Thursday, November 30, 2017

Throwback Thursday: "Marching Out", by Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force



In 1985 the world had already gotten a decent taste of a young hotshot neo-classical guitarist from Sweden by the name of Yngwie Malmsteen through his work with Alcatrazz and as a solo artist having released his own solo album. To carry on the momentum he had going, Malmsteen went back into the studio with his band to write and record what is arguably one of his most popular albums to date: Marching Out.

Marching Out is pretty much everything you would expect from an Yngwie Malmsteen album. It's loud, heavy, and full of tons of neo-classical melodic shredding. The lyrics are pretty fantasy themed, but that is no surprise considering Malmsteen's obsession with being like Ritchie Blackmore. What really makes this album as good as it is though is vocalist Jeff Scott Soto. The man's vocals could get ridiculously high while still staying in his range and sounding melodic. This was his second album with Malmsteen and you can tell that the two of them by this point were really in sync with one another.

I'll See the Light Tonight is the track that drew me in to Marching Out. Overall it reminds me a bit of We Rock, by Dio, but it's still very much its own thing. I love its fast intensity while at certain moments it will have a lightning fast set of melodic notes thrown in. This is definitely Malmsteen staying in his wheelhouse, but this was at the time when said wheelhouse was freshly built and not an overused cliche. I can definitely appreciate this song for what it is.

For a track that is much more its own thing, check out Soldier Without Faith. It starts off with a tension building synth intro which leads into an aggressive guitar riff with some fretwork fireworks following shortly after. What makes the song do it for me though is that verse riff and Soto's vocals. It's absolutely intense and will make your jaw hit the floor if you have never heard anything like it before. It's a longer song, but that's ok. Nothing wrong with some extended soloing here and there.

I'll be honest with you. I'm not Yngwie Malmsteen's biggest fan. Quite frankly I think he is smug, over rated, arrogant, and full of himself. He also isn't as great of a player as he thinks he is considering he never leaves the E flat Phrygian scale and plays fairly sloppily. That aside, there was a point in time where his playing was actually a little bit dazzling and pleasing to the ear. I feel Marching Out is one of the best things to come out of that period even if it too was somewhat repetitive. It has its moments and will have you coming back to at least maybe two or three of its songs. The whole album is worth checking out at least once, though.

Marching Out, by Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force receives 2.7 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Prelude
2. I'll See the Light Tonight
3. Don't Let it End
4. Disciples of Hell
5. I am a Viking
6. Overture 1383
7. Anguish and Fear
8. On the Run Again
9. Soldier Without Faith
10. Caught in the Middle
11. Marching Out

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Marching-Yngwie-MalmsteenS-Rising-Force/dp/B000V63BEA/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1512092578&sr=8-1&keywords=yngwie+malmsteen+marching+out

Unheard Link Wray Song "Son of Rumble" Finally Sees Light of Day



Link Wray is definitely one of the mostly unsung pioneers of rock n' roll. In 1958 he put out a hit instrumental song titled Rumble. It was a special song because during this time distortion was not a thing yet, but Wray using clever methods such as stabbing his amplifier with pencils managed to acquire a rather unique overdriven quality to his sound. Wray came up with all kinds of psychedelic effects long before the existence of pedals as well. His contributions have been noted because Wray is now up for induction into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. In order to boost awareness of the nomination, Black Keys guitarist and vocalist Dan Auerbach has released an unheard song of Wray's by the name of Son of Rumble (which can be heard above) on his personal record label Easy Eye Sound.

Easy Eye Sound intends to release the song as a 7 inch single on April 13th for Record Store Day, but in the mean time they have released the song on YouTube and even created an animated video to go along with it.

The video has a great deal of late 50's visuals to treat the eye all in black and white. From pin-up girls to motorcycles to guitars to playing cards to other trippy visuals and photos of Wray there is definitely a lot to take in. However, it seems to add to the experience because it matches the psychedelic overtone of the song perfectly and makes you feel like you're being drawn into another dimension created in another time.

The song itself contains many similar themes to the original Rumble, but it is very much its own thing. For one thing, the song is a lot more upbeat and electric guitar focused than the original and also features a great deal more in the way of reverb and tremolo. Definitely innovative for the time period. It goes back and forth between chords and single string picking rather seamlessly. This is acid trip music before there was even such a thing.

Son of Rumble definitely could have been a hit to some degree or another back when it was originally recorded. It's a shame that Wray never released it in his lifetime. Fortunately we have people like Dan Auerbach who know and appreciate people like Link Wray and can bring us old music that we may never have heard or known of otherwise.

Monday, November 27, 2017

Judas Priest Release Audio Sample and Cover Art for New Album



Judas Priest have been working away at making a brand new studio album. You know, for a band that said a while back that they were retiring they sure do seem to keep busy. Anyway, they just put out an audio sample (which can be heard in the video above) and the cover art (which can be viewed below) for their upcoming record Fire Power.

