TALKIN' TRASH WITH... JEFF PILSON (T&N, Dokken, Foreigner)

Jeff Pilson, long-time bass player for Dokken, former member of Lynch/Pilson, current member of T&N...and Foreigner...and producer of Adler's debut album, now adds TRASH TALKER to his list of accomplishments, as he took a few minutes to check in with Glitter2Gutter! (Actually, he was pretty nice and didn't have a lot of trash to talk...but he has some interesting things to say, so READ ON!!!)

G2G:  Jeff, first I want to thank you for taking the time to talk with us. I hope you had a good Christmas and New Years…

Jeff:  Yes, I spent the time with my family...awesome!

G2G: Slave To The Empire is your new album which has been released under the name T&N, and features the reunion of ¾ of the original Dokken. What was it like having George and Mick

working with you on the same project again?

Jeff:  Very second nature. We really do have great chemistry and if anything it’s only gotten stronger over time.

G2G:  Did you ever catch yourself looking around the room and saying, “You know…someone’s missing”?

Jeff:  Well, we did call Don, but, understandably, he didn’t think it was right to do it.  The minute he’s there it becomes Dokken and that’s a whole other kettle of fish.  But, we often back in the day did rehearsals or 

pre-production with just the 3 of us, so it basically felt like that.

G2G: I’m not going to turn this into a Dokken vs. T&N interview, but I do want to ask, would you ever see a scenario in which you and Don could work together again?  I’ve heard that George has shut that door completely, but I know Mick still works with him, so would you ever open that door again?

Jeff:  I’ll never say never, and I don’t think I’d ever shut any door completely.  I mean, here we are 30 years later still talking about it, so never’s a bit extreme.  But it doesn’t seem like this is the time to do a reunion. It would require too much time and I think all of us have too much going at this point to commit to that.  But I still can see it happening in some way at some point.

G2G:  Let's get back to the new record.  What was the process involved in picking which classic Dokken tunes to include on the T&N record? Was there a vote made, did you each get to pick a couple of favorites…?

Jeff:  We recorded 12 tracks with Wild Mick and basically it was down to the singers, their choices and how we worked it out that made the final determination of what would make it on this record. The rest will likely be on the record we do next year.

G2G:  Do those songs just jump out of your bass when you go to play them again, meaning are they so familiar you could almost play them in your sleep?

Jeff:  Some of them yes!!!!

G2G:  I like the new arrangements that were made on a couple of the classic tunes. Can you tell me how that came about?  Did it have a lot to do with who was going to be singing the song?  I ask because Ripper’s take on “Kiss Of Death” really pushes the track into a more metal direction than the original, while Sebastian Bach’s work on “Alone Again” is pretty similar in style and delivery.

Jeff:  The musical arrangements were made before they sang, so it was the combination of the singers’ interpretation and the musical input that created the final versions.

G2G:  You are a great singer in your own right; why didn’t you just handle all of the remakes, like you did on “Into The Fire” and the new material?

Jeff:  For one I don’t think I’d be the best singer for all the songs. Plus in a situation like this why not make it as interesting as possible? I love these guys’ voices and it was so nice being able to record with them. I also thought it was a way to diffuse some of the “us vs Don” mentality that I knew would come out of this. This isn’t meant as a competition, it’s a creative outlet meant to tie in with our past- and I knew it would be hard enough to get that point across, especially if it looked like I was trying to “replace” Don- which I’d never want to appear to do.

G2G:  Now, I hope you don’t take this personally, because it is not intended to be an attack of any sort, but I would have rather just heard new material rather than a mix. I say this because I already know who you are, and I already know what you have done, so why go back and re-do it? Does that make sense?

Jeff:  No attack taken. But the truth is we felt it was important to tie our legacy in with the new material. When we do finally play live we’ll be playing a lot of Dokken material, so why not embrace it and bring our friends along to give it a kick in the ass!!!  I also think it’s fair to say we wouldn’t have gotten near the attention we’ve gotten as a result of the rerecords, so it appears to have been an effective strategy!

G2G:  I can see where a new fan just coming to the band might be interested in your past. Was there ever any consideration of a full album of remakes and then a full album of new material, rather than the mix?

Jeff:  We originally wanted to do a double album, one new, one old. But the record labels preferred it be spread out over two records.

G2G: Getting to the new songs, what was the writing process like on those tracks?  I’ve heard they were supposed to be Dokken songs, I’ve heard they were supposed to be Lynch Mob songs, maybe Lynch/Pilson songs…

Jeff:  They originally were intended for a Lynch Mob album George had asked me to write with him. Then when Oni (Logan...vocalist for Lynch Mob) didn’t feel right about it being for Lynch Mob, Brian (Tichy... drummer on all the new songs) suggested we get Mick and do the re-records. It looked like a no-brainer to us! That’s when I went off and started writing lyrics and melodies then came and finished them up with George (and Brian on one song).

G2G: Do you have a favorite of the new songs? If so, what about that song really jumps out at you?

