Month: August 2020

August 2020 Purchases – Vinyl & CDs

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August started off with a bang on purchases.  We went on vacation down to St. Augustine, Florida and like I do on every trip, I hit the local record stores to see what I can find.  There were three to choose from on this trip and of course, I hit all three on different days.

The first was actually in a little house that was selling Antiques.  The record shop goes by the name On The Record – Vinyl Records and More and it was two blocks from where we were staying which made for an easy walk from the house.  It was a small shop and didn’t have a ton, but enough that  I found some albums.  First up was a Crowded House album and then 2nd was The Cult.  I also picked up a 45 Single for the song from the TV show The Greatest American Hero which I loved (at least the first season).

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The next shop was a record store called MusicMatters. It was in a strip mall and looked promising but was far from it.  They didn’t have anything really cool and everything was overpriced.  Not a great shop in my book.  I did find a Kiss Bootleg and thankfully I already had that one because they wanted $200 for it.  That is right $200.  CRAZY!!!…no F$&KING CRAZY!!  I paid $50 for mine and the quality was no different at all.  I did find one cool piece at this store and that was a compilation that I bought for two reasons, 1) I had when I was a kid and 2) it was $5.  It was “Masters of Metal”… Continue reading “August 2020 Purchases – Vinyl & CDs” →

My Sunday Song – “Run” by Matt Nathanson

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For My Sunday Song #211, we are tackling the first in our 10 song set of Matt Nathanson songs. I’m starting the series out with my favorite track and that is “Run”.  The song features Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of Sugarland. The song is off his 2011 album, ‘Modern Love’ and was released as single, but only reached #53 on the Billboard Hot 100 which baffles me.

The song is not a country song even though Sugarland are on it.  No!  This is a sensual, oh so sexy, love song.  The lyrics are dirty with lines like “You come in waves” and “Then Swallow me whole” as well as “And I watch it explode”.  At the same time they are sexy with lines like “You pull me in close / And buckle my knees” and “You trace my lines / Stirring my soul”.  And then they are heartwarming with a line like “I’m amazing when you’re beside me / I am so much more”.  This song speaks to me and reminds me of my lovely bride and when I hear this song, I think of only her!  Each and every time.

Now here is the problem.  The song I think is more about an affair than love.  The lyrics talk about running back to this person.  The man says he knows that it’s wrong but he can’t help it and he always goes back to her.  Personally, I ignore that part and think of it more as a passionate love affair with my wife.  Either way, you can’t help but love the song.

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Friday New Release – August 28, 2020

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We are ending August with a BANG!! There are an abundance of releases this week and there has to be something for you to grab hold of and listen to all weekend. I am listing 18 different releases and you know I don’t ever have all of them so that is a boatload of stuff. I have a bunch I am eager to hear and 2 on order. My choices are highlighted in Blue and I can tell you right now, I doubt I will get to all of them this week as there are so many. Let me know which ones you are interested in hearing and which ones I may have a missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!

  • 81Rz9estbVL._SS500_  Needtobreathe – Out of Body – (Elektra): Is there any doubt this one would be tops for me. I am a huge fan, but a worried fan as guitarist and a very creative mind behind the band, Bo Rinehart has left the band. I don’t know how much he put in to this album, if anything, but that has me a little concerned as direction and what to expect. The one thing they did that I don’t particularly don’t care for is they released like 5 songs already. I am not a fan of bands doing that.
  • A1aBMRfQkrL._SS500_  Metallica – S&M 2 (Live) – (Blackened Recording): I actually enjoyed the original S&M so I am curious to hear this one as well. Metallica and classical music I think are a good match. And the song they released already was pretty great.
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Kiss – ‘Paul Stanley’ (1978) – Album Review (The Kiss Review Series)

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By 1978, Kiss had reached the peak of stardom.  They were flying high and a couple members were too.  Trouble was brewing and most especially with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. From what I have read, they both wanted to do solo albums, but the band needed to keep the train rolling.  So Bill Aucoin and others came up with a strategy to help keep the peace.  The entire band would each do a solo album and they would all be released at the same time on the same day, however, they would be under the Kiss umbrella.  Brilliant or Stupid was still yet to be seen.  No band had ever attempted this prior or since and probably for good reason.

Each member had to find their own producer, their own musicians as no one in the band played on the other persons record.  It took a lot of time and while they were working on the records, the label released ‘Double Platinum’ which we discussed last week.  All the albums came out on the same day, September 18, 1978.  Now I needed to decide what order to review these so it wouldn’t look like I was showing favorites so I let the posters do the talking.  The order of these Solo reviews is based on how the posters piece together from left to right.  In that case, Paul Stanley’s album is up first.

IMG_2333 Continue reading “Kiss – ‘Paul Stanley’ (1978) – Album Review (The Kiss Review Series)” →

‘START WITH A DREAM: A Drummer’s Journey from Rock & Roll to T.V. to Broadway’ by Joey Cassata – Book Review

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As a gift this past Christmas, I was really excited to read “Start With a Dream: A Drummer’s Journey from Rock & Roll to T.V. to Broadway” by Joey Cassata.  I had heard Joey on 3 Sides of the Coin talking about it and I was a huge fan of his show ‘Z Rock’ and his band Z02 so this was a no brainer.

I started this book back in late December and early January.  I painstakingly got through about 100 pages and put it down.  I didn’t pick it up again until my vacation at the end of July.  I was bound and determined to finish the book while on vacation and I did.

