OZZY OSBOURNE – Ultimate Live Ozzy(1986 CBS picture 12″ record)
T-Rev bought this for me a year or two ago, God knows where he found it! All I know is that one day I got a text from him saying, “Mikey, Ultimate Live Ozzy picture disc, do you need it?” I obviously said yes, I didn’t care what it was exactly. I figured it was probably live cuts from The Ultimate Ozzy home video release. I know that Ozzy picture discs go for crazy amounts of money at record shows, and this one was affordably priced.
Picture discs don’t sound the best, and this one even has a label on the front warning the consumer of this fact. Unfortunately my plastic sleeve isn’t in the greatest shape, although the record is absolutely perfect. I love the way the turntable spindle sticks out of Ozzy’s tongue on one side. The other side has a picture of Ozzy and guitarist Jake E. Lee with the girl from The Ultimate Sin album cover. Jake’s taking a bite out of her bum.
Here’s the weird thing. Even though the label clearly states these are live versions from Kansas City in 1986 (the Ultimate Ozzy video shoot), there are no live songs. There are three tracks per side, and both sides are identical. They contain the studio versions of “The Ultimate Sin”, “Never Know Why”, and “Thank God for the Bomb”. The studio versions — not live versions! Somebody screwed up somewhere; you have to assume one side was meant to have the live tracks, and the other the studio counterparts. Information is scarce, except that there are multiple reports of the same issue for this picture disc on the web.
Thankfully, the three missing live tracks are on the Prince of Darkness box set. It’s always nice to get some live Ozzy stuff with Jake E. Lee, since it’s so rare to find. Randy Castillo (R.I.P.) is on drums, and like him or not, he has a signature style that he utilized with Ozzy. I enjoy his drumming. The live versions are more keyboard heavy than the studio counterparts. I enjoy Jake’s echoey guitar intro to “Thank God for the Bomb” which sounds cool live.
I’d love to know if these three live tracks were actually released on vinyl at all in 1986. Prince of Darkness was released in 2005; that’s a long time to wait to finally get the tracks in an audio format! I do have the Ultimate Ozzy video on VHS, but it has never been released on an official DVD. Knowing of Ozzy’s loathing for this period, I wonder if it ever will be. I doubt it. It’s too bad, because some have a fondness for The Ultimate Sin and its songs.
If this picture disc had contained the live tracks it was supposed to, I’d give it 4/5 stars. However, for a screwup this colossal:
0/5 stars. At least it looks cool.
Final note: When originally released, this disc came with postcards and a poster. I have neither.
BLACK SABBATH – 13(2013 Universal deluxe, Best Buy, and Spotify editions)
Last year, Uncle Meat gave us his detailed review of Black Sabbath’s 13. (His rating: 3.25/5 stars. Check out his full review for the scoop on the first CD of this metal monolith.) Having had almost a year to live with it myself, I think it’s time I got around to reviewing the songs he didn’t: the bonus tracks!
The deluxe and Best Buy editions have “Methademic,” “Peace of Mind,” and “Pariah.” “Methademic” is cool for being a fast-paced heavy rocker, something I associate more with a Dio kind of sound. It’s a good track, good enough that Sabbath play it live. Geezer’s got a serious groove going on with the bass part, and Brad Wilk is playing with furious drive. You wouldn’t consider this song to be as good as any on the first CD of 13, but it’s a great bonus track.
“Peace of Mind” is of equal quality to “Methademic.” This time Sabbath have gone back to doomy, but Ozzy’s vocal melody takes it to a special place. All it’s missing is that looseness that only Bill Ward could provide. It sounds so authentically Black Sabbath, but if you concentrate on the beat, you can hear that the loose swing of old is not there. Having said that I enjoy “Peace of Mind” very much, especially when it picks up after the 2:15 mark.
My favourite of this trio of songs is “Pariah.” It occupies a mid-paced groove which chugs along nicely. Tony has a couple cool riffs in it, but once again Ozzy’s vocal seals the deal. Tony’s guitar solo is icing on the cake. I love when he has a chance to slow down and play bluesy, as he does here.
Japanese fans, and Best Buy shoppers have their own exclusive bonus track, and it’s the one with the best title: “Naïveté in Black.” You have to love that. This smoker is similar to “Time Machine,” from Dehumanizer. I don’t know why a song this good was left to Best Buy, because it’s better than the other three. It’s definitely unique among the 13 songs for sounding more like Dio-Sabbath than Ozzy-Sabbath; perhaps that’s the primary reason. Count me as a big fan of “Naïveté in Black.”
