Category: Rock

Kiss – The Best of Kiss: Green Series (2008) – Album Review (The Kiss Review Series)

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Universal Music did not care about over saturation of an artist as they released a ton of Kiss Compilations and Canada received the brunt of them. This one was released in April 2008, I believe. It was part of the Green Series that Universal was releasing which had a number of bands. The Green Series means the packaging was all done with recycled paper and even used a plant based ink. Good on them for trying to save the earth, but with the shipping of the product and I am sure was wrapped in some sort of plastic, it was really all for naught. Plus, the cardboard digipak would tend to show wear and tear after awhile. However, the copy I received was in pretty darn good shape.

The album contains 15 tracks and really only covers the 70’s with the minor exception of “Lick It Up” from 1983. The rest is only from the original band members of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley. With “Lick It Up”, you add Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent. Wait, this isn’t all entirely true as the song “Cold Gin” is live and is copyrighted from 2001. More on that later. There is a write-up in the booklet by Don Winkley giving a brief history of the band only going up to the reunion (and this was 2008 when released so I would say they missed some years). If you like the 70’s material, then at 15 tracks, not a bad comp…but not a great one either. A pure cash grab from the label. Let’s get to the music…

“Shout It Out Loud” was the first single off ‘Destroyer’ trying to capitalize off the success of the live version of “Rock and Roll All Nite” that was released previously.  The title of the song comes from the Hollies song “We Want to Shout It Out Loud” which Wicked Lester demoed years earlier. The song is sung by both Paul and Gene  and that chorus of “Shout it, Shout it, Shout It Out Loud” is pure rock gold.

Ace is finally on lead vocals with “Shock Me” and might be my favorite Ace song.  The song is based off an incident that is well documented where Ace touched an ungrounded metal railing and had the life shocked out of him.  No, he didn’t die, but he was thrown back a little.  He continued the show with no feeling in his hand and I believe the show was December 12, 1976, at the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida.  Ace having little confidence wanted Gene to sing and Gene, thankfully, talked Ace in to singing.  Ace finally agreed and actually recorded the song lying down on the floor.  I hope that method has changed. The song is utterly brilliant and the guitar work is some of Ace’s best. In fact, he does all the guitar work on this one, both lead and rhythm.  This defines Ace Frehley in my book!!

Continue reading “Kiss – The Best of Kiss: Green Series (2008) – Album Review (The Kiss Review Series)” →

Friday New Releases – February 7, 2025

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For me, February is kicking off with a bang. I have Wilder Woods coming and if you don’t know it is Bear Rinehart’s side project away from Needtobreathe. And if that wasn’t enough, you get the re-recorded debut album from Will Hoge called Carousel…in case you missed it first time around. There are almost 50 albums this month, so hopefully there is something for you. Let me know what you want to hear or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!

  • Wilder Woods – Curioso – (Dualtone Music Group / MNRK Records)
  • Will Hoge – Carousel – (Will Hoge)
  • Dave Matthews Band – Where Are You Going: The Singles – (RCA Records / Sony Music)
  • Dream Theater – Parasomnia – (Ytse Jams Inc. / InsideOutMusic)
  • Nessa Barrett – Aftercare (Deluxe) – (Warner Records)
  • Kendrick Lamar – GNX – (PG Lang / Interscope Records)
  • Guided By Voices – Universe Room – (GBV Inc)
  • Manic Street Preachers – Critical Thinking – (Sony Music)
  • Thundermother – Dirty & Divine – (AFM Records / Soulfood Music Distribution)
  • JohnnySwim – When the War is Over – (Mr And Mrs Swim)
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Whitesnake – ‘Into the Light: The Solo Albums Box Set’ (2024) – Album Review (The David Coverdale Series)

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David Coverdale has really outdone himself with these Super Deluxe Editions Box Sets.  First was the ‘1987’ album, then an UnZipped Box Set, then ‘Slide It In’ and the 1989 album ‘Slip of the Tongue’. Heck, He even did the 25th Anniversary Edition of ‘Restless Heart’ and even a 15th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition for ‘Good to Be Bad’ now called ‘Still…Good to Be Bad’. And they are all spectacular. Now, we get a new box set. This time around it is a collection of his 3 solo albums. Starting with the most recent, 2000’s ‘Into the Light’ and going all the back to his first 2 solo albums including 1977’s ‘Whitesnake’ and 1978’s ‘Northwind’. And you don’t get each album once, you get them twice. One with a remastered version and then a 2024 complete remix.

This special edition consists of 6 CDs, 1 60-page Book, and 1 Album Cover Poster.  And it has over 91 tracks amongst all the CDs.  Well…not really. Each album is repeated twice with the remixed and the remastered versions, but there is a lot of new unreleased stuff too which is great. So, this is why I say this is for the diehard fans as it is very repetitive…this is for the diehard fans as it is very repetitive! Yes, I said this twice to prove a point and yes, I did this joke on pretty much every box set review for Whitesnake because its true. Here are all the songs you get…it’s immense.

