Category: Rock

Def Leppard – ‘Video Archive’ (1995) – DVD Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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On December 5, 1995, Def Leppard released yet another video compilation and I believe this is their 4th to date. This one is called ‘Video Archive’ and highlights some live performances as well as some promo videos from ‘Retro Active’ and the greatest hits compilation ‘Vault’. The video was originally released on VHS, Laserdisc and VCD. In 2001, they released it on DVD along with the video compilation called Visualize which is the copy I actually own.

The first part of the DVD we have actually talked about before only a few weeks back. If you remember the bootleg DVD I have called ‘Live Sheffield 1992‘, you will remember that the DVD is actually from June 6, 1993 not 1992 and it is in fact, the show that is on this video as well. Okay, this video is only a piece of that show which is a only a piece of the full set list. And you will remember that I loved that bootleg DVD as the picture and sound were outstanding. This proves that it was as they took that and added 8 of those tracks here and it looks and sounds as good. Maybe it looks a tad bit better.

The show kicks off with a that same old question….”Do You Want to Get Rocked?” as they kick in to “Let’s Get Rocked” off the ‘Adrenalize’ album. A cheesy but fun song live. Then they go back to the ‘Pyromania’ era and pull out “Foolin’” which is one of their best songs, period. Nothing real flashy, but done to perfection. They move up an album and bring us “Rocket” (not “Rock It”). This one has a cool solo part with Vivian and Phil goofing off a little, but making it interesting with what sounds they pull out of their guitars. A hard song to make sound like the records so why try. A great solo between the two. Towards the end the go all Zeppelin with “A Whole Lot of Love” before back to “Rocket”.

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Bon Jovi – ‘The Circle’ (2009) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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We are now up to Bon Jovi’s 11th studio album called ‘The Circle’. The band has been on a massive schedule of album, tour, album, tour for years now and honestly the quality is starting to show. Producer John Shanks is back and a lot of people believe that is the problem, but for me it is more than that. It is the fact the fact they are still chasing that hit and everything has become formulaic and tired. More on that later.

For now, let’s discuss the album itself. The title, ‘The Circle’, has many meanings one possible is that they have come full circle back to the rock & roll sound of before after dabbling in to that country genre for a second…a very long second. Or it could be that the band is a circle of guys and that circle is hard to get in to (and hard to get out unless your Richie and you stop showing up – but that hasn’t happened yet and I’m getting ahead of myself). That circle still consists of Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Tico Torres and David Bryan. Poor Hugh McDonald still hasn’t been made an official member yet, but that will change eventually.

The album was released on November 10, 2009 and sold over 163,000 records in its first week alone. The album would reach #1 on the Billboard Charts and numerous countries around the world. It stayed at #1 for all of one week, but hey, it is a #1 album. It would also go on to Gold Status in the States and 5 other countries as well as Platinum in Canada. The band was still having success, but for me that loyalty had faded and faded fast. It was years after this album was released before I ever bought it and the only reason I pulled it out today, is so I could do a review. And after a couple more listens, my thoughts haven’t changed. Are you ready for it?

The opening track is the song “We Weren’t Born to Follow” and is very typical of every album since 2000. An uplifting song that talks about the tough times people were facing in the current economic environment. It was a charge to arms to stand up for you believe. But like every opening track on the past batch of albums, it feels like a been there and done that kind of song. Yeah, it ain’t bad, but it ain’t anything new either.

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The Collection: Ep. 14 – Stone Temple Pilots on Vinyl

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This week, I am going to go through the vinyl in my collection on one of my favorite bands to come out of the 90’s. And that band is Stone Temple Pilots. With Scott Weiland, Dean DeLeo, Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz, you have one of the best rock bands that helped me make through the 90’s when music was what it was when I was growing up. Scott was one of the greatest frontmen to ever perform and the band has so many great songs and albums. Even today, with Jeff Gutt on vocals, the band is still releasing music and still kicking ass.

Join me as I walk through the vinyl of STP that I have in my collection. I am only missing an E.P. and the MTV live show, but otherwise, I think I have it all that has been released on vinyl. From Core to Perdida, walk with me through their amazing career of music.