The cover art doesn't seem to be anything special or out of the ordinary for Judas Priest, but that's ok. You can't judge a book by its cover. What is important is the music. That said, the clip that they released....WOW. These guys have been at it for well over 40 years and they are still just as thrilling, heavy, driven, creative, etc. as they were when they were making albums like Hellbent for Leather or Painkiller.

Fire Power is set to hit the shelves March of next year. Judas Priest has yet to give an exact date, though. I don't know about you, but if the whole album is anything like what we heard in that 15 second clip then I'm pretty excited and feel it will be a pretty great record. Rob Halford can still scream like a banshee and guitarist Richie Faulkner has really come up in his balls as a player and writer for Judas Priest. Hopefully they release a full single soon.



Wednesday, November 22, 2017

AC/DC Vocalist Brian Johnson Opens Up About Fallen Band Mate Malcolm Young

Photo courtesy of NME.


Rhythm guitarist and founding AC/DC member Malcolm Young sadly passed away from Dementia, lung cancer, a heart condition, etc. this past weekend. It was a very somber occasion indeed. Among all of the heartfelt statements given about the rock n' roll pioneer, his former band mate vocalist Brian Johnson has just now given a statement on his feelings toward him.

In his first interview with Rolling Stone in two years, he among other things said about Malcolm:

"Malcolm never missed a trick. He paid attention to everything. Onstage he was always watching, taking in things and making sure it wouldn't happen again if he didn't like the look of some lights or something. ... Malcolm gave rock 'n' roll a fist. He'd give it a kick in the ass."

It's definitely a touching thing to see Johnson say so many kind things about his former band mate. They really seemed to develop a real familial bond over the years that even the two of them no longer being in AC/DC together could break. I kind of understand that myself because I've experienced some similar stuff. Some times a relationship will transcend working together in a band to something greater.

Writer's Moment:

Just so you're not wondering why I dropped off the face of the planet, I am going to be taking the whole Thanksgiving weekend off to relax and spend time with my loved ones. Business as usual will resume on Monday. I hope those of you also celebrating have an excellent time doing the same and remember all of the good things you have in life even among the storms of crap that hit you in the face every day.

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Black Sabbath Drummer Bill Ward Cancels Solo Tour Due to Health Issues

Photo courtesy of Loudwire


Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has kept himself busy over the past few years despite the fact that he did not partake in the Black Sabbath reunion. One of the ways he has done so is with his own solo band Day of Errors. Day of Errors had a tour coming up, but the dates for next month have been cancelled due to unspecified heart problems.

Ward made a statement on his personal Facebook page making the sad announcement and only covers enough to give fans the basic gist of what is going on, saying:

"Bill Ward/Day Of Errors Tour Dates Canceled
Hi Everyone,
It’s with great, great sadness that I must tell you I have to cancel the Day Of Errors tour dates scheduled in December. I wound up in hospital this past weekend with heart problems. I am OK and in good recovery at this time. However, I’ve never experienced this particular type of heart problem before, and due to its nature, I had to make the decision to cancel the dates. I want to send my sincere apologies to everyone who was planning to come out to the shows. I’m so sorry we won’t be making it – I was looking forward to seeing you all and sharing this music with you. I’ll be in touch soon.
All my love,
Bill
All Bill Ward/Day of Errors tour dates have been canceled and will not be rescheduled. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase. Tickets purchased through an online ticketing agency will be automatically refunded. Please allow 7-10 days for refunds to appear.
Thursday, December 7 – Eugene, OR – WOW Hall
Friday, December 8 – Seattle, WA – High Dive
Saturday, December 9 – Portland, OR – Dante’s
Tuesday, December 12 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
Wednesday, December 13 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst
Thursday, December 14 – Ventura, CA – The Garage
Friday, December 15 – San Diego, CA – The Casbah"

Sadly this is not the first time Ward has had issues with his heart. He had a mild heart attack that caused him to have to sit out a tour that Black Sabbath was doing in Europe. This and multiple other health complications have hindered him a great deal in recent years. I just hope for his sake that Ward can get as well as he can and really get his act together so that we don't lose yet another remarkable musical talent.

Monday, November 20, 2017

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #143

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Is This Love, by Whitesnake

Who hasn't heard this classic? It's like the king of cheesy 80's power ballads. I'll tell you who, though. My girlfriend. When I put it on in the truck for her I figured she'd know it and we'd have a singalong. Instead she had no idea what was going on and referred to it as "weird 80's porn music". I couldn't help but laugh and be dumbstruck. I mean, she isn't entirely wrong but I was surprised that she of all people had never heard this before.



2. Without You, by Motley Crue

Funny story about this song. Most people think it's just another cheesy 80's hair metal love ballad, but in reality bassist and primary Motley Crue song writer Nikki Sixx actually wrote it during the worst part of his heroin addiction about drugs. If you REALLY listen to it and know the context of the song's genesis then it makes a whole lot more sense and you feel more sad for him than anything else. I know I'll never be able to hear this song as a sweet ballad for the ladies ever again.



