Van Halen: Definitive Manchester 1978

37 minutes of Van Halen scorching the stage in Manchester England 1978 opening for Black Sabbath (good luck following this band Ozz!). Nine songs from the self titled debut are played and the band does not fuck around. Roth mach 78 actually had a voice and is the ringleader while the rest of the band follows his lead as bassist/backing vocalist Michael Anthony and drummer Alex Van Halen are like a category 5 hurricane headed right your way.

Eddie Van Halen steals the show here (no shocker) as Ed makes it sound like the studio yet, live at a quicker speed due to the party treats being consumed I’m sure. The man is no pun on fire. What a treat it would have been to have caught these guys on that debut tour. Even squeezed in the 36 minute is a bass/drum solo and of course Eruption. The band even debuted D.O.A which would not come out til the following year (1979).

The sound of this  Manchester show is mint and it gives us the listener a chance to go back in time and hear what it was like to see a band headed for the top!

Gotta love bootlegs as look at those pictures from the 2003 tour below as well a pic taken from the “Hide Your Sheep Tour” back in ’83 used on the back cover.

M.S.G: Perfect Timing (1987)

It was a good news, bad news kind of scenario for Michael Schenker (ex-UFO) back in the year of 1987. The good news was Michael got himself a new singer (Robin McAuley) and basically a whole new group of bandmates. Producer Andy Johns whose past resume included Led Zeppelin as well as the current hot band at the time Cinderella dialled in the sonics on “Perfect Timing”. Michael also changed up the name of the band to “McAuley Schenker Group” as up to the point the band had been known as the “Michael Schenker Group”. More good news was the fact that the leadoff single from this new version of M.S.G “Gimmie Your Love” cracked that elusive Billboard Singles Top 100 sales chart.

Could it be after three previous albums doing not really much in North America could this be the breakthrough and push Mikey and his band of pals over the top. The bad news was the album stalled at 95 on the Billboard album charts. I originally bought “Perfect Timing” on cassette tape for the trusty Walkman for those commutes to and from my job.

To be totally honest I have no idea why this album didn’t sell. It has a bunch of great rock on it (“No Time For Losers”, “Get Out”) also some mid tempo tracks (“Love Is Not A Game”, “Don’t Stop Me Now”, “I Don’t Want To Lose”) and the power ballad (“Time”). For myself, one song that I have yet to mention which I think sums up what I like best about this version of M.S.G is the song  “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” which has those trimmings of what I like best about this act.

Michaels playing of course is stellar, Robin’s singing is fantastic with a super duper catchy chorus with a snappy bass line as well. “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” I loved back in 87 and I still consider it a great track in 2024.

Considering how much I dug this album back in the late 80s I never bought it on CD and it  was only this past weekend I picked this up on vinyl at a record fair. When I found it buried in a bin I thought holy smokes, here’s another one of those albums that will probably never be reissued. (take a bow Vinnie Vincent).

“Perfect Timing” is on Youtube and Apple Music so it’s out there. Sure the drums sound 80ish but I’m frozen in time musically so I’m good with this stuff  including that ridiculous  hair pictured below.

Robert Plant : Manic Nirvana Tour Soundboard

I have always dug Robert Plant’s solo music from the 80s and really enjoyed it even more when Bobby released “Now And Zen”(1988). When the 90s came around Plant dropped “Manic Nirvana”. Up to that point In Robert’s career I would have to say that “Manic Nirvana” is perhaps my favourite of the bunch followed by the over produced yet so ridiculously good “Now & Zen”. Robert was smart as the 80s progressed as he went from having dudes in his band that were probably closer to his age to getting a bunch of younger looking dudes as by 1988 MTV was the thing. It’s about image, you know. Plant put together a young looking rock act behind him but they had the musical muscle to back it  up live which this bootleg proves.

