Metallica: 72 Seasons (2023)

“72 Seasons” have passed and Lars Ulrich still hasn’t stopped talking in that amount of time with that toothpick flapping around his lips….

“72 Seasons” isn’t about that? Well, what it is the new Metallica album which is the first one in seven years according to the diehards.

Too be honest I had preordered this on Amazon a few months again and then for some reason I cancelled it. I had no idea why.

Dan the local owner of “Spins Records” texted me a day before “72 Seasons” was about to drop the day before and asked me if I was interested in a vinyl copy as he got them in.

It’s about supporting local business so what the hell I figured. Pull me back a copy and I will be in the next day.

Once I was in the shop Dan told us that he put 14 copies of 72 Seasons on the shelf and within two hours of opening he sold 10 copies at $52 Canuck bucks a pop on record.

When this album dropped a few of my blogging pals reviewed “72 Seasons” and did fantastic jobs on it and to be honest I feel lazy right now so I’d rather like the experts handle it. Click the links below …

Metallica – 72 Seasons

Album Review: Metallica – 72 Seasons

Metallica – 72 Seasons

My 2 cents is I like this album and in fact its got lots of solid tune’s and  when I get out for my walks I can stream it and you can really do a deep dive into it as a listener.

I like the short stuff as in the title track and “Lux Eterna” but also I have to add that the last tune on the album “Inamorata” is beyond brilliant as its long with a real cool tempo change that almost is Sabbath like (to my ears that is).

For the hardcore fanatics I have read the “same ol same ol” blah, blah, blah but c’mon these guys are in there early 60’s. Do they have another tune like “Battery” in them to write? Nope, and why would they as since ’91 they have locked into more of a heavy slower groove  deal that I personally dig, so good on ’em!

deKe’s Vinyl Score of 72 Seasons- 8.5/10

 

 

 

Retro Throwdown Round 12: Quiet Riot Vs Motley Crue

https://www.youtube.com/live/DodRz3J2LfY?feature=share

1983, many of us were Banging Our Heads while Shouting At The Devil. Quiet Riot released the Number 1 album Metal Health on the Billboard Charts. Motley Crue landed a counterpunch with Shout At The Devil as both these albums turn 40 years young this year.

So the question has to be asked. Which one will come out on top in Round 12 of Retro ThrowDown?

Join Jex and deKe as they sort through it all in 32 minutes or less!

Retro ThrowDown Round 11- GNR Vs GNR

 

Retro ThrowDown presents an epic battle of two albums that came out on the same day back on September 17 1991. Guns N Roses released two double studio albums (Use Your Illusion 1 & II) that set the charts ablaze at the time with huge sales and the videos to go along with the single’s.

Watch as Jex Rose and deKe try to get through over 150 minutes of music in just under 30 minutes to determine which GNR album is better!

Vinyl Purchases April 2023

Johnny Snow is the master of posting his monthly purchases as no one comes close to that guy. I thought what the hell I had a pretty decent month myself on the few albums that I purchased so let’s go..

In this 4 pack of rock posted above the only title that came from Amazon was the KISS “OFF THE SOUNDBOARD” release from Poughkeepsie NY from 84. It’s a great listen as you get schooled in the short KISStory of one Mark St John who only played 3 shows with the band and it was released 39 years later!  The next three came from our local record store Spins. Aerosmith’s  “Pump” was one I need to add so now I have all Aero records from 1971 through to 1990 and of course “Nine Lives” (97) which I got a few months ago as well.

I have to add that copy of “Reload” came from Dan the owner of Spins who knew of my health issues and gifted me that record or as he called it “it’s on the house”. A lot of people could learn how to run a business from Dan. Thank you kindly Sir! You have given me Fuel and Fire for the Vinyl I desire!

Speaking of Dan and Spins which hosted it first ever RSD event and it was a huge success. When I arrived along with the other crew known as The Old Man Record Club (OMRC) at about 7:15am we were already about the 15th peeps standing in line. Thunder Bay showed up as the doors didn’t open til 8am which the line grew close to 40 people easy.

As you can see posted above I grabbed two double live albums. Pearl Jam “Give Away” which is a live show from Melbourne back in ’98 with Jack Irons on the drums. This is my first live PJ purchase so I was due to get one at some point.

DIO “Live in Fresno ’83” I had my eye on it as soon as Dan posted pictures of his titles that were coming in for the day. This is my favourite lineup of DIO as Vivian Campbell scorches his fretboard on this release which features not only DIO’s “Holy Diver” material but also a couple of tracks from Ronnie’s time in Rainbow and Sabbath!

The day after RSD there was a record fair at a Downtown location and I think there were about seven different sellers of records which they called Record Roundup!

