Monthly Archives: January 2009
BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION – Here Come the Brides
Brides of Destruction – Here Come the Brides (2004, Sanctuary Records)
Track Listing:
1. “Shut the F*ck Up” … 3:03
2. “I Don’t Care” … 3:21
3. “I Got a Gun” … 3:48
4. “2x Dead” … 5:38
5. “Brace Yourself” … 4:04
6. “Natural Born Killers” … 4:31
7. “Life” … 3:32
8. “Revolution” … 4:37
9. “Only Get So Far” … 5:07
Band:
London LeGrand – Lead Vocals
Tracii Guns – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Nikki Sixx – Bass, Backing Vocals
Scot Coogan – Drums, Backing Vocals
Additional Musicians:
John Corabi – Rhythm Guitar
Kris Kohls – Drums
Produced by: Steve Bruno
Brides of Destruction were a “supergroup”, which was put together by Nikki Sixx (while Motley Crue took one of their many breaks) and L.A. Guns’ Tracii Gun. Ex-Motley Crue singer John Corabi was recruited to play guitar and nu-metal band Adema’s Kris Kohls was to be the drummer, but both were out of the band by the time of this album’s release.
I remember London LeGrand catching a lot of flack before the album was even released, with some of the more negative rock/metal sites saying he “sucked” and was a horrible singer. Just not hearing that here. The guy’s voice is fitting this music perfectly, which is a blend of 80s hard rock, punk, power pop, and modern hard rock. I love London’s performance on “I Got a Gun”.
The band never took off though, even though they did manage to get an appearance on The Tonight Show. They chose “Shut the F*ck Up” as their lead single, which was a mistake because it was heavily edited for radio and received very little play. The band even chose to play that song on The Tonight Show and it sounded horrible without them being able to utter that four-letter word.
I remember as soon as the album was released, Nikki was crowing about how much more material they had and that they would be releasing ANOTHER album in 2004, but it never happened. Eventually, Motley came calling again and Nikki ditched the band, though they soldiered on without him and released Runaway Brides in 2005.
This album shows a lot of promise though, I don’t think there’s any filler here and I’ve often wondered what the follow-up album would’ve sounded like if Nikki had remained fully involved.
“Only Get So Far” was originally written by Nikki with Faith Hill & Tim McGraw in mind, but that didn’t pan out. And if anyone still has complaints about London’s voice, they should check out that song as well.
Highlights: “Shut the F*ck Up”, “I Got A Gun”, “2x Dead”, “Brace Yourself”, “Life”, “Only Get So Far”
www.myspace.com/bridesofdestruction
THE UNION UNDERGROUND – …An Education in Rebellion
The Union Underground – …An Education in Rebellion (2000, Columbia Records/Portrait Records)
Track Listing:
1. “An Education In Rebellion” [Instrumental] … 1:08
2. “Drivel” … 2:55
3. “South Texas Deathride” … 3:24
4. “Turn Me On ‘Mr. Deadman’” … 2:39
5. “Until You Crack” … 3:28
6. “Killing The Fly” … 3:45
7. “Natural High” … 3:26
8. “Revolution Man” … 3:40
9. “Trip With Jesus” … 3:26
10. “Bitter” … 3:53
11. “The Friend Song” … 2:24
Band:
Bryan Scott – Vocals
Patrick Kennison – Guitar
John Moyer – Bass
Josh Memelo – Drums
Produced by: Bryan Scott, Don Gilmore, Ulrich Wild
The Union Underground were one of two new acts (Mars Electric being the other) that were signed to the revitalized Portrait Records in the late 90s. The John Kalodner-led Portait was mostly set up as a haven for 80s rock & metal acts, in an attempt to copy the success Kalodner had with turning Aerosmith from a tired 70s act to a popular act back again in the 80s.
I LOVE this album. “Turn Me On ‘Mr. Deadman’” was a minor hit and hooked me enough during my experimental phase to give this new band a shot. The truth is, the album still holds up. It’s extremely catchy nu metal/industrial metal. It stays melodic and never crosses too much over into the typical cold industrial sound.
It’s a very dark album though and the use of drugs is commonly mentioned, so it’s not a “feel good” album and I have to be in a special mood to want to hear it.
Sadly, the band didn’t do much after this album (which just fell short of going Gold). They put out a live album after this but, oddly, their most well-known song is probably “Across the Nation”, which was used as the theme song to WWE RAW for a few years and was released on a WWE compilation album.
John Moyer now plays bass for Disturbed.
