Happy New Year Everyone!
What better way than to nurse your aching hangovers for the next 25 minutes or so and watch myself along with my pal Jex pit the self titled Skid Row album against Motley Crue’s “Dr. Feelgood”.
Who came out on top? Give it a watch and enjoy some good conversation into these two big selling records from 1989!
Cheer’s Folk’s!
Hey Folk’s! Welcome back to another round of “Summertime Spin” where I transport you all back to those good old days of the 80’s, where certain albums had those kind of impact moments on me as a listener upon there release when I was young, much younger!
Summer of 85 and I was starting my second summer working for a living as I was going on 18 my job washing dishes was basically funnelling my addiction to all things hard rock. Magazines, the odd purchase on cassette and mostly on vinyl ruled my world when payday would roll around.
One such album that came out right when I was finishing up Grade 12 was the very eagerly awaited new album from Motley Crue!
Now Playing- Theatre of Pain.
Crue was huge in 85 for some of the wrong reasons as we all know about the car accident in which Hanoi Rocks drummer Razzle was killed as Crue singer Vince Neil was charged with vehicular manslaughter. A few people in the other car that Neil plowed into also were hurt.
I’m not going to go down that whole road as there has been enough written about it but come that summer, how would the Crue respond.
Before I get to far into this you have to transport yourself back to that summer of 85 with me.
Sure over time “Theatre of Pain” has been trashed by many a fan and fair enough as if you bought this at the time I bet ya liked some if not all of it.
I’m calling you out!
My point being there wasn’t much Crue to compare it to as this record was the third major release by them. (“Too Fast For Love” and “Shout At The Devil” came out in 1981 and 1983 respectively)
See thats the thing with 20/20 hindsight. What is maybe considered meh in 2021 was awesome in 1985!
So anyways with Vince Neil freshly out of the clink and back with Motley out comes “Theatre of Pain” in which I was fully invested what the band was selling upon its release.
At the time I dug that look the Crue was going for. Back in 85 I was an imperishable teen who lapped up what Nikki Sixx was pouring my way.
Let’s go Glam says Sixx and the masses bought into it. Crue must have been the first act or close to it as come a year later in 86 Poison releases on the world their debut(” Look What The Cat Dragged In”) and that Poison front cover had many fooled. You know what I’m talking about.
Actually looking back some good stuff oozed itself off this album like the Aerosmith driven “City Blues Boy”. I thought this style of sleaze rock was good.
I was burnt out at the time and still am ironically enough in regards to cover tunes as “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” I found somewhat boring on the album but I thought the video was funny enough and I could handle watching it in 1985 times so to speak.
Speaking of video. “Home Sweet Home” is a good one as this song I believe saved the album from going to the cheapie bins rather quickly. Once again I liked the video over the album version. As I loved that live and backstage footage of the band.
Sixx was smart or someone at the management was as they knew how to sell the show to a yahoo like me at the time and this video went bonkers and I bet ya sold a million copies of this record alone on that track.
The rest of the record was good not great with “Keep Your Eye On The Money” being perhaps my favourite off this album back in 85 and even now in 2021.
Sixx hit one out of the park on that one…
“Comedy and tragedy
Entertainment or death
Like Sister Morphine
Hooked on her game
Time to place your bets“
Considering the Crue was kinda in a mess at this time personally its amazing that they could pull it together and put out a record at all.
I guess back in 1985 that was saying something as Sixx, Lee, Mick and Vince were partying and pulling all nighters, a young deKe’s was getting up at 5 am to go to my summertime job at the hospital to fuel my addiction to rock and in doing so in buying albums like “Theatre of Pain”.
Your Welcome Sixx!
This year I thought I would post my Best of Lists a little early. When I think back to the last 12 months of music it was the year of massive reissues of bands like R.E.M/STP/Whitesnake with 2 Reissues!!/Sloan/Def Leppard/Skid Row and the list goes on and on.
BUT …
Some bands and artists put out some new cool quality stuff so hopefully, you may check out some of these acts and artists to see what I dug in the year 2019. Feel free to post your picks in the comments below!
Here we GO!
1-Tom Keifer-RISE: Well looky, looky here. Is it 1989? No way folk’s it’s 2019 and who saw this coming? Tom Keifer shakes it and doesn’t break it as he delivers a solid blast of  CinderRock over 11 tracks that fuse all the old school elements of Cinderella while cementing a future in a really cool current sound that I hope the Keiferband will continue to follow. My favorite release this year, Congrats Tom! You have no idea who the Hell I am but I dig your album.
2-Big Wreck- …but for the sun: Guitar wizard Ian Thornley is back in a big way Folk’s as he cranked up the amps and cuts loose over the 12 tracks on this album.  Ian’s singing/guitaring and writing on this album is phenomenal as well as the two other fellas who helped him out on this as well! Kudos to Dave MacMillian and Chuck Keepling. Locomotive is one unbelievable track!
3-Rival Sons- Feral Roots: Rival Sons basically took over crap rock radio in Thunder Bay with the single Do Your Worst and on this album, the band, and producer Dave Cobb stepped up and kicked down the walls on this opus. Big Loud Fuzz Guitar Rock! How about the drums on Back In The Woods!
4-Carl Dixon- Unbroken: You want a straight-ahead hard rock album with a throwback sound to the roaring ’80s with some fantastic catchy driven rock. Than Unbroken is for you! 11 songs in the Hard Rock AOR spectrum that are pure Gold! Carl’s the definition of Rock n Roll survivor!
5-Jared James Nichols-Black Magic: Jared showed up one night this past April here in Thunder Bay opening for John5 and sizzled mine and Tbone’s brains into mush! JJN is a must-see live as he nails that heavy blues power trio format to a T. This guy is that good live and Black Magic is a stellar album that features all the fine trimmings that Mr. Nichols possess. Watch for this dude in 2020!
6-Page 38-Burning The Midnight Oil: These 4 young fella’s hail from my hometown Thunder Bay and this 5 song EP kicks serious ass. Page 38 came across my radar when they opened for and kicked to the curb ‘Cranky’ Anvil back in May of this year. I quickly scooped up the EP from iTunes as you should do as well! Love the tune Mama June! Click the video below and support our local Boy’s.
