The Last Temptation of Winger!

Yeah folk’s you read that right!

Better yet!  Mikey Ladano and Moi are doing a double Winger Post! Click the link below I posted and show Mikey some love!

#662: Wingers of Destiny

Let’s backpeddle here somewhat into Winger HQ’s!

1988 I was snapping up Vinyl and CD’s at a rate that some would say was Lunacy! Winger was one of those and for a few years before Kip  Winger became the face of Lars Ulrichs dartboard they had a decent run.

Course with many a 80’s act it was a perquisite to have a Guitar Hero/Shredder and that was Reb Beach’s job as he flinged out some decent leads and it wasn’t long after that I was reading about him in my younger brothers Guitar Magazines!

Winger the band had chops but the videos were kinda silly as Kip was dancing and  humping his Bass while wearing the wireless headset and singing . My brother Todd caught Winger opening for KISS on there Hot In The Shade Tour when it touched down in Vancouver back in the summer of 1990. (I stayed home in Tbay working)

I recall asking my brother right away about Winger. Todd said Beach was awesome live but Kip was doing that silliness routine with the Bass and shit and as Todd put it “was kinda funny!”  This coming from Todd who was 13 at the time!

( If were keeping score Todd’s first ever concert was this show (KISS)whereas my first ever show was 11 years earlier(1979) was seeing KISS as  on there Dynasty Tour)

Must be a brother Thang!

Shall we continue…

The debut had some decent tracks on it as I would say Madeline is one of the better Rock tracks written about an ex of Kip’s or someone. Beach does his deed and shreds off the bat but doesn’t play a zillion mph as many did back in the day. Course Seventeen was the biggie on this record with he classic “Daddy says she’s too young but she’s old enough for me!” That right there sums up the 80’s Lip N Gloss …haha. Following other bands protocol there was the obligatory Power Ballad Headed for a Heartbreak in which I had no desire to try to like as there was so much syrupy power slop back in 88-89 I just couldn’t handle it…

1990 rolls around and here comes the followup to the debut In The Heart of the Young which I thought was a step up from the debut. Winger grew up in 2 years. Now when I say that it’s not that they took their shit seriously and became a U2. Na Winger just kept doing what they’re doing!

Winger doled out some decent rock tracks two being Easy Come Easy Go and Loosen Up.

Loosen Up some may dismiss as silly but I kinda dig the silly! Loosen Up/Juicin Up/Noose/Cut Me Loose! Love it man….

As Winger headed into the 90’s so many bands fell into the Deep Dark Grunge Hole and Winger was a casualty! Big Time!

1993 rolled around and Kip and crew put out the Pull album(Todd  bought it on Cassette) which I heard and liked as Winger went somewhat serious but still kept there chops and didn’t go into all those drop down tunings. Like Cinderella who released the classic Still Climbing album no one cared about this style of music.

BUT!

So Kip gets off the Hair Metal Bus and reinvented himself as a Classical Composer and scores a Grammy nomination as well. Who saw that coming? Reb Beach joined Whitesnake and Drummer Rod Morgenstein jams with the Great Steve Morse(Deep Purple) in the Dixie Dregs. 

Cool that they still do 50 shows a year……

Say what ya want about these cats but they know there instruments and seriously check out the video posted above! Recorded a few months ago Kip still has the exact same voice he had almost 30 years ago and the band still has the musical muscle to flex its Rawk! I hold at the 2 minute mark or so when Kip whistles at his bandmates to do the up at the front of the stage Rock Pose! Classic!

Kudos to Reb Beach for letting the other dude on guitar take the solo over! No ego whatsoever!

I need to loosen up / loosen up
I need a little juicin up
I’ve been hangin from the noose
Baby won’t you cut me loose
Come on everybody loosen up

Poetry in Rock Motion there My Friends!

I am nowhere near a huge Winger Fan. Having said that if they showed up in town I would go but give em credit there all of doing their own stuff but still have an audience…