"Open Up and Say" Issue 14 (music newsletter)
todd
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OPEN UP AND SAY...
Discussions About Music That Matters
Issue Fourteen: October 6, 1996
http://comp.uark.edu/~tcraven/openup.html
to subscribe or submit, send mail to: Todd Craven (tcr...@comp.uark.edu)
send poll/contest answers to: Wes Royer (wro...@osf1.gmu.edu)
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If you know a local band or are in one yourself, send me a tape,
and I'll include you in the "local talent" section. I'm always looking
for more good music.
This issue was produced by Todd Craven, Wes Royer, Mike Gorman,
Brian Balich, Jose Caballero, Jennifer Shrader, Brian McLean, and Dustin
Rowles. Thanks to everyone else who sent me bits of stuff.
If you'd like to send me anything to review, or just send me
something, mail to:
Open Up c/o
Todd Craven
3005 Dorothy Jeanne #6
Fayetteville, AR 72704
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Two announcements this week and a request this week:
1. Joel Ansier has been cool enough to put the newest issue of "Open Up
and Say" on his webpage. Since the official "Open Up and Say" webpage
only has specially picked back issues, Joel's page ("Mr. Scary's Temple of
Metal") is another great place to check out "Open Up and Say" on the web.
You can get to his webpage through the offical page or by going directly
to it at 'http://www.iwu.edu/~jansier/index.html'. Thanks, Joel.
2. I've received a lot of requests to split the issue into two parts,
since some servers won't accept a really large file, like "Open Up and
Say" tends to be. I prefer it as one issue, so what I'm going to do is
send out two copies: a one part issue and a two part issue. If you'd like
to receive the two part issue, instead of the one part issue, send me a
message saying so. Make sure to tell me you're already a subscriber, so
I'll know to remove you from the list of subscribers.
Also if any of you buy the new Circus of Power album due out
Tuesday, could you send me a review or just a message that says whether
it's any good or not. I really loved "Magic & Madness," but with all the
good stuff coming out this month, I have to save my money, so I can't buy
it unless I know it's good. Thanks - todd
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OPEN UP AND VOTE...A CONTEST <wro...@osf1.gmu.edu>
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PLEASE...send responses to this column to Wes Royer at
<wro...@osf1.gmu.edu> with the subject: VOTE
Remember: the more you respond, the more points towards your prize.
------------
This week's trivia questions:...name that band...
#1: Name the band that released a debut album on Elektra/Asylum Records
in 1987 that featured (hint #1) Riki Rachtman "scratching" on one song,
(hint #2) and the phone-number 281-7668 in a song about getting "your
number off the ****room wall". (1 point)
#2: Name the band that released a debut album on Chrysalis Records in
1990 that (hint #1) spoke of "Rat Race"s, "long time punches knock the
Wind outta me", & "gotta pay my dues...I've been Evicted", (hint #2) and
featured Brian Jack on lead vocals. (1 point)
Bonus #1: Name the album titles of the above band's releases: 3 titles for
band #1 (all 3 on Elektra), & 2 titles for band #2 (1 on Chrysalis, 1
indie on Chryplus). (2 points)
Bonus #2: Name the album title of Brian Jack's indie 1992 BKG release
featuring "Another Like You" & "Hard Goodbye". (1 point)
Last week's trivia questions:...name games...
#1: After Wrathchild America was dropped from Atlantic Records, they
signed to Energy Records and released 3 CDs under what new band name?
(1 point)
-Souls At Zero
#2: What MCA Records glam band did Ugly Kid Joe "model" their name off
of? (1 point)
-Pretty Boy Floyd
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ALBUM RELEASE DATES
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(Note: All release dates are US, are compiled through various sources,
and, therefore, can be completely wrong.:)
October 8
CATHERDRAL "Supernatural Birth Machine"
CHEMLAB "East Side Militia"
CIRCUS OF POWER "Swamp Metal Intoxication" (Fifth Colvmn)
FIREHOUSE "Good Acoustics"
MARTY FRIEDMAN "True Obsessions" (US release)
MARILYN MANSON "Anti-Christ Superstar"
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS "Factory Showroom"
VARIOUS "Covered in Black: A Tribute to AC/DC" (Cleopatra)
(featuring KMFDM, Die Warzau, Electric Hellfire Club, Godflesh, more)
October 15
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY "Wiseblood"
COUNTING CROWS "Recovering the Satellites"
DIE KRUPPS "Metamorphosis 81-92"
KORN "Life Is Peachy"
LEMONHEADS "Car Button Cloth"
MOTORHEAD "Overnight Sensation" (CMC International)
VARIOUS "O Come All Ye Faithful"
(featuring Bush, Sponge, Shudder to Think, Henry Rollins, Wool, more)
October 22
ALICE COOPER
BEATLES "Anthology 3"
JOURNEY "Trial by Fire"
LAIBACH "Jesus Christ Superstars" (Mute)
RUSTED ROOT "Remember"
UGLY KID JOE "Motel California"
VAN HALEN "Vol I-Best of"
October 29
DANZIG "Blackaciddevil"
L.A. GUNS "American Hardcore" (CMC)
WILCO "Being There"
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NEWS
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- Well the big news of the week is that Extreme has broken up, and also
that David Lee Roth is not back with Van Halen on a permanent basis.
(Does this mean he's been kicked out of the same band twice?) Instead of
going into too much detail of my own, I've included two news pieces on the
matters below this section of the news. Next week, I may have an
editorial on the piece.
- Led Zeppelin will reform for a benefit show next year as a tribute to
their late tour manager Pete Grant. The show will be at Knebworth County
Park, the site of their last show. Jason Bonham, son of John, will of
course be supplying drums.
- The US release of the Judas Priest tribute album, originally slated for
release this year, has been pushed back to early 1997. The US version
will be a one disc compilation of the best stuff off the European two
disc.
- Tyketto has actually not split up and is just on hiatus.
- Kiss will be continuing indefinitely with the original line-up, and Eric
and Bruce have been let go from the band. This really sucks. New Kiss
is by far the best. I'm getting a copy of the unreleased "Carnival of
Souls," so I'll have a review in a few weeks.
