Forget the fact that I bought this twice. (Shame on you Metallica for releasing this digitally without even announcing that there would be a forthcoming physical release.) This EP, Metallica’s umpteenth (and fourth in a row last I checked) is totally worth whatever your local shop is asking you to plunk down for it. There’s nothing in the way of special packaging so if you already own a digital copy, you’ll probably be fine with just that. For sheer riffage per minute, this is Metallica the way I remember it.
The production or lack thereof is rougher than Death Magnetic, which is fine by me. The songs themselves all could have been on Death Magnetic, there’s really nothing weak here. “Hate Train” is among the better Metallica songs from the last 20 years. It careens from fast and heavy to melodic and back again. And that’s just the first track. If you liked Death Magnetic, then buying this is a real no-brainer. If you didn’t, and still can’t get over the fact that Metallica don’t sound the same as when you were in highschool, then avoid, because I’ll tell you right now this won’t change your jaded mind.
Way back in the day, Tom had this book; a book of reviews of metal albums. I don’t know where he got it. He had recently acquired it and was perusing album reviews daily. Hanging out one evening, he said to me, “Have you ever heard Gillan?”
I said, “Gillan, as in Ian Gillan’s band?”
“Yeah,” responded Tom.
“No,” I said.
“You’re going to have to find some. This book gives him consistent 10 star ratings. There are some pretty cool song titles man, like ‘I’ll Rip Your Spine Out’.”
Cool! So “The Book“ (as it came to be known) made the rounds. T-Rev borrowed it for a couple weeks and explored the Max Webster and Kim Mitchell ratings. Trevor enjoy the reviews of the writer, one Martin Popoff. He commented to me, “This guy is pretty bang-on for most of them, but you have to read the Def Leppard and Rik Emmett reviews…hilarious, man.”
Trevor was right! Ipso Facto by Rik Emmett was rated a 0/10, with a single sentence review: “Man, don’t get me started.” The book was hilarious and informative at the same time. We all found it entertaining as well as useful.
When the book came around to me, I was really curious about this band called Budgie. New fave band! Eventually, I returned the book to Tom who passed it on to someone else, probably Uncle Meat. Certain things always stuck in my head. According to Popoff, I clearly needed more Thin Lizzy, so I began rectifying that with a box set. He didn’t think much of Kiss, but I could understand this given his criteria, even if I disagreed.
I wished I owned a copy, and a year later I found one downtown at Encore Records, second hand. Then a weird coincidence happened. Just as I was craving another read, and was preparing to go downtown and buy a copy of Riff Kills Man, a regular customer of mine gave me his copy. I don’t remember too much about this guy, except that he sold more than he bought. He sold a lot of hard-to-find goth and punk stuff, and he always wore a jean jacket, and he strangely always smelled like fried eggs. Since I can’t remember his name, I’ll call him Fried Eggs Man.
So Fried Eggs Man had been talking to me about the book, and passed it onto me free of charge. I thought that was really cool of him. The book too smells of fried eggs, and was coming apart. I used Bounce dryer sheets to help out with the smell, and I painstakingly glued the pages back in with Elmer’s white glue. I had to do some cover repair work as well, but the book is solid as a rock and has served me well for probably a decade and a half by now.
MARTIN POPOFF – Riff Kills Man! (1993 Power Chord Press, Toronto Ontario)
Martin Popoff, a writer for BW&BK magazine, is simply one of the most knowledgeable metal fans out there. His record collection sounds like it’s to die for. Riff Kills Man! is his first book, but today, he has an extensive bibliography of books that I consider among the best sources of rock information out there. In fact, LeBrain himself relies heavily on Popoff’s teachings, and I will admit to consciously emulating him in my earlier reviews.
Riff Kills Man!, later supplanted by his more up to date and complete Collector’s Guides, is an album-by-album review of virtually every major metal record from its inception to 1992, all stuff which belonged to Popoff’s personal collection. He covers subgenres such as punk metal and grunge, and bands so obscure that you may never be able to find their albums. Rated from 1 to 10, with strict rules for rating, Riff Kills Man! gives you a great place to start when looking for something “new” to listen to. If it wasn’t for all the 9 and 10 star reviews in this book, I may never have started listening to Budgie, or Thin Lizzy, or Diamond Head.