‘At Mama Junes, back door liquor store
She got what you want, couldn’t ask for more
Knock three times, 20 under the door, forget what you know
At Mama Junes, back door liquor store ‘
7-Whitesnake- Flesh and Blood: An album I had zero interest in until Ladano and John Snow got into my noggin about how good it was. They were right. Coverdale wrote a batch of tunes with Reb Beach and together they slid out 14 good rock tracks especially Hey You (You Make Me Rock) Plus add the two reissues this year of Slide It In and Slip of the Tongue.  Cov has been one busy dude! All hail the old guy!
8-Sammy Hagar & The Circle- The Space Between: Speaking of an old guy. Crazy to think that Sammy is 71 and has been doing the Rock thing for 5 Decades! That’s longevity in the truest sense. Sammy  with his good pal Micheal Anthony along with Vic Johnson and a drummer whose last name is Bonham released a pretty decent rock record in 2019. Concept album none the less about Greed and Corruption. Trust Fund Baby is a great track and as well the production on this album is old school sounding. No Polish and that’s a good thing.
9-Motley Crue- The Dirt: Never been big on soundtracks but The Dirt soundtrack interested me for some reason or maybe I was bored that week it came out. Dunno but when Tricky Sixx and Tommy muster up some new songs with Bob Rock I’m onboard. 4 new songs 3 of which are originals are ok but the cover tune of Madonna? Ummm. Whatever, still though when you dump a bunch of tracks off the first two albums (Too Fast For Love and Shout At The Devil) the sucker in me will always bite!
10-Sean Kelly-Touch Me: All round Great Canadian Fella Sean Kelly when not playing guitar/singing/songwriting in a bunch of bands (Coney Hatch/Alan Frew/Lee Aaron to name but a few) reactivated his old band Crash Kelly and put out a doozie of a track titled Touch Me which is a Glam Rockers delight. Think Cheap Trick mashed up with The Sweet. This is Ear Candy. I think we need a full album, Mr. Kelly!
Check back here in a couple of days for another Best OFÂ list with a twist!
Nikki Sixx man! You gotta hand it to him as once again I drank from the Motley Kool Aide and was duped….
This time it’s 2008 and I’m about to turn 41!? I’m still being fooled! Haha… If you recall from my other Crue reviews I was in my late teens(Mid 80’s) when the Crue were riding high with Multiple Platinum albums/Sold Out Tours/Tons of Press and I was lapping it all up!
Funny though that some of their 80’s output which I reviewed haven’t really stood the test of time…If you dig around the site I have reviewed a ton of their stuff…
To save you time though How about a quick little summary of each review I done…
(for all you Canadian Readers we can call this the Coles Note Section I posted a pic of three titles below! Basically they were cheater books back in the 80s which would explain certain book titles in a lot fewer pages than the actual book and for ding dong’s  like me in simpler english like King Lear. )*****
Too Fast For Love(1981)-Â Wicked Awesome Debut!
Shout At The Devil(1983)-Not bad..not as good as the debut but a pretty decent follow-up! Bastaaaaaard!
Theatre of Pain(1985)-Oh oh Vinnie destroys a band in seconds(Hanoi Rocks) while Sixx digs in his bag of trixx and tries to save this album from the scrap heap! If it wasn’t for the Home Sweet Home track I think even in the mid 80’s this album would have tanked quicker than Tbone shot gunning back a quick 12 pack of Molson Canadian Beer!
Girls/Girls/Girls(1987)- Crue keeps partying and release this piece of unproduced slop a roo! Sixx I guess is into the brown sugar  and this album limps along and man oh man Your All I Need and Jailhouse Rock are the last two songs on the album  and are awful. This album has a large D.N.R on it(Do Not Recessitate)
Dr Feelgood-Bob Rock finally gives the Crue a big Rock(no pun) sound that still holds up today. The title track is a smorgasboard of all great things that the Crue could do.  Big ass rhythms/pounding bass/cool guitars/tons of percussion and that is just the opening track. Of course there’s silliness in the form of Sticky Sweet and She Goes Down but this can be forgiven ..somewhat!
Motley Corabi(1994)- The self titled album after Vinnie gets the boot and in comes John Corabi in which the Crue put out what I consider their best studio album since the debut and last real good album. We all know the story of the Corabi album as it tanked. The tour tanked and Nikki/Tommy send Corabi packing like it was his fault! Bullshit I say as Johnnie got a raw deal…..
Generation Swine(1997)- Vince returns to save the day. Well that’s what we’re led to believe but this album is Crue going techno metal and when I reviewed it a while back it kinda grew on me like I wanted to trash it but I kinda didn’t mind it. Sure there’s filler! Glitter is pure yuck but saying that songs like   Black Beauty and Afraid are brilliant.  To this day love the cover…Pigs! Generation Swine  for myself is like a wart on your body that won’t go away…
There ya have my reviews. Â Short n simple if you want the full sordid stories of each one just search around, there all there….
Ok…so Saints of Los Angeles comes out and I want to give a chance! How many times have I been down Tricky Sixx Avenue?
So this is another one of those Crue albums that was tough listen….
13 Tracks and so I dialled this album up on my iPod. After not listening to it since well….2008 would my opinions change?
L..A.M.F is the opener albeit a minute and a half of silliness with  Vince’s voice and devilish sounding guitars  and what not..which leads into
Face In The Dirt is Motley flexing their muscle with a cranked up sound on guitars especially with the production. This tune is actually not a bad opener. Almost punk mashed up with Motley Metal. It’s basically the Crue defying everything around them and instead of conforming they would rather be dead? Um ok! Mars plays a real slick solo…
What’s It Gonna Take is another pretty decent track sounds total autobiographical as these guys had to fight for there right to party! Mars plays again plays some slick guitar. Sleazy Vince’s voice sounds quite good here and for good measure he tosses down a few M’fuckers out for good measure…
Down At The Whiskey keeps the autobiographical Crue tales rolling around Motley’s favourite water hole from yesteryear.  Not a bad track actually. Kinda funny as I was listening to this album I wonder how many takes it took to get Vinnie to sing these songs as live he’s Mr Huff N Puff…
Actually Saints of Los Angeles the title track with its vibe  and song wise harken back to the Feelgood days of yesteryear. Neat groove as Vince try’s to be a tough guy. Hahaha…Nice drumming by Tommy Lee….
