I purchased “The Ultimate Sin” on cassette tape back in the spring of ’86 right before summer hit and this one (along with some others) for the longest time, was a favourite of mine in my trusty old Walkman!
Ozzy was on a creative roll after the awesome debut of Jake E Lee on ’83’s “Bark At The Moon” in which Jake showed up with a bag of riffs and laid down some serious guitar chops and continued Ozzy’s success . The thanks Jake got for “Bark At The Moon” was squat in the songwriting credits but this would change for the “Ultimate Sin”.
Ron Nevison fresh from bringing the band “Heart” off of life support a year earlier in which that self titled album sold millions. Ron was tasked at hand at dialling it in with Ozzy and the band.
“Ultimate Sin” in 2021 is kinda the forgotten album in the Osbourne solo catalog. Why? I have no idea but I’m sure its business related and personal as we all know Sharon’s deal right?
Anyhoo…
Ultimate Sin has a good batch of tunes. Is it as good as “Bark At The Moon”? In my opinion no but this record had some killer riffs and songs.
Actually listening to it now there’s really no bad tunes it’s just that Nevison tried making a heavy metal Heart album. Whereas Bark At The Moon had a production style to its own Ultimate Sin doesn’t.
The songs can’t be knocked as the title track opens the album and it just crushes and launches right into “Secret Loser”. Thats a good starter pack right there as Jake smokes that fret board.
I will say that each song has some good Ozz and Jake value. The crowning achievement on this record is the stellar “Killer of Giants” which slowly builds up until it lifts off. What a great track as Jake delivers the goods on this track.
“Shot In The Dark” (written by Ozzy and Bassist Phil Soussan) was the big video/song from this record and helped propel the album up the charts.
So for Ozzy having Jake along (Bob Daisley co wrote 8 of the tracks with Jake and Ozzy) in the drivers seat helped keep Ozzy playing the arenas whereas his old band Black Sabbath was changing lineups quicker than a McDonalds worker flipping patties!
In what has to be one of my rock n roll blunders was when I had an opportunity to catch this tour In Minneapolis in early July of 86 in Minneapolis as I had to decline as I working full time that summer.
My thinking was no biggie I will catch Ozzy next time.
Well that was partially true. I caught Ozzy not o the next tour but on Ozzy’s “No More Tour Tours” back in July ’92!
That was no big deal but what I missed out on was that July ’86 show was Metallica opening for Ozzy when Cliff Burton was still alive.
Damn…
I have this on vinyl which my pal El Donko passed onto me. It’s a little worn but I have never seen this out there in the wilds so this beat up copy will do for now!
A little ways back when I reviewed Def Leppard’s 1992 release Adrenalize album it was one of those albums that was good to revisit but I had kinda moved on from it.
Here’s what I wrote..
“Up til recently I have not listened to this album in a real long time. It’s like when you bump into someone you haven’t seen in a long time and you get caught up and then move on. That’s what Adrenalize is to me!”
Another one of those albums I thought would resonate this way with me as well would be Kim Mitchell’s 1986 release Shakin’ Like A Human Being.
Now if we roll back in time. 1986 I was 18 going on 19 and in the summer of that year Akimbo dropped the Shakin album and I bought it right away on cassette tape and it became my Summer of 86 go to tape in the Sony Walkman for my bike rides to and from my job that summer in the local hospital. I very seldom bought tapes. It was always vinyl so…….
The fact that Kim was riding high with the current single Patio Lanterns in the charts as well as the album selling like hotcakes! (Shakin is certified triple platinum in Canada). Plus Kim was bringing his 1986 Tour to Tbay at our local Gardens that summer as well was another score! (I reviewed that show a ways back)
So yeah to make a long story even longer this cassette got played to death. Once the end of summer came and Kim’s Arena rock show passed I was onto other albums. One being Iron Maiden’s Somewhere In Time release which came out in September of 86 and derailed my school studies for that month as I was staring at that cover when spinning it continuously like a lunatic when I would get home from another hard day of academic studies!
86 had some stellar releases as in Maiden/Van Halen/Judas Priest/Dave Roth/Bon Jovi/AC/DC with Who Made Who/Boston/ZZ Top/RATT and I’m sure many more so eventually Shakin slipped through the cracks and got replaced by my listening buds with all the above bands and others as well!
Perhaps one reason was that over time my go to Kim albums are the superb excellent 5 song Ep from 1981 and 1984’s Akimbo Alogo record that has Kim blazing huge ball’s of sonic mastery on his 6 string. In other words the Master of his own Domain! Ha…
Shakin though is a different record. Opener Get Lucky Boys & Girls is as good as an opener Kim track as any. Great driving bass line/drums synced with Kim’s guitar and his cool laid back rock voice make this an absolute winner! Second track In my Shoes features drummer Paul Delong smacking those tom’s like no one’s business! Almost a ZZ Top like Afterburner synth sound pushes this albums tracks as well
Kim’s rock tracks on this albums are excellent. Thats The Hold/Hitting The Ground and the very quirky City Girl (with the line of “City Girl likes to keep her Meatloaf warm”) Keeps the Kim Rock Machine rolling at full tilt.
Basically its the other 5 tracks that take this album into a whole other level which I can say I was a noob towards for what…31 years!
Yeah there was the goofy Easy To Tame video. Alana Loves Me which the song does pick up speed in the chorus along with Peter Fredette’s backing vocals. Speaking of which Peter is a great vocal foil for Kim’s laid back rock voice at times. Patio Lanterns the mid tempo track that MuchMusic played the heck out of the video back in 86 as well picks up some steam in its chorus as well. Cameo Spirit a great track featuring some real good backing vocals makes this album take another sonic turn one in which you don’t expect! In Your Arms that leads off Side 2 features Kim picking a clean sound guitar and this song borders on a mid tempo like summer breeze. A whole different vibe here folks. Actually the whole second side is one big chill pill except for City Girl and Hitting The Ground.
