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Who Cares (Ian Gillan, Tony Iommi & Friends) – Out Of My Mind / Holy Water
Who Cares (Ian Gillan, Tony Iommi & Friends) – Out Of My Mind / Holy Water (2011, earMUSIC/Eagle Rock Records)
1. “Out of My Mind” … 5:19
2. “Holy Water” … 7:00
Band:
Ian Gillan – Vocals
Tony Iommi – Guitar
Linde Lindstrom – Guitar
Jason Newsted – Bass
Nicko McBrain – Drums
Jon Lord – Keyboards
How’s THIS for a super group: Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, Iron Maiden’s Nick McBrain, ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, ex-Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord and HIM’s Linde Lindstrom! Well, um, nothing against Lindstrom but, wow, he feels a bit out of place doesn’t he? I think his connection is he’s either dating or married to Iommi’s daughter.
Who Cares was initially a project put together by Gillan & Iommi to help benefit the rebuilding of a music school in Armenia but there was always the vague promise that Gillan & Iommi would continue to work together on some new material. I imagine with a reunited Black Sabbath that won’t be happening… ever (Sabbath will probably take up the next few years and these guys are old enough already). Shame. I’d much rather hear a Iommi & Gillan record (Geezer can tag along too) than a new Sabbath album with Ozzy.
Initially released as a digital single, the album has been made available on 7″ vinyl (limited to only 1,000 copies) and as a deluxe CD single featuring a video clip and a 30 minute documentary.
Despite being a one-off super-group that implied Tony & Ian might continue to work together, Who Cares went a bit under the radar, I think. Yes, it was done for charity so it’s not like there was any huge label or promotion backing this but given the talent involved I would have expected more buzz from the rock/metal community. The songs are just phenomenal and while I haven’t heard any of Gillan’s recent work with Deep Purple, the guy can still sing and scream like a rock ‘n’ roll god (even if his voice is a tad bit weathered, but at 66 years old, I’ll give him a break).
“Out of My Mind” is just plain heavy. Not Born Again heavy, but still heavy nonetheless, stomping along and sounding Black Sabbath & Deep Purple put in a blender: Iommi pulling out a great riff and solo, Gillan singing with venom and Jon Lord doing what he does best. Musically, it’s really not too far off from what we might’ve heard from Heaven & Hell.
“Holy Water” is a bit more majestic in scope with a taste of the Middle East. I’m not all that well-versed on Deep Purple with Steve Morse but from what I have heard, this sounds like the type of song you might hear from them as Jon Lord’s keyboard factors heavily into this track and Gillan is a bit more subdued.
Who Cares was put together for a great cause and features great music so it’s definitely worth buying. It also shows us what a great pairing Gillan & Iommi can still be and hopefully we can get some more music of out this duo in the future.
Stryper – The Covering
Stryper – The Covering (2011, Big3 Records)
1. “Set Me Free” … 3:45
2. “Blackout” … 3:58
3. “Heaven and Hell” … 6:11
4. “Lights Out” … 3:44
5. “Carry On Wayward Son” … 5:16
6. “Highway Star” … 5:45
7. “Shout It Out Loud” … 3:15
8. “Over the Mountain” … 4:21
9. “The Trooper” … 3:53
10. “Breaking the Law” … 3:02
11. “On Fire” … 3:08
12. “Immigrant Song” … 2:18
13. “God” … 4:55
Band:
Michael Sweet – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Backing Vocals
Oz Fox – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Timothy Gaines – Bass, Backing Vocals
Robert Sweet – Drums
Additional Musicians:
Charles Foley – Keyboards, Organ, Piano
Producer: Michael Sweet
And Stryper continues their trend for having AWFUL album covers. =P
Luckily, the album art is not a good indicator of the music itself because this is seriously one great album of covers! When I first heard it was going to be a cover album, I kind of rolled my eyes. That’s usually a sign that a band is slowing down and/or giving up on new material but then they started releasing all these samples and they sounded amazing. I guess the band has caught some flack from their Christian fanbase for having the gall to cover secular music and evil bands such as Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and KISS but whatever. Get over yourselves! Christian acts don’t need to be singing about God & Jesus in every single song. Just because you want to cover Van Halen and Scorpions it doesn’t mean you’ve turned your back on the Lord.
Anyway, what a great line-up of bands to cover! In order, they are: Sweet, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, UFO, Kansas, Deep Purple, KISS, Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Van Halen and Led Zeppelin. The only original song of the bunch is “God” which is a fantastic hard rocker that just doesn’t let up and gives me hope that maybe the band will put out an entirely new and original album later this year.