3. Every Rose Has Its Thorn, by Poison

This is definitely 80's power ballad trash at its finest. Poison never really was about making real honest music to begin with, but this kind of solidifies the fact that they're all about the glitz and glamour over everything else. Gotta have a soft, laid back song for the ladies, right? That said, even though I'm ragging on them that doesn't change the fact that this song does in fact have some aurally pleasing elements to it. It didn't land itself a place as an 80's staple for no reason.



4. Angel, by Aerosmith

Once Aerosmith came back with the Permanent Vacation album in 1987, they essentially became just another pop rock band pushing out song after song for the sake of having hits and gaining commercial success to keep the train a-rollin' despite the fact that they were no longer spring chickens when compared to the more modern and hip acts at the time. This song is a major reflection of that point in time. I will give credit where it's due, though. Those vocal harmonies are without a doubt one of the most dynamite things I've ever heard in all my life.



5. You Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone), by Cinderella

Just for good measure, we're throwing a piano driven power ballad into the mix. The lyrics aren't exactly the best written, but I guess when you're that good looking, have that nice of a voice, and are setting everything to soft instruments then it doesn't really matter. I do like the vocal melodies and harmonies in this one. The piano riffing is also pretty nice as well. You can definitely tell that they are more meant for doing string snapping, rip-roaring rock n' roll though.


Saturday, November 18, 2017

Special Report: AC/DC Co-Founder and Rhythm Guitarist Malcolm Young Dead

Photo courtesy of acdc.com


Normally I don't post on Saturdays, but today I'm making a special exception and for good reason. AC/DC co-founder and rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young has sadly passed away at the age of 64 from Dementia.

As Young was aging it was getting more and more difficult for him to remember how to play the songs and to stay mentally present. He had been suffering from Dementia for a long while by this point, which was also the cause of him being forced to retire from the band a few years back.

AC/DC put out a statement on their official website, saying:

"It is with deepest sorrow that we inform you of the death of Malcolm Young, beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother. Malcolm had been suffering from Dementia for several years and passed away peacefully with his family by his bedside.

Renowned for his musical prowess Malcolm was a songwriter, guitarist, performer, producer and visionary who inspired many. From the outset, he knew what he wanted to achieve and, along with his younger brother, took to the world stage giving their all at every show. Nothing less would do for their fans.

Malcolm is survived by his loving wife O'Linda, children Cara and Ross, son-in-law Josh, three grandchildren, sister and brother.

While thanking all for their overwhelming support and heartfelt condolences, the family ask that you respect their privacy during this time of heartbreak and grief.

For those wishing to send messages to the family please visit the Sydney Morning Herald Malcolm Young Memorial website which will be available next week.

The family have asked instead of flowers to send donations to The Salvation Army."

Lead guitarist Angus Young made his own separate statement on his older brother's passing, saying:

"Malcolm, along with Angus, was the founder and creator of AC/DC.

With enormous dedication and commitment he was the driving force behind the band.

As a guitarist, songwriter and visionary he was a perfectionist and a unique man.

He always stuck to his guns and did and said exactly what he wanted.

He took great pride in all that he endeavored.

His loyalty to the fans was unsurpassed.

As his brother it is hard to express in words what he has meant to me during my life, the bond we had was unique and very special.

He leaves behind an enormous legacy that will live on forever.

Malcolm, job well done."

Malcolm Young and Angus Young started AC/DC together in 1973 in Sydney, Australia. Malcolm co-wrote most if not all of AC/DC's material. Most if not all of the big riffs in all of those hits and other great songs were his doing. He was a big part of what made the AC/DC engine turn. Without him there would be no Back in Black. There would be no Dirty Deeds. There would be no For Those About to Rock. There would be no Highway to Hell. You get the idea, I'm sure.

I find myself at a loss a bit because Malcolm Young was a HUGE inspiration to me (as well as countless other people) as a musician, especially when I first picked up the guitar. His monstrous rough riffs and excellent song writing in tandem with Angus's guitar solos made me want to play rock n' roll too. When I was a teenager I used to listen to every AC/DC record all the way through on repeat every day. The high voltage rock n' roll I was listening to charged me with a spark of life that I had never experienced before and have never experienced anywhere else in life. Without him the course of my life would have been entirely different.

Before I knew about AC/DC I didn't know that rock n' roll or even music in general could have such balls, energy, and thrill to it. When I was a kid and first experiencing this music though, you can bet that I was blown away beyond all the far reaches of the imagination. Up to that point all I had ever really heard was 50's and 60's light rock and pop. Stuff that was rated G, you know? It was good enough at the time, but it didn't do much besides entertain me a little for a few minutes at a time. When I heard AC/DC though, that was when I understood just how awesome music could be and it made me want to play too. In a sense, Malcolm Young was responsible for this grand fantastic change in my life.

My thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to the Young family in their time of great sorrow and strife. I can't begin to imagine how difficult this is for them. If any of them by any slim chance happen to read this blog, I want them to know that Malcolm meant a great deal to me too. He and his music changed my life in so many ways for the better and I will never be able to thank him enough for it.