Pye Dubois writes all the lyrics while Mitchell handles the music end of things and this partnership lasted for a real long time from Kim’s old band Max Webster through to RockLandWonderland I believe. (Actually for all Max Webster/Kim solo questions ask Mikey Ladano as he’s a great source of this stuff)
Revisiting this album 31 years later and checking the lyrics out a little more closely this album is dripping with a ton of lost love in its words. Holy Hell whose disaster of a relationship ended up as the main source of inspiration on this album? Kim or Pye? Yikes….! As shitty as life can be at least Alana Loves Me! Ha!
So after all those years away and once I seen this album in Montreal it was a no brainer to pick up!
An album that for all intent and purposes I filed away as a couple of great tracks ends up being full of Great Tracks! Basically one of those good to see you’s followed by an actually great to see ya!
This Jovi post is for Tbone’s wife Christine who is Toronto going to see her favourite band tonight. Tbone for Christine’s birthday emptied out his wallet right down to the lint in his pockets and scored her an all-inclusive VIP Package for the show!
Tbone ..you are one great/broke guy! Seriously a round of Beers N Cheers as T has totally stepped up for Christine!
I told Christine that I would review a Jovi album but only released Jovi output from 1984-1992. Her first choice was Slippery followed by New Jersey which I told her I had already reviewed a ways back!
Slippery it is than! Of note in this review I flat-out refuse to post the videos from this release that we have seen a billion times over! I will though post a clip of one of those as I call em Album Gems for you’s to watch!
I will say however that High Five Hand Slap between Alec and David in the Wanted video is the best part of any rock video ever! Haha….Well from this genre that is……
1984….
Seen the ad for the self titled debut in Circus Magazine and I was sold on it as Jovi looked like a rock band. Purchased this on vinyl and it’s a pretty decent debut album with some good rock tracks…
1985….
So since the debut was decent enough a followup purchase on cassette was in order when 7800 Fahrenheit was released. 7800 was not a hot album but kinda a clunker. Outside of the opening track In And Out Of Love and Tokyo Road the album did not deliver. The production as well was weak/sterile sounding….
1986…
Jonny and crew hire Producer Bruce Fairbairn(RIP) and Bruce’s sidekick Bob Rock and proceed to high tail up to Vancouver B.C and the album known to everyone Slippery When Wet is Unleashed in the East! South! North and West! Basically all over!
The debut single You Give Love A Bad Name is released a month before the album hits’ the shelves and the song spurred on by the video lays down the law in some pre hype album curiosity for everyone ..well that would be me and Tbone!
When Slippery is released were all hooked on its great songs/singing/playing and production…..
For the record …Tbone always preferred this cover of Slippery! Just saying! ^^^
The Jersey Mafia!
Jon Bon Jovi – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, rhythm acoustic guitar (t
Richie Sambora – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead acoustic guitar
Alec John Such – bass guitar (credited), backing vocals
Tico Torres – drums
David Bryan – keyboards, backing vocals, horns* (Credits as Lema Moon which is his nickname).
Studio musicians
Hugh McDonald – bass guitar (wrote and recorded the bass parts, uncredited)
Tom Keenlyside – saxophone
Lema Moon – horns
Well the Great Alec John Such never played a bass lick on this studio album but back in 1986 we didn’t know any different. Give props to Such though while Jon/Richie and ensemble were recording Alec was trolling Strip Bars in Vancouver and living the High Life! (Just making this up but that is how I would have done it!)
The 10 Pack……
1. “Let It Rock” Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora 5:27
2. “You Give Love a Bad Name” Bon Jovi, Sambora, Desmond Child 3:42
3. “Livin’ on a Prayer” Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child 4:09
4. “Social Disease” Bon Jovi, Sambora 4:18
5. “Wanted Dead or Alive” Bon Jovi, Sambora 5:08
6. “Raise Your Hands” Bon Jovi, Sambora 4:16
7. “Without Love” Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child 3:30
8. “I’d Die for You” Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child 4:30
9. “Never Say Goodbye” Bon Jovi, Sambora 4:48
10. “Wild in the Streets” Bon Jovi 3:54
So as you can say by the writing credits Jonny has in hands in all 10 songs while Richie riding shotgun contributes to 9. No to be outdone and since the 7800 album did not have a ‘HIT’. Song Doctor Desmond Child is brought in the mix on 4 tracks and two of these tunes shoot the band into superstardom and never looking back!
Let It Rock starts off with a ton of Keyboard Swirls by Bryan and before I can shout “Jon Cain” Sambora blasts out of the gates along with Tico on the drums leading the charge. Let It Rock is a good opener more of a mid tempo rock track than an all out assault. Sometimes you do not have to drop the hammer right off the top and for a few bands like Jovi they get away with it!
Ok what do you say about You Give Love A Bad Name that hasn’t been talked/written about? Let me try to rewind back to 86 on my thoughts as opposed to 2017 where we have heard this song a million times! The first time I heard it I dug it lot’s and why not?! Features Jon and crew doing capella at the start and the band roars ahead spurred on by a huge Richie riff. Just an all out fun party track. Great solo as well and great lead and backing vocals.
Richie borrows Framptons Talk Box and one of the biggest 80’s Rock Tune’s ever is heard and at the time you quickly realize that Jon is trying to be the Pop Rock Metal version of Springsteen in the lyric department telling the tales of people down on their luck. The pre chorus into the chorus is the money shot which made the 3 songwriters here a ton of Cash! We all have heard this tune a zillion times.
