The Collection: Ep. 37 – Scorpions On Vinyl (Part 2 of 2)

A few years back I did a complete collection series on the Scorpions. I figured it was time to show all the vinyl off on The Collection. We will break it up in to two parts with the first being from the debut album, ‘Lonesome Crow’, all the up to ‘Blackout’ with every thing I have in between which we covered last week. For Part 2, this week we will cover ‘Love at First Sting’ up to their latest ‘Rock Believer’. This will cover from 1984 all the way up to their most recent released in 2022. This will have the classic line-up of Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Mathias Jabs, Francis Buchholz and Herman Rarebell. There will be new members on bass and drums down the road including Mikkey Dee from Motorhead on drums. We will talk covers, music and sound…all the good and bad an inbetween.

So go check it out as it will be live tonight right now, October 14, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

Def Leppard – ‘Yeah! Live’ (2021) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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. We’ve talked through the B-Sides, Yeah! II and now it is time for the final bonus album in The Collection, Vol. 3…Yeah! Live.

‘Yeah! Live’ is a compilation of 8 live cover songs the band have done over the years. They are B-Sides or recorded from tribute shows they have done and now they are all in one spot. I feel like they have to have more then this, but maybe not. What is cool is Side B as it has Brian May on most of the tracks. I guess he is the 6th member of the band now.. It is not a vast chunk of songs, but it is all quality here not quantity. What is cool is there is a couple recordings on here from the 80’s so we get Steve Clark on a couple tracks. But the rest of the guys are here too with Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Rick Allen, Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell.

SIDE A:

The B-Side to the song “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” is a live version of the Alice Cooper classic, “Elected”. It was recorded in July 1987 at Tilburg, Netherlands on the ‘Hysteria’ Tour. The crowd was really in to this show as they are screaming loud. Joe attacks the vocals with that Alice Cooper style, with grit and attitude. I wonder if the crowd noise is pumped in as they repeat some of their chants throughout. Anyway, the band rocks it out and does a fair job at this one. All I know is when it came out and I picked it up with this song as the B-Side I was happy to have something I didn’t have in my collection at the time. I’ll take new stuff any day.

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Ratt – “Lay It Down” – 7″ Single

On June 13, 1985, Ratt released their second full length album called ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’.  After the success of their debut ‘Out of the Cellar’, Ratt wasted no time in repeating that formula and delivering another solid album. The first single off that album was “Lay It Down” and released in the same month as the album. This is the 2nd 7″ Single I found while on vacation down in Florida. My copy is another standard US Version and it doesn’t use the cover of the album as the single cover. Instead, we get individual shots of each band member.

The single was the band’s second, and last, Top 40 Hit and I am honestly surprised by that fact. The band has had so many great songs and is a legend in the Hair Metal/Glam Metal scene that to have only 2 Top 40 sings is nuts. It did go to #4 on the Mainstream Rock Chart which is probably where most of their songs charted anyway.

A-SIDE:

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Friday New Releases – October 11, 2024

Welcome back to Friday New Releases. We don’t have as many as last week, but we have a solid list of new albums for you to try this week. I want to hear the new Myles Kennedy and I have the Def Leppard One Night Only on order. I have the RSD Vinyl release, but need the CD / Blu Ray too! Jelly Roll will probably be the big release this week for most if you like that thing. Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a great weekend!

  • Myles Kennedy – The Art of Letting Go – (Napalm Records)
  • Def Leppard – One Night Only: Live at the Leadmill May 19, 2023 – (Mercury Studios) – CD/DVD/BluRay
  • The Offspring – Supercharged – (Wabi Sabi Worldwid / Concord)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – October 11, 2024”

Retro Rock Reviews: Ep. 10 – Stryper ‘Against the Law’ (1990)

This week we stay in the 90’s and we go with another Glam Metal / Hair Band but this album was a huge change on their image and messaging. It is Stryper’s ‘Against the Law’. It saw the band shed their Christian image from losing the Yellow and Black to dropping the Christian, God fearing lyrics. They don’t go all devil worshipping, the songs are still positive, just different. It was released August 21, 1990 and had three singles, but overall did not perform to where it should have. I think it is their best, even if Michael Sweet ranks it as the worst Stryper album. We will find out if this is worth your time or not so join me as I walk through the album song by song.

So go check it out as it is live now on October 10, 2024 at Noon. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

Whitesnake – Washington State Wipeout (Spokane & Glasgow Broadcasts 1984) – Bootleg (The David Coverdale Series)

Out on my constant vinyl digging adventures, I found a couple Whitesnake bootlegs at the same store. They weren’t old bootlegs, rather they were released recently in 2023 out of Europe. The shows, however, are not recent. First one up is one called Washington State Wipeout and is a 2 LP set that comes in a nice gatefold with a picture of the band included. The vinyl that comes with the set are a beautiful clear color and they look stunning as you will see in one of the pictures below. It was a brand new set, unopened…well at least until I got my hands on it obviously. Now, it is open and has been played!