David Coverdale Boasts "Seriously Whitesnake" Upcoming Album

Photo courtesy of TeamRock.com


There seems to be no stopping the Whitesnake machine lately. Not only has singer and band leader David Coverdale called off retirement due to feeling rejuvenated by the Purple Album tour, but he has recently released a big box set rerelease of the 1987 album and has a brand new album on the way that he boasts is a "seriously Whitesnake" album.

In a recent video Whitesnake put out on their YouTube channel, Coverdale discusses the song Don't Turn Away from the 1987 album to promote the rerelease of the record, but he also goes into the topic of the upcoming album, saying:

“Now I’m involved significantly more with social media, and fans of Whitesnake can directly communicate and ask me questions – it’s a fascinating scenario. There are songs I’ve never played live, people’s absolute favorites, and Don’t Turn Away is one of them. Problem is, we’ve got a kick-ass new album for next year, and it’s got some seriously Whitesnake live in-your-face stuff.”

There has been no mention of when we will get the new Whitesnake record, though Coverdale says he is still writing new songs all the time and that they will be going in next year to record more of it. I know I'm definitely excited, since they haven't put out any new original material in over six years. I'm curious to hear what the new stuff will sound like, especially with Coverdale feeling revitalized and them having swapped out guitarist Doug Aldrich with Joel Hoekstra, have Tommy Aldridge back on the drum kit, and newcomer Michele Luppi on the keys. As for the 1987 stuff, I think they should just split the set up between celebrating that album as well as promoting the new one. I think it would balance out nicely.

Friday, November 17, 2017

Throwback Thursday: Get Your Wings, by Aerosmith



In 1974 Aerosmith was nowhere near the rock n' roll household name they are today. They only had one record out and had only just started to tread their way down the path. When they put out their second album Get Your Wings however, they definitely got more of a leg up because this is when they really started developing their signature sound and putting out hits that people would remember forever. They still had a long way to go after this, but they definitely got a lot further than they already were even if none of the songs made the pop charts at the time.

Get Your Wings is where Aerosmith started exploring a bit more musically and developing a sound that was uniquely theirs. Where their debut album Aerosmith was basically just blues on steroids, Get Your Wings got a bit heavier and delved into more creative song structure and writing though the blues influence was very much still present in much of the music. It featured memorable songs like Same Old Song and Dance, Pandora's Box, Train Kept A-Rollin', etc.

Pandora's Box has always been one of my favorite songs from this album even if no one else seems to talk about it. It has this bluesy signature riff that is so catchy and gets ingrained in your head. It picks up and grooves pretty well. It's filled with all kinds of innuendos and rock n' roll badassery. It also features some loud and proud horn playing to back it up as well, making it almost feel like it's a Las Vegas show girl song. Incidentally, drummer Joey Kramer wrote the riff to the song when he found a guitar in a dumpster one day and started playing it.

Same Old Song and Dance is probably the best remembered song from this record. I can't say I blame anyone because this has a lot of that flare that only Aerosmith can conjure up. It's got everything a good Aerosmith song needs: a steady groove from Joey Kramer and Tom Hamilton, some snarling bluesy guitar licks and riffs from Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, powerful gritty vocals from Steven Tyler, and lyrics that while down and dirty tell a story that you can follow. I find it pretty awesome that despite the lack of a real chorus aside from a short refrain people still find it so memorable.

Get Your Wings while definitely not Aerosmith's best album is a great way to hear for yourself the progression of the band's sound from a ragtag rough n' tumble blues band from Boston to the stadium filling rock n' roll icons that we know them to be today. They definitely sound a lot more like themselves on this record and you can tell that they were hungry and wanting to push for the best record they could make. It's a solid time capsule of a special time in Aerosmith's growth.

Get Your Wings, by Aerosmith receives 3.75 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Same Old Song and Dance
2. Lord of the Thighs
3. Spaced
4. Woman of the World
5. S.O.S. (Too Bad)
6. Train Kept A-Rollin'
7. Seasons of Wither
8. Pandora's Box

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Get-Your-Wings-Clean-Aerosmith/dp/B00138CV00/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1510909684&sr=8-1&keywords=Get+Your+Wings+Aerosmith

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Aerosmith Guitarist Joe Perry Announces New Solo Album

Photo courtesy of joeperry.com


It's been five years since Aerosmith put out any new music and about eight since lead guitarist Joe Perry did solo for a non-holiday release. Kind of a long time to wait for new music from any of the Bad Boys from Boston. However, that is about to change as Perry is about to put out a brand new solo album according to a report from Ultimate Classic Rock.

The album, titled Sweetzerland Manifesto has no release date yet, but it features a great deal of rock n' roll royalty on it such as David Johansen (singer for the New York Dolls), Zak Starkey (Ringo Starr's son) on drums, Johnny Depp, Perry's sons Tony and Roman, Robin Zander (singer for Cheap Trick), as well as Terry Reid.

In a recent statement regarding the album, Perry said:

"It's going to be interesting to see what songs people gravitate to because there's such a wide variety of tunes."

I'm intrigued by the fact that there are two instrumental tracks on the album (the full track listing is below). Then again, Perry is a guitar player and as a guitar player myself I know we kind of tend to like to have our moment in the sun that isn't just 16 bars 3/4 of the way through a song. I like a lot of the people he has playing on his record, so I'll definitely be looking forward to the album's release.