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The Collection: Ep. 43 – January 2025 Wrap-Up

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As we end another month, it is time to go back and see what 2 Loud 2 Old Music added to the collection. This is January 2025 and we have lots of vinyl, CDs, cassettes and a great start to the year.. So much to go through including more Voice of America Archive Albums as well as additions to the Rock Candy collection, the Kiss collection and Box Set collection. Lots of great albums to go though and show for this month so I hope you enjoy the show!!

So go check it out as it will be live tonight right now, February 3, 2025 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

And if you can’t watch the video…here is everything…

Def Leppard – ‘Definitely: The Official Story of Def Leppard’ (2023) – Book Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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In 2023, Def Leppard felt it was time to tell their story, in their words. ‘Definitely: The Official Story of Def Leppard’ is a personal account of Def Leppard from their formation all the way up to 2022’s last studio album ‘Diamond Star Halos’. The book was released in 2023 and there were several versions you could buy. By the time I got around to buying it and the only option available to me was the Publisher’s Edition which is strictly the book. There were other options you could’ve purchased as well.

There was the Deluxe Copies which was Editions Numbered 1 to 350. The Deluxe copies are fully bound in black vegan leather, with an inset aluminium plate on the front, printed with a portrait of the band, and the Def Leppard logo blocked on the back. Every Deluxe copy is signed by Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Savage, Rick Allen and Vivian Campbell. Presented in a clamshell box, the interior holds the specially pressed 7″ single. The red and black marbled vinyl presents two previously unreleased live recordings: the A-side is ‘Animal’ (performed at the Royal Albert Hall, 2018), and the B-side is ‘Slang’ (recorded in Las Vegas, 2019). A compartment under the book includes five Diamond Star Halos guitar picks in a small cloth bag and three replica tour passes. A large pull-ribbon, printed with the Def Leppard logo, lifts the book.Exclusive to the Deluxe copies is a signed and numbered photographic print of Def Leppard on stage at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, Wembley Stadium, 20 April 1992. Suitable for framing, the print is signed by Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Allen, Rick Savage and Vivian Campbell. Completing the Deluxe boxed set, a second recess under the book contains a collectable cassette of the band’s latest studio album, Diamond Star Halos.

The Collector’s Copies were Numbered 351 to 1,500. The Collector copies are 3/4 quarter bound in black vegan leather, with a portrait of the band printed on an aluminium plate front cover and the Def Leppard logo blocked on the back cover. The 296-page book is finished with colour foil blocking on the spine, and red page edging. Every copy in the edition is signed by Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Savage, Rick Allen and Vivian Campbell. Presented in a clamshell box covered in a montage of images with an inset Def Leppard logo sticker and tour pass, the interior lid holds a specially pressed 7″ single. The red and black marbled vinyl presents two previously unreleased live recordings: the A-side is ‘Animal’ (performed at the Royal Albert Hall, 2018), and the B-side is ‘Slang’ (recorded in Las Vegas, 2019). A compartment under the book includes five Diamond Star Halos guitar picks in a small cloth bag and three replica tour passes. A large pull-ribbon, printed with the Def Leppard logo, lifts the book.

Continue reading “Def Leppard – ‘Definitely: The Official Story of Def Leppard’ (2023) – Book Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)” →

Kiss – ‘Legends of Rock’ (2009) – Album Review (The Kiss Review Series)

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Universal Music was at it again in 2009 with yet another compilation. This one was called ‘Legends of Rock’ and was exclusive to Canada like so many others. They were pumping these out and trying to grab as much cash as they could since Kiss was no longer on their label. I do like the old photograph from the ‘Dressed to Kill’ era that was the cover. It was a decent set with 15 tracks, but nothing really special or unexpected. Same old, same old, you’d say. It is a bare bones set, but at least they had some write-up in the liner notes. It says it is a 4 page booklet, but don’t let that fool you into thinking there is anything cool in there because there is not. The only thing of interest is the songs and even those are not that interesting since most of the tracks are on every other compilation out there. What songs are on it? Let’s go through it and see.

First up is “Heaven’s On Fire” which is Paul Stanly and Desmond Child song and the first single off ‘Animalize’. Paul shows off with a little “Oooh Oooh Oooh” that I’m not sure he could not hit today as it is so high, but it is a perfect way to kick off the song  The song is another rocker and a very typical 80’s sounding song. It was all over MTV and helped propel the album to Platinum status. On radio, it didn’t fare as well not breaking the Top 40 and hanging around #49. The song is one of the few 80’s song to actually get occasionally played live after they went back to make-up which is cool. Now sadly, this was the only video that contains Mark as he was gone before anything else was done, but at least we have this to remember him by.