- CMC International will release Dokken's "One Live Night," a cool
acoustic live album that is already out in Europe, on November 12.
- The reunited Night Ranger will have a new album out in 1997.
- The future of Saigon Kick looks bleak. Jason is now doing dance remixes
for groups, while Chris and Phil are playing in a band called Planet Boom
This could be another great band down the tubes.
- Bush's new album is entitled "Razorblade Suitcase" and is due on
November 19. It is said to sound nothing like their debut which is not
surprising. Bush will launch a tour in support of the new album next
year.
- Alterna-band Pansy Division's new single on Lookout Records is entitled
"For Those About to Suck Cock, We Salute You," and the bside features a
guest appearance by Metallica's Kirk Hammett on a cover of AC/DC's
'Breakin' the Law.' (The song has now been turned into a plea against the
21 states that still has anti-sodomy laws.) The single also features the
new song 'Headbanger' and a cover of Kiss' 'Sweet Pain.' Pretty humorous.
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MORE NEWS
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Here's the news excerpts I promised above. These are both from
"Reuter's News Headlines."
"Rockers Extreme Split, Fueling Van Halen Rumors"
By Mark Egan
HOLLYWOOD (Reuter) - Heavy metal band Extreme said Thursday the band
has split up after a decade together and over 10 million albums sold,
fueling rumors the band's singer Gary Cherone may be joining Van
Halen.
Cherone has been working with guitarist Eddie Van Halen of heavy metal
band Van Halen and rumors abound he may be joining the best selling
act who were earlier thought to have been reuniting with their former
vocalist David Lee Roth.
Warner Bros., Van Halen's record company, said nothing has been
decided yet but that Cherone is one of the vocalists being considered
for the position. Van Halen's management SRO Management declined
comment.
Van Halen said in a statement Thursday it has been working with an
unnamed singer for the past two weeks but that no announcement will be
made until a contract is signed.
Extreme split amicably to pursue other musical interests, a spokesman
for the Boston-based band's record label A&M Records said.
Althought Extreme played heavy metal music they scored their biggest
hit in 1991 with the acoustic ballad "More Than Words", from the album
"Pornograffiti", which topped the U.S. Billboard charts and went on to
became a worldwide hit.
The band's last album was 1995's "Waiting for the Punchline."
Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt said at that time he was unhappy because
the band was having trouble getting radio play since it was being
boxed in the heavy metal category.
Bettencourt will release his first solo album, "Schizophonic", in
January next year in what promises to be a major musical departure.
Bettencourt sings, plays all the instruments, and produced the record
which his record label described as a mix of hip-hop, sampling and
cutting edge 1990's sounds.
Flamboyant singer David Lee Roth said Wednesday his much publicized
reunion with his old band Van Halen was little more than a deceitful
publicity stunt and that the band had hired another singer.
Roth claimed that while he was under the impression the original Van
Halen was reuniting, the band had hired another lead singer as long as
three months ago.
Van Halen refuted those claims on Thursday saying it had only agreed
to record two songs with Roth for an upcoming greatest hits package
and had never led him to believe the reunion was permanent.
"We parted company with David Lee Roth 11 years ago for many reasons,"
the statement said in part. "In his open letter of October 2nd, we
were reminded of some of them."
-------------------
(Accidentally cut the title and author.)
The flamboyant former lead singer David Lee Roth said of
his much publicized reunion with his old band Van Halen was little
more than a deceitful publicity stunt and that the band had hired
another singer.
The announcement cames less than a month after the band made a
surprise appearance at the MTV music awards in New York, their first
appearance together since an acrimonious split almost a decade
earlier.
"It sickens me that the 'reunion' as seen on MTV was nothing more than
a publicity stunt," Roth said in a statement. "I was an unwitting
participant in this deception."
Roth claims that while he was under the impression the original Van
Halen was reuniting, the band had hired another lead singer as long as
three months ago.
Van Halen's record company, Warner Bros, was not immediately available
for comment.
Van Halen had appeared to have settled differences with Roth in June
when the band parted ways with vocalist Sammy Hagar and said it was
recording with Lee Roth for songs to be included on the band greatest
hits album which is slated for release this month.
Van Halen, led by Dutch-born lead gutarist Eddie Van Halen, rose to
fame in 1978 with its multi-platinum selling eponymous debut album.
The band, who boast such hits as "Right Now" and "Jump", split with
David Lee Roth in 1985 after the singer released a best selling solo
album.
Since then the band went from strength to strength with Sammy Hagar as
vocalist. Their most recent album "Balance" debuted at the top of the
U.S. album charts at the beginning of last year.
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FEEDBACK
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Here's some comments various people sent in response to my article on
MTV's "It Came from the 80's Part II" Weekend.
1. From: Weston R Royer <wro...@osf1.gmu.edu>
Yes, Bite Down Hard is the best Britny Fox album because it doesn't have
Tom Keifer wanna be, Dizzy Dean Davidson. Dokken had many videos, just
MTV wasn't ready for a band with truly exceptional vocals and songwriting
abilities. Yes Winger's presence sucked, but Enuff Znuff wasn't much
better and neither was Poison's or Motley Crue's. Skid Row, Warrant, Van
Halen, Lillian Axe, Damn Yankees, Kik Tracee, Kix, Kiss, Metallica,
Anthrax, etc., all had the best video performances.
(I still think Winger's video presence was a joke, but then so was Enuff
Z'Nuff's. No argument there. Poison and the Crue got it together later
in their career, though. - tc)
2. From: Jennifer Shrader <shr...@uis.edu>
It was okay, but I was personally upset that they only played 'Up All
Night' and 'Fly to the Angels' by Slaughter. That is what is wrong with
radio today, they pigeon-hole a band INTO being a one-hit-wonder by only
playing their biggest songs. Slaughter had other videos. They even had
a video for 'Searchin' off of "Fear No Evil," but MTV said THEY WOULD
NEVER PLAY A WHITE ROCK AND ROLL VIDEO. -- That is almost an exact
quote, THE exact quote is on a radio interview that is linked to the
Slaughter page, if you go to the Slaughter page, you'll find it if you
don't believe me.