I always find it amusing when dudes who are in there 40’s try to be tough guys and with MotherFucker of The Year ol Nikki is flexing his rock muscle and this tune is real good as the course is so catchy. I mean be careful when this song gets lodged in the back of your brain! Here I am again ….I’m The Motherfucker of The Year! Thanks Nikki I’m in my late 40’s and now I’m a tough guy minus the Tats/Money and Mansion! Love the video edit. Sounds like Vince is singing MotherFuger of The Year!. Maybe that’s why Sixx is flapping his arms around at those security guys in the video…..
Well…
The rest of the album kinda gets lost on me..
Animal In Me….meh!
Welcome To The Machine is a straight ahead slop of a rocker nothing special here folks. One part of this track has Vince panting right before the start of Mars solo…
Just Another Psycho another straight ahead rocker that just does nothing. Vince sings the line “I should be committed for being so Twisted” Ha…. Another Slop Rocker…
Chicks=Trouble Great title but the song just has nothing going for it. No catchy hook…no catchy like MotherFucker of The Year chorus..nothing… Next!
This Ain’t A Love Song has Tommy starting off the song with his straight ahead drum beat. Sounds like a leftover from Generation Swine.Â
White Trash Circus does squat….
Going Out Swinging ends the album with a full-out assault with he Crue playing a fast tempo  with nothing to write home about. Even after the song slows down only to ramp back up…Not interested… Safe to say that the Crue went out swinging and striking out as well!
What can I say….
Believe it or not this album started off promising but after M’Fucker Of The Year it was a real hard listen to get through this album. Should have released this an EP. Â IÂ Â got hosed by Sixx again!
Pass the fucking Kool Aide!
***** -of course all my reviews are in simple English/mistakes and punctuation are a total mess but you get the gist of my silliness right?
So a few weeks back along with my Brother Todd we headed down to the States to catch Iron Maiden!
To get to Minneapolis from Tbay is approx 6 hours by vehicle. When Mr 1537 (who lives in England) asked me how far of a drive it was and I answered 6 hours(no biggie I said) Mr 1537 laughed( at the no biggie comment) as he said he could drive across his little island in that time.
Our Listening music on the way down to see Maiden was well….Maiden!
Book of Souls/Live Envivo/Live After Death were all played on the drive down! Basically 3 full double albums were played to reach our destination!
On the drive back home to Thunder Bay the next morning  it was time for Sirius Satellite Radio. After Todd got his morning fix of the NFL station. After a few minutes he dialled up Ozzy’s Boneyard which had a Fathers Day Special in which the Host played Rock Tracks by Rocker Dads like Ozzy/Tommy Lee/ Dave Mustaine/Bruce Dickinson/Gene Simmons. Basically the Host would talk about the Rock Dad’s and then play a tune by them.
When Megadeth was played Todd mentioned how Deth’s Rust In Peace impacted him as a 13-year-old learning guitar  back in 1990. I replied with how it was with Countdown To Extinction that I really gravitated more to. Todd said maybe it was time for me to have  a revisit with Rust In Peace.
I laughed when the Host (can’t remember her name) talked about AC/DC’s Brian Johnson being a father so up next was an AC/DC track and they played Shot Down In Flames.Â
Umm Ding Dong, Brian Johnson was not in AC/DC at this time as the singer! The late great Bon Scott sang Shot Down In Flames! Yeah I’m being picky but c’mon man do your homework!
After a while Todd put on Hair Nation and here’s Ratt (Lovin You’s A Dirty Job) Def Leppard(Photograph) Skid Row (I Remember You/Gah!) But it was two tracks well maybe three tracks that brought out some chatter between us.
Conversation went like this….
Motley Crue/Jailhouse Rock(Live)
Deke- “Man! I can’t believe how much of a dumb ass I was back in 1987!”
Todd- (laughs)-” Why?”
Deke-” I actually liked this back than. But let’s just cut another studio track, Slap a live audience on it and drag this end of the album tune out by 5 minutes….! Fuckin Sixx!”
Dokken/Breaking The Chains(song)
Todd-” George Lynch was a real great guitar player back than” What are they doing now? Lynch Mob?”
Deke-Â “Yeah that and a bunch of guitar clinics and a Dokken reunion last year where Don looked and sounded shot!”
Todd-” No Way!!?”
Deke-” One of the few bands that did not stick out a dud album in the 80’s but man George looked like a friggin banana on that Tooth and Nail Tour when half his hair was blonde and the other half was black!”
Poison/Look What The Cat Dragged In…
Exactly at the 48 second mark of the song Look What The Cat Dragged In, Lead Singer Bret Micheal’s finishes the chorus where he sings the line  “Look What The Cat Dragged IN…RRRRRRRAAAR!
Deke and Todd- HAHAHAHAHAHA(For about 15 seconds after) as Micheals sings the second verse were still mocking the RRRRRRRRRAAAR part like a couple of teenage boys yet here is my bro who just turned 40 and myself who will be hitting 50 and  30 years after this albums release I finally hear the RRRRRRRRAAAR part? That is even funnier….Must have been Poisoned listening to this album back than. Yeah That’s it….
Here’s the video posted so you can hear it for yourself…
Todd likes to try and  stump me and he did on this next one. I should have waited til the chorus but I wanted to look cool and look like a Banger know it all but instead I was tagged out at the plate. The song you ask? Black N Blue/Miss Mystery.  Of course which leads to me explaining how Bruce Fairbairn got the Jovi Producers hat after hearing this Black N Blue album. Basically I was trying to save face which leads too…
Bon Jovi/In And Out Of Love
Deke-” Wish Jon would play this tune now especially when he sings the  “Bring your Girlfriend/Bring your Mom line” hahaha
Another track came on after the Jovi and this lead singer just wailed with a screech so bad, so annoying that Todd was trying to set me up with another strike out or stump the Deke as if you were…but I wasn’t biting…
Todd-” Hahahaha…this is brutal who are these guys?”
Deke-“Have no idea? This guy sounds like Tom Keifer all snapped up and inhaling helium….”
The band- Britny Fox. The song-Long Way To Love.
