. I guess Jon was interested in acting even back then.
7800Β° Fahrenheit was also plagued with its fair share of filler, leading to believe that Bon Jovi really only had half the material needed for a good second album. Among the filler: “Silent Night”, one of the sappiest of the sappy ballads from early Bon Jovi. It does work in clinical studies* as a sleep aid, if you need that sort of thing.
The last three albums tracks in a row were all pretty dozy and unremarkable, rendering the second side a limp finish. “Always Run to You”, “To the Fire”, and “Secret Dreams” as as forgettable as they are substandard. This second side has always made 7800Β° Fahrenheit a hard album to want to finish listening to in its entirety. The only interesting bit of trivia about these songs is that drummer Tico Torres only hadΒ one co-writing credit in Bon Jovi history, and it’s on “Secret Dreams”.
I don’t need to tell you that whatever slump Bon Jovi were in, they certainly overcame it by the next album. With a little help of course: names such as Desmond Child, Bruce Fairbairn, and Bob Rock. 7800Β° Fahrenheit is a forgettable blip in their trajectory.
BON JOVI – Bon Jovi(1984 Polygram, 2012 special edition)
With Bon Jovi sucking quite a lot of ass lately, there has never been a better time to go back and check out some old Bon Jovi. Β Join us in taking a look at the band’s very first LP, Bon Jovi from 1984. Β It didn’t do much in terms of sales. Β The music videos are kind of funny to look at today. Β But there is an honesty and innocence to early Bon Jovi, that is completely gone from the bandΒ now. Β Then, they were five hungry guys trying to make it together. Β Today they’re three guys — one boss and two employees. Β Today we will look at the 2012 reissue, with four live bonus tracks. Β This is notable since Bon Jovi rarely if ever played these songs after they hit it big.
Jon Bongiovi had been working at Power Station recording studios, having got a job there thanks to his cousin Tony Bongiovi. Β Several demos from that era have been released on compilations such as Jon Bon Jovi – The Power Station Years. Β The studio time evolved into a band with a record deal. Β They soon set down to record nine songs for their debut album to be called Tough Talk, however the label convinced them a self titled debut was the way to go.
The first track and single was actually an older song: “Runaway”. Β JBJ had a local hit with it, which he recorded with the “All Star Review”, five local studio guys. Β Among them was bassist Huey McDonald, who later went on to play bass with Bon Jovi themselves. It’s an instantly catchy rock song leaning heavily on keyboards. Even from this early track you can tell that young Jon Bon Jovi had a hell of a talent for writing catchy hooks. The immaculate backing vocals are obviously not those of Richie Sambora. Just wait until Jon goes for the high notes at the end though!
It was 1984, the peak of the “post-apocalyptic wasteland” setting for music videos.
Moving on to “Roulette”, we now getΒ a song that is a little harder-edged. Richie has a chunky guitar riff that gives the song some weight. Jon pours it all on, and it’s clear even on this first album that Sambora was a serious talent. His style has evolved considerably over the years, but at this stage he was already capable of writing great songs with memorable guitar solos.
“She Don’t Know Me” was also a single, but this one has not aged so well. Sounding like a New Jersey version of the lighter side of Journey, “She Don’t Know Me” is a lil’ too sappy for most adults. It’s not terrible but “She Don’t Know Me” is just too heavy on the syrup. It is at least upbeat, with a Sambora solo right out of the Neal Schon book of tricks!
“Shot Through the Heart” is a forgotten song, since its title was used as in the chorus of “You Give Love a Bad Name”. This is a hard rock heartbreak, the kind of thing Jon does so well. The balance comes from Sambora. Without him, there’s no edge. He brings a very special guitar quality to the table, not to mention songwriting.
The first Bon Jovi album’s biggest weakness is an over-reliance on sad sounding love songs. “Love Lies” is another one, a dusky piano based ballad. David Bryan (known here as David Rashbaum) co-wrote it with Jon, and like all the other tunes it does have quality to it. It’s just too much heartbreak for one side of vinyl.
“Breakout”, also written by Rashbaum, is a hard enough rocker to open side two. Jon has found some backbone, telling his ex that he’s “better off on my own”. That’s better, Jon! Let’s stay strong buddy, and crank out a rocker. “Burning for Love” continues the hot streak. Now we’re cooking with gas. Richie really nails it on the axe. Then is a song called “Come Back”. You might expect by the title that Jon has lost his balls again. Thankfully, his pal Richie is there to keep him standing. “Come Back” is a bit of a broken-hearted rocker, but Sambora’s pick scrapes keep it rock and roll.