Joe Perry, 'Sweetzerland Manifesto' Track Listing:

Rumble in the Jungle (instrumental)
I'll Do Happiness (featuring Terry Reid)
Aye, Aye, Aye (featuring Robin Zander)
I Wanna Roll (featuring David Johansen)
Sick & Tired (featuring Reid)
Haberdasher Blues (featuring Johansen)
Spanish Sushi (instrumental)
Eve of Destruction (featuring Perry)
I'm Going Crazy (featuring Johansen)
Won't Let Me Go (featuring Terry Reid)

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

ELO Announce US Tour

Photo courtesy of efestivals.


Next year after 37 years since Electric Light Orchestra's last extensive tour across the Atlantic, Jeff Lynne is planning on bringing his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted band to the United States for a 10 date tour.

On the subject of the tour, the band released a statement saying:

“On the heels of a once-in-a-lifetime Wembley Stadium show and a European tour in 2017, Jeff Lynne’s ELO announces its first North American tour in 30 plus years produced by Live Nation.

Jeff Lynne’s last extensive US tour with ELO was in 1981. Known as one of the most iconic forces in music history, Jeff Lynne’s ELO has spent the last two years with a critically acclaimed and chart-topping album, a sold out run of UK and European shows, as well as an induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.”

The tickets will go on sale at 10 AM local time on November 17th at Ticketmaster. Needless to say, I know I'm pretty stoked and am going to be trying to get hold of a ticket to what will probably be my one and only chance to see such an iconic and extraordinary band. It's not every day that ELO is right in your backyard performing (metaphorically speaking).

Jeff Lynne’s ELO 2018 North American Tour Dates:

Aug 02: Oakland Oracle Arena, CA
Aug 04: Los Angeles The Forum, CA
Aug 08: Denver Pepsi Center, CO
Aug 10: Houston Toyota Center, TX
Aug 13: Dallas American Airlines Center, TX
Aug 15: Rosemont Allstate Arena, IL
Aug 16: Detroit Little Caesars Arena, MI
Aug18: Toronto Air Canada Centre, ON
Aug 21: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
Aug 24: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center, PA

Monday, November 13, 2017

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #142

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Long Wavy Black Hair, by Led Zeppelin

In 1969 Led Zeppelin went on the radio to do a performance session at the BBC. Included in the set were a number of their own songs as well as renditions of classic blues tunes. This is one of the blues songs that is actually a blend primarily of a Sleepy John Estes tune by the name of The Girl I Love, She Got Long Curley Hair and a number of other blues songs. I'm not sure what you would call this, but it's still some fine, raw, rocking music from one of the best bands to ever exist early in their career.



2. Save Me, by Rival Sons

I've seen Rival Sons live four times and they have never once played this tune, which is sad because it is really driving and uptempo. It would REALLY get the crowd going. I'm surprised that it wasn't made a single from the album. It definitely has all of the elements a good rock single needs: crunchy guitars, a fast rhythm, a charismatic vocal melody, and memorable lyrics. Maybe it will be one of those songs that they retroactively promote at their shows some day?



3. Straight for the Heart, by Whitesnake

This is another one of those songs where I wonder why it has never gotten more attention. It has never been played live by the band, though singer and band leader David Coverdale regrets that. It's another driving and uptempo song in a fairly similar vein to a previous release of theirs, Guilty of Love. This song however has crunchier riffs and more flamboyant melodies. This could have easily been a high selling single in the charts back in 1987.



4. Blue Blood Blues, by The Dead Weather

This was the song that got me hooked on The Dead Weather right from the get-go. The way that opening riff just pounds through your speakers just shakes you in a way that not many songs can. It's powerful. It's deep. Then there is the dual vocals between Allison Mosshart and Jack White, which when harmonized sound like something out of the netherworld. It's dark. It's scary. It's oh so intriguing and tempting you to dive down the rabbit hole that is The Dead Weather.



5. Gold on the Ceiling, by The Black Keys

This is one of the first songs I ever remember hearing by The Black Keys a few years back. This is when the band had REALLY hit the big time with their 2012 release El Camino. The way it blends modern electric keyboard with soulful hard hitting 70's blues rock is impeccable. It's definitely a catchy song and rightfully earned its place among the top ranking songs in the rock and mainstream charts at the time.


Saturday, November 11, 2017

Alice Cooper Gives Tribute to Former Drummer Whitey Glan

Photo Courtesy of Alice Cooper


Many artists who have reached the stratosphere in terms of career would never have been able to do so without the right help, especially in music. Alice Cooper is certainly no exception to this, but he acknowledged it recently when making a statement paying tribute to his former drummer Whitey Glan who just passed away.