His rating system is fairly complex, but for the most part, as objective as possible. I don’t necessarily agree with all of the author’s opinions. For example, Popoff really dislikes a lot of pop rock and gives both Adrenalize and Hysteria by Def Leppard a big fat 0. “An offensive kick in the head from the rock n’ roll bored room,” writes Popoff. You may agree, but for me Hysteria is a classic record. Regardless, he makes valid points that even the most staunch fan such as myself have to grudgingly agree with.
Popoff also tends to dislike live albums with meandering jams like many old Deep Purple recordings. He generally focuses on studio albums, avoiding most EPs and complitions. So if you’re looking for complete reviews of, say, the numerous Thin Lizzy EPs, live releases and compilations, look elsewhere.
Martin ends the book with several lists and indexes: Top desert island albums, top guitar players, vocalists, producers, you name it. He also has a lot of unique categories all his own, such as best showman, best comeback, most consistent band, etc. AC/DC are ranked as his #1 band in the category of worst album covers!
That aside, Riff Kills Man! was, for me, an essential and often hilarious piece of reading. Pick it up, and then move forward for some of Popoff’s more complete and more specialized books. I keep mine in my desk at work at all times!
DISCLAIMER – Although it can be found used, this book is out of print. I spoke to Martin Popoff once about this book, and he told me he finds it a bit embarrassing today. I still think it’s awesome.
5/5 stars
Also recommended by Popoff: His books on Sabbath, Rush, Rainbow, and Priest are definitive. The best books on the market for those bands.
After a few years had gone by, there were too many damn rules to follow. There were so many, we literally had books full of them, with new rules being added regularly. It was pure insanity, because you had to remember some rule that was made (for example) 26 months ago. Not to mention if you dug far enough back, you could find rules that contradicted each other. It was like telling a dog to sit and come at the same time, you can’t do it.
One rule that stood firm was: “Thou Shalt Not Buy Product From a Sister Store“.
We had a complex structure of locations, but under no circumstances could a staff member buy product from a store that had a different owner. Their product was for their customers and not for us to pillage. But, when one of those owners who was a friend, sees the Iron Maiden First Ten Years box set come in, they call you to tell you. The rules meant nothing at that point. There were greater goals at hand.
This ultra-rare box was issued in 1990, as 10 discs, all sold separately. You could also get them on vinyl. I recall seeing a few of them, on 12″ vinyl, at my local Sam The Record Man (run by the near-legendary Al King) during one of my many teenage record store excursions.
CDs are my preferred format today. Collect all ten of the Maiden singles, and you could send away for the box that contains them. Obviously, a complete set is a rare find. This set came in complete, as is. I still have the receipt. I paid $135.99 on Oct 7, 2003. (With taxes, $156.39.)
It was worth every penny, but it was also worth the shit I caught for buying it from another owner. And did I get in shit for it!
At best, I was bending the rules. At best! I paid full price (no discount!), the owner himself rang it in, and he was happily on board with making a quick buck. He even personally delivered it to Kitchener. He could have simply said, “No”. He didn’t. Now, I take responsibility for my actions, but an owner has a lot more say in things than I do. I didn’t deserve what happened next.
A higher-up stormed into my store, pulled me into the office, slammed the door, and yelled. And yelled. And pointed a lot, and yelled some more.
It was a weird feeling. Here I was getting screamed at so much that the dogs could hear it 4 miles away, but also elated about my Iron Maiden find at the exact same time. It was like I didn’t know if I should be happy or pissed off! It’s like any time you see someone trying so hard not to smile.
I pulled it off. I also owned the fucking Iron Maiden First Ten Years box set!
Their big argument was “It’s a bad example to the employees”. But really, that wasn’t an issue. No employees knew about it — not one! — until they made a big show of it by yelling at me in store! The one that said I was a bad example, was the one who let the cat out of the bag.
I walked out of the office, head hanging, but then when out of sight, grinning ear to ear. Of course the two people who overheard the whole thing asked about it afterwards. Dandy Douche asked, “Do you think it was worth it? Would you do it again?” I said, “Absolutely. But next time I’m wearing a beard and a moustache, the whole disguise, and buying it in person!”
