Killer Dwarfs: Live No…..Guff(2018)

Killer Dwarfs stumbled across my musical radar back in 1986 when I had seen there two videos played on  Much Music (Canada’s MTV Video Station).

The videos for the tracks Stand Tall and Keep The Spirit Alive were classic videos. Humorous and Entertaining they were  and you all should take the time to check em out on Youtube. As well as the Dwarfs were sending out messages of  hope. Basically if Life kicks you in the Nuts. Get up and Kick Life back in the ASS!

The power of video yes worked as I went out and purchased the Stand Tall album and it was a fine slab of Can Con Rawk that held its own amongst all the other acts in the mid 1980’s!

1988 comes and the Dwarfs get the Big Record Contract and title their album Big Deal. 1990 and the excellent Andy Johns(RIP) produced Dirty Weapons is unleashed and in 1992 the once again Johns produced Method of Madness was out in the market place.

Must add that when I see the name Andy Johns I think of Huge Sounding  Drums! Johns back in the day worked with John Bonham/Cozy Powell/Alex Van Halen to name but a few!

Still recall fondly when the Dwarfs opened up for Skid Row here in Thunder Bay at our local dump of an Arena back in June of 1992. Sebastian Bach came out and sang Heavy Mental Breakdown with the guys….

Fast forward to Friday April 13th 2018 and lookie here! A live Dwarfs album?? Welcome back…

Sure the Dwarfs released a lIve album from a way long time ago but this band has moved on from that band but Lead Vocalist Russ Graham and Drummer Darrell Millar remain and have been the driving factors in this band since  1981!!

Joining them in this latest incarnation is Gerry Finn who was actually the Six Stringer on 92’s Method of Madness. Johnny Fenton rounds out the group as the Bassist.

Live…No Guff is the debut album on Megadeth Bassist David Ellefson’s record label EMP. Pretty cool he signed the Dwarfs and they had these shows recorded and viola….

This live album is a Fantastic. 13 Tracks just clocking in at over an hours worth of music and the Dwarfs deliver.

The sound is crisp and a great mix of the instruments.  Gerry Finn has one ass kicking guitar tone on this album. It sounds so heavy and make no bones about it this Cat can play. He smokes the fretboard numerous times on this release.  From the opening track Comin Through Gerry lays down the law and solos to keep the songs moving along. One of my Fav Dwarf tunes is Hard Luck Town which has all the fine trimmings of a classic track. The money shot here is the chorus which is oh so good! Finn takes a short like solo which is so catchy and that’s what makes a great guitarist in my eyes. He doesn’t solo til the end of time. He knows the parameters of the song and doesn’t overdue it with a million notes per second!

The Rhythm section of Millar and Fenton must be acknowledged as well. Miller can lay back and play the groove in tunes like Can’t Lose while at other times he can ramp it up into double bass pedal action like Burn It Down.

Fenton plays some slick Bass lines which is real evident when Finn takes off on the solo’s. Johnny plays some real smooth lines throughout the album and props must be made for the Rhythm Dudes.

Ahh Russ Dwarf.  This dude has lost none of his vocal range from the 80’s which is impressive as well. He pumps up the crowd throughout this release  with a couple of F’Bombs tossed in and sings for his supper through out this album. Russ even straps on the acoustic guitar for Driftin Back and Doesn’t Matter. Now don’t get all worried or squirrely thinking that these are your typical 80’s protocol like Ballads! There not! It helps that Miller keeps the drums chugging down the tracks not letting these two tunes sap out! Give these Dudes credit. At least when they took the gas of the musical pedal when these songs were first crafted they didn’t follow the trends of the day!

Live No…Guff ends with four classic Dwarfs tracks. Stand Tall/Keep The Spirit Alive/Dirty Weapons and set closer Heavy Mental Breakdown.

Well what can I tell you other than to buy this thing. I did from iTunes and it was money well spent!