Pictured above are my vinyl scores from that Record Roundup. The Pursuit of Happiness (TPOH) with the classic Todd Rundgren produced “Love Junk” which is a classic album of Power Pop with crunchier guitars (Hello Mr Max Badfinger) which was a great score.

Tesla with the debut “Mechanical Resonance” is one I have been on the hunt for so another fine purchase. All hail Tommy Skeoch!

I have a very beat up copy of Ozzy’s “Ultimate Sin” so I was beyond psyched when I saw this mint copy for $10! I couldn’t believe my luck on it. The only thing missing is the inside sleeve for whatever reason as the vinyl is in mint condition. Funny enough both copies of “The Ultimate Sin” I got both have no inside sleeves!!

Finally what may be my ultimate score is the fourth album from the brilliant Cinderella which is “Still Climbing”. This was an sealed unofficial release but I don’t care as this now completes my collection on vinyl of the Cinderella’s!

Overall April was a pretty decent month. Thanks to Dan and Spins for making a lot of this happen for us VinylHeads here in Thunder Bay.

Deep Purple: The House of Blue Light (1987)

Funny thing was I bought this back on CD perhaps mid 1988 when I was snapping up disc’s at a quicker rate than Tbone pounding back beer.

MuchMusic was where I saw the debut single/video from Deep Purples’s  The House of Blue Light ( was the followup to the brilliant Perfect Strangers from ’84) which was Bad Attitude.

What a killer track and the rest of the album must be as well..

Well sort of ….

I have seen this sitting in the bins at my local record shop Spins for the last while so I figured I need to give this record a good home!

“Bad Attitude” if it had been on “Perfect Strangers”  that to me would have been the ultimate Purple album. Wait a minute “Perfect Strangers” is the ultimate Purple album to my ears anyways with or without  “Bad Attitude”!

I am no way an expert in anything Purple but I enjoy there stuff yet this album is like Side’s 3 and 4 to “Perfect Strangers” as you can’t really blame them for trying to repeat the success.

“Call of the Wild”,  “Mad Dog” and “Black And White” (with some cool harp) are straight ahead 80s rockers, so you can’t fault these old geezers at the time trying to fit in with the Cinderella’s/Dokken’s and all the hard rock bands at the time that were dominating the charts.

Side 2 lifts of with “Hard Drivin’ Woman” which is another straight head no nonsense rocker even “Spanish Archer” is neat as to me that track doesn’t sound Purple like but hey I could be wrong. I like Blackmore’s playing on this tune.

“Dead Or Alive” wraps things up and is a decent enough ending.

To be honest with you I have not listened to this  since 1989 or so..

Not bad …not great ..

deKe’s Vinyl Score of House of Blue Light …7/10

 

Retro ThrowDown Round 10- Loverboy Vs Kim Mitchell

 

Since Jex is going to see both Loverboy and Kim Mitchell together in Moncton it’s only fitting that we should do a Retro Throwdown on both acts.

Loverboy did huge business in both the U.S and Canada in the 80s whereas Mitchell did very well in Canada and didn’t make too much of a dent down south.

We picked for the ThrowDown, Loverboy’s Get Lucky release from 1981 as well as Kim Mitchell with his 1984 record Akimbo Alogo.

Who will be the winner? Click and give it a watch as maybe you will find out that Jex has been “Working For The Weekend ” to enjoy some “Lager & Ale”.

W.A.S.P: First Blood Last Cuts(1993)

W.A.S.P was always one of those bands where I liked some stuff (self titled debut) and at other times I  had a hard time getting into some of these other albums at all (“Inside The Electric Circus) Had no idea this compilation has been out since 1993!

Sorry Blackie ,wasn’t my attention at all to snub ya….

When I came across this vinyl copy of which is basically a  Greatest Hits set I was intrigued as I’m normally not big on these things but when I looked at the track listing of it I purchased it. Look at that opening track the all time classic “Animal”! How could I not buy this?!! For the record my pal Deano has the original EP of “Animal” which he has had since 1984 so if anyone has deep pockets maybe he will part with it!

Side Three is what sold me on this album as “The Headless Children” record I always liked and at some point will track down on vinyl as the late Frankie Banali is a beast on that album. The cover of The Who’s “Real Me” is a solid ass kicker!

For myself this is a great addition as the second album “Last Command” features two tracks on here which are “Wild Child” and “Blind In Texas” which are the only two I actually remember from said album.

As far as the packaging goes its a gatefold which is cool with the credits on who played on what tracks but it’s kinda slim pickings after that.

I suppose in the end its really the music that matters and its a pretty decent cross section of material from W.A.S.P’s mid to late 80’s hey day!

deKe’s Vinyl Score …..8.5/10

 

KISS: OFF THE SOUNDBOARD-Poughkeepsie NY (1984)

Cool that KISS is cranking these soundboard’s out at a decent clip. No frills packaging which is no biggie as it’s what’s on the inside that matters.

