My Sunday Song – “Subway” by Aerosmith

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For My Sunday Song #385, we are going with Tim’s next selection which is “Subway” by Aerosmith. This one is unusual as it is simply an instrumental. The song was written by Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer. Yep, no Joe Perry to Steven Tyler on this one. The song was never released on a studio album, but finally was released as a B-Side to “Sweet Emotions” when it was re-released sometime in 1991 for the “Pandora’s Box’ box set. It was also on the Aerosmith ‘Box of Fire’ release on a bonus disc.

The song was recorded during the ‘Draw the Line’ sessions and this was back when Joe Perry and Steven Tyler were so messed up that they wouldn’t show up for days. Meanwhile, Brad, Tom and Joey needed to keep busy so they would write their own stuff and this was a result. This would’ve been during the 1977 ‘Cenacle’ sessions I believe. The band rented an old estate known as the Cenacle, a 300-room former convent near Armonk, NY., where they would be isolated without drugs around so they could focus on writing new songs. However, the drug dealers and the drugs found them!!

The song is an instrumental, as I said above. It sounds like the guys are just jamming away and it is the basic blueprint for a song that is missing vocals and a guitar solo. It is very repetitive repeating that same riff and rhythm throughout. It is a little bluesy and there is a familiarity to it that I can’t place. Maybe that is because it sounds like Aerosmith from the 70’s. Despite no Tyler on vocals or Perry on guitar, this sounds like Aerosmith because the backbone of the band is here and all their glory. I dig when bands finally release this kind of stuff that shows more insight in to the band. Things that they worked on that didn’t get fully developed are precious treats for me.

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Friday New Releases – November 3, 2023

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Welcome to November and another week of Friday New Releases. As has been the case for weeks now, we have around 70 new releases for you this week. There are some killer ones coming this week, so strut your stuff over to the record store and pick something up. I want to here The Struts new one as well as Dirty Honey as they don’t disappoint. There is a new Jimmy Buffett which was planned before his death so they aren’t capitalizing on that fact. He was an icon for sure. This week there is some Jason Aldean for you country folds and Bad Wolves for you rockers out there. I am sure there is something for everyone. Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks so mcuh for stopping by and I hope you all have a great weekend.

  • The Struts – Pretty Vicious – (Big Machine Label Group)
  • Dirty Honey – Can’t Find the Brakes – (Dirt Records)
  • Jimmy Buffett – Equal Strain On All Parts – (MailBoat Records / Sun Label Group)
  • Van Morrison – Accentuate the Positive – (Exile Productions)
  • Johnny Marr – Spirit Power: The Best of Jonny Marr – (New Voodoo Ltd / BMG Rights Mgmt)
  • Jason Aldean – Highway Desperado – (Macon Music / This is Hit / Broken Bow Records)
  • Toby Keith – 100% Songwriter – (Universal Music)
  • Cody Johnson – Leather- (CoJo Music / Warner Music)
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Girl – ‘Wasted Youth’ (1982) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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The band was ready to refine their sound and improve on their debut, ‘Sheer Greed’, which in my opinion will not be easy to do. Before they got started on the new album, drummer Dave Gaynor would leave the band to be replaced by Pete Barnacle. After several live dates together and while recording their follow-up album, ‘Wasted Youth’, Pete would be replaced as well with Bryson Graham. If my count is correct that is at least 5 drummers in three years. Spinal Tap has nothing on these guys!

The band, along with Bryson, was still Phil Lewis, Phil Collen and brothers Simon and Gerry Laffy. They went in to the studio with producer Nigel Thomas hoping to improve on their glam sound and maybe make it harder and better than before. The album came out in 1982, a year after Def Leppard’s 2nd album. Where Def Leppard’s sound changed and improved and started a trajectory to stardom, Girl’s did not as it only reached #92 in the UK Chart.

They would falter and then guitarist, Phil Collen would leave the band in 1982 and replaced Pete Willis in Def Leppard and his life would change forever. Girl tried to carry-on with guitarist, Pete Bonas, but the band would break-up by the end of 1982. Two bands that came out at the same time saw two totally different paths. Phil Lewis do would do okay for himself as he would join L.A. Guns and see some success with them…not Leppard success, but they did well enough to still be playing today (in one form or another).

The album opener is “Thru the Twilite” and is another great opener, but it isn’t as powerful as “Hollywood Tease” from ‘Sheer Greed’. However, the guitar work is still great and I love the bass line in it. Phil Lewis has a young, cocky attitude on the vocals which I find quite pleasing. It is a glam rock song with a great stomp-like groove that makes it rock. A solid opening track.