Glan was Cooper's drummer for Welcome to My Nightmare back in 1975 and would stay in his live band throughout the rest of the 70's. He recently passed away of lung cancer. Cooper made a statement on his Facebook page paying tribute to his fallen comrade, saying:

"Rest in Peace, Whitey! I picked Whitey Glan as the drummer for my Welcome to My Nightmare Tour because he was simply the best drummer around, not knowing he could drink me under a table. He was just a great guy, everybody who’s worked with him considered him one of their best friends. He was one of rock's premier drummers, but in my opinion he was very under rated and under publicized -- he was certainly a drummer's drummer! Canada is less one world class musician."

Sadly I myself was unaware of Glan, but from what I've heard of his work with Alice Cooper he was nothing to scoff at. It's a shame when such talented musicians go unknown and under appreciated. Often times they are more talented than the people they are supporting. Hopefully people in light of this will look back through Glan's catalog and learn to recognize and appreciate him more.

Friday, November 10, 2017

Throwback Thursday: "Lightning to the Nations", by Diamond Head



In 1980 there was a huge renaissance happening in the world of heavy metal. With the rising of the punk movement in the mid-late 70's metal had taken a massive downturn. However, it wasn't long before heavy metal struck back in an energetic, dark, and powerful way in the form of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (or NWOBHM for short). Many great new bands came out of this movement, including one that has heavily influenced a great many famous bands by the name of Diamond Head. In 1980 they independently recorded and released their debut album Lightning to the Nations in order to keep up with other bands from the movement that were already making it big. The album blasted them into the stratosphere.

Like many NWOBHM albums of the time period, Lightning to the Nations is balls to the wall heavy metal. It has everything you want: crunchy riffs, lightning quick guitar solos, wailing vocals, and a rhythm section that will blow the siding off your house. Metal heads will more than likely recognize tunes like Am I Evil?, It's Electric, The Prince, and more due to them having been covered by Metallica at different points in time. Without Diamond Head, bands like Metallica and Megadeth wouldn't exist.

It's Electric is one of the most fun tracks on the record. It's got an uptempo feel and gives you that pedal to the metal feeling. It is definitely a great track to represent what Diamond Head is about, although admittedly it does have the most generic lyrics of all the songs on the album even for the time. It doesn't really matter though considering Brian Tatler's guitar work, the sound of Sean Harris's singing, and the pounding rhythms are more than enough to distract you. It's not meant to be taken too seriously and if you keep that in mind, you'll enjoy it.

Am I Evil? in my opinion is the crown jewel of Lightning to the Nations. It features so many change-ups in rhythm, tempo, melody, etc. It also has the absolute best guitar work on the album. That solo at the beginning will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you'll shiver in pure delight. The bulk of the song is pretty balls to the wall. The riffs feel like they will demolish your house and the lyrics are just splendidly dark. They too sound a bit generic, but considering the time at which this was written and the legacy they left behind I excuse it.

I don't know if I would consider Lightning  to the Nations an album that would appeal to the mainstream, but if one is looking to delve deeper into the world of heavy metal after having only heard a few of the iconic bands on the radio then this isn't too bad of a place to start. It takes what rock and metal did in the early 70's and speeds it up, makes it darker, and gives it a fresh coat of paint. Listen to Kill 'em All, by Metallica after listening to this. You'll see exactly where their early influence came from.

Lightning to the Nations, by Diamond Head receives 3.2 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Lightning to the Nations
2. The Prince
3. Sucking My Love
4. Am I Evil?
5. Sweet and Innocent
6. It's Electric
7. Helpless

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Nations-White-DIAMOND-HEAD/dp/B01LZKMT7C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510301183&sr=8-1&keywords=lightning+to+the+nations

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Op-Ed Piece: Phones at Concerts



I saw an article today while perusing social media about how A Perfect Circle had ejected 60 people from a concert because they got caught using their phones after a "no phones allowed" rule had already been widely and publicly announced at the venue. Apparently this sent many people online into a rage. Personally, I think the band was right to do what they did.

Aside from the fact that there needing to be consequences when you break the rules, I agree with the rule to begin with. Phones have been ruining concert going experiences for a long time now for a multitude of reasons.

Reason 1:

How completely stupid and lame is it to just stand there the entire time just watching the show through a phone/camera screen? I mean, you paid a lot of money for your ticket to see a band live in person with your own eyes and ears. If you want to watch a video of the band performing, just look it up on YouTube or get the tour DVD. You're literally depriving yourself of what you shelled out an obscene amount of money to go see.

Reason 2:

Your pictures and videos are going to be absolute crap. I understand you want to remember that night for years to come, but maybe there are better ways to do that than just standing there with your phone the whole time? If you really want to watch the show again on your own time why not just wait for the tour DVD to come out? It will look and sound a LOT better than anything you will record.

Reason 3:

Performers feed off of audience energy. There is a special connection that forms between musicians and audience. The excitement of the crowd gets the band going, which in turn gives the audience an even better experience, which then further feeds the band. The cycle keeps going on and on and upping the intensity until the concert finale. When the audience is just standing there dead to the world just pointing a phone camera at the performers and not showing any excitement at all it absolutely kills things for the band. When the band gets no energy from the crowd, they can't give much if anything back. They can put on the best show they can anyway, but it won't be anywhere near as good as it could have been had you put your phone away and just enjoyed the show.

