Out on my constant vinyl digging adventures, I found a couple Whitesnake bootlegs at the same store. They weren’t old bootlegs, rather they were released recently in 2023 out of Europe. The shows, however, are not recent. First one up is one called Washington State Wipeout and is a 2 LP set that comes in a nice gatefold with a picture of the band included. The vinyl that comes with the set are a beautiful clear color and they look stunning as you will see in one of the pictures below. It was a brand new set, unopened…well at least until I got my hands on it obviously. Now, it is open and has been played!
The 2 LPs carry a different a show for each. On LP 1, we get the Spokane Washington show that was on July 24, 1984. This would’ve been after the release of their 1984 album, ‘Slide it In’, which came out on January 30, 1984. The show was at the Spokane Coliseum and had the line-up of David Coverdale, John Sykes, Richard Bailey (no Jon Lord), Neil Murray and Cozy Powell. A stellar line-up, just wish Lord was still playing. They opened for Dio so not a long setlist and it is all captured here on LP 1. The recording was an FM Radio Broadcast.
On LP 2, we get a show that was recorded on March 1, 1984 and was another FM Radio Broadcast. It was recorded at the Apollo Theater in Glasgow, Scotland where they were the headliner with Great White opening. The full show is 16 tracks so we don’t get the whole show, but we do get 5 tracks at least. If you want the full show, pick up the Slide It In Super Deluxe Edition as Whitesnake issued it officially in that box set. I believe this show would include Jon Lord as he left the band in April. Correct me if I’m wrong.
After the success of their self-titled E.P., Ratt signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and that deal brought us the incredible debut album ‘Out of the Cellar’. On March 27th, 1984, the album was released and thanks to MTV, the band became a huge sensation. However, prior to the album release, the band’s first single, “Round and Round”, was released on February 19, 1984. And that single is what we are discussing today. I found my copy while I was digging down in Florida while on vacation at a place called D&J Records, I believe. It is a standard US pressing, but I do love the close-up of Tawny Kitaen on the cover even if it is a zoomed in look of the album cover. I actually found 2 Ratt singles, so next week we will talk the other.
A-SIDE:
“Round And Round” is the band’s biggest single. Instantly, the song pulls you in and you can tell it is something special as it reached #12 on the Hot 100. And over time has been ranked as one of the greatest Heavy Metal Songs of all time as Rolling Stone ranked it at #20 on their 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time! And that was back in 2023. I wonder if that ranking is in small part due to its heavy usage in the Geico Insurance commercials. Who knows.
In my quest for interesting, unique and rare albums for bands I like, I found this bootleg of an old Motley Crue concert from 1986. It says it was recorded at Fresno & Boston in 1986. It was released on Toasted Records in 1988 out of Australia, so pretty cool I found a copy here in the States. The show, as I said, states it is 1986. The label on each of the 2 LPs included in this set have a copyright of 1985 which is impossible if the show didn’t take place until 1986. Actually, the 1985 is probably correct as the Fresno, California pieces of this disc are from November 25, 1985 and the Boston, Massachusetts parts of this show are from a 1984 show.
But Bootlegs are never known to be very accurate. Just take a look at the cover above. That picture is from at the very least the ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ era which was 1987. And the picture on the back looks more like ‘Shout at the Devil’ which is probably where the Boston piece of this show was recorded. A 1985 show (Fresno) would’ve been ‘Theatre of Pain’ era. Based on all this we have two eras in one with this bootleg. And from what else I can find on this album, two of the songs are from the US Festival in 1983. Sound quality of the release isn’t bad. It doesn’t sound like a soundboard, but I’ve read it is and an FM broadcast, but the quality isn’t a normal soundboard if it is. There is a little hollowness to it, but still very listenable.