I did tell Todd that these guys went Gold on this album back in 1989. Than again everything went Gold back than as Record Companies were signing anything Hair Metal like good or bad and in this case Bad!
There ya have it ….It was a great way to kill some time and have a few laughs…..
This is an audio only review of the 15 songs that were released on iTunes!
Crue releases or should I say cash’s out the Final ever show recorded in the city where it all began in the early 80’s Los Angeles.
As is tradition with every single rock act nowadays is to release current tour on DVD/CD and since no one buy’s full albums anymore why not!?
The End is indeed here and it was a real interesting listen through this live(Cough Cough) set.
LIVE CD TRACK LISTING:
1.) Intro
2.) Girls, Girls, Girls
3.) Wild Side
4.) Primal Scream
5.) Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)
6.) Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
7.) Smokin’ In The Boys’ Room
8.) Looks That Kill
9.) Mutherf***** Of The Year
10.) Shout At The Devil
11.) Louder Than Hell
12.) Saints Of Los Angeles
13.) Live Wire
14.) Dr. Feelgood
15.) Kickstart My Heart
16.) Home Sweet Home
Basically it’s the Greatest Hits Live Album Set…
The Culprits….
Vince Neil – lead  vocals
Mick Mars – guitar
Nikki Sixx – bass
Tommy Lee – drums
Once again I drank Sixx’s Kool Aid and thought this might be a decent spin through but as it turns out it kinda is and isn’t!
I dunno what it is but I’m kinda glad they closed up shop and I hope it stays that way. Will it over time? We’ll see but this Live Set could have been done real good and for starters the audio sounds a little on the sterile studio side with the audience cranked in certain sections. The backing vocals sound  pre recorded on the song  Girls Girls Girls  Are those the original  Female singers from 1987’s Girls album still being sampled live?  Or is that prankster Sixx making me  think that?!
The musical chops of Lee/Sixx/ Mars is pretty solid especially Mick’s playing as the guy in the band who is in a mess physically can still show up and carry the music is very commendable. Still have to give props to Mars playing on the Motley Corabi record as Mickey took his playing to a whole other level back than. Kudos MarsMan!
Vince! Why are you singing so angry  like during the verses of Shout At The Devil? I don’t get it man….Just sing  the tune Dude!  Simmer down Rock Star!
Case in point…where on the studio version of Shout At The Devil  Vince sings the line of…
Sure you’ve heard it all before
He’ll be the risk in the kiss
Might be anger on your lips
Might run scared for the door
But in seasons of wither
We’ll stand and deliver
The live version sounds like this to me…
Aaaaaaaaargh fore….grrrrrrrrr ar kiss ……crawwwww lips…blah door….waaaaargh wither…arrrrrrgh deliver……
I was going to post the video but nah! Brutal at times….haha….but at time’s like on Don’t Go Away Mad Just Go Away Vince steps up and sings even on Same Ol Situation and he carries it well but ah man where’s Corabi?
I mean this guy gets repeatedly  ripped for his Live performance and in spots here it’s decent enough but at times Sleazy Vince just makes me want to skip the whole song….Next!
I really wish these guys would have released a Live Dr Feelgood album back in 90/91 and capitalized on their success. Me and Tbone caught the Feelgood show and it was a great indoor Rock Show. Instead in 1991 they released the first of many Greatest Hits sets/Canned Vince and even after Corabi took the fall for whatever reason  after Vince returned it was over as the Crue could never regain that momentum that they had built throughout the 80s into the early 90s!
Some may say I’m being harsh here..maybe, but I dumped a ton of Loot into the Corporation Crue’s Pockets so I’m gonna say it how I hear it!
I will still say that one of the best quotes came from Mars back in 1987 when they cancelled some shows and he stated that “The snow caved in the roof” or something to that effect! Haha…Mick earned a ton of street cred in my book for that one liner! (literally)
Fret not Kids. Sixx has a new band calling itself Sixx AM.(cool name but I just cannot get into it) Tommy Lee? Who knows what he’s doing spinning  albums with his baseball cap spun a little to the left. Vince is out playing parking lots/pizza parlours/basement’s/fairs and playing Crue tunes(Yawn). I should hire Vinnie to play at Tbone’s 50th Bday Party!  Mick Mars from what I have read is recording a solo album and has recruited John Corabi to sing on a few tracks! Now, what Mick is doing is actually something I’m interested in! Atta Boy Mick! In this day and age of Social Media Mars is the only one I follow on FaceCrack…can’t be bothered with the rest of  em!
Check out My Blog Pal 2Loud2OldMusic’s spin on The End as well by clicking the link below….
Motley Crue ‘The End: Live in Los Angeles’ – DVD & CD ReviewÂ
Don’t Go Away Mad Crue….Just Go Away!
The 90s were kinda brutal for Motley Crue…
QuickTime Line…..By Deke…
1992- Vince Neil (singer) gets canned!Â
1994-Crue release what I would consider there second best album (after the debut) in the self titled Motley Crue or as I call it Motley Corabi  featuring John Corbai as the new singer.. Album and Tour Flop!
1997-Corabi gets the Boot. Sleazy Vince returns and the Crue release Generation Swine(Flop #2) which I consider a better record than most others but  doesn’t really do much sales wise!
1999-Tommy Lee splits and is replaced by Randy Castillo(RIP)….
So at the start of the New Millennium( 2000) Nikki Sixx dusts off his Dr Feelgood Leather Trouser’s for one more kick at Hair Metal  Throne Of Yesteryear to see if there’s another shot  at Success…
And Guess What Folks?! This one kinda fuses out but there are a few good ones here….
Now for me at the time I bought all this stuff the day of or the week of when new releases would come out….I would play the album non stop of course but over time some fall to the wayside and New Tattoo does.
Having not listened to this album since 2000 pretty much I’m gonna steamroll through some tracks and to be quite honest let’s see how my memory holds up….
Hell On High Heels- Pretty decent track. I thought it was a typical throwback Crue tune which would have fit nice and snuggly on Side 2 of 1987’s Girls/Girls/Girls album. These are the kind of tunes that Motley could excel at but by this time not too many were caring. Motley raised the Musical Bar High(and probably drank it dry) on the 94 Corabi album. There playing on that album is phenomenal to say the least as they went from Chucky Cheese Rock of Dr Feelgood into a Music Blender stuffed full of Pissed Off Feelings mixed with a slab dose of Dirty Grunge tunings and no one Fuckin cared! Except Myself/Robbo and Tbone!