3. From: "Brian Mclean [Parcel Plus]" <par...@interwebb.com>
I just call it TV now, cuz whenever I click by it there's never any music
playing. Cool review though. Sounds like TV as usual an " 80's Metal Weekend"
and, what 2 hours of music?
4. Here's a longer piece from: Doug Peterson <do...@alumni.caltech.edu>
> Anyhow, the weekend revolved around the premire of MTV's "It Came
> from the 80's Part II: Metal Goes Pop." As you can tell from the title
> "Metal Goes Pop," the special celebrated those long forgotten bands known
> as 'hair bands,' 'lite metal,' or whatever you want to call them. All I
> know is that there were some good videos.
Yeah, best thing I've seen on MTV since Headbangers Ball went off.
> Have any of you seen any Dokken videos? I hadn't before the
> special (and I saw a lot of tv in the 80's). Do you know why you haven't
> seen their videos? BECAUSE THEY SUCK!
Hey, I have their video collection "Unchain the Night" and it is the
funniest damn tape you will ever see. (Don't get me wrong, I love
Dokken!) Even in the interview segments on that tape, they appear to
realize how bad their videos are. It's a real shame too, since they
made (and are still making) some amazing music. I believe George Lynch
alluded to the fact that while Dokken's image was a joke, the music was
always top-notch. But why no mention of Dokken's getting back together
and putting out new stuff? You hit the nail on the head, Todd. MTV
completely ignored the fact that some of these bands are still putting
out albums! One would never guess that Dokken, Poison, Motley Crue,
Dee Snider (Widowmaker), Cinderella, etc. have all put out albums within
the last couple of years. Oh well, at least they gave us one weekend of
decent videos.
(I haven't watched MTV in a while, but I see they're still showing
about 40 minutes of commercials per hour. How annoying is Jenny
McCarthy?!)
> Here's some interesting things also included in the special:
> 1) Former Keel vocalist Ron Keel is now a country singer. Does anyone out
> there know if he's a successful country artist? He looked stupid.
He looked very stupid. And did he always have that accent? Remember
"The Right to Rock"? I guess there wasn't much conviction behind those
lyrics.
> 3) Kix's Brian Forsythe now paints billboards. It's a shame that Kix
> is gone.
That was a sad piece, although Forsythe surprisingly didn't seem that
bitter.
> 4) They showed a bit of Ratt's "Unplugged." Why
> didn't that get a record release? Or how about Tesla, Black Crowes, Great
> White, Vixen, or Poison's "Unplugged"s?
Yeah, I was wondering why that was never released. It's already recorded,
so why can't they slap it on a CD and release it. I guess it's not cool
enough to get the MTV label nowadays.
> Now to the videos. They didn't show any rare band's videos; no
> Vain, no Enuff Z'Nuff.
One of my main problems with the special. No rare videos! Did anyone
need to see 'Pour Some Sugar on Me' again? Where was all that stuff they
used to show on Headbangers Ball that we'll probably never see again.
Videos from Babylon AD, XYZ, Spread Eagle, Sweet FA, Love/Hate, Danger
Danger, Baton Rouge ... I could go on and on. I wish they had devoted at
least one 90 minute block to rare videos.
I also would have liked to see some old Motley Crue videos from the "Shout
at the Devil" era. Four Motley videos from "Dr. Feelgood" and 'Home Sweet
Home '91'?? A little more balance would have been nice. And they kept
teasing us with the opening from Cinderella's 'Nobody's Fool' (I think
that was the video), but never showed it! Also, the Damn Yankees and
Extreme videos stuck out like sore thumbs.
> Winger's videos are what killed glam. I'm now sure of that. (Of
> course, that's sarcasm!) But what's up w/ those. They didn't feature the
> band at all. Only Kip. Kip spinning, Kip smiling, Kip trying to play a
> bass with one finger. And what's with Kip Winger's finely manicured beard
> scruff.
And those pearly white teeth! I was rolling on the floor during those
videos. Good stuff! Maybe I'm just a masochist, but I enjoy the inanity
of Dokken and Winger videos. :) The songs are good too, so that helps.
> All of this doesn't apply to Warrant. Great videos. 'Cherry Pie'
> is still amazing. And not just for Bobbi Brown either. The humor is so
> obviously tongue-in-cheek that it's great. Cool look too - everything on
> white.
Probably my favorite video of all time. Ms. Brown's charms never fail
to enchant me! And you're right, the humor and overall look are killer.
Has anyone seen videos from "Dog Eat Dog" or "Ultraphobic"? (You
mentioned a video for 'The Bitter Pill.') Those are two seriously kickass
albums. Unfortunately as long as the band is called "Warrant", they will
never get radio or MTV airplay. Warrant is almost as universally mocked
as Winger. :( I for one am anxiously awaiting their new CD (October 1st).
Jani Lane is an amazing songwriter, and Warrant never fails to blow me
away.
(I saw the video for 'Machine Gun' when it came out, and it was nothing
special. Imagine the band footage in the shack with holes in the walls
from 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' and the band dressed like they are in the picture
in "Dog Eat Dog," and you have the 'Machine Gun' video. I'd still have
loved to have seen it again, though. - tc)
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ARTICLES
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ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD
By Brian Balich (bal...@PCIMSG.PCI.UPMC.EDU)
"For every successful band like Kiss, there were ten Angels...."
- Michael McKean (Derek St. Hubbins of Spinal Tap)
It's true... for every megastar group like Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Motley
Crue, and Metallica who become family names there are artists just as
talented (in some cases more talented) who never make much of a dent
beyond cult status. My column this week is my attempt to name what I
consider the top ten underrated bands of the 70's and of the 80's who in
my opinion should have been huge. I'll also list what I consider to be the
bands' essential albums for those of you who want to check them out.
Here we go.... Remember this is only my opinion - write me and tell me
what you think (Bal...@PCIMSG.PCI.UPMC.EDU) or if you want more
info....