 

This boot was recorded back in Oct ’90 and what a set list. Plant goes through all of his solo career plus Robert and his young band of rockers even dipped into the Zep catalog. Overall this is a great sounding soundboard show and all players involved deliver it live. One of the highlights for me is “Liar’s Dance” which features guitarist Doug Boyle on acoustic and Plant on vocals. “Liars Dance” is one of my all time favourite Plant tracks. Boyle does his part picking and strumming  throughout. Such a killer track…

One omission from this double vinyl is “Tall Cool One” but that’s how it goes with bootlegs at times. Pictures that aren’t right and songs omitted but I ain’t bitching as I love these shows as long as they are labeled as “Soundboard”.

Skid Row/Buckcherry (March 20th 2024)

 

Who knew that when the Skid Row/Buckcherry tour rolled into Thunder Bay on March 20th (the show was postponed from October ’23) that it would be Skid Row lead vocalist Erik Gronwall’s third last show with the band. (more on that later)

The auditorium was packed out and from what I heard 1400 out of 1500 tickets were sold plus the cost was kept down ($60 a ticket). As anyone that lives here knows, these shows are few and far between.

Sierra Plot, a Canuck band were the openers and they had more of a current rock sound happening and were also plugging a current single called “Turpentine” from there new album “Phantom Pains”.

After a short changeover Buckcherry hit the stage with one of their bigger hits “Lit Up” (yeah, the cocaine song). Singer Joshua Todd has his own vibe going on as a frontman. Buckcherry is built around AC/DC like riffs and I have to add that guitarist Stevie played some wicked solo’s and at times even hitting the wah pedal. The band ploughed through the catalog from the last 25 years and ended their set with a “Crazy Bitch” medley (“Sex Machine, Bad Girls,Irresistible Bitch, Proud Mary”) Buckcherry are road dogs as they have been one of those bands that always stops into this town.

It didn’t take long to hear the sounds of sirens, smoke and lights going all over the place and before you know it here comes the huge power riffs of opener “Slave To The Grind”. Skid Row hit the stage hard and at a quick tempo. “Big Guns” came next and it was a Greatest Hits set played for the most part (“18 & Life, I Remember You, set closer Youth Gone Wild”). Some deeper tracks were played (“Livin On The Chain Gang, Piece of Me, Ramones cover of PsychoTherapy”) as well three from the current  “Gang’s All Here” release (the title track, “Time Bomb and Resurrected”). Skid Row are still a solid live act (this was my sixth time seeing them) and they still crush it live.

SLAVES TO THE GRIND

Livin  On The Chain Gaaaaaang!

Singer Erik Gronwall was fantastic live, working the stage,talking to the crowd and even at one point jumping down into the pit.

That’s why it was crazy to read that he was leaving the band (health reasons which to say the least is very valid) less than a week after they played town. You have to hand it to Erik and Skid Row. They kept it inhouse and kept it professional.

This was Skid Row’s first time back in Tbay in 32 years and hopefully it won’t take them another 32  to make it back.

A little Pyscho Therapy

KISS: Knoxville Rock City (1979)

KISS at the end of 1979 were limping home to the finish line as the Dynasty Tour was on its last legs. I’m sure it’s no secret that the band was divided into two. Gene and Paul (counting cash) and Peter and Ace ( in party mode ask Tom Synder) were coming apart at the seems but before Peter Criss got the boot in early ’80 I was recently able to acquire this soundboard show from Knoxville and hear for myself if the shows were sloppy KISS or were they keeping it together for the KISS Army.

The setlist featured here is the one I heard a month later (Duluth Minnesota) for myself as a 12 year old but for some reason ‘ ‘Beth” is not on here (but was played that night). The sound is not bad considering but the sound guy at times is cranking up the guitars, turning them down, jacking up the vocals, turning them down.

But as a fan it’s cool to hear Move On from Stanley’s 78 solo album. (were they piping in background vocals during the middle section before the chorus?) The biggie disco hit “I Was Made For Lovin You ” is played at breakneck speed. Tempos are sped up throughout the album’s 15 tracks but it doesn’t matter in the end as KISS didn’t care as I’m sure they all wanted this tour to end. For myself though it’s a pretty cool reminder of what I had heard at my first KISS show around this time as a 12 year old.

