Throwback Thursday: Born Again, by Black Sabbath

In 1982 heavy metal godfathers Black Sabbath were between a rock and a hard place once again. The band was in need of a new singer once again as Ozzy Osbourne replacement Ronnie James Dio had just left the band due to internal problems that had arisen during the mixing process of their first live album Live Evil. Not sure where to go or what to do, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler got a hold of former Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan to see if he wanted to start a project with them. Gillan agreed. Though they originally meant the project to be called something else, the record label coerced the group into releasing what would be the album Born Again in 1983 under the Black Sabbath name. In a way it makes sense because original drummer Bill Ward rejoined the band to record the album.

Born Again features a distinctly darker sound than any of Black Sabbath's previous albums; especially in tracks like Disturbing the Priest, Zero the Hero, Born Again. The production unfortunately is a bit muddy but the recent remaster did clean some of it up. Unfortunately the original tapes have been lost. Be all that as it may, Born Again does feature some of Iommi's darkest most haunting riffs and solos. The instrumental tracks like The Dark and Stone Henge are the creepiest songs you could listen to at night. Gillan does some clever lyrics and provides some absolutely fantastic screams. This album really was a match made in Heaven.

Disturbing the Priest is one of my absolute favorite heavy metal tracks of all time. It has everything: powerful riffs, spooky atmosphere that gets you looking over your shoulder at night, powerful screams to accentuate certain musical moments, well written lyrics, etc. Just be careful if you have headphones on or have your stereo turned up. After listening to the soft instrumental track Stonehenge that leads into the song the shock of this loud crashing song coming in will jolt you right up and possibly make you piss your pants. I kind of think Black Sabbath did that on purpose. I thoroughly enjoy it every time I listen to Born Again.

The title track Born Again is the real gem of the album. What is a bit remarkable is that the title track and best track of the album is a softer track; something you wouldn't think would happen on a Black Sabbath record. However, it's true. It's slow, atmospheric, and beautiful. Iommi's solos in this track are what I imagine it would be like if the electric guitar were brought into a fairy tale. Gillan's melodic and harmonized screams also add to the track's beauty. Naturally his melodic voice does well too. You can kind of feel the pain he is trying to convey through his lyrics and the way he sings them. Geezer Butler's bass effects really do add to the atmosphere and overall mood of the song. It would be lacking without them.

If you can get past the absolutely ugly album cover then you're in for one hell of a heavy metal treat. Despite what I said about Gillan's high screams most of the singing actually is melodic. The creepy atmosphere is something you don't find on a whole lot of records. Born Again is a highly under rated album that seems to have been lost to the ages because of the circumstances of its release. However, some of Black Sabbath's absolute best songs are on there; you just have to put it on and have a listen to find out for yourself. It's a shame that this line-up only lasted for one album and tour. Then again, many of Black Sabbath's line-ups post Ozzy seem to be that way.

Born Again, by Black Sabbath receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Trashed
2. Stonehenge
3. Disturbing the Priest
4. The Dark
5. Zero the Hero
6. Digital Bitch
7. Born Again
8. Hot Line
9. Keep It Warm

Buy the album on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Born-Again-Black-Sabbath/dp/B004VQFQ2Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430453462&sr=8-1&keywords=Black+Sabbath+Born+Again

Former GN'R Bassist Duff McKagan to Release EP With Former Bandmate Izzy Stradlin'

 

Fans of Guns N' Roses rejoice! On May 12th former GN'R bassist Duff McKagan will be putting out a three song EP along with his new book How to Be a Man.

This new EP will feature some fairly big names, like former GN'R rhythm guitarist and song writer Izzy Stradlin, Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, and Stone Sour drummer Roy Mayorga. This will be McKagan's first release since his band Loaded's 2012 release Walking Papers. Also it will be his first entirely solo release under just his own name since his 1999 release Beautiful Disease.

Last month McKagan and Stradlin' were said to have made a new track together in the studio, with McKagan reporting it was "super kickass". No word yet as to whether or not the track will be on the EP, but it is more than likely that it will.

Stradlin' and McKagan have worked together in brief stints over the years for some of Stradlin's solo works like a song or two. This will be the first time Stradlin' will have appeared on any of McKagan's works outside of Guns N' Roses. I'm personally looking forward to seeing these two do more work together. Stradlin' is a brilliant song writer (he wrote most of Guns N' Roses's songs) and McKagan has a punk rock spirit that always shines through in his music. Who knows? Maybe they can get Slash in on the action at some point?

Alice Cooper on Rebirth of Vinyl

It's no secret that in the past few years vinyl records have made a remarkably huge comeback. Sales have gone up tremendously and kids are buying more rock than ever according to ICM Unlimited. Shock rocker Alice Cooper says this is all because kids are sick of "buying air".

