New England/Explorer Suite (1980)

I have numerous times over these Blog pages have mentioned how back in 1979/1980 that bands such as KISS/AC/DC/Cheap Trick/Van Halen/Queen and Rush had help shape my listening habits as an 13-year-old back than. One band that I must apologize to is New England as they should be mentioned in the same sentence as those previous six bands above.

New England released their debut album titled simply enough New England which was produced by the one and only Mr Paul Stanley and being a KISS FanBoy at the time I got this one at Christmas of 1979! I did review this fantastic piece of work….

https://superdekes.wordpress.com/2015/06/01/sonic-waves-new-englandnew-england/

Speaking of which here are the Fine Fella’s known as New England!

John Fannon: guitar, vocals
Jimmy Waldo: keyboards, vocals
Hirsh Gardner: drums, vocals
Gary Shea: bass

1980 rolls around and drops Explorer Suite (Produced by Mike Stone and John Fannon)which surprise I asked for Christmas 1980 and I received on vinyl!

Explorer Suite…….The Tracks…

1. Honey Money (4:06)
2. Livin’ in the Eighties (3:26)
3. Conversation (3:20)
4. It’s Never to Late (3:52)
5. Explorer Suite (6:37)
6. Seal It With a Kiss (3:08)
7. Hey You’re on the Run (3:33)
8. No Place to Go (3:58)
9. Searchin’ (3:08)
10. Hope (6:09)
11. You’ll Be Born Again (2:33)

Explorer Suite was my first discovery into what I would call Prog Pop as New England take the rawness of the debut and add a few more musical layers and dive head first and make an album that would to my ears fall into the category of an Styx album and no not the Mr Roboto like Styx but more like an Cornerstone Styx like record.

I’m comparing New England and Styx just to give you the reader an example of the caliber that New England brought to the table in the early 80’s! These records still stand the test of time today and it’s been a great reunion for me as they are available on Itunes!

Here’s a little smattering of some random thoughts….

The album starts with the very good Honey Money and keyboardist Jimmy Waldo know his spot as he would have the Keys/Hammond like sound swirling around but not taking anything away from John’s electric guitaring.

Living In The 80’s is a another great track with John laying down the foundation with a classic rock like opening riff and the rest of the boys joining in with Bassist Gary Shea doing some cool Bass Riffage right before Waldo and his keys take the song into overdrive. I must mention that these guys can all sing as the backing harmonies are what propel this album into songs that will remain etched in the upper portions of your noggin long when the song is done!

Remember what I said about the harmonies. The title track (Explorer Suite) here is 6 plus minutes of a Prog delight! Tons of time changes/keyboards maxed to perfection and Drummer Hirsh joins John in the song as a co- lead vocalist. Explorer Suite is just plain brilliance. You all need to hear it as it’s the video posted!

Seal It With A Kiss leads off and sets the pace for Side 2 as the band is  on all 4 Musical Cylinders as it’s an all out flat rocker! More great backing harmonies propel this song straight forward especially  at the end of the album when John rips out some solo action as its jus this and Hirsh playing out the song….

Hey Youre On The Run is another piece of fantastic rock which once again features those great lead and backing vocals. That’s the thing with these guys as they had all the goods in songs/musical chops. This song should have been mega!

Searchin’ is another track in the Pop Rock realm and should have been another single. Perhaps it was? But man this song is a great track featuring some nice guitar work by Mr Fannon.

Just when you think these guys may just be writing Poppy like singles think again as Hope crosses  into Queen Territory with a big bombastic guitar solos swirling twirling keys. 6 minutes plus. That’s two tracks on this album that are breaking the mold and taking these guys into other area’s of Rock and by Gosh as an 13-year-old in 1980 I take notice!

You’ll Be Born Again sends off the album with nice piano like outro by Waldo. Chill like moment…

It was great revisiting this album as albums like this have shaped my musical  landscape and my bad as I should be giving credit where credit is due and that’s with New England.