One last rocker was all you needed to call it an album back then. Of all the songs on Bon Jovi, “Get Ready” sounds the most like what Bon Jovi would become famous for: good time rock music! Guitar, piano, bass and drums: that’s all you need for a rock and roll party. This really sounds like Bon Jovi.
That’s a pretty solid debut album right there, for a band in Bon Jovi’s league. I have no idea why they (he) won’t play so many of these songs anymore. They’re better than most of the stuff he’s been putting out lately. And we still have the four bonus tracks to discuss.
The four live songs come from various shows, 1984-1988. Each is heavier than its studio counterpart. “Runaway” benefits from the full band treatment, as opposed to the studio cats. Having Richie there singing it with Jon makes all the difference. (This is not the same version as the B-side from “Lay Your Hands On Me”.) “Roulette” is a solid inclusion. “Breakout” keeps it rolling, but you gotta love that “Get Ready” was also included, ending the album as it always has.
3.5/5 stars
2010 Special Edition bonus tracks
1. “Runaway (Live Le Zenith, November 20, 1988)”
2. “Roulette (Live BBC Friday Rock Show)”
3. “Breakout (Live Super Rock ’84)”
4. “Get Ready (Live Japan Tour 1985)”
AEROSMITH – Nine Lives (1997 Columbia, European version)
By popular demand, here is a look at Aerosmith’s Nine Lives, an often overlooked and sometimes forgotten record overshadowed by bigger hits.
Aerosmith were in trouble. Β In 1995, after completing a massive amount of work to support Get a Grip and Big Ones, drummer Joey Kramer suffered a nervous breakdown. Β It was a traumatic experience for the musician, who had conquered his drug demons long ago and thought he was otherwise healthy. Β Aerosmith went ahead with new producer Kevin Shirley, replacing longtime collaborator Bruce Fairbairn who was busy with Van Halen, The Cranberries, and INXS. Β A session drummer (Steve Ferrone) filled in, with the intention that when Joey returned, they could finish the album with him. Β Kramer did return, perhaps stronger than ever, and re-recorded all of Ferrone’s drums himself. Β According to Joey, it made all the difference to him, to make the album sound like Aerosmith.
A raucous opening is what you need to set the scene, and “Nine Lives” fits the bill. Β That’s Joey on drums alright, as he has this steady, heavy beat that is quintessentially Joey Kramer. Β There’s Tyler, vintage sassy and welcoming you to the party. Β Over on guitar, Brad Whitford and Joe Perry are sounding brilliant thanks to some crunchy, crisp production from Kevin Shirley. Β As always Tom Hamilton on the bass isn’t afraid to play all over the neck without getting in the way. Β In other words, for all appearances, Aerosmith were as strong as ever.
Listening to the dreadfully titled “Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)” again reminds me that I never disliked the song. Β It was only the title (and the video directed by Michael Bay) I found silly. Β Otherwise it’s a fine example of horn-enhanced mid-tempo 90’s Aero-rock. Β It has a sleezy grind to it, but it’s not particularly distinguishable from any similar songs on past Aerosmith records. Β It’s what they do, and although there are plenty better tunes, I suppose there is an Aero-niche that needs to be filled and here it is. Β Another thing they had to do was the sappy ballad with strings and so here is “Hole in My Soul”, another single. Β I think track 3 is a little early for ballad.
I remember walking into a record store with T-Rev one afternoon (I think Sunrise) and they were playing an early pre-release promo of “Taste of India”. Β I intensely dug the heavy groove, and the exotic spices thrown in. Β “Holy shit,” I said to Trevor, “this is really good.” Β He wasn’t as enthusiastic, but I think the groove here is impossible to resist. Β For latter-day Aerosmith, “Taste of India” represents one of those peaks, kind of like tunes such as “Kings and Queens” were for the early years. Β It’s adventurous and I’m a sucker for those guitars that sound like sitars. Β There is also sΔrangΔ« on this track, performed by Ramesh Mishra who was a student of Ravi Shankar. I will return back to my original point though — the heavy groove here is the key. It’s all about that unstoppable steamroller of a rhythm. You don’t hear Aerosmith groove this heavy very often anymore. Back when I was at the Record Store, I did a brief paragraph review of this record for our store newsletter. I praised the song then too, and my enthusiasm has not diminished in the slightest.
