Australian Sharks Love AC/DC

In the spirit of Shark Week, I thought I would share with you an interesting shark related rock story. It would seem that recently an under water tour operated in Australia found out that not only people love AC/DC, but sharks in Australia do too.

Tour operator Matt Waller was recently interviewed by Adelaide Now and was asked how he came to this astounding discovery. He says when he asked about how to attract sharks he was told by a couple of different companies that they hear best at 20-1000 hertz. Waller further went on by saying that sharks prefer low frequencies, such as the ones in AC/DC's rocking tunes. When played under water however, the sharks reacted differently. Waller says in a different interview with ABC:

“Their behavior was more investigative, more inquisitive and a lot less aggressive. They actually came past in a couple of occasions when we had the speaker in the water and rubbed their face along the speaker which was really bizarre. Sharks don’t have ears, so it’s more about trying to establish what frequency and vibration in the water that appeals to the sharks. If we can establish what that is it puts us a step to understanding more about this animal.”

People from the scientific community like Dr. Jonathan Werry are a bit more skeptical about the claim saying that sharks are naturally curious so any sound of that nature will draw their attention and cause them to investigate, especially when they have not come into much contact with boats or people.

Whatever the case may be, it's still amusing to find out that Waller claims that sharks like AC/DC songs You Shook Me All Night Long and If You Want Blood (You Got It) more than anything else. If it is true that the sharks love AC/DC, at least they have good taste in music. Maybe if sharks weren't so deadly we could invite them to a concert?

Writer's Moment:

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a few days. My internet was out of whack, so the only way I was able to get online was by going somewhere with wi-fi for a bit. Things seem to be back in order now though, so I will be back on track.

Concert Review: Motley Crue with opener Alice Cooper 8/8/2014

Last night a loud, bright, and flashy rock n' roll spectacle appeared in Tinley Park, IL at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheater. To be fair however, that is putting what happened lightly. The perpetrators of this awesomeness were none other than world renowned bands Alice Cooper and headliner Motley Crue. Currently Motley Crue is embarked on what they are calling The Final Tour. Recently they signed a legal document where if they perform live again after the end of this current tour they will be sued something HUGE. Fortunately however, that does NOT mean they cannot make new music.

The Chicago stop on this tour got started nearly 45 minutes late because so many people just kept filing and filing into the outdoor theater. There was not an empty seat in the place and the lawn was crowded beyond belief. Part way through the show, singer Vince Neil announced that there were a total of 28,000 people at the show. It was a bit insane.

However, when the show did start the spectacles began right away. Alice Cooper and his band took the stage by force, surprisingly opening with an older song, Hello Hooray. Cooper went through many of his well known classics like No More Mr. Nice Guy, School's Out, I'm Eighteen, and of course his popular 80's hit Poison. His stage show was pretty much what you would expect at an Alice Cooper show. A lot of the key elements and features were there, but it was no less fun to watch. He of course had the giant Frankenstein monster walking around the stage during Feed My Frankenstein, threw fake money into the crowd during Billion Dollar Babies, had a flashy hat and popped balloons during School's Out, and of course had his head chopped off by a guillotine near the end of the show.

It was nice to see Alice make space for some of his especially older songs in such a short set. I was pleasantly surprised to hear his band do my personal favorite Alice Cooper tune Under My Wheels. I will says this, even though they are pretty much hired guns the Alice Cooper band definitely has stage chemistry and they showed it quite frequently throughout the performance. Joining them this time around was a new lead guitarist Nita Strauss, formerly of The Iron Maidens, an all female Iron Maiden tribute band. She definitely had some wicked fast guitar chops and got the chance to showcase them time and time again. Overall I was quite impressed with what I both saw and heard. Alice's voice was in top form and there was never a dull moment in terms of visuals.

After Alice Cooper played for about an hour however, it was time for the main event of the evening to begin. At around 9 pm the song So Long, Farewell came on over the loud speakers. Everyone stood up and cheered where Motley Crue then took the stage and wasted no time by blasting right into Saints of Los Angeles, the title track from their most recent album put out back in 2008. The show consisted mainly of widely radio played songs from the Crue but they made sure to include a few gems from their first album that only hardcore fans of the band would know such as On With the Show, Too Fast For Love,  and Live Wire. Of course songs from Dr. Feelgood like S.O.S., Kickstart My Heart, Without You, Dr. Feelgood, and Don't Go Away Mad.