Social Disease is good ol after rip of a party tune! Love the use of Horns on this tune and you can see how Aerosmith (1yr later) and Motley Crue (2 years later) used the same Producers/Studio/Horns and crafted their own masterpieces at times using Brass in their tunes.
Wanted Dead Or Alive once again I’m going back to 86 and when I heard this tune for the firs time I loved it as it builds slow with the use of acoustic guitars and morphs into a electric Sambora kicker of a solo. Like the fact that Jon wrote about touring town to town as the video showed them onstage/backstage and made us all want to see the Slippery Tour.
Side 2 blasts off with Raise Your Hands which is another fun straight ahead rocker and you can hear the big riffs layed down and Jon telling us to ummmm…. Raise Your Hands!
Without Love to my years is an obvious single but It wasn’t for some reason than again this album produced huge singles so Jovi must have felt good that he could write a song like Without Love as a single and not use it. Good song actually with a pretty decent hook in the chorus…
Ok! Track 8 is my fav one on here and that’s I’d Die For You and it just blasts out of the gates and even though in the first verse is awash with Bryan’s Synth Fairbairn never lets the keys take over the Loud Rock Guitar! Great everything about this song and for myself it will always hold a special place for me as this was the second song in the Jersey Show that Tbone and myself caught in Winnipeg(August/1989) and as I called it my review of the show The Olympic Bra Toss as it rained Bra’s/Panties on those dudes on stage….
Never Say Goodbye was the big power Ballad which did nothing for me. That’s ok as Power Ballads were the obligatory release point’s by the 1980’s standards So since everyone was doing them after a while i just got nauseous with the whole deal!
Wild In The Streets ends the album it’s a rocker track but for me it’s so so but the chorus is good basically Slippery ends for me after Track 8. Still though Wild was an ok tune if I could stumble past the previous tune which wasn’t too often!
Holy Crap this was a real long review….U still with me on this Christine??
Jonny steps up and delivers and makes a bunch of fanboys on this album as Jovi had the looks for the ladies and the loud guitars for the dudes. Great album and put these guys on career path that they even survived past the Grunge Era…
Actually I was hoping Christine was going to pick 92’s Keep The Faith but she was The Boss on this one and made the call! Keep The Faith is an album I will tackle at one point so friends thanks for reading and….
Keep The Faith…. (yeah that was pathetic)
^^^ –Actually Tbone never said he preferred that cover I’m just mucking around with him…..
Now! How’s this once again for timing! Today(Feb 3 2017) Priest releases the deluxe edition of Turbo included is a live show recorded in Kansas City. I will say it again as Priest knows how to do the reissue format properly!
You know Turbo at the time of its release back in good ol 1986 I think got somehow buried since from a Hard Rock standpoint the Van Halen VS David Lee Roth drama took in a ton of press that year and it was like “Oh here’s a new Priest album!” and that was it.
From a build up standpoint there was no hype for Turbo which was kinda bizarre as the previous couple of Priest album’s 1982’s Screaming For Vengeance and 1984’s Defenders Of The Faith delivered in full Metal fashion.
I still recall watching MuchMusic when the first video single was dropped from Turbo and that being Locked In which I thought was a good track but Wowzer’s Priest went and borrowed the ZZ Top Synth and slammed out a bunch of tracks and talk about a direction change in everything including the packaging/the song’s and even Priest themselves were all sporting a new swag like look! Think the KISS Lick It Up look mashed up with a Mad Max/Road Warrior look! See video posted below….
Haha….gotta love this video…man the 80’s Ruled!
Um…The Turbo Lovers….
Rob Halford – vocals
K. K. Downing – guitar
Glenn Tipton – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Dave Holland – drums
Turbo Tracks…
1. “Turbo Lover” 5:33
2. “Locked In” 4:19
3. “Private Property” 4:29
4. “Parental Guidance” 3:25
5. “Rock You All Around the World” 3:37
6. “Out in the Cold” 6:27
7. “Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days” 4:39
8. “Hot for Love” 4:12
9. “Reckless”
Priest open the album with an all time great which is Turbo Lover which features KK and Glenn playing all kinds of metal like synth shots emulating from there guitars going straight into the synth and it is quite genius. Though at the time I was like “Whoah a real shift in direction” as if you recall Defenders opening track was the ballistic FreeWheel Burning which is Metal through and through…
Locked In ..well watch the video again if you must! The song is pretty decent and really grabs my attention when it breaks down and shifts gears in the middle point of the track.
Private Property is a great track. Swirling Metal Synth propels this song forward with Hollands drums pushing the beat forward! The pre chorus part of the track is simply brilliant! “Keep Your Hands Off Private Property” sings Robbo and in a perfect Metal World setlist Priest should have done a Eat Me Alive/Private Property/Ram It Down trilogy…haha. Seriously though this song oozes cool even 30 years later!
Priest here is Itchin! Itchin for a Hit with Parental Guidance which was the rally cry of the wacka doodle censorship that was going on in the record industry circa the mid 80’s! There’s Robbo singing ” We don’t need no,no.no.no Parental Guidance here!” This song was silly to me back than and it still is today. Like why guy’s? Really?! I mean just two years before your writing tunes like The Sentinal which is just a sick mad beast of tune from Defenders. I will give Priest there due though as they are trying to move forward, maybe a little too much to my liking….
Rock You All Around The World picks up a lot more steam and KK and Glenn take off and Dave Holland or is it a drum machine keeps the tune rocking. Kinda of a cool catchy chorus. Kinda like a metal bubblegum like vibe that will stick in the inside of your noggin for minutes/hours after….anything with the title Rock in it will. Like for instance…Rock You/Rock You Like A Hurricane/Rocks Off/Rock Rock Til You Drop/I Wanna Rock/Rock Hard Ride Free/Rock Bottom and my personal fav Big Bottom! ummm sorry that last one doesn’t belong here….
