rock music

RE-REVIEW: Eric Carr – Unfinished Business (2011/2025 RSD)

The KISS RE-REVIEW SERIES Part 42 Redux:  Eric Carr solo #2 (Reissued).

ERIC CARR – Unfinished Business (Originally 2011, 2025 Culture Factory)

Beloved drummer Eric Carr has two posthumous “solo albums”:  Rockology and Unfinished Business.  Both contain previously unreleased songs written and performed by Carr, some of which are polished up and finished properly, some of which are basic demos.  2000’s Rockology compilation contained a treasure trove of unheard goodies for the fans, but since there is always more to sell, another batch of tracks were unearthed to mark the 20th anniversary of Eric’s passing.  This time they called it Unfinished Business, and this time you can tell that there wasn’t much left in the vaults to release.   Yet, somehow, the Carr estate found even more tracks to release.  In 2023 a “remastered” version of Rockology was released for Record Store Day.  It included five more tracks, including very harsh demos from 1967, and 1974.  It also included a few alternate versions of previously released tracks, of limited value.  Then in 2025, and hopefully for the last time, five more tracks were coughed up on a similar reissue of Unfinished Business.  It is now an hour and 14 minutes long, so buckle up for a bumpy ride.

Getting the cosmestics out of the way first, Culture Factory do a fantastic job with these reissues.  The CDs are designed to look like vinyl.  Rockology was reissued on a black CD, and Unfinished Business is a lovely blue.  While the last album was designed to resemble the Kiss solo albums, this one looks like Creatures of the Night.  The style and obi strips for these reissues mean they also match each other.  Inside is a two-page booklet with very small print, and a sleeve for the CD, featuring two Kiss-era photos of Eric:  One from Creatures and one from Animalize.

There are a few Eric interviews and audio clips included, and the album opens appropriately with Eric introducing himself.  The first song is an updated version of “Just Can’t Wait” from Rockology.  Like a classic early 80s Bon Jovi song, it had slick hooks and hit potential.  This fine demo was just crying out for a lead vocal to finish it off.  This was completed by Ted Poley of Danger Danger.  Though the backing track lacks the fidelity of a proper Kiss recording, the song has taken shape as the shoulda-coulda-been hit that it is.  Eric would have been proud and very happy to hear it as a finished song, even though it sounds like you’re playing an old cassette.

The unfinished “Troubles Inside You” is a demo with regular Kiss collaborator and Beatlemania member Mitch Weissman.  It was recorded at Gene Simmons’ house, but the old cassette must have deteriorated pretty badly.  The music is barely audible, though hints of a good song shine through.  It clearly needed work, particularly on the chorus.  Weissman is on lead vocals, and Eric programmed the drum machine.  It sounds like a Creatures outtake, but this demo is truly chore to listen to.

There are a couple Kiss songs here for the diehard fans.  “No One’s Messin’ With You” is accompanied by an audio clip of Eric explaining that he insisted on singing a song this time.  Yes, that means this is yet another demo of what would become “Little Caesar” from Hot in the Shade (Another called “Ain’t That Peculiar” was released on the 2001 Kiss Box Set.)  This is an almost completely different set of lyrics, although it does have the “Hey Little Caesar” chorus.  In chronological terms, this version probably falls between the other two, with lyrics still a work in progress and a different verse melody.

Disappointingly, some songs here are not recorded by Eric Carr.  “Carr Jam 1991” and “All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose” are not demos.  They are remakes by Zo2 drummer Joey Cassata as a tribute.  Sonically both sound great, but why do we need these?  For “Carr Jam”, we already have a Kiss version which has Eric Carr on drums and Bruce Kulick on guitar.  This one has a guitarist named Benny Doro playing all the electric instruments.  Giving Cassata credit, he plays homage to the Fox’s drum hooks and style very admirably.  “All Hell’s Breakin’ Loose” with Paulie Z on vocals, belongs on a tribute album.  Not an album billed as an Eric Carr CD.

“Carr Jam” is followed by an interview about Eric’s audition, but it is followed by one of the very worst tracks in terms of quality.  This is “Shandi”, from Eric’s Kiss audition tape, with brand new acoustic backing music.  Unfortunately, Eric’s shaky voice (or a warbly tape) makes this totally unlistenable.  We have to assume it’s the tape, because nobody would dream of sending this to Kiss as an audition.

Two more Kiss outtakes include the legendary “Dial L For Love” and “Elephant Man”.  These were written for Crazy Nights and Revenge, respectively.  Neither were finished by Carr.  “Dial L For Love” has the bones of a good song with a unique 80s riff, including harmonics.  Eric only managed to finish the lyrics for “Elephant Man”, but here it is given music and life by a group of musicians including the late A.J. Pero of Twisted Sister, and ex-Europe guitarist Kee Marcello.  Singer Bob Gilmartin did a great job of it, turning “Elephant Man” into a cross between ballad and rocker, and something Kiss actually could have done on Revenge. “Elephant Man” does not feature Eric, only the lyrics he wrote, but it actually turned out pretty good.  We’ll allow this one, even though Eric isn’t on it, because there was no better way for us to hear his lyrics.

Eric’s Kiss bandmate, Mark St. John, found the cassette tape for “Midnight Stranger”.  It is another unfinished riff.  Mark was slated to overdub brand new solos for this instrumental, but he too passed before he could finish.  This is the original cassette demo.  The riff sounds like a brother to “Carr Jam”.  They are definitely related.  One has to assume that Eric gave this tape to Mark at some time during the making of Animalize.  Obviously, neither Mark nor Eric would be allowed to write on the album, so this is an interesting oddity.

Rockology featured a good Eric original called “Eyes of Love”, which Bruce Kulick finished by adding his guitar.  This version has Eric’s lead vocals backed by a new recording by Benny Doro and drummer John Humphrey.  Obviously, the Kulick version is the go-to.  This version doesn’t add much in terms of value to the fan.  It’s an artificially created “new” version, to flesh out an already dubious CD release.

“Through the Years” features some Eric Carr drum solos edited together, and dedicated to Bill Aucoin (who also features in an audio clip).  The drum solos themselves will sound familiar, as many ended up in “Carr Jam” and Kiss concerts live.