Finally even Spotify have a bonus track, which is “Dirty Women,” live. This is with Tommy Clueftos on drums, from the same show as the recent Gathered In Their Masses live DVD (but not the CD). I am fortunate enough to have an excellent quality copy of the song burned to a CD, the perfect final bonus track to 13.
But that’s not all folks. With the deluxe box set edition, there’s a DVD as well. There is a brief documentary about the reunion and recording of the new album. There are quite a few humorous moments, but I do not consider this to be much of a bonus. All this stuff is available for free on youtube. I don’t value a physical copy of something like this as much as I value a physical copy of a song.
Best moment:
Fan – “I came all the way from Croatia!”
Ozzy – “Where the fuck is that?”
The deluxe set is large and very nice to look at, but I considered it sparse in terms of worthwhile goodies. There are lots of large glossy photos, but they’re not up to handling repeatedly. There’s a print of the “God Is Dead?” single art, a 2 CD set (minus “Naïveté in Black”), and 13 on double 180 gram vinyl LPs. Everything is lovely and fragile. There’s also far too much room in the box itself for everything, so things move around inside. That’s a bit of a design flaw just to save on some extra cardboard packaging.
The Best Buy set came with a T-shirt, which I have kept in-package. You can find pictures of both versions below.
T-Rev, Wes, Doug and I had a great time at the Toronto Musical Collectibles Record & CD Sale 2014. Trevor came home with some kind of Asian import of Foo Fighters’ In Your Honor with at least a dozen bonus tracks. He also scored a cool silver Grand Funk LP with a round cover. Wes stocked up on Tom Petty vinyl.
My treasures are below. Let’s start with the Japanese imports! Yes, the same vendor was there. I probably cleared out his best stuff last year, but he still had some good ones left for me.
Japanese imports purchased:
Ozzy Osbourne – Under Cover($25 with obi strip intact) I am well on record as not being a fan of this album. But it’s one of only two Ozzy albums that I didn’t own. Finding a Japanese version made it easy to justify for my collection. The bonus track is “Changes” with Kelly Osbourne, but I had that already on the Prince of Darkness box set. This comes with a region 2 DVD.
Europe – Start From the Dark (sealed, $20) I already had this album as a bonus CD within Europe’s Live From the Dark DVD set. The Japanese get two live tracks from Sweden Rock 2004: “Seven Doors Hotel” and “Wings Of Tomorrow”.
White Wolf – Endangered Species (sealed, $20) Last year I bought Standing Alone on vinyl, this year I got Endangered Species! I always liked that song “She.” There are no bonus tracks on it but it’s so hard to find this on CD at all, let alone Japanese.
Paul Gilbert – Get Out of My Yard (sealed, $20) I’ve long been a fan of Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), and he’s a cult hero in Japan. I know his solo stuff is pretty out there. Although I have tracks of his on guitar compilations, this is the first solo album of his that I have found.
Aerosmith – “Pink” (sealed CD single, $15) In Record Store Tales Part 42, I made fun of the “Barefoot DJ” because he was looking for this Aerosmith dud. Regardless, I’m probably most excited about this CD. If there’s one thing rarer than Japanese CDs, it might be Japanese CD singles. They’re produced in even more limited number. I won’t get all the B-sides for “Pink” on this CD single, but it has plenty of tracks that I believe are exclusive to this disc.
Aerosmith – “Amazing” (CD single, $5 with obi strip intact) I had a domestic copy of this CD with the exact same tracks, just in a different order. I wasn’t sure if I had it or not when I bought it, but for $5 I figured it’s still a win-win situation. It’s in mint condition and I paid a fair price for it.
Other CDs purchased:
Anthrax – We’ve Come For You All (sealed German import, $10) I’ve always wanted this album, and I always promised myself I’d get it if I found an import with bonus tracks for a good price. I have done that now.
Deep Purple – Smoke On My Mega-mix ($5) This is a bootleg. I bought this from the same guy who sold me the Aerosmith “Amazing” single. Years and years ago, there was a Deep Purple compilation LP called Anthology. If you bought that and four other singles, you could mail away for a “Smoke On My Mega-mix” exclusive single. This bootleg has that track, and a whole bunch of other rarities. One such track is Deep Purple Mk V’s “Fire, Ice & Dynamite” which is only on a DVD called New, Live & Rare.