“Full Circle” is an interesting track, a ballad that sounds a bit like something you’d sing in a big group on New Year’s Eve. Β “Time, don’t let it slip away, raise your drinking glass, here’s to yesterday.” Β It sounds a bit like an old Beatles ballad, interpreted by Aerosmith. Β It’s just a stunning little track, different from a lot of the Aero-noise that filled later albums. Β But “Something’s Gotta Give”, and we need an adrenaline-filled Aero-ass-kicker next. Β “Something’s gotta give! Β Does the noise in my head bother you?” Β Tyler’s harmonica solo is scorching hot, I’m sure his lips were burning. Β Then it’s a smokey, jazzy (with muted trumpet) intro to “Ain’t That a Bitch”. Β I don’t think I’d wanna call this a ballad, but maybe a slow Aero-burner? Β Using the word “ballad” sells the song short because it has more to it than that, even though there’s those strings again! Β Then the horns return for the “The Farm”, an inessential but dramatic song. Β This is about where the break between side 1 and side 2 would come, so I consider this song to be an apt side closer.
Aerosmith kick it into gear and “Crash” for a breakneck blaze of a song. Β Perry’s solo is incandescent. Β Kramer’s there in the back, locked into Tom Hamilton driving this big beast called Aerosmith forward as fast as it will go. Β Tyler’s screaming “I’m losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind!” while the boys in the back are jamming hard. Β The second half of this song is truly as good and wreckless as Aerosmith can get. Β Just top drawer rawk n’ roll.
So of course they bring you down from that “Crash” with a ballad, called “Kiss Your Past Goodbye”. Β This is by the books, and strictly just an off-the-shelf stock Aero-ballad. Β There is a lull in the album right about here, as it stalls towards the end. Β Another single, the pretty dreadful “Pink”, takes up a solid 4 minutes of your listening time. Β I had a customer at the Record Store,Β the “Barefoot DJ”, a really annoying fucker who was persistently looking for this damned song. Β But he refused to pay $11.99 for the Aerosmith album it was on, so he didn’t get it. Β Sucked to be him, I guess.
Joe Perry redeems the album (on the European version only) with his song “Falling Off”, for which he handles lead vocals. Β It’s nothing special, but it has an old-style rock integrity to it that centers us back to where we should be with this album. Β Fortunately it’s followed by another strong song, “Attitude Adjustment” which has a hint of a twang to it. Β It’s still nice an’ heavy, which you will have noticed by now is a continuing theme on this album. Β Sure there are lots of ballads, but also lots of kinds of heavy. Β “Attitude Adjustment” is rhythmically hard-edged, and Joe Perry’s slide guitar always hits you square right in the guts.
“Fallen Angels” brings the ballad count to four. Β However, this ballad has integrity. Β It is a long ballad, adorned with strings and all the fixings, but it also has the feeling and drama that preceding ballads lacked. Β The exotic sounds of India return to close the song and the album, going “Full Circle” as Aerosmith said earlier.
Lastly, I think Nine Lives has some of the best album artwork of any Aerosmith album in the CD age. Β I know that the original cover art with the snakes and the dancing cat was offensive to some of the Hindu faith. Β They then issued an alternative, revised version for retailers who wanted it, and it was just as cool anyway. Β Each page of the booklet features artwork that “pulls back” further giving you a wider perspective of the actual scene. Β This culminates with a zombie Aerosmith on the last page. Β The best thing about the revised cover art is that it adds one more picture to this sequence of “pulling back”. Β Now you can see the zombie Aerosmith are just a picture on a T-shirt on the same cat, who is strapped to a circus knife throwing wheel! Β I wouldn’t mind getting that version of the CD (cheap) just to have the final picture in the sequence.
This version of Nine Lives has 14 songs. Β If you think of an album in old-school terms, you realize that’s about four or five songs more than you used to get on a record. Β If you trimmed a few of these songs off, as if you were releasing a vinyl album in the 1970’s, imagine how tight it could have been. Β With the ballady filler, I’d give it:
DEF LEPPARDΒ – Official 11 track live mp3 collection, download only (2000-2001)
We at LeBrain HQ have always loved being able to shed some light on music that is so rare, that you just can’t find out much of anything about online anymore. Β It seems one of most obscure categories of rare music are official downloads from long ago that were never physically released, and long since taken down. Β 15 years isn’t a long time ago, but did you know that in 2000-2001, Def Leppard gradually put up 11 live tracks to download from their official site? Β This was long before they had any sort of live album out whatsoever.
These official live recordings were selected by the band, and were released over a period of several months. Β They were not available for long. Β They were taken down by the time Leppard changed their site over to promote the X album in 2002. Β Taken together, I assembled them in order of release into a a full length live album by Def Leppard — unofficial, yet official just the same!
The first song released was the old acoustic standby “Two Steps Behind” (San Antonio, Texas, 2000). Β Joe begins by announcing that they were recording the show, and that this particular night was also the “official opening evening, at it were, of ourΒ brand new website, www dot defleppard dot com. Β And that’s the reason we’re recording it, because we’re gonna put it on the web. Β Worldwide, you guys are going worldwide!” Β That certainly explains things! Β The recording itself is quite excellent, rich and clear. Β You also know there are no overdubs, because chords are missed and the songs goes on. Β To me this is the ideal form of live recordings: official, but with a loose “who cares” attitude in regards to fixing mistakes later on.