Jeff: Probably “When Eagles Die” because it has all the elements I really like about when George and I collaborate.  Plus, his solo is genius!

G2G: You have said that there are more new songs, as well as more re-recordings, that will be released on another T&N album. Any time frame for that?

Jeff:  Hopefully next year some time.

G2G:  I’m assuming there will be some guest vocalists again, correct?

Jeff:  Yes, that’s the plan.

G2G:  Tell me about plans to tour for this record. Will both drummers, Mick Brown and Brian Tichy, both play out, or will it just be one or the other?

Jeff:  Likely it would be one or the other...depending on who’s doing what at the time.

Jeff and George

G2G:  Do you think we will ever see another Lynch/Pilson album, or does T&N pretty much fill that niche? I personally loved that first album…

Jeff:  Thank you, but T&N probably is as close as we’d get. But having said that, you never know…

G2G:  Are you still involved in Foreigner?

Jeff:  Oh yes- that’s why touring for T&N is so tricky. Foreigner tours all the time!

G2G: Were you surprised with how well Can’t Slow Down (Foreigner's last record) did, both in charting a couple of songs on the Adult Contemporary charts, and in cracking the Top 30 on the Billboard Top 200?

Jeff:  Pleasantly so. I thought it was a great album with some great songs so I guess I wasn’t too surprised. But any time a record gets attention these days you have to really appreciate it.

G2G:  Before I let you go, I wanted to talk a bit about your involvement with Adler. I think that Back From The Dead is an amazing record, it was our number 2 album of the year, and you not only produced it, you actually played all the bass on it, correct?

Jeff: Yes. What a great experience that was. An amazing band with an amazing singer, amazing musicians and writers and Steven playing better than he has in an awful long time. What magic those sessions were.

G2G: Were you friends with Steven Adler, or how did your involvement come about?

Jeff:  Yes we hung out several years ago and have stayed friends, but this experience definitely brought us closer. He’s one of my dearest friends now. But I was originally asked to play bass, then one thing led to another and next thing you know I was producing. It was all very organic.

G2:  Was there ever any thought of joining the band on a permanent basis?

Jeff with the guys in Adler

Jeff:  That just wouldn’t be possible with my Foreigner commitment. Besides Johnny (Martin) fits so well- and they have a great chemistry as a band now.

G2G:  How involved in social media are you, Jeff? Is there a way for fans to keep up to date with everything you have going on?

Jeff:  Very involved. I tweet and have a Facebook fan page... all great ways to keep in the loop.  Plus, T&N has a Facebook page.

G2G:  Jeff, I want to thank you again for taking the time to talk with us and I hope things work out well for everything you have going on in 2013. Best of luck and God bless…

Jeff:  Thanks for all the support and let’s talk again soon...

Short, sweet, and to the point...sometimes the best way to Talk some Trash!  Actually, Jeff was pretty gracious and didn't bash anyone, but that seems to be the consensus about the kind of guy he is, which is cool.  Could we see another Dokken album with the originals????  Hmmmm.....guess we'll have to see what shakes out, but obviously, Jeff isn't one to close doors...

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PETER CRISS "Makeup To Break Up: My Life In and Out of KISS" (Book Review)

(c) 2012 Scribner Books

Original KISS drummer, Peter Criss, is the latest member of the iconic band to release his autobiography.  "Make Up To Breakup" is an extremely interesting read, especially if you have previously read any of Gene or Paul's accounts as to why the original band broke up, why the reunions didn't last, etc.  The latter part is of special interest to me because, as anyone who read Ace Frehley's book will know, the Spaceman ignored the reunions completely in his book, so Criss's is the first to take a "non-corporate" look at the situation.

In the 360+ pages of this tome, Criss discusses the usual stuff: his early life, his pre-KISS bands, the early, struggling years with the band, their rise to super-stardom, their eventual crash, etc.  Mixed in, however, are stories of his two failed marriages, his family, his time spent in rehab, and his near suicide attempt following the California earthquakes that left him reeling.  Peter spends time dishing about what it was like going back on the road with his band, CRISS, criss-crossing the country in a Winnebgo to play in tiny dives such as the Sandbox, his disappointment with the failure of his solo albums, and what finally drove him to accept the reunion of the original members of KISS.

Criss also discusses his spirituality, his relationship with God, his estrangement from his daughter, and his marriage to the woman who in many ways saved his life.  No stone is left unturned, or so it seems, as the man even discusses what it was like, and what he went through, when he was diagnosed with the "woman's disease" of breast cancer...at the same time his wife was battling another form of the vile disease! 

Is the book a tell-all?  I would say so, yes.  In fact, sometimes Criss tells a bit too much, especially in regards to the sex with groupies, the measurements of his and his bandmates' genitals, and other such things, and at times the book really pushes the boundaries of crudeness.  However, as Criss mentions a couple of times, he poured out all of his memories to complete this book, and the reader really has a sense that he/she is listening to a confession of past sins as much as they are reading a book about the mighty KISS machine.  Surprisingly, and to his credit, Criss lays bare the facts about which albums he didn't actually play on, the fact that he completely forgot how to play some of the band's early classics, his falling out with Ace, his hatred for Tommy Thayer, and the bitterness he feels toward both Gene and Paul.  Will we ever see another full KISS reunion?  Peter doesn't really hide his feelings about that fact, either.

