Tag: John Norum

My Sunday Song – “Let The Children Play” by Europe

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For My Sunday Song #475, we are talking about “Let The Children Play” by the band Europe. Don’t think this is an 80’s Europe song…you’d be wrong. This is a more mature and even better sounding band. The song is from their 2006 album, “Secret Society” which might be one of their best albums EVER!! The song was not a single, but it was one of the best songs on the album, if not the best song on the album. It is the fifth song on the album and when you get to it, you realize just how good this whole thing really is.

The song was written by Joey Tempest and Mic Michaeli even though I’ve seen it basically credited to the whole band too. Regardless, the message is something we all need to hear. We get advice from everyone in our life, our mom, our dad, our siblings and even God. The lyric below says it all…

It’s not where we’re coming from
It’s how we turn from here
We know where we want to go
We just need a line, to get us there.

The best advice is simply let the children play and be kids. Maintain that innocence as long as you can. You can only guide them, give them that line to follow. It is up to them to find their own way. They will make bad decisions along the way. It is how they move from that decision that will make them who they are…good or bad.

The song is a rocker, with some gritty riffs, a killer solo and a driving rhythm section with the bass and drum. John Norum’s guitar are definitely a highlight giving us the melodic feel and great guitar sound. Joey Tempest vocals have never sounded better. He gets stronger as he ages. It is such a powerful, catchy chorus that it sucks you right in. The coolest moment is towards the end when the children’s choir comes in with the chorus. It really ties it all together and leaves you wanting more.

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Europe – ‘Secret Society’ (2006) – Album Review

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Europe is a band that has been tied down by it’s massive hit “The Final Countdown”in my opinion. That time is also considered the classic line-up of the band. Shortly after the success of that album, lead guitarist John Norum up and left the band. It was a shock to many. He spent time working on solo material and with Don Dokken. The band would go on to make a couple more albums and then disappeared for the rest of the 90’s. In 2003, the so-called classic line-up got back together and John Norum was along for the ride. Joey Tempest, John Norum, Jon Leven, Mic Michaeli and Ian Haugland were back and in a big way.

Why do focus on John Norum so much, well, it his guitar playing that is so amazing. Yes, Joey Tempest is the voice and the principal song writer, but the two albums after ‘The Final Countdown’, though great, were missing something. Norum has a way with the guitar. It can be extremely heavy, but there is always a great melody to it and a style all his own. For me, it was the missing piece in this band being the best they can be.

In 2004, the band released their comeback album, ‘Start from the Dark’ and it was a reinvention of the band. It was a more modern, more raw sound than anyone was used to hearing from them. And it was great. But great wasn’t good enough for Europe. They had to outdo that album and they did that and then some. In 2006, the band released ‘Secret Society’ and probably delivered their best album…EVER! I finally picked up the CD and I haven’t put it down. It has been on constant rotation for about a month now and it gets better and better with every listen. There are no skippable tracks, no weak spots and the guitar playing? Well, John Norum will make you stop and take notice. In fact, the whole band is on fire with this one.

The opening track, “Secret Society” comes out of the gate swinging. The heavy bass lines, the down-tuned guitars and a pounding drum beat all exploding at you with full force. Joey still sounds amazing, such a distinct voice and so melodic. The riffs by Norum flow magically from his fingers. And the keyboards, so well done by Michaeli. Understated, yet so effective.

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Europe – “Cherokee” – 7″ Single

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In the batch of singles I found at Repo Records a couple months back, we are now to our fourth single of 6 and second from the band Europe. This one is the fourth single off ‘The Final Countdown’ and is a song that would catch a lot of grief today as the song is “Cherokee”. With today’s over sensitive, my feelings get hurt easily culture, “Cherokee” would probably be frowned upon with a bunch of white guys singing about Native Americans. “Cherokee” was released in November 1987 and didn’t do as well as their other singles, It only went to #72 not getting anywhere close to the Top 40.

The song was written by Joey Tempest. It was inspired by a book the wife of the album producer had. He had read through it and was inspired to write about the plight of the Cherokee nation as the U.S. government relocated them to Oklahoma from their native land of the lower Appalachian Mountains. Over 4,000 died on that march. It was the last song written for the album.

The copy I have is the standard U.S. version with the single being the album version and not the shorter edited version. The B-Side being “Heart of Stone” off the same album. I also have a “demonstration-not for sale” stamp on this one as well, but it is backwards and on the B-Side so not sure what is going on with these. Maybe they were used for Promo purposes…and maybe not.

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Europe – “Rock the Night” – 7″ Single

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After reviewing the two Winger singles, we are now to a set of four singles all coming from the band Europe. I found these all at Repo Records here in Charlotte and they always seem to have a some great stuff. This time around we have the single “Rock the Night” from the 1986 smash album, ‘The Final Countdown’. “Rock the Night” was originally released in 1985 for a movie soundtrack, but was re-recorded for this album. The single was released in the U.S. in April 1987 and saw it break the Top 40 landing at #30 at its peak. It was the second single off the album.

The song was written by Joey Tempest and is basically talking about how some times you go through some tough times, some pain, but you have to fight and keep going. Take all that energy and just rock the night! Simple enough.

My version of the single is the standard U.S. version, so I thought. But after pealing a price sticker of the vinyl, I noticed there is a stamp saying, “Demonstration-Not For Sale” which leads me to believe this might have been used as a promotional copy. The B-Side is a re-recorded version of the band’s first single called “Seven Doors Hotel”.

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‘Dokken: Into The Fire And Other Embers Of 80s Metal History’ by James Curl – Book Review

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I found this book on Amazon Unlimited and thought, I like Dokken, this should be a good book to read. And it was, however, my opinion of the boys is now slightly tainted. I now wish I didn’t know what I have learned because I won’t look at the band the same way again. More on that later.

The book is called “Dokken: Into the Fire and Other Embers of 80’s Metal History’ by James Curl. That is a long title. The book is a collection of personal interviews he had with Jeff Pilson and Don Dokken as well as collecting interviews from other people over the years including George Lynch and some Mick Brown (but very little from Mick). The puzzle is pieced together and the story is told of the band from before the beginning with the members other bands all the way to 2019 and where the band stands today.

It is cool to learn about the previous bands and what it took to get to the point of starting Dokken which to me is the weirdest and strangest tale. Dokken got started in the strangest way not anything like the other bands on the Sunset Strip. Dokken wasn’t signed because of all their shows on the Strip, nope. Somehow, Don wound up in Germany and got a deal to record there. The classic line-up was not around yet of Jeff Pilson, George Lynch and Mick Brown. Don was back & forth between L.A. and Germany a lot and was able to pull together the line-up after the original guys he had lined up couldn’t commit. The book tells how he got to know George, Jeff and Mick.

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Europe – ‘Wings of Tomorrow’ – Album Review

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Europe came to fame with the album, and the song, ‘The Final Countdown’.  I mean , come on, who doesn’t know that song as it has been played to death.  Europe became lumped in to the “Hair Metal” title as they did all have big hair and they were MTV darlings for a few years.  However, before the major record deal and all the screaming women, Europe was this hard rock, close to metal band that know one really knew about (at least here in the states).  Their second album, and last released independently, was a gem called ‘Wings of Tomorrow’ which was released on February 24, 1984.

I was out doing some crate digging a couple years ago and I came across this album and thought what a beautiful cover and then I noticed that it said Europe.  I never went back and explore their early catalog before ‘Countdown’, so I thought now was a good time and at $8 for the vinyl, why not.  And I am glad I did as it is now one of my all time favorite Europe albums.

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