An older classic, “Women” (Salem, Oregon, 2000) has similar sonic qualities. Β It’s also quite bass heavy which is a nice change of pace for this band. Β There had already been a B-side live version of “Women” out there for a while, recorded in 1987 for the video In the Round – In Your Face. Β This version however has the currently lineup with Vivian Campbell, and a Joe Elliot who hits all the screams at the end. Β This would have to be my go-to live version when I want to hear one.
The first then-new Def Leppard song to get the live release treatment was “Demolition Man” from Euphoria. Β This one, from Denver, Colorado in 1999, sounds faster than the album version. Β On an album of mostly so-so songs, “Demolition Man” at least had some velocity to it, unremarkable as it is. Β It’s over and out quickly enough.
“When Love & Hate Collide” (Tokyo, 1999) is the second ballad released in the collection. Β Although you could get an acoustic version on the bonus disc (Acoustic in Singapore) to Slang in 1996, this was the first full-on electric live release. Β This version has some heft to it, and once again I would say this is the go-to version to listen to.
Def Leppard have been playing The Sweet’s “Action” for so long now, that you may as well consider it a built-in part of their set. Β This was the first live version made available (London, 1999). Β Like “Demolition Man”, it seems faster and much heavier live. Β Joe’s voice is sounding pretty ragged at the end — as it should be after a performance like that!
The hit song “Animal” from Hysteria was not readily available in live form, at least on an audio format. Β They did it unplugged for Acoustic in Singapore, and there were a couple VHS videos out there too, but nothing on vinyl or CD. Β This more recent version (Nashville, Tennessee, 2000) is as reliable as any other. Β It’s clear that even though the Euphoria album was shaky, the tour behind it was anything but.
“Mama take this gin from me, I can’t drink it anymore, Where’s the sink, I gotta pee, Looks like I’m checking into Betty Ford…”
In another moment of “I’m really glad they didn’t cut that,” Joe needed to fill a minute while Phil Collen went to pee! Β They left it in. Β Joe then turns the microphone over to Phillipe for his song “Miss You in a Heartbeat”, performed acoustically. Β Phil does the lead vocal and also the acoustic guitar solo, while it is quite possible that Joe himself went to pee.
“Rock! Rock! Till You Drop” is the only song fromPyromania to be released as part of this series. Β By the opening tapes, it sounds like it was the first song of the set in Cardiff, Wales in 1999. Β As such, Joe’s got a lot of screaming to do, but he does a good job. Β What an opener that must have been! Β You have to give these five guys credit for putting a lot of energy into their live performances. Β There is a lot of singing, soloing, and riffing to do, and they don’t make it easy for themselves!
The final two songs of the set were recent Euphoria songs, from the Tokyo show in 1999 once again. Β The ballad “Goodbye” is just boring as hell. Β You gotta get out there and promote the new album and single, but this was never a good album or single. Β It was a weak attempt to write another “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad”. Β Thankfully they saved the best Euphoria song for last, which was “Paper Sun”. Β I like when Def Leppard get into that “Gods of War” / “White Lightning” space, and that is what they did with “Paper Sun”. Β (It also has shades of “Women”.) Β Unfortunately these last two recordings, being new songs and all, feel a little more stiff. Β The band weren’t as familiar with them obviously, but I think you can hear it. Β Still, what are the chances of Leppard ever playing “Paper Sun” live again? Β Slim to none, I’d say. Β So who’s complaining? Β Not this guy.
Since this time, Leppard have put out plenty of official live product. Β There’s the excellent double live Viva! Hysteria, with loads of rarities. Β There’s Mirrorball, a double album representing a standard modern Def Leppard concert set. Β There was even a bonus live disc added to the deluxe version of Pyromania. Β None of those releases have “Demolition Man”, “Goodbye”, “Paper Sun”, “Miss You in a Heartbeat”, or “When Love & Hate Collide”. Β That makes this collection pretty special, to this day.
4.5/5 stars
We at LeBrain HQ want to hear from you if you know any more about these tracks. Β Any information gleaned such as actual recording or release dates will be happily added to this review. Β (Comments regarding trades will be deleted.)
AC/DC – Rare…Rarer…Rarities(Flight records bootleg CD, year unknown)
Rare…Rarer…Rarities, huh? Β Indeed, this is a bootleg CD that includes rarities that most fans don’t have on an official release. Β TheΒ pretty comprehensive Backtracks box set, which came out later, covers most of these songs…but not all.