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 September 2024 and we have vinyl, CDs and a brand new 7″ Single. So much to go through including a Noble Record Exclusives and to top that off we have another addition to the Rock Candy, the Kiss collection and a 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, September 30, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
If you follow the site, you know I’m a huge Billy Idol fan and anytime I can find a rare piece that I don’t have in the collection, I jump on it. This time around, I found a bootleg. And I do love my bootlegs. This is my fourth Idol bootleg and this one is from way back in 1990. It was recorded at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California on October 27, 1990. That means this would’ve been in support of his latest album at the time, ‘Charmed Life’ and we get a few from that album in the set list. Be warned, this is not a full show. This is a best of that was broadcast on radio at the time. But still, 10 songs of Billy is better than nothing am I right? Yeah…I am.
The version I have is a European release and was released recently back in 2023. I found it down in Tamp Florida at a store called D&J Records. I like to hit up local record stores when I am on vacation so this one was found back in June earlier this year. And I was thrilled to grab hold. Sadly, you will notice in the band credits, that there is no Steve Stevens on guitar as he and Billy were still on the outs at this time and for many years still to come. Does it impact the show? We will find out shortly.
This week we talk about an album that I loved back in 1989. It is the debut album from Blue Murder simply called ‘Blue Murder’. I was a big John Sykes fan thanks to Whitesnake and I was disappointed in his departure from the band. When I found out about Blue Murder, I was so excited. Especially when I found it wasn’t just John Sykes, but The Firm’s Tony Franklin and Ozzy’s Carmine Appice. And then to found out Bob Rock produced with Mike Fraser on the boards. Yeah, I was all in. But did it hold up? We will find out, join me as I walk through the album song by song.
So go check it out as it is live now on September 26, 2024 at Noon. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
In my quest for Aerosmith vinyl, I stumbled across this gem of a bootleg from very early on the band’s career. It is called Rattlesnake Shake: Live at Counterpart Studios in New York 1974. The bootleg vinyl was released in 1977 by Slipped Disc Records and like most bootlegs there is an error. Counterpart Studios is actually a radio station called WKRQ out of Cincinnati, OH. And the show was not recorded in 1974, it was actually on September 26, 1973. which I guess is close.
Aerosmith had not broken big yet as they would do with ‘Toys in the Attic’ in 1975, but so far all they had out was the debut and ‘Get Your Wings’ wouldn’t come out for about another 6 months. The band was Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Joey Kramer and Tom Hamilton as they would stay for years to come. One cool thing that I found inside of the album jacket was an envelope to a DIR Broadcasting Corporation on Park Avenue in New York City. And they are just that, a broadcasting company. If they are still in business I do not know, but I think they are no longer on Park Avenue.
The album kicks off with the song “Make It” which is the opening track to the debut album. The sound is a little muddy and thick, but still sounds really great. The bass is heavy in the this one and the guitars rip. A bluesy little track that has Tyler sounding amazing. Almost as good as the album. They go in to “Somebody” and which has a killer opening riff that gets lost in the sound. Bass is still heavy, but those riffs are what is cool about this one. Another bluesy track that they do so well.
After a little noodling around and a quick introduction to the song, we get a song called “Write Me” per the label, but it is really “Write Me A Letter”. It opens with some nice Kramer drumming and then the nasty guitars. A straight-ahead rock song and not the most exciting one they’ve done. Live might be better though as the guitar playing is exceptional and a highlight. I do love Steven’s harmonica as it adds some flavor. Then we get to what might the best song they’ve ever written and that is “Dream On”. The song is driven by a piano and Tyler sings the hell out of it. Can he hit those notes on the studio track live? Hell yeah he can. The vocals are magic to this song and those screams he hits will send chills up and down your spine. It is an awe-inspiring track.
The first side ends with “One Way Street” and it is a pure jam session. Steven gets everyone clapping along and then right in to it. The studio is piano driven but this one is all guitar and harmonica. It feels like blues and straight-up rock and roll as well as one bit that feels a little honky tonk. The solo on this one is handled by Brad Whitford and there is a nice little jam section as this song goes on for an extended amount of time and it is all worth it. Side 2 says it kicks off with “Walking the Dog”, but that ain’t the truth. It actually ends Side 1 and it ends it in style. I mentioned the studio version has a whole Led Zeppelin vibe and think that holds true here, but it is also Aerosmith blues rock too and that is cool enough.