Finally there is a 1967 recording by Eric’s first band The Cellarmen, with Eric on lead vocals.  At the time of the original release for Unfinished Business, this was considered something really rare and special, but it turns out they had more that they were hanging on to.  Now, we get two more Cellarmen tracks:  1967’s Beatles-y “I Cry At Night” and 1968’s “I Found You (One I Adore)”.  These tracks sound pretty decent considering their age.  An official release like this is certainly welcome for these old tapes.  The late 1960s are alive again when you push play.

Several of the remaining bonus tracks are quite long.  Into the 1970s, we have a lengthy jam of “Down By The River”, performed by Salt and Pepper, recorded in 1974.  According to the CD, that is Eric on lead vocals and drums.  It sounds like when Deep Purple Mk I used to do slow psychedelic cover versions, complete with slamming drums.  Not a great cover, but certainly of interest to Eric fans.

“Get Down” is an overlong disco demo by Creation, dating to 1974.  This one is complete with a horn section, sax solos, and organ.  The surviving tape quality limits its listenability.  It’s interesting not only to hear Eric play the disco beats (quite awesomely), but also to hear him sing this soulful style.

Rewinding to 1972, Salt and Pepper also covered “Black Magic Woman”, this time keeping it to about five minutes.  Eric’s drumming on this is absolutely thunderous.  Though it is hard to shake the Deep Purple Mk I vibes, comparing Eric to Ian Paice on this is not out of the question.

The final track, a cover of “Listen to the Music”, dates back to 1977 and is recorded by Mother Nature Father Time.  This is a nice pop rock song with twangy country guitars.  Eric’s vocals are present but a bit muffled, making it hard to fully enjoy the tracks.  It is a pretty impressive version of the song, with ample accompaniment.

Never mind that the five bonus tracks from Rockology and the five from Unfinished Business could have been released as a single standalone disc, a third Eric Carr album perhaps.  That’s what should have been been done, for the fans who are tired of endless reissues.  Let us hope that more tracks don’t mysteriously turn up on a third go-round of reissues.

2/5 stars

 

 

RE-REVIEW: Poison – Open Up and Say… Ahh! (1988, 2018 180 gram coloured vinyl reissue)

Our review of the deluxe CD edition of this album can be found here.

POISON – Open Up and Say… Ahh! (1988, 2018 Capitol 180 gram coloured vinyl reissue)

There are some bands I find myself constantly having to defend my enjoyment of.  Poison is definitely up there in the top five, if not #1.   They’re not incredible musicians (Richie Kotzen and Blues Saraceno notwithstanding).  They put out some junk.  But they also did at least three legitimately great hard rock albums, and Open Up and Say… Ahh! is one of them.  Poison had good producers behind their best albums.  Bruce Fairbairn, Richie Zito, and in this case, Tom Werman, who had plenty of experience getting great records out of mediocre musicians (and great ones too).

This 180 gram vinyl reissue, on red vinyl and spinning at 45 rpm, still sounds great.  This was a good sounding album 1988 and this record spins well.  The drum sound is a little synthetic sounding, but that was a common issue in the 80s.  Rikki Rocket got a better snare sound later on in the 1990s.  CC’s guitar is like an over-the-top Ace Frehley.  Harsh with more of that 80s transistor amp sound, but actually not that bad on this album.  Frehley was probably the model.  Werman got a solid performance out of Bret Michaels, and layers the choruses with ample backing vocals, but just enough for sweetener.

The album was loaded with mostly good songs.  Opening with the terrific riffing of “Love on the Rocks”, Poison started with a rocker, as if to prove a point.   “She goes down slow, like a shot ‘o gin…” and 14 year old me had no idea what Bret was really signing about, so you have to give the lyricist credit for that.  “You wanna taste my love, why don’t ya swallow this.”  Well, maybe I did get the picture after all.  Swallow This was the original album title, but cooler heads prevailed.  It was later used as the title for Poison’s premature double-live.

Smash hit and first single “Nothin’ But A Good Time” is in the second position, exactly where it belongs, hitting it home immediately.  The riff always struck me as something inspired by Kiss (“Deuce), but later on Kiss ripped off this song for one of their own (“Never Enough”).  Although it’s bubblegum hard rock fun, there’s nothing wimpy about “Nothin’ But A Good Time”.  “Back to the Rocking Horse” is a good track, a sort of Poison deep cut, as is the harmonica-laden “Good Love”.  The first side ends with the darker “Tearin’ Down the Walls”.  Songs like this show that Poison were more than the sum of the public’s perception.  CC’s guitar solos speak.  The lyrics may be shallow (coming home from the road for a good romp in bed), but there’s something about the music that is more than meets the ear.

Opening side two, “Look But You Can’t Touch” has a completely different vibe.  A vicious CC riff kicks it off.  We’ll ignore Bret’s ill-advised lyrics about plying an unwilling young woman with drink.  Not cool, Bret!  (I didn’t think so back in 1988 and I don’t think so now, so don’t come at me.)   Great song otherwise, thanks to CC’s killer riff.  As if to make up for the previous song, Poison got a bit serious on “Fallen Angel”.  In the music video, a predatory manager played by actor Anthony James takes advantage of young girls heading to Hollywood looking for stardom.  It’s a re-enactment of the lyrics:  “She stepped off the bus out into the city streets, just a small town girl with her whole life packed in a suitcase by her feet.”  Things gradually go bad, and Bret’s words serve as a warning.  The song itself remains in the top Poison tracks of all time.  It has it all:  great riff, terrific chorus, strong verses, and another in a series of memorable CC guitar solos.  He didn’t break new ground as a lead soloist, but like many that receive far more praise than he does, CD composes his solos.  The one in “Fallen Angel” is like a mini-song inside a song.

“Every Rose Has Its Thorn” was respected in its time for being a bit further out in the acoustic direction than many bands were comfortable.  “Too country!” said some.  Bret was right on the money with this song, as time has shown.  It didn’t take long (only three years) to become something of a pop culture phenomenon, being quoted in the second Bill & Ted film.  You’ve heard it a million times, but it still stands as a good, well written and well performed ballad, with another great little CC solo.