The Top 10 Underrated 70's Hard Rockers :
Artist Essential Listening
1. Angel Angel ('75), Helluva Band ('76), Sinful ('79)
2. Starz Starz ('76), Violation ('77), Live In Action
3. Legs Diamond Legs Diamond, A Diamond Is A Hard Rock
4. Roadmaster Sweet Music, Fortress
5. Budgie Never Turn Your Back On A Friend, In For The Kill
6. Rex Rex
7. Bang Bang, Mother/Bow To The King
8. Marcus Marcus
9. Thin Lizzy all from Fighting (1975) onward esp. Live And
Dangerous
10. UFO Lights Out, Strangers In The Night
While far from obscure Thin Lizzy and UFO, in my opinion, NEVER got the
true credit or popularity they deserved here in the U.S. Their inclusion at
the bottom of the list is not to imply that most of the bands above them
were better, I just think they received more recognition than the others
and still have name recognition today.
The Top 10 Underrated 80's Metal/Hard Rock Bands
Artist Essential Listening
1. Icon Icon, Night of the Crime
2. Black 'N' Blue Black 'N' Blue, Without Love
3. Trouble Trouble (Psalm 9), The Skull
4. Zebra Zebra, No Tellin' Lies, Live
5. Saxon all from the debut to Crusader
6. Y&T from Earthshaker to In Rock We Trust
7. Savatage all up to Gutter Ballet
These guys are still underrated but I DO prefer the older, heavier
albums to what they're doing with the current line-up. Criss Oliva,
may he rest in peace, was a true GENIUS.
8. TT Quick TT Quick (ep), Metal of Honor
9. Fates Warning anything with John Arch singing
10. White Sister White Sister
If you get the chance to pick any of these up at a used record or CD
shop check 'em out. There was life beyond Kiss, Iron Maiden, Zeppelin,
Sabbath, the Crue, etc. These bands really had what it took they just
didn't get the right breaks or push from their labels. I think you might
enjoy these records....
So until next time: Make Mine Metal !!!!!!
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CONCERT REVIEW
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STABBING WESTWARD/SPONGE
Mid-South Fair, Memphis, TN
September 26, 1996
(from the editor)
Yeah, that's right. Two great bands played at a fair. For me,
that was fine because tickets were free. All that was required was
admission to the fair, and that was only $5. If you live in the Memphis
area (it's about five hours away for me) and you missed this, you should
beat yourself because this show rocked. Especially for $5.
One slight drawback to the concert was that it poured throughout
the show. In fact, flood warnings were out, so we got a bit wet. Even
though I was cold, the bands still put on amazing sets, and I had a great
time.
Stabbing Westward opened which I was initially disappointed in
because I had wanted to see them more than Sponge. They put on a really
good show and had tons of stage presence. I was surprised their
industrial rock sounded as good live as it did, but the sound was superb.
Here's the setlist (all the songs are included, but I can't remember the
order hardly at all):
Sleep/Inside You/I Don't Believe/What Do I Have to Do?/Slipping Away/Falls
Apart/Lies/So Wrong/Violent Mood Swings/Shame
'Sleep' was a really unusual opener, but the band made it far more
aggressive that it is on "Whither, Blister, Burn & Peel." In fact, even
the songs I'm not real thrilled with on the album, sounded terrific live.
The only thing wrong with the setlist, in my opinion, is the ommission of
a lot of songs of the first album; they only played two. I expected to at
least here 'Nothing,' but they didn't play it for some reason.
Before I get to Sponge, I'll mention that both bands played pretty
short sets. They both lasted about an hour. I'm not sure if this was due
to the fact the two bands were touring together, were at a fair, or
because of the rain.
Anyway, I would probably have a lot more to say about Stabbing
Westward if Sponge hadn't blown them off the stage. In fact, Sponge blows
about any band I've seen in a long time off the stage. Not since seeing
Extreme, have I seen a band with as much stage presence as Sponge. These
guys rock!! If you like a great live show with rocking music,
!!!!!!!!!!!GO SEE SPONGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you miss the big glam concerts? You shouldn't because Sponge
are the new kings of glam. These guys were terrific and had personality
to spare. Vinnie pulled out all of the frontman tricks: swinging the mike
chord (a la, Sebastain Bach), diving into the crowd, mocking poses. And
what a voice! He sounded great live.
The rest of the boys in the band were pretty damn impressive as
well. There were synchronized stage moves, and the guitarist even through
his guitar up on his leg and came out to the front of the stage for his
solos. Man, I haven't seen that since I watched a Warrant concert on
video.
These guys impressed the crowd, too. I can't imagine everyone was
as into Sponge's music as I was before the show, but the crowd was great,
singing and jumping around. A very cool and high energy show. Here's the
setlist:
My Purity/Got to Be a Bore/Wax Ecstatic/Rotting Pinata/Molly/Silence Is
Their Drug/Plowed/Rainin'/Go Speed Racer Go/Big Girl
They played all the hits and did an especially cool reggae
version of 'Molly' that kicked in after the first chorus. 'Go Speed Racer
Go' was also a nice addition to the show. Sponge ended their set by
getting a lot of the crowd on stage to jump around (and supposedly sing
which they didn't do much of) on their unreleased but concert staple, 'Big
Girl.'
If you're considered catching Stabbing Westward, do; they won't
disappoint. But you must see Sponge; they're one of the finest live bands
I've ever seen (and I've seen quite a few). A+ for Sponge's performance.
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REVIEWS
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INANE REVIEWS
from the editor
Warrant "Belly to Belly Volume 1" CMC International
In the End/Feels Good/Letter to a Friend/A.Y.M./Indian Giver/Falling
Down/Interlude #1/Solid/All 4 U/Coffee House/Interlude #2/Vertigo/Room
with a View/Nobody Else
Warrant is back with "Belly to Belly." Now before you think
I mean they've returned to the style of "Cherry Pie," they haven't. What
Warrant has done on this album is continute to update their sound while
making an amazing album. I was a bit disappointed with "Ultraphobic."
Only about half of the songs really moved me on that disc, so I was
definitely skeptical coming into "Belly to Belly," especially since all of
the songs are written "by Warrant." (As we all know, Jani wrote the first
three albums, and "Ultraphobic" sort of suggested that he should have kept
on doing that.)