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October 2023 Purchases – Vinyl & CD’s and more

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We have a lot of treats for you today. No tricks. I promise. It is all good stuff. October was another good month for the 2 Loud 2 Old Music Collection. We have box sets, CDs, Vinyl, Cassettes, books and I would say that is a good month. The month started off with a couple items that were supposed to arrive in September, but sadly did not come until after I had written the September Purchases post. It also ended with a new a new band from this album as well. A perfect booked. So, we have the two Night Ranger Rock Candy reissues and their new album that is a live album done with a Youth Orchestra. Great stuff…

Next up is a bunch of items I picked up when I went to visit a local store I hadn’t hit in a while. It is Repo Records. I dug through the CDs, the Cassettes and the Vinyl and found a lot of good things. First, I found another Kiss bootleg I didn’t have in my collection. That was an easy decisions…

And then I found some great 45’s from the 80’s with picture sleeves. I like picture sleeves. I picked up a Billy Idol, a Loverboy, a Billy Squire and a John Cougar Mellencamp single. All choice cuts…

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Bon Jovi – ‘Live From London’ (1995) – DVD Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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The band’s first live concert video, ‘Live From London’ was released in 1995 on both VHS and Laserdisc. The tour was in support of their new album at the time, ‘These Days’ and the show was from their stint at Wembley Stadium on June 25, 1995. They played several shows I believe and all to a massive crowd of 72,000 screaming fans. This isn’t the full set either as I believe some tracks were cut for time and to get the runtime down to around 90 minutes, but it is a great setlist.

The version I have is the International DVD release which was in 2003. There was a DVD release in 1998 in the US and Canada, but mine is the 2003 release. There is absolutely no difference between the VHS and the DVDs, no remastering or anything. It is the same cut. The film is directed by David Mallett and produced by Andy Picheta. These two have to reign in Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres along with touring member and studio member, but not band memer yet, Hugh McDonald.

The show kicks off with a couple of old classics with “Livin’ on a Prayer” starting the show. Richie comes out and immediately puts his mouth around the talk box and you know the song that is coming. The band kills it and like almost every song on here they don’t do a straight album version of the song, they change things up a little with either more musical breaks or longer, drawn out jams at the end of the song which makes things more interesting as you don’t know what they are going to do for each song. Then we get “You Give Love a Bad Name” and the crowd screams along with the band. Jon sound’s really great as he was still in his prime. Richie’s solo is quick and stellar and then the crowd gets involved with the chorus. Always a fun song live.

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My Sunday Song – “You Can’t Fight It” by Rush

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For My Sunday Song #384, we have Tim’s fourth choice with “You Can’t Fight It” by Rush. This is about as early as you can get with Rush and isn’t on any studio album. It is the first professional studio recording the band had ever done. It was done in Toronto, Canada with David Stock producing. In fact, this is part of the very first single the band ever put out with the song “Not Fade Away” which is a great Buddy Holly cover. But we are here to talk about the B-Side which was written by Geddy Lee and then drummer, John Rutsey.

It was written back in 1971 by the two gents, but Geddy ended up getting kicked out of the band, but cooler heads prevailed and John called Geddy and asked him to come back and by March of 1972, the band was set and ready to progress forward. No one would release the record so the band formed Moon Records and released it themselves, mainly in Toronto. It is extremely rare and a probably worth a fortune if you can actually find one. There is one for sale on Discogs as of my writing this for $1,500 if that gives you any idea of the value.

The song seems to be about the band just rocking you hard and you won’t be able to fight it. The song is short at under 3 minutes because according to Alex Lifeson, radio would only play songs that were around 3 minutes. A song that completely and utterly rocks out. A great bar sounding song with some wicked guitar riffs and soloing by Alex. Just Stellar!! John’s drum rolls on this song were killer as well as he would go nuts during his fills. Both Alex and John fed off each other with this one. Geddy’s vocals were perfect for this song as well as he slayed with the confidence and cockiness needed for a beast of a rock song. This might be a new favorite song of mine for Rush. Simply fantastic!!

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Friday New Releases – October 27, 2023

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Halloween is almost upon us and we’ve scared up over 80 releases for you this week. No tricks, only treats!! There are so many bands, so many genres and so many great things to hear there should be something for everyone. I’ve got a few I want to hear with James Blunt, Duran Duran, Dokken and probably Black Pumas as well. Let me know what you want to hear this week and/or what we may have missed as well so everyone knows. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a scary good weekend!!

  • James Blunt – Who We Used to Be – (Atlantic Records / Warner Music)
  • Duran Duran – Danse Macabre – (Tape Modern / BMG Rights Mgmt)
  • Dokken – Heaven Comes Down – (Silver Lining Music)
  • Motley Crue – Shout at the Devil (40th Anniversary) – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
  • A19s4Jx1ArL._AC_UY436_FMwebp_QL65_  Mark Tremonti – Mark Tremonti Christmas Classics New & Old – (Mark Tremonti Music)
  • Black Pumas – Chronicles of a Diamond – (ATO Records)
  • King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – The Silver Cord – (KGLW)
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Def Leppard – ‘Raw: Early BBC Recordings’ (2020) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection)

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To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the bands debut album, Def Leppard put together quite an impressive box set.  This disc is the second prized disc to have.  It is full of studio recordings and live songs from various BBC recordings in those early years.  Some pretty cool stuff and the only way to get it is to buy The Early Years ’79-’81 (2020)

The first set of songs were recorded in June 1979 and they were for a show hosted by DJ Andy Peebles.  The really cool thing about these four songs is that all the guitar parts were handled by Steve Clark. Pete Willis was unable to get off work to record the sessions. This was back when the band was still trying to make it. Those 4 songs that were recorded were “Glad I’m Alive”, “Sorrow is a Woman”, “Wasted” and “Answer to the Master”.  The guitar sound on these songs all sound a little different as a result, There isn’t as much depth as the guitar parts sound too similar than when Pete is on it as this guitars sound different than Steve’s.

