James Michael

#1167: Small Talk

RECORD STORE TALES #1167: Small Talk

My dad used to tell me stories about my grandfather, his dad.  “He had the gift of gab,” said my dad.  “So do you, too.  He could have sold ice to Eskimos.”

He was right.  I’m good at small talk.  I just hate it, that’s all.

The year was 2004.  I was stuck working at the Beat Goes On location that I hated most, the Highland Road store.  It was on the wrong side of town, had a lot of crackhead customers, and there was no direct way to get there like the other stores I worked at over the years.  It was, by far, the worst store I had managed.  Small, out of the way in a little known plaza, and with the corporate office in the back.  That meant that Boss Man made it his headquarters, as did the office Bully and her lacky.  The only days I enjoyed working there were Fridays.  The office bully usually chose Friday afternoons to work with her friend at the Cambridge store.  Seniority had its privileges.  I tried to hide my improved Friday moods from my co-workers so they wouldn’t figure out how much I hated that bully.  It failed.  They all noticed I was in a much better mood on Fridays.

I remember one time the Boss Man was observing me at work.  He noted that my shoulders were hunched up when dealing with him, but when I was just working with my regular staff, I was more relaxed.  He used this as a chance to critique my management style with my subordinates.  I don’t think he ever understood that I was tense and hunched up around him because he stressed me the fuck out!  He did that to a lot of us.  Not all, but he sure could be intimidating just by standing there.  When I first started, things were different but as the chain became more successful, he changed.  The power structure had also changed.  I changed too, but for different reasons.  I was becoming worn down by the job.  Whatever the cause, I could not be relaxed around him anymore.

You could imagine how thrilled I was when he asked for a ride over to the Fairway Road store on my way home one wintry snow-covered day.  I cringed when he asked.  The last person in the world I wanted to be stuck in a car with during a snowstorm.  Well, second last.  The only person who made me more tense was the office bully.  I never had to give her a ride in a snowstorm though.

“Yeah, no problem!” I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.  “Just to the store?”

“Just to the store,” he answered.  “I have some work to do there, and then I’ll get a ride from there.”

“Great!” I said with more of that fake lustre in my voice.  I was an expert at it.

I know it was 2004, because it was before Christmas, and I remember the small talk we engaged in:  the Lindsay Lohan feud with Hilary Duff.  Lohan’s debut album Speak was featured on our front chart.  Hilary Duff was out with her second album, which I actually enjoyed.  There was a rocker on there that I liked called “The Getaway”.  A rocker?  You bet.  It was co-written by James Michael of Sixx A.M.

My small talk skills were put to the test as we got in the car.  I remember the weather was bad, and he said “Just take it slow, we’re in no rush.”

Well, I was.  I wanted to get home, but I drove as carefully as I could.  I felt like he was watching every move I made as I drove.  Every lane change.  He didn’t backseat drive like others sometimes did, but he I felt his eyes on my steering wheel.

I struck up the conversation.  “So, did you hear about the feud between Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff?” I asked him.

“I’ve heard about it, but I don’t understand it,” he answered.  “What’s it all about?”

I explained that it started with Aaron Carter, who Duff dated before he moved on with Lohan, and then back to Duff.  That’ll do it.  They sniped at each other in the press for a while.  I tried to to explain to the boss everything I knew about the feud, which was just what I had read on the internet.  The boss listened politely, and commented that it all sounded manufactured to sell CDs.

We finally arrived.  I helped him unload his crap from my car and wished him a good night.  I went home to decompress and try to forget how depressed I actually was.

But I could small talk.  I could do it with just about anybody, given the need.  My dad was right.  It’s a gift!

 

 

 

GUEST REVIEW: Sixx:A.M. – Modern Vintage (2014)

Review by TOMMY MORAIS

A lot of “modern” and not a whole lot of “vintage”

MODERN VINTAGESIXX:A.M. – Modern Vintage (2014)

I was a fan of Sixx:A.M. when they first came out with The Heroin Diaries in 2007. At the time the music was fresh and just what I needed. I was in high school and going through difficult times and things teenagers go through. I was already in love with Motley Crue for a few years at that point. Then when Nikki Sixx came out strong with Sixx:A.M., I respected him even more as he was now in two bands that l loved.