The cover of “Your Mama Don’t Dance” was cute, and we’ve all heard it a million times now.  It’s fun but at this point we don’t need to discuss it.  We close on “Bad to be Good”, which actually focuses on Bobby Dall’s bass line as the main backbone of the song.  Not to be ignored, listen to CC’s opening guitar licks.  This is a fine song, but not an album cornerstone.  Just a way to take the album out on a dark, sassy note.

One thing we always appreciated about Open Up And Say… Ahh! back in the 80s was that it came with ample photos on the lyric sheet.  Though the cover was always garish and ugly, Poison gave you value when you bought their records.

4/5 stars

 

 

NEWS: Hello! My Name Is Blotto – The Movie to get DVD and Blu-Ray release

JAN 3 2026:  As revealed exclusively on the podcast Grab A Stack of Rock, BLOTTO will be releasing their documentary film Hello! My Name Is Blotto – The Movie on DVD and Blu-Ray in January of 2026.  With details to be revealed at Blotto.net, the award-winning film by director Rob Lichter will be available on to-be-determined streaming platforms as well.

Beloved for hit songs such as “I Wanna Be A Lifeguard” and “Metal Head”, Blotto have a long history stretching back to the 19870s and the Star-Spangled Washboard Band.  With vintage television footage and new interviews, the Blotto film will have you rolling on the floor in laughter, while wiping a tear now and then.  It’s truly an entertaining and heartwarming story that will leave you feeling better after you watch it.

The physical release will be a current edit of the film, as it was revised periodically based on audience reactions.  All the footage and more will be included in the bonus features.

Stay tuned at Blotto.net for more details.

 

REVIEW: Paul Stanley – You Can’t Escape His KISS – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera (1999 Bootleg CD)

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – Toronto Cast Recording featuring Paul Stanley (1999 Phantom Music bootleg CD You Can’t Escape His KISS)

Seeing Paul Stanley perform as the titular Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera was an experience I’ll never forget.  It was fall, 1999.  I remember hearing an ad on the radio on the way to work that the show was being extended due to popular demand – six more weeks!  I remember jumping around at the Beat Goes On (Cambridge location) chanting “SIX MORE WEEKS!  SIX MORE WEEKS!”  I knew I wasn’t going to miss Paul as the Phantom.  There were a lot of leather jackets in the audience.  A few Kiss shirts.  Not the usual Pantages crowd, but that’s what Paul did for Phantom of the Opera.  He crossed barriers with it.  A little later on, I was gifted a genuine Paul Stanley autograph from DJ Donnie D, who bumped into Paul on the streets of Toronto.  I had a program, an autograph, and the live experience.  All I needed was a CD of the show.

“They’d be stupid not to release a CD version of Phantom with Paul,” I reasoned.  The London and Canadian cast CD releases were bestsellers for us, despite their prices.  A Paul Stanley release would cross over to the rock crowd.  An official CD never came, but fortunately somebody in the audience was recording one of of those shows, and bootlegged it.  The date is unlisted, the CD says “Made in Japan” while the sleeve says “Printed in USA”.  (The number on the CD, 27/110/99 does not refer to a date as the ended on Oct 31 1999.)  This CD bootleg was gifted all the way from Australia, by the Mad Metal Man Harrison Kopp, who knew I had been seeking it a long time.  From Canada to Australia and back to Canada again.

A single CD release with unrelated bonus tracks, this disc focuses on the musical numbers that involved Paul and skips the rest.  This is probably sufficient for Kiss fans.

Being an audience recording, quality is all subjective.  There is some tape warble, which may or may not hinder your enjoyment.  There are people coughing in the audience; the usual sonic flaws.  You can clearly hear that Melissa Dye, Paul’s co-star playing Christine, is a professional while Paul is not.  He often resorts to a “rock frontman” voice to exclaim certain lines.  However, Paul also does an admirable job.  His tenor voice was no longer at its peak in 1999.  He was still up to the task, insofar as a rock star goes.  A tenor like Paul would never have made it to the starring role without his name marquee value.  That doesn’t actually matter when you consider that Paul helmed this show from May to October, to positive reviews.  Of course, there is more to it than just singing.  There is also the acting; the stage performance in costume and makeup.  You don’t get to see that here, but I can assure that Paul knew something about performing to music on stage in costume and makeup.  He brought the same bombast to the physical role as he did the vocal part.

The most memorable musical moments on this CD are the “Phantom of the Opera” and “Music of the Night”, which most people will be familiar with.  Paul’s performance on both is a knockout.  This bootleg recording serves as a reminder that Paul might have been an unorthodox Phantom, but he was still capable, and did the job well…even if you can hear the Kiss frontman in him, from time to time.

The track list on the back of the CD is incorrect.  There are 25 tracks total, provided below.  The bonus material includes four of the 1989 Paul Stanley solo demos:  “When 2 Hearts Collide”, “Don’t Let Go”, “Best Man For You” and the familiar “Time Traveler”.   These are followed by a 1978 interview in seven parts.  An odd potpouri of bonus material to be sure, but such is the liberty of bootleg recordings.

“When 2 Hearts Collide” belies the late 80s recording date with its ballady keyboard direction.  It sounds like a Journey ballad, but it wouldn’t have done Kiss much good back then, when fans were tiring of ballads.  Good chorus and would probably benefit from a quality official release so we can really appreciate Paul’s singing.  “Don’t Let Go” is another ballad, but more in that “power ballad” mold, with a blaring chorus.  Just like every band was doing in 1989.  It could have been a hit, or it could have been forgotten.  Either way, Paul should do his own “Vault” release and get this stuff out there in better quality.  “Best Man For You” is, you guessed it, a ballad.  It sounds like something related to “Reason to Believe” from Crazy Nights.  Fortunately, the last and best song “Time Traveler” did get an official release on the Kiss Box Set.  This one actually rocks!  In that late 80s way, with a drum machine thudding away where you wish it was Eric Carr.  The tape sounds slightly sped up from the official release.  (It happens when it’s tape-based bootlegs.)

