On June 11, 2021, Def Leppard finally released The Collection, Vol. 3. It had been 2 years since the released of Vol. 2 in part probably due to Covid-19. By 2021, things were slowly starting to get back to normal. This was a crucial collection because these albums were not available on vinyl prior to this. So, it is is a must have set for you vinyl collectors. Ok, not really because they are available now individually…well…except for the bonus material. This is the only place for those. And we are going to talk about one of them here now called ‘B-Sides’.
I love the cover is they made it look like the cover for ‘X’ which most of these tracks are from (well – bonus tracks and radio edits from. The back cover also has a cool drawing of the band as well. All a simple white and black shade. “Now”, here is a little gripe that would not have that “Long Long Way to Go” to make this a perfect set. This is a 2LP set and there are two things wrong. One, no gatefold as that would’ve been a sweet add to give us more info or pictures of the band. Two, no slick album sleeves with pictures. It is just basic white paper sleeve. A little more effort would’ve been great. I get there is a cost issue, but come on…give us a little.
If you follow the site, you know I’m a huge Billy Idol fan and anytime I can find a rare piece that I don’t have in the collection, I jump on it. This time around, I found a bootleg. And I do love my bootlegs. This is my fourth Idol bootleg and this one is from way back in 1990. It was recorded at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California on October 27, 1990. That means this would’ve been in support of his latest album at the time, ‘Charmed Life’ and we get a few from that album in the set list. Be warned, this is not a full show. This is a best of that was broadcast on radio at the time. But still, 10 songs of Billy is better than nothing am I right? Yeah…I am.
The version I have is a European release and was released recently back in 2023. I found it down in Tamp Florida at a store called D&J Records. I like to hit up local record stores when I am on vacation so this one was found back in June earlier this year. And I was thrilled to grab hold. Sadly, you will notice in the band credits, that there is no Steve Stevens on guitar as he and Billy were still on the outs at this time and for many years still to come. Does it impact the show? We will find out shortly.
We are to the end of another month and we have another load of new albums for you today. Not as many as the last couple weeks, but still close to 50 so that is pretty good. I’m interested in hearing the new Richie Kotzen, Daughtry and the 20th anniversary of Gavin DeGraw’s album ‘Chariot’ with bonus material. Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!
Richie Kotzen – Nomad – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Gavin DeGraw – Chariot 20 – (DeGraw Music / Sony Music)
Daughtry – Shock To The System (Part One) E.P. – (Dogtree Records / Big Machine Label Group)
This week we talk about an album that I loved back in 1989. It is the debut album from Blue Murder simply called ‘Blue Murder’. I was a big John Sykes fan thanks to Whitesnake and I was disappointed in his departure from the band. When I found out about Blue Murder, I was so excited. Especially when I found it wasn’t just John Sykes, but The Firm’s Tony Franklin and Ozzy’s Carmine Appice. And then to found out Bob Rock produced with Mike Fraser on the boards. Yeah, I was all in. But did it hold up? We will find out, join me as I walk through the album song by song.
So go check it out as it is live now on September 26, 2024 at Noon. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
Def Leppard’s 2008 album was ‘Songs From the Sparkle Lounge’ and it would be the last studio album from them for around 7 years. In the meantime, we would get some live albums, but mostly we got side projects. And the first one up is from guitarist, Phil Collen. Phil was in a band before Lep called Girl. From that band Girl, he rejoined up with Simon Laffy and the added veteran drummer, Paul Cook from the band The Sex Pistols. I believe you’ve heard of them. The trio started a super group called Man Raze. They actually got together back in 2005, played some live shows, even released a single or two. It wasn’t until June 3, 2008, they released their debut album, ‘Surreal’, in the States.
Now, my copy isn’t the U.S. version. No, I had to have the European version which was released on December 1, 2008. It is the better version for one reason. It contains a 2nd CD of bonus material with 5 additional tracks. I also love that they added the British Flag to the design of the cover. It gives it a slightly cooler look. What you get with this trio is an album that has elements of Phil’s current band, along with Girl, The Sex Pistols and all their influences all rolled in to one. And if you like Phil’s backing vocals in Leppard, well, he is the lead singer here and it is a welcome change of pace. Let’s see what this supergroup brings to the table.