The 2 LPs carry a different a show for each. On LP 1, we get the Spokane Washington show that was on July 24, 1984. This would’ve been after the release of their 1984 album, ‘Slide it In’, which came out on January 30, 1984. The show was at the Spokane Coliseum and had the line-up of David Coverdale, John Sykes, Richard Bailey (no Jon Lord), Neil Murray and Cozy Powell. A stellar line-up, just wish Lord was still playing. They opened for Dio so not a long setlist and it is all captured here on LP 1. The recording was an FM Radio Broadcast.

On LP 2, we get a show that was recorded on March 1, 1984 and was another FM Radio Broadcast. It was recorded at the Apollo Theater in Glasgow, Scotland where they were the headliner with Great White opening. The full show is 16 tracks so we don’t get the whole show, but we do get 5 tracks at least. If you want the full show, pick up the Slide It In Super Deluxe Edition as Whitesnake issued it officially in that box set. I believe this show would include Jon Lord as he left the band in April. Correct me if I’m wrong.

LP 1:

Continue reading “Whitesnake – Washington State Wipeout (Spokane & Glasgow Broadcasts 1984) – Bootleg (The David Coverdale Series)”

The Collection: Ep. 36 – Scorpions on Vinyl (Part 1 of 2)

A few years back I did a complete collection series on the Scorpions. I figured it was time to show all the vinyl off on The Collection. We will break it up in to two parts with the first being from the debut album, ‘Lonesome Crow’, all the up to ‘Blackout’ with every thing I have in between. For Part 2, next week, will cover ‘Love at First Sting’ up to their latest ‘Rock Believer’. This part covers the 70’s up to 1982 it will feature a lineup of Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker plus a cast of characters from Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Mathias Jab and Francis Buchholz and numerous, I mean numerous drummers. We will talk the controversial covers and the albums and the sound.

So go check it out as it will be live tonight right now, October 7, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.


Def Leppard – ‘Yeah! II’ (2021) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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 ‘Yeah! II’.

‘Yeah! II’ is a collection of cover songs throughout Leppard’s career including all the bonus tracks from ‘Yeah!’ so no need to buy 3-4 different versions of that album as you get them all here in one set. The set includes some B-Sides and other rare tracks from Leppard and there are a total of 19 songs in this splendid collection. I love how they used a variation of the cover of ‘Yeah!’ and added the ‘II’. It is also a 2LP set and includes a gatefold with some great shots of each of the band members, Rick Allen, Rick Savage, Joe Elliott, Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell. This is a lot of cover songs that is for sure, but what an awesome treat to have them in one collection.

SIDE A:

The album kicks off with a cover for the Mick Ronson song, “Only After Dark”. Originally this song appeared as the B-Side to “Let’s Get Rocked” and it is a raw, headbanging rock song from the band. It has a great, catchy groove, a swing to it and it basically kicks ass. They did a different version for ‘Retro Active’ that added more guitar parts, but this version might be better.

Continue reading “Def Leppard – ‘Yeah! II’ (2021) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)”

Ratt – “Round And Round” – 7″ Single

After the success of their self-titled E.P., Ratt signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and that deal brought us the incredible debut album ‘Out of the Cellar’.  On March 27th, 1984, the album was released and thanks to MTV, the band became a huge sensation. However, prior to the album release, the band’s first single, “Round and Round”, was released on February 19, 1984. And that single is what we are discussing today. I found my copy while I was digging down in Florida while on vacation at a place called D&J Records, I believe. It is a standard US pressing, but I do love the close-up of Tawny Kitaen on the cover even if it is a zoomed in look of the album cover. I actually found 2 Ratt singles, so next week we will talk the other.

A-SIDE:

“Round And Round” is the band’s biggest single. Instantly, the song pulls you in and you can tell it is something special as it reached #12 on the Hot 100. And over time has been ranked as one of the greatest Heavy Metal Songs of all time as Rolling Stone ranked it at #20 on their 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time! And that was back in 2023. I wonder if that ranking is in small part due to its heavy usage in the Geico Insurance commercials. Who knows.

Continue reading “Ratt – “Round And Round” – 7″ Single”

Friday New Releases – October 4, 2024

October is finally here, Fall is kicking in, temperatures are starting to cool, but the new releases are still heating up with over 50 releases. This week I have a couple of these on pre-order and a bunch I want to hear. The Wild Feathers and Texas Hippie Coalition are on pre-order. I might order the Twisted Sister one and I will listen to the new James Bay. I’m not sure I care anymore about Motley Crue as they are losing me as a fan with their behavior and the fact they came back after saying they wouldn’t. Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

  • The Wild Feathers – Sirens – (New West Records)
  • James Bay – Changes All The Time – (Mercury Records / UMG)
  • Motley Crue – Cancelled E.P. – (Masters / Big Machine Label Group)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – October 4, 2024”