Finally the 1978 Paul interviews aren’t too action-packed.  They lack the question portions of the recordings.  The subject is Paul’s 1978 solo album, and what Paul was looking to accomplish.  (Sing more, apparently!)   He was also hoping to appeal to all Kiss fans, and new fans too.  He also hopes that none of the four solo albums would disappoint the fans.  That didn’t happen, but then there is some praise for the late great Bob Kulick and the other players on the record.  He also prophesizes that one day, Kiss will become an institution.  Was he right?  In total, it’s 8 and a half minutes of interview.

A worthwhile purchase if you can find a copy.  There isn’t much in terms of 1999 Phantom recordings out there, and this might be the best of them.

3/5 stars, balancing collectability and sound quality.  Still a must for Paul fans.

 

1. Overture
2. Angel Of Music / The Mirror / Phantom of the Opera
3. Music of the Night
4. I Remember / Stranger Than You Dreamt It
5. The Phantom’s Instructions
6. The Phantom Threats
7. The Phantom Attacks
8. All I Ask Of You
9. Masquerade
10. Wandering Child
11. Let My Opera Begin
12. The Point of No Return / All I Ask Of You
13. Down Once More
14. Finale
15. Paul Stanley – When 2 Hearts Collide
16. Paul Stanley – Don’t Let Go
17. Paul Stanley – Best Man For You
18. Paul Stanley – Time Traveler
19. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 1
20. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 2
21. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 3
22. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 4
23. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 5
24. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 6
25. Paul Stanley Interview 1978 Pt. 7

GUEST REVIEW: Twisted Sister – Love Is For Suckers (1987) by Tommy Morais (and remembering A.J. Pero)

My old friend and collaborator Tommy Morais passed away in 2024, but miraculously, I found this 2015 email from him.  It contained a complete review of Twisted Sister’s Love Is For Suckers album that we never published, and a memorial for Twisted Sister drummer A.J. Pero, who had recently died.  I am please to finally publish this final review that Tommy sent me to post.  Rest in peace Tommy.

TWISTED SISTER – Love Is For Suckers (1987 Atlantic)
by Tommy Morais – written March 28, 2015
“The ‘Soft & Filler’ album…”  Bought in 2012 in France for something like 17 euros!

Twisted Sister’s fifth and final studio album Love Is For Suckers (unless you count the band’s 2004 Still Hungry, a collection of re-recordings of Stay Hungry) is one that tends to divide people. Some hardcore fans dismiss it as too pop and lacking much substance, while others have a soft spot for it and thought it was an enjoyable release at the time. There’s some claims to be made about both opinions. The main problem with with Love Is For Suckers is that it really isn’t a Twisted Sister album. “Wake Up The Sleeping Giant” is deceiving in that it almost sounds like classic TS. Yet only Dee Snider as an original member remains, and then there’s Joey “Seven” Franco who was in the current lineup on drums. It really should have been a Dee Snider solo album which is what it was intended as and truly was, but instead the record company pressured this to be released as a Twisted Sister album.

Then it is plagued by a few big issues, besides the absence of the classic lineup. Did you ever see Reb Beach and Kip Winger receiving credits on a Twisted Sister album? Well, they played on this. Probably not a happy thought for most Twisted Sister fans, as it ended up taking an ultimately softer and a more pop direction. Then you have to consider that it may have been competitive and cutting edge in 1987, but Love ls For Suckers has not held up well with time. Also for an album title that claims love “sucks”, it’s ironic that most of these songs are well… love songs.

What’s with the drum sound?! The songs are wimpy but with a thunderous, big drum sound which leads to question that maybe Joey was a good drummer who ended up playing on the wrong album. The production by Beau Hill is about what you’d expect, very “1987” and time has not been too kind to its sound.

Opener “Wake Up The Sleeping Giant” is misleading. 1) It sounds like Twisted Sister and 2) It’s the best song on the album, and it leads you to think (and hope) the rest may be up to this standard. “Hot Love” was and is a great candy rock piece tailored for 1987; cheesy but fun and a good overall choice of single. It’s one of the most memorable songs (remember the video that went along?). The title track is actually not a bad rocker at all, it’s consistent as Snider does a good vocal performance and it’s somewhat catchy. This is where the album takes a slide in the quality department with “l’m So Hot For You” and “Me And The Boys” (this one especially is embarrassing) being generic filler tracks that halt any momentum the album had going for it. Sandwiched in between those songs is the slightly better rocker “Tonight” which showcases some aggression; not a bad tune at all. “One Bad Habit” is more filler material. “I Want This Night To Last Forever” has a Van Hagar feel to it, especially during the chorus but is nothing to write home about either. “You’re All That l Need” tried to be a big power ballad but it failed during the chorus, even though it had a nice build up. The keyboards prevent it from being a strong ballad like “The Price”, and as a result it sounds a little too soft and thin. The closing “Yeah Right” ends thing on a more positive note. It’s a solid upbeat rocker and one of the heaviest songs on an album that could’ve used more songs of this calibre.

I own the remastered version with four extra songs. “Statuary Date” is the worst of the bunch. “Feel Appeal” is better than some of the songs that made it onto the actual album, it’s more straight up rock and a little catchier. “I Will Win” is rocking but the chorus doesn’t get it right; close but no cigar. “If That’s What You Want” became “Me And The Boys” although it’s earlier incarnation was stronger and had better lyrics. If you ask me this version should’ve made the album instead!

There you have it. Any way you slice it, Love Is For Suckers is definitely, without a doubt, the worst Twisted Sister album. It suffers from the production, is full of fillers and it doesn’t feature Jay Jay French, Eddie Ojeda, Mark Mendoza, A.J Pero (who left before this was released), even though the liner notes say they were a part of it (minus Pero, replaced by Joey Franco). The first two songs, and the album cover, are the only things that are truly memorable about LIFS. The rest is really unfocused and sub-par. Twisted Sister’s decline had already begun with their previous effort, 1985’s Come Out And Play which would show cracks of the band’s implosion, but this one was a commercial disappointment failing to reach gold status or chart successfully. Simply put, Twisted Sister was no longer a band at this point and the album did nothing to stop them from breaking up and was quite frankly just not very good.

2/5 stars

Mike liked this album slightly more.  Click here for his review.