Highlights: Can’t pick just one, it’s all very good.
www.myspace.com/unionundergroud (pretty sure this was their official MySpace page, hasn’t been updated in a few years)
EXTREME – Pornograffitti
Extreme – Pornograffitti (1990, A&M Records)
Track Listing:
1. “Decadence Dance” … 6:49
2. “Li’l Jack Horny” … 4:51
3. “When I’m President” … 4:21
4. “Get The Funk Out” … 4:24
5. “More Than Words” … 5:34
6. “Money (In God We Trust)” … 4:11
7. “It (‘s a Monster)” … 4:24
8. “Pornograffitti” … 6:15
9. “When I First Kissed You” … 4:00
10. “Suzi (Wants Her All Day What?)” … 3:38
11. “He-Man Woman Hater” … 6:20
12. “Song For Love” … 5:55
13. “Hole Hearted” … 3:39
Band:
Gary Cherone – Lead Vocals
Nuno Bettencourt – Guitar, Piano, Keyboard, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Pat Badger – Bass, Backing Vocals
Paul Geary – Drums, Percussion
Additional Musicians:
Dweezil Zappa – Guitar
Pete Christlieb – Sax
Joel Peskin – Sax
Bob Findley – Trumpet
Chuck Findley – Trumpet
Dick Hyde – Trombone
Bill Watrous – Trombone
Produced by: Michael Wagener
AKA – Extreme II: Pornograffitti. Great album. Extreme were a band I originally had a hard time getting into outside of the mega hits “More Than Words” and “Hole Hearted”. Upon first listen, this album was just too much funk metal for me, but now I’ve seen the error of my ways. Funny enough, I felt the opposite about 2008′s Saudades de Rock… which didn’t have *enough* funk metal!
So besides the two previous mentioned songs (which didn’t really represent the band’s overall style accurately), there’s a number of monsters here. “Get the Funk Out” is probably my favorite Extreme song, it’s so big and bombastic and catchy. I love it.
Check out “He-Man Woman Hater” for some great work from Nuno.
Highlights: “Decadence Dance”, “Li’l Jack Horny”, “Get the Funk Out”, “More than Words”, “Pornograffitti”, When I First Kissed You”, “Suzi (Wants Her All Day What?)”, “He-Man Woman Hater”, “Song for Love”, “Hole Hearted”
www.extreme-band.com
www.myspace.com/extreme
SPINAL TAP – This Is Spinal Tap
Spinal Tap – This Is Spinal Tap [Remastered] (2000, Polydor Records)
Originally Released: 1984, Polydor Records
Track Listing:
1. “Hell Hole” … 3:07
2. “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight” … 2:38
3. “Heavy Duty” … 4:28
4. “Rock and Roll Creation” … 4:08
5. “America” … 3:31
6. “Cups and Cakes” … 1:33
7. “Big Bottom” … 3:32
8. “Sex Farm” … 3:20
9. “Stonehenge” … 4:36
10. “Gimme Some Money” … 2:26
11. “(Listen to the) Flower People” … 2:38
BONUS TRACKS
12. “Christmas with the Devil” … 4:24
13. “Christmas with the Devil” (Scratch Mix)” … 4:42
Band:
David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) – Lead Guitar, Mandolin, Backing Vocals
Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) – Bass, Backing Vocals
Mick Shrimpton (Ric Parnell) – Drums and percussion
Viv Savage (David Kaff) – Keyboard, Backing Vocals
Produced by: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer
A pretty famous album serves as the soundtrack to the mockumentary movie This Is Spinal Tap, starring the fictional band Spinal Tap. Taking the ficitional band’s fictional album catalog into account, you could also kinda view this as their greatest hits. Various points of the band’s history were talked about in the movie and songs like “Gimme Some Money”, “(Listen to the) Flower People” and “Cups and Cakes” represent the band’s earlier 60s/70s output.
As silly as the lyrics can be at times, it’s actually some really good songs here. You change the lyrics and you’ve got some legit killer songs here like “Heavy Duty” and “Rock & Roll Creation”. But as it stands, these songs are still strong rockers even with the purposefully silly lyrics. “Stonehenge” even would’ve have a creepy intro if it wasn’t for the narration.
“Big Bottom” is the most well-known song here and for good reason, it’s catchy and hilarious. “Sex Farm” right up there with it. “Christmas with the Devil” and it’s remix, which also combine humor with solid hard rock, was released on the 2000 remaster.
A must have for anyone who is a fan of 70s/80s hard rock & metal.