Fascinating, yet often not exactly fun, to read, I would strongly recommend "Makeup To Break Up" to any KISS fan that is looking for not only the other side of the story, but the side that, when taken with several facts from Ace's own autobiography, really feels like it is the likely truth of the matter in a lot of cases.  A compelling read, but not for the faint of heart or the easily offended. 

(368 pages; hardcover)

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HINDER "Welcome To The Freakshow"

(c) 2012 Republic Records

1. Save Me
2. Ladies Come First
3. Should Have Known Better
4. Freakshow
5. Get Me Away From You
6. Is It Just Me
7. I Don't Wanna Believe
8. See You In Hell
9. Anyone But You
10. Wanna Be Rich

Austin Winkler--Lead Vocals
Joe "Blower" Garvey--Lead Guitars, Vocals
Mark King--Guitars, Piano, Vocals
Mike Rodden--Bass, Vocals
Cody Hanson--Drums, Programming

Additional Musicians
Marshal Dutton--Additional Guitars, Keys, Vocals, and Programming

Towards the end of 2012, Hinder returned to the scene with a new album, Welcome To The Freakshow.  I have to say I was VERY excited, as anyone who reads this site with any regularity knows I am a Hinder fan and list them as one of the best of the current crop of American hard rockers.  Sadly, I came away from this new album seriously disappointed, as evidenced by this album ending up on our "Worst/Most Disappointing Albums of 2012" list here at Glitter2Gutter.

Let me say that I don't think that this is a terrible album by any stretch.  In fact, musically, it is executed very well.  It's just very disappointing to see the follow-up to the excellent All American Nightmare be so...weak...for lack of a better term.  For about 60 percent of this album, the music has lost its balls.  The album, as a whole, is far more Snoozefest than Freakshow, which is a total bummer.

Now, when this album rocks, it does so very well.  The album opener and lead single, "Save Me" is a strong, uptempo snarler, with Austin Winkler's voice in top-notch form and some serious guitar work from Blower and King. The song is semi-autobiographical in nature, as Winkler wrote the track after getting out of drug and alcohol rehab, and it delivers a powerful message in a raucous way.  What's even better is that this is by no means the strongest rocker on this album, as the title track, with it's infectious chorus, sounds like it could have easily fit on the ...Nightmare album with no problem.  Same goes for the pounding, biting, "See You In Hell".  "Ladies Come First", while still heavy, is easily the most melodic of the rockers...and also the sleaziest, bringing forth shades of the best of Hinder's often innuendo-laden songs.

But that's all the band has to offer us in the form of out-and-out rock on this album.

Ballads are the name of the game here, especially in the middle of the album, likely due to the fact that All American Nightmare did virtually nothing at radio and not much better at the cash registers, easily distinguishing itself as the worst selling Hinder album to date.  Of course, that's a pretty easy thing to have happen when your debut album (not counting the independent Far From Close EP) goes triple platinum, and the follow-up goes gold.  Still, when a label sees a band's sales dropping, they tend to do the formula thing and make grabs at radio airplay, which I am inclined to believe Universal Records did when they shuffled Hinder off to their subsidiary label, Republic Records.  Anyone who has witnessed the rock and roll circus of Hinder live can't believe that it was their decision to go so ballad heavy on this record.  Yet this is what we are left with...

"Talk To Me" is insanely generic and boring, sounding more like an adult contemporary radio track than a Hinder song.  "Lips Of An Angel" is more powerful in its depth and delivery than "Talk To Me", if that means anything.  The very next track, "Get Me Away From You" keeps the plodding pace going, albeit with a somewhat better song.  Two tracks later, we are treated to easily the best of the slow jams, with "I Don't Wanna Believe", a pain-infested, modern take on the power ballad that I actually hope ends up on concert set-lists.  "Anyone But You" is yet another ballad but one that sounds like Hinder-gone-Nashville.  If this showed up in video form on CMT or GAC, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.  (By the way, CMT and GAC are country video channels...imagine that!  Music videos!!!)

As to the remaining tracks, they are an odd assortment that don't really fit anything Hinder has done before.   I'm not sure how to describe "Is It Just Me".  It's very poppy in its delivery and, while somewhat catchy, I don't really know what the point is.  Album closer, "Wanna Be Rich" is a lyrically-biting song that sounds like it could be the follow-up to "Striptease" from the last album, but this track has all sorts of electronic sounds and effects...heck, it's practically a dance song, reminding me of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax" at one point!...and is not the best way to bring things to a close, although it is better than any of the ballads here. 

The packaging is solid, with a big 14-page insert with lyrics, pictures, credits, and thank-yous, which is a good touch.  Plus, Hinder has managed to avoid the dreaded digi-pack for at least one more album, so kudos for that!