The stage show for itself was absolutely unbelievable. I will do my best to describe it with words, but really it's something you have to see for yourself to fully comprehend. There was this HUGE upside down pentagram hanging from the rafters of the stage. It was filled with all kinds of lights that got used in different ways throughout the show. Secondly, there were platforms on the sides of the stage that a performer could walk onto and it could be raised and lowered at whatever time. The backdrop of the stage was fairly elaborate. It looked almost like a building in some respects. There were windows where the back-up dancers/singers could go behind where the crowd could see their silhouettes as they danced.

Let's talk visual effects. Pyrotechnics up the wazoo. They had fireworks set in time to many of the songs, but it was cool when Crue would be wrapping up a song and each time they would hit a chord a blast would go off in time with it. The visual arrangements of the fireworks were also really well done. A firework would go off on the left, then another on the right, then another big blast in the middle. The best of the pyrotechnics however was Nikki Sixx's flamethrower. He had the nozzle hooked to the bottom of his bass and would just fire it at will at a few points throughout the show. It was FANTASTIC. The inner trouble maker in me squealed with delight at the sight of such massive fire.

One of the major climaxes of the show however was the drum solo. Not because of Tommy Lee's drumming chops (though they were pretty excellent), but because of what happened during the solo. Tommy's drum set as well as Tommy himself tightly strapped down to a platform that turned Tommy upside down and back up again. This platform was set on a roller coaster track that went out into the audience. While Tommy is risking his life like this he is just throwing himself at his drum kit in time to a few different electronic hip hop sounding songs. I was honestly a little concerned for his safety, but not too much because I was sure that they had gone through many safety precautions and tests beforehand.

The performers were on top of their game. As I said earlier, Vince sounded great especially considering his age. He definitely no longer looked like the Adonis he once was but that didn't particularly matter. He gave 110% and that is all that counts. Mick Mars's age definitely was showing as he was stationary a lot of the time, but that didn't stop him from tearing up every last riff and solo like a boss. He looked like a ghoul or skeleton, but he actually made that work to his advantage. His guitar solo was a bit unusual, but I liked it. There was a little bit of shredding, but most of it was him making as many creative sounds with a guitar as he could for a few minutes. I was quite impressed to be honest.

Tommy was definitely the most energetic of the bunch. You would never guess he is 51 because he could beat the hell out of his drums and when not on the kit jumped around and shouted out to the audience as though he were still a teenager. Nikki was all dolled up like it was still 1987. He really did. He looked good for his age and threw himself into everything he did. Plus, whenever he got on the mic to talk to the audience he was very charismatic.

Even though the stage show was one of the primary aspects, the band itself sounded really tight and well rehearsed. No one missed a single note and the music was able to back up every last bit of visual flamboyancy. They were able to walk the walk in addition to talking the talk. There honestly are not a whole lot of bands left that can do that. Personally, I'm surprised they did as much of their first album as they did. Even throwing in Too Young to Fall in Love from the second was a nice surprise. The only song they didn't play that I REALLY wanted to hear was Public Enemy #1. I didn't have high hopes for it, but it is my favorite Motley Crue song so I had to hope a little.

During the show a couple of other interesting things happened. At one point Nikki took the mic and told all 28,000 of us to sit down, which we did. From there he told us the abridged version of the story of how Motley Crue began back in 1981. The way he told it was filled with so much enthusiasm and attitude that I could not help but be hooked on his every word. Unfortunately some a**hole sitting next to me at one point shouted, "Shut the f*** up and play some f***ing music!" after which he and a couple people sitting next to him laughed. I wanted to say something, but I figured it wasn't worth it.

The coolest thing was the encore. The band performed Home Sweet Home, but did so on a raised platform in the middle of the crowd. I along with several other people who had gotten cheap seats rushed up to it without a moment's hesitation to get up close and personal with the Crue. It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life to be that close to the band, especially Nikki considering he is a hero of mine. I was able to look each of them in the eye while they played. That is an experience that no matter how old I get I will never forget and take to my grave with me.

I am honestly so thankful that I got the chance to be a part of history. I got to attend Motley Crue's very last Chicago performance. I heard almost every song I wanted to hear and got to see way more than I had anticipated. They had everything from fire, to sexy backing dancers/singers, to lights, to other spectacles all while playing some real rock n' roll. Motley Crue definitely put their hearts into this performance. It was definitely an appropriate way for them to say goodbye. I would expect nothing less from such a band than to go out with a bang.

Motley Crue and Alice Cooper both receive 5 out of 5 stars.