So why was the first 100 pages so hard to get through?  Basically it was Joey talking about his childhood, I mean young childhood and his love for Kiss and Wrestling and Drumming.  He talked about it and talked about it and talked about it.  I felt he spent way too much time in this area.  I know he was building up to show what his motivations were, but I was able to pick up on that pretty quickly.

51PbSE-zCvL Continue reading “‘START WITH A DREAM: A Drummer’s Journey from Rock & Roll to T.V. to Broadway’ by Joey Cassata – Book Review” →

Heart – “What About Love” – The 45 Single

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I haven’t done one of these in awhile where I highlight a 45 Single in my collection so I went through and pulled out “What About Love” from the band Heart.  The song is from what is considered their comeback album ‘Heart’ that was released in 1985 and the single was the first off the album and released on June 1, 1985.

The song is a cover song actually and was originally performed by the band Toronto.  It was written by Brian Allen. Sheron Alton and Jim Vallance.  You know Jim as he is the writing partner for some guy named Bryan Adams.  Brian & Sheron were in Toronto, however, Jim wasn’t although he did play drums on the song.  Enough about them, let’s get to Heart.

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Europe – ‘Wings of Tomorrow’ – Album Review

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Europe came to fame with the album, and the song, ‘The Final Countdown’.  I mean , come on, who doesn’t know that song as it has been played to death.  Europe became lumped in to the “Hair Metal” title as they did all have big hair and they were MTV darlings for a few years.  However, before the major record deal and all the screaming women, Europe was this hard rock, close to metal band that know one really knew about (at least here in the states).  Their second album, and last released independently, was a gem called ‘Wings of Tomorrow’ which was released on February 24, 1984.

I was out doing some crate digging a couple years ago and I came across this album and thought what a beautiful cover and then I noticed that it said Europe.  I never went back and explore their early catalog before ‘Countdown’, so I thought now was a good time and at $8 for the vinyl, why not.  And I am glad I did as it is now one of my all time favorite Europe albums.

IMG_2347 Continue reading “Europe – ‘Wings of Tomorrow’ – Album Review” →

My Sunday Song – “Still of the Night” by Whitesnake

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For My Sunday Song #210, we come to the last song in the 10 song set of Whitesnake songs with “Still Of the Night”.  The song was the first single off their groundbreaking, career breaking album known as ‘Whitesnake’ or ‘1987’ to some.  This took the band to new heights and MTV played the hell out of it.  The song was written by David Coverdale and John Sykes.

Lyrically, it comes as no surprise this song has a lot to do with Sex.  The “cock rock” Kings are at it again.  The song has an almost vampire element and stalker element.  He is obsessed with this woman and wants to be with her all night.  The daylight seems to hurt him as to keep his head down and hide his face from the sun.  I know it isn’t about vampires, but I like the analogy so give me that.

Musically, this was a new Snake, a hungrier Snake, a more badass Snake.  It has some blues elements of the old Whitesnake, but John Sykes took it, distorted it and turned it on its ass.  David’s swagger on belting out the opening verse is full of confidence and aggression and exactly what every teenage boy wanted to hear (and girl wanted to see). There is a musical interlude in the middle that gives an awesome guitar solo a whole different style with an almost cello/violin/string instrument orchestration to the whole thing.  Pretty freaking cool.

Continue reading “My Sunday Song – “Still of the Night” by Whitesnake” →

Frankie Banali (Quiet Riot Drummer) – RIP

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It is no surprise on this news, but it is still never news you want to hear. Frankie Banali was 68 years young and has been fighting pancreatic cancer for more than a year. Today, he lost that fight and the rock world lost another good one.

Frankie was not an original member of Quiet Riot, but he was there during the classic years so he might as well have been.  He joined the band in 1982 and has been there the whole time (except for those points of band hiatus).  He was the one, driving force to keeping the Quiet Riot name in the public eye (for good or for bad). He co-wrote songs like “Metal Health (Bang Your Head)”, “Condition Critical” and most every song on QRIII.  He was a massive part of that sound and he pounded on those drums like a mad-man.

Frankie was on more Quiet Riot albums than any other member and has been in the band the longest.  He was their biggest champion.  He did everything he could to keep the brand going through numerous singers and band member changes He was the one constant.  Now that he is gone, I assume the band will now be gone as well but the music will live on.

I think I will throw these on to celebrate his legacy…

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When he gets to Heaven, I hope he can hook up with Kevin Dubrow and Randy Rhodes again, maybe they can “bang” some heads up there in Heaven.  Who knows, the next Thunder you hear could be them jamming. Rest in Peace sir!!

Casual Thursday Stream: A chat with 2loud2oldmusic! — mikeladano.com

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I had the pleasure of jumping on a live stream with Mike Ladano (Lebrain) whether he wanted me to or not (next time he might think twice about posting the link to join…Ha!). We had a good time discussing my favorite topic Kiss among other things.

He has his usual live stream on Facebook tonight where they go through a Nigel Tufnel Top Ten List and this time it is the Top 11 Favorite Concerts of All Time! Make sure to check it out on Facebook.

Just went live with John from 2loud2oldmusic.com! Check out our KISS-heavy chat below. John comes in at the 05:05 mark.

Casual Thursday Stream: A chat with 2loud2oldmusic! — mikeladano.com