Most of these tracks are either single B-sides or songs that were exclusively released on the Australian versions of albums. Β Until Backtracks came out, those songs were very hard to find in North America. Β The only one I had was “Rock in Peace”, from Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Β I couldn’t believe my luck in scoring the Australian CD of that album.
There are, however, two songs that none of us are likely to ever own an original physical copy of. Β These two tracks alone make the bootleg CD purchase worth considering, since they are AC/DC’s first single from 1974, featuring original singer Dave Evans. Β Most fans have never heard anything with Dave Evans singing. Β These are ripped from an original 7″ single.
“Can I Sit Next to You Girl” is a song every AC/DC fan knows, because this golden oldie was re-recorded onΒ T.N.T. (1975). Β Bon Scott’s cheeky delivery made all the difference in the world. Β Dave Evans is just some guy, asking to sit next to you. Β Bon was Bon fucking Scott asking to sit next to you…who do you think gets the girl? Β This early single was issued in the summer of ’74, and it has a completely different, much more laid back intro. Β It’s not nearly as heavy as it would later become. Β Evans does have a fine vibrato, I must say!
Every single has a B-side, and “Rockin’ in the Parlour” was AC/DC’s first. Β It’s much more “rock and roll” than you expect from AC/DC, but it’s catchy and melodic. Β Angus and Malcolm have yet to fully develop their styles, but you can certainly tell its them. Β You can hear for yourself, that Dave Evans was not the lyricist that Bon Scott was. Β “She said, ‘I got some booze, around at my place, so come along and have some fun!'” Β Sorry Dave, but that just won’t cut it when the band is AC fucking DC.
The rest of these songs are all in print today, so they can be acquired on official AC/DC releases. Β “Love Song” (High Voltage) shocked me on the first number of listens. Β Is this AC/DC’s one and only ballad? Β I guess so! Β “Oh Jean, Oh Jean!” sings Bon, seemingly heart broken. Β Once you get used to it, and accept the fact that there are no other AC/DC songs that sound anything like it, you might enjoy it. Β I know that I do, from time to time.
I’m not sure what makes “She’s Got Balls” and “Little Lover” qualify as rarities. Β As far as I can tell these are the album versions. Β Next! Β “Stick Around” (High Voltage) is a cool tune, a laid-back AC/DC rocker with lots of space between the instruments. Β You can hear the air sizzle! Β The riff is about as simple as it gets: two chords. Β But they are the right chords! Β “High Voltage” is slightly longer than the album version, and this is also on Backtracks.
“School Days” is a Chuck Berry cover, one of very few covers AC/DC recorded. Β Chuck Berry is the prototype of AC/DC anyway, so this version fits like a glove. Β Hail hail rock and roll, indeed! Β This was originally on T.N.T., but you can get it on the Bonfire box set too. Β The aforementioned “Rock in Peace” is a shorty, heavy with that AC/DC stomp and the same damn riff they’ve been playing for 40 years.
AC/DC have always had tongue firmly in cheek, but “Crabsody in Blue” is probably the jokiest song they ever recorded. Β A slow blues similar to “Ride On” deserves to have some down-and-out lyrics. Bon takes that to a descriptive extreme!
“Oh, and when they start to bite, Then it’s time you saw the light, For an appointment. Before you start to scream, That’s when you apply the cream, Blues ointment.”
Only Bon Scott can really write a lyric about venereal disease. Nobody else seems quite as qualified.
“Carry Me Home” was the heavy and instantly likeable B-side to “Dog Eat Dog” (1977). Β Using his speaking voice to full effect, Bon proves to me why he is one of rock’s all time greatest frontman. Β His animated vocal performance here is something that very few singers can pull off. Β (Ian Gillan is one such singer — think “No Laughing in Heaven”.) Β Then, “Down on the Borderline” is Brian Johnson’s only showing on this CD. Β This was the B-side from “Moneytalks” (The Razors Edge), but it sounds little like that album. Β Sonically and vocally, it resembles Blow Up Your Video, right down to theΒ muddy finish. Β I have no doubt it was recorded for that album.
“Fling Thing” is AC/DC’s take on “The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond”, which they cheekily credited to Young/Young! It sounds like quite a party was going on during the recording, which falls apart after a mere two minutes! This was originally the B-side to “Jailbreak”. The final song is “Cold Hearted Man”, which was recently dusted off for the Iron Man 2 soundtrack album. Β It was on Powerage (1978) first, and a dark prowler it is.
A lot of people like to joke that all of AC/DC’s songs sound the exactly the same. Β This CD of also-ran’s has proven otherwise, and “Cold Hearted Man” is a perfect closer for a solid collection of rock.