Iron Maiden – Revenge Is Living In the Past (bootleg from A Matter of Life and Death tour, $40) This is a beautifully packaged triple-gatefold live bootleg. One of the few recent tours that Maiden have not released a live album from was A Matter of Life and Death. On that tour, they played the whole album live, and now I have it. It’s really nicely packaged and I’m looking forward to listening to it soon.
One funny story: At record shows, you always find vendors who “know it all”. T-Rev found a CD copy of Kim Mitchell’s self-titled solo EP for $5, but it was burned. Trevor asked, “Do you have the original CD of this? Because if you do, I will buy it.” The vendor swore up and down that no such CD exists. Trevor said, “Yes it does, my buddy has it.” He’s right, because I am that buddy. Here are pictures of my copy of that EP; Amazon are asking over $100 for it, since it went out of print. Photographic proof that it exists below (Wounded Bird CD edition):
Here’s a list of the next bunch of shows. Attendance is pending funds:
London, April 18 2014 (Centennial Hall, 550 Wellington St.)
Cambridge, April 27 2014 (Holiday Inn, 200 Holiday Inn Dr.)
Woodstock, (Nostalgia Show & Sale), May 25 2014 (Woodstock Fairgrounds, 875 Nellis St.)
Ancaster, (Nostalgia Show & Sale), June 22 2014 (Ancaster Fairgrounds, 630 Trinity Rd.)
Mississauga, October 19 2014 (Capitol Cenvention Centre, 6435 Dixie Rd.)
London, October 26 2014 (Centennial Hall, 550 Wellington St.)
All four of us had a blast. In the car, Wes commented, “I don’t think I’ve ever had musical conversations like this before!” Then, I found something out. Last year, Wes gave me a copy of Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” He did this on condition that I rip and email him the tracks. I did that as soon as I got home, only I sent them via Trevor, since I didn’t have Wes’ email.
Wes said he never got them. “I emailed the tracks like a year ago,” I replied. I explained that Trevor instructed to just send them to him, and he’d forward them along. That never happened. Wes said, “All this time I thought it was Ladano’s fault, turns out it’s my friend right here!” and points at Trevor.
This is turning into an annual event. We might make it semi-annual by checking out the October show. I’ll be sure to be you posted!
If you liked Ozzy’s previous album, the quite good Black Rain, then I think you might like Scream even better. As everybody knew, it was Ozzy’s first new studio album of original material without Zakk Wylde since he joined the band. (Jerry Cantrell did play on the perfectly awful covers album Under Cover.) Many wanted to know, “Is Gus G any good?”
Yup.
Ozzy’s never had a bad guitar player, and Gus G is a speed demon. I don’t know alot about the guy, but he seems to emulate Zakk with those “Wylde” bends, yet he also has this fast neo-classical vibe. If you hear that Ozzy live EP that came around the same time (iTunes Festival 2010) you will find that he really nails a Zakk-like vibe on the old Ozzy stuff. On the Sabbath classics, he does justice to Iommi’s chunky riffs. And he’s fast…really fast. In other words, he is kind of the best of all worlds. I’m not saying he’s better than Zakk, because personality goes a long way. I’m just telling you what I hear.
Songwise, Ozzy wrote the album again with Canadian producer Kevin Churko, with some co-writes by Adam Wakeman. Churko also played drums even though Tommy Clufetos was credited. I really like Scream, and I can’t say there’s anything weak on it. I’ve had a chance to live with it for a few years and I still enjoy it. Maybe a couple filler tracks here and there, but nothing I hated. Most of the rhythms are chunky and staggered, gated like some nu-metal band but still well within the realm of Oz. The excellent “Soul Sucker” and “Diggin’ Me Down” in particular emphasize this modern sound. I happen to like both songs a lot.
Yet there are surprises on here. I wouldn’t call them “ballads” per se, but “Time” and “Life Won’t Wait” change the pace. “Time” re-emphasizes Ozzy’s old love of the Beach Boys with its lush “ooh, ooh” backing vocals. “Life Won’t Wait” is a softer, bass-driven mid-tempo rocker with an amazing chorus as only Ozzy can deliver. The bass line really reminds me of another song, “Take a Picture” by Filter.