Side 2 begins with the 6 minute plus Priest mid tempo Out In The Cold which is a great track and what totally blows my mind is that this was used as the tour opener on Priests Turbo Tour. Ballsy move instead of coming out and punishing the crowd Priest shifts gears and fools everyone. Out In The Cold confused back in 86 but now in 2017 I understand what these sneaky Brits were doing…Chill the crowd out and wallop them with your second song of the night….
Wild Nights,Hot And Crazy Days has Rob and Crew getting on down with the after concert party crowd and hey look over there at the catering table are Simmons and Stanley looking at that nights buffet! Kinda reminds of that a Goofy Dumbo Like KISS mid 80s track that could have slid perfectly in right before Uh All Night. This track sounds like a toss in…..
Hot For Love….mmmmm no thanks….next,
Reckless. Now we are talking after two dud’s Priest storm back with a fire cracker of a track that ends Turbo with a bang and not a whimper! Cool pace and the chorus is oh so good. So good that the video is below….
Priest in 2017 are smart as they are like I said earlier are bringing Turbo back to life with the Deluxe Edition and by all accounts from the two live tracks that were made available already (Turbo Lover and Out In The Cold) this is going to be a great live addition as the mixes are so good on the guitars especially on Turbo Lover.
Have to hand it to them as they tried to keep pushing forward but some songs fell by the wayside though Turbo is still a decent effort.
With the sonics and production of this album it’s there ZZ Priest album!
AeroStoned! Yes Please! Came across this real cool SoundBoard recording from Worcester Massachusetts (March 3 1986) recorded for a radio broadcast on the Done With MirrorsTour!
Aerosmith was plugging the Mirrors record and that is an album that some people well perhaps a lot of people either like it or don’t like it!
This is a 15 song killer set with Aero Not A Crumbling But Maybe A Little Stumbling Around but it’s great live Rock! No Fixings just all the Slop Rock Trimmings we like around these parts!
Joe Perry,Brad Whitford,Joey Kramer,Tom Hamilton and Steve Tyler lay down a Sonic Boom that in all intent and purposes Lets The Music Do The Talking!
Boston’s Bad Boys sock it out of the gate with Back In the Saddle and all the classics are played! Same Old Song And Dance,Big 10 Inch,Sweet Emotion,Walk this Way,Train Kept A Rollin,Last Child,Toys In The Attic,Last Child,Dream On(with a crazed out ending that is Ummm….bizarre,different like Tyler collapsed on his piano/synth…
Steve in between songs at one point says there recording this show for a live album. Considering how loop de looped Aero was in concert Steve man was on good behaviour as he nails all the lyrics but maybe someone had a chat with him as the tape was a rollin!
It’s funny that Aero never “Officially” released this as they put out or their old Record Company did the two “Classics Live” releases which were a total $$$$ grab!
Now with the AeroBoys plugging the current album some new tunes are played. 5 from Done With Mirrors are represented and it’s a shame once Aero sobered up they for the most part dissed this album but I gotta say I think it has some of Tylers best lyrics ever!
My Fist Your Face has to be in my All Time Top 10 Aerosongs! It oozes sleaze the lyrics ooze coolness! Check these lyrics out to My Fist below…..(video is posted at the top of page)
Hey Betty Boop you got me droolin’
I’m buzzin’ ’round your hive tonight
You played the hooky ‘stead of schoolin’
Son of a bitch put out the light
Thirteen year old hookers
Drag yourself right through the thorns
You wonder why the man’s outside your door
Junior achievers, got the old bull by the horns
Back in the saddle get ya s’more (some more)
My Fist Your Face is classic late 70s Slop Rock carried into the mid 80s Stoned Up Blues Rock! Tyler at the show that night dedicates My Fist to (boxer) Marvin Hagler.
Course with it being 2016 The Texas Rangers (Major League Baseball Team) got into an infield brawl with The Toronto Blue Jays as Rangers 2nd Baseman Rougned Odor punched Jays Outfielder Jose Bautista right in the kisser!
My point being how about …My Fist Bautista’s Face? Does that work? Seriously though what a super-duper track!
Sheila is another newbie that slips and slides into coolville. Sheila rocks with a swagger like stomp delivered by Steve and The Boys.
The Hop is one of those throw together jam like tunes that only Aero could pull off and Tyler man blasts his brains out playing that harmonica. Think Aeros Milk Cow Blues from Draw The Line sped up on a 78 rpms! Well Aero was literally Hoped up on something folks!
Ahhhh yes Let The Music Do The Talking…love Perrys slide playing and this song takes off like a rocket! Great verse,heavy-duty chorus followed by more Perry slide….Yessssssss!
Speaking of slide guitar She’s On Fire is another dialed up like sleazeball piece of rock! Great lyrics and this has to be one of those 4 am toss togethers that 30 years later (Holeeeeee Sheeeeit!) still sounds real good ….
The real surprise for me in this set list is the rarely played No Surprise from 1979s Night In The Ruts. This tune is pure brilliance lyrically,musically. It’s all wrapped up as Tyler explains in his lyrics what Aero went through….
So for Aero being messed up they could still knock out Gems of tracks ….Crank the video and sing along with Steve-o!