REMEMBERING A.J. PERO by Tommy Morais

It was grade six.  I was 11 years old, and it was the Friday before a holiday, which meant the whole class got to do nothing but chill and watch a movie. For the rest of the day our teachers let us hang out and do nothing. We each brought pop, chips or both to share. One of my friends Maxime brought one of his dad’s CDs. That CD? Twisted Sister’s greatest hits. He asked the teacher if he could play it for us, and the rest is history. I was introduced to my first taste of Hard Rock and Metal. I distinctively remember telling one of my friends “this is not bad huh?”, to which he agreed. I glanced at the album cover. It said “Twisted Sister Big Hits & Nasty Cuts“. Then l proceeded to tell Maxime that this (ugly) “girl band” was pretty good. I wasn’t familiar with Glam/Hair/80’s metal at that point and even less so with the look. Truth is l had been exposed to some AC/DC, Loverboy and Metallica prior to that but this was the first time it really clicked.  Maybe it was just just the right age, the right time. There you have it, Twisted Sister was the first band I recall really taking a liking to. From then on l discovered my dad and his brother’s LPs and played them on the turntable (I remember digging the first Van Halen a lot).  I definitely have a soft spot for Twisted Sister.
It is with sadness that I learned of longtime drummer and classic lineup member A.J. Pero’s unfortunate passing. Pero was a crucial part of the band and its sound, and a great drummer too. I approached Mike about maybe doing something Twisted Sister related on his blog to which he was very enthusiastic. I wanted to review something AJ played on, like Come Out And Play as l plan to review all of TS’s material in the upcoming days, but with time restraints l had to settle for my (still brand new) Love ls For Suckers. The band has said that were to make some big announcement next week. One can only assume that it is regarding Twisted Sister’s future as a band. Jay Jay said on social media that they were already thinking about hanging it up prior to Pero’s passing. Then Dee Snider said it would be profitable to the Pero family if the band kept playing and that they were thinking about winding down in 2016 for the band’s 40th anniversary. I’m not against them continuing performing live and going out on a final tour to honour AJ and the anniversary of the band just as l am not opposed to the band calling it quits. I have a feeling they’ll at least play a few more shows and maybe do one last concert CD/DVD (that would be cool). Rest in peace A.J., the rock world lost a great drummer.

 

RE-REVIEW: Geddy Lee – My Favourite Headache (2000, 2024 reissue with bonus tracks)

GEDDY LEE – My Favourite Headache (2000 Atlantic, 2024 Anthem reissue)

As a Rush fan, Geddy Lee’s solo album My Favourite Headache never quite clicked.  The lyrics seemed inferior and the music immemorable.  In 2024, Geddy reissued the album with two bonus demo tracks.  This is a perfect time to revisit the album and see if time has been kinder than I was in my original review.  It has been a number of years since last listen; perhaps even a decade.

The phrase “my favourite headache” means making music to Geddy Lee.  The art of crafting songs is a headache, but he would not trade it for the world.  That is what the title means.  For historical context, this album was made when Rush were on a serious hiatus.  Neil Peart was dealing with tragic loss and nobody knew if the band would ever reunite, including Neil.  From that soil grew My Favourite Headache, which Geddy recorded with drummers Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, and Jeremy Taggart of Our Lady Peace (on one song).  Geddy plays the lion’s share of instruments with Ben Mink and other guests also contributing.

As it should, “My Favourite Headache” opens with some heavy bass, Geddy’s fingers flying.  Then, it degenerates into a dissonant and hard guitar riff with throws the listener for a loop:  it’s not at all like Rush.  It might be the bass player and singer from Rush, but this does not sound like Rush.  Which is good; which is the point.  It takes a moment to adjust.  “My Favourite Headache” slows to a lush section with piano, violins and violas by Mink.  The lyrics are fascinating.  “I watch TV, what do you want from me?”  There is a lot to unpack here now that Geddy is able to express himself verbally in his music.

More Rush-like is “The Present Tense”, a song about living in the now.  It bounces from heavy choruses to softer acoustic verses, which is perhaps a different approach from a Rush one.  Perhaps by doing something more streamlined, Geddy wrote a catchier song here.  His bass sings full, but not over-dominant.  Cameron is an apt companion on drums; while not attempting to play like Peart, he is more than capable of navigating the tricky changes and fills.

“Window to the World” has a more exotic feel in its light chords, and Geddy uses his bass to deliver some delightful trills and hooks.  It has some of those jarring dissonant guitars from the title track, but not as prominent.  This song is melodic, largely easy to digest, and it delightfully careens from soft to hard, with interesting keyboard textures.

Heavier is “Working on Perfekt”.  This might be the most enticing of all Geddy’s songs.  Tense verses are broken by a sparser chorus.  Electronic sounds aside, this is a very Rush-like song.  You can almost image what Alex and Neil would do with it, but as Geddy’s song, it is rich in tones and deep, tense hooks.

“Runaway Train” is one of the brightest, most upbeat songs.  Mink’s keys and violins add a light, airy feel above Geddy’s hammering bass.  His playing is always eloquent and entertaining, if you choose to focus on the bass.  Between the electronics and Mink’s rich contributions, there is a lot you can listen to.  Or just enjoy the song.  It’s a good one.  Perhaps I misjudged this album before.

The first mistep might be “The Angels’ Share”, which some may love, but fails to launch for me.  It’s a lighter song, but Geddy’s bass ensures it’s like lead.  Ben Mink provides some really interesting soloing and backing, but the song itself never quite takes off.  In hindsight it sounds like Clockwork Angels-era Rush.  While we are in this perceived rut, Geddy throws his worst lyric out in the next song:  “Say goodbye to suburbia, you don’t have to cut the lawn.”  That’s from “Moving to Bohemia”, which is actually a pretty catchy song.  It’s pretty upbeat for this album, and Geddy’s bass playing is at its most thumping.

Geddy turns up the funk on the magnificently weird “Home on the Strange” (with Taggart on drums).  What the hell is this?  It’s crazy, it’s like Geddy pulled out all funkiest records in his collection and combined them.  The lyrics here are also quite fun:  “He’s a Canadian icon, he sleeps with his clothes on.”  Is it autobiographical?  “And he don’t like change, you may think he’s deranged, but he’d rather be home, home on the strange.”  Once you get used to its groove, this song won’t let go.