“Lick It Up” is the band’s first single and first video without make-up and the song only went to #66.  It opens with a nice little riff and a little scream from Paul.  Paul’s second song on the album and it was meant for the radio.  This is a pure 80’s, melodic rock song and no wonder it still gets played a lot.  The video was so 80’s as well.  Real cheesy and had the band in a post-apocalyptic world.  It is a little comical watching it now.  The song, however, is about a guy trying to talk his girlfriend in to doing the nasty so doesn’t really fit with the video. Really cool they kicked things off with 2 80’s songs, but that is all we get. The rest are from the 70’s.

The first song of their debut, “Strutter”.  The song was written by both Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and over the years, this would be a rare experience as they would wind up writing songs by themselves.  The music of the song was based off an old Gene song called “Stanley the Parrot” which was recorded even before there was a Wicked Lester.  The song has a great opening drum fill by Peter and is an uptempo rock song that was inspired by all the sexy women in New York.  There is a great bass riff by Gene why Ace belts out the solo. Paul sings the song and shows all the confidence a lead singer should show.

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Friday New Releases – January 31, 2025

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Man, we are already to the end of January and the month flew by. Luckily for you, we have another large batch of releases for you to peruse. I thought about the W.A.S.P. box set but at $126 for the CD and $250 for the Vinyl, not sure I’m that big a fan. Other than that, I don’t really have anything I want to grab…maybe stream only. Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend.

  • W.A.S.P. – 7 Savage: 1984-1992 (Box Set) – (Madfish Records)
  • Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson & Steve Vai – G3: 25th Anniversary Tour – (EarMusic)
  • Dio – The Very Beast of Dio Vol. 2 – (Niji Entertainment Group / BMG Rights Mgmt)
  • Saliva – Revelation: Retold – (Judge & Jury Records)
  • All That Remains – Antifragile – (All That Remains)
  • The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow – (XO / Republic Records)
  • Kim Wilde – Closer – (Wildflower Records / Cherry Red Records)
  • The Night Flight Orchestra – Give Us The Moon – (Napalm Records)
  • Rory – Restoration – (Sadcore)
  • Pentagram – Lightning In a Bottle – (Heavy Psych Sounds)
  • Great American Ghost – Tragedy of the Commons – (Sharptone)
  • The Hellacopters – Overdriver – (Nuclear Blast)
  • moe. – Circle of Giants – (Fatboy Records / ATO Records)
  • Kilmara – Journey To The Sun – (Roar)
  • Robert Ascroft – Echo Still Remains – (Hand Drawn Dracula)
  • Lilly Hiatt – Forever – (New West Records)
  • Penny & Sparrow – Lefty – (I Love You / Thirty Tigers)
  • Rumer — In Session – (Rumer/Ciancia Management)
  • Everyone Says Hi – Everyone Says Hi – (Prediction Records / Chrysalis)
  • Ambrose Akinmusire – Honey From A Winter Stone – (Nonesuch)
  • L.S. Dunes – Violet – (Fantasy Records)
  • Jonathan Hulten – Eyes of the Living Night – (KScope / Snapper Music)
  • Tayne – Love – (Inside Job / MNRK Records)
  • Maribou State — Hallucinating Love – (Ninja Tune)
  • Canty — Dim Binge – (Full Time Hobby)
  • Bonnie “Prince” Billy — The Purple Bird – (No Quarter)
  • Brooke Combe — Dancing at the Edge of the World – (Modern Sky UK)
  • Charlie Houston – Big After I Die – (Arts & Crafts Productions)
  • Eddie Chacon – Lay Low – (Stones Throw Records)
  • Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains — Âge Fleuve – (InFiné)
  • Jaye Jayle — After Alter – (Pelagic Records)
  • Johnny Lloyd — Punchline – (Xtra Mile Recordings)
  • Eterna — Debunker – (section1)
  • Pink Chameleons — Harmony – (Soliti)
  • Prison — Downstate – (Drag City)
  • N NAO — Nouveau Langage – (Mothland)
  • Pentire — Love on TV EP – (Pentire)
  • Damon Locks — List of Demands – (International Anthem)
  • Thorbjorn Risager & The Black Tornado – House of Sticks – (Mascot Label Group / Provogue)
  • Jan Arden – Mixtape – (Universal Music)

The Police – ‘Synchronicity Tour (1983)’ – Tour Program

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The Police is one of the few bands in music history to go out on top. After only 5 albums and the release of their biggest album to date, they called it quits. The album was ‘Synchronicity’ which came out on June 17, 1983. The album had 5 singles and sold over 10 million copies worldwide. However, before they called it quit, they did tour the album. The tour lasted from July 23, 1983 through til March 4, 1984 and consisted of 105 shows which break out to 66 shows in North America, 36 in Europe and 3 in Australia.