So go check it out as it will be live tonight, May 20, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

My Sunday Song – “Another Time, Another Place” by The Defiants

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For My Sunday Song #413, we are tackling the power ballad “Another Time, Another Place” by The Defiants. The song is off the band’s third and latest album, ‘Drive’ and it was written by Bruno Ravel and Paul Laine. You have Paul on vocals and keyboards, Bruno Ravel on bass and Rob Marcello on guitars with Van Romaine on drums. The song did not chart and heck I don’t even know if it was a single, but I do know that if this song was released in the mid to late 80’s it would be #1.

The song is about a love that could have been and doesn’t fall in to the abyss of a love that never was. There was someone in the past that he can’t stop thinking about and he longs for her, but they never became lovers. He dreams about that time in the future in another time and another place where that longing gets fulfilled and they fall in love and are together forever and a day. It is rather heartbreaking to want someone so much and long for them like that and yet nothing to satisfy that desire…at least not yet.

This is more like a Journey ballad as “Another Time, Another Place” might be the best ballad by any band in decades. Yes, it is that good to me. Steve Perry look out. I get lost in the chorus as Paul’s vocals will take over your ears and surround you in comfort and a magical bliss. The chorus is huge and so catchy. It draws you in and won’t let go. The scream Paul has at the end is such a surprise and so cool. I mean it isn’t Rob Halford type of cool, but still pretty awesome. The song is pure perfection again. When it comes on and I’m driving in my car, I keep hitting repeat and can never get enough. It usually accompanies for the rest of the drive. “Drive”…isn’t that the name of the album…how funny.

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Friday New Releases – May 17, 2024

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Alright, it is Friday!!! And I can’t wait. Why? You may ask. Because I am getting not just a new album from Collective Soul celebrating their 30th anniversary, but a Double Album at that!! Yeah baby!! And that is where my focus will be there this week. What are you interested in this week? Let me know and let me know if we missed anything. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

  • Collective Soul – Here to Eternity – (Fuzze-Flex Records)
  • Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard And Soft – (Darkroom / Interscope Records)
  • Slash – Orgy of the Damned – (Snakepit Records / Gibson Records)
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Def Leppard – “When Love & Hate Collide” (1995) – CD Promo Single (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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For the band’s first greatest hits compilation called ‘Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits 1980-1995’ there was actually two new songs, but only one official single. The single was for the song “When Love & Hate Collide” and was released on on October 2, 1995 where is one of their highest charting songs in the UK for the band going to #2. In the US it didn’t crack the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, but did make the Adult Top 40 going to #39…just barely making it. It was the only new song on the album…well the Japanese version of the album at least. That song was “Can’t Keep Away From the Flame” which we will get to shortly.

The CD I have here is actually the Promo CD that was released by Mercury. It was released in a grey generic record company cardboard sleeve and actually contained both new songs from the album with “When Love & Hate Collide” and “Can’t Keep Away From the Flame”. From what I can gather is this was a US promo and not available anywhere else. Pretty cool.

“When Love & Hate Collide” was written by Joe Elliott and Rick Savage and was demoed back during ‘Adrenalize’, but lost out to “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad”. The song had a slightly heavier production for that album rather then the stripped down version here. It was written while Steve Clark was in rehab and the guitar solo on the song is the last recorded guitar solo by Steve who died in 1991.

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The Collection: Ep. 13 – In Depth with Queensryche’s E.P. – Featuring Deke from The Distortion Den

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This week my buddy Deke and I are starting a series called “In Depth” and each episode we will pick any 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’. Since this is the beginning we are starting with their debut E.P. simply titles ‘Queensryche’. So, if you like a little Queensryche then come check it out as we have a little show this week since the E.P. only has 4 songs (5 if you count the 1988 re-issue). Which we do.