(On a side note I love the cover as that’s Singer and Thayer featured in the makeup. Love bootlegs)

Judas Priest: Unleashed In New York (1979)

While everyone is going bonkers over how good the new Priest record “Invincible Shield” (myself included) is, let’s check out this soundboard show from ’79 I scored a few months back at a local record fair.

Recorded March 11th 1979 at an invite (supposedly) show at the Mudd Club in NYC has Priest firing on all cylinders. Check out that setlist on the back cover.

Not too sure if this show came before the recording of the official Judas Priest “Unleashed In The East” live opus that came out later in ’79, but this eight pack track of rock solidifies that Priest were slowly taking over North America one club at a time. (they also opened for KISS in the arenas that year as well).

The playing is flawless as expected and drummer Les Binks still makes the case for being perhaps the best drummer ever to be in Priest (listen to “Starbreaker”). Rob Halford soars vocally staking his claim to become the Metal God a year later in 1980!

The one funny thing is with it being a small crowd it almost sounds like when Rob introduces a few of the songs he’s mumbling into his mic.

If you’re interested this full show is up on YouTube. It’s a crystal clear recording. One of the best soundboard shows I have ever heard on vinyl.

Vinnie Vincent Invasion (1986)

Back in ’86 I could not be bothered with the “Vinnie Vincent Invasion” debut when it first hit the streets. I borrowed it from a pal from Highschool and dubbed it from his bought cassette tape to my blank tape. I was looking for Vinnie “Lick It Up” tunes like the one he did three years earlier in KISS, but nope not close. With Vincent off the Gene and Paul leash no one could tell Vinnie what to do (although I’m sure producer/bassist Dana Strum perhaps may have tried) and armed with a $8 million (or something like it) record deal. Vinnie was gonna shred, and shred he did. I could not wrap my head around this craziness so it was quickly dismissed.

Weird thing though a few weeks back there’s the debut album staring me directly in the face on vinyl nonetheless after almost four decades at a local record fair. I bought it for a decent price. The verdict is  it sounds like an album from ’86 and that’s isn’t a dig as the drums have not aged well.  Vinnie takes a perfectly written hard rock pop track (“Back On The Streets”) and solos like a lunatic (plus the lead vocals of Robert Fleischman are ear piercing at times) but hey, it is what it is as 1986 was about spandex, hairspray and shredders. If Vin Man had toned it down a few notches there are some very good rock tracks on here (“Animal”, “Shoot You Full of Love ”) as Vincent is a decent songwriter.

 

 

Andy Curran-‘Whiskey & The Devil’ Album Breakdown, getting paid $10,000 cash in a brown paper bag and more…

 

Andy Curran drops by ‘The Distortion Den’ and together we do a deep dive into  Andy’s recently released “Whiskey & The Devil 30th Anniversary” vinyl set which hit the streets a few months back.

We also discuss the latest news on Coney Hatch, E.O.N, Del Boys, Drug Plan, Hair Spray Endorsements, Hell’s Angels and so much more including what I would consider my Top 12 Andy Curran Tunes that you all need to check out.

Thanks for watching

Check out Andy’s website

https://andycurranmusic.com

Cassette Scores 2024:Final Episode IV

 

 

Jex and deKe are back for the grand finale of Cassette Tape Scores 2024:Episode IV. We both agreed that this final episode was the best of the bunch.

We do not beforehand talk about what tape I’m going to be showing Jex. This is live off the floor as it gets.

Thanks for watching and as always we appreciate all you loyal DenHeads out there!

You know who you are!!!!

Book Review: World Infestation: The RATT Story

Book author Greg Prato has written a 200 page book on RATT focusing primarily on the 1983-91 years of the band. Just a quick little review that was recorded live without a net!

Thanks for watching.