Rock the World

REVIEW: Kick Axe – “Piece of the Rock” / 2005 remaster of Rock the World (1986)

Part Six-point-five of a series on KICK AXE!
Thank you to JEX RUSSELL for donating this to the collection.

KICK AXE – “Piece of the Rock” (from Rock the World – 2005 remaster) (2005 Amber Interactive)

The Kick Axe discography, though small, is difficult to complete!  There are the first two albums released on Pasha in the US, and the third album on Roadrunner in the US.  Rock Candy reissued the first two albums with bonus tracks, and the third without, so they’re fairly easy to get.  Then we also have a fourth independent album, an early independent single, a live track released by Playboy, and two songs on the original 1986 Transformers soundtrack (under a different name).  That’s about it, right?

Nope!

One important song almost slipped through the cracks.  When Kick Axe were working on Vices with Spencer Proffer, the producer was considering using the band to help write the next Black Sabbath album.  Additionally, Ian Gillan was out of the band, and they needed a singer.  Kick Axe’s George Criston was one of the singers considered, though Kick Axe didn’t want to lose their main man.  “Piece of the Rock” was one of the songs written for the Sabbath project.  Though Sabbath didn’t use it, like “Hunger”, it was recorded and released by King Kobra on their debut Ready to Strike.  As a result, the Kick Axe version went unheard for almost two decades.

That version, harder than King Kobra’s, is actually available on an obscure Kick Axe remaster that pre-dates the Rock Candy versions.  Strangely enough, it ended up on a reissue of Rock the World, an album it had nothing to do with.

The plot thickens.  Rock the World was remastered by Kick Axe’s Ray Harvey…who was not in the band when it was recorded, and is not on the album aside from the bonus track!

Kick Axe Career Retrospective

Things get crazier still – and this is something that isn’t documented anywhere, even on Discogs.  Upon listening, some songs are actually longer!  “Rock the World”, for example, opens with two seconds of pick-handling that is not on the original album.  The Fleetwood Mac cover “The Chain” has a much longer intro (almost double its original length), with a short section restored.    “Red Line” is also significantly longer.  Considering the Rock Candy release has no bonus tracks, this version might reign superior.  Ray Harvey clearly decided to re-edit some of these tunes as well as remaster.  There does not seem to be a remix.  The remastering isn’t as loud as the Rock Candy version, though it still sounds fabulous.

Where Rock Candy exceeds is in liner notes and packaging.  The Amber Interactive version doesn’t have the original artwork, and actually looks really cringe!  The back cover is a computer generated sword handle with a metal “X”.  Need I remind you, an axe is not a sword!  The front cover artwork is atrocious, even compared to the low budget looking original.  It does have the lyrics to “We Still Remember”, which is interesting in itself.  See how many references to other bands you can find.  “In the days of the haze, the colour was deep purple.”  “We ride the killing machine.”  “And the wind it cries Mary.”  “We won’t get fooled by helter skelter.”  References within references.

“Piece of the Rock” should have been released by Kick Axe back in the day, but here it stands on an album!  It sounds completely finished for release, with the lush backing vocals fully overdubbed and ready for radio.  The other nice thing is that it gives you an old school Kick Axe song on an album that was largely more complex and less instantly accessible.  That’s not to say that Rock the World is weak album.  Our review will attest to that (links at bottom).

This version of Rock the World deserves an extra half-point for the bonus track and lengthier versions of existing songs.  Extra unadvertised value is always good.  Shame they couldn’t use the original art (licensing issues), but small gripe.

4.5/5

Part One:  “Reality is the Nightmare”
Part Two:  “Weekend Ride”
Record Store Tales #773:  Rock Candy + Internet = Kick Axe!
Part Three:  Vices
Part Four:  The Transformers soundtrack (as Spectre General)
Part Five:  Welcome to the Club
Part Six:  Rock the World
Part Six-point-five:  “Piece of the Rock”
Part Seven:  IV
Part Eight: Career Retrospective on Grant’s Rock Warehaus
Part Nine: new album!

 

KICK AXE! Grant’s Rock Warehaus tackles one of the best Canadian bands with whom you’re not familiar enough! All albums ranked!

This weekend on Grant’s Rock Warehaus, we tackled a band that needs and deserves more attention:  Canada’s Kick Axe!

“Nobody’s talking about Kick Axe!” said Grant.  We aim to change that with this show.  Please give it a watch!  What are your favourite Kick Axe songs?

This show almost didn’t happen.  I wanted an expert on Kick Axe, so I asked Derek Williamson of Thunder Bay Ontario, who saw Kick Axe live back in the day and also interviewed the guitarist Larry Gillstrom.  He stonewalled me three times, so we decided to do it without him.

