Steven Adler on Why He Has Not Been Bigger Part of Guns N' Roses Reunion

The idea of Slash, Duff McKagan, and Axl Rose ever sharing the stage again until recently was only a dream within a dream for countless Guns N' Roses fans across the globe. However, original drummer Steven Adler was also supposed to be a bigger part of the reunion. Instead, he has only gotten to play a couple of songs in a couple of shows during the tour so far.

According to an interview on One on One With Mitch Lafon, Adler was gearing up and rehearsing to be part of the shows. He was to split drum duties with current drummer Frank Ferrer where Adler was to start the show playing Appetite for Destruction songs, Ferrer stepping in mid-show to do Use Your Illusion songs, and Adler coming back in at the end. Before the first show at The Troubador in Los Angeles he injured his back pretty badly. Adler talked about how the booting out of the reunion happened, saying:

“Duff [McKagan] called me and said, ‘Dude, you’re not gonna play with us anymore. You’re not gonna do these shows. And I was, like, ‘You’re the worst f—ing person in the world.’ And I hung up on him. And I tried to call him back and left a message, saying, ‘I’m so sorry I said that.’ … I was feeling that about me, and I said it about him, and I couldn’t apologize to him enough, because he knows I love him more than anything. And I got to apologize, ’cause, obviously, I’d seen him last year and we did shows together. And he understood.”

It's a shame that Adler got the shaft the way he did, but I get that having a back injury like that is kind of a major problem when it comes to a band going on a multi-million dollar world tour. I don't blame GN'R for doing what they had to do. Plus, with Steven Adler you never know when he is going to sneak off and get into trouble with drugs and alcohol again. He has fallen off the wagon more times than any other rockstar, though has somehow managed to keep above the ground. Good on him for that, I suppose. Regardless, it would be cool to see him get back with the band and do the kind of show they originally intended to do soon. The fans deserve to see as much of the original band as possible.

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #107

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. Dead, by Buckcherry

Hard to believe this tune is already about seven years old. I remember when it was new. This is a good rocker to get your blood pumping and your heart pounding if you feel out of energy and need a boost. It's got everything: big riffs, catchy vocals, and blistering fast guitar solos in all the right places. This is Buckcherry doing what they do better than anything else in the whole world: rock the hell out as loud and fast as possible.

2. Wanted Dead or Alive, by Bon Jovi

One of my favorite overplayed classic rock hits. Admittedly I've gotten sick of it from time to time, but it gets all the airplay it gets all these decades later for a good reason. It's catchy, fun, and will get you singing along. One of my favorite aspects of the song is the 12 string guitar playing in the verses. It adds this mystiqute to it that really makes it stand out. Without it, this song really wouldn't be even remotely close to the classic we have come to know and love.

3. Dead Flowers, by The Rolling Stones

The Stones have done a lot of interesting thing in their 5+ decade career, including at certain points trying to go for a more country sound. This song encompasses that better than anything else in their catalog. It sounds a LOT like the kind of country that was being made in the late 60's/early 70's. I will admit it is a bit funny to hear Mick Jagger try to sing that way, but I think he manages to pull it off all right if you can separate yourself from the fact that this is the Rolling Stones.

4. Dead Horse, by Guns N' Roses

Another hard rocker, this tune definitely features some of Axl Rose's more personal and profound lyrics (as many of the songs from the Use Your Illusion era onward did). It's definitely a bit of a downer in terms of subject matter, but it still drives, punches, and cranks like any good GN'R song does. If you're just having a hard time getting on and also love to rock out when you can, this tune will definitely be right up your alley.

5. Drop Dead Legs, by Van Halen

If you're looking for something a bit more cheerful after that, then you can't really go wrong with some Van Halen. This song has a nice steady walking pace groove to it. It actually features some of Eddie Van Halen's more bluesy side in some areas of the song, which I like. You kind of get to hear bits and pieces of where he came from and what kinds of music he cut his teeth on when still a young, learning guitarist.