You may be wondering what happened with these guys as they should have been mega but like many a great act that should have but switching record company’s after the debut set things back and after one more album 1981’s Walking Wild Produced by Todd Rundgren John Fannon quit New England while Waldo and Shea played in Alcatrazz. 

But here we are in 2017 and New England is back and performing with the same 4 guys which is totally impressive and by the vids on You Tube they all have their Hair! YUP and also the chops and Harmonies!

A live album is going to be released “Live At The Regent Theatre that was recently recorded and it will be a no brainer purchase for me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scorpions/Animal Magnetism(1980)

Scorpions in 1980 release Animal Magnetism and how about that album cover? Ha! Them fella’s sure knew how to do some thought-provoking  images didn’t they?

Geez man I started High School a little over a year later in September 1981. Should have drawn up this image in art class! Haha….Would have bought me some Instant  Street Cred  until the Principal came knocking than I would have said it was Tbones drawing! Hahahaha!

Seriously the Scorps put out one decent Piece Of Rock and if you’re keeping score it wasn’t until 1985 (after I purchased Scorpions World Wide Live ) that I got  around to purchasing Animal Magnetism. A full 5 years after its release! (On cassette none the less and a few years ago rebuying it  on ITunes)

Alright  Kids…time for some  Good Ol Hard Rock….

Must also mention that I hooked up with those Two Crazy Southern Ontario Amigos, Mikey And Mr Books! Check out there spin on this album as well. Click the links provided Peeps! Seriously for top notch writings go there……Do It!

https://keepsmealive.wordpress.com

https://mikeladano.com

Cast Of Characters-Klaus Meine(Vocals),Herman Rarebell(Drums) Francais Buchholz(Bass) Matthais Jabs(Guitar) and Rudy Schenker(Guitar)

Make It Real opens the album and the first thing you notice if you were weened on World Wide Live like myself is that the 1985  Live version of this song is at a much quicker pace than the studio version.  1985 and the Scorps were the big deal …Selling out Arenas! Check! Selling Shitload Of Albums! Check! Hot Chicks Digging Ugly Dudes! Check! Ingesting A Ton Of After Hours Party Treats! Check! So of course the live version is a different beast but the studio version has a real cool slower like chill tempo and I love the production on this album courtesy of Dieter Dierks.

Don’t Make No Promises(Your Body Can’t Keep) blasts right out of the gate kinda like that Blackout tune that would surface a few years later(1982) Kinda surprising this is not the opening track as it just rips your noggin apart especially during Jabs solo. Klaus Meine you can hear  his tonsils shredding apart on this song. Yep you want rock! Look no further than track 2!

Some cool power chords open Hold Me Tight while Herman Ze Drummer plays a straight ahead rock groove and keeps the troops on board. Pretty cool snappy chorus! Klaus hollers ‘Alright!” Jabs dips n doodles a pretty slick little solo while Rudy holds the rhythm  end down on guitar.

Twentieth Century Man once again begins with the guitars and speaking of, they must have been just cranked up loud in the studio to make the paint peel off the walls. This song is a no frills straight ahead mid tempo German Stomper. Jabs basically takes the three minutes and 5 seconds to solo under everything and makes it sound cool so I don’t puke and push skip! Atta Boy!

Lady Starlight is the ballad and the first half is filled with acoustic guitar work,strings,perhaps a symphonic element added as well but later on the song stops and all  you hear is the sound of electric guitar and Bam here comes  the slow to mild build up with a  real nice guitar solo that  ramps up whereas the song in the background stays at the same tempo. Kids this is the way you do PowerBallads…

Ok…the first 20 seconds of this opening guitar  riff of Falling In Love Warrant nicked for their song Mr Rainmaker ten years later in 1990. Scorps pick up the pace with this song and the guitars are so loud! Jabs rocks the solo and to be honest the chorus I find so so. If they would have stopped the repetitive   Falling In Love  yada yada sing-song  chorus this could have been a real good track.