On "Belly to Belly," though, Warrant pretty much disgards the
grunge riffs some of the tracks on "Ultraphobic" had. (For example, the
title track which basically steals Nirvana's 'Smells like Teen Spirit'
note-for-note.) "Belly to Belly" is probably more of a metal album than
their previous effort. There's some really aggressive stuff here,
like 'A.Y.M.' and 'In the End,' though nothing as hard as a few tracks on
"Dog Eat Dog." What Warrant manages to do on "Belly to Belly" that they
didn't do on "Ultraphobic," though, is keep the catchiness and the melody
in the aggression.
Most of the songs have a laid back verse followed by an aggressive
chorus or bridge, but each song has a different feel to it, from the jazz
feel of 'Nobody Else' to the Beatle-esque 'Room with a View' (which is
probably the most old Warrant-ish with its mix of electric and acoustics.)
The songs have great vocal lines, and Jani does some interesting stuff
with the vocals (like the distortion on 'Solid' and the far-away sound on
'Feels Good.')
Something many Warrant fans may be disappointed in (myself
included) is that there aren't really any ballads on here. There are lots
of catchy, touching, mid-tempo songs that ballad fans will enjoy, though,
like 'Letter to a Friend,' 'All 4 U,' and 'Room with a View.' Also,
the lyrics are really strong on this album. (Which is nice since some of
"Ultraphobic" wasn't too hot in the lyric department, 'Sum of One,' for
example. Great song, weak lyrics.) Lane's lyrics are as good here as
some of the stuff on "Dog Eat Dog," especially on songs such as the
satirical 'A.Y.M.' (which seems to particularly attack Kurt Cobain), the
touching 'Letter to a Friend,' and the story-like 'Room with a View.'
One more thing to mention before I get to the songs on the album
is the addition of Bobby Borg on drums. Borg is a great drummer;
something Warrant has been in desparate need of throughout their career.
Borg has a similar improv style similar to Paul or Mike from Extreme (I
really can't tell those two players apart) or even the great Dave
Abbruzzese from Pearl Jam. (That's pretty much the highest compliment I
could give Bobby.) Adding Bobby Borg was a great move for Warrant.
Now to the music. 'Feels Good' is just an amazing song. The
chorus is so catchy you just want to sing along. And the same goes for
'Vertigo.' 'Letter to a Friend' is a nice, laid-back song with a tribal
feel provided by Borg. 'All 4 U' has a jangley guitar sound and is very
laid back. (In fact the song reminds me a lot of 'No Excuses' off Alice
in Chains' "Jar of Flies" album.) 'All 4 U' incorporates Periel Marr on
back-up vocals, and her performance is a real highlight of "Belly to
Belly." (Marr sounds a bit like Ann Wilson from Heart/Lovemongers.)
Another highlight on the album is the great guitar riff on
'A.Y.M.' (which stands for 'Angry Young Man') which has a bit of a blues
feel, similar to something you might find on a Circus of Power or the
first Pride & Glory album. 'Coffee House' also has this Southern rock,
blues sound and is another great track.
The only unstellar track on "Belly to Belly" is 'Indian Giver'
which is actually the most "Ultraphobic"-like song. The guitar line is
very unimaginative and sounds like something any band could have done.
The song's still pretty decent, but just not up to the quality of the
other songs.
A great quality of "Belly to Belly" besides the great songs is
its really strong production; all of the instruments are at the exactly
right level. ("Ultraphobic" kind of sounded like a muddled mess.) I hope
Warrant continues to self-produce, since this record turned out so well.
On "Belly to Belly," Warrant finally sounds like a band that knows
exactly what it's doing; something they haven't sounded like since the
loss of the two original members. This is a great album, and even if you
were turned off by "Ultraphobic," I suggest checking this one out. (I
hope I haven't slagged "Ultraphobic" too bad. I did like it; it just
isn't as good as Warrant's other stuff.) "Belly to Belly" is an amazing
album from a band for the nineties. It'll be a shame that lots of people
won't hear this simply because it's by Warrant.
Highlights: 'Room with a View,' 'Feels Good,' 'Vertigo,' 'Letter
to a Friend'
Rating: A
(Check out Mike's column below ("Musically Incorrect") for another review
of "Belly to Belly.")
---------------------
Tool "Aenima" Zoo Entertainment/BMG Music
Stinkfist/Eulogy/H./Useful Idiot*/Forty Six & 2/Message to Harry
Manback*/Hooker with a Penis/Intermission*/Jimmy/Die Eier Von Satan*/
Pushit/Cesaro Summability*/Aenema/(.) Ions*/Third Eye
For some reason, I expected a change in sound from Tool on this
album. They didn't change their sound anywhere near as much as I thought
they would though. In fact, they didn't change it at all. This album
sounds exactly like Tool. And I guess that's a good thing. I love Tool,
and they don't really sound like anyone else, so why change a good thing?
I guess that's what they thought too. If you liked Tool before, you'll
like "Aenima." If you didn't like them before, well, just skip this
review and the album.
Actually, a few things are different on "Aenima," Tool's third
album. The most notable thing is that the songs are LONG. We're talking
ten minute epics all over the place with huge improv-type jams. With most
bands, I would be doing a lot of skipping to the next song, but Tool can
pull it off beautifully because all of the musicians in Tool are top
notch. ("Aenima" marks the debut of Tool's new bassist Justin Chancellor
whom I can't tell the difference from old bassist Paul D'Amour.)
A second thing that is new on this album is the insertion of
non-music tracks. I put an * beside all those songs in the track listing,
and each one of them is a bit different. 'Useful Idiot' is just a few
seconds long and sounds like part of 'Forty Six & 2.' 'Die Eier Von
Satan' is a depressing industrial piece with clangs and someone reciting
German laid over the music. '(.) Ions' is just a bunch of noise and
pretty annoying, while 'Message to Harry Manback' (my favorite 'non-song'
on here) is a really beautiful organ melody with a pretty obscene threat
read over it (obviously addressed to Harry Manback, whoever he is.) I
could have done without a couple of these tracks, but they're pretty cool
overall.