If you are curious, the average show had the following setlist…

  1. “Voices Inside My Head”
  2. “Synchronicity I” / “Synchronicity II”
  3. “Walking in Your Footsteps”
  4. “Message in a Bottle”
  5. “Demolition Man” (some shows)
  6. “Walking on the Moon”
  7. “O My God”
  8. “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da”
  9. “Wrapped Around Your Finger’
  10. “Tea in the Sahara”
  11. “Spirits in the Material World”
  12. “Hole in My Life”
  13. “One World (Not Three)”
  14. “King of Pain”
  15. “Every Breath You Take”
  16. “Murder by Numbers”

Encore

  1. “Roxanne”
  2. “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” (some shows)
  3. “Can’t Stand Losing You” / “Reggatta de Blanc”
  4. “Next to You” (some shows)
  5. “So Lonely”

A pretty impressive setlist and would’ve loved to have seen this tour, but I missed it. While out digging at one of my local record stores, I cam across the Tour Program from the 1983 leg of the tour and had to have it. I mean, I do collect Tour Books when I can find them. On a side note, the store had several autographed tour books fro Motley Crue, Skid Row, Metallica and a couple others but they all ran from around $275 and up. Not in my budget, sadly.

I thought I would show you what the Tour Program looked like from back in the day so here we go…and the cover is above, here is the rest…

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Def Leppard – ‘Drastic Symphonies’ (2023) – Picture Disc (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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I know, I know…I reviewed this album last week. But this is The Collection Series and since a Picture Disc is very different from the normal vinyl and other items, I figured it deserved its own post. So bare with me…

In 2023, Def Leppard did something they hadn’t done in years. Give us a new album a year after the last studio album. In 2022, we were given ‘Diamond Star Halos’ and in 2023, ‘Drastic Symphonies’. Now, ‘Drastic Symphonies’ isn’t technically a studio album. And it isn’t technically a greatest hits compilation. Instead, what we are given is a remix album. Yes, Def Leppard chased the trend (although rather late) and gave us a Symphonic album. They remixed or reworked their songs and added classical music orchestration to it. The album was released on May 19, 2023, one week shy of the one year anniversary of the prior album. In my opinion, they should’ve taken much more time with it and got it right. Why? Let me explain.

A proper Symphony album is done live as that is where you really notice the difference. This is not a proper Symphony album. Instead, Def Leppard did one of two things with the songs. They either completely re-worked the song with the symphony dramatically added in a well thought out manner (sometimes it works, sometimes not). Or…they took a song and put in some symphony in places on the original track. The second way is pure and utter laziness and never works. Wiki says they completely redid all the songs with the exception of the vocals…but listening to it…I disagree. Some of these songs sound exactly like the original with symphony added and all I can say to that is “What is the freaking point!!”

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Kiss – ‘Greatest Hits’ (1997) – Album Review (The Kiss Review Series)

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In 1997, Kiss was enjoying the renewed attention with the make-up back on and a reunion in full swing. Ace and Peter were back so they released a compilation around the world called ‘Greatest Kiss’ which was full of songs from the early years with the original four members. Strangely enough, the UK released another compilation in 1997 called ‘Greatest Hits’. It was a UK exclusive but why release it when they released the other compilation around the same time that was released all around Europe so easy to get. Made no sense to me.

Who knows why. What I do know is I finally have a copy of the release. It was from Polygram TV which was a division of Polygram records so a legit release. It had 20 songs like the ‘Greatest Kiss’ release; however there were a few songs that were different. This UK release actually had some songs from Kiss that did not have Ace and Peter with some of the 80’s tracks. There are no unreleased tracks or anything new, these are all album cuts so you already have these songs if you own all the albums.

Now, Wikipedia states that this was released on June 28, 1999, however, that is wrong…unless the date on the back cover of 1997 was a misprint or this was held for two years after printing them out. And another thing…if you aren’t sure what the track listing is, don’t you worry. It is printed a total of 4 times throughout the booklet. On the back cover, the back of the booklet and if you open the booklet it is there again in case you forgot. And if that wasn’t enough, it is also on the CD. Whew! I’m so happy they did it so many times because I’m sure I would’ve have forgotten. Also, inside is a chance to win a portable CD player. In 1997, that would’ve been really cool.

The music is the most important part anyway, so let’s get to it. “Here’s a little song for everybody other there”…The first track is “Crazy Crazy Nights” which was a big hit in the UK so understandable it was on here. The song was written by Paul Stanley and Adam Mitchell who Paul and Gene have both worked with quite a bit. It was a different opening track for the band as was really upbeat, kind of pop sounding yet anthemic at the same time. It wasn’t an out and out rocker like most of their albums. Paul didn’t sing so much as speak the verses and is overall it is quite cheesy.  It is the only song that the band has played live after this tour. They picked it back up due to demand back in 2010 and started adding it to shows.

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