Treat Me Like The Dog I Am-Â No dice Amigo….
New Tattoo-The Title Track and well …….Next
Dragship Superstar-Â Oh Boy a pattern is developing here…
1st Band On The Moon-Ah …Sixx reaches down into his Musical Bag of Trixx and nails off a Gem! This has those 80s Trimmings of a Kewl Chorus. Go figure as Sixx is the lone co writer on this song. Perhaps he should have taken a few more years and just wrote the album himself.
She Needs Rock n Roll-Â ?
Punched In The Teeth By Love- I wish Nikki would have had this title back in the Crue’s 80’s Heyday and used Punch In The Teeth By Love and written a Power Ballad for it and placed it once again on Side 2 of the Girl’s album and taken off that Your All I Need track. Yeah that one where it Sounds like Vince has taken his cue from Mr Stanley from KISS’s 1984 Album Animalize and sung in the Highest Vocal Registry possible. Hey don’t bash me I actually like Animalize but man Stanley sang so high-pitched on that album my cat went bonker’s……Since were keeping score here…I have no idea what this song is about but what a  Great Fackin Title!
Hollywood Ending- Â For $1 Â Alex (Trebek)Â I’m thinking Ballad? Can’t recall….
Fake- I like this track. Sixx writes whats Fake around him. Fake People/Fake This/Fake That. Great Sludgey like tune, Dirty Crue  even Vince sounds Sleazy Good on this track, They should have called the album Fake/Fake/Fake.Â
Porno Stars- No recollection of remembering this tune Judge Judy.
White Punks On Dope- This is an Iggy & The Stooges cover and I don’t even know how this tune goes…..
I’m sure there are some out there that Dig this album and for that I Salute You! Seriously I do…
For me …Man it’s on my iPod but I skip it all together. Maybe I’m being a tad harsh but cut me some slack man I littered Sixx’s and The Crues pockets full of dough through the 80s into the 90’s so if its  dud  I’m calling  ya out on it!
If anything the titles on this album are Cool! Sixx though was trying to keep the Crue afloat by  putting out product and touring. By the time  the tour rolled around Castillo got Cancer and had to give up his drum stool….I think Ladano reviewed this album so check out all the Nitty Gritty Details over at his site……
I even bought the new Crue album  Saints of Los Angeles.
See! Bands still can put out mediocre at best stuff and I will still stick around. I’m Kinda like the Dude who doesn’t  know when to leave the party after everyone has left and all you wanna do is sleep off your Late Night Drunkenness…
Party’s Over So Get The (Bleep) Out!
This past Saturday(April 14/16) Â Stick It In Your Ear reader Jon (who runs his own fantastic website which you should check out here by clicking the link and reading about everything Rock!)
https://etainmentnewsreviews.wordpress.com/
posted on his FaceBook Page his Top 20 which Jon also said you could have easily done a Top 40 Fav Album List! True That!
Jon had some real cool albums such as Whitesnake(Slide It In) Y&T (Meanstreak) Motley Crue(Shout At The Devil) and KISS Alive amongst others!
It got me thinking about my Top 20 (a few months ago we did a Top 15 Â list with fellow WordPress Bloggers which was a ton of fun to see people’s tastes in music and books etc). So via Jon’s page I clicked the link and voila right to the page to enter my Top 20!
It was easy to do and entered in my Top 20. So I linked it right to Facebook went my list and first order of business was issuing a bit of a fun challenge to others as what your favourite 20 albums would be!  Only could  be studio releases(no live albums) and one album per artist as I would have loaded up on VH, old Aero,old Kiss,Maiden,AC /DC and that would have been it….hahaha…No Cheatin!
Tbone(whom I have known for 4 Decades!) right away came through in the clutch as he posted right away  his list ( T’s list is at the top of the page) and it was great to compare! A buddy of mind Tony also posted his Top 20 but he broke the rules with  as Tbone typed  “19 Anvil compilations and High N Dry don’t count!” Hahaha….Seriously though thanks for participating  Tony and how about a  shout out to Blackie Lawless!
My Top 20 you can see posted just below……
It’s cool to see and compare lists with Tbone….I thought a post about Tbones Top 20 along with my usual smart ass comments would be a fun thing to talk about ….Shall we…?!
We are on the same page with The Cults Electric and Guns N Destruction albums and it’s kinda cool to see that back in the year that both of these albums were released (1987) myself and Tbone turned 20 years young and that Guns had opened up for The Cult on the Electric Tour! Yup groundbreaking info here! Hahaha…..
Of course Rush would be there as Tbone tossed in Moving Pictures which was basically our introduction to Rush that year of 1981 when we started at Lakeview High School and quickly learned that Rush had played at our very own School back in 1973!
I was very surprised and glad to see Maidens Number Of The Beast (1982)on there! Ha….Tbones parents  at the time probably thought he was gonna burn down a church after they could hear the  Air Raid Sirens wails of “6-6-6 The One For You And Me!” resonating from his bedroom. I’m sure his parents were relieved when they heard Bryan Adams Reckless(1984) which itself is  a solid pick T!  It is indeed an all time slab of great  CanRock that even to this day does not sound dated! Another great call is Tom Pettys solo album Full Moon Fever and its 40 minutes of an Ass Kicker Album!
Speaking of Maiden a few sentences back I went with Seventh Son Of  A Seventh Son! Moonchild is one of the best opening tracks on any Maiden album….EVER!
I take full Blame and responsibility on Tbone hoping aboard the HALEN Tour Bus Sonically that is and it didn’t surprise me in the least to see Fair Warning (1981) on his list! I mean any of those first 6 Dave Roth Albums could easily be in The Top 20 no problem! Speaking of Roth. Â Bam! Here comes Eat Em And Smile (1986 ) and with that kick ass musical combo Dave had behind him(Vai,Sheehan,Bisonette and Tuggle) we spent many an hour chatting up songs like Bump And Grind,Big Trouble and Elephant Gun and wishing we were Dave(1980s Dave that is)….Another great pick T!