It was Murder By Pride that pulled me onto the Stryper bandwagon. That was a very good album. Sometimes a veteran act seems to be going through the motions even when they release new material but that wasn’t the case then and even though the band is covering songs here, they still sound energetic and on fire. ”God” gives me hope that maybe the band will put out an entirely new and original album later this year because they are on a roll.
The band stays pretty faithful to the source material only making slight alterations here and there but these are some killer covers. “Blackout” and “Lights Out” are pure fire and it’s interesting to hear Michael Sweet vocals on these songs. I think he’s got a unique singing style and it’s interesting hearing him find some middle ground between his own style and the styles in which these songs were originally sung.
One of the better cover albums I’ve heard. Essential pickup for 2011.
Highlights: “Set Me Free”, “Blackout”, “Lights Out”, “Shout It Out Loud”, “On Fire”, “God”
WHITESNAKE – Trouble
Whitesnake – Trouble (1978, Geffen Records)
1. “Take Me With You” … 4:44
2. “Love to Keep You Warm” .. .3:43
3. “Lie Down (A Modern Love Song)” … 3:14
4. “Day Tripper” … 3:47
5. “Nighthawk (Vampire Blues)” … 3:40
6. “The Time is Right for Love” … 3:27
7. “Trouble” … 4:48
8. “Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick” … 3:25)
9. “Free Flight” … 4:05
10. “Don’t Mess with Me” … 3:18
Band:
David Coverdale – Vocals
Micky Moody – Guitar
Bernie Marsden – Guitar, Vocals (“Free Flight”)
Neil Murray – Bass
Dave Dowle – Drums
Jon Lord – Keyboards
Producer: Martin Birch
Though it isn’t the first album to bare to Whitesnake name, Trouble is the first full-fledged group effort because Snakebite (released earlier in the same year) featured a handful of David Coverdale solo material that was recorded before Whitesnake was formed.
It’s amazing how well put together the sound and direction of this band was right out of the gate. Trouble sets the tone for the rest of the group’s blues-rock era. But could we really expect anything less given the talent involved? Coverdale delivers his typically wonderful vocal performance throughout (though he would get even better on later albums), Jon Lord’s keys dance delicately and enhance the songs instead of bogging them down and the guitar duo of Moody & Marsden is quickly becoming one of my favorites and has convinced me I really need to buy those Company of Snakes albums. Neil Murray also puts in a fine performance as does drummer Dave Dowle.
There’s a number of notable songs on this release, even if upon first listen, none really stuck out to me. The band takes The Beatles’ “Day Tripper” and gave it a blues-rock feel to pretty cool effect. Dig that voice box! “Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick” is an awesome instrumental and no offense to Mr. Coverdale, but it’s one of the best songs on the album. Then there’s “Free Flight” which features the vocal talents of Bernie Marsden. Again, it may be missing Coverdale but it’s a great number.
Now that I’ve heard this album about eight or nine times all the way through, I enjoy all the songs to one degree or another. There’s no immediate “hit” but this is great 1970s hard rockin’ blues.
Picked this one up used on Amazon.com for only a few bucks.
Highlights: “Take Me With You”, “Day Tripper”, “Trouble”, “Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick”, “Free Flight”, “Don’t Mess With Me”
DEEP PURPLE – Burn
Deep Purple – Burn [30th Anniversary Edition - Remastered] (2005, Warner Bros. Records/Rhino Records/Purple Records)
Original Release: 1974, Warner Bros. Records
1. “Burn” … 6:00
2. “Might Just Take Your Life” … 4:36
3. “Lay Down, Stay Down” …4:15
4. “Sail Away” … 5:48
5. “You Fool No One” … 4:47
6. “What’s Goin’ on Here” … 4:55
7. “Mistreated” … 7:25
8. “”A” 200″ … 3:51
BONUS TRACKS
9. “Coronarias Redig” [2004 Remix] … 5:30
10. “Burn” [2004 Remix] … 6:00
11. “Mistreated” [2004 Remix] … 7:28
12. “You Fool No One” [2004 Remix] … 4:57
13. “Sail Away” [2004 Remix] … 5:37
Band:
David Coverdale – Lead Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
Glenn Hughes – Bass, Lead Vocals
Ian Paice – Drums
Jon Lord – Keyboards
Producer: Deep Purple
Years ago, during a Columbia House or BMG Music binge, I ordered Deep Purple’s Perfect Strangers and then I never bothered with another Purple album. I wasn’t overly impressed by the album at the time and I’ve always had this hang-up on Deep Purple that they were “too 70s” and too heavy on keyboards and organs and that’s just not my style of rock.