All in all, not horrible, just disappointing overall, and downright boring in spots.  I only bothered to rip half of the album onto my mp3 player and my iPod because that is all I will likely ever listen to.  Hinder can, and has, done much better, so I am hopeful that the band will recover on its next effort and find a happy medium between the balls-out rocking of All American Nightmare and the more radio friendly, yet not sell-out, material of Take It To The Limit or Extreme Behavior.

Rating:  Rock this at a disappointing 5.5, and that may be a bit generous.  The rockers save the album...but just barely.



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The BEST ALBUMS of 2012!!!

Okay, so we've given you the better part of a week to digest, gripe about, argue with, and rip apart our "Worst/Most Disappointing Albums of 2012" list, so we thought now was the time to ease your suffering and bring you what you probably really wanted...our BEST of 2012 list!  Okay, sure, you probably weren't holding your breath for this list, and no one went on a hunger strike that we are aware of, but still...we did get more than a few emails asking where the "real list" was.  So...without further hesitation, we give you (in reverse order), the TOP 12 of 2012!

The Top 12 of 2012

One thing that I cannot stress enough is that these rankings DO NOT necessarily reflect the individual album rating each received.  Obviously, if you go back and look at the reviews of each of these albums, they are all 8's or higher, which means we think pretty highly of them here at G2G.  However, as anyone who listens to music will attest to, sometimes an album grows on you and becomes a favorite even if there are a couple of songs that get on your nerves at times.  Such is the case with some of these albums.  Other times, an album can score very well and be performed to near flawless levels, but not necessarily hold a listener's interest for long periods of time.  As an example, Journey's last album, ECL1P53 (reviewed here) was one of the best pieces of music released in 2011, in my opinion, performed nearly perfectly, but little of it is as memorable as the classic Journey songs that everyone has to sing along to when they hear them.  So, in short, an album's ranking plays into its placement in the Top 12, but not necessarily it's eventual actual placement.  Make sense?

12.  KISS "Monster"  There ain't no school like the old school, or so the saying goes.  And there ain't many more old school than the masked masters, KISS.  Surpassing the solid Sonic Boom from a few years ago (at least in my opinion...others disagree), Monster is a very good piece of work that shows the band still remembers where it came from and what it's core audience is wanting from the band.  Granted, the band has never really changed all that much aside from Carnival Of Souls and maybe The Elder, but Monster should silence any doubters that wondered if Paul and Gene still had it in them to record a solid, top-notch KISS record.

11.  Donnie Vie "Wrapped Around My Middle Finger" Smart and sassy, this is the album is like the darker side of Enuff Z'Nuff, and it is a solid listen all the way through.  There is enough of the "band" in the sound to satisfy the older fans, but newcomers will find a lot to like about Mr. Vie's work, as well.  A guest spot from Kip Winger adds to the fun here, making this one of the best of 2012, despite being an album I'm betting a lot of people overlooked or missed.  If you fall into this group, rectify the situation and snap this disc up as soon as you are done reading our list!



10.  Jackyl "Best In Show"  Another old-guard band that made a GREAT return, Jackyl may have released the best album of their career, and certainly the best in at least 15 or 20 years.  With only one track that I would leave off, and the rest being solid, top of the heap southern-fried sleaze, Jackyl has shown that they are in no way ready to hang things up.  Always a killer live band, Jackyl sounds especially tight and cohesive here, showing that there is much more to the band than Jesse and his chainsaw!   



9.  Royal Bliss "Waiting Out The Storm"  A surprise to many, perhaps, but this is one excellent record from start to finish.  Neal Middleton has a powerful, soulful voice that is packed with emotion, and the band is a formidable one, whether on this record or in a live setting.  Don't let the fact that this is a "modern" rock band trick you out of giving this album a chance...that's just the devil on your shoulder whispering in your ear to keep you from enjoying an excellent album filled with great performances and some awesome songs.  "Crazy" and "Bleed My Soul" should snag  melodic rock fan's ears immediately, and the rockers will love "I Got This" and other tracks. Following this up could be tough for Royal Bliss.


8.  Van Halen "A Different Kind Of Truth"  Go ahead...try to deny that it was GREAT getting to hear David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen team up one more time.  And, haters, feel free to try to dismiss the obvious talent of one Mr. Wolfgang Van Halen on bass.  Sure, it would have been nice to have the entire band back together, but 3/4 is pretty darn good as long as 1/4 is DLR and 1/4 is EVH.  Hopefully this is NOT the end of this legendary band, but if it is, what a way to go out!





7.  Joshua "Resurrection" One of the true surprises of 2012, at least for me, was the out-of-nowhere return of Joshua!  I mean, this band had been off the face of the map for more than a decade, only to come roaring back with a blistering combination of guitar skills, powerhouse vocals, and a message that packs a wallop.  I have no idea what Joshua's plans are to follow this album up, but I am hoping it doesn't take another 10 years or more before we hear from him again.