“No Surprize”
1971, we all heard the starters gun
New York is such a pity
But at Max’s Kansas City we won
We all shot the shit at the bar
With Johnny O’ Toole and his scar
And then old Clive Davis said
He’s surely gonna make us a star
I’m gonna make you a star
Just the way you are
But with all his style
I could see in his eyes
That we is goin’ on trial
And it was no surprize
The boys kept kickin’ ass
As usual time would tell
But some bitch in the choir
Throw water on the fires of hell
She loved to show and tell
Lord, she loved to tell
But with all our style
You could see in our eyes
That we is still on trial
And it was no surprize
No surprize
No surprize
No surprize
Midnight lady
Situation fetal
Vaccinate your ass with your phonograph needle
I say looky here
Friend of mine
You scratch like you need calamine
Flamingo boots, soles a creakin’
Still in love and Puerto Rican too
Ridin’ on wheels of hell
Smokin’ our axle grease
Oh, the backstage is rockin’
And we’re coppin’ from the local police
That’s right, the local police
Or the juctice of peace
But with all our style
You could see in our eyes
That we is still on trial
Baby, it’s no surprize
No surprize
No surprize
No surprize
Rock n’ roll, junkie whore
Got my foot inside the door
Knock knock, knock knock, knock
Nobody’s keepin’ score
Bad times go away
Come again some other day
Topaz and sazzafraz
Will keep the blues away
Candy store, rock n’ roll
Corporation jellyroll
Play the singles, it ain’t me
It’s programmed insanity
You ASCAP, if BMI
Could ever make a mountain fly
If Japanese can boil teas
Then where the fuck’s my royalties…aar
Yak yak yak yak ‘oow
The KMA is run by two dudes Aaron and James! Check there stuff out just look over to your right and under the heading of Fellow Friends there they be! Click Keeps Me Alive …and have some laughs as Aaron and James have a great way with words. James is great with words he thinks things out kinda like a old school western gunslinger someone like Wyatt Earp he shows up out of the blue and throws down some well written reviews whereas Aaron is like Billy The Kid he’s constantly moving, darting around with his words making you laugh and than BAM! Aaron shoots you between the eyes with his writing! No questions asked. Aaron is a fantastic wordsmith! Dude constantly cracks me up…..
Best in both worlds of writing and considering both of them run there site together and even though they are worlds apart in writing styles it works!
Kudos Fella’s!
KMA means Keep Me Alive to me though it’s Kick My Ass so here it be!
Enjoy the week Hombres!
Kick My Ass Week…and guess what another snappy happy 3 album meal (maybe?)deal. I think James and Aaron would endorse these three albums (maybe?)I’m about to review….so sit back and enjoy the ride!
1986 and the Metallica Metal Booze Express is loaded with Jack and pounding the sonics of youth across Canada and the world! My first purchase of Tallica was in 1985 with Ride The Lightning and man considering how metal it was and how young they were and how much they liked booze that they could pull of a tune like Fade To Black just blew my mind! It just showed you there seriousness at there craft And Fade To Black just makes that point more clear that they had there shit together when they unleashed Master Of Puppets in 86!
I bought Masters on cassette and great on Metallica they included full lyrics and credits in the sleeve which was good and hey speaking of the credits they thanked Neil,Geddy and Alex and we all know who they are right? If not do your homework friends!
Master Of Puppets man its impressive it found its audience in 1986 as everyone was glamming out sonically but here’s Metallica wearing street clothes holes in the jeans sporting Misfits t shirts slammimg back Heineken and playing music at full throttle!
For Whom The Bell Tolls with James Hetfield,Cliff Burton(RIP),Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett…..
BATTERY-some nice little classical guitar is played and boom here’s the crush of Lars on drums,Cliffy on bass, James and Kirk on guitar and let the surge and purge begin! Battery rips along at speeds i didn’t think we’re possible at the time. Holy hell listen to the vid posted especially during the chorus when James,Kirk and Lars are playing and leaving room for Cliff to Riff on his Rickenbacher! Ha! Cliff To Riff sounds good to me! Shit man these speeds are sick and than heres Kirk dropping down solos at breakneck speed and the song not tilting under the speedometer at 150 mph! Seriously? This is only track 1!
MASTER OF PUPPETS-Big and I mean a big power crashing sweep of Sonics opens Masters Of Puppet! The title track unleashes what I have always like about Metallica! The song builds up slow than rips into the verses and James leads the charge with his vocals and yeah we all can chant MASTER,MASTER during the chorus and it just shoots through the roof as Lars is gulping O2 to keep up and instant Gem I do say ! Kirk plays crazy ass licks but riffs that don’t annoy you or take aways the vibe of the tune! Master builds it up,Master rips it down! This is a full out metal assault! The great thing about this song and for this album in general is not dated to the time of 1986! Keep flinging back those Heinekens Boys I like what I hear!
THE THING THAT SHOULD NOT BE-love the groove of this tune it’s not metal at 150 mph more like doing 85 in a 55 zone! Lars and Cliff lock up tight in there playing with Lars slapping his snare drum silly and James following chaos underground! Kirk stays the course on guitar and that’s what i dug about Hetfield the dude could sing with all the amps cranked behind him.
WELCOME HOME SANITARIUM- great slow build up with some neat picking by Kirk and Lars plays busy drums but doesn’t get to crazy and this song goes and gets heavy in the chorus! These lyrics are deep,heavy thought provoking and shit these guys have the chops! Love Cliffs bass runs on this tune! The song ramps up and kicks into overdrive during the solo. Yee haw!
DISPOSABLE HEROES-drums a smashing guitars a crashing and this song gallops in a metal way! Heavy! Big time speed on the pre chorus amn this is metal and Kirk riffs having as Lars is pounding double bass and smashing his Tama drums into the ground! Lots of Kill,Die and Hell and ripping solos ….Geez when James sings “Back To the Front …you coward! ” Umm Yep that’s me he’s refering to as back in 1986 I’m hiding behind my copy of Poisons Look What The Cat The Dragged In! Drums are just dope sick good on this song….fuck this is metal
LEPER MESSIAH-Lars counts in and boom metal kinda like a mashup of ACDC groove mixed with Metallica except Lars is playing drums and than halfway thru the tune the song ramps up and ACDC is left behind but man the production on this album by Flemming Rasmussen is mint! Even now in 2015! Kudos producer guy! More Lie,Die,Lie,Die stuff for your listening pleasure.
