“Nothin’ To Lose: The Making of Kiss 1972-1975” by Ken Sharp, Gene Simmons & Paul Stanley – Book Review

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I try to read at least one book a month and for July it was “Nothin’ to Lose: The Making of KISS 1972-1975” by Ken Sharp, Gene Simmons & Paul Stanley.  All thanks to a Amazon running a $2.99 special for the Kindle.  That is exactly how I read Paul Stanley’s autobiography for only $2.99.

As a KISS fan this was a really a no brainer to read.  I knew a bunch of the stories, but not everything.  As a side note, I found a way to enhance the experience of reading this book.  If you have Kissology DVD series, you can watch the shows they are talking about in the book.  You definitely need the 1st series which covers 1974-1977.  You also need Volume 3 which contains the much talked about Queens, NY Coventry Show from December, 1973 the band’s first ever concert filmed in make up in its entirety.  When you add this to your reading, it truly enhances the whole experience.

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Art of Anarchy – The Madness – Album Review

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I have been sitting on this album for months now and I am finally getting around to do a review.  I will admit that I love listening to Scott Stapp sing.  I am a fan so this album really excited me.  After Scott Stapp’s last effort, his solo album ‘Proof of Life’, I had really high expectations for this new direction.  ‘Proof of Life’ as my favorite album of 2013.

Now Scott was back with a band and not a new solo effort.  I was hoping for me solo work or even Creed, but not so…a new band.  Well, who is this band Art of Anarchy?  Art of Anarchy is a rock band and this is actually their second album not their first.  Their first was with Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots fame; however, he died after the release of that album.  I will also admit, I had never heard of this band even with Scott Weiland as the lead singer.

The band pushed on and brought in Scott Stapp as the lead singer. I immediately thought these guys were nuts.  You are going from a person with addiction & mental health issues and ended up dying from that to another person that has suffered from addiction issues as well as mental health issues that are well documented.  I thought that they were either very brave or very stupid.  It turns out they were very brave (so far).

ART OF ANARCHY - The Madness - back

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My Sunday Song – “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M.

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My Sunday Song #51 is my favorite R.E.M. song called “Losing My Religion”.  The song is off the 1991 album ‘Out of Time’ and it reached as high as #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It was probably the most popluar R.E.M. song at the time and maybe ever.  It was nominated for 4 Grammy Awards and won for 2 of them.  One of which was for music video and you can see it at the end of the commentary.

Why do I like the song?  I really love the guitar sound and that mandolin that Peter Buck plays.  It captures to essence of the song and helps bring to life the imagery of the lyrics.  Michael’s voice is so unique and for this song it was a little creepy which is perfect as the song was about obsession over another.

“Losing My Religion” is an old phrase meaning that you have lost it.  You are losing your wits or temper.  As this is an obsession song, the singer has lost their mind over this person and is fantasizing about them constantly.  Lyrically it is very disturbing.

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The Mailman – Def Leppard & The Winery Dogs

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After a really long week at work, it was so nice to come home yesterday to have these two gems waiting on me.

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First up, The Winery Dogs: Special Edition Dog Years – Live in Santiago & Beyond 2013-2016.  This 5 Disc special edition includes The Live in Santiago concert on Blue-Ray & DVD as well as a 2 CD set of the show.  Also included is The Dog Years Bonus EP on CD.  Not a bad little set and with coupons and a small gift card I had, this only cost $7 and some change.

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Friday New Releases – August 4th

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Thank goodness July is over.  The Friday new releases were limited during July, but things start to pick up in a big way in August.  There are some great ones coming out today to get your month started out just right.  As I am in the midst of busy season at work, these releases will help get through it.  Hopefully there is something for you.  My picks are highlighted in Blue.

  • 51pk40Y5iKLDEF LEPPARD – 30th Anniversary Edition of HYSTERIA!!! – (Mercury):  It is hard to believe it has been 30 years since this release.  Amazing how time flies.  This album sounds just as good now as it did back then.  It is a classic.  With songs like “Women”, “Animal”, “Armageddon It”, “Love Bites”, “Hysteria” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, you have the ultimate rock album.  There is only one edition to buy for me and it is the full on edition with 5 CDs, 2 DVDs, a couple books and everything you would want.  You have to get this!!!!  I already have and it will be there when I get home from work.

  • 61yXrpnKLCL._AC_US218_  The Winery Dogs – Dog Years Live in Santiago & Beyond 2013-2016 – (Loud & Proud Records).  Three outstanding musicians bring us their first live album.  Richie Kotzen, Mike Portnoy and Billy Sheehan make up The Winery Dogs and I couldn’t be more excited to grab this.  If you haven’t heard them, you are definitely missing out.  Give this one a listen!!  This should also be waiting on me when I get home!!!

  • 61UOXBW-THL._AC_US218_  Kryptonite – Kryptonite – (Frontiers Records SRL):  Frontiers Records has a way of bringing people together.  This group brings Jakob Samuel (The Poodles), Pontus Egberg (Treat), Robban Back (Moustasch) and Mike Palace (Palace) together to form a sort of supergroup.  I really love Jakob Samuel and The Poodles, so anything he does really peaks my interest.  Heres to hoping for something special.