6.  LA Guns "Hollywood Forever"  Since Phil Lewis rejoined the band, LA Guns seemingly has grown stronger and stronger with each subsequent release.  2012's Hollywood Forever is no exception, and this is an album that just gets stronger and stronger with each spin, at least for me.  Sure, the last track is a bit odd (Lewis sings in Spanish), and I'm not overly fond of the ballad on the disc, but with with 14 tracks, a single miss (I like the Spanish track, personally) is not capable of derailing a killer album.  This might be the best Lewis has ever sounded vocally, and since this is likely the last time we will hear Blades as the guitar player, I would encourage anyone who missed the boat here to pick up Hollywood Forever at once. 

5.  Zeroking "Kings Of Self Destruction"  Out of nowhere comes a band most of you have probably never heard of...but should.  Zeroking may be just about the perfect blend of the raunchy, gritty-yet-melodic sound of the late 80's/early 90's and the more modern sounds of today's hard rock world.  The opening track, "Dead Rockstar" is worth the price of the album all by itself, and things don't let up much from there.West Virginia has been hiding a huge secret from the rock world...hopefully this album will get them out of the sticks and out on the road so more fans can find out what Zeroking is all about! 

4.  Rick Springfield "Songs For The End Of The World" Yeah.  I know.  Weird, huh?  If you would have told me at the beginning of 2012...heck, at ANY time in the 2000's...that a Rick Springfield album would find it's way onto a "best of" list that I would be a part of, I would have called you crazy.  Yet, somehow, the seemingly ageless Springfield has managed to pull off the absolute surprise of the year with this slab of melodic rock that maintains some of his 80's-era pop sensibilities, intertwined with a bit of the darker music he became known for in the early parts of the 2000's.  Guitar driven and much more lyrically insightful than you might think possible from the "Jessie's Girl" writer, Songs For The End Of The World was a truly pleasant surprise for me.  Well played, Rick...well played!



3.  The Last Vegas "Bad Decisions" Speaking of acts that just get better and better, The Last Vegas fits this bill perfectly.  While their past albums were very good, Bad Decisions has to jump the band into the great category, at least for this one album (and hopefully the future).  Having had the chance to catch these guys live earlier this summer, I can state with confidence that musically and vocally, the band brings it live every bit as much as they deliver on this album.  "Evil Eyes" is a monster of a song, and "Beat To Hell", "She's My Confusion", and "Bad Decisions" only add to the fun!  As with a couple of other albums on this list, a single weaker track, once again a ballad, is not enough to kill the momentum of this excellent offering.  A must own album of 2012.

2.  Adler "Back From The Dead"  Oh so close to being the top of the heap for 2012, this album is simply an excellent piece of art that really bridges the gap between the glory days of Guns N Roses and the modern hard rock sound of today.  No, you won't hear any "Paradise City" or ""Welcome To The Jungle" sounding material here, but there is a combined sense of urgency, a solid melodic base, and a healthy dose of real attitude, not false bravado, that a lot of today's music is missing.  That combination makes this a must-hear record for 2012.  Thank goodness that Adler is back from the dead, because the band may help resurrect a sometimes lifeless, uninspired music scene in the hard rock world. 



1.  Liberty N Justice "The Cigar Chronicles" Without a doubt, the best release of 2012 is the massive project by Liberty N Justice.  While I am partial to the second disc, the original material, the first disc, which is a great collection of uncommon cover songs, is also a solid listen.  Liberty N Justice have put out any number of great albums over the years, but there is none better than The Cigar Chronicles, and that is saying a lot.  While the physical CDs have not yet shipped, anyone who pre-ordered already has the digital files in hand, so for that reason, I am considering this to be a 2012 release...and the best one of the bunch!  If you haven't got your copy yet, head over to www.libertynjustice.net and be sure to order it and get those digi-files for yourself so you can say you, too, own the best of 2012!





 So there you have it, folks!  The Top 12 of 2012 according to Glitter2Gutter!  Is it scientific?  Nope...but it was a lot of fun to put together.  You can't imagine the hours of music I had to struggle through to come up with the best of the best.  Yeah, it's a tough job, but I'm just the guy to do it!

Here's to an equally solid 2013!

The WORST/MOST DISAPPOINTING Albums of 2012!

So, as we turn the calendar to 2013, Glitter2Gutter decided to take a look back at the best and worst of 2012.  It was an interesting year, to be sure, with several bands coming out of at least partial retirement, a few riding off into the sunset, and several new bands jumping into the musical mix.  The lists will, of course, probably be controversial, as I am sure that some people will completely disagree with the entirety of the lists, while others will wonder how one or two of their favorites either missed the "best of" list, or stumbled onto our "worst of" list.  As always, keep in mind that these are merely the opinions of Glitter2Gutter and no harm or disrespect is meant to any of the bands on the "worst list" nor to that band's fans...it's not our fault your taste in music is lacking!  (Kidding, of course...)  So, to kick of 2013, we will start with...