Only A Man begins with Klaus leading  the vocal charge before the rest of the Scorps join in. Klaus almost sounds like his voice is double tracked to make him sound sinister to make this sound like Black Scorpions but there’s is no Sabbath Doom like music stomp just Klaus sounding evil caused by some crazed groupie!

The ZOO…..man what an opening and groove! The guitars are so good here. Herman plays a straight ahead groove on his drums. Just a great tune! Classic! The chorus is Gold! how about tossing in a talk box and a ton of riff n roll during the chorus.Dreams we call The Zoo! Think these guy’s have played The Zoo every four since 1980! That’s saying something about the song folk’s!

How often is the name of the album the last song on the album? Mmmm…not to many! Except here! Animal Magnetism is a slow plodder of a track this is actually more with its mid tempo Sabbathy like vibe. Its a heavy devy slow  kick to the ass beat.

All in all a pretty good Hard Rock Album! Even with the ballad. Scorps were smart they were doings these kind of tunes before any real success in North America so for that I give them a Hall Pass! They didn’t just do it with later day albums as it was the thing to do in the 80s with so many bands….

Also this album was a good lead in for The Blackout album which was to follow a few years later when Klaus almost lost his voice!

 

Iron Maiden/Iron Maiden(1980)

Gotta Love The Maiden Backdrop! Good Ol Club Days!

Hey Folks! One of my good friends Aaron from the Keeps  Me Alive Site is gonna be catching Iron Maiden April 3/2016 in Toronto Ontario! So what better time than now to Bash out a few Maiden reviews!

Today it’s the self titled debut Iron Maiden! Maiden stormed out of the gates back in 1980 with this classic piece of Raw Metal N Roll!  For myself on the Maiden purchasing depth chart I did not get this album until the summer of 1982 when I was on vacation in Winnipeg Manitoba with my family and being 15 it was Maiden Maiden Maiden! The Maiden albums I owned where Maiden Japan,Killers and the recently released Number Of The Beast(with new vocalist Bruce Dickinson) but before Maiden did the vocalist switch a Roo Paul Dianno had that punk like attitude fronting Maiden! Rough N Gruff around the edges but the guy delivered the goods for two studio albums and a live E.P so I’m not gonna knock him!

I could though as a few years later in 1985 I bought his self titled Dianno album and it was a bunch of bad Journey like tunes! I got hosed on that one folks! Should have hyped it and  sold it to Tbone! Ha!

Anyhoo the first Iron Maiden had these cast of characters on it….Paul Dianno(vocals) Dennis Stratton(guitar) Dave Murray(guitar) Clive Burr (drums..RIP) and founder of leader of all things Maiden Mr Steve Harris (bass)

I know by reading past interviews that Harris and crew had some issues of the production on this album by Will Malone. For me though I like the live go for the throat feel on this one. All For One….One For All!

FYI- enjoy the pics of this album as my daughter Lexie bought me this Maiden album for my Bday last year! Great kid!

PROWLER-Stratton and Murray lead off and someone’s dabbling with a Wah like pedal and we’re off! Even on the this album Harris and his bass are not going to mixed down and its apparent within the first 30 seconds of Prowler! Clive slams the drums forward.  The song is a real good stomper of a track. Dig how the band just rolls up their sleeves and does an all out musical ramp up before the solo and what a great solo it is! Maiden 1980 start off a long career on the right foot with a ripper of a opener! Welcome …

REMEMBER TOMORROW-Whoah! Maiden shift gears and slow it down, well for a bit that is. Remember Tomorrow is a chill out not slow burn and  that’s due to Harris and Burr who keep the boat afloat while the guitars are in relax mode until the chorus where the tempos pick up and Dianno here sings for his supper. Maiden were smart as if this was your first time listening to them two songs in two different metal styles. More great guitaring and riffing and cool shuffle of the drums by Burr! Deadly tune!