ORION-Orion is a musical only track with a smash of a Gong! Cliff gives his Rickenbacker a real work out with some serious riffing on it and all the guys do there thing like think of it as a Rush musical on Roids!
DAMAGE INC-Gem man…just love this tune…like the eery creepy guitar effects at the beginning and how about an smash over the head with some real Metal played fast and furious with reckless abandon! But Tallica know the deal end the album with a sure fire mass of metal lodged into your noggin. This works! Speed …man,does not kill it just makes me want to break things! Like Tbone,where’s your Bad English cassette so I can destroy it?
IN CONCLUSION- you want MEEEEEEEETAL! You got it with Puppets! There is no fooling around here folks! Hetfield and Crew put on the hard hats dig themselves a deep trench and get to work! They knew they had there own fan base so like how Rush did it on there own Metallica goes about it the same way! You with us …GREAT! Your not…MOVE ON……
Check back Wednesday for another installment of KMA Week….
This is a request from reader Jenn Johnson….here Ya go!
Man 1986 and after I seen the two videos posted above( Keep The Spirit Alive and Stand Tall) what can Ya say once I see them on the Much Music Pepsi Power Hour I had to get this album Stat!
Considering these guys weren’t on a major label at the time by the way they did these two videos with a real great sense of humour and the packaging of the Stand Tall vinyl(lyrics,pics) it was very impressive I mean compared to say when I bought new releases by major label bands like Ratt there was no packaging but a clear sleeve to keep the record in!(meh) so full Kudos to the Dwarfs you made this record seeking young rock guy in 1986 at the age of 19 very impressed!
Also the fact that all there names ended in Dwarf was fuckin funny as hell….seriously though lets explore this little gem of a cooker from Russ,Mike,Darrell and Bad Rondo…….
STAND TALL- all 4 Dwarfs kick down the walls and the song trucks forward and hey these guys mean business the verses,chorus,music everything is here all rolled into one little kick ass opener! Full props to the person or persons who came up with the video idea! The cool thing is here we are in 2015 and the video still holds up well! Kids this is how records were made back in 1986! Ha! It’s also clear that there will be no moping around with the lyrics Stand Tall ….Stick To To Your Guns and kick ass if anyone bugs Ya! Great start!
HUMAN SURVIVAL- Mike opens with a power riff and for the next four plus minutes Russ tells us all how we will survive. Don’t give up hope peeps Sez the Dwafs and by golly I won’t! Good song with a mid tempo groove!
UP TO YOU AND ME-some creepy eery sounds start the song and Rondo and his bass do some Simmons like do,do,do and he locks it in with Darrell on drums and this is borderline ballady kinda maybe ,not saying but it features some nice acoustic guitar mixed with electric of course and the song ramps up come chorus time!
BORDERLINE-it’s about walking the fine line on the Borderline! This is a no frills straight rock song and the Dwarfs are making sure that the Winnibego is still gassed up cuz the wheels aren’t coming off Til the party ends!
KEEP THE SPIRIT ALIVE-one of the coolest thing about these guys is not only KTSA a great song but the video as well actually the two videos (Stand Tall being the other)are what sold me at the time plus this song is about walking before you run and not giving up! Positive vibes all around here folks! The verse,prechorus,chorus,guitar solo,drums,singing and bassing is all here what a Gem of a tune! When your having a shitty day play this track as I posted the video for it! If the creativness of the video doesn’t make you giggle your fucked! This in 86 was a great track in 2015 I still feel the same way! Love the tempo just a straight forward rock track! Brilliant !
BELIEVE IN ME-Umm yeah these guys wrote a great track here and it shows in the chorus! They still play this song today well maybe not today but when myself and Tbone caught them on there Reunion Of Scribes tour about 12 years ago here in Tbay at the Inntowner (bar) they rocked it! That’s the cool thing about these guys as well they write tunes that ain’t gonna bum Ya out! They give Ya hope and promise so Ya Believe In Me! Like I said the chorus is the money shot…super catchy!
DO OR DIE-Darrell Dwarf lays down the the drum groove and the great thing is the band is not letting down even this far into there album! Do Or Die says Russ and I believe him i really do! Mike throws down a good solo while Bad Rondo on bass hammers the pedal to the metal !
OUT IN THE STREETS-Mike starts off the tune with a power riff followed by some soloing right off the hop! Russ grabs Ya by the neck and takes us down to the street and tells us how to live. Don’t give up kick ass is what he’s saying!
BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS-some add texture at the beginning of this song with the crowd mixed in (like Def Leps Rocks Off from On Through The Night) and Mike and Darrell Dwarf rocket the ship straight to the moon at rapid speed! Slam Bam Thank you Mam! This song rocks fast and Russ keeps up with the vocals and Rondo nails the door closed with his bass! Awesome way to end a album …basically a kick down the door scorcher!
IN CONCLUSION- what a great little ball of independent Rock in the form of Stand Tall! These guys did it there way on this release and they should be commended for that! The Dwarfs put the time and effort into the packaging of the LP(lyrics,pics) the videos and the songs! I bought this back in 1986 and I still have it.
Now on Facecrack I follow Darrell ‘Dunk’ Miller (Dwarf) and he’s a pretty chill laid back dude and he always answers whatever ?’s are thrown his way. Anyhoo a few weeks back some fella from the USA was looking for a vinyl copy of Stand Tall and some doofus answered back saying he had a copy to sell for $1000! And if he wanted as well he would sell him the debut Dwarfs album as well for $2000. Dunk interjected saying that was to put it politely “Steep” Ya no shit Sez I. $3000 for two records! Geez dude (owner of the 2 Dwarfs albums )have your head fuckin checked would Ya!
