My Sunday Song – ‘Soulcrusher” by Operator

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For My Sunday Song #422, we are going a little metal this week with Operator’s “Soulcrusher”. The song is off their debut album called ‘Soulcrusher’ which was released on August 21, 2007. The single went to #8 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and #29 on the Modern Rock Tracks. It was the debut single from the album and it was released prior to the album on May 22, 2007. The band consists of Johnny Strong on vocals, Paul Phillips on guitar, Ricki Lixx on lead guitar, Wade Carpenter on bass and Dorman Pantfoeder on drums.

The song was written by Johnny Strong and it can mean whatever you want it to mean. I was looking at it two ways. First, it is about that person in your life that weighs you down. They suck all the life out of you and yet you let them. You need to man up, say no and get out of that relationship as it is crushing your soul. This can be a significant other, a family member or even a friend.

The second take on it is that I see it as he is talking about himself. This is the only life you have so don’t mess it up. Stop caring about what everybody else is doing or thinking about you. Get out there and make it the best life you can live because you only get one. Stopping doing things that are crushing your soul. Live like this is the only life you have…because it is!

Musically, there is only one way to take it and that is brutally hard & heavy and a slap across the face. The song is relentless. That heavy, hard driving guitar riff is the high point of the song. Vocally Johnny Strong owes a lot to Chris Cornell as I can hear him in those vocals. And they could be mistaken for a Soundgarden clone, but I’d be okay with that. I love how the song midway through, slows it down, the vocals get softer, but the guitars come in and it builds and builds and brings back the barrage of music that will blow your head off. It simply will kick your ass!! It was one of those songs when I first heard it, I was sold from the first note and the album was bought as fast as I could get it.

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Friday New Releases – February 28, 2025

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Wow! Another month has ended but the new releases keep on coming. We have around 50 for you this week. I only have one on order but it is one I already own on several formats. It is Bon Jovi’s Slipper When Wet. This time I am getting the liquid vinyl. Can’t wait to show it off. And for you Timothy Chalamet lovers, his soundtrack to the Bob Dylan biopic is out now in a physical format. I’ve heard that Timothy’s vocals were so spot on that even Bob Dylan thought the vocals sucked. (Sorry, stole that joke from somewhere on Facebook I believe). Let me know what you want to listen to this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

  • Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet (Deluxe Version) – (Island Records)
  • Architects – The Sky, The Earth & All Between – (Epitaph)
  • Timothy Chalamet – A Complete Unknown Soundtrack – (Columbia Records)
  • Kip Moore – Solitary Tracks – (Slowhearts Production)
  • Supertramp – Live in Paris 1979 – (Mercury Studios)
  • Ella Fitzgerald – The Moment of Truth: Ella at the Coliseum – (Verve Records)
  • Perfect Plan – Heart of a Lion – (Frontiers Records)
  • Robin McAuley – Soulbound – (Frontiers Records)
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David Lee Roth – ‘The Warner Recordings: 1985-1994’ (2025) – Box Set

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Released on February 21, 2025, ‘The Warner Recordings: 1985-1994’ celebrates 40 years of solo David Lee Roth. His debut E.P., ‘Crazy From the Heat’, was released on January 28, 1985 and the last album on Warner Records was ‘Your Filthy Little Mouth’ which was released on March 8. 1994. In just shy of a decade we received 4 studio albums and 1 E.P. and they are all captured in this box set. I went with the CD as I already had these on vinyl and since there are no bonus tracks or anything extra, no need buying those again. So, I opted for the cheaper CD version and figured I save some bucks.

The box set comes in a nice cardboard box with an open side the CDs slide in and out of as they are housed in mini-LP type cardboard jackets. There is no booklet, but each comes with an insert with credits and lyrics for the songs. And I will admit, at my age, it is really hard to read those lyrics as these inserts are CD size and that is a lot of lyrics to put on one side of the insert. The album jackets are faithful recreations of the original artwork and they are all sensational. Overall, a nice job of packaging. But it is the music we want to know about so let’s go through each of them.

‘CRAZY FROM THE HEAT E.P.’ (1985):

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The Collection: Ep. 46 – Matt Nathanson on Vinyl & CDs

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This week on the collection, we go through my entire Matt Nathanson collection which includes all the Vinyl and all the CD’s. We go from his debut in 1993 called ‘Please’ all the way up to this 2025 release called ‘King of (Un)Simple’. We get all the studio albums, the live albums, the E.P.’s and even all the CD Promotional Singles. Matt is one of my favorite singer/songwriters out there so come see all the greatness that is Matt Nathanson.

So come check out the show as it will be live, February 24, 2025 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

The Distortion Den: Retro Rewind Eps. 1 – Aerosmith Vs KISS (Battle of 1975)

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I was honored to be asked for the debut episode of The Distortion Den’s Retro Rewind. Thanks Deke for inviting me along for the ride. We talk Aerosmith’s “Toys in the Attic” vs Kiss’ “Dressed to Kill” both albums now only 50 years young!! See who wins.

This is Deke’s write-up on the show…

Welcome to the first episode of Retro Rewind. The concept is rather simple, pick two albums from the same year and put them in head to head vinyl match. Every episode we will score each album out of 10. Scoring will be based on front cover, back cover, the compositions, lyrics, musicianship, productions etc. Basically geeking out over some classic albums in our collection and then rating them and declaring one a winner at the end.

John T Snow was one of the first guys I reached out to and we decided that Episode 1 should be between two albums that are turning 50 years young this year.Aerosmith with “Toys In The Attic” Vs. KISS with “Dressed To Kill”

Thanks again Deke!!!