Back to the light, with “Slipping”, which relies on acoustics and piano for a gliding kind of feeling.  This is followed by “Still”, which is unusually sparse and simple.  An acoustic ballad, with an upbeat tempo, it’s a beautiful song.  It certainly sounds autobiographical.  “Still halfway up that hill, my fingers may bleed but I’ve got to get there still.”  This song strikes me as the best, musically and lyrically, on the album.  Strange that it never jumped out at me before.

Closer “Grace to Grace” remains an exceptional song, and one that really ends the album on familiar territory.  A burning guitar and driving bass are the focus, as if to say “Hey guys, I’m always going to rock.  Thanks for joining me on this trip.  Here’s a song I think you’ll like.”

Of course, on this new reissue, Geddy treats us to two previously unreleased demo versions.  If you haven’t bought the album before, you may as well go for this edition.  True, I usually criticize albums for being a bit on the long side, and My Favourite Headache is a bit long, but demo bonus tracks are added value that you don’t have to include if you just want to listen to the “album” for the experience.  There doesn’t seem to be any recording information about these two demos, “My Favourite Headache” and “Home on the Strange”.  These are full realized arrangements, though without all the vocals.  “My Favourite Headache” might surpass the album track for its live sounding rawness.  Maybe it should have been an instrumental with only a chorus?  The demo is great.  Same with “Home on the Strange”.  These tracks are worth the listen, and the re-buy.

Ultimately, My Favourite Headache requires the listener to set aside any thoughts of Rush, no matter how much Geddy and his bass will always sound like Rush.  It’s a challenge, but once you get there, it is easier to appreciate the songs and the experiment.  It takes time to absorb, as it is actually a very dense production, even for Geddy.  Ben Mink’s contributions are priceless textures that help transport yourself away from a Rush mindset.  Listen to those; focus on Mink and appreciation will come.

3.5/5 stars

Check out my autographed copy of My Favourite Headache by clicking the thumbnail.

Check out Grant Arthur and Davey Cretin as they get this album all wrong on the Warehaus tonight.  8 PM EST June 23 2025

REVIEW: Judas Priest – Rocka Rolla (50th Anniversary Remixed and Remastered)

For my original Rocka Rolla (1974) review, click here.

JUDAS PRIEST – Rocka Rolla (1974 Gull, 2024 Exciter Records Remixed and Remastered)

How did he do it?!  Somehow, by some digital miracle of the master tape gods, producer Tom Allom has remixed Rocka Rolla, and transformed it from one of my least favourite Priest albums of all time, to one of my favourites.

Generally I can’t get into the remixed versions of albums.  Even if the remix is objectively a better release, such as Rush’s Vapor Trails or Marillion’s Radiat10n, I always find myself coming back to the flawed originals.

Not this time.

For context, Tom Allom didn’t originally produce Rocka Rolla, and this is not the first remix of it.  Rodger Bain produced, but his name appears smaller than Allom’s on the new back cover.  The Rocka Rolla (full album) remix that appeared on Hero, Hero (1981) was helmed by Bain, less effectively.  Tom Allom is best known for producing the run of Judas Priest albums from Unleashed in the East (1979) to Ram It Down (1988).  What he has done with Rocka Rolla is somehow give it a makeover to sound more like a real 1970’s Priest album.  Sonically, it now has thickness.  There’s a real beefiness to the mix, but not in the sense that you immediate say “oh yeah, this is different.”  It just sounds like the album always sounded that way, and you just got your stereo system upgraded.

The track listing is unchanged.  “One For the Road” still opens with a groove, but now that groove hits different.  You can better appreciate the guitar fills at the end, and the songs goes well past its old fade-out.  This is a trick that remixed album should do more often.

“Rocka Rolla” remains a metal delight, but there is new shimmer to Rob’s vocals and the song chugs with more edge.  It’s all very objective and subtle, but once again Tom Allom took a Priest classic and made it sound like it was always this weighty.

The “Winter” suite is the most altered of any of the tracks.  Notably, Allom chose to separate the tracks from the suite format, and leave them as individual songs.

John Hinch’s drums sound crushingly Bonham-like on “Winter” itself, and the backing riff far more weighty.  The biggest change is that it no longer fades into KK’s guitar showcase “Deep Freeze”.  You can hear more of KK at the end, with some experimental playing that was inaudible before.  The track fades out past its previous point, and “Winter Retreat” stands on its own as a song.  In the 70s, Priest were experimenting with acoustics and psychedelic sounds from time to time.  “Winter Retreat” can now join those songs as something that sonically fits in better.  Finally, “Cheater” always was its own song really, and now it’s just heavier.  Rob’s harmonica is more prominent, which of course recalls the heaviness of Black Sabbath.

Moving on to side two, “Never Satisfied” finally has the punch it always felt like it had inside:  A little more echo on this this vocal line, a lot more weight behind the drums, more texture on the guitars, and a few things made audible for the first time.   We now have the definitive version of this song.  With the impressive soloing mixed in just right, this becomes a long, jammy Priest thumper as it always should have been.  If Rocka Rolla sounded like this when I was a kid, I would have got it immediately.

“Run of the Mill” takes time to build as it always has.  It has a long instrumental section, with some mindblowing guitar playing, and now it’s all finally hitting right.  The bass isn’t just sitting there.  It’s picking you up and taking you along with the groove.  The keyboards in the background are more ominous.  Everything about this is just so much better than the original.

Perhaps the only song that still bores, for the first half anyway, “Dying to Meet You” is similarly upgraded but benefits less from the treatment.  That is until it picks up midway in the “Hero, Hero” section.  This part of the song still cooks, but has a different, more spare feel.  Finally, the light instrumental “Caviar and Meths” really benefits from the remix treatment.  The drums, once again, really add atmosphere to it.

As an added attention to detail, the front cover of Rocka Rolla is now as three dimension as the music.  The water drops are now tactile.  You can feel the bumps with your fingers.  A perfect topper.