The album kicks off with “This Is” which is a full on ball buster with nothing but angst and speed. The drums pound frantically and the guitar and bass are played at breakneck speed. It brings the punk attitude and the rock sensibility to show us that this band is ready to lay it out all on the table and hold nothing back.
And not to slow things down, they keep up that energy with “Turn It Up” which is more of the same destructive behavior. This one is even a step up with more attitude and Phil sounds even better on this one too. The gang choruses are full like Lep which add even more texture to this one. It is almost a militant drum beat with roaring guitars and a killer solo. A definite highlight of the album.
This week my buddy Deke and I are on a our 5th show in the series called “In Depth” and each episode we will pick an album and dive a little deeper in to it. We decided we would do a mini-Queensryche series and go from their E.P. up to ‘Promised Land’. We are now up to their 4th Full Length album and 5th release with 1990’s ‘Empire’. which I believe is still their biggest album to date. So, if you like a little Queensryche then come check it out as you get some fun facts and our thoughts on the sound, the songs and the band. How much to we love or hate this album…find out by clicking below…
Deke is from the Distortion Den and from the blog world as well. Go Check him out at the links below…
So go check it out as it is live now on August 26, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
Welcome to the final post in the Bon Jovi Collection Series. I have spent the past 14 months going through everything in my Bon Jovi collection and that included full reviews of ALL 16 Studio Albums. I had done a Ranking back in 2020 after the album ‘2020’ came out but that was based off what I thought listening to the albums only. No deep dive. I will admit this one is slightly different than before as I spent a week with each album and dove deep in to the songs. It isn’t entirely different as the #1 is the same, but there is a lot of movement below.
I am not going to go in to the band’s story here because you can read that if you want by going through the reviews yourself by clicking on the links at the bottom of the post. Bon Jovi has been through changes and some challenges, but they are still going strong…not necessarily with the same crew but Jon, David & Tico are still there holding down the ship…well Jon is as it is his ship as he is the dictator…I mean captain if we are staying with the ship analogy. So, hoist the sail, raise up the anchor and let’s cruise through the 16 Studio albums and see what is the best and what is the worst…I hope you enjoy.
In my quest for Aerosmith vinyl, I stumbled across this gem of a bootleg from very early on the band’s career. It is called Rattlesnake Shake: Live at Counterpart Studios in New York 1974. The bootleg vinyl was released in 1977 by Slipped Disc Records and like most bootlegs there is an error. Counterpart Studios is actually a radio station called WKRQ out of Cincinnati, OH. And the show was not recorded in 1974, it was actually on September 26, 1973. which I guess is close.
Aerosmith had not broken big yet as they would do with ‘Toys in the Attic’ in 1975, but so far all they had out was the debut and ‘Get Your Wings’ wouldn’t come out for about another 6 months. The band was Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Joey Kramer and Tom Hamilton as they would stay for years to come. One cool thing that I found inside of the album jacket was an envelope to a DIR Broadcasting Corporation on Park Avenue in New York City. And they are just that, a broadcasting company. If they are still in business I do not know, but I think they are no longer on Park Avenue.
The album kicks off with the song “Make It” which is the opening track to the debut album. The sound is a little muddy and thick, but still sounds really great. The bass is heavy in the this one and the guitars rip. A bluesy little track that has Tyler sounding amazing. Almost as good as the album. They go in to “Somebody” and which has a killer opening riff that gets lost in the sound. Bass is still heavy, but those riffs are what is cool about this one. Another bluesy track that they do so well.
After a little noodling around and a quick introduction to the song, we get a song called “Write Me” per the label, but it is really “Write Me A Letter”. It opens with some nice Kramer drumming and then the nasty guitars. A straight-ahead rock song and not the most exciting one they’ve done. Live might be better though as the guitar playing is exceptional and a highlight. I do love Steven’s harmonica as it adds some flavor. Then we get to what might the best song they’ve ever written and that is “Dream On”. The song is driven by a piano and Tyler sings the hell out of it. Can he hit those notes on the studio track live? Hell yeah he can. The vocals are magic to this song and those screams he hits will send chills up and down your spine. It is an awe-inspiring track.