Now to the songs. There's really no need to delve too deeply into
the songs because, like all of Tool's other stuff, they're pretty similar.
Tool doesn't expirement with instruments or layout or sounds too much, so
if you like one song, you like them all. 'Stinkfist' has probably the
catchiest chorus Tool's ever written and is a great first single, while
'Hooker with a Penis' is incredibly aggressive and has a great crunchy,
attacking guitar part. Maynard gets to show off his screams here too.
(Also, cool lyrics. What I can understand, that is.) 'Third Eye' varies
all over the place from just noise overlayed with a joke by Bill Hicks to
full-on Tool attack. 'Third Eye' goes on for over fifteen minutes and
changes throughout. A great closer.
October is the make or break month for metal, in my opinion. Tool
leads off the onslaught of the new albums from the 'young' metal bands
that are coming out this month. If Marilyn Manson, Korn, and Corrosion of
Conformity can keep up the pace tool has set (and I'm sure they can), then
metal has a chance of surviving into the nineties. If not, then it may be
done for because these bands are the best thing metal has going for it.
(especially with the demise of Prong.) Of course, this is just my two
cents worth.
But back to Tool. If you're in the mood for some depressing,
agressive, long songs played by a talented bunch of guys, go get this.
It's a really amazing album, and it's nice to hear new Tool after such a
long break between albums. I can't decide if I like this better than
"Sober" or not, but it's definitely a keeper.
Highlights: 'Hooker with a Penis,' 'Stinkfist,' 'Pushit'
Rating: A-
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW
by Jose Caballero (jo...@odyssee.net)
Skid Row - Subhuman race (1995 - Atlantic records)
Rating: B
Track listing: My Enemy - Firesign - Bonehead - Beat Yourself Blind
Eileen - Remains to Be Seen - Subhuman Race - Frozen
Into Another - Face Against my Soul - Medicine Jar
Breaking Down - Iron Will
I'll tell you right now, I had very high expectations for this CD after their
'91 masterpiece "Slave to the Grind". Then when I heard 'My Enemy' (the
first single released off this album) before the album had come out, I thought
to myself: 'hhmm, this is good, but something's missing. It's not as good
as their first 2 albums'. And, in my opinion, that's really the problem
throughout this whole album. With the exception of 4-5 songs, more often than
anything, the rest of the songs fall short, leaving me waiting for something
to happen.
Sebastian Bach's voice is still one of the best in heavy metal today in my
opinion (and in my book, that guy's the definition of cool! :) but most of the
songs lack either the heaviness of "Slave to the Grind" or the melody of
"Skid Row" (their first, self-titled, album). Standouts being 'My Enemy,'
just a simple, good heavy song, then there's the 2 power ballads 'Into
Another' and 'Breaking Down' (seems these guys just can't do a bad
ballad!:), and also the powerful "Beat Yourself Blind" wich is the
closest thing to "Slave to the Grind" material. As for the rest, there's
'Bonehead' and 'Subhuman Race' wich are 2 punk-sounding, short little
numbers (wich is not my cup of tea) and the remaining songs sound like
filler material to me. Let's just say that I find myself hitting the
"skip" button on my CD player more that I'd want to! :)
Now I'm waiting to see what their next move will be, what direction they'll
follow on their next CD. I think the next album they release will really be
crucial to this band's career, as it'll determine wether they'll start
fading away like so many other "80's bands" (I hate that categorization, but
you see my point) or if they'll come back on top. Because let's face it;
"Subhuman race" wasn't that much of a success commercially of artistically.
C'mon Baz, forget about trends and all the crap that's out there today
and show us that the youth is still "gone wild"!! :)
(Got to disagree here. I think "Subhuman Race" is the best Skid Row
album. Great stuff and their most aggressive album to date. 'Breakin
Down' is bar-none the best song Skid Row has ever written, and 'Beat
Yourself Blind,' 'Bonehead,' and 'Face Against My Soul' are just amazing
ass kickers. Terrific album, and a definite A. -tc)
-------------------
Flotsam and Jetsam - Drift (1995 - MCA Records)
Rating: B+ (going on A :)
Track listing: Me - Empty Air - Pick a Window - 12 Year Old with a Gun
Missing - Blindside - Remember - Destructive Signs
Smoked Out - Poet's Tell
In this day and age of alterna-crap and punk wannabes, do you find yourself
looking for straight-ahead, no holds-barred, no bullshit power/thrash metal?
If so, then look no further than this album by veteran rockers Flotsam &
Jetsam. Now, let's get one thing straight; for those out there who still
see this band as "only" Jason Newsted's (Metallica's bassist) ex band,
think again! You can forget that pre-conceived notion right away. With
"Drift", F&J have reached maturity in their own sound and show a very
appreciable self-confidence that should definitively put to rest mentions
of Newsted.
This album shows an innovative approach, soundwise, in this band's long (and
sadly unrecognized) career. It has a more "atmospheric" (for lack of a
better word) feel to it than previous F&J records. Be it the often dark and
introspective lyrics or the inclusion of hints of contemporary influences
(Alice in chains and early Soundgarden come to mind), one thing's for sure;
it makes for a major kickass album! (And don't worry about the Aic and
Soundgarden hints, it still sounds like REAL heavy metal! :-)
From the get-go, the album opener 'Me' pounds you in the face hard as you
notice the good production on this CD. This thing just blasts out of your
speakers! Second track 'Empty Air' (my favorite :) completely rocks with
the double guitar assault of Michael Gilbert and Edward Carlson. These
guys sure know what they're doing! Other standouts include '12 Year Old
with a Gun,' a very angry and original sounding song, with socially aware
lyrics, that just explodes with heaviness towards the end. 'Destructive
Signs,' a slower-paced song with thought-provoking lyrics, showcases
highly enjoyable Spanish-flavored strings that gives it added feeling.
'Pick a Window' and 'Smoked Out' are two other tracks that set themselves
apart. The rest of the album, while not of such equally high caliber,
still is very enjoyable.