Well, years later I decided to give the band a chance again by picking up Burn featuring the Deep Purple debut of two of my favorite rock vocalists – David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. It didn’t hurt that I found this anniversary edition online, brand new, for only six bucks and some change.
Again, everything about this album screams 1970s. The keyboards, the album cover, the funky & bluesy bass lines. I should really hate this album but somehow, I like it. I don’t love it, but I like it a lot and its a real treat listening to Coverdale and Hughes share lead vocals. Coverdale didn’t play any instruments in the band, so I’ve always wondered how he felt about sharing vocals with a band member who is playing an instrument as well. Just seems like a weird deal to me, but it was the 70s after all!
This album began the end of Ritchie Blackmore’s involvement in the band he co-found as he hated the bluesy and funky direction Hughes and Coverdale were taking the group in. I will say this, this album features some GREAT performances by Coverdale. Just listen to “Mistreated”.
The remixes I guess are nice if you have a really good ear or sound system for that type of stuff. I don’t have either, but I appreciate the effort put into this package to make it something special. “Coronarias Redig” was a B-side and is a pretty cool funky jam. There’s a very comprehensive booklet as well that’s full pictures and talks about the history about the band during this time frame. I love it when reissues include retrospectives like that. It oughta be a law.
Highlights: “Burn”, “Might Just Take Your Life”, “Sail Away”, “You Fool No One”, “Mistreated”, “Coronarias Redig”
BLACK SABBATH – Purple Sabbath Definitive Edition
Black Sabbath – Purple Sabbath Definitive Edition (CDR bootleg)
Recorded: November 4, 1983 at The Centrum in Worchester, MA
1. “Captured Live Intro” … 1:12
2. “Black Sabbath Intro” … 2:20
3. Children of the Grave” … 5:05
4. “Hot Line” … 5:01
5. “War Pigs” … 7:30
6. “Iron Man” … 8:59
7. “Zero the Hero” … 7:46
8. “Heaven and Hell” … 8:42
9. Guitar Solo … 8:42
10. “Digital Bitch” … 3:51
11. “Black Sabbath” … 7:52
12. “Smoke on the Water” … 5:18
13. “Paranoid” … 3:51
Band:
Ian Gillan – Vocals
Tony Iommi – Guitar
Geezer Butler – Bass
Bev Bevan – Drums
Geoff Nicholls – Keyboards
With all of the singers Sabbath has had, it’s very interesting to listen to them having to cover each other. In this bootleg of Captured Live radio show featuring a performance in ’83, we not only get to hear then-current singer Ian Gillan sing a few his own killer songs from Born Again (and Deep Purple!), but also the works from Ozzy and Dio. He does a very good job on “War Pigs” especially, I think. I’ll take a live Gillan version of “War Pigs” over the Ozzy studio version any day (yes, my dislike for Ozzy knows no limits).
I even enjoy the lengthy guitar solo. I don’t see how so many rock fans can hate it when solos come up. I often think they’re the most interesting part of live performances. You already know the songs by heart, you don’t want to listen to some different and live that you’ve never heard before? There’s also a fine performance of “Smoke on the Water”, from Gillan’s old band Deep Purple. Apparently, this cover didn’t go over well with the Sabbath fanbase at the time when they would play it at concerts, but I don’t see what the big deal was.
It’s really unfortunate that after this tour Gillan ended up leaving Sabbath to rejoin Deep Purple (even though they would would deliver a great comeback with Perfect Strangers) because this line-up produced some great live performances and one of Sabbath’s best (and heaviest) albums. It would’ve been really interesting to see where they went from here.