DIO – Holy Diver (2012 Universal deluxe edition, originally 1983)
Ronnie James Dio often said that the best Dio album was the first. Β Fans will always have their own favourites, but there is no denying that Ronnie was right about Holy Diver being a special album. Β Dio had always had a knack for rallying talented people around him. Β Just look at that lineup: Β Ronnie and Vinny Appice had recently fled Black Sabbath. Β Jimmy Bain had worked with Dio in Blackmore’s Rainbow, an integral part of that band’s lineup in theΒ Rainbow Rising period. Β On guitar – Vivian Campbell, from little known New Wave of British Heavy Metal band Sweet Savage. Β A shredder he was, able to compete with the hot flashy players of the 80’s.
Very few people do speedy metal songs better than Ronnie James Dio. Β “Stand Up and Shout” is the prototype of such Dio songs. Β Youthful and rebellious, “Stand Up and Shout” was exactly what fans in 1983 were craving. Β The band got to show off their chops a bit, with Vinny Appice leading the way via a hell of a drum performance. Β Then it’s Vivian’s turn to shine on one of the speediest solos laid to tape. Β “You are the strongest chain and not just some reflection,” sings Ronnie, inspiring the masses with his positive message of self-belief.
For the first four albums, Dio always put the title track second. Β If this holds some special meaning, I do not know. Β “Holy Diver”, with its ominous opening, still remains upon Β the lofty peak of the best songs Ronnie has ever written. Β The riff, written solely by Ronnie, is iconic. Β Perhaps it is not recognized on the level of immortal riffs such as “Whole Lotta Love”, but among metal fans, it is held in high regard. Β “Holy Diver” is the shiniest jewel in the crown, a massive track that just has everything. Β Bain and Appice formed a tight rhythm section with the exact right amount of heft. Β The song is flawless…shiny diamonds indeed.
Like the eyes of a cat in the black and blue, something is coming for you.
“Gypsy” is a knockout. Β Ronnie belting in full voice with a solid mid-tempo song behind him is always a pleasure. Β This is Vivian’s first writing credit on a Dio album. Β The guitar solo could use some focus, but I think the directive here was “just shred”. Β One of Dio’s most pop moments (in terms of melody only) is “Caught in the Middle”, one of his catchiest, most concise and direct songs. Β Even Vivian sticks to point on the solo. Β But “Caught in the Middle” is soon eclipsed by an even more exciting song: Β “Don’t Talk to Strangers”. Β The acoustic fake-out intro is a trick Dio pulled again later on “The Last in Line”, but when the song really starts, it’s friggin’ frantic. Β It’s like the wind. Β These guys had so much energy, it is remarkable. Β Β “Straight Through the Heart” has balls to it, it’s a groovyΒ tune. Β I loved Halestorm’s cover of it immensely. Β I think they really caught and emphasized what is great about the song. Β Lzzy Hale is one of very few people who can do Dio justice vocally.
The slow intro to “Invisible” reminds me of aΒ 1987-era Whitesnake ballad. Β This is another trick! Β It stops and abruptly turns into another Dio stomper of high quality. Β There is very little letup on this Dio album. Β The momentum is maintained by the stunning single “Rainbow in the Dark”. Β That’s Ronnie on keyboards, by the way. Β I have a story about this song.
Our local rock station, 107.5 Dave Rocks, has a 3:00 contest called the Tedious Tiresome Trivia in the Tri-Cities, or the TTT in the TC. Β What makes it so tedious and tiresome are the callers. Β Craig seems to attract the…how should I say this? The most “interesting” callers. Β The most notorious of these is “Bore-linda” who has a legion of haters who can’t stand her perky tone. Β (She’s actually a very nice lady in real life.) Β Craig Fee would receive emails from annoyed listeners saying, “Hang up on Bore-linda! Β Play some Dio!” Β So that’s exactly what Craig did, and he chose “Rainbow in the Dark” as the song. Β And Bore-linda calls in a lot. Β And Craig hangs up a lot. Β For a while, “Rainbow in the Dark” was played almost daily between 3 and 4 o’clock. Β And you know what? Β It never got tiring. Β Every single time it came on was a fist-pumper.
Holy Diver deserves a dramatic ending, and that would be “Shame on the Night”. Β Copying the template of a song like Sabbath’s “Lonely is the Word”, it occupies the same kind of slow-paced dark metal space. Β Vivian’s guitar intro is very cool, but the song just pounds.