THE WORST/MOST DISAPPOINTING OF 2012

This was a difficult list to compile for me, as it really frustrated me to include some of the bands and albums that have found their way onto this list.  However, no matter how much a band may be loved by the multitudes, it always remains possible that a stinker will pop up from time to time.  Such was the case for a few classic bands in 2012.  Also, keep in mind that an album that ends up on this list is not necessarily a horrible album; it may be an instance where the hype was just too great to be lived up to, or the album was just disappointing, if not terribly executed.  Other times, I have no idea how the album found its way to my review desk and CD player as they have NOTHING of interest to most G2G readers, and so they find their way here simply because they have nothing to offer the typical visitor to this site.  And, of course, there are also the instances where the album just flat stinks in practically every way!  So, with these things in mind, in reverse order, I give you the Glitter2Gutter WORST and MOST DISAPPOINTING albums of 2012....

10.  Aerosmith "Music From Another Dimension" (Review to come)  After several years without releasing new material, Aerosmith managed to put aside their differences long enough to release Music From Another Dimension.  Disappointment is the main reason for the inclusion here, as this album is just a huge letdown for me.  There are a few really good songs, but nothing great, and far too many ballads for my tastes.  Also, it was a bit of a letdown to have Aerosmith tell everyone they were going to return to their 70's roots as far as sound goes, only to have it miss the mark almost completely.  Not the worst album of 2012 musically, but a definite disappointment nonetheless.

     

9.  Hinder "Welcome To The Freakshow"

Much the same as the fate that befell Aerosmith here.  Hinder released a new album at the end of 2012 and inexplicably forgot to bring enough rock to the party.  Incredibly ballad-heavy, Welcome To The Freakshow is almost a lie as a a title, as there is very little of the "freak" that made All American Nightmare one of my favorite albums a couple years ago.  There are a couple of great tunes here, and the band is more diverse on this album than on previous efforts, but sometimes diversity means a band has altered course, which appears to be the case with much of this record.  Freakshow sounds like the relative lack of commercial success with Nightmare caused them to try to swerve back into the radio lane, rather than push forward in the rock aisle. 

8 and 7.  Dokken "Broken Bones" and T&N "Slave To The Empire".  I wanted SO MUCH to love one, or preferably both, of these albums.  Sadly, I merely like both of them, and even then, I don't like them enough to give either of them huge amounts of playtime despite the fact that both came out this year.  Dokken's album is the better of the two, in my opinion, as he remains true to what he has been doing for the past several years, and has more good NEW songs on his album.  T&N has tons of potential and a few good new songs as well, but the inclusion of the covers of Dokken songs left me wanting.  Here's hoping that both acts get a chance to improve upon these efforts, although, as most people probably have heard or read, Don Dokken has stated that this is to be the last Dokken album.  Too bad that he didn't go out closer to the top, but at least Broken Bones is nowhere near as bad as the awful Shadowlife or Dysfunctional.

6.  Jeff Keith "Country Music Friends EP"  Just...wow...  To hear the frontman of Tesla not only tackle country music, but OLD SCHOOL country music, is a bit tough to handle even for someone who grew up with the genre.  Not horribly done but completely lacking in rock, this is simply not going to appeal to more than 2-3% of the readers of G2G.  I hope Tesla comes up with some new material for 2013 so that Keith can just leave this effort in the dust (although there are strong indications that he intends to release a full length album of country material in the near future).

5.Dr. Freak and Mr. 4 "Rock N Roll Brotherhood"  This album is a perfect example of the over-hype machine building something up to nearly impossible to match levels.  I had heard SO MUCH about how great these guys were, and I had heard enough of their main project, Superhorrorfuck, to be more than a bit curious.  Sadly, I was also more than a bit let down as this album not only didn't live up to the hype, it was barely what I would consider to be an average album with far more miss than hit to it.  I have been sent the new EP by Superhorrorfuck, so I am a bit guarded in my optimism, but I sincerely hope that it is better than this effort.


4.  Travis F. Warren "Beneath These Borrowed Skies" (Review to come)  I was never...I mean NEVER...a fan of Blind Melon in the 90's.  To this day, if I stumble across that video with the girl dressed up like a dancing bee for the song "No Rain", I instantly change channels, turn off the television, or leave the room.  I'm not sure what I expected from the new solo record from Blind Melon's lead singer, Travis F. Warren, but what I got is not something I will ever listen to again, I'm afraid.  Leaning heavily on acoustic music and some jangly rhythms, this effort twists together bits of Blind Melon, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan, into a dark, moody, brooding disc that, while haunting and very well played, leaves me more likely to swallow a hammer than ever play the disc again!  Rarely upbeat and never rocking, this is just not my thing and is not likely to do much for G2G readers, either.  Pass....   