 

AC/DC to Put Out New Album with Axl Rose?

When Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose stepped up to fill in for long time AC/DC singer Brian Johnson after Johnson's forced retirement due to hearing problems, he had some big shoes to fill to say the least. Not only did Rose manage to do the job, but he did it so well that he won over countless naysayers. Now it is rumoured that Rose will be working with guitarist Angus Young to write and record a new AC/DC album.

According to an unconfirmed report written by Paul Cashmere for Noise11, the chemistry between Rose and Young is undeniable and has made Young want to keep going, saying:

“The chemistry between Axl Rose and Angus Young has inspired Angus to start planning another AC/DC record, but Guns N’ Roses’ touring commitments throughout 2017 will make it difficult to finalize the project.”

So far neither AC/DC's nor Rose's camps have confirmed or denied this report. Personally I think it would be cool to hear an album put out by such a collaboration, but I wouldn't call it AC/DC. Not any more since Young is the only original/classic member of the band left in it. Everyone else has since retired or died. Sadly though if it does happen it probably will get the AC/DC moniker just so that record companies can cash in on the name due to marketing ploys. We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

Throwback Thursday: Spectrum, by Billy Cobham

In 1973 jazz drummer Billy Cobham, who is most famous for his collaborative work with jazz legend Miles Davis set out on a grand musical adventure by recording, producing, and putting out his debut solo album Spectrum. To do this Cobham assembled an all star group of musicians in New York to act as his band including: Jan Hammer on keyboards, Tommy Bolin on guitar, Lee Sklar on bass, and several others on other instruments for various tracks. In only two days they had the album completely done.

Spectrum has to be one of my favorite jazz fusion albums to ever exist. The way these musicians just jam and play off one another is fantastic. It's entirely instrumental, but you can tell that everyone in that studio had something to say. In a way, it's like all those songs are like a conversation where the band is talking among itself. Cobham definitely picked the right musicians for this venture. It's raw, but precise. Free formed, but tight. Everyone latched onto the groove quickly. The result is something that speaks for itself.

Stratus in my opinion is where Hammer and Bolin definitely take the limelight. There is an absolutely wicked steady groove being kept going by Cobham and Sklar, and Hammer and Bolin use it to do some of their best solos of all time while also knowing when to lay back and be there more for layers and atmosphere. It definitely seems like a night time kind of tune that you would put on while you're driving down the highway and it's getting pretty late. Good mood music, to say the least.

Snoopy's Search - Red Baron is probably my favorite track on the entire Spectrum album. It starts off with a rather odd synth intro, but when the actual song kicks in with the full band it's got a really nice, easy groove to go on. Lots of nice blues licks from Bolin with some tasteful accents and solos on keys here and there. You can hear the older jazz influence in this tune for sure, but it is still pretty forward thinking and modern for the time.

Spectrum is definitely not an album that would be everybody's cup of tea, especially if they are primarily into tunes that are under 3-4 minutes and have vocals. However, if you are interested at all in music that pushes beyond the boundaries of normal pop structure and style then this might be up your alley after all. It is great for either active or just casual listening. I used to listen to it all the way through when writing papers in college and it definitely helped keep my mind sharp, active, and focused. Might be worth a listen for you too for another reason.

Spectrum, by Billy Cobham receives 4 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Quadrant 4
2. Searching for the Right Door/Spectrum
3. Anxiety/Taurian Matador
4. Stratus
5. To the Women in My Life/Le Lis
6. Snoopy's Search - Red Baron

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Billy-Cobham/dp/B00123G6GQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487924603&sr=8-1&keywords=Billy+Cobham+Spectrum

Steve Stevens on Working with Ozzy Osbourne

Ever since Black Sabbath played its final show recently, many people have wondered when front man Ozzy Osbourne will get back to his solo career and release another album. There has been talk that Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens will be on at least some of the next release from the Prince of Darkness.

