This week on The Collection, we are going through all things Poison. Whether is on Vinyl, CDs, Cassettes or even 7″ Singles & CD singles. From ‘Look What The Cat Dragged In’ all the way to ‘Poison’d’ and everything in between including live albums and greatest hits compilations. We will even through a Bret Michaels Solo album for good measure. If you like Glam Metal, then this one is for you.
So go check it out as it is live right now. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
Back in November 2010, Scorpions were on their first farewell tour…and as we know now, it wasn’t their last farewell tour. To help capitalize on that tour, Mercury released a compilation for the band called ‘Icon’. The ‘Icon’ compilations have been around a while and numerous bands have these such as Kiss, Poison and so many more. The single disc version, what we have here, is simply a 12 track compilation that covers the biggest hits of their career. It is not very comprehensive, but there is a 2 Disc version that gives you a little more meat. This release covers mostly the 80’s with a few other timeframes sprinkled around as well. If you only have time for a handful of Scorpions classics, then this disc might fit that bill nicely.
The album kicks off with one of the band’s most famous songs, “Rock You Like A Hurricane” which is off their 1984 release ‘Love At First Sting’. Every band needs a signature song and Scorpions did that on their 9th album with the song “Rock You Like a Hurricane”. It only went to #25 on the Top 40 chart, but it has lived on and given the band one of the quintessential 80’s rock songs ever made. There is no one that doesn’t know this song the second that opening riff kicks in. It is a rock anthem like very few achieve. For ever how many songs the album sold, most were sold because of this track. With heavy riffs, killer solos and one of the most catchiest choruses ever, this song took the band to a level they probably never thought they would see.
Then we get one of the best songs ever by the band, “No One Like You” off the 1982 album ‘Blackout’. The band’s first #1 in the U.S. on the Mainstream Rock Tracks. The song is legendary. A power ballad like no other. With strong guitar playing by both Mathias Jabs and Rudolf Schenker, it is a most impressive opening riff and a solo that plays so well for the song. Klaus Meine’s vocals are so clean, smooth and even tender at times. The verses keep it soft and the chorus explodes with passion. What more could you want. As close to perfection as any band could get.
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 December 2024 and we have lots of vinyl, CDs, cassettes and even books plus some music related items. So much to go through including another Noble Record Exclusive, Voice of America Archive Albums as well as another addition 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, January 6, 2025 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
Back in 2003, Kiss released, okay, the record company released a greatest hits compilation called The Millennium Collection: The Best of Kiss(1973-1979). It was the first of three volume set. Well, then in 2010, the label issued the ‘Icon’ Series with two volumes. The first volume is the exact same track list as ‘The Millennium Collection: The Best of Kiss’…well…it is and it sort of isn’t. 11 of the tracks in order are from Vol. 1 of The Millennium Collection while the last song from that collection is moved to kick off Disc 2. In its place is a live song from ‘Alive II’. Disc 2 kicks off with a song from ‘Dynasty’ and picks one song from every album after that up to ‘Pyscho Circus’…well that is if you exclude ‘Carnival of Souls’ and any of the live or compilation albums.
However, as the collector in me, I had to have ‘Icon 2’. Even though I have ‘Icon’ on CD and have the brand new, first time on vinyl version of Icon as Walmart has just released an Exclusive Silver Black Splatter vinyl. And since I collect everything vinyl for Kiss, I had to have it for my collection wouldn’t be complete. Okay, my collection is not complete anyway as I am missing a couple pieces that are extremely pricey, but that is for another time. Yes, I have a problem. Both ‘Icon’ and ‘Icon 2’ were released by Universal in 2010. Universal started vomiting greatest hits compilations for Kiss ever since they left the label. And I mean vomit…there are at least a dozen in about a 10 year span from around the world. It is nuts.
Let us go through this set and talk about the songs since we are here.
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 November 2024 and we have lots of vinyl and CDs. So much to go through including a ton of Noble Record Exclusives, Voice of America Archive Albums as well as another addition to the Rock Candy collection, the Kiss collection and a Box Set collections. 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, December 2, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
Back in 2003, Kiss released, okay, the record company released a greatest hits compilation called The Millennium Collection: The Best of Kiss(1973-1979). It was the first of three volume set. Well, then in 2010, the label issued the ‘Icon’ Series with two volumes. The first volume is the exact same track list as ‘The Millennium Collection: The Best of Kiss’. There is nothing different to it at all except for crappier cover art and no inserts/liner notes. A very bare bones set. I do not recommend any of these sets as they weren’t done by Kiss per se.
However, as the collector in me, I do have the brand new, first time on vinyl version of Icon as Walmart has just released an Exclusive Silver Black Splatter vinyl. And since I collect everything vinyl for Kiss, I had to have it for my collection wouldn’t be complete. Okay, my collection is not complete anyway as I am missing a couple pieces that are extremely pricey, but that is for another time.
For now, let us go through this set and talk about the songs since we are here.
SIDE ONE:
The album kicks off with 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.
Apparently compilations are always a big hit with the music buying public. No one wants full albums anymore of new material…nope. They just want the hits. Universal Music & Capitol Records are capitalizing on that and have a series called ‘Icon’. You might have seen one from Kiss, Megadeth, Limp Bizkit, even Billy Ray Cyrus. In 2013, Billy Idol was treated with his own ‘Icon’ greatest hits compilation.
Here is my thing with these releases. They are LAZY! No new edits, no unreleased tracks and only room for a handful of the hits. Not even all the good ones. This Billy Idol release is no different. It only draws from his biggest albums, the first three and one Generation X song. It is missing the good stuff from Charmed Life, Cyberpunk or even Devil’s Playground. However, what is here is good, great in fact. These songs are classics for a reason so I can’t complain about that, but it is still a safe collection. The songs are in chronological order which is also pretty damn lazy.
The albums first is the now classic, “Dancing With Myself”. I say now a classic because this song failed to chart upon its release and didn’t really do much. It wasn’t until Billy released it as one of his solo songs, but that is for another discussion. The song was inspired by what the band saw while on tour in Tokyo. They noticed at that dance clubs, the people were dancing more with their own reflections in the mirrored walls than they were with other people. The song is pure New Wave dance music with a slight punk edge…classic Billy Idol solo. It is so melodic and catchy. The guitars are a little louder on this version and not as much bass, but other than that it is the song you know. A great way to start out the collection. This track is off the Generation X album ‘Kiss Me Deadly’.
2 Loud 2 Old Music 