U2 with Achtung Baby we both could have  had on our list easily and perhaps I should  have as well but man Bono annoys me …..Achtung though what a brilliant album and along with the production angle of Lanois/Eno is so groundbreaking and to this day  to my ears is still one of the best sounding studio albums! Not as good as Rick Rubin’s produced Cult  Electric Album mind you but Achtung holds it own..
Great call on ZZ Tops Eliminator Tbone! Man how could I miss that one? I could have easily bumped out Cheap Tricks Dream Police for that  It goes without saying  that Tbone dug deep into this list and pulled out some Gems! After which Tbone drank deep into his Scotch! Haha…
Safe to say Standing Hampton(1981) by Sammy Hagar  is the Ultimate Shock A Roo! What a fantastic add! I just about spilled or was it spit out my coffee at that pick… Like I said earlier T did his homework and stepped up! Course this album features Heavy Metal and One Way To Rock but how about I’ll Fall In Love Again and Baby’s On Fire….easy peasy pickins! It’s a great album as it has a good sound as Sam I Am hadn’t fallen Into those 80s trappings of whiney  synths!
Nice to see Tbone select Stone Temple Pilots (1994) as well here with the Purple album and this was when we saw STP open for The Stones in Toronto on the Stones Voodoo Lounge Tour! Not to be outdone I selected Superunknown(1994) by Soundgarden! Man I love Cornell’s voice! Limo Wreck is a classic ! The Stones both made our lists with Tbone selecting Sticky Fingers and me going with Some Girls! Another band match was Zep with Tbone tossing down Zep 4 and Ol DeKEs dialing up Physical Graffiti!
Tbone rolling with Aerosmiths  Toys In The Attic and myself choosing Rocks are actually no brainers as it proves without a doubt that me and Tbone like our Aero slopped up  when Steve n Joe were loaded up on party treats (special mention must be given to Done With Mirrors) and wrote real cool songs before they became that AeroSap Band doing soundtracks and wanting to become something they weren’t ….
Another Shock A Roo pick from T would be Mr Books favourite band Sloan with Navy Blues! How can you go wrong with She Says What She Means,Izzy and Angus and the classic DC stolen riff of Money City Maniacs! Exactly you can’t! Did not see this one coming as well but a real good pick!
I went with another Canadian Band and that’s The Tragically Hip with Road Apples (1991) actually any of their first four  albums I could have picked! I love Road Apples as it reeks Canadiana,smells of Weed  and Cold Canadian Beer! ” You Just Hit Me Where It Hurts,I Guess It Felt Quite Primitive!” Bellows lead singer Gord Downie during Twist My Arm! Great track!
Bon Jovi with New Jersey(1988) made Tbones cut and fair enough as it was a strong album (the tour for it was a real good show)and still holds up well by today’s standard! Too bad Jon has currently disintegrated  a once great act into a big pile of Music Poop!
Tbone sneaks In Collective Soul’s (1985) self titled second album which  is a great rock record. Ross Childress plays some real supped up leads while Ed Roland is a talented singer songwriter! My only knock are the drums sound programmed but still great songs especially the opener “Simple!”
Before I let you all get back to reality(thanks for reading) Â how could we not talk about AC/DC pre Axl Rose era! T says Highway To Hell(1979). DeKEs says Flick Of The Switch(1983)Can’t go wrong with either! Tons of salty lyrics (Rising Power and Beating Around The Bush) Lotsa Angus! What more do you need?
Def Leppard  with its mega zillion selling album Hysteria (1987)  made TBones Grade while I prefer the hard rock stylings of High N Dry(1981). Both are classics and like I have said in every Lep review I have done that once Steve Clark died lots of creativity in the riff department went to heaven with him…..
Holeeeee Shatz! This kinda went on but it was fun to go down memory lane sonically with my pal of 40+ years! (WHUT?) Thanks for reading and well….
As you were!
As 1989 was ending its Decade Of Decadance  Motley Crue decided to give us one more shot of syrupy,somewhat cheesy sleazy tunes all finely produced by Bob Rock. How about one more  kick at the crash cart with Dr Feelgood as we roll into 1990….
The biggest change is of course Nikki Sixx,Mick Mars,Tommy Lee and Vince Neil recorded this album sober and in Vancouver British Columbia.
Magazines such as Kerrang,Circus and Rip were all over the pre hype sober Crue and so we’re myself and Tbone! I bought whatever was printed about the Crue (back in 1989) and then would spew it at Tbone verbally to keep him up to date!
Crue was big news and what way to get even bigger hype about  a new Crue album than to start a fight with Bon Jovi over in Russia of all places when a bunch of Metal Acts gave their time (hahaha) to play a music festival called Make A Difference Foundation(say no to drugs kids) to give a jail free pass card to Doc McGhee at the time who was Motley and Jovi’s manager!( Doc got nailed with tons and tons of weed so too not got to jail he rallied all his bands to help him  out! Doc is literally Dr Feelgood! Haha)
The story goes is that when the show took place the Crue were promised things and when they didn’t get them and Bon Jovi did whatever they did it pissed off the Crue and they fired McGhee on the spot flipped out on Bon Jovi so much that when Tbone and myself caught the Crue Feelgood tour in the summer of 1990 Tommy Lee chirped “Bon Jerkoff” more than a few times during the show!
Silly multi millionaire tattooed boys looking for trouble with  non tattooed boys! Can’t we all give Peace A Chance! Hahaha…Actually I would have loved to seen a dust-up of Alec John Such (Jovi) and Mars. Ha! I could see it now….Alec putting Mars in the sleeper hold and Nikki coming in from behind with the steel chair and cracking Such over the head to free Mick!
Ok,I’m getting carried away here so back in Sept 1989 here comes Motley rocking and rolling and man when I just wanna listen to Silly Dumbo Rock! Look no further folks…..
TERROR N TINSELTOWN-Mars and his guitar along with Nikki slobbering all over his bass and Tommy smashing around the drums enter the Emergency Room and after the power opening you hear a heartbeat and some dispatcher calling for Dr David and slam your into..