I thought Sixx:A.M. had everything going for them; a great single, excellent songwriting and I could identify with the music and some of the lyrical content. The accompanying book also made for a wonderful experience. I enjoyed the band’s second album and bought it on release day in 2011. I liked a lot of that album and its accompanying book even though l felt it wasn’t as impressive as the first. I stayed a fan and continued following the band anticipation their next release. 2014 rolls along (which shows this review is a bit overdue) and hence we have Sixx:A.M.’s third studio album, Modern Vintage.

The album begins with “Stars”, a very good indication of the album’s overall sound, style and feel. To me it’s average at best; it’s not unlistenable but it doesn’t grab you in the way it intends to. It has “made for radio” all over it. “Gotta Get it Right” is the first single and didn’t do anything to encourage me to pick up the album. I can get the over almost Christmas-like feel it has but I think where they fail lies in the chorus.

“Relief” is straight ahead rock and with its lyrical theme sounds more like the Sixx:A.M. of the past. “Gotta Get You Some” is a twist and a nice change of pace with its acoustic guitars before kicking it into high gear for the chorus. It too has a very commercial ready for radio feel, only slightly darker. I’m not in love with this song but James Michael does a very good singing performance.

“Let’s Go” and “Give Me A Love” are probably the closest to heavy rock tracks on here (and to the sound of previous Sixx:A.M.). “Let’s Go” is especially a true fist-pumper and a highlight. “Drive” is a an awful cover of the same song by The Cars. It sounds dull and the electronic euro pop in the background makes it unlistenable. The guitar work is the only good thing about it. “Hyperventilate” is nice and short, one of the better songs on Modern Vintage. “High On The Music” sounds like a terrible young pop band and not like Sixx:A.M. or a rock band, going for that radio hit feel-good type song. “Miracle” has cool groove and a vintage feel to it, on the other hand it also honestly sounds like a Maroon 5 tune. “Before it’s Over” has a jazzy/lounge feel to it, which I give them credit for trying to branch out.

I’m not sure what I was expecting out of Modern Vintage or if I was expecting anything at all to be honest. I loved the first album, liked the second and bought the third out of loyalty and because I thought there’d be at least a few songs l liked. I wasn’t terribly into the first single but I didn’t let that discourage me. Well I’m sad to say that after multiple listens it’s a bit underwhelming. The songs don’t “rock” as hard and sound more mainstream and bland; that is both musically and lyrically. The songs are more ‘happy’ this time around. In theory this should work but it doesn’t. There’s no anger, no frustration, desperation, none of what made Sixx:A.M.’s core on the first two albums. I’m actually surprised to see so many high ratings and reviews praising the album everywhere. Maybe we didn’t listen to the same Sixx:A.M. band previously, I don’t know. All l know is what I hear and this album just doesn’t do anything for me and I don’t enjoy the direction they went in. A lot has been said about the drum sound which feels artificial and I agree, it just doesn’t work all that well this time around.

Modern Vintage ends up sounding like a lot of modern and no vintage. Alas I am not a hater. It pains me because I’m a Crue fan, a Sixx:A.M. fan and a Nikki Sixx fan and l really wanted to enjoy it. It just feels less inspired than the first two and even though it has a different sound it doesn’t break any new ground. It tries to hard to go for the commercial radio songs and it’s like they forgot who they where. Hopefully they’ll get it back and deliver another good album. In the meantime this is terrible.

1.5/5 stars

[LeBrain’s note: I’ve listened to the album, and I agree with Tommy 100%.  In fact, my review can be found below.]