RUNNING FREE-Burr does the opening and Harris and boys join in and this is one of many Maiden Songs that are now known as Classics! “I’m Running Wild …I’m Running Free Yeah!” You Betcha Paul! I also like the duelling lead guitars between Stratton and Murray. Early  Maiden belting it out! Another great track. The Live video posted features new dude Adrian Smith on guitar as Stratton got the Harris Boot out of the band! Of course Smith/ Murray became my favourite one / two guitar duo ever! No one touches what these guys did in the 80s….

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA-Well let’s make that 4 songs in 4 different style of  metal song structure. No 2 tracks soundalike. Phantom builds up and just goes wiggy all over the map with different music tempos and different horizons! How about some Clive Burr quick drumming with some more dual lead guitar ! And to boot how about 7 minutes of pure Maiden! Phantom would be the first of many signature past 6 minute song Maiden Workout Tracks!

TRANSYLVANIA-Musical Maiden no vocals allowed and the guitars carry this tune but don’t count out Clive and Steve as they hold down the fort and let Dennis and Dave do their thing. This Musical Maiden ploughs forward and toss in some tempo changes and we’re off!

STRANGE WORLD-Kinda of a trip tune here. Not really heavy and definitely not mellow it’s Maiden forging and boxing themselves into just a one trick metal pony! Nice use of guitars and Paul sings a different vibe as you don’t have to be giving it full throttle all the time.

SANCTUARY-Want a classic guitar riff to start a track. It’s all right in front of you. Sanctuary revs Maidens Musical Muscle right up and its a great foot stomper like if you were to stomp your boot thru the door that is. Adrenalin comes to mind. Dig the middle the part of the song where Steve and Clive lock up while the guitars playoff some real neat riffs. Paul ramps up and most tosses a lung by the end of the track.

CHARLOTTE THE HARLOT-Cool metal ditty here. By the way where is 22 Acacia Avenue? That was to come later but poor Charlotte The Harlot getting kicked around by life yet Steve writes a real good melody here. Catchy chorus and even some backing vocals make this song almost lite metal in some spots but don’t be fooled into that thinking as lurking around the corner is…..

IRON MAIDEN-Whoah! Wowzers! 36 years later and this is still the staple of every Live Maiden show and why wouldn’t! Love the creak of the guitars at the beginning and its a full out Maiden Ass Kicker Assault as Dianno brings it home as this song is almost Punky Metal with his attitude all over the lead vocals! Harris and Burr rock the ship and even Harris finally gets in a few bass riffs as Burr hits and runs all over his drums! A fantastic finish to a fantastic debut….

Check back tomorrow (Saturday Special) for another Maiden review as we fast fast forward 35 years!

UP THE IRONS!

 

 

 

SONIC WAVES…Cheap Trick / Found All The Parts

We got Cheap Tricked!

Now I’m getting a little ahead here. First of all shall we talk about Found All The Parts first?

Ok,so 1980 rolls around and Cheap Trick releases this 4 song sampler that features on Side 1 Day Tripper and Can’t Hold On both live versions or so they say. What I read years ago was that Cheap Trick just slapped a live audience on there Day Tripper track that’s here? Why?  Who the hell knows where as Can’t Hold On which was actually recorded live and was released on the deluxe reissues of The Budokan album.

Now here’s where it gets real wierd and lets talk about A Conspiracy (Crowes anyone?) Trick Theory!

Side 2 features studio versions of two tracks one from 1976 called Such A Good Girl and another track called Take Me I’m Yours recorded in 1977.

EXCEPT…….

What I did read was that these two studio tracks were recorded along with other unreleased Trick songs(that were shelved)in late 1979 -80 not 1976 -77 as advertised so who knows and why? Did the record company suits decline what was Cheap Trick submitted? Who knows man but that’s Whacked!

A Trick Conspiracy?

FYI Check out the live vid for Day Tripper posted. It features 3 Drummers hahahaha and by this point Tom Petersson on bass had left Trick and had been replaced by Pete Comita who kinda looks like Petersson hahaha…more Trick Conspiracy!

 

3/4’s KISS Filler Week….KISS/Unmasked

It’s time for the first ever  3/4’s KISS Filler Week here at Arena Rock and well hopefully I don’t get sued by $tanley and $immon$ and if I do I will tell the lawyers that Mikey Ladano made me do it! Hahahaha….no he didn’t this is all me….