“Pandora’s Box” actually opens Side 2 and this one is from their upcoming album. But before he goes in to the song, Steven mentions it is off their new album named “Night in the Rut”, but as we know it is “Get Your Wings”…they save that title for a later album. There is no Motown here as the studio, this is pure Rock & Roll. The song is long as they jam some more on this one too and all I can say is thank you very much.
The album cover mentions “Rattlesnake” and then we get the bluesy cover of “Rattlesnake Shake” and it is bluesy. It is slow and they play it so nasty and it is great. The band lets loose and they are killing, the bass lines are stunning and the guitar licks are insane. The drum solo at the end to wrap it up is crazy as well. Holy crap do these guys slay live.
Next is the new track, “Train Kept A Rollin'” but it is a cover made famous by the Yardbirds, but Aerosmith have made it their own. The guitar work is again sensational and that solo, damn!! More pounding on the drums as he goes crazy for two songs in a row. The song bleeds right in to “Mama Kin” and the band closes out the song in style. No saxophone here like the studio track, nope. Just more wicked guitars, bass and drums and Steven Tyler’s vocals. What more do you really need.
And that is the bootleg “RattleSnake Shake”. As I said the sound is a little muddy to start, but that cleared up quickly and it all sounds great. You hear all the instruments and thank goodness because these guys were young and hungry and damn they could play. Steven’s vocals are in prime form and he hits every note. This early stuff from the is the best. Nothing better then a band in their prime and to think, they’d only get better over the next couple albums at least until the drugs kicked in. This is one you should seek out and grab if you are an Aerosmith fan. How this hasn’t been officially released is crazy. My Overall Score is a 5.0 out of 5.0 Stars. Might be some muddy sound, but none of it bothered me in the least. Just listen to their playing and nothing else matters.
My first album for The Police was ironically their last. MTV had played their previous songs quite often and I loved “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” and “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”, but it wasn’t until “Synchronicity II” that I finally decided to actually buy one of their records. I picked up the cassette for ‘Synchronicity’ back in 1983 and later I did pick up their entire collection on CD by buying their box set which had all their albums. The Police were not an ordinary pop rock band. For me, their lyrics were intelligent and not the bubble gum crap that was on the radio. The songs made you think and look deeper into what they were saying. At least they did for me. It was the first time I felt music could be smart. Join me as I walk through the final album of a band that went out on top.
So go check it out as it is live now on September 19, 2024 at Noon. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
To Celebrate the end of the Bon Jovi Series, it was time to do a show on The Collection where we walked through the Bon Jovi vinyl. For Part 1 was last week and we walked through their peak years of The 80’s & The 90’s. For Part 2, we are going to go through the vinyl in the collection that covers all of The 2000’s from 2000 to 2024. We will capture all the studio albums, compilations, and even some 10″ Picture Discs. Come join as we talk all things Bon Jovi from the 2000’s Crush’ to 2024’s ‘Forever’. I don’t know if this is everything you can get in the 2000’s, but it is everything in my collection and that is the show!
So go check it out as it will be live tonight right now, September 9, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
To Celebrate the end of the Bon Jovi Series, it was time to do a show on The Collection where we walked through the vinyl. For Part 1 of 2, we are going to go through the vinyl in the collection that covers the 1980’s and the 1990’s capturing all the studio albums, compilations, solo albums and even some 12″ Singles and a Bootleg. Come join as we talk all things Bon Jovi from the debut up to Richie Sambora’s ‘Undiscovered Soul’. Now, this isn’t everything there is, but it is everything in my collection and that is the show!
So go check it out as it will be live tonight right now, September 9, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
2 Loud 2 Old Music 