Deke is from the Distortion Den and from the blog world as well. Go Check him out at the links below…

YouTube – thedistortionden

Website – https://superdekes.wordpress.com/

So go check it out as it is live now on May 13, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

Bon Jovi – ‘Lost Highway: The Concert’ (2007) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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Bon Jovi’s ‘Lost Highway: The Concert’ was actually a Live DVD released on November 13, 2007 where the band played the album in its entirety. This was the firs time the band had played any of their albums this way live. It was shot in Chicago, Illinois in front of an audience of around 2,000 people. And if you look at the picture below, it looks like the stage was set-up to look like a gas station as I see a couple of gas pumps. A much smaller stage and a more intimate setting. The band played an additional three songs at the end. However, I don’t actually have the DVD, but I do have a CD of the concert that was released as a Deluxe Edition of the album. In the UK and Germany, it was called the “Tour Edition”.

The big the DVD and the CD was that the DVD had the song “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” as the finale, but here, we end at “Wanted Dead or Alive”. I guess I will have to live with that difference…until I get the DVD. But there were no changes in the band. The regular band was all there including Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan, Tico Torres and Hugh McDonald. But there were a few additional musicians on stage with them including Bobby Bandiera on rhythm guitar, Lorenza Ponce on violin (and vocals) and Kurt Johnston on pedal guitar and mandolin. I guess the band needs help making the songs sound country. I guess that is probably because they are a rock band not a country band. Sorry, off topic there for a second.

Since they are playing the album in full, you already know the setlist and first up is the title track “Lost Highway”. The band sounds great and Jon’s vocals are spectacular. The smaller setting let’s him sing for the song rather than for a large crowd where he might have to sing with more gusto. Richie’s solo feels more exciting and lively here. The crowd sounds like they are in to it and that makes the energy and vibe feel really great. “Summertime” is still as cheesy I remember but in a live setting with a fun crowd, I can see how this would be an exciting song live and they make it just that.

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My Sunday Song – “Captain Bring Me Down” By Danger Danger

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For My Sunday Song #412, we are going to discuss the song “Captain Bring Me Down” by Danger Danger. The song was off their fourth album called ‘Four the Hard Way’ and written by Paul Laine and fellow bandmate, Bruno Ravel. For the song, you had Paul on vocals and on keyboard, Bruno on bass, Tony Bruno on guitar and Steve West on drums. I don’t believe the song was a single, but it might be the best song on the album and the most saddest of stories.

The story behind the song is a little heart wrenching. In an interview Mike Ladano and I did with Paul, I brought up this song and mentioned it was my favorite on the album and Paul graciously told the story of the song despite how personal the song was to him. He was working with a friend of his on his friend’s album and they were sharing stories together of how they were both bullied when they were kids and in school. After working on the album, his friend, Randy, went to visit his brother and ended up doing heroin with his brother and died. Paul was moved by the stories he and Randy had discussed on bullying and turned it in to a song. It is about meeting your bullies years later and they treat you like you are best friends. They were the cool kids and school and now they drown their sorrows in alcohol.

The song opens with Paul’s keyboards and Tony on acoustic guitar. The keyboards are like violins and string orchestration and are so powerful sounding. The vibe is somber and the tempo is slow and the lyrics hit you right in the heart and the stomach. The percussion and drums on the song were used perfectly as emphasis of the sadness. The guitar solo is so tasteful and played for the song as it is not a time to showboat. So well done. Paul delivers one of his best vocal performances on this album with this song as he makes you feel every word and every note. I have never listened to this song the same way after I heard Paul’s story. It was great before, but now it is one of the best songs I think he has ever done.

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Friday New Releases – May 10, 2024

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Happy Friday! And it is time for another batch of new releases and that always make Friday’s the best day of the week. We have around 30+ this time around so hopefully there is something for you. Me, I’ll try the new Sebastian Bach and maybe Judah & the Lion and if I find time, I’ll try out some more later down the road. Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

  • Sebastian Bach – Child Within The Man – (Reigning Phoenix Music)
  • Kings of Leon – Can We Please Have Fun – (LoveTap Records / Capitol Records)
  • Powerman 5000 – Abandon Ship – (Cleopatra Records)
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