3. Hyro Da Hero "Birth, School, Work, Death"  Now, THIS is a great example of an album that I am unsure how I ever got it.  Seriously, this is pretty much straight up modern hard rap, a la Hollywood Undead or Deuce, and completely not my style.  However, since it was sent to me for review, I did my due diligence and spun the disc a few times...then wandered off to a corner, curled up into a ball, and shuddered for a while before coming back to my senses enough to put on the newest efforts by Lynch Mob, The Last Vegas, Evans Blue, Liberty N Justice...anything that was real rock and not disguised rap.  In all fairness, the guy has talent and this is NOT the worst rap I have ever heard...some of it was even remotely catchy, especially when the hard-edged guitars were at full volume and working well.  But in the end, even if Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, and Xander Demos were on guitar on this album, it is still rap and not my thing at all, no matter how much hype I was dished about how great this disc was.


2.  Mongrel "Reclamation" Brutal...just brutal.  Nothing more to say than was already said in the review.  I can honestly say that I have not spun this more than twice since I finished the original review and I can state with equal honesty that I will not be spinning it again.  I still don't understand what all the buzz about this band is because I hear virtually nothing redemptive on this effort.  On a side note, I have read there have already been some line-up changes, so perhaps there will be some musical changes as well...but I'm not holding my breath.



1.  Great White "Elation"  This album being number one should come as a surprise to no one who knows me, as Great White has long been my favorite band.  However, the album is bland and boring for the most part and the loss of Jack Russell has forever altered the band's sound and, apparently, their musical approach.  The teaming of Kendall and Russell was what made this band's musical magic, and it seems that without Jack the soul of the band is gone, as is it's signature smokey, bluesy sound.  Terry Ilous of XYZ does his best, no doubt, but he is in the horrible position of having to replace a legend, and it simply can't be done.  Again, nowhere near as bad as Mongrel musically, and not rap like Hyro Da Hero, but the disappointment with this album and this band firmly entrenches it as, if not the worst, definitely the most disappointing release of 2012 for me. 

ADLER "Back From The Dead"

(c) 2012 New Ocean Media

1. Back From The Dead
2. Own Worst Enemy
3. Another Version Of The Truth
4. The One That You Hated
5. Good To Be Bad
6. Just Don't Ask
7. Blown Away
8. Waterfall
9. Habit
10. Your Diamonds
11. Dead Wrong

Jacob Bunton--Lead Vocals, Mandolin, Guitar, Piano
Lonny Paul--Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Johnny Martin--Bass, Backing Vocals
Steven Adler--Drums and Percussion

Additional Musicians
Jeff Pilson--Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Slash--solo on "Just Don't Ask"
John 5--solo on "Good To Be Bad"
Michael Lord--Piano on "Waterfall"

I am always a bit leery of bands who use the name of one of their members for some reason.  I mean, yeah, things worked out pretty well for Van Halen, and Dokken has done well enough, even if they have had their personnel problems.  But usually, it comes across as just a grab to play off the strength of that person's name and the project ends up being a showcase for one guy with the others just being hired guns or bit players.  Adler had every chance for that to happen, as Steven Adler is not only a former member of one of the biggest hard rock bands to ever blast the planet, but he lived on that legacy for several years after being relieved of the drummer's seat in Guns N Roses with his own personal GnR tribute band, Adler's Appetite.  But in spite of the recipe for potential disaster, this album comes out smoking, cranks up the intensity, and never looks back in a no-holds-barred effort to make the listener completely forget what they may have thought they were going to hear when they picked up a Steven Adler project.

Perhaps the first thing I should do is dispense with the word "project", because that is not what Adler is.  Adler is a band, period.  This is patently obvious when the album is given it's first spin-through.  There is a cohesion to the band that is missing in most pieced-together project albums.  This is due in large part to the fact that the songwriting was handled by lead vocalist Jacob Bunton and lead guitar player Lonny Paul, with contributions from Dokken bassist, Jeff Pilson, who not only handled all of the bass tracks on the album but also produced it (Adler picked the songs that were used but did not contribute any credited writing).

Another important aspect of this band, and this album, is that neither makes an attempt at being the next Guns N Roses.  Jacob sounds nothing like Axl, and none of these songs sound anything like an Appetite... or an  ...Illusion song.  While it is easy to hear Bunton performing the lower-range GnR classics such as "Mr. Brownstone" or "Live And Let Die" in a live setting, he is himself 100% on this record, owing more to his approach in his other band, Lynam, than to anything that GnR ever did.  Likewise, the music is melodic and catchy, but owes more to modern radio rock than to the underbelly of 1985 Hollywood.  Don't take that to mean that there is no sense of urgency to the music, or that it lacks bite and grit, but this is an album with HUGE production and a modern slant to the sound, but without the bland sameness of sound that so many albums seem to have now.  Each track here sets itself apart from the others, with songs running the gamut here from the intense, upbeat, blues-rock of the title track, "Back From The Dead", to the bass-driven thump of "Dead Wrong", to the jaunty, sassy sing-along of "Good To Be Bad".  Back From The Dead truly has no weak spots, no bad songs, and no filler tracks to these ears, as all have the potential to garner the attention of active rock, modern rock, and satellite rock stations 