Highlights: “Hot Line”, “War Pigs”, “Zero the Hero”, “Heaven and Hell”, Guitar Solo, “Smoke on the Water”, “Paranoid”
www.blacksabbath.com
www.heavenandhelllive.com
www.myspace.com/heavenandhelllive
www.deeppurple.com
www.myspace.com/deeppurple
WHITESNAKE – Saints & Sinners
Whitesnake – Saints & Sinners (1982, Geffen Records)
1. “Young Blood” … 3:30
2. “Rough an’ Ready” … 2:50
3. “Bloody Luxury” … 3:24
4. “Victim of Love” … 3:34
5. “Crying in the Rain” … 5:58
6. “Here I Go Again” … 5:08
7. “Love an’ Affection” … 3:08
8. “Rock an’ Roll Angels” … 4:07
9. “Dancing Girls” … 3:09
10. “Saints an’ Sinners” … 4:22
Band:
David Coverdale – Lead Vocals, Piano, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Bernie Marsden – Guitar
Mel Galley – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mick Moody – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Neil Murray – Bass
Ian Paice – Drums
Jon Lord – Keyboards
Produced by: Martin Birch
Phenomenal release and I’m ashamed it took me so long to own it (though I still think Good to Be Bad is my favorite ‘snake album). Coverdale has always used blues in the band’s music, even into their pop metal era, but man, this is some great bluesy hard rock. And check out Jon Lord on keyboard! I’ve grown to appreciate Deep Purple and their heavy use of the keyboard more over the years, so it’s actually nice to hear it featured prominently here as well. This would be the last Whitesnake album to feature both of Coverdale’s ex-Deep Purple bandmates Ian Paice and Jon Lord (though Lord would continue in the band until ’84).
I’ve never had a problem with the pop-metal version of Whitesnake (though I think Slip of the Tongue was a bit too slick for its own good) and I’ve never had a problem with the bluesier early years either, but you can’t deny the greatness of the old bluesier sound when hearing Saints & Sinners. As great as Coverdale’s voice is, it’s nice to hear him scaling back on the high pitch wailing he used so much on 1987′s Whitesnake and 1989′s Slip of the Tongue.
Of course, it’s no secret “Crying in the Rain” and “Here I Go Again” debuted on this album before getting a pop metal makeover in 1987. This version of “Crying in the Rain” is far and away the better version, it’s full of soul. As for “Here I Go Again”, it’s a nice (original) take on the song, but I prefer the bombastic version the band would later record.
My favorite track is “Dancing Girls”. The riff is great and the chorus is catchy as heck. This should be played right alongside “Girls Girls Girls” in every strip club in America.
I’ve noticed some discrepancies in regards to the contributions of Bernie Marsden and Mel Galley on this album. Most sources I’ve seen say one or the other played guitar (some say Galley only provided backing vocals), but until I get a confirmation either way, I’ll credit both on guitar and as members of the band.
Highlights: “Young Blood”, “Crying in the Rain”, “Here I Go Again”, “Love an’ Affection”, “Rock an ‘Roll Angels”, “Dancing Girls”, “Saints an’ Sinners”
RAINBOW – Down to Earth
Rainbow – Down to Earth [Remastered] (1999, Polydor Records)
Original Release: 1979, Polydor Records
1. “All Night Long” … 3:49
2. “Eyes of the World” … 6:39
3. “No Time to Lose” … 3:41
4. “Makin’ Love” … 4:36
5. “Since You Been Gone” … 3:16
6. “Love’s No Friend” … 4:51
7. “Danger Zone” … 4:27
8. “Lost in Hollywood” … 4:51
Band:
Graham Bonnet – Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
Roger Glover – Bass
Cozy Powell – Drums
Don Airey – Keyboards
Produced by: Roger Glover
Don’t get me wrong, I like Dio-era Rainbow, but it’s their more AOR/commercial-minded efforts that I enjoy most. I’ll put the slick mainstream hard rock of “Since You Been Gone”, “Street of Dreams” and “Stone Cold” against anything they did when Ronnie James Dio was in the band.
And Dio wasn’t the only Rainbow member to exit the band: Bob Daisley and David Stone were replaced by former Deep Purple bandmate Roger Glover and keyboardist Don Airey. With journeyman Cozy Powell on the drums, this is an incredibly strong line-up.
It’s a shame things didn’t work out with Graham Bonnet (this is his only Rainbow album) because he’s a fantastic vocalist turning in some great performances on “Makin’ Love”, “Eyes of the World” and “No Time to Lose” especially.
The sound is different from the medieval so-called “dragon rock” of the Dio years, but as far as I’m concerned this is another classic release and is fantastic from start to finish it… even if my woman said she didn’t like it and “they should like they’re trying to be KISS”.