In an interview with WGRD, Cooper says:

"Last year, vinyl went up 85%. And the kids, I think they're tired of buying air. They don't get anything with it. I think this generation is rebelling against the technology thing. I sign more records than I do CDs anymore."

ICM Unlimited's research is showing that 41% of the subjects included bought rock albums. The biggest increase in terms of demographic was in the 18-24 year old range; a 14% jump since 2013.
Cooper furthers his point by talking about how buying a record is like buying and owning and actual "piece" of the band.

 Cooper says:

"We were in a golden age where you'd go to a record store and buy records. And when you bought the records, you owned a piece of Motley Crue, you'd own a piece of Alice Cooper."


Cooper does have a point about owning a "piece" of a band when you actually buy their records. When you buy/illegally download a mp3 file all you have is a bit of data on a hard drive that has no substance to it and can easily be lost and forgotten within a short span of time. With vinyl records and even CD's however, you are buying a piece of the band's legacy and history. You are part of something bigger than what was just a trip to your local shop.

Plus, the vinyl craze is a great way to combat piracy. You can't illegally download a tangible object. You can't replicate that warmth and crackle. I still think this is a passing trend that will sooner or later die out, but in the mean time it is a great time to be a music fan. I personally will be enjoying the ride until the end.

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #23

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. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, by Graham Bonnet

Before joining Rainbow in 1979, singer Graham Bonnet put out a self titled solo record Graham Bonnet that featured not only some soulful original material, but great covers as well such as Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, by The Shirelles. Bonnet took this soothing 50's pop classic and made it into his own late 70's dance masterpiece. Though the strings have been replaced with guitar, the song remains as melodic and pleasing as ever. Plus, the amount of passion and power Bonnet put into his vocals really do make the track come alive.

2. Lucille, by Little Richard

Lucille is an early rock n' roll classic. Not only does Little Richard kill it on vocals but he really knows how to play a mean piano as well. In a way it's one of the songs that acts as a foundation and template for many songs in the genre that would come well after its release. Even if all that stuff isn't your bag an average listener can appreciate the kind of upbeat boogie it has to it. Some of the best dance tunes really did come out of the 1950's. It's simple, fun, and right to the point. Some times that's all you need.

3. You Really Got Me, by The Kinks

Many people have their own views on where the punk rock genre came from. Some say it started with The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The New York Dolls, Iggy and the Stooges, etc. Personally I believe it got started with bands like The Kinks and The Who in the early to mid 1960's. You Really Got Me lays down a lot of the musical groundwork that punk would derive itself from later on. It's got big simple power chords with punchy overdrive to back them up. Plus, the rebellious attitude adds that much more to the idea of being a forerunner to punk.

4. Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights), by Pat Travers

This song falls under the musical category I like to call "tough guy blues rock". Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights) exemplifies it perfectly. It's the kind of song I imagine muscular dudes like to listen to while working out or whatever. Either way, it's got some solid blues guitar licks in it. However, its iconic chorus is what sets it apart. Plus, it is a great way to get a crowd pumped up and participating at a concert.

5. Headless Cross, by Black Sabbath

The 26th anniversary of the album this track came from actually came a couple of days ago. It really is one of Black Sabbath's more under rated works. On this track in particular vocalist Tony Martin absolutely wails and puts some real cajones into what he is doing. However, there are also more melodic moments where he shows he can do more than just be loud. Overall the song builds up a mystical and almost spooky atmosphere while Tony Iommi brings his trademark big riffs and iconic solos into the mix. It just goes to show that Black Sabbath can exist quite fine without Ozzy Osbourne.

Van Halen Didn't "Photoshop" Their Live Album, Says Eddie

 

Over the past few decades it has become quite a common practice in the music industry to fix mistakes in the studio made by the artist in a live performance when working on making a live album. Some times whole performances are entirely rerecorded; like for Judas Priest's 1979 album Unleashed in the East where all of Rob Halford's vocals were entirely done in a studio due to equipment failure. However, with Van Halen's recent release Tokyo Dome Live in Concert the band decided to keep everything as it was heard that night; warts and all.

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Eddie Van Halen says:

“There are mistakes. After it was mixed I listened to a few parts and went, ‘Okay, I fucked that up.’ But that’s how it sounded that night so we just left it. It’s like a photograph of that evening and we didn’t Photoshop it. When you fix parts or mistakes, it’s not a real live experience any more.”

Eddie has expressed great disdain for when bands over edit and redo things to their albums; creating an unauthentic live experience just so that they can pick up some more cash. A major disappointment to Eddie was Cream's Wheels of Fire album, saying “That ruined it for me. I thought it was one performance.” Rainbow did the same thing in 1977 with their On Stage album. At least when Guns N' Roses did that with their Live Era '87-'93 album they were straight up honest about it.