Why Kiss? Umm why not sez I! I have been buying Kiss albums since 1978 and man I purchased 3 kinda snoozy duds so after all these years I’m gonna spout off and tell Ya why….

Also Kiss has  something like 450 albums(ha) so to throw 3 under the bus that ain’t too shabby…oh wait out of those 450 albums 420 of em are Greatest Hits comps!(don’t get me started!)

One last thing,don’t expect the expected in my 3/4’s Filler Week here at Kiss HQ!

1980 and oh man I had just seen Kiss live for the first time in 1979 read my very first written blog here about it.https://superdekes.wordpress.com/2014/08/10/1979-the-return-of-kiss-2/

So I’m still in fantasy Kissville in 1980 and Kiss unleash Unmasked except for me being a total delusional 13-year-old at the time of Unmasked’s release Kiss and more importantly their success was starting to wane people were tired of them(except me) people were buying other albums instead of Kiss(except me) my pal John Young had moved on to Led Zep(except me) get the picture!

So Gene,Paul,Ace and Petey fool me and call the album Unmasked it has a goofy album cover so when I bought it I thought ‘hey there’s probably a picture of them inside without the  make up!”  Nope I officially pronounce myself  a sucker!

Hey Gene and Paul you fooled my ass back than….not now!

Even though Petey Criss is pictured on the cartoonish goofy cover its Anton Fig that smacks the skins….everyone also involved with Kiss knows this(except me!)

IS THAT YOU-Wowzers did Stanley chirp the word Bitch??! Actually this is a good opener(not written by Kiss but by some dude named Gerald McMahon?) The production though is sterile sounding(thanks Vini Ponica). Kiss for some reason always had weak sonics on their studio 70s output(except Destroyer) why I have no idea as they were rolling in the cash but having said that the verses are good the pre  chorus Paul gets into that falsetto bullshit but saves the day with the chorus! Check out the live video posted of new boy on the drums Eric Carr slamming the song forward! Kudos to Kiss for doing a song about a female serial killer who will stick you with her knife! Too bad the album skids into track two which is……

SHANDI- umm dunno I mean this is too obvious! Back than I skipped this track nowadays when I listened to this song to jog my memory on this track I giggled! Stanley waters down this track with some pure sap! Actually this tune would have found a home on a Poison album Hahahaha…..Bandanna Micheals and Shandi a marriage made in hell! With a cat dragged in!

TALK TO ME- you know Space Ace always showed up with good tracks and especially since he recorded  one of the best Kiss albums ever Ace gives me hope boom he starts off the tune with his sound and his riff and its a good track. Thanks Ace for not losing your rock balls while Stanley’s Rock balls were hitting the town with SHANDI!

NAKED CITY- umm no…..all I gotta say is Simmons is losing steam here. Gene I’m sure was dreaming up of hiring Chris Makepeace(Meatballs) to star in The Elder movie! Ha…..focus on the rock Genie! I mean yeah this song is just a mid tempo leftover like tune from say Rock N Roll Over …no substance but the chorus is actually good,the rest of the song  …it’s just there…

WHAT MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND- Paul is panicking he’s trying to write hits and its kinda missing, this one is close though I mean after the Gene serves me the sonic puke Sandwhich in Naked City at least Paul tries to recover it with this song but It comes up short not bad not good,it’s just there! The chorus though is not too bad! Thats about it…bad,good,bad,good,Blah….

TOMORROW-power pop rocker track! Stanley at the time should have sold this tune to Rick Springfield! Paul is trying to save this from the scrap heap! Tomorrow is once again ok! Nothing earth shattering just same ol same ol in Kiss land. Single you want single whadda mean no one wants single! That’s Tomorrow. Stanley and company must have wanted to pack it in when ACDC dropped Back In Black in 1980 as well! Everyone was aborting the S.S Kiss Cruise (except me ) HEY how come no one tossed me a life-preserver?