DR FEELGOOD- Big loud bass rumblin along with Tommy slamming his drum kit  into overdrive! This is the new and improved 1989 Crue featuring a ton of percussion,different rhythms with Vinnie not sounding as squeaky vocally on previous albums! The Sonics here are mega huge and you got Bob Rock to thank for that! He makes Motley sound tough like they mean business and hell Bob makes Mick sound demonic in that talk box thingy and Mars even pushes  his fretboard into full-out rock mode during his blistering solo! Sheeeit Mars has stepped up, gone is the droney echoey guitar sound from the Tom Werman produced previous Crue albums….
SLICE OF YOUR PIE-Steve Tyler does his “dippy da da yah yah ” jibber at the beginning of Pie and the Crue rip into a Aero Groove with this tune! It slinks sleazy LA Rock and were all the better for it! This song is quite decent and even as I type this in 2016 it’s a solid piece of horny Cheeseball rock. In other words I lapped this shit up sonically back in 1989 and well in 2106 yeah ummmm I’m still diggin it! The end of this tune the Crue kind of monkey around with or swipe if you like The Beatles ‘She’s So Heavy” ha…Beatle Crue! Slick move and the end sounds heavy in a slow prowl groove like stomp on your neck kinda way!
RATTLESNAKE SHAKE-Tommy and his cowbell along with Count Chocula Err I mean Mick Mars leads off with some neat slide picking and here’s another Aero Like Groover complete with horns and Tommys driving drums and “Do The Shake Shake Shake” Gosh I miss the late 80s when all you had to worry about was when the next album release or tour was hitting the road or in Tbones case when the next Bad English record was gonna drop!
KICKSTART MY HEART-Mars leads the charge with Kickstart My Heart doing a Dippin N Doodlin with his wang bar and Kapow here’s Tommy and Nikki locked in and this song just slams! How can it not get you pumped. Sleazy Vinnie delivers a good lead vocal and toss in some “Whoah ……Yeahs!” You can never go wrong when you add Whoahs and Yeahs now can Ya? I always like how they chilled in the middle part of this tune where Vince yammers on about when they started the band. The song than lifts off and Mars does his talk box deal and power out a real super-duper balls out ending which goes into..
WITHOUT YOU-The ballad! Ha! Shifting gears and compared to that complete diaster of a ballad from the Girls Girls Girls Abum (Your All I Need) this is a better tune. The chorus musically is pretty good I mean the lyrics of “I’ll wilt and die!” are cornholio like yuck but still I recall Tommy Lee on MuchMusic saying that Nikki wrote this tune about Tommys marriage to Heather Locklear and  like all music like marriages it imploded! Nice gesture Nikki did  for Tommy though he probably would go bonkers if he heard this song now! Hahahaha …..
SAME OL SITUATION-This is a cool no frills straight ahead rock track that works well within the song structure of the Crue! Vince finds some coolness and rolls with it. As always, Tommy’s drums are mega huge and slam down some more cowbell please! The chorus is catchey and Wowzers,listen to Sixx  play that bass line under Mar’s guitar solo! Atta boy Nikki and whoosh this is a great track
STICKY SWEET-Some more Aero like groove and Steve Tyler is doing once again his “yippity yap yappy” schtick and we’re off! Sticky Sweet is late 80s excess kind of song and it’s friggin amazing that Sixx when the decade  went from the 80s into the 90s Sixx and his songwriting stepped up lyrically speaking in the 90s starting with Primal Scream and the opening line of “Broke Dick Dog” classic and of course the lyrics were along with the music on the 1994 Motley Corabi just gold! But here we are still in 1989 and “Shes soooo Stickeeeeeee!” Hahaha….Friggin  Sixx!
SHE GOES DOWN-Hey this song was probably my pal Rockin Roberts theme song back in the day! Ha! Hey who sampled Mars doing up his fly at the beginning of this track? Crank the video posted and listen to the guest appearances from the Cheap Trick fella’s as well! The music is quite good (cowbell and a shift of the tempo)the lyrics well its 80s cheese mo dumbo rock! Gene Simmons would have sold his soul to have these lyrics  for Kiss’ Asylum album a few years earlier!
DONT GO AWAY MAD,JUST GO AWAY-Decent single! Nice blend of electric and acoustic guitar on this track. The prechorus is well written piece of schmooz ear candy Rock! Do you remember the video to this tune when Neil was away form the Crue and then halfway thru the video they all hook up with high fives and slaps on the back like they missed each other! Friggin actors…hahahaha! Of course less than two years later (1992) Neil gets shit canned from Motley and they go all verbal postal on him in the press and well guys Don’t Go Away Mad….Just Go Away with lawyers and a payout!
TIME FOR A CHANGE-Yep in the lead singer department eventually! This tune is a departure from basically everything before it that’s on this album. Slow kinda like tune, not sappy but kinda there….
FINAL YAMMER- Ha… so Nikki pulls one more out of the hat with some decent Rock and for all intent purposes this was their last anything kind of seller! Nothin came to close after for the Crue In regards to record sales than the millions that they sold back in 1989-90.
For your viewing pleasure I have posted the Van Halen Lead Singer changes that someone took the time to piece together on YouTube (great job)! The first part with Roth is classic as he refers to Ed and Alex as Mr Fingers and Mr Sticks! Haha!
Sorry folks,not the drug but what guitar player’s/bass player’s and drummer’s call there lead vocalist when they leave under dicey circumstances and that’s indeed L.S.D (Lead Singer Disease)
I first heard of this term back in 1985 when Eddie Van Halen blasted David Lee Roth for quitting Van Halen to make movies which for Roth never happened. Eddie said Dave had Lead Singers Disease,not wanting to be a team player yada yada yada.
Over the  years in Rock there have been many but I’m gonna focus on a couple of Lead Singer Diseases that affected some bands (who continued on with great success ) while others who lost all momentum…..
You be the judge….