POO

REVIEW: Motley Crue – Saints of Los Angeles (Japanese version)

MOTLEY CRUE – Saints of Los Angeles (2008 Motley Records, Japan)

Man, if there was one band due for a comeback, it was the Crue. I mean, seriously! They went from the top of their game in 1991, coming off of Feelgood and Decade, only to have their lead singer abruptly leave. Then of course the awesome new album with the new singer flopped, because he wasn’t the old singer.  Vince came back, Tommy left, and the band released the mediocre New Tattoo.  After a hiatus, Tommy Lee returned again for a big successful reunion tour, and the Crue finally managed to put out an album.  Saints of Los Angeles was better than expected, and did hearken back to the good old days.

You hear that a lot; “hearkens back to the old days”. Aside from the overly glossy production, this album sounds like the natural followup to Dr. Feelgood and “Primal Scream”. Of course, it was contrived that way. Nikki talks about this being a concept album following the the storyline of their book The Dirt, but really that is just an excuse to revisit the old (successful) Motley sound.  Sure, why not?  I’ll buy that.

CRUE SAINTS_0005Despite all odds, this album does succeed. From the opener “LA.M.F.” (which is an obvious homage to “In The Beginning” from the Shout album and “T.N.T.” from Feelgood) to the final track “Going Out Swinging”, there’s hardly any filler here. Just about every song kicks. No ballads, unless you want to count “The Animal In Me” (which I don’t). Hey, and think of it: Sharp fans will recall that Feelgood itself was originally conceived as a concept album with no ballads. Interesting.*

Guitar riffs are kicking, Vince is singing as good as you could hope, and all the songs shine. There’s even the odd female backing vocal, recalling the Nasty Habits. Only the production drags this down to a lower level, I simply find it too processed and glossy. Bob Rock would have added more thud, but that’s just my opinion. Song wise, winners include the title track and first single. Other highlights are the glam “Down At The Whiskey”, “Face Down In The Dirt” (see, The Dirt is in the title!),  the swaggering “What’s It Gonna Take”, and the chugging “Just Another Psycho”.  Those would be my favourites on an album of consistent song quality.  All but “Welcome To The Machine”, which sounds like a transparent ripoff of Ace Frehley’s “Shot Full Of Rock”. I can’t believe I seem to be the only one pointing this out.

I was disappointed by one thing: look at those writing credits. Mick Mars has just one co-write, ditto Tommy Lee. Vince Neil: No writing credits at all. Instead, the album was mostly written by Nikki and his Sixx AM cohorts James Michael and DJ Ashba along with hired songsmith Marti Frederiksen. So, is this a Crue album or another Nikki Sixx solo album featuring Motley Crue? You decide. It sounds like Motley, but c’mon. Both Mick and Tommy were cornerstones of this band’s songwriting. It feels like Nikki just got his buds to write like Mick and Tommy.

CRUE SAINTS_0006There’s one item I’d still like to get, related to this album.  I want to track down the CD single for “Saints of Los Angeles”, which lacks the CrueFest nobodies’ “gang vocal”. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think that a bunch of nobodies from Trapt or Papa Roach need to be on a Crue album.  So I’d like to hear that one.

Other than these minor complaints, Saints wins. When you’re listening you’ll forget who wrote the songs, and you’ll just dig the fact that Tommy is back on drums and Mick is playing better than ever.  God bless Mick Mars — that man is a rock and roll machine.  He is the MVP on Saints of Los Angeles.

OH!  And the Japanese bonus tracks, let’s not forget those.  The liner notes tell us nothing about where or when they were recorded, but they are obviously more recent.  “Kickstart My Heart” is the first, and Vince Neil sings with that annoying habit of singing every other word.  He lets the audience take lines when he can’t.  “Saints” slams, though.

4/5 stars. Crue fans will love it.

*It’s true.  According to a 1989 Hit Parader interview, not only were the band considering a concept album, but Nikki Sixx stated that he wanted Feelgood to be all hard rock, no ballads.  The ballads they had collected such as “Rodeo” and the newer “Without You” were to be included on a second new album to be released in 1990 called Motley Crue: The Ballads.  Bob Rock reportedly talked them out of the “no ballads” concept.  Then the concept was recycled for what would become Motley Crue (1994).  Before Vince bailed/was fired, Nikki said there were to be no ballads on the next Crue album.