TWO SIDES OF THE COIN-Space Ace delivers another keeper and man looking back they should have let him write the Unmasked  album! Of course the Demon and Starchild would have canned that idea!Good song and this could have easily slid on nicely on side 2 of his fantastic solo release from 1978!

SHES SO EUROPEAN- Simmons comes up with a simple straight ahead rocker that’s so so. Who knows If these tracks would have had some better production behind them perhaps they would have soared sonically. But nope Vini Ponica you can thank for this sonic sterile tank job!

EASY AS IT SEEMS-Gene and Peter or umm Anton start off this tune and its Kiss trying to be groovey! Does it work Nope…..is that really Simmons on the bass here?

TORPEDEO GIRL-this song has the best Opening on this record! Man 35 years later and i still laugh! That fuckin Ace man what a card! The song though is late 70s cheese schlock kinda surprising that this tune was written by Ace but you know what between 1978 -1980 the songs that he contributed solo wise and Kiss wise he can be forgiven! Crank the vid folks! Ha ….

YOUR ALL THAT I WANT-Simmons bids adieu with another mid tempo rocker. Nothing really good here to report! Just the same Ol same OL Kiss …..

IN CONCLUSION- Unmasked has not one but two significant things that come back to me all these years later

1-this was the first Kiss album to me to feature a real dumbo like cartoon page for a cover! Me being 13 at the time and I even knew that they were coming off the rails songwise not that I understood that back than but I just liked Dynasty more back in 1980 but Queen,Cheap Trick and AC/DC were kicking my senses pretty good.

2- Unmasked also presents itself as the first album I ever sold in my life at 14! Tbone had just  gotten a record player but all he had wa as couple of snoozed K-Tel compilations records! I needed some cash for a magazine so I sold Unmasked for like $3 or close to it! Hahaha….Tbone was staunch with his  cash back than I really had to sell verbally Unmasked to him ….I almost drove myself crazy! He relented probably felt sorry for me and flipped me the $3! Two months later I rebought Unmasked back from Tbone! Shit man Tbone was running a Pawn Shop before the word even existed!

SONIC WAVES….Def Leppard/On Through The Night

Summer of 1981 and my pal Muc buys Leppards debut album On Through The Night and I counter at the same time with my very first Iron Maiden purchase with Killers!

I was totally blown away by Maiden and I’ll  have to review it at some point but man when I seen what Muc had purchased the music junkie in me said “holy shit Muc give me a hit of that vinyl there will you fella!”

Just like that I’m aboard the Lep Xpress and how could you not?! Leppard 1980 are young guys and there rocking out by the photo on the back of the album and with a bad ass rock guitar truck as a cover Yee haw!

Its crazy to think that this album is 35 years old!! I mean where does time fly? The great thing is this is Leppard sounding raw,going for the throat and Kickin mine and Mucs ass circa 1981! Job well done Steve Clark(RIP)/Pete Willis/Rick Savage/Rick Allan and Joe Elliot!

Don’t Be Pouring No Sugar On Me ….

ROCK BRIGADE- Willis and Clark open up with a real cool riff and before you hear AH here comes Ricky’s Drums Rollin all over and boom what a great ear catching opening! You know the deal here it’s Leppard 1980 there young,they got the looks,hooks and Yep they got the Rock Brigade with them so Ya better watch your Ass! The lyrics even though are kinda silly who cares this is fun Leppard and whoever throws down that solo(Willis I think) I salute you! It cooks man…love how the song just ends…the battle is over …whoosh this is only song 1 !

HELLO AMERICA- big poppy acapella Vocals welcome Leppard to America and I think back in time of its release it was not well received in England as the locals thought Leppard were selling there rock souls to the big American Market! Can Ya blame Lep? Na I don’t so that’s where the $$$ are, I like the tune during the chorus they have swirly Synthy sounds that enhance the song. Did I just say that? Ha but you know 2 songs in and me and Muc are aboard so Hello Thunder Bay!