Show notes are below, if you want the Cole’s Notes version, but you’ll have to watch the video to get our album rankings.

Formed 1976, Regina Saskatchewan as “Hobbit”.

Original lineup:

  • Victor Langen, bass, vocals
  • Gary Langen, drums
  • Larry Gilstrom, guitar

Ray Harvey added on guitar.

Moved to Vancouver BC, Gary Langen leaves band replaced by Brian Gillstrom, Charles McNary hired as vocalist.

1981 – Playboy Street Rock – live track called “Reality is the Nightmare”.

1981 – Weekend Ride / One More Time (Harvey on vocals).

Produced by Bill Henderson and Brian Too Loud McLeod of Chilliwack.

Wrote “Heavy Metal Shuffle” which opened Vices later on.  Attempted to record an album but never released it.

McNary replaced by George Criston, who brought in power, range and soul as well as a unique sound.

1984 – Signed to CBS in Canada, approached Spencer Proffer to produce because they wanted the same sound as Metal Health by Quiet Riot.  Proffer liked the band personally and thought highly of their musicianship.  Album Vices released on Pasha in the US.

Recorded existing material (2 songs re-written with Proffer) in Hollywood at S.I.R.  30 Days in the Hole – a cover, like Cum On Feel the Noize, but not intended to be a hit, just a showcase for their talents.  Released on the soundtrack to Up the Creek.

Ran into Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler – supposedly approached Criston to replace Ian Gillan in Black Sabbath.  Proffer was working with both bands.

Vices is their best album.  Proffer intended it to be a concept album about vices.  Not a bad song.  Bangin’ backing vocals.  Music video for On the Road to Rock made major impact in Canada, with the comedic video attracting attention.  The Vices mascot was one of my first “rock buttons”.

Vices did not perform to expectations, but Kick Axe wrote three songs for the next Black Sabbath album:  “Wild in the Streets”, “Hunger”, and “Piece of the Rock”, later recorded by W.A.S.P. and King Kobra.  Kick Axe did not want to lose Criston to Sabbath.  “Piece of the Rock” is one of the rarest Kick Axe tracks, only released on a 2005 issue of Rock the World.

1985 – Second album – Pasha wants band more streamlined for radio.  Brought in Pasha staffer Randy Bishop to help on lyrics.  Co-wrote 5 songs and co-produced Welcome to the Club.  Some of the heaviness is blunted, in favour of better song structure and melodies.  Recorded at Metalworks in Toronto.  Cover art by Hugh Syme, which the band never understood the meaning of.

Band brought in cover of Joe Cocker’s version of “With A Little Help From My Friends”.  Rik Emmett, Lee Aaron, Andy Curran, Alfie Zappacosta and more on backing vocals.  Very cool music video made of the recording session.

Pretty solid album, though not as banging throughout as the original.  The cover tune is completely different, but really excellent.

The band and Proffer blame lack of sales on parent label Epic.  No support.  Toured with Autograph, Krokus, Night Ranger, Helix and Triumph.

1986 – Ray Harvey returns home to deal with family matters.  Joins Rock & Hyde as touring guitarist (Bob Rock & Paul Hyde).

The Transformers soundtrack released.  Hunger, and Nothing’s Gonna Stand In Our Way released as Spectre General.  All done by Proffer, without knowledge of the band.  Due to pseudonym used, no benefit to band happened.

Still signed to CBS in Canada.  Next album picked up by Roadrunner in US.

Rock the World (initially “Fuck the World”) recorded as four piece.  Self-produced primarily by Larry due to lack of funds provided by CBS.  Recorded at Right Trak in Vancouver.  Also forced to mix the album themselves.  The cover tune this time is The Chain by Fleetwood Mac.

Band breaks up – sherrifs seize equipment due to unpaid debts.  Later immortalized in the song Rocking Daze on Kick Axe IV.

2002 – Kick Axe reunite with Gary Langen returning, this time on lead vocals.  George Criston remains active in country and more soulful music.  Has expressed no interest in returning to rock.  Has not participated with reissues.  Has worked as a guitar tech for Sarah McLachlan, Dido, Avril Lavigne, and k.d. lang.

2004 – Kick Axe IV self produced.  Best song Rockin Daze written by Brian Gillstrom.  Decent album but not memorable long-term except for Rockin Daze.  Gary Langen has a style of voice reminiscent of Phil Naro.

2008 – Gary Langen leaves band, replaced by Daniel Nargang.

2023 – Run to the Thunder, first new song in decades, to be followed by new album.

 

 

 

 

 

REVIEW: Kick Axe – Rock the World (1986, 2016 remaster) – Kick Axe series Part Six

Part Six – the final chapter of the classic KICK AXE series!