Osbourne was recently asked about this, but Osbourne said:

“He’s not gonna be in my band. I said, ‘I’ve got some ideas,’ and we worked it out.”

Recently however, Stevens was approached on the subject of working with Ozzy in order to shed a bit more light on it. In an interview with All That Shreds, Stevens says Ozzy:

“asked me to do some writing with Ozzy,” which led to a studio summit. Haven’t heard anything, so I guess he’s really happy with them. So yes, I did some writing and recording with him.”

I'm curious to hear what such an album with Osbourne and Stevens would sound like. I'm sure it would probably be better than his last couple of solo albums, that's for sure. I wasn't the biggest fan of Scream or Black Rain. Down to Earth had a few good songs, but even then it still lacked a lot of the spirit of the first several albums. I'm hoping whatever we get from Ozzy next sounds a lot more melodic and invigorating rather than low, boring, and overly crunchy.

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Back in the Studio Together

It's always a joy to hear anything from any of the remaining former Beatles. It's an even greater joy however when they both work on something together. This past weekend Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr got together in the studio in Starr's home to work on a song with Joe Walsh for Starr's upcoming 19th studio album.

There have been no details yet on the collaboration aside from the fact that McCartney played bass on a single track for the album (shame it isn't more) according to a tweet that Starr made (with a picture of him and McCartney together), saying:

“Thanks for coming over and playing great bass. I love you man peace and love.”

 

Starr then made a second tweet with a picture of the two of them plus Joe Walsh, saying:

 

“And look Joe W. came out to play what a day I’m having peace and love.”

 

I'm definitely looking forward to hearing whatever these guys have come up with together. Whenever these guys get together in a room magic always happens. It's a shame there are only two of them left, but it's still enough to produce something that will be nothing short of amazing. Plus, if Walsh is playing on the song then there is sure to be some extra awesome as well.

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #106

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. Country Girl, by Black Sabbath

I can never get over just how much I love the main guitar riff in this song. It plays over and over for the vast majority of the song (except the bridge), but quite frankly I think it's one of the few songs that can get away with it. Then again, Tony Iommi is the king of the heavy riff. That said, it's that bridge though that really hits me the right way. That sweet sounding vocal melody from Ronnie James Dio has the right timbre and flows the right way at the right time to raise the hairs on the back of my neck and arms when it kicks in.

2. Paint it Black, by The Rolling Stones

This is one of those songs that despite the fact all the emo kids I knew in high school loved it due to it being about depression I still love myself regardless. That mystical Indian type vibe it has to it works really well with the loud and pounding style of rock n' roll that the Stones were notorious for making in the 60's. It's one of the more creative tunes they have written and quite frankly I can see why it is a classic and played all the time even to this day.

3. Stonehenge, by Spinal Tap

Now I know many people don't really take Spinal Tap seriously as musicians, but even though the purpose of them is to be goofy they still actually make some pretty damn good music. I love how spooky and enigmatic this tune sounds at certain points while at others it sounds like you have been thrown back 1,000 years or more to a more folksy sounding era. It is the perfect blend of heavy metal and European folk music in my opinion.

4. Spinal Remains, by The Misfits

Glenn Danzig has always had a knack for being able to write the most catchy punk rock meets 50's pop rock tunes while at the same time being incredibly dark in terms of lyrical subject matter. If you have even the tiniest bit of draw to the macabre then you will more than likely find this tune and many others from The Misfits to be right up your alley. It will satisfy all of your morbid desires while at the same time giving you something to dance to.

5. Misfits, by The Kinks

Not always into acoustic-ish ballads, but this one I can get down with. Being somewhat of a misfit myself in many areas of life for as long as I can remember I vibe with what Ray Davies is writing about. You can definitely tell this was created more for the message rather than the music itself, but there are certain parts that do get a bit musically creative and I will give them props and credit where each are due. For those of you downtrodden folks who don't feel like you belong anywhere, this is definitely for you.