Van Halen-Was the most notable. Dave bolts,Sammy Hagar joins and it’s business as usual for Halen from 1985 to 1996 until Yep you got it Sam Hagar quits/fired for not wanting to be a team player and some other bull shit causes a shit storm in the  press. After a botched attempt at a reunion with Roth fails, Van Halen hires Gary Cherone. Records  a album calling it Van Halen 3! Not the third album by Van Halen but the third singer! After Van Halen 3 tanks quicker than Tbone downing shots Cherone is shown the door. Ed battled cancer and everything is tight lipped around Camp Halen and than Bam! Sams back and they tour in 2004 and by the end of the tour Sam quits and a few years later Roths back in 2007 and Halen in 2012 release the blitzing A Different Kind Of Truth(awesome album) with Roth. At the end of 2015 Roths contract is up and he’s done again(supposedly) with Ed and Alex. What’s next a return with Sam or go for a unknown(blah). Who know’s these guys wrote the book for me musically growing up so Get it the F*#k together Halen!
Skid Row-Dude drama rules this dust up! Aaron from The KMA thought for a while as a few others out there  that I was a Skid Row Stalker around 1989-1992 as I has seen them opening(4 Times) and headlining (Once) . Hey they must have had some decent heavyweights in the biz(hello Doc McGhee). Of course by 1995 Skid Row puts out the decent record Subhuman a Race and no one cares(but I will tell you the tune Beat Yourself Blind is a great track!). Shortly after Sebastian Bach(singer) gets the boot and Grunge gives Skid Row the boot the remaining Skids try calling themselves Ozone Monday  with a different singer and no one cares. Skid Row rises with a new singer Johnny Solinger and he stays with them for a ton of years recording some records that I really didn’t care about and Johnny himself got the heave ho earlier last  year (2015)only to be repalced by Tony Harnell he the ex singer of TNT. Tony lasted about 9 months and I laugh at that bass player Rachel  Bolan who said Harnell was the greatest Blah blah Blah and now Skid Bolan has no singer! Oh in case your wondering Skid Row has already stated (End of Dec 2015) that Sebastian Bach will not be returning! UPDATE- Word is they already have yet another guy lined up whom fellow reader HMO says he can’t hear it working out vocal wise! Haha Bolan,enjoy playing the bowling alleys with your new singer…Blah!
Motley Crue-This one I have blogged about before! Crue is huge in the 80s. By 1992 Vince Neil(kinda singer) gets heaved out! Hello new singer guy(John Corabi) and hello to the masterpiece of Crue albums 1994s selftitled Motley Crüe or as I call this era, Motley Corabi! Corabi and Crue tanks on the charts and the Crue plays clubs and Nikki Sixx loses his shit and they fire Corabi and rehire Vince Neil by 1997! The original 4 piece along with Tommy Lee and Mick Mars have called it quits.(as of Dec 31. 2015) Corabi though is releasing the 94 Crue album played front to back by his backing band. Motley Crüe will undoubtedly release a live album from this so called Farewell Tour. Too be honest I’m looking forward to Crabbys live album than Sixx’s Crue live album that will be re recorded in the studio anyways.
Autograph-This one is wierd! So Steve Plunkett(lead singer)the dude who wrote all the Autograph songs 30 years ago is no longer part of Autograph but some of the old cronies from the original band (Steve Lynch and Randy Rand) have resurrected Autograph with some singer guy named Danny and are playing the circuit! Seriously……haha…Turn It Up!
The Four Horsemen-These guys are kick ass! Unfortunately there lead singer Frank C Starr was involved in a motorcycle accident (1995)that left him on life support and he passed away back in 1999. The Horsemen though soldiered on for a tour hiring Ron Young(Little Caesar) and touring Canada including a stop here in Tbay in 1996! I reviewed this show as well and it was killer! Young filled the bill decently as frontman but sadly the Horsemen closed up shop years ago
Aerosmith-If  there’s a Rock N Roll Definition of Rock Drama. Aerosmith may be at the top! These guys are all bitches! Hahaha…. A few years back Steve Tyler skidded of the rails personally and professionally for whatever reasons and bailed on Aerosmith! So Joe Perry and crew did not want to wait around so they were thinking about guys like Lenny Kravitz,Sammy Hagar and others!( Steve limped off to England to jam with Page/Bonham and Jones and from what I read it was a diaster) Of course Steve came back and they toured the same old frigging  set list and now word is out that Tyler is recording a country album(??) and Aero is limbo again. I love Aero but shut Aero down for good! Or get all slopped up on party treats and drinks and bash out another Done With Mirrors album! Yeah!
Ratt-I always dug Ratt and still do! Solid run of 80s albums but like others they imploded in the early 90s when lead throat Stephen Pearcy quit. Ratt returned in the back half of the 90s with Pearcy and a few years later Pearcy quit agian and they sued each other over rights and bull shit and well in the end  Nobody Rides For Free! Hahaha… So Ratt get Jizzy Pearl (Love Hate) and hit the trail with at one point with John Corabi on rhythm guitar vocals. Paycheque is a paycheque. So Ratt dissolves and yet again Ratt come back with Pearcy and they put out a decent album a few years back called Infestation. Once again Pearcy bolted and now in 2015 drummer Bobby Blotzer is touring with a whole different lineup only with him as the original member left! Guitarist Warren DiMartini tried to stop the Blotz but he keeps rolling Ratt! What a joke….
Iron Maiden- So it’s the summer of 1981 and I discover Iron Maiden’s Killers album and I’m hooked as a 14 year old! A few months later the 5 song Live E.P Maiden Japan drops and by now I’m totally hooked! So it was a shock when I bought Number Of The Beast in March of 1982 that Lead Singer Paul Dianno was gone and here was this new guy Bruce Dickinson who quite frankly took Maiden to new levels not only as lead singer but as front man as well. Bruce remained with Maiden until 1993 when he quit and Maiden hired Blaze Bayley and Maiden released two albums with Blaze and too be honest Maiden got roasted by the press and fans alike.  It was only a matter of time before Maiden founder (bassist) Steve Harris realized they needed Bruce back. In late 1999 Bruce came back and it’s been a real slick comeback ever since! With  Dianno being shit canned ,Dickinson  quitting, Bayley being shitcanned as well and Dickinson returning  there was no press hey day with Maiden. The only thing I ever read was when Bruce left Harris quipped that “Bruce would do country album if he knew it would sell” Maiden was smart they kept all there bitchin pretty much in house. Gotta respect that….
There are many more bands that this has happened too and I could go on forever but thats enough….
Hahaha….
Feel free to add to this list in the comments……
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