What did Tom Allom do with these master tapes?  Did he conjure some kind of heavy metal spell and make a two dimensional album sound big and beefy?  Only Allom knows, but now I do believe in magic.

4.5/5 stars

REVIEW: Dream Theater – “Hollow Years” (1997 CD single)

DREAM THEATER – “Hollow Years” (1997 Warner Music Germany)

I always found something about 1997’s Falling Into Infinity to be underwhelming.  Yes, we had the stunning Doug Pinnick cameo in “Lines in the Sand” and a wickedly heavy “Burning My Soul”, but the album didn’t have the same impact or longevity as Awake or Scenes From a Memory.  It wasn’t for lack of effort.  They recruited Desmond Child and Kevin Shirley, and released singles.  The album never broke the top 50 in Canada and received mixed reviews.  A later-released demo version of the album revealed what the band would done if not influenced by Shirley and Child.  One of those demos was first released on the 1997 “Hollow Years” single.

First track on this single is a 4:15 edit of “Hollow Years”, with more than a minute and a half edited out.  The shame is that it didn’t become an instant hit.  With the Spanish guitar melody and subtle keyboard accents, it could have and should have done better for the band.  There is a very pretty piano melody after the chorus by Derek Sherinian, in his last of two outings with Dream Theater.  Yet it’s still Dream Theater, not some ballad band.  John Myung’s fretless bass sets it apart, and Mike Portnoy is always Mike Portnoy no matter the style of music.  The premature fade on the edit version, however, is extremely annoying.  Even if you don’t already know the song, it sounds like a premature fade.  The ending is so good; a song highlight!  The full length version, uncut and as intended, is really the only version to listen to.

“You Or Me” is a version of “You Not Me” from the album, before Desmond Child helped them tweak it.  It opens with the sound of a radio changing stations, and then a cool synth rhythm.  John Petrucci’s riff soon kicks in, and it’s clear Dream Theater were trying new things that might be perceived as more appealing.  Ultimately, the version that ended up on the album is probably the better of the two.  It’s definitely catchier.

The final track is “The Way It Used To Be”, a long non-album song with a Marillion-like guitar melody.  It could have been lifted directly from Seasons End.  Petrucci is the star on this one, as he also employs cool harmonics.  Definitely a cool and valuable bonus track.  If it wasn’t almost eight minutes long with plenty of musical prowess, it might have been a worthy hard rock hit on its own.

Great little CD single, but those edit versions are never as cool as they are collectible.

3.5/5 stars

REVIEW: Tonic – Head On Straight (2002)

Though they had Bob Rock in the producer’s seat, Tonic really stopped rocking on their third album.

TONIC – Head On Straight (2002 Universal)

This album really should have been their best to date, with talent like Bob Rock at the console.  Instead, it sounds as if Rock was bored or distracted, and there was nobody in quality control for songwriting.  The band sound desperate, chasing hits, and not doing what they used to – rock in their own style with twang and stomp.  The bland cover art belies the faceless music within.

The misleading opener “Roses” is a typical de-tuned early 2000s rock song.  The riff and chorus fail to lift off.  It slams hard, but there’s nothing at all to hook you in.  It’s as if the band have forgotten how to write songs.  You can hear that Jeff Russo is doing some cool stuff on guitar, but you can’t actually hear it!  It’s buried under the uninteresting riff.  It’s like they forgot all that southern charm that made their debut and follow-up both attention-getters.

Second track “Take Me As I Am” is the first ballad, and it’s fine, if a bit cookie-cutter.  It has hooks.  Three more ballads follow, and none are as memorable as anything on the first two albums.  Even the title track, “Head On Straight”, is a ballad.  I was expecting a rocker.  These ballads just don’t have the weight or impact of past albums.  They’re well produced and hefty enough, but they lack that je ne sais quoi they used to have.

“Liar” is the first rocker in a dog’s age, and it’s crap.  Low on melody and high on cliche, it ain’t good.  Then, more ballads!  Songs like “On Your Feet Again” might work a lot better if there were only two.  As it is, the brain just can’t differentiate from song to song.

Fortunately, “Come Rest Your Head” isn’t a ballad, but it also doesn’t really rock.  It has one riff that rocks, but it meanders into the murky swamp of “meh”.  Bet you’ll never guess that “Ring Around Her Finger” is a ballad though, and it’s the sappiest yet.  Singer Emerson Hart affects an annoying falsetto.  This song just stinks.   It’s followed by “Believe Me”, which I guess for lack of better words, we will also call a ballad.  It’s not a rocker, so what is it?  Mid-tempo schlock with xylophone, on an album that needed adrenaline in any form.  It’s atrocious, is what it is.

“Irish” is also embarrassing.  Would you call this a sea shanty?  A rock sea shanty?  I have no friggin’ idea.  Normally I like this kind of thing – rock music with a celtic bent – but maybe I’m just sick of this album and feeling salty.

The album ends on…a ballad.  “Let Me Go”.  It’s so cliche, it could have been music from a Family Guy montage.  Fortunately the song picks up at the end, but until that point, it is the most cliche song on the entire album.  “Let me change my direction, I won’t take their rejection!”  But Emerson…you did change your direction.  You use to have some serious emotion; now you’re punching a clock.  It’s no wonder this was Tonic’s last album before a break up.

The shame of it is, I like these guys.  I adore the first two albums, and I followed Jeff Russo through to his career in TV soundtracks.  The last minute guitar burning on “Let Me Go” is far too little, too late to save this album.

2/5 stars

 

 

RE-REVIEW: Europe – The Final Countdown (1986, 2019 Rock Candy remaster)

EUROPE – The Final Countdown (1986, 2019 Rock Candy remaster)

When Europe set in to do The Final Countdown, some changes were necessary.  The drum seat went from Tony Reno to Ian Haughland, a guy that Joey Tempest liked partially because his drum kit looked like Alex Van Halen’s.  Some new songs, such as “Carrie” and “Ninja” had already been road-tested on the Wings of Tomorrow tour.   The record label was gunning hard and hooked them up with Journey producer Kevin Elson for the third album.  What Elson brought to the music was not drastic change, but the essentially improvements that made the record what it is today.