Def Leppard – ‘Pyromania’ (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition – 2024) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of one Def Leppard’s biggest albums, ‘Pyromania’, they give the album the justice it needs and released an awesome box set in 2024. And what a great set it is. It has 4 CD’s, 1 Blu Ray and even includes a hard back book. It is all housed in a cardboard box that is of great quality and the images are fantastic. The housing of the CDs & Blu Ray is not a gate-fold, but instead an incredible tri-fold. The original album is remastered, there is a disc of unreleased demos and mixes, a live set from Germany and the famous live show from 1983 at the L.A. Forum. It is splendid and I have to say that as this is one of my all-time favorite albums.

But before we get to the set, what was going on in the Def Leppard world at the time of the album? Well,…here it is…The tide was changing, Def Leppard’s success was palpable at this point, but not quite there…YET! Robert John “Mutt” Lange was back as producer and the band hit the studios in January 1982 and went through November of that year at Park Gates studio in London. All didn’t go smoothly, there was one big issue and that issue was Pete Willis.

Pete’s drinking problem was…well, becoming a problem. It was causing issues that were impacting his work and the band. It got so bad that on July 11, 1982, mid-way through work on the album, the band fired Pete. This was not a rash decision as it was discussed fully amongst the band because on July 12, 1982, the very next day, the band announced his replacement in the likes of Girl’s guitarists, Phil Collen. By this point in recording, Pete had already recorded all his rhythm parts and those are still on the album. Phil came in and added a few guitar parts and as well as some solos, he had it easy.

Continue reading “Def Leppard – ‘Pyromania’ (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition – 2024) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)” →

My Sunday Song – “Been Your Fool” (1991) by Tattoo Rodeo

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After a nice long break (6-7 months), My Sunday Song is back!! No themes, no 10 song sets. Only songs I want to write about and for #421, we are going with a power ballad from 1991 by the band Tattoo Rodeo. The song is called “Been Your Fool” and is off their album ‘Rode Hard, Put Away Wet’. The album came out in 1991 and their timing could not have been worse. They get a song that starts to gain some traction and then Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” comes along and ruins everything for any band remotely connected to Hair Metal. But I still remember this one.

The song is credited to the whole band (as I don’t see anything in the liner notes that tells me otherwidse) and they are Dennis Churchill Dries on vocals & bass, Rick Chadock on guitar, Michael Lord on keyboards and Rich Wright on drums. The song is about a guy who thought he was finally over the breakup and had her out of his mind, but not so fast. He goes into a bar, hear’s a song on the jukebox and he can’t stop thinking about her now. He wants to get back with her, but it can’t be the same as he’s been her fool too many times. He fights and says if she reaches out her hand he won’t be her fool again…but we all know he would in a heartbeat. I love how the lyrics show how the power of music can bring back so many memories (good or bad).

The song is a power ballad, but this one is a swampy, bluesy bar song. With a slowed down tempo, a slide guitar and Dennis’ heartbroken vocals, you get dragged in to his misery. His vocals have a grit to them and when he hits those high notes, they are as smooth as silk. Such a great tone. The rhythm section keeps things moving, the drums are the pounding heart with every snare hit. We’ve been a fool to someone so this is all so relatable.

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Friday New Releases – February 21, 2025

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Welcome back to Friday New Releases. This week, I have a couple on pre-order with Jason Bieler and David Lee Roth and I can’t wait to get them. There is also some more rock available with Killswitch Engage and Dirty Honey and for those pop people there is Mat Kearney and Tate McRae plus a whole lot more. 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.

  • Jason Bieler and The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra – The Escapologists
  • David Lee Roth – The Warner Recordings 1985-1994 – (Rhino Entertainment / Warner Music)
  • Killswitch Engage – This Consequence – (Metal Blade Records)
  • Dirty Honey – Mayhem And Revelry Live – (Dirt Records)
  • Mat Kearney – Mat Kearney (Still Drowning in Nostalgia) – (Middle Kid Records)
  • Tate McRae – So Close To What – (RCA Records / Sony Music)
  • Silverstein – Antibloom – (UNFD)
  • Sam Fender – People Watching – (Polydor Records / Universal Music)
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Generation X – ‘Anthology’ (2003) – Album Review (The Billy Idol Series)

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Record companies like to release compilations long after a band has broken up as it keeps the band relevant and another opportunity to grab some cash. Unlike most greatest hits compilation, this one has some meat on the bone. EMI records released ‘Anthology’ on February 25, 2003 and it isn’t a one disc type of compilation. No! You get 3 CDs of goodness. The booklet gives us a nice biography of the band plus credits for all the songs on the 3 discs. And it also gives 51 tracks from the Generation X catalog.

But before we get in to the music. Who is Generation X? Well, if you didn’t follow my Billy Idol series, then I will let you know who they are (but go back and read all the reviews in the Series after you are done with this one). Generation X were a punk band out of England that ran from 1976 until 1981 and consisted of Tony James, Bob “Derwood” Andrews, Mark Laff and of course, Billy Idol. That is how discovered them is digging through Billy Idol’s musical history and I am so glad I did. They had 3 albums and went from Generation X to Gen X when there was a line-up change. But I liked most of what I heard so this was easy decision to grab this one…okay…now on to the music included in this set.

DISC ONE:

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The Collection: Ep. 45 – Kiss CD Compilations (feat. Mike Ladano from Grab A Stack of Rock)

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Starting Right Now!!! Come join myself and Grab A Stack of Rock’s Mike Ladano as we go through our CD Collection of Kiss Compilations and let me tell you, there are a lot to get through. We have comps from Japan, Canada, the UK, Spain and so many more. From Double Platinum to Kissworld: The Best of Kiss and everything in between.

So come check out the show as it will be live, February 17, 2025 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.