As for whether or not a new Van Halen studio album is in the foreseeable future, Eddie says “We don’t ever plan that far ahead. That’s how the live album came about. The best things aren’t planned far in advance – we like to keep it loose."

While some aspects of the Tokyo Dome Live in Concert album may have been a bit rough around the edges I at least respect the band for giving us the real authentic Van Halen concert experience. It's a refreshing change of pace compared to so many bands who redo almost everything in the studio when producing a live album. Props to you guys, Van Halen. You just earned more of my respect.

Throwback Thursday: Abbey Road, by The Beatles

By 1969 The Beatles had built a tremendous legacy with their slew of legendary albums. However, due to a myriad of stressful factors that created a great deal of internal tension the band was on the verge of total collapse. The members were fighting with one another and their management kept getting in the way of a great deal of things going as smoothly as they should have. A year later and they would be no more. However, before that happened they put out one of the most fan favored albums they ever created: Abbey Road.

Abbey Road was the last album to feature that cheery upbeat kind of jaunty acid trip music the Fab Four had been famed for making, as their next album Let It Be was considered to be more of a funeral march. In a way, some fans refer to Abbey Road as the last true Beatles album. Abbey Road featured hits such as Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Oh! Darling, Something, Here Comes the Sun, Carry That Weight, and Come Together. The Beatles' proficient progressive musicianship had truly come to a pinnacle at this point in time. Everything is melodic, warm, and passionate.

Come Together is the best known tune from Abbey Road. It's been covered to death by countless famous bands like Aerosmith. The smooth melodic bass line is iconic. Nothing is more instantly recognizable than it. The lyrics are probably some of the most tripped out ones I've heard from The Beatles except for maybe I Am the Walrus. Then again, that was kind of John Lennon's thing. He is the only one I know of who could get away with making such nonsense so famous and highly regarded. Props to him for that.

Oh! Darling is definitely one of the crown jewels of Abbey Road. Paul McCartney reportedly sang this song balls to the wall every day for a week before he finally recorded it because he wanted the vocals to have the worn down tired feel of someone who has been shouting and crying themselves to death for a week to them. It really comes through on the recording. In this swaying bluesy pop rock number you can really feel the angst and pain McCartney wanted to get across. Besides his clever lyrics and song writing, one thing you can truly praise Sir Paul for is his honesty.

Despite all of the in-fighting and tension going on this album really does feature some of the best music The Beatles ever composed and recorded. I guess when you can put aside all of the drama for just long enough to focus on what really matters no amount of loathing of one's partners can get in the way of a true masterpiece coming to life. That being said, Abbey Road is an essential piece of any Beatles and general rock n' roll or pop aficionado. Every track fills you with this warm presence that makes you feel you're on this fantastic journey where everything will be just great. You don't even need to be stoned to feel that way.

Abbey Road, by The Beatles receives 5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Come Together
2. Something
3. Maxwell's Silver Hammer
4. Oh! Darling
5. Octopus's Garden
6. I Want You (She's So Heavy)
7. Here Comes the Sun
8. Because
9. You Never Give Me Your Money
10. Sun King
11. Mean Mr. Mustard
12. Polythene Pam
13. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
14. Golden Slumbers
15. Carry That Weight
16. The End
17. Her Majesty

Buy the album on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Abbey-Road-Remastered-Beatles/dp/B0025KVLUQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429850311&sr=8-1&keywords=Abbey+Road

Santana Aim For 'World Domination' Says Neil Schon

 

It looks like the original line-up of Santana is rearing and ready to go for some world domination according to Journey and Santana guitarist Neil Schon. Recently original members Carlos Santana, Neil Schon, Greg Rolie, Michael Carabello, and Michael Shrieve reunited after four decades to do new material and possibly a tour.

Schon has said the following things via Facebook:

“We are wrapping up Santana IV this week. Sounds amazing!

“This record is going to take over the world. I hope management gets it together for us to tour – I will tour with Carlos either way.

“It’s way too happening not to. World domination once again.”

Schon seems to want to take the reunion as far as it can possibly go; especially since he has stated recently that there is little chance of a new Journey album due to keyboardist Jonathan Cain not wanting to have any part of something like that. Carlos himself said Schon had “chased him like a guided missile” to make the reunion take place. Shrieve said back in February "The results are beautiful. It’s like putting on a pair of old jeans."

To be honest, this does have a little bit of a cash grab vibe to it, but at the same time if their hearts are really in it and they are enjoying it then I have no problem with it. It will be pretty fantastic to hear what these guys can cook up together after all this time they spent apart from one another.