Alice Cooper setlist Tinley Park 8/8/2014:

Hello Hooray (Judy Collins cover)
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Under My Wheels
I'm Eighteen
Billion Dollar Babies
Poison
Dirty Diamonds
Welcome to My Nightmare
Feed My Frankenstein
Ballad of Dwight Fry
Killer (partial)
I Love the Dead (excerpt)
School's Out
Motley Crue setlist Tinley Park 8/8/2014:

Saints of Los Angeles
Wild Side
Primal Scream
Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)
Looks That Kill
On With the Show
Too Fast for Love
Smokin' in the Boys' Room (Brownsville Station cover) (With "Rock and Roll (Part 2)
Without You
Mutherfucker of the Year
Anarchy in the U.K. (Sex Pistols cover)
T.N.T. (Terror 'N Tinseltown)
Dr. Feelgood
In the Beginning /Shout at the Devil
Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
Drum Solo
Guitar Solo
Live Wire
Too Young to Fall in Love
Girls, Girls, Girls
Kickstart My Heart
 
Encore:
Home Sweet Home

Throwback Thursday: Elephant, by The White Stripes

In the early 2000's, raw bluesy garage rock was beginning to make a rather large comeback. One of the bands at the forefront of this movement was none other than the dynamic duo that was The White Stripes, which was comprised of singer/guitarist Jack White and his wife/ex-wife (though at the time they were pretending to be siblings) drummer/keyboardist/vocalist Meg White. Having put out three well received albums already by 2002, the band was looking to keep the momentum going and get even further. This lead them to produce one of the absolute greatest albums of their career: Elephant.

Elephant was recorded in only two weeks at Toe Rag Studios in London during April of 2002. Jack White made many bold moves during the process by not only producing the album himself but also recording on an 8-track tape machine and using equipment made before the 1960's. This ended up giving the album a much more raw and vintage feel, which worked to the band's advantage because upon release it was very well received by critics and fans alike when released on April 1st, 2003. Its rawness combined with Jack White's profound lyrics gave many people exactly what they were looking for.

Now anyone who knows The White Stripes knows I would not be able to get away with reviewing Elephant without discussing this particular track. It's one that continues to get tons of radio airplay even to this day and even has people not so much into the band rocking out. This song is Seven Nation Army. I have to say, for being such a simple repetitive tune it is surprisingly catchy. It starts off with a VERY low tuned guitar riff that cycles through all the verses of the song. All it is is Jack cycling down the E-minor pentatonic scale. Then, Meg comes in with a stomping drum rhythm. These elements combined while simple create something ghostly and at times powerful. White's unique falsettos definitely contribute to that vibe as well.

This next track is one I feel gets overlooked far too much and I feel it's a shame. Ball and a Biscuit in my opinion is the best track on Elephant because it really shows Jack getting back to his traditional blues roots. While simple and straightforward, the song also features Jack just noodling around and making the most he possibly can out of a 12 bar pattern. Plus, even though he isn't actually singing in the song he really brings back a lot of classical blues lyrical elements such as being a seventh son of a seventh son and cocaine; elements that artists like Willie Dixon would use. The solos and jam sessions in the middle and end of the song are absolutely fantastic. Jack really shows what he can do and does NOT hold back. In a way it also reminds me of The Lemon Song, by Led Zeppelin but it is still very much its own song.

Overall I am extremely impressed with Elephant. I had always been a bit skeptical about listening to The White Stripes because I figured they were just another popular alternative band. However, when I kept hearing and reading about what a good blues guitarist Jack White was I figured I would give the band's best known album a listen. It is definitely highly acclaimed for good reason. I was blown away by the raw bluesiness of it along with the honesty of the lyrics. Plus, the album explores some other genres as well and Meg gets to show off her vocal and keyboard chops at a couple points. I would have loved to have reviewed the album track by track so I could go into all of them, but unfortunately I have no time to do that and I doubt you want to read all that. Anyway, if you haven't bought this album you should. It's worth every penny.

Elephant, by The White Stripes receives 5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Seven Nation Army
2. Black Math
3. There's No Home For You Here
4. I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself
5. In the Cold, Cold Night
6. I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart
7. You've Got Her in Your Pocket
8. Ball and a Biscuit
9. The Hardest Button to Button
10. Little Acorns
11. Hypnotize
12. The Air Near My Fingers
13. Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine
14. Well It's True That We Love One Another

Buy the album on Amazon:

  http://www.amazon.com/Elephant-The-White-Stripes/dp/B001AP11L6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407471155&sr=8-1&keywords=White+Stripes+Elephant

Nikki Sixx's Sixx AM Debuts New Single 'Gotta Get It Right'

While 80's hair metal gods Motley Crue are currently on their last tour ever this summer, this has not stopped bassist and songwriter Nikki Sixx from finishing a new album with his side project Sixx AM. Joining him in the band is guitarist DJ Ashba of Guns N' Roses and singer and songwriter James Michael. Early this morning, the band released the upcoming album's debut single Gotta Get It Right.