Would I sell my copy your asking …Nope! I mean I have had it for like 29 years so what’s another 29 years ..than we can talk! Ha!
I’m starting to realize that 1986 produced some real musical duds!(it only took me 29 years to realize this…!! Ha!)
Case in point…Ted Nugent rolls out Little Miss Dangerous/Quiet Riots Kevin Dubrow buys a wig with QR3/Triumph writes and performs the Trainwreck Masterpiece titled Sport Of Kings/Krokus with the ultimate Filler with Change Of Address and Y&T with (Ahem) Down With The Count!
All of these albums listed above I paid $$$ for so i will throw em all under the bus! Come to think of it I never bought Y&Ts Down For The Count. Tbone has the honor of that one!
If you haven’t already, you can click on the main page(right-hand side) look under Categories and right at the top is my 3/4s Filler section and you can read about all my musical mishaps and hell even T-bones closet band of homeboys Bad English are featured!
Carrying on with the theme of 1986 duds …Cheap Trick issues The Doctor album and for God sakes, this thing crashed real fast after I spun it a few times…..basically, a Do Not Resuscitate is ordered by Deke to put down The Doctor…
I’ll tell Ya why…..
Cheap Trick man I love these guys and from about 1980 or so when I got my mitts on the Budokan release I bought all things Trick! The 1980s weren’t too kind to the Tricksters after they released the real good 1982 album One On One. 4 years later in 86 man I got Cheap Tricked and it ain’t funny…
Who the hell is responsible for all the programmed keyboards, Synthy sounds, sterile production?
Bun E Carlos/Rick Nielsen/Robin Zander and Jon Brandt what happened man?
It’s UP TO YOU- boom a wall of keyboards erupts and considering this song is dripping with a wall of keys, programmed drums at least Nielsens guitar is somewhat cranked but I’ll be damned the chorus is really good and for an opening track this is really good considering with what’s to follow…..
REARVIEW MIRROR ROMANCE- umm nope next……
THE DOCTOR-this is the title track its 1986 man like a Top Gun soundtrack throwaway tune.
ARE YOU LONELY TONIGHT/NAME OF THE GAME/KISS ME RED/TAKE ME TO THE TOP and GOOD GIRLS GO TO HEAVEN(BAD GIRLS GO EVERYWHERE)- these 5 songs I have no recollection of and well I will explain later ….next…..
MAN-U-LIP-LATOR- Ummm ok The Trick perk me up somewhat out of my Musical coma somewhat with this tune it has a great chorus so yeah there’s life somewhat left in this album…..
ITS ONLY LOVE-holy heck this song is the deal ..PURE GENIUS! I’m not joshing ya’s! This song is one of the best Trick songs ever! It’s Only Love is a well written back to basics power-pop Trick tune and its buried at the back of the album! This song is why I love Cheap Trick! The song is great some cool acoustic by Robin and Rick while Bun E and Jon lay down some cool drums and bass plus some chicks do some impressive background singing. Zander is easily in my top 5 fav lead vocal guys! Watch the video and speaking of the video they included the girl in the bottom right corner doing actual sign language to Robins lyrics! What a great move and the story is even better as Trick used to play this basement club in Chicago and there were deaf people living above them and they could feel the beat of the Tricksters playing!
Watch the vid its a classic still to this day…..crank it! The ending of the vid is classic Goofy Cheap Trick Atta Boy Rick!
IN CONCLUSION- yeah I was duped totally by the Trick on The Doctor those 5 tracks I have not listened to since 1986 except for the last track which is a wickedly good track as I could have easily done it as a Cool Lil Number easily! So I give them total props for that! Yep if your keeping score I have It’s Up To You, Man-U-Lip-Lator, and Its Only Love on my iPod. Those are the only 3 tracks I bought from The Doctor!
2 years later they hit paydirt with The Flame. That song made me wanna puke but I was happy that the Cheap Trickers were back on people’s radars!
All the diehard Maiden fans will be ..this is a Maiden tune! Correct you are! Why is not this Cool Lil Number segment titled Iron Maiden? Umm well let’s give Adrian Smith his due man in Maiden and have a little chat about a real good cool song!
Adrian Smith when he joined Maiden for the Killers(1981)album he put his stamp on playing note for note with Dave Murray and laying claim that they are the best guitar duo going and that continued for years and now with Janick Gers they are three guitars deep but back in 1982 comes Number Of The Beast and heres Adrian doing co writes on such numbers as The Prisoner,Gangland and the epic 22 Acacia Avenue!
Piece Of Mind(1983)Smith delivers more co writes in the form of Flight Of Icarus,Die With Your Boots On and Sun And Steel.
Powerslave(1984) Adrian yet has more cowrites in Back In The Village and how about one of Maidens signature riffs that would be 2 Minutes To Midnight! Hey if you a Canuklehead like me than you will remember the old Pepsi Power Hour Tv Metal Show on Muchmusic and for a long time it’s the opening riff of 2 Minutes…that would begin the PowerHour! ….
So 1986 and the Maiden boys find guitar synths and Adrian shows up and drops down what I think (along with the opening track Caught Somewhere In Time) are two of the best tracks off of the new studio release (Somewhere In Time)at the time(1986) which are Stranger In A Strange Land and Wasted Years which are for the first time written solely by Mr Smith.
So I guess Maiden like they always do record extra tracks for each release and one of them from the Somewhere In Time sessions is this standout track Reach Out written by Adrian’s pal Dave Colwell. This tune is the deal and I mean Maiden rock it big time and Bruce Dickinson handles the backing vocals while Adrian proves he not only plays a wicked guitar but he can sing almost a top 40ishy Rock style like Bryan Adams.