Record?  In this case, CD.  In 2019, Rock Candy reissued The Final Countdown with six bonus tracks:  the same three live ones from the 2001 Epic remaster edition, plus three extra.  For that reason, let’s take a second deep dive:  It has been over 10 years since we last reviewed it.

With the ominous boom of synth, the anthemic title track opens The Final Countdown with regal, grand intentions.  The track was cut down from seven minutes to just five, and for that reason it was able to become the hit it was.  Today you hear it on TV commercials and shows such as Arrested Development (in hilarious fashion).   Back then, it was pushing the envelope about how much keyboard was acceptable in hard rock or heavy metal.  Europe really started as a metal band on their first album.   Yet here we are, with those big gongs of synth provided by new member Mic Michaeli.  When the trumpet-like main keyboard melody enters the fray, it’s all but over.  Your mind is now hooked!  The wicked John Norum guitar solo remains one of his catchiest and most memorable, with plenty of fret-burning action.  The lyrics tell the story of abandoning the Earth for Venus due to catastrophe.  Corny, but pretty unusual for its time.  “The Final Countdown” remains one of those career-defining songs that live forever.

“Will things ever be the same again?” begs Joey Tempest, before the chorus.  For the band, no.  Superstardom hit soon thanks to this unforgettable anthem.  Though their fortunes would fade and they would never hit these heights again, they wrote themselves into rock history with one song.

Straight-ahead party rocker “Rock the Night” was the infamous video that featured Joey Tempest using a ketchup bottle as a makeshift microphone.  Great song though, with that kind of shout-along chorus that Bon Jovi were also becoming experts in.  But listen to Ian Haughlaand’s drums!  Absolutely pounding.  All the elements come together in perfect balance here, with the keyboards taking a back seat to John Norum, who continues to burn on the solo.  His tone on this album was unique and very tasty.

“Carrie” was born on tour as a simpler arrangement with just Joey and Mic on stage.  When recorded for the album, it was a full band arrangement.  A little heavy handed, a little over-dramatic perhaps.  It too was a huge hit.  It still sounds good today, largely thanks to Joey’s impassioned vocal performance.  The man was at the peak of his powers, and it shows here.  Very few singers can do what Joey does on “Carrie”.

The rock returns on “Danger on the Track”, a tale of Joey fleeing from the strangers on his back.  And he was so right, apparently, but we won’t get into that!  This is clearly an album track, not up to the standards of the previous three singles, but still good enough for rock and roll.  It’s “Ninja” that surpasses the singles, with a ripping tale of the era of the ninja.  It has the rhythmic chug that the other songs don’t, and plenty of John Norum’s addictive, dramatic runs.

The final song written for The Final Countdown was one of its best:  the side two opener “Cherokee”.  It seems odd for a band from Sweden to sing about a dark period in American history, but the lyrics aren’t too far off the mark.  They were based on a book Joey saw while working in America.  This is probably the second most anthemic song on the album behind “The Final Countdown”.  It has a big keyboard hook too, and a chorus that sticks for days.

“Time Has Come” is only the second ballad, but it has some heavy guitars to keep it from going too soft.  Once again, Norum’s solo is a highlight, being a key part of the song’s melodicism.  Moving on to “Heart of Stone”, a memorable mid-tempo track, John Norum continues to shine.  This cool song boasts a killer chorus to boot.  There are cool stabs of organ a-la Deep Purple ’84.  You wouldn’t call it a heavy song, but “On the Loose” sure is.  This scorcher is among Europe’s best blasts.  It’s just a simple song about teenage frustration and energy.  This might have been the song that made me a John Norum fanboy in the first place.

Album closer “Love Chaser” is a melancholy mid-tempo romp.  It has a bouncy beat and keyboard hooks, and it ends the album just perfectly.  It even has a keyboard melody at the start that recalls “The Final Countdown” a bit, providing the album with a nice set of bookends.  Sadly this would be John Norum’s last appearance with Europe until a 1999 reunion.  He was replaced by Kee Marcello, who appears in all the music videos aside from “The Final Countdown” itself.

The first set of bonus tracks are the three live songs that appeared on the 2001 Epic remaster.  These are taken from the Final Countdown World Tour VHS from the Hammersmith Odeon in 1987, and feature Marcello on guitar, though this information is not included in the otherwise excellent booklet.  It is audibly him.   “The Final Countdown”, “Danger on the Track” and “Carrie” are the three tracks included, though there is a clear opportunity here to do a 40th anniversary edition with the entire show on disc 2.  These are solid live versions, and it does sound pretty live especially in the lead vocals.  Joey Tempest is one of the most impressive singers in hard rock, and though the press was trying to build a rivalry with Bon Jovi in 1986-87, Joey was clearly the superior singer.

The first of the new bonus tracks is a rare 1986 re-recording of “Seven Doors Hotel” from their debut.  There are now drapes of synths over the piano opening, but the song still scorches hot as ever.  John’s guitar is doubled effectively for a more Lizzy-like approach.  It was clearly too heavy for The Final Countdown album but it could have been an excellent B-side.

Speaking of B-sides, a special B-side remix of “Rock the Night” is another rarity brought back to light.  This version could have been better than the original, but falls short of the mark.  It does not actually sound like a remix at all, but a completely different recording, at least vocally.  If you wanted to hear this song a little heavier, then this version might do it for you, except for the annoying looping of hooks.  “Rock now, rock now, rock now, rock the night!”  “What do you want?  What do you want?”  Stop looping the hooks, please!  It sounds so artificial.  This version is a minute and a half longer than the original.  It’s a slog, but it didn’t have to be.

Finally, the excellent B-side “On Broken Wings”, previously available on compilations, has been restored to the album as it always should have been.  It’s a hard rocker, a driving song, and could have fit very well on side two.  It would have been one of the faster songs, yet with another memorable Europe chorus.

This new Rock Candy remaster sounds sharp and vibrant.  An excellent remastering of a stone cold classic.  The booklet includes an interview with Joey Tempest on the making of the album.  Until they issue an expanded edition for the 40th anniversary (let’s hope), then this is the version to buy, hands down.

5/5 stars