The album will be titled Modern Vintage and will be arriving in stores and available for download on October 7th. Ashba says in a recent press release, “Gotta Get it Right is a great example of how Sixx: A.M. has set out to celebrate the music that has influenced us over the years. We truly feel we’ve made a genre defying album with Modern Vintage.”

Judging by what I've heard from the single so far I can kind of hear such older influences. Gotta Get It Right does have the kind of old school rock feel that would have influenced them back in the 70's. Its swing rhythm is something that just isn't heard in a whole lot of modern music these days. The basic chord patterns also work for the song in this case.

However, I can appreciate the way they still made Gotta Get It Right sound like it was made in the present. I will admit that such an approach took me a few listens to catch onto, but now I'm hooked and stoked for the full album. If the rest of the album is anything like this song, Modern Vintage would probably be a very apt title.

The official music video for Gotta Get It Right will be premiering tomorrow (August 6th) on Vevo. Keep watch on YouTube for that because knowing the kinds of imagery these guys are into it ought to be quite a spectacle.

Gotta Get It Right, by Sixx AM

Swedish Bluegrass Band Steve n' Seagulls is Back with Cover of AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck'

They're at it again! Swedish bluegrass band Steve n' Seagulls has produced yet another hoedown version of a classic hard rock song. In the past these guys have done tunes from Slayer, Iron Maiden, and even pop artists like Michael Jackson. This time around it's Australian monsters of rock AC/DC's classic stadium anthem Thunderstruck.

Steve n' Seagulls definitely captured the tune in their own unique way. They didn't in any way try to copy off of AC/DC, which is what makes it great. Instead of the over the top screaming kind of vocals that AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson is known for they put in a more melodic vocal tone and even did some great down home harmonies.

The banjo playing is absolutely FANTASTIC. The banjo player absolutely nails the signature lick played throughout the majority of the song and still gets it to sound like it is still true bluegrass.

Overall I have to say I'm impressed. I knew these guys were good. I've seen some stuff they have done in the past. However, being a long time AC/DC fan I think they did this classic some serious justice. It's definitely worth listening to.

New Queen Album to Include Duets Between Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson

 

Not long ago, legendary rock band Queen announced that they would be working on and releasing a new album with songs done with the late Freddie Mercury on vocals. Many of the songs on the album will be big ballads from the 80's that the band never released.

Recently however, it was announced by NME that two of the songs on the album would be duets Mercury did with King of Pop Michael Jackson back in the early to mid 80's. The songs are apparently just demos because unfortunately the collaboration never came to fruition.

The first song State of Shock was eventually redone by Jackson and Rolling Stones vocalist Mick Jagger for The Jacksons 1982 album Victory. Mercury on the other hand did his own version of the other song There Must Be More to Life Than This for his 1985 solo album Mr. Bad Guy.

These two songs are no secret to fans of both Mercury and Jackson, though. MP3's of the collaborations have been floating around the internet for years and anyone tech savvy enough has in some way or another managed to get a hold of them. I have heard them both and find them pretty good. There Must Be More to Life Than This is a true gem and it's a shame it never went anywhere till now.

The album will be called Queen Forever and it will be the band's second posthumous project using vocal recordings from Mercury since their 1995 release Made in Heaven. Guitarist Brian May has also stated that the possibility exists that brand new material featuring current touring vocalist Adam Lambert may also be featured on the record, but nothing is for certain yet. I personally hope it's true because Queen with Lambert was absolutely phenomenal in concert.

YouTube links to both songs are below:

There Must Be More to Life Than This

State of Shock

Vivian Campbell Announces His Cancer is Gone Once Again

After a second prognosis of remission of his cancer, Def Leppard and former Whitesnake and Dio guitarist Vivian Campbell is feeling quite optimistic, though he understands he is not out of the woods just yet.

In a recent post on Facebook, Campbell said, “I’m currently in Boston and I did a scan on Tuesday morning. The scan shows that the cancer is in remission. Great news, but I’m trying not to get too excited about it, as I heard that same phrase late last year — only to be disappointed again a few months after when it returned.”

Cambell had his first remission prognosis for his Hodgkin's lymphoma fall of last year. He is still undergoing chemo along with other forms of cancer treatment once he concludes the tour Def Leppard is currently doing with Kiss.

Campbell continued his statement by saying, “The plan is to do a stem-cell transplant as soon as the tour is finished. However, to keep me in remission, my doctors have recommended that I do another, third round of the chemo, so I’m back in hospital, all hooked up and doing my rock ‘n’ roll drugs. Keef would be most proud!”

It looks like Campbell is taking a fairly healthy approach to his treatment. It can't be easy to be in his shoes, even with the cancer in remission. All we can do now is hope for the best for this guitar shredding legend.