This being said, and considering F&J previous records wich are also pretty
good, this is a band that deserves to come out of the shadow with this
above-average CD, and finally get some recognition. If you're one of many,
like myself, who were dissapointed by "Load" from you know who :-D then
don't let this one get passed by you. It'll more than make up for it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WESSMAN'S REVIEWS...W.E.T.
Wes Royer <wro...@osf1.gmu.edu>...Northern Virginia/Washington DC
-Please send any comments, complaints, suggestions, corrections, band
e-mail addresses, & scandals to <wro...@osf1.gmu.edu>...speak your mind;
it's welcomed.
"RE-"QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
-"LIVE TO REIGN, REIGN TO LIVE. The best is yet to come...-And to all
those who believe in us, I think sometimes more than we do...May the hair
on your toes never fall out." -Hobbit blessing from Gypsy Reign's 1991
"Grevious Chasms of Torturous Hellfire and Wanton Sin."
NEW RELEASES & "ABOUT DAMN TIME I REVIEWED THESE" RELEASES:
-NOTE: I was going to include a review of AC/DC's "Ballbreaker", but
then i realized that would be boring because let's face it...all their
albums start to sound the same. But i would give it a B grade.
CRANBERRIES "To The Faithful Departed" 1996 Island Records (52:26) A
(1) Hollywood (2) Salvation (3) When You're Gone (4) Free To Decide (5)
War Child (6) Forever Yellow Skies (7) The Rebels (8) I Just Shot John
Lennon (9) Electric Blue (10) I'm Still Remembering (11) Will You
Remember? (12) Joe (13) Bosnia
The Cranberries' incredible 1993 debut went unoticed until their
follow-up 1994 "No Need To Argue" took radio by storm...and it was
rightfully deserved because the songs were well written & had a unique
sound. So with that in mind, one can't help but have high expectations
for their latest, "To The Faithful Departed". And while this CD has some
more complex (-maturing) arrangements mixed with some new styles & sounds
from Dolores and crew, Cranberries have managed to create yet another
ear-catching CD full of original music blending majestic acoustic guitar
& atonal chords. Track 1 is a good representation of what the listener
is to expect from the rest of the CD: soft then heavy, peacefully quiet
than emotionally loud. "Salvation" is the heavest track on the CD, which
is almost a shame considering that it is a energy driven rocker that
should get anyone outta bed in the morning; also, the lyrics are quite
dramactic in their message on heroin, "inject your souls with liberty".
The other single "Free To Decide" is another great song (and good choice
for a single) showcasing their acoustic talents & letting Dolores put
forth her enthusiastic vocals. "When You're Gone" incorporates a 50's
bubble-gum rock sound with a modern ballad sound. "War Child" is a
touching track incorporating some orchestration. "Forever Yellow Skies"
could of come right off their first album. Then the rest of the tracks
are the usual mix of slow tempo tunes & mild rockers that have
occassional orchestration, flutes, & other interesting instruments. The
last 3 tracks "Will You Remember?", "Joe", & "Bosnia" all heavily
incorporate their majestic ethnic sound. All'n'all another great CD by
The Cranberries, but there is one problem here; while this showcases
their best songwriting yet, some of the simple melody of the first 2
albums is lost to a degree of complexity in the writing. But still, this
is a talented, well arranged album. Tower records is offering an import
version with several bonus tracks for those eager for more.
HELLOWEEN "The Time Of The Oath" 1996 Victor Ent. Tokyo () B+
(1) We Burn (2) Steel Tormentor (3) Wake Up The Mountain (4) Power (5)
Forever And One (Neverland) (6) Before The War (7) A Million To One (8)
Anything My Mama Don't Like (9) Mission To Motherland (10) Kings Will Be
Kings (11) If I Knew (12) The Time Of The Oath (13) Still I Don't Know
(14) Take It To The Limit
This is the Japanese import version which includes the last 2
tracks; both tracks are more rock-oriented than might be expected from
Helloween, but prove to be worthwhile tracks; "Take It To The Limit"
features some majestic guitar solos.
I really like this singer, Andi Deris; he's got a great voice for
this high energy, fast-paced, & sometimes comical music. And of course
Michael Weikrath & Roland Grapow don't cease to impress on the guitars.
"We Burn" will hit you in face after the intro with it's rapid &
thunderous drums and Debris's strong vocals. "Steel Tormentor" will make
you wish that Iron Maiden still sounded like this. "Forever And One
(Neverland)" is an incredible ballad with Royal Hunt or Shadow Gallery
sounding backing vocals that add so much to the choruses. In fact most
of this CD's songs have these full sounding vocals. For other
comparisons: "A Million To One" could pass off as a Royal Hunt tune, &
"The Time Of The Oath" could pass off as a Psycho Drama song. "Mission
Motherland" is a 9 minute epic with moody interludes & "If I Knew" is a
epic sounding ballad in the vain of Iron Maiden with keys. Helloween
just seems to get better with time, and more diverse. And while some of
you that listen to hardrock/AOR might not think of buying a Helloween CD,
you might be surprised especially if you like Yngwie style music.
W.A.S.P. "Still Not Black Enough" 1996 Castle Records/Sanctuary Music () B+
(1) Still Not Black Enough (2) Skinwalker (3) Black Forever (4) Scared To
Death (5) Goodbye America (6) Somebody To Love (7) Keep Holding On (8)
Rock And Roll To Death (9) I Can't (10) No Way Out Of Here (11) One Tribe
(12) Tie Your Mother Die (13) Whole Lotta Rosie
-Contact: http://www.castleus.com
Remember the music WASP gave us in the eighties on up to
"Headless Children"? That was some great stuff (maybe with the exception
of "Inside The Electric Circus"!). But when 1992's "Crimson Idol" was
released, i lost hope of ever hearing that style of heavy-hitting,
Blackie-screaming, almost-gothic rock; that CD was just too
conceptional. But let it be known that Blackie & company are back to
impress. The the material on this CD is supposed to be a lighter
extension to the "Crimson Idol" concept, yet i don't fully hear it,
especially with three covers, "Somebody To Love", Queen's "Tie Your Mother
Down", & AC/DC's "Whole Lotta Rosie" and the inclusion of "Rock And Roll
To Death" from the greatest hits release. I'd compare most of this
material most closely with the "Headless Children" album. "No Way Out Of
Here", "Black Forever", & "Scared To Death" are the only tracks that i
hear "Crimson Idol" in. "Keep Holding On" is a absolutely beautiful
piano-led ballad much in the same sound of "Hold On To My Heart".