The rest of the album is heavy, maybe Ozzy’s heaviest. At times it reminded me of Zombie, at others, Sabbath. In general though it is identifiably Ozzy. “Let Me Hear You Scream,” the lead single, is a fast heavy Ozzy rocker designed for firing up the concert crowd. While Scream does not worm its way into your noggin the way Blizzard of Ozz did, it’s still a pretty good record. Ozzy seems very proud of it, and rightly so.
Lyrically, Ozzy’s in familiar territory. His lyrics to me are always underrated (whether he writes them or not). On Scream, he has tracks for his beloved audience as always: “Let Me Hear You Scream” and the touching outro “I Love You All”. On others he’s talking about religion. “Diggin’ Me Down” asks the question, how long must we wait for Jesus Christ to come back? “Crucify” seems to be about crooked preachers again, or perhaps just those who prey upon the desperate.
This being Ozzy, a “tour edition” was released not too long after I bought the original. In fact, I bought Scream as a digital download just to get the bonus track “One More Time”, a heart-racing rocker with a great tempo. I also bought this album on Japanese import to get the “Jump The Moon” (not really exceptional) bonus track. Hindsight is always 20/20, and I should have learned from the past album, Black Rain. It too had bonus tracks for different markets, and it too was reissued with all bonus tracks intact on some kind of tour edition. So Ozzy’s done it again, with this “tour edition” designed to promote his American tour. You can tell by the missing black flag, now replaced with an American banner. Ozzy has also stuck on a “new” song called “Hand of the Enemy” which to me wasn’t as good as the rest of the material on the album. Besides that, there are four live tracks: “Let Me Hear You Scream”, “Bark At The Moon”, “No More Tears” and the Sabbath classic “Fairies Wear Boots”. This is the second released live version of “Let me Hear You Scream”, though this is the first version available on a physical release. All four live tracks are great, with Ozzy’s newest band playing competently with their own flavour. Best of the live tracks is “Fairies Wear Boots”, on which Gus G perfectly captures the guitar riff. Plus it’s a song that Ozzy plays less frequently, so that’s a bonus.
I also bought this album on double vinyl. The vinyl edition omits the live songs, but includes an exclusive single edit of “Life Won’t Wait”. So in total, I ended up with Scream four times! (I gave the Japanese import to my friend Peter.)
BLACK SABBATH – Live…Gathered In Their Masses (2013 CD/DVD/Blu-ray box set)
Any time a classic rock band releases new music and goes back on tour, there has to be a live album to go with it these days. Actually, to be more accurate in the current age it’s more likely to be some kind of CD/DVD combo pack. This deluxe of Live…Gathered In Their Masses contains 1 CD, 1 Blu-ray, and 2 DVDs.
The visual program opens with a collage of pre-gig ritiual. The band arrive, and get ready in their own dressing rooms, the cameras offering a brief intimate glimpse. Before too long, the air raid sirens of “War Pigs” brings us to the stage. The Blu-ray looks absolutely gorgeous. Every line on every face is visible, every grain on Tony’s Gibson SG, and the stage is gorgeously lit. It’s a beautiful disc to watch in 1080p. I couldn’t help myself; I sat there playing air drums, and putting my hands in the air when Ozzy commanded. It was fun!
Ozzy hops about, but most exciting visually is unofficial member Tommy Clufetos. I wonder if it’s intentional, but he definitely resembles a young Bill Ward circa 1976 (as long as he keeps his shirt on). And Tony? He smiles, a lot. You would too if you’ve been through what he has I imagine! Ozzy’s already dumped a bucket of water over his head before they get to the second song, a sludgy “Into the Void”. I think the temptation is often to play this song a little faster live, but this version is very much in pace with the deliberately slow original.
My cell phone ring tone these days is that riff from “Loner”, one of the best songs from 13. Unfortunately, the fact that this is a new song means Ozzy’s rivited to one place on stage, concentrating on the words, glancing at the floor. Even so, Ozzy remains a mesmerizing presence. Another bucket of water, and Ozzy’s the cheeleading frontman again. The bonus interview on the disc, by the way, reveals why Ozzy really douses himself in water! (You probably don’t want to know.) “Snowblind” then erupts, Ozzy hitting the high notes with cracking but real voice! (That’s the part that counts.) Tony’s extended guitar solo is a stunner in itself.