I love the album’s cover. It’s so very 70s and happy thanks to the use of the cosmic rainbow. =-) It would be the last Rainbow album to feature a rainbow on the cover though. =-(
Highlights: All of it
DEEP PURPLE – Perfect Strangers
Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers [Remastered] (1999, Mercury Records)
Original Release: 1984, Mercury Records
1.”Knocking at Your Back Door” … 7:04
2.”Under the Gun” … 4:38
3.”Nobody’s Home” … 3:59
4.”Mean Streak” … 4:21
5.”Perfect Strangers” … 5:28
6.”A Gypsy’s Kiss” … 5:12
7.”Wasted Sunsets” … 3:55
8.”Hungry Daze” … 4:58
9.”Not Responsible” … 4:47
BONUS TRACK
10.”Son of Alerik” … 10:07
Band:
Ian Gillan – Vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
Roger Glover – Bass
Jon Lord – Organ, Keyboards
Ian Paice – Drums
Produced by: Deep Purple
I bought this album close to 10 years ago basically just for “Knocking at Your Back Door”. I ended up liking “Perfect Strangers” as well, but quickly disregarded the rest of the album. It was nothing more to me than bad 70s keyboard/organ heavy rock. That was then, this is now and this album rocks!
I’ve become much more easy going when it comes to 70s hard rock/metal acts like Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple (all three of these bands kinda ran in the same circles, didn’t they). After initially passing this album off as an oddity for something released during the 80s, I can now appreciate the “classic” sound Deep Purple brought to this comeback release. In striving to to match their “classic” sound, Deep Purple ended up putting out something in 1984 that didn’t really sound like anything else going on at the time and as much as I love the 80s, that’s really cool of them and it payed off in a big way.
This would be the popular “Mark II” line up of the band making the comeback. Deep Purple hadn’t released an album since 1975 and the Mark II grouping hadn’t released one since 1973. The reunion was a success with the album reaching #6 on the Billboard charts and the subsequent tour selling out. The album went on to go platinum in the States and double platinum in the UK.
The 1999 remastered version features the instrumental bonus track “Son of Alerik” which previously had only been released as a B-side to the “Perfect Strangers” single.
Highlights: “Knocking at Your Back Door”, “Under the Gun”, “Mean Streak”, “Perfect Strangers”, “A Gypsy’s Kiss”, “Wasted Sunsets”, “Hungry Daze”, “Not Responsible”
TESLA – Real to Reel
Tesla – Real to Reel (2007, Tesla Electric Company Recordings/Rykodisc Records)
1. “Space Truckin’” [Deep Purple] … 4:48
2. “Walk Away” [The James Gang] … 4:20
3. “Hand Me Down World” [The Guess Who] … 3:44
4. “Bad Reputation” [Thin Lizzy] … 4:40
5. “Thank You” [Led Zeppelin] … 4:47
6. “I’ve Got A Feeling” [The Beatles] … 4:26
7. “Day Of the Eagle” [Robin Trower] … 5:01
8. “Ball Of Confusion” [The Temptations] … 4:25
9. “Rock Bottom” [UFO] … 8:45
10. “Stealin’ ” [Uriah Heep] … 4:02
11. “Bell Bottom Blues” [Derek and the Dominos] … 4:58
12. “Honky Tonk Women” [The Rolling Stones] … 3:26
13. “Dear Mr. Fantasy” [Traffic] … 6:37
Band:
Jeff Keith – Lead Vocals
Frank Hannon – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Dave Rude – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Brian Wheat – Bass, Piano, Backing Vocals
Troy Luccketta – Drums
Produced by: Tom Zutaut
This was one of the soundtracks to the summer of ’07 for me. A lot of decent stuff came out that spring and summer and this was one of the albums I listened to. Honestly, though, it’s a good release, I don’t think it’s anyting special.
These are covers of primarily 1960s/1970s blues rock (though a Temptations cover manages to sneak in) and therein lies the problem — I’m not a fan of those decades. I’m certainly not a fan of the 60s at all, though the 70s did start to kick things up a notch in that decade’s later years. Out of all the bands who are being covered, there are only four I have a passing interest in: Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin, and UFO. Even then, I wouldn’t really call myself a “fan” of those bands. I’ve committed rock blasphemy, I know.
So this album isn’t a home run (cover albums usually aren’t) but there are a few songs that held my interest. “Space Truckin’” is a great cover of the Deep Purple classic and Tesla does an amazing version of UFO’s “Rock Bottom”.
The packaging for this album includs a spot for you to place to the CD of Real to Reel, Volume 2, which was initially only available by buying tickets to one of their summer concerts. It was later released commercially.
Highlights: “Space Truckin””, “Bad Reputation”, “Ball of Confusion”, “Rock Bottom”, “Bell Bottom Blues”