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The Original Vs. The Cover – “Can’t Find My Way Home”

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Welcome to the new in yet another series that is called “The Original Vs. The Cover”.  Not a very original title, but it gets the point across.  Each month I will pick a song and compare the original to my favorite cover of the song.

And there is not a better way to kick off this series than with Blind Faith’s song “Can’t Find My Way Home”.  The song was written by Steve Winwood and on Blind Faith’s only album back in 1969.  Blind Faith was one of the earliest super groups as it consisted of Steve Winwood from the bands Traffic & The Spencer Davis Group, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton from the band Cream and lastly, Ric Grech from Family.  Not a bad set of musicians.

Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home” is a slow ballad with Eric Clapton playing acoustic guitar and Steve Winwood singing.  Of course Ginger Baker is playing percussion and Ric Grech is on bass, but the guitar work is of note.  The guitar work is fantastic as expected and it is rare you get Eric Clapton playing acoustic (at least back then).  The vocals have an eerie hollowness to them and I don’t know if that was Winwood’s intention or just the production of the song, but it works.  The overall production is simple and not much too it and I think that is why the song works so well. The overall tone fits the time period which was the end of the 60’s.

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“My First Time” with Ted Nugent’s ‘Cat Scratch Fever’

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This month for “My First Time”, I am going to go back to the first Ted Nugent album I ever owned which was ‘Cat Scratch Fever’.  The album is Ted’s third solo album and was released May 13, 1977 just a hair over 40 years ago.  I was around 9 years old at the time.  No, I didn’t buy it then.  It wasn’t until some time in the 80’s when I finally picked it up.

The album has sold well over 3 million copies and peaked at #17 on the Billboard charts. Ted and company were riding high though not actually high as Ted is a staunch advocate against drugs and alcohol.

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The original Ted Nugent band was back together after Meat Loaf was brought in for some of the songs on their last album ‘Free For All’.  However, this would be the last studio album with the original band as Rob Grange would leave before the next studio album ‘Weekend Warriors’.  The band consisted of the following members:

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My Sunday Song – “Hotel California” by The Eagles

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My Sunday #50 is “Hotel California” by The Eagles.  When you add on 2 special edition weekends, this is the 52nd week of My Sunday Song.  One full year!!  Each 10 weeks I have been switching up the theme, but I am enjoying going through my favorite songs so much that I will continue with this theme for a lot longer.

I had to choose a very special song to celebrate a year’s worth of My Sunday Song so I chose what just might be one of the songs ever written or ever played.  “Hotel California” is pure magic in songwriting.  Musically it can’t be beat and lyrically it conveys a mastery of storytelling.

“Hotel California” is the title track to the album of the same name.  The single was released in February 1977 and went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song also won the band a Grammy (which they did not attend because Henley didn’t believe in contests or something like that).  The song was written by Don Felder (who wrote the music), Don Henley (who wrote the lyrics) and Glenn Frey (who contributed some lyrics, but mostly helped with the outlining of the story).

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Friday New Releases – July 28th

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It is the last Friday of the month and it has been a slow month.  And it is another Friday where there isn’t a ton of releases, but there are at least a few I am interested in and those are highlighted in Blue.  If you like Rock, Pop, Metal, Country, Christian, Electronic and even old time rock & roll, there is a little for everyone.

  • 51ZBD6E9HnL._AC_US218_  Alice Cooper – Paranormal – (EarMusic):  The Man, The Myth, The Legend, Alice Cooper is back with his 27th or so album.  How many artists can say that??  I have seen and heard a lot of buzz about this one and I am actually excited to get this one.  I can’t wait to hear what is in store with this one.

  • 617WoFX2ojL._AC_US218_  Seventh Day Slumber – Found – (VSR):  The Christian rock band from Texas is here to bring us more of their post-grunge, hard rock.  I haven’t heard anything of this one yet (haven’t watched the video either) so waiting to be surprised when the full album is out.  I am generally not disappointed by anything they have released over the last 12 years.

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Cher – “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” – The 45 Single

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This might be the last 45 Single I had in my box of vinyl that is anywhere near worth mentioning.  It is Cher’s 1971 single for “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves”.  It is from her seventh album for which it is the title song.  It is also Cher’s first #1 song as a solo artists. “Believe” it or not, she has only had 4 #1 songs as a solo artist (not counting the Dance charts).

I don’t have the cover jacket for the album, only the 45 itself.  The cover is below…

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The song is about a girl who was born in a wagon and raised by her parents who were what people called Gypsies.  They earned money preaching and selling “their services” (if you know what I mean).  In their travels, they pick up young man the tender age of 21.  He ends up sleeping with the 16 year old girl and winds up pregnant.  The boy disappears and the girl ends up having her baby in a wagon and she ends up selling her services for money.  Her life went full circle.

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