The bonus CD is chock full of Dio goodness. Β Deluxe editions should always present a complete set of B-sides. Β This has the three from this era, including the studio cut “Evil Eyes”. Β This excellent, cruisin’ tune was re-recorded for The Last in Line, and the B-side version has remained obscure until now. Β Vivian has a lot of different solos on this version, and they are all cool. Β Then, essential cuts “Stand Up and Shout” and “Straight Through the Heart” are both live B-sides, every bit as electrifying as the originals. Β They are simply more raw, probably a little faster, and there is nothing more powerful than Ronnie James Dio’s voice live in the raw.
The balance of the disc is fleshed out by six live songs recorded for radio by the King Biscuit Flower Hour. Β They sound excellent, thanks to King Biscuit. Β You get “Stand Up and Shout” a second time, but the rest of the live songs are not repeats. Β In the mix are some Sabbath (“Children of the Sea”) and some Rainbow (“Man on the Silver Mountain/Starstruck”). Β Of the two, “Children of the Sea” fares better from the Dio band’s interpretation. Β To be fair, I think Tony Iommi and Ritchie Blackmore both have so much personality, that it is daunting to cover them no matter who you are. Β I think Vivian’s style works less well on the Rainbow song than it does with Sabbath’s material. Β The rest of the songs (“Holy Diver”, “Rainbow in the Dark”, “Shame on the Night”) are all quality Dio tracks. Β Although the market is now inundated with live Dio packages, it is still a delight to have these early recordings on CD.
I needn’t divulge that this deluxe edition is loaded with cool liner notes and pictures. Β You have come to expect that from a good deluxe edition. Β And Holy Diver is quite good indeed.
ROCK STAR – Music from the Motion Picture (2001 Warner)
I remember dragging my long-suffering girlfriend at the time out to see this movie. Β She had every right to complain. Β The movie was a stinker, absolutely. Β Not to mention, it had no idea when it is taking place. Β Vaguely, the 80’s, but then after this guy (Marky Mark) leaves the band (Steel Dragon), he goes and becomes the founder of grunge? Β The movie sucked! Β It was very, very loosely inspired by the story of Ripper Owens being discovered by Judas Priest, by being in a Judas Priest cover band. Β In the movie, Marky Mark becomes the singer of Steel Dragon after their original singer (who also happens to be gay, hmmm?) quits. Β It was supposed to be a really inspiring story of the everyman with talent who succeeded, but it ended up being just a normal everyday turd.
But listen, we’re not talking about the movie. Β We’re looking strictly at the soundtrack CD. Β I ask you one simple question: If you were to pick one band to write and play the title anthem for a movie about a heavy metal band in the 80’s, who would it be? Β Obviously the answer is Everclear. Β (I say “obviously”, because a whole bunch of suits who get paid a whole lot more than I do picked it, so they must be right.) Β Actually, their tune “Rock Star” isn’t bad. Β It sounds a bit like an old Canadian rock band called Deadline, actually.
It’s astounding, but Zakk shaved his beard to get that 80’s look back!
The main attraction of the CD is actually the original tunage by the fictional band Steel Dragon. Β On record, the lineup was:
Zakk Wylde – lead guitar
Jason Bonham – drums
Jeff Pilson – bass
Nick Cantonese – guitar
Mike Matijevic – lead vocals
Jeff Scott Soto – lead vocals
See why I dragged that poor girlfriend out to see this movie? Β Zakk, Jason and Jeff were in even the movie, as the band Steel Dragon.
They had two lead singers, while Marky Mark mimed. Β Jeff Scott Soto sings the raspy, mid-rangey stuff such as “Livin’ the Life”. Β This isn’t a bad rock tune, but it’s Zakk’s guitar that makes it perk up a bit. Β Mike Matijevic (Steelheart) sings the smooth and screamy stuff, with his impeccable range. Β “We All Die Young” is a bonafide Β great songs. Β Matijevic’s stunning vocals meeting Zakk Wylde’s leads is probably a wet dream for some folks! Β The only problem with it is that it doesn’t sound accurate to the period. Β The movie is supposed to take place in the early 80’s (I think) but “We All Die Young” sounds early 90’s. Β But wait…we’re supposed to be talking about the CD, not the movie. Β Fuck the movie!
“Blood Pollution” (written by Twiggy Ramirez, interestingly) has Matijevic singing, but as with “Livin’ the Life” the song isn’t that special. Β It sounds like Motley Crue, except with Zakk Wylde on guitar and a better Vince Neil. Β Jeff Scott Soto helms “Stand Up”, which is way heavier than you’d expectΒ considering Sammy Hagar wrote it! Β This version actually came out before Sammy’s, on 2002’s Not 4 SaleΒ and has different lyrics. Β “Stand Up” kicks ass, and along with “We All Die Young” is one of the soundtrack highlights. Β Just listen to Zakk killing it in that fast part! It’s also one of the few tunes with that patented, genetic Bonham Stomp.