Unfortunately I never had the chance to do that. The Iron Maiden box set was one of the last big big items from my “holy grail list.” that came in.
Each disc contains two singles, plus an unreleased 10 minute interview with Nicko. One on every disc. They are called “Listen With Nicko!” parts I through X. Well worth the money, Nicko is friggin’ hilarious.
All singles included are complete (except Maiden Japan), plus a “Listen With Nicko!” bonus track. And again, you had to buy these all separately! On import! And according to the terms on the mail-in card, only UK residents could order the boxes to house the discs. Another thing I found interesting was that you had to mail in all ten slips in order to get the box. Whoever owned my box previously still has nine of his ten slips! (I am missing #9, “Can I Play With Madness” / “The Evil That Men Do”.) This can only make my box set rarer and more desirable to collectors.
DISC 1 – Running Free / Sanctuary
DISC 2 – Women In Uniform / Twilight Zone
DISC 3 –Purgatory / Maiden Japan
DISC 4 – Run to the Hills / The Number of the Beast
DISC 5 – Flight Of Icarus / The Trooper
DISC 6 – 2 Minutes to Midnight / Aces High
DISC 7 – Running Free (Live) / Run to the Hills (Live)
DISC 8 – Wasted Years / Stranger in a Strange Land
DISC 9 – Can I Play With Madness / The Evil That Men Do
DISC 10 – The Clairvoyant (Live) / Infinite Dreams (Live)
Click below to embiggen the brand new photo gallery!
You lucky, lucky boys and girls! Another double feature review? And this time it’s all Van Halen? Today, you get Part One – Can’t Stop Loving You!
REVIEW: Van Halen – Can’t Stop Loving You (parts I & II, inc. collector’s tin.)
In the 90’s, CD singles were a big deal especially in Europe. Probably due to quirks of the British chart rules which limits a single to 4 songs, bands often doubled up by releasing double singles with each part sold separately. There were also cases of triple singles, or singles with exclusive tracks on the vinyl versions, in order to get you, the consumer, to buy it more than once therefore charting it higher.
Can’t Stop Loving You by Van Halen was released this way, but without all the bonus tracks that really made it worthwhile. Instead, you could get a collector’s tin to store both discs in.
Part I of the single (w022cd) came in a standard jewel case and the following b-sides.
2. Crossing Over (non-LP track, Japanese bonus track for Balance)
3. Right Now (live)
4. Man on a Mission (live)
The case has no indication of a second disc being available. The two live songs are from the album Live: Right here, right now. The bonus track “Crossing Over” is incredible, and well worth hunting down for any Van Hagar fan. This thumper is apparently based on music that Edward had written years earlier, and was finished off by Sammy’s haunting lyrics about journeying to the great beyond. Lyrically it hits the spot, and musically, it cascades atmospherically. It has a lot of bass, runs very slowly, but is unique in the Van Hagar canon, there is nothing else like it. It fits the darker, mellow vibe of some of Balance‘s more thoughtful moments.
Part II (wo288cdx) is only worth buying for the tin itself. There are no exclusive bonus tracks to be had on this disc. The tin is your standard CD tin, with the Van Halen “globe”-style logo embossed onto the front. There’s a helpful (upside down) sticker on the front advertizing that you can also buy the other CD and store it in this case. There is a foam insert inside to help protect your CD. The back of the tin has a large sticker with notes and pictures, and a tracklist for the other CD as well — this is handy if you do end up storing them together.
Bonus tracks are as follows. Once again all bonus tracks are simply lifted from the live album. The A-side is the standard album version of “Can’t Stop Loving You”, which is also the same as the first CD.
2. Best of Both Worlds (live)
3. When It’s Love (live)
4. One Way To Rock (live)
Rating:
For part one, a solid 4/5 stars for the excellent bonus track “Crossing Over”
For part two, a dismal 2/5 stars. It’s only there to look at really.
Tune in again in a couple days, when we finish this review off with one more RARE VAN HALEN collector’s tin…
METALLICA – Beyond Magnetic (EP, 2011)
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