Reason 4:

By having your phone out and up in the air you are ruining the experience for other concert goers who are actually trying to enjoy themselves and get what they paid for. They will have a hard time seeing over or around you. You just standing there like a statue makes it even more difficult because then they can't get around you and the other zombie idiots doing the same thing.

I've heard of other performers banning phones at concerts too. Jack White has been doing this at his shows for some time now. Over time though I hope it becomes more and more of a common thing at concerts because we need to be less glued to our technology and more present in the moment. Not everything needs to be on the internet or on our phones. We need to enjoy life and the good things it has to offer, like concerts. Concerts should become the spiritual experiences containing energy with unstoppable momentum. The more performers keep putting into place rules like this, the more there is a fighting chance of this happening.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Ozzy Osbourne Announces Final Tour

Photo courtesy of Time Magazine


With Black Sabbath's final tour having ended back in February, less than a year later front man Ozzy Osbourne has already announced that he is planning to make his next solo tour (dates can be viewed below) his last one as well; meaning he will be retiring from the road altogether.

In a recent statement Osbourne made this past Saturday after his Ozzfest performance he issued, he addresses the subject, saying:

"People keep asking me when I’m retiring. This will be my final world tour, but I can’t say I won’t do some shows here and there."

The band for this tour will be comprised of long time guitarist Zakk WyldeRob "Blasko" Nicholson on the bass, Tommy Clufetos on the skins, and Adam Wakeman at the keys. This will definitely be a solid line-up for Osbourne to go out on a high note with.

I am honestly not surprised that Osbourne wants to retire from the road. The man is close to 70 now and that kind of life is hell even for a man 1/3 his age. I don't blame him in the slightest. I'm glad he will still be doing shows here and there if he feels like, though. The fact that he is working on new studio material is exciting as well. He doesn't know if he'll release it as an album or as singles from the sessions, but I personally think it will be an album. Osbourne is old school and albums are typically the way the older guys (and myself) do it.

Ozzy Osbourne Final Tour Dates:

5/5, Mexico — TBA
5/8, Santiago, Chile —TBA
5/11, Buenos Aires, Argentina — TBA
5/13, São Paulo, Brazil— TBA
5/16, Curitiba, Brazil — TBA
5/18, Belo Horizonte, Brazil — TBA
5/20, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — TBA
6/1, Moscow, Russia — Olympiisky
6/3, St. Petersburg, Russia — Ice Palace (Ledovi Dvorets)
6/6, Finland — TBA
6/8, Solvesborg, Sweden — Sweden Rock Festival
6/10, Donington, UK — Download Festival
6/13, Prague, Czech Republic — Airport Letnany
6/15, Paris, France — Download Festival
6/17, Italy — TBA
6/20, Halden, Norway — Tons of Rock Festival
6/22, Copenhagen, Denmark — Copenhell Festival
6/24, Dessel, Belgium —Graspop Metal Meeting
6/26, Krakow, Poland — Impact Festival
6/28, Oberhausen, Germany — König-Pilsnet Arena
6/30, Madrid, Spain — Download Festival

7/2, Lisbon, Portugal — Meo Arena

Sunday, November 5, 2017

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #141

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Happy Ever After (Zero Hour), by The Foo Fighters

This has to be one of my absolute favorite tracks from the new Foo Fighters record. You can tell Dave Grohl was vibing some Blackbird pretty hard when he wrote this, but at the same time it still manages to be its own thing. It's kind of a nice contrast to the rest of the record which is mostly plugged in loud balls to the wall rock n' roll. It brings balance to the album in a way that doesn't make it sound really wussy and weak.



2. Black Dog, by Led Zeppelin

When people hear the name Led Zeppelin, this is one of the first tunes that comes into their heads. Everything about it represents what the band was about. The way it begins with that iconic sung intro to the way the signature riff beats your balls against the wall while the wild thundering rhythm section splits your skull open lets you know that this is a group of real musicians making real music; the best music. You don't hear a whole lot of raw rock n' roll ruckus like this any more.



3. Your Touch, by The Black Keys

This is one of the few old school Black Keys tunes that the band will still pull out live every once in a while whenever they feel like actually acknowledging stuff they made before Brothers. It's definitely a good one. It's a nice balance of their raw, straight-up DIY basement blues rock style with the more compact and crisp modern rock they would become known for a few years later. I've even included it on a YouTube mixtape that I've made for my girlfriend, so that should tell you how good it is.



4. Thunder High on the Mountain, by Joe Satriani

The stuff I've heard from Satch's upcoming record so far definitely has me excited and this second single from it is no exception. In this song Joe manages to do all of his wild technical stuff while still somehow fitting within the groove that Glenn Hughes (bassist/vocalist for Deep Purple) and Chad Smith (drummer for Red Hot Chili Peppers and Chickenfoot) are laying down. Then again, Joe Satriani has been the master of the impossible when it comes to music since the mid-80's so I really shouldn't be surprised.