Reach Out is a great track the guitars even with the Synthy sound and Steve Harris and Nicko McBrian laying down the bass and drums respectively push it into unlike Maiden Territories but no wimping out so it still sounds like Maiden! Give it a listen and you will know what I’m talking about and for all you non Maiden listeners out there(shame on you..hahaha)listen with a open mind!
Ok! Lets think about this for a sec! 1986 and I’m 19,I purchase everything music,I do love me the hard rock! So when it’s announced that Boston is releasing a new studio album there first in 8 friggin years were pumped I mean it was only a year earlier(1985) at our high school that me and some guys over the course of our lunch break were yakking its up all things music and someone brought up the fact that Def Leppard had been taking there time releasing there new record (Hysteria) which wouldn’t be released for another 2 years (1987) soooooo…someone Sez now keep in mind this is 1985 ‘what about Boston? Ahhhh the Leppard topic was dropped and everyone was like yeah WTF and I knew that by reading Circus Magazine that Boston or more importantly Tom Scholz was battling his record company over something so there was a delay but come Sept 1986 here comes the concept album Third Stage and ummmm well….
COOL YOUR ENGINES DEKE!
AMANDA-ok so we wait mega years for a Boston album and Third Stage is dropped and they lead it off with a ….Geez are you serious Mr Scholz a ballad?? Let’s take a lookie here for a second at some other albums I bought in 1986 that had super duper kick Ya in the nut sack openers that would draw your attention and and just keep Ya Rockin! Sammy Halen had Good Enough as the opening track on 5150! David Lee Roth had Yankee Rose as the opener on Eat Em & Smile! The Mighty Iron Maiden had Caught Somewhere In Time from Somewhere In Time, ACDC had Who Made Who as a opener on the soundtrack by the same name,Triumph had Tears in the Rain..Ummm ok now I’m pushing it but you get my drift …Songs that would rock me as a 19 year old and as I write this now as year 47 old I can ask Boston this. What The Fuck were you doing opening your long awaited album with a sap track?? Ahh man this is gonna be painful! I know a lot of people dig this track and hey Arena Rock salutes you…..but as a opener you wanna say BUZZ KILLER! I do So Buzz Killer Amanda is!
WERE READY- big guitars and a so so tempo and this is a improvement on Amanda. Having said that Brad Delp(RIP) saves this album just with his voice. Man that cat could sing! While we’re at it is Sib the drummer with the cool Afro even on this record? These drums sound like electronic,programmed up the ying yang with a million guitars layered over the top, like icing on your birthday cake!
THE LAUNCH-is a 3 parter(Countdown/Ignition/Third Stage Separation)musical guitar/effects smorgasbord with a real big Sonic Boom(ha) blast off! Hey even in the notes Boston tells us that no synths are used on this record! Just a million other gadgets whatever that crazy Professor Scholz had cooking in his lab!
COOL THE ENGINES- sounds like a throwback to the first two Boston albums and wow we’re finally rocking in Boston! Brad Delp delivers a great vocal but than again he always delivered! What a loss his death was to the Arena Rock Community! But yeah this one has a snap happy chorus and more big time guitar action! Welcome back to 1986 and some loud (kinda) Rockin !
MY DESTINATION- Wowzers another Boston ballad? We were just a Cranking up the engines and now we are definitely Cooling The Engines here! Think Amanda again but with a big loud ass organ shoved up your backside!
A NEW WORLD- a little 40 second music intro that is credited to Jim Masdea! Hahaha…Scholz lets go of the controls and let’s the new drummer guy get a writing credit even if it’s for 40 seconds!
TO BE A MAN- yeah another slower almost filler kinda tune. This is AOR Boston bigtime I mean were they bunking in with REO Speedwagon here? Dunno but it sounds like it to me! I can hear it now a triple mix of Can’t Fight This Feeling/To Be A Man / Keep On Loving You….where’s the barf bag?
I THINK I LIKE IT-Boston ups the tempo here a little and pushes the pedal to the gas a little more but they almost stall the engines! This song has Scholz and new guitar guy (Gary Pihl x of Sam Hagars band) playing solos and the song is ok! Delp saves this man he’s the MVP of Third Stage!
CAN’TCHA SAY- Yep Delp delivers a superb smooth as silk vocal delivery and this has radio written all over it! Catchy chorus and more big sound! Those sounds that Scholz plays you got to hand it to him as you know it’s him and well good on Tom! The bugger could play a good 6 string!
HOLLYANN- hey why don’t we Sandwhich At the start of Third Stage a big ballad and stuff some melodic rockers in between and close Third Stage out with a another ballad! Sheeeeeit man you kidding me? Yep Boston goes where a lot of bands wouldn’t go near and drive the AOR rocket ship into space with more melodic rock! I will say this one has some good guitar in it….
IN CONCLUISON- Boston drops the long awaited album and I’m puzzled! Too many AOR chill tracks but too be honest I actually had this listed as 3/4’s Filler but man lead singer Brad Delp saves the day! He soars here vocally and takes it to a whole level by himself! He’s the deal here folks,taking some songs and by his singing saving them from the scrap heap! Tom Scholz cans Sib and his Fro and the other original dudes and brings in some new blood and he must have as well borrowed ZZ Tops Afterburner drum machine(guess it was the 1986 thing to do) and well say what you wanna I tossed a Sonic Waves Mulligan here folks!
In Other Words…..
1986- Deke banished Third Stage to the 3/4’s Filler Pile ….
2015-Deke says Brad Delp saves Third Stage ….just barely does Third Stage scrape into Sonic Waves Territory….
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