The rain and tolling bells of “Black Sabbath” sound great on blu-ray, though I was hoping to hear more stuff going on behind me in the 5.1 mix. “Black Sabbath” is the standard workout, no surprises here. Likewise, “N.I.B.” is very much the traditional Sabbath version, even down to each note of Tony’s solo. Ozzy somehow manages to still be menacing behind the mic. “Methademic” is one of the new songs again, but oddly it’s a only bonus track on the deluxe versions of 13. This is a song that resembles Dio-era Sabbath and would have sounded at home on Dehumanizer or The Devil You Know. With Ozzy behind the mic, it’s still classic Sabbath. I think it’s a great number, only weakened live by Ozzy struggling through the wordy lyrics.
Oz doesn’t seem to have trouble with the old favourite “Fairies Wear Boots”. His wail of “Allllllright now!” looms, and out comes the water again! “Symptom Of the Universe” then stomps on the stage. This is the song that Clufetos can really sink his chops in. He’s obviously not Bill Ward, but I like his interpretation of Bill’s parts. They’re as close to the mark as any other Sabbath drummer’s parts, if not more. Tommy gets an extended drum solo too, during “Symptom”, not bad for an unofficial member! Mrs. LeBrain called the solo “Sweet!”
A drum solo naturally suits “Iron Man” to segue into. “Iron Man” is wooden, Clufetos unable to cop Bill Ward’s loose feel. It’s still “Iron Man”, a song Black Sabbath have probably played live at every show since ’72, but it’s not definitive. Only when the song gets up to speed does it become the beast it should be. Another new song, the deliberately vintage sounding “End of the Beginning” takes over, but it’s not the song I would have chosen to play at this point of the set. Not only is it too similar to “Black Sabbath” but it slows the set down too much so close to the end. It does pick up, but I feel it would have worked better closer to the start of the show.
Ozzy then teases out that they will only play one more song, unless the crowd goes “extra crazy”. This “final” song is the storming “Children of the Grave.” The audience bounces like a wave in sync with the classic tune, led by an energized Ozzy. I detected some clever editing here to make it appear that Ozzy is jumping around more than he actually is, but that’s video. One pretty thing about this song is the appearance of Tony’s old cream Gibson SG, paint cracked and chipping. Blu-ray allows you to see every scratch in the paint.
The crowd goes “extra crazy” and then Ozzy says they’ll play one more song. It’s “God Is Dead?”, the excellent first single from 13. Clufetos nails the stuttering drum roll, but Ozzy’s back to reading lyrics off the floor, which is distracting. But does anyone actually believe it is the last song; that they won’t play “Paranoid”? Of course they play it, and the riff from “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” too. It’s the quintessential closer, ending the concert as a party, not a session of pure doom! Clufetos and Ozzy are quite animated on “Paranoid”, and of course Ozzy reminds the crowd that they are “number one”! I just wish Tommy would pull up his pants. Fuck, I wish I could fit into that size!
The DVD and Blu-ray versions contain three bonus tracks. “Under the Sun” is a nice one to pull out of the hat. Ozzy handles the difficult vocals without issue. How does he do it? You can hear his voice cracking from time to time; it sounds live. “Dirty Women” is a personal favourite of mine. This is an interesting version. It’s the one that Spotify have as their own exclusive bonus track to 13. I already had an audio copy of this bonus track, but Blu-ray is cool, too. It’s a damn great rendition of a lost classic from Technical Ecstasy. “Electric Funeral” is the big surprise, a song I don’t think I’ve ever heard played live. Ozzy really struggles with the words on “Electric Funeral” but it’s a treat.
Elsewhere on the disc, there are more bonus features. I have to say the Blu-ray menu is an annoying, repeating tolling bell. Leaving the menu running unattended for more than 60 seconds is an excersize in testing your patience. In the bonus features, the Sabbath interview is typically low key. You know what to expect: a difficult to understand Ozzy, and a soft spoken Tony, with occasional comments from Geezer. There’s not too much here in the way of revelations. Vegetable juice and food have replaced vodka and a line before the show, although Geezer still drinks wine. How scandalous! I don’t know who the interviewer is, but he’s very good at getting the band involved and in good humour.
Lastly there’s a feature called “Show Day”. This is a behind the scenes look at the goings-on in the 24 hours before the show in Melbourne. I love it!
Ozzy: “You know what I was looking at, the old re-runs of the Twilight Zone.”
Geezer:“You told me that about 40 times.”
Ozzy: “Sorry. Trying to make conversation.”
Tony: (Laughs.)
Even Joe Perry and Steven Tyler show up backstage. I enjoy watching Joe and Tony chatting…what a meeting of guitar greats in one room.