SORROW IS A WOMAN- Tom Allom who produced a ton of Judas Priest albums in the 80s produced this one as well and man he makes the album sound raw in a  real cool way and then beginning of this song proves it! Drums,bass and guitars mash up at the beginning and when Joes vocal comes in everything goes chill with clean sounding guitars,chill drums and than it ramps back up at the chrous and the guitar solo in this track is awesome as its locked in tighter than Tbones Scotch Cabinet and than it keeps ramping up back in the chorus! Great track….

IT COULD BE YOU-this is a great rocker! It could be U….it could be anyonnnne! The verse is raw ruff Lep! No studio polish found anywhere near this record and that’s Allright! Clark and Willis make a great team guitar wise and its too bad that Willis unravelled but give the cat his credit he was a big clog in Lepps sound and in a kinda way they were never the same after they punted Willis and totally never the same after Clark died in 1991.

SATALLITE-Allen destroys his snare at the beginning of Satallite and were off toss in some ‘oh yeahs ‘ and some great guitaring by those young fellas and i was always intrigued by the sound that they may have have forged with songs like this one,Overture and When The Walls….before Mutt Lange showed up with his musical blender and squeezed eventually all the great Rock rawness out of Lep!

WHEN THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN- if memory serves me correct I think this was Mucs fav tune off of this album! It’s Leppy going proggy mixed with hard rock! Spoken word intro and chill vibe of Joes voice gives way to a walloping galloping surge into rocksphere with Willis and Clark and man I dig the the twin riffing and boom in to then solo and Rick Allen drives the cymbal and smashes thrashes his kit and whoah Muc you may be right (I may be crazy! Ha) but you might be onto SUMTHIN here!

WASTED- big power riffs start Wasted and boom lets snort some lines and get …Wasted! That’s Lep talking not me the only lines I was doing back in 1981 was writing ” I will do my homework” over an over on a chalkboard at school! Still though this song to this day rocks and what a great Clark solo! The dude was the king of Lep riffs! Gone but not forgotten!

ROCKS OFF-Willis and Clark peel rubber right off the hop at the start of the track and hey these boys may be Wasted but man there rocking tighter than the  spandex Olivia Newton John wore in the movie Grease! Elliot tells us all to get our Rocks Off and boom before you know it were into the real cool part where Allen smashes and thrashes on his drums  along with Willis and Clark and man this song is slick! Great riff,great song and what there’s a audience dubbed in at the end and  Elliot tosses a “Goodnight!!!” Those funny young Leppard chaps fuckin with me marbles! Well done!

IT DONT MATTER- easy said friends! I love this song and man insert cool cowbell smacking to keep the pace of the tune going and hey man It Don’t Matter!  Awesome verses,prechorus ,chlrus, great lead vocal by Elliot,great guitars,bass an drums it’s all here rolled into one gigantic Def Lep Fatty! This song is easily an end of the album Gem here at Arena Rock!

ANSWER TO THE MASTER- big power riffs,big power rock and Joe and the boys lay it down no Love Bites here at this train station ladies!

OVERTURE- you know listening to Overture would have Lepp kept this style of Rock going If good Ol Mutt Lange had not waltzed in to there sound? Who knows but I would think Yep! It’s Lep going a little proggy at the end of there debut and why not! They aced this debut and they can do what they want! Well in my book anyways!

IN CONCLUSION- We got a winner Muc! 35 years young is On Through The Night and 35 years older is Muc! Hahahaha! Seriously what a great start for Leppard and it always kinda pissed me that in interviews Lepp would ignore the debut? Like really? You Guys were like 20 years old here figuring it out don’t ignore it,accept it this thing slays a lot of stuff in there catalogue that came later(in my book!) Tom Allom who produced this kept it real and for that ..great job. Also of note Leppard 2015 ignore this album and it’s a shame at least I have seen on this tour they are playing a few, just a few from High N Dry (see review of High N Dry here)…..https://superdekes.wordpress.com/2014/11/08/sonic-waves-def-leppardhigh-n-dry/