The solo on “Glad I’m Alive” sounds different almost hollow like in a stage far from the band. Still, this is one of the coolest non-album tracks the band has ever done. “Sorrow is a Woman” sees Joe shine on vocals, but the music this time around lacks a little punch. “Wasted” is all guitar so it is all Steve. It isn’t as raw and crunchy as the original recording, but there is something cool on this one. Rick Savage’s bass seems to be higher in the mix to offset the lack of Pete’s guitar and it adds a new dimension to the song. They also added a lot of echo to Joe’s vocals at time which i very different from the original. Lastly, “Answer to the Master” really misses the second guitar,but still a solid recording of the song. I’d still would’ve been a fan of these songs if these were what I heard first. I didn’t have these versions in my collection so I think they are awesome. 

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Journey – “Suzanne” (1986) – 7″ Single

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Journey’s ninth studio albums was 1986’s ‘Raised on Radio’ and the second single off the album was “Suzanne” which was written by members Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain. The song went to #17 on the U.S. Charts and was one of three Top 20 hits from the album. An album that would reach #4 and sell over 2 million albums going double platinum. The band at the time was really only Steve Perry, Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon as Ross Valory was out and during recording, so was Steve Smith which is why you only see 3 guys on the cover of the single.

The song came out in June 1986 and from an album that had 5 total singles. The song was about this guys ex-girlfriend who went on to become very famous and he can’t get her out of his head. Every time he sees here on TV, in the movies or hears her on the radio, he is tormented and can’t stand it. Steve Perry was asked if there was someone real the song was about, he basically said didn’t give a straight answer and said real or not, the girl in the song itself is real.

The version I have of the single is a 7″ Vinyl single and it is a promo as can be seen on the label with the words “Demonstration Not For Sale”. As a result, it is the same song on both sides so no new B-Side here. In the old days, the song would be Stereo on one side and Mono on the other, but by 1986, all stations were basically Stereo so no need for a Mono side.

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Bon Jovi – ‘These Days’ (1995) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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After the end of the ‘Keep the Faith’ tour in 1993, the band need some time, so Jon Bon Jovi went on vacation and immediately started writing songs. Over the next 9 months, he and Richie Sambora wrote and demoed close to 40 songs. I guess they didn’t need much time. But the album was taking longer than anticipated so they agreed with the label to put out a greatest hits set called ‘Cross Road’ in 1994. The album did well. The band also ran in to trouble with bass player Alec John Such. Due to unsatisfactory performance during the live shows, they decided to dismiss Alec from the band in 1994 as well.

This made the album a four-piece technically as Alec is not on the album. Who is on the album is Jon, Richie, David Bryan and Tico Torres, officially. Unofficially, on bass was Hugh McDonald who we already met as he was the bass player on the song “Runaway” from the band’s debut album. They brought in producer Peter Collins to co-produce with Richie & Jon, but things weren’t easy. They started recording down in Nashville, TN. After 10 days of that, Jon wasn’t happy and erased all the tapes. Recording moved to New York to Jon’s home studio and also various studios in Los Angeles. One of the problems they had in New York was the band Fear Factory was recording their album and they were so loud that recording was not possible for them in their studio. Now, that is loud!

The album, ‘These Days’ was finally done and released on June 27, 1995. The album only went to #9 in the U.S., but overseas, the album was huge. It went to #1 in the U.K., Switzerland, Australia and numerous other countries. It sparked 5 singles and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. They might not have been as popular in the U.S., but they were still doing fine. The album itself still sounded like Bon Jovi musically, but lyrically, it is a much darker album. It is not a rock & roll party full of sunshine. The band was in a good place funny enough. The music saw them really take the darkness of grunge but put it with the Bon Jovi sound. A lot of bands at this time were going heavier and completely changing their sound, but not Bon Jovi. And it worked.

The album opens with one of the heavier songs on the album, “Hey God”, and in the same epic way they open all their albums. According to wiki, the song was inspired by Jon looking out a window at 57 St. & Broadway and seeing a guy in an expensive suit standing next to a guy sleeping on the street. Also according to wiki, Richie was inspired by the song while looking out of his limo and seeing a homeless guy sleeping in a cardboard box. Who knos which is right or they both are. The song questions if God has forgotten about the world as all the good shit is gone and there nothing but bad. It is a darker tone, darker lyrics and sees the band questioning the world. A total ballbuster of a song. The song was the final single, but not in the U.S. and was released on June 24, 1996. It was a minor hit in Canada and several European countries. It is one of my favorites on the album.

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