The packaging for this box set is loaded with goodies. I always enjoy some complimentary guitar picks. There’s one here from Tony, and one from Geezer. There’s also a replica concert ticket, setlist, and a small poster. Nothing to get too excited about, but when you buy an expensive box set it’s nice to get these added touches as a bonus. There’s also two DVDs included with the same content as Blu-ray. That’s extraneous to me, I may never play them, so they’re sealed. I don’t have a problem with that, but I do wish they didn’t edit the CD version of the concert down to fit on one CD. I’m pleased that the CD version contains all the new songs, but for the price of this set relative to the cheap cost of a CD, I don’t know why they couldn’t just make it a 2 CD set. That part is disappointing. When I buy a deluxe edition, I want the whole thing on CD.
That niggle aside, Black Sabbath Live…Gathered In Their Masses is worth:
ZAKK WYLDE – Book of Shadows(1996, 1999 Spitfire reissue with bonus tracks)
There are many albums in my collection that I have bought more than once, just because I love them so much. Kiss Alive for example I’ve owned on LP and CD every time its been reissued. Likewise, Book of Shadows. When this album was issued with the 3 bonus tracks on an extra CD, I made sure I added it to my collection, because this is such an amazing collection of songs and I needed more.
Book of Shadows, Zakk’s second album outside Ozzy (Pride And Glory being the first) was a departure. Every song is largely acoustic, and electric guitar is usually only heard distantly in the mix, or in some of the solos. Instead of shredding, this album is driven by Zakk’s soulful voice, electrifying lyrics (very underrated!) and songwriting excellence.
I recall playing this for Tom and T-Rev when I first picked it up. Tom’s immediate first reaction was, “This sounds like Hootie and the Blowfish.” The reason for that is Zakk’s deep voice, and the fact that these are mostly mellow acoustic songs. However a few more minutes in, and it was clear that this was a Zakk album. Especially when that first electric guitar solo kicked in. By the time the albums ends on the electric, grinding, Sabbathy-outro to “I Thank You Child”, we had been thoroughly blown away.
Zakk’s lyrics run the gamut from philosophical to funny. “The Things You Do”, for example, seems to be about an ex-girlfriend and contains the lyric, “How do you do the things you do? You make Satan look like Christ, you know it’s true.” Elsewhere, “Way Beyond Empty” is a powerful, mournful song with a chorus so good that it will not let you go. I also enjoyed “Throwin’ It All Away” for its drama and orchestration. The three bonus tracks are just as good as anything else on the album, particularly “The Color Green”, an indictment of modern greed. Lyrically the bonus tracks are more topical than the album in general. They are “Evil Ways”, “The Color Green”, and “Peddlers of Death”. A vastly different re-recorded version of “Peddlers of Death” later appeared on Black Label Society’s debut album Sonic Brew.
If you are a Zakk fan, obviously this purchase is a must. If you’re not a Zakk fan but you happen to stumble upon this review, do what you can to hear it. I’m firmly convinced that if Book of Shadows had a larger overall awareness, it could have been a hit album with multiple successful singles.
Band lineup:
Zakk Wylde – lead vocals, guitars, piano
Joe Vitale – drums, keyboards
James Lomenzo – bass
When this album came out I bought it immediately. Well, as soon as it was made available by Columbia House music club, that is. I remember that I described it to a work friend named Mark as “raw bluesy shit”, and I still stand by that three word description. With an emphasis on raw. For 1989, this kind of production was unheard of. You can hear everything on this album, you can hear Jake’s fingers talking. Very little embellishment going on here.
Badlands were almost a supergroup of sorts: Ray Gillen (ex-Black Sabbath), Jake E. Lee (ex Ozzy Osbourne), Eric Singer (also ex-Black Sabbath, now in Kiss) and Greg Chaisson (ex-nobody significant). Jake had always complained he didn’t have an outlet to play the blues in Ozzy’s band, so this is his version of the blues, and it’s hard as hell! The band also had a vision of an album with two sides: a first harder rocking side, and a second bluesier side with longer songs.
“High Wire” kicks Badlands off with Jake’s raw, stripped back guitar sound. Producer Paul O’Neill (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) was also managing Badlands, and his production work here is completely different from the layers that he is better known for. The effects are stipped back, and Jake’s guitar is very different from The Ultimate Sin. A groovy exciting track, “High Wire” is driven by the riff and Gillen’s authoritative Coverdale-esque lead vocals.