KICK AXE – Rock the World (1986, 2016 Rock Candy collector’s edition)

Though Kick Axe had the power of the Matrix on their side, it could not conjure up sales without support from Epic, the record label.  With only one music video and no real marketing plan, Welcome to the Club fizzled out in sales.  This resulted in three major changes.  First, the band were dropped by Epic, though still signed to CBS in Canada.  This resulted in an end with their relationship with producer Spencer Proffer.  Guitarist Raymond Harvey quit, eventually joining up with Bob Rock and Paul Hyde in Rock & Hyde.  Kick Axe decided to carry on, but as a four piece with guitarist Larry Gillstrom handling all the six strings himself.

Without big label money, the quartet produced and mixed their third album alone.  The record, initially titled Fuck the World, is bassist Victor Langen’s favourite to this day.  Ultimately, the album called Rock the World was met with split opinions among fans.

Lead single “Rock the World” opened the album with an intense blast of guitars, drums and bass.  On the verge of thrash, Kick Axe had obviously abandoned the overtly commercial tone of their last LP.  First comes the guitar histrionics, then a blast of stampeding drums, and a blitzkrieg bassline.  Shrieking in peak form, singer George Criston and his perfect pipes maintain the melodic metal standard.  Somewhere between Maiden and Motorhead lies “Rock the World”.

Every Kick Axe album has a cover tune, and for this album they bravely selected Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”.  Though the album generally suffers from a stuffy, echoing sound (due to the low budget production), “The Chain” manages to make that work to its advantage.  It adds to the ominous, foggy tone.  According to the liner notes, Kick Axe still play “The Chain” live today.

Finally going for that good-time rock and roll sound that they were founded on, it’s time for the “Red Line”.  This track proves that Kick Axe could write quality, catchy hard rock classics without Spencer Proffer or Randy Bishop’s help.  Then it’s the ambitious “Devachan”, a Maiden-esque volley of fire with multiple riffs and tempos.  It’s a very busy song, far more advanced than you’d expect.  It’s highly unlikely Spencer Proffer would have let them release a track this far left of mainstream rock.  With the band in control they were able to explore more epic arrangements like “Devachan”.  The side one closer is a track called “Warrior”, with Criston’s steely vocals leading the battle cry.  Its deliberate stomp is similar to a much later Rainbow song called “Hunting Humans”.

“We Still Remember” leaves smoking ruins in its wake on side two.  It seems like Kick Axe were aiming for something more than just melodic heavy metal.  There are intricate bass parts, well written solos, thoughful lyrics and complex changes.  Cookie-cutter metal, this is not.  It’s intelligent rock, the kind that fans of the genre take pride in owning.  And then, “the chase is on”, it’s “The Great Escape”.  This hurried rocker borders again on Iron Maiden, but things go slower for “Medusa”.  A rolling bass riff is the main feature for this slightly progressive composition, perhaps a bit too highbrow.

“The Dark Crusade” is, appropriately, more metal.  The beat, courtesy of Brian Gillstrom, is Priest-like circa Defenders of the Faith.  It’s a sound representative of the era.  Meanwhile George Criston takes the vocals to near-operatic levels.  A clever bass-led song called “Magic Man” ends the album with an atmospheric tone, and George Criston even ends it with some Ian Gillan screams a-la “Child In Time”.

Unfortunately but predictably, Kick Axe broke up in 1988 and the members went their separate ways.  After a number of side projects, a remarkable thing happened:  Kick Axe reunited.  They even made an album, called Kick Axe IV.  The only catch:  George Criston didn’t participate.  Instead, Victor Langen’s brother Gary (who happened to also be the original drummer in Kick Axe) stepped up to the microphone.  That era is outside the purview of this series, based on the classic original period, though perhaps after a few Discogs purchases, we’ll continue the story.  Today, Kick Axe continue with capable young singer Daniel Nargang.

As the final album in the original Kick Axe triumvirate, Rock the World delivers on a lot of promise.  Most bands tended to go more commercial album to album in the 1980s.  By being dropped by Epic, Kick Axe were able to unlock some serious heavy metal ideas, combining them into something a little more original.  The sonics could have used some more tender loving care, but they only had a month to make this thing.  It is the best thing they could have produced by themselves at the time, and probably the most pure.  The right producer could have tightened up the songs just enough to make each one a classic unto itself.  Rock the World is an indulgent Kick Axe album, just going for it, and fuck the world!

4/5 stars

 

 

Part One:  “Reality is the Nightmare”
Part Two:  “Weekend Ride”
Getting More Tale #773:  Rock Candy + Internet = Kick Axe!
Part Three:  Vices
Part Four:  The Transformers soundtrack (as Spectre General)
Part Five:  Welcome to the Club
Part Six:  Rock the World