The first side ends with “One Way Street” and it is a pure jam session. Steven gets everyone clapping along and then right in to it. The studio is piano driven but this one is all guitar and harmonica. It feels like blues and straight-up rock and roll as well as one bit that feels a little honky tonk. The solo on this one is handled by Brad Whitford and there is a nice little jam section as this song goes on for an extended amount of time and it is all worth it. Side 2 says it kicks off with “Walking the Dog”, but that ain’t the truth. It actually ends Side 1 and it ends it in style. I mentioned the studio version has a whole Led Zeppelin vibe and think that holds true here, but it is also Aerosmith blues rock too and that is cool enough.
“Pandora’s Box” actually opens Side 2 and this one is from their upcoming album. But before he goes in to the song, Steven mentions it is off their new album named “Night in the Rut”, but as we know it is “Get Your Wings”…they save that title for a later album. There is no Motown here as the studio, this is pure Rock & Roll. The song is long as they jam some more on this one too and all I can say is thank you very much.
The album cover mentions “Rattlesnake” and then we get the bluesy cover of “Rattlesnake Shake” and it is bluesy. It is slow and they play it so nasty and it is great. The band lets loose and they are killing, the bass lines are stunning and the guitar licks are insane. The drum solo at the end to wrap it up is crazy as well. Holy crap do these guys slay live.
Next is the new track, “Train Kept A Rollin'” but it is a cover made famous by the Yardbirds, but Aerosmith have made it their own. The guitar work is again sensational and that solo, damn!! More pounding on the drums as he goes crazy for two songs in a row. The song bleeds right in to “Mama Kin” and the band closes out the song in style. No saxophone here like the studio track, nope. Just more wicked guitars, bass and drums and Steven Tyler’s vocals. What more do you really need.
And that is the bootleg “RattleSnake Shake”. As I said the sound is a little muddy to start, but that cleared up quickly and it all sounds great. You hear all the instruments and thank goodness because these guys were young and hungry and damn they could play. Steven’s vocals are in prime form and he hits every note. This early stuff from the is the best. Nothing better then a band in their prime and to think, they’d only get better over the next couple albums at least until the drugs kicked in. This is one you should seek out and grab if you are an Aerosmith fan. How this hasn’t been officially released is crazy. My Overall Score is a 5.0 out of 5.0 Stars. Might be some muddy sound, but none of it bothered me in the least. Just listen to their playing and nothing else matters.
Sit back and get comfy as we have around 60 releases for you this week like last week. An abundance of new music so hopefully there is something you will find. The big one of the week is Katy Perry but man has she taken nothing but heat with this one so far. Crazy. I’m interested in Eclipse, Seether and even the new live Skid Row. And since I just bought a massive UFO box set, I’ll give the Michael Schenker one a go as well. Let me know what you wan to hear or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a great weekend.
Katy Perry – 143 – (Capitol Records)
Eclipse – Megalomanium II – (Frontiers Records)
Skid Row – Live in London – (earMusic / Edel Music & Entertainment)
My first album for The Police was ironically their last. MTV had played their previous songs quite often and I loved “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” and “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”, but it wasn’t until “Synchronicity II” that I finally decided to actually buy one of their records. I picked up the cassette for ‘Synchronicity’ back in 1983 and later I did pick up their entire collection on CD by buying their box set which had all their albums. The Police were not an ordinary pop rock band. For me, their lyrics were intelligent and not the bubble gum crap that was on the radio. The songs made you think and look deeper into what they were saying. At least they did for me. It was the first time I felt music could be smart. Join me as I walk through the final album of a band that went out on top.
So go check it out as it is live now on September 19, 2024 at Noon. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
Richie Kotzen – Nomad – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Gavin DeGraw – Chariot 20 – (DeGraw Music / Sony Music)
Daughtry – Shock To The System (Part One) E.P. – (Dogtree Records / Big Machine Label Group)
Katy Perry – 143 – (Capitol Records)
Eclipse – Megalomanium II – (Frontiers Records)
Skid Row – Live in London – (earMusic / Edel Music & Entertainment)
2 Loud 2 Old Music 