The single “Dreams In The Dark” is next, the closest thing to a commercial song that this album gets. It has a strong chorus, instantly memorable, but you’ll be forgiven for thinking this is a Whitesnake outtake at first. A brief instrumental precedes my favourite song, “Winter’s Call”. It is as close is you’ll get to a ballad on this album, and only because its intro is slow and acoustic. However once that first riff kicks in, there’s no looking back. Eric Singer’s drum patterns are complex and hard hitting. The song itself is atmospheric and still kicks my ass all these years later. It’s infectious, like an old Zeppelin number. I hear sitar!
A pair of rockers finish side one, “Dancing On The Edge” (an accelerated raw rocker with a great chorus) and “Streets Cry Freedom” a steamy, slower tune like a classic Coverdale prowl. Both songs are standouts.
Side two starts with a serious rocker, “Hard Driver”, but from there it is on to the long, slower bluesy numbers that the band talked about. “Rumblin’ Train” is the bluesiest number, and “Devil’s Stomp” is as heavy as the title implies. “Seasons” is a slow moody one, brilliantly dramatic thanks to Gillen’s emotive vocal. The cassette/CD bonus track was called “Ball & Chain” and it finishes the album on a another hard bluesy note. (Yes, back then when they couldn’t fit all the songs on an LP, they’d still include it on the cassette version and call it a “bonus track”.)
Badlands made a couple more albums, but this one is my favourite. Martin Popoff himself rates this one a 10/10. I gotta agree with the man on this one. On a 5 scale…
CLASSIC ALBUMS: Paranoid – BLACK SABBATH (2010 Eagle Vision Blu-ray)
Those familiar with Black Sabbath know that Tony and Geezer don’t necessarily make the best interviewees. Their answers are often monotone, bland, and only vaguely remembered. Maybe somebody gave them some coffee before this video. Geezer in particular seems more animated, but they both appear actually alive! Bill Ward is Bill Ward, of course. Ozzy can barely get his voice above a croaking whisper. None of that matters though, because this Blu-ray disc is not about the present, it’s about the distant past, 40+ years distant in fact: the landmark metal album of metal albums, Paranoid.
Everybody reading this knows Paranoid from front to back (I hope so, anyway) and has probably bought it more than once. If you don’t know Paranoid, get the album! Go! Listen to it, come back, and finish reading this review later.
Like all Classic Albums discs, this deconstructs classic tunes to the individual layers. You are invited to hear the basic tracks for songs such as “Iron Man”, “Fairies Wear Boots”, “Planet Caravan”, “Black Sabbath”, and more. Engineer Tom Allom (perhaps best known for his production work with Judas Priest) is your tour guide. Stripped of vocals and guitar, you can hear the rhythm section clearly. Hearing Bill and Geezer playing together without adornment is a revelation. If anyone comes out looking very underrated in the Sabbath saga, it is Bill Ward and Geezer Butler, who are psychically locked-in and loose.
Meanwhile, in new footage from the here and now, Iommi demonstrates some of the most famous riffs and solos in Sabbath history. Meanwhile Ozzy explains how he wrote melodies. This story is unfolded within the context of the late 60’s and early 70’s, and what Sabbath stood for in those tumultuous times.
Bonus features are generous, like all Classic Albums discs. About 45 minutes of additional footage is available, discussing songs and topics that didn’t make the cut of the main Blu-ray feature itself. None of it is filler, all of it is worth watching and probably would have made a completely un-boring extended feature anyway, had it been left in.
My only complaint is the resolution of this disc is only 1080i. Minor complaint at that.
As a companion piece, I highly recommend getting Paranoid in its 3 disc expanded edition. The reason being is, on this Blu-ray you will hear demo versions of songs with alternate lyrics. If you want all of these demos complete and uncut, you have to get the 3 disc version of Paranoid which includes them all (as well as the album’s original Quad mix).
Today, I was listening to some old-school Dio, and I had a thought. A sudden thought that I wanted to explore:
“My taste in music was 100% solidified by that month in 1986 that I had mono!”
Yeah! I think it’s true! I was sick at home for a month (at least) too tired to do anything except record videos on the Pepsi Power Hour! I was inundated with a steady intake of incredible songs, in many cases for the first time. And because I still have the old VHS tapes, I know exactly what’s on them. This brief but intense period of my life was rocked by this soundtrack, over and over again:
Spinal Tap – “Hell Hole”, the theme song that my sister and I dedicated to our old Catholic grade school!