So here come’s the fifth authorized soundboard bootleg that being a show recorded back on November 28th 1984 in Poughkeepsie NY. The real kicker here is its one of the few shows that Vinnie Vincent’s replacement Mark St. John played with the band.

Now before I go any further I have to add that shows like this one were recorded back than that were probably not to be released yet here we are 39 years later and Gene and Paul should be applauded at putting out a historical piece of KISStory!

It’s been about 45 years or so since  I joined the KISS ARMY  and I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly with these guys yet at times they still amaze me that they can put stuff out like this show that keeps me interested.

Good to see some Eric Carr live shows coming out after the “Creatures” box set from last year and now this one.

Now for the sound. I have been reading out there people are nit picking it along with the performances and the tempos. Who cares folks, be happy as KISS ’84 was a different animal live. KISS was trying to keep up with the young metal bands (Def Leppard) at the time and perhaps the heavier bands at the time(Judas Priest).

Even Paul Stanley was trying to be badass frontman back in 84 dropping F-Bombs and  going on about the usual KISS on stage banter that being the topics of bras and Love Guns. Still though this album for me is a charm for two reasons.

1- Mark St. John. KISS wanted a shredder and they got one. Sure he’s kinda all over the map at time’s on here but give the guy a break as there he was playing the few shows he did with not only Gene and Paul watching him but off in the distance was his replacement Bruce Kulick.

2- Neat to hear some live stuff from “Lick it Up” (“Young & Wasted”, “Fits Like A Glove”, “Lick It Up”) plus a couple from there current album at the time they were plugging, “Animalize” (“Heaven’s On Fire” and “Under The Gun”).

KISS rips and rolls over these tunes at a fast clip and I’m good with it. This is a warts n all release if there ever was one. As well you get the disclaimer saying that two songs are incomplete which is fine as it’s better than them not being on here….

deKe’s Vinyl Score of OFF The  Soundboard Poughkeepsie….8.5/10

RETRO THROWDOWN- RD 9- Pyromania Vs. Eliminator

 

Let’s rewind back to 1983 when the two bands featured in this weeks ThrowDown both had big selling albums. What pushed both these records was the power of video which if you were around back than you would recall that MuchMusic here in Canada and MTV in the States had a huge hand in selling these records to the masses due to there crafty videos.

Watch as Jex and deKe take you back to 83 for an epic ThrowDown battling Def Leppard Vs. ZZ Top!

Give it a watch and as always Thanks!

 

Cheap Trick: Live At The Whiskey 1977 (2023)

I never buy CD’s anymore but when I saw this on Amazon a few months ago I had to get it! I was smart enough to preorder it as you can see by the sticker on the cover only 2,000 copies of this set were manufactured.

These live show’s were  recorded over two days (June 3rd and 4th 1977) at the Whiskey in Los Angeles which  as a listener you realize how great this band was at tearing up bar stages throughout the U.S at this point.

These four shows (two early performances and two late shows) sound awesome as the Trickster’s rip up that Roxy stage as at the time they were in L.A recording what would become their second release “In Color”.

With the four shows included here they mix up each set a little bit as tunes like “Auf Wiedersehen”,”High Roller” and “Southern Girls” which are played on these nights would not be heard until the “Heaven Tonight” release in 1978!

So cool that they were stage testing those three tracks as well. This kind of stuff is brilliant and over the course of these four shows no “I Want You To Want Me” or “Surrender” are played  which to be honest I’m totally ok with! Love em but have heard em way too much over the last 40 plus years.

Trick themselves pull out all the stops on this set as the band is killing it live and even at certain points you hear Robin Zanders voice get a little hoarse but thats to be expected as singing 60 songs over two nights is a mind blower! Ah, to be young again.

A pretty cool story to all of this is I had the privilege of having Cheap Trick historian Robert Dawson on and our half hour chat was all about this release. Robert knows his stuff and shared with me that  time he saw Cheap Trick about a month later in Winnipeg opening for KISS in the summer of ’77!

Give it a watch below and thanks for taking the time!

“Live At The Whiskey 1977” has Cheap Trick rocking over the course of three nights (two of which are recorded for our listening pleasure) and like many live albums from the 70s there is no way this one is fixed up. Also I have to add that as I told Robert that if your looking for Cheap Trick the band that plays “The Flame” you won’t find it here. You will find though the band that wrote “He’s A Whore” to kick you in the ass!

I have to add the packaging is awesome, excellent written liner notes in a booklet and each disc’s insert has each of the fella’s pics on them.

Bravo to Tom, Rick, Bun E and Robin!

deKe’s score of Tricks “Live At The Whiskey”….10/10