Highlights: “Hello Hole”, “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You”, “Heavy Duty”, “Rock and Roll Creation”, Big Bottom”, “Sex Farm”, “Stonehenge”, “Christmas with the Devil”
THE DARKNESS – One Way Ticket to Hell… and Back
The Darkness – One Way Ticket to Hell… and Back (2005, Atlantic Records)
Track Listing:
1. “One Way Ticket” … 4:28
2. “Knockers” … 2:45
3. “Is It Just Me?” … 3:07
4. “Dinner Lady Arms” … 3:18
5. “Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time” … 3:46
6. “Hazel Eyes” … 3:27
7. “Bald” … 5:33
8. “Girlfriend” … 2:35
9. “English Country Garden” … 3:08
10. “Blind Man” … 3:25
Band:
Justin Hawkins – Vocals, Guitar, Sitar, Piano, Hammond, Mini-moog, Synthesizers
Dan Hawkins – Guitar, Bass, Marching Drum, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Richie Edwards – Bass, Backing Vocals
Ed Graham – Drums
Additional Musicians:
Stuart Cassells – Bagpipes
Produced by: Roy Thomas Baker
Though Permission to Land is the more successful and better reviewed album, I actually think this is The Darkness’ best moment. The album lacks the heavy crunch of Permission to Land and replaces it with a lush, slick & polished sound backed by all kinds of musical instruments… and this is actually an improvement. I love it.
Though the formula has been polished, the band hasn’t lost their sense of humor. “Bald” is quite the hard rocker, one of the best rock songs of the decade, in my honest opinion, and it’s about, guess what? Going bald! “Knockers” and “Girlfriend” also showcase the silliness of the band.
Truly, a low down dirty shame this album went unnoticed because it has some great moments and the band was really onto something incredible. Of course, the parody became too real as Justin Hawkins entered rehab and the band eventually broke up after initially deciding on replacing Justin. Hopefully the Hawkins brothers can reunite and we can get that third Darkness album.
It must’ve been a dream come true for the Queen-influenced band to get Roy Thomas Baker to produce.
Highlights: “One Way Ticket”, “Knockers”, “Is It Just Me?”, “Dinner Lady Arms”, “Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time”, “Bald”, “Girlfriend”
www.teamhotleg.com (Justin Hawkins’ band)
www.myspace.com/teamhotleg
www.stonegods.co.uk (Dan Hawkins’ band)
www.myspace.com/thestonegods
DANGER DANGER – Danger Danger
Danger Danger – Danger Danger (1989, Epic Records)
Track Listing:
1. “Naughty Naughty” … 4:50
2. “Under the Gun” … 4:39
3. “Saturday Nite” … 4:18
4. “Don’t Walk Away” … 4:56
5. “Bang Bang” … 3:56
6. “Rock America” … 4:54
7. “Boys Will Be Boys” … 4:58
8. “One Step from Paradise” … 4:47
9. “Feels Like Love” … 4:52
10. “Turn It On” … 3:40
11. “Live It Up” … 3:54
Band:
Ted Poley – Vocals
Andy Timmons – Guitar
Bruno Ravel – Bass
Steve West – Drums
Kasey Smith – Keyboard
Additional Musicians:
Tony “Bruno” Rey – Guitar
Produced by: Lance Quinn
I see this band get lumped into the glam and hair metal category alot, but to me, they’re a slick, keyboard-driven hard rock/pop act that has more in common with the AOR groups of the 70s than any of the glam acts of the 80s.
“Naughty Naughty” was the band’s biggest hit and is certainly very hair metal (just read the lyrics!), so maybe that’s why they got put into a category I personally don’t feel they belong in.
Nonetheless, as slick and light as this album is, I really enjoy it. Ted Poley is a good vocalist and I’m actually surprised this band didn’t break bigger on the mainstream as the music here (well, besides “Naughty Naughty”…) could have easily found itself on a pop station at the time. “Don’t Walk Away”, “One Step from Paradise” and “Feels Like Love” could have made many a prom night for some young awkward 1980s couple… Or at least done well on the roller rink circuit during the “slow skates”.
Honestly, this isn’t an album you can crank up too loud, it’s incredibly cheesy and dated, but it’s a great guilty pleasure.