These songs were first impressed upon me during that period, the visuals always cool and intriguing to me. Especially Lee Aaron. Ahem. Anyway. I watched these videos over and over again. I recorded the audio (in mono) (…hah, I made a pun!) to a cassette so I could listen to them on my Walkman. This came in handy at the cottage. We didn’t have a VCR or cable there, so the only way to bring my songs was to tape them from the TV.
That one intense period of being stuck at home with nothing but heavy metal heroes might have made me the LeBrain I am today. I’m glad something good came out of it! I couldn’t even go swimming that entire summer!
OZZY OSBOURNE – The Ultimate Sin (1986, 1995 Sony remaster)
I know Ozzy isn’t especially fond of this album (or anything about the whole Jake E. Lee period) but I love it. Hell, Ozzy hasn’t even offered it in any of his reissue programs. It’s out of print, and Ozzy never plays any of these songs anymore outside of “Shot in the Dark”.
I don’t know why I love it so much. I get why some people aren’t fond of it. Ron Nevison butchered the production, for one thing. Randy Castillo was such a powerful drummer, with a recognizable style. Here he sounds plastic with awful sounding cymbals. It’s a shame because the drum parts themselves are great. Ozzy acknowledges being in a real “down” state at this time, and it shows in the tired vocals.
Yet I love it! Maybe it’s Jake E. Lee, who is incredible. He’s flashy in that 80’s way, but with balls. He’s not just fluttery solos, although he certain can do that. His riffs are choppy his fills stunning and classy. I think Jake was a great replacement for the late Randy Rhoads, even though his true self wouldn’t shine through until Badlands.
I like every single song. The title track, “Secret Loser”, “Fool Like You”, “Lightning Strikes”…these are punchy Ozzy rockers. They are well written songs, and longtime contributor Bob Daisley has credits on 8 of the 9 songs. To me, that speaks to a certain level of quality. Verses and choruses are strong and melodic. The guitar riffs, solos and fills are all equally catchy and adroit. Even one of the less interesting songs, like “Never Know Why” is still listenable today due to the catchy melody, and Jake’s flange-y guitar part.
Many of the songs such as “Thank God for the Bomb” and “Killer of Giants” return Ozzy to the anti-war stance that Black Sabbath took in the 1970’s. I remember the 80’s clearly, and it seemed like every other week, there was a TV documentary or movie about the Soviets and the nuclear threat. To me as a kid, Ozzy’s voice of protest eased my mind! Surely, Mr. Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev would listen to Ozzy? “Killer of Giants” is quite an achievement musically, going from electric to acoustic to heavy all with Jake E. Lee at the rudder. It’s an awesome song.
The big hit and first single was the last song, “Shot in the Dark”. This is bassist Phil Soussan’s only writing contribution on his only Ozzy album. Later, he’d go on to co-write the excellent Vince Neil album Exposed, which proved he wasn’t a fluke. It’s a great mid-tempo rock song, although the video used to kinda frighten me as a kid. Frighten and titillate all at once. I was 13.
And on the topic of “Shot in the Dark”, why did bands in the mid-80’s always seem to wear sequined bathrobes? I’m looking at you, Mr. Simmons circa 1986…
I look at The Ultimate Sin as a 5/5 in terms of songs and musical performances. I’ll dock it 1 star for Ron Nevison’s clunky production and Ozzy’s tired lungs.
4/5 stars
And maybe this is a good time to rant about these fucking 1995 Sony 22 BIt SBM Digital Remasters. Oh, I have no problem with the sound of this CD. It’s the fucking covers! Why did they crop the awesome artwork and put that dumb OZZY along the side? My Lord. I had so many customers (Gord and Glen specifically) who refused to buy these remasters because the cover is dumb. Not to mention putting the tracklist in a circle on the back cover, making it annoying to read.
A drum solo naturally suits “Iron Man” to segue into. “Iron Man” is wooden, Clufetos unable to cop Bill Ward’s loose feel. It’s still “Iron Man”, a song Black Sabbath have probably played live at every show since ’72, but it’s not definitive. Only when the song gets up to speed does it become the beast it should be. Another new song, the deliberately vintage sounding “End of the Beginning” takes over, but it’s not the song I would have chosen to play at this point of the set. Not only is it too similar to “Black Sabbath” but it slows the set down too much so close to the end. It does pick up, but I feel it would have worked better closer to the start of the show.
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