"Scared To Death" starts out with Blackie narrating to the music. "I
Can't" has an almost country acoustic guitar flare leading into some
heavier music with aggressive vocals. For any WASP fan disappointed with
"The Crimson Idol", your prayers have been answered; get this album. But
even if you did enjoy "Crimson"'s modern WASP sound, it's still there.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MUSICALLY INCORRECT
by Mike Gorman (Lover...@aol.com)
What's up guys? As always, marriage proposals, love/hate mail,
and bands interested in sending me their demos for review....can email
me at me aol address.
Let's start this week off with a review.
Warrant- "Belly To Belly" (CMC International thru BMG Distribution)
OH MY FUCKING GAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWD. UMMMMMM. Excuse the
language please? This is THE best album i have heard in a couple years,
and may in fact be the best album I have EVER heard. If you were
expecting "Cherry Pie", you're out of luck; conversely,
if you were expecting "Ultraphobic," you're also out of luck. This album
is VERY hard to put in a catagory. Damn, maybe mix the Beatles with
Alice in Chains.... I don't know. What I do know is that it's
outstanding.
The first six songs on this album just caused my jaw to hit the
ground. Lyrics are great, VERY depressing and sad, but great.
Outstanding Beatles vibe on 'In the End' which leads into a heavy droning
chorus. First Single 'Feels Good' was played on the Warrant summer tour.
Jani Lane uses some vocal effects as he does on some tunes throughout the
album. Awesome chorus....could this single be a hit? 'Letter to a
Friend' was to be the first single, but was scratched at the last minute.
This song is also outstanding. 'A.Y.M' (Angry Young Man), the lyrical
answer back to "Big Bang Baby," has a riff remincient of "Machine Gun"
except it's more gutteral souding. Infectious beat to this sucker.
'Indian Giver' is another song that Warrant played live on their tour.
Another song with a monster groove and a monster chorus....
I could go on...but ...I don't wanna wreck it for y'all. If there is ANY
justice in this world, this album will lead to a comeback by Warrant. I
urge every single one of you to run out and get this album.....Jani Lane
had said something at a concert that I attended in July, he said
something to the effect "this new album will destroy all your previous
notions about Warrant" I took Jani to task for that, thinking that he
flipped his lid.
He hasn't.
GRADE: A+
All of yas looking for some good ol rock n roll/techno/pop/dance music?
;) Check out the second EMF album called "Stigma" It was released in
1992 I believe. Contains some great music.
Goin to see the Goo Goo Dolls and a new band called Universal Honey in a
week or so. I'm due to receive the Universal Honey album in the mail
this week, hopefully I'll have a review of it in the next issue.
Start my bass lessons next week, I still envision myself as a lead
singer, but the people who have heard me warble say "Mike, stick to
learning bass."
Dishwalla=Warrant...........something to think about. Kudos to Anne
Legihton for pointing that one out. Christ Dishwalla sounds like they
listened to their Cherry Pie and Dog Eat Dog albums.
Until next time people!!!
mike
******************************************************************************
ONE HIT WONDERS
******************************************************************************
Bang Gang "Love Sells" Sinclair Records, 1990
Pedal to the Metal/20th Century Boy/The Neon Fairytale/Young &
Restless/You Make the Beat Go On/Be a Model (Or Just Look Like
One)/Dangerous/Thrill After Thrill/B.M.G. (Be My Girl)
I just picked this up for $1.99 in a used bin the other day, so I
thought I'd give it a review. I remember seeing Bang Gang's video for
'Young & the Restless' many years ago on "Headbanger's Ball" and had
considered getting the album but never got around to it. When I finally
decided to get the album, of course, it was too late, and it was gone.
Bang Gang was far from popular. (In fact, I only saw the video once or
twice to begin with.)
Anyway, this album is definitely cool for $2. Bang Gang is full
glam, though more in the 70's/early 80's style of Hanoi Rocks or T. Rex,
than Warrant or Poison. The boys are all pretty compotent players and
they have a cool look. (Los Angeles leather and make-up, circa 1988 or
so.) Vocalist Jet Silver (great name!) has a really nice voice; just
grating enough to carry off rockers and ballads a good range. Silver
reminds me a bit of Taime Downe, though far less grating and not near as
unique or good.
None of the songs are anything special. Most of the tracks are
rockers, with 'Pedal to the Metal,' 'Young & the Restless,' and 'Be a
Model' being the highlights. One of the tracks, '20th Century Boy,' is a
T. Rex cover that Bang Tango also covered on their "Ain't No Live...Jive"
ep. Bang Gang actually reminds me a bit of Bang Tango (one of my favorite
hard rock bands). Aside from the name similarites and the cover, some of
the guitar work is similar to Bang Tango's. While Bang Gang doesn't have
the dark sound, the funk, or the originality Bang Tango had, they would
have made a nice opening act for that band. 'Yound & the Restless' has an
especially similar Bang Tango vibe, with an opening guitar riff that
sounds like it came right off "Dancing On Coals."
'The Neon Fairytale' is a slower track, though not quite into
ballad material, and is really nice. It sounds like something that the
L.A. Guns might have attempted on "Cocked & Loaded." Very nice. 'B.M.G.'
features acoustics and has a nice laid-back feel.
Overall, a pretty decent album, so if you see it in the used bins,
pick it up. It's worth two dollars, just for 'B.M.G.' which is actually a
bit unique in sound. It's no surprise that Bang Gang didn't hit it big,
but they're nice to here now that glam's pretty much gone.
Highlights: 'The Neon Fairytale,' 'B.M.G. (Be My Girl,' 'Young &
the Restless'
Rating: B
******************************************************************************
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