5. Accidents Can Happen (Heroin Diaries 10th Anniversary Version), by Sixx: AM

Wow. It's hard to believe that this year The Heroin Diaries turns 10 years old. I remember when the book and its soundtrack first came out in 2007. It was all the rage with my fellow rock n' rollers and myself. The band is now putting out a 10th anniversary edition of the book and album with new versions of the songs that are rather cool reinterpretations. This definitely has a different vibe than the original, but the message still remains the same.


Friday, November 3, 2017

Robert Plant Feels Early Led Zeppelin Vocals Were 'Horrific'

Photo courtesy of Ticket Crusader


Some times when a musician or artist of any kind has a rather extensive career spanning multiple decades they can often notice the rather drastic evolution of their work. Such is the case for Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant who has recently voiced that he feels his early Led Zeppelin vocals were "horrific".

Plant made this self-criticism known during a recent interview with The Guardian. He felt that he was trying to be too manly in his vocal style and it affected his performances in a negative way. Plant says:

"[I] realized that tough, manly approach to singing I’d begun on [the 1966 track with the band Listen] 'You Better Run' wasn’t really what it was all about at all. Songs like [Zeppelin's] 'Babe I’m Going to Leave You' ... I find my vocals on there horrific now. I really should have shut the f--- up!”

I like many other of Plant's fans think he is absolutely insane on this subject. Those first Led Zeppelin albums were their best in part because of Plant's manly rafter shaking vocal style. Without it they wouldn't have taken off and become rock n' roll icons that they have. I guess I can understand that since Plant has aged and evolved his style over the years that it's only natural that he feels what he did at the start is awful. I know I cringe whenever I listen to my earliest recordings. Regardless, Plant is still way off base.

Throwback Thursday: "Ride the Lightning", by Metallica



By 1984 thrash metal band Metallica had burst onto the bigger scene with their now classic debut album Kill 'em All. However, they were not cemented as the Big 4 royalty that they are now. What helped further them toward that though was their sophomore effort Ride the Lightning, which many consider to be a far superior album to its predecessor, though to be fair that is a very subjective thing to say. Regardless of opinion though, it got Metallica a lot further along in their journey.

Ride the Lightning has a lot better studio production to it than Kill 'em All did. Where the first album sounded raw, unpolished, and a lot like the NWOBHM bands that they were heavily influenced by at the time, this one made them sound a lot beefier, a lot more crisp, and overall much darker. Everything was more defined, but not in a way that made it sound like overproduced commercial garbage. It definitely helped because many of the songs on it are considered to be classics.

Fade to Black is one of the few early Metallica songs that features acoustic guitar, played by rhythm guitarist and singer James Hetfield with some brilliant melodic soloing from Kirk Hammett. It is the closest thing to a ballad you will ever hear out of Metallica from the era where they were actually a reputable band. It's a pretty depressing song, but it's about how the band once had all of their gear stolen. As a musician I can sympathize because if I had all of my gear stolen I would be pretty depressed too.

For Whom the Bell Tolls is one of the best things Metallica ever wrote, in my opinion. The church bell at the beginning gives off an eerie, unnerving vibe. When the guitar riffs come crashing in it feels like your balls are being blown off. You feel like you're right in the middle of the war zone described in the lyrics. Musically I love the way the song is constructed and executed. It has a cohesive structure, but they don't make it overly repetitive. My personal favorite part of the song is that crawling riff a little after the beginning where both guitars are layered upon one another to create a thicker, crunchier sound.

Ride the Lightning is without a doubt some of Metallica's best work. If I were to introduce someone to Metallica, this is the album I would start with because it is the perfect balance of condensed traditional song structures and lengths and the more exploratory progressive stuff they have done. It also has the best overall sound of all of their albums. This is a must have album for Metallica fans and metalheads alike. It's a classic in every sense of the word and not a single bad word can possibly be said about it.

Ride the Lightning, by Metallica receives 5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Fight Fire With Fire
2. Ride the Lightning
3. For Whom the Bell Tolls
4. Fade to Black
5. Trapped Under Ice
6. Escape
7. Creeping Death
8. The Call of Ktulu

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Ride-Lightning-Remastered-Metallica/dp/B00AH69T22/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1509692011&sr=8-1&keywords=ride+the+lightning+cd

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Joe Satriani Premieres Another New song: "Thunder High on the Mountain"



The god emperor of the electric guitar, Joe Satriani has just bestowed the fabulous gift of another single from his up and coming album What Comes Next (which is set to come out January 12th of next year) upon us, titled Thunder High on the Mountain (which can be listened to in the video above).

Thunder High on the Mountain is definitely a solid track. What amazes me about it is that Satch manages to pull of his wicked lightning quick licks while the rhythm section consisting of Deep Purple bassist Glenn Hughes and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith manages to hold everything down in a steady groove.

Thunder High on the Mountain comes second to the track Energy in the chronology of singles that have so far been released from What Comes Next. So far Satch definitely has my attention with this album. From what we have heard it sounds like a blend of his classic trademark progressive solo style mixed in with some of the kind of straightforward rock he did in Chickenfoot. It's a cool fusion and I can't wait to hear where it goes.