Another track right up Motley Crue’s alley is “Wasted Generation”, and with its Desmond Child co-write it’s a lot heavier than expected. Jeff Scott kicks ass on the anthemic punchy chorus, and Zakk’s shredding is tasty. The final Steel Dragon tune on the disc is a Rainbow cover — “Long Live Rock and Roll” with Matijevic singing. I never understood why the band Steel Dragon would be playing a Rainbow cover, since it is implied that Steel Dragon were active in the 70’s too, contemporaries with Rainbow. But we’re here to talk about the CD, not that piece of shit movie. “Long Live Rock and Roll” with Zakk Wylde on guitar…it’s not what you’d hope it would be. Bonham’s awesome though, and remarkably Ian Paice-like.
The rest of the disc contains various hits from various bands from various years. Β The Verve Pipe – “Colorful” (2001), check! Β INXS – “The Devil Inside” (1987), check! Why? Who the fuck knows. I like some INXS, it’s completely out of place. I suppose that a soundtrack for you. More suiting to the tone of the CD are Kiss’ “Lick It Up” (1983), Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” (1986), Ted Nugent’s “Stranglehold” (1975), and Motley Crue’s “Wild Side” (1987). I do wonder why “Stranglehold” seems to be the only Nugent that ever shows up on movie soundtracks. Β At least Marky Mark doesn’t have any songs.
The final song, Trevor Rabin’s “Gotta Have It” sounds like end credits music, but I’m not going to watch that crummy movie to find out. Rabin’s track is excellent, as should be expected. It sounds like Rabin, which is all I can really say to describe it!
So: Rock Star, a shit movie, gave us a pretty OK soundtrack. Considering I (and probably you) already had the Nugent, Kiss, Bon Jovi and Motley Crue songs, I salvaged seven tracks from the album as keepers: the six Steel Dragon tunes, and Trevor Rabin. There are 14 songs, so this time the math is easy.
It’s always risky buying a compilation album from a label “series”. Β Yesterday, we looked at a Judas Priest compilation from Sony’s Steel Book Series. Β Over 60 Minutes With… was a CD-only (no tapes, no records) series by Capital/EMI in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Β I remember seeing it over Christmas break in ’89, and trying to decide whether to buy it, or Ace Frehley’s Trouble Walkin’. Β (I went with the Ace, and saved the Helix for a month or two later.) Β I was confused: Β Here was a brand new Helix CD, with Brent “The Doctor” Doerner right there on the front cover. Β But hadn’t he leftΒ the band? Β He had, but that was how I could tell this was a semi-official release, driven by the label.
The difference between Over 60 Minutes With…Helix and all the other label compilations is that this one is really, really good.Β In fact to this day, it isΒ still the one of the best Helix compilations assembled (and it was the first!). Β Here are some reasons:
1. Rare tracks! Three of them in fact. You get demos for “Give It To You” (a new songΒ re-recorded for the Back For Another Taste CD), “Jaws Of The Tiger” (re-recorded forΒ B-Sides) and “Everybody Pays The Price” (later to be the B-side to “The Storm”).
2. Lots of hits. 21 tracks are contained within, and a good solid six of them were hit singles.
Those two points are enough reason to buy this CD (especially the first). Β Let’s keep listening.
3. Rocker-to-ballad ratio is a generous 17 : 4. Β Keep me mind, Helix ballads tend to rock anyway. Β “Never Wanna Lose You” gets pretty heavy come chorus time!
4.Loads of tunes from No Rest for the Wicked. Β When this CD came out in ’89, that album was unavailable on CD and scarce on cassette. Β This CD has seven songs from No Rest! Β That album,Β loaded with rockers heavy and melodic, is still one of their very best today. Β Even though there were only three unreleased songs on Over 60 Minutes With…, there were tons that were brand new to me.
That considered, Over 60 Minutes With… has one serious flaw. Β Β The record company only included songs from the first three Capitol Helix albums. Obviously nothing from the independent albums Breaking Loose or White Lace & Black Leather were up for grabs. Β Strangely though, 1987’s CapitolΒ Wild In The Streets CDΒ is strangely missed. Β The inclusion of one or two tracks from that album would have been appreciated.
Flaw aside, the liner notes are informative and the track listing is still generous. You certainly don’t want to miss album tracks such as the awesome “You Keep Me Rocking”, the raunchy “Dirty Dog” or the slinky “Check Out The Love”. Β They are here along with many others.Β Pick this up, enjoy it, and then explore some of Helix’s proper albums, such as No Rest for the Wicked.Β Β This is great, but it’s only the beginning! Β Gimme an R indeed.
TESLA – Mechanical Resonance (1986 Geffen)
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