Highlights: “Naughty Naughty”, “Saturday Nite”, “Don’t Walk Away”, “Bang Bang”, “One Step from Paradise”, “Feels Like Love”, “Live It Up”
www.dangerdanger.com
www.myspace.com/dangerdanger
THE DARKNESS – Permission to Land
The Darkness – Permission to Land (2003, Atlantic Records)
Track Listing:
1. “Black Shuck” … 3:20
2. “Get Your Hands Off My Woman” … 2:46
3. “Growing on Me” … 3:29
4. “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” … 3:36
5. “Love Is Only a Feeling” … 4:19
6. “Givin’ Up” … 3:34
7. “Stuck in a Rut” … 3:17
8. “Friday Night” … 2:56
9. “Love on the Rocks With No Ice” … 5:56
10. “Holding My Own” … 4:56
Band:
Justin Hawkins – Lead Vocals, Synthesizer, Guitar, Piano
Dan Hawkins – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Frankie Poullain – Bass, Backing Vocals
Ed Graham – Drums
Produced by: Pedro Ferreira
“I Believe in a Thing Called Love” was a bit of a phenomenon 2003, causing the album and the single to both go Gold, and while I appreciated the *music*, I absolutely hated Justin Hawkin’s falsetto vocals. But, after enough airplay on the local radio station, I kinda started to like it so I finally broke down and bought the album. Funny enough, I bought it just in time (for $9.99) at FYE because they song *really* took off a few weeks later and they jacked the price up to their usual $18 0r $19.
It’s odd that Hawkins high pitch singing would bother me, because hair metal (my favorite genre) and heavy metal in general are no strangers to high pitched voices and I’ve never had any problem with it. These days, his voice doesn’t bother me at all.
After hearing the album a few times, I wasn’t really impressed with it. I thought it to be average at best, though my fiancee LOVED it and basically kidnapped the CD for close to a year. A few months previous to their follow up One Way Ticket to Hell… And Back being released, I gave this album a chance and fell in love with it.
I don’t know why I wasn’t getting it the first time around, but this album is a great hard rocker embodying everything that was good about 70s glam rock and 80s hair metal while adding a bit of Brit quirkiness. The influences are obvious here: AC/DC, Queen, Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Van Halen and the like.
Unfortunately, the band’s greatness was entirely too short lived, they managed only to put out one more album before the band faded away due to Justin Hawkins entering rehab and later, both Hawkins brothers pursued separate projects.
Highlights: “Black Shuck”, “Growing on Me”, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”, “Love Is Only a Feeling”, “Stuck in a Rut”, “Friday Night”, “Love on the Rocks With No Ice”, “Holding My Own”
www.teamhotleg.com (Justin Hawkins’ band)
www.myspace.com/teamhotleg
www.stonegods.co.uk (Dan Hawkins’ band)
www.myspace.com/thestonegods
CINDERELLA – Heartbreak Station
Cinderella – Heartbreak Station (1990, Mercury Records)
Track Listing:
1. “The More Things Change” … 4:22
2. “Love’s Got Me Doin’ Time” … 5:19
3. “Shelter Me” … 4:47
4. “Heartbreak Station” … 4:28
5. “Sick for the Cure” … 3:59
6. “One for Rock and Roll” … 4:29
7. “Dead Man’s Road” … 6:38
8. “Make Your Own Way” … 4:15
9. “Electric Love” … 5:23
10. “Love Gone Bad” … 4:20
11. “Winds of Change” … 5:24
Band:
Tom Keifer – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Dobro, Mandolin, Piano
Jeff LaBar – Guitar
Eric Brittingham – Bass
Fred Coury – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Additional Musicians:
Bobby Schumann – Guitar
J. Harman – Drums
Rod Roddy, Brian O’Neal, Rick Criniti – Keyboard
Jay Levin – Steel Guitar
The Memphis Horns: Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Trumpet
Jay Davidson – Saxophone, Piano
Ken Hensley – Organ
Bashiri Johnson – Percussion
Elaine Foster, Sharon Foster, Tara Pellerin, Carla Benson, Evette Benton, Curtis King, Brenda King, Tawatha Agee, Eric Troyer – Backing vocals
Produced by: John Jansen & Tom Keifer
A great continuation of the sleazy cowboy blues rock vibe (with some funk thrown in) that the band started on Long Cold Winter. “Heartbreak Station” is definitely one of my favorite Cinderella songs and the funk rocker “Love’s Got Me Doin’ Time” is a real foot stomper.
It’s a shame Cinderella’s popularity didn’t continue with this album as their sound expanded, Heartbreak Station is great stuff from an era when many hair bands (and their labels) were *really* playing it safe and by the numbers. Thus, we got grunge. >=/
Highlights: “The More Things Change”, “Love’s Got Me Doin’ Time”, “Shelter Me”, “Heartbreak Station”, “Dead Man’s Road”, “Electric Love”, “Love Gone Bad”
www.cinderella.net
www.myspace.com/stillclimbing