Just because everything here is good, don't think that means nothing stands out.  The three biggest numbers for me are the sweeping, emotion-drenched "Just Don't Ask", which features a certain top-hatted axe slinger contributing a HUGE melodic solo that only Slash can deliver, the equally powerful and melodic "Waterfall", and the totally out-of-left-field "Your Diamonds" which, as Bunton explains in a G2G interview, was written with 70's-era Journey in mind (trust me, you can't miss the inspiration once you have heard the song).  "Own Worst Enemy" is another big time number with gospel-styled backing vocals on the chorus and a big, Lonny Paul guitar hook that just embeds itself in the listener's brain.  Similarly, "Another Version Of The Truth" features a big, powerful chorus, a catchy hook, and a driving rhythm that is very hard to get out of your head once you have given it your full attention.  "Habit", the semi-biographical story of Adler (the man) is another infectious track that builds over the top of some solid, crashing drums and a great guitar riff before dropping into a sparse arrangement for the verses then kicking back into full-blaster mode on the choruses.      

I have heard some ignorant fools bag on this album as lacking in the GnR sound, but those people miss the point.  This is NOT Guns N Roses any more than Slash's solo stuff (or Duff's...or Izzy's...) is Guns N Roses.  Perhaps Adler brought some of this upon himself with his Adler's Appetite years, but people need to understand from the very moment they push play on this disc that there is NO intent, NO desire, NO effort to sound like Guns N Roses here.  This distinction is one of the big reasons Adler, the man, didn't want the band to be named after him; he wanted this band to stand on it's own.  If you are willing to be fair and honest with this record, then stand on it's own is what it does.  If, however, you are looking for "Welcome To The Jungle" or "Sweet Child O' Mine", you are going to be sorely disappointed...and you are going to miss out on one of the best records of the year.

Rating:  Pure crankability here!  Crank Back From The Dead to a smoking 9!

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MOTORFINGERS "Black Mirror"

(c) 2012 logic(il)logic Records

1. Bastards And Saints
2. Dust Over Stone
3. In My Dreams
4. Mad Crime
5. My Soul
6. Lost
7. Fallen Brother
8. Out Of Control
9. Here I Am

Andrea "Spy" Spezzani--Guitars

Max Barbolini--Guitars

Claudio "Clay" Corrado--Vocals

Mauree "NOX" Novelli--Bass

Alex Gualdi--Drums

Hailing from Modena, Italy, Motorfingers is one of the most recent additions to the slew of talented bands coming out of Europe.  Like many of their contemporaries, Motorfingers combines and obvious love for the Hollywood scene, albeit the more sleazy underbelly side, with an appreciation for modern production technology and a dose of today's hard rock sound.  The result is an definite contender for Glitter2Gutter's Top 12 of 2012!  This is a seriously good, extremely solid effort that I have not tired of since first popping it into my CD player!  Quality material, talented musicians, and a singer who does not attempt to sound like everyone else out there in the New Wave of European Glam and Sleaze movement, gives Motorfingers a gritty, dirty edge that fans of Guns N Roses, classic Aerosmith, Dangerous Toys, and more modern bands like Nasty Idols and Crashdiet, will appreciate.

I will be honest that I was a bit concerned for the album as a whole when I heard the vocal approach taken on the opening track, as there was more of a modern slant here than I was hoping for.  Oddly enough, it is really only on this track that this vocal style is used and the rest of the album is stronger for it.  I might not even have noticed so much had this track been buried lower in the tracklisting...say, down around track seven or eight, and "Dust Over Stone" was given the chance to shine as the lead in for this album.  From this point on, solid songwriting, excellent guitar work, and a generally hard-rocking, uptempo approach keeps this album "motoring" along.  The previously mentioned "Dust Over Stone" is a great example of the guitar prowess displayed on this effort, with equally talented displays being put forth on tracks such as "Lost" (which throws a HUGE nod to bands like Iron Maiden with its chorus), "Mad Crime" and one of my personal favorites, "Out Of Control".   "Fallen Brother" is the other true highlight for me, as this is a solid, emotion-laden ballad that shows a depth that many bands seem to be missing from some of their slower tunes.

If I had to pick an track that really didn't do things for me (outside of the opener), I would probably have to go with "In My Dreams" which drifts too far into the modern radio rock sound for my liking.  Now, I am NOT against the modern hard rock sound, as readers of this site know, but I don't like it when a band seems to jump styles, which is what happens here.  It sounds like the band makes an obvious stab at radio with this song, which is understandable, but it just messes up the flow of the album, at least for me.  The track has a fairly catch chorus which sure sounds like the band is singing "Captain America!", but I don't really see how this would fit the rest of the song, and the musicianship is top-notch, but I just don't feel that it goes with everything else here.  I don't skip the song, but I don't skip TO it, either.  To be fair, if the band had done an entire album in this style and with this approach, I think it would be a fine effort as well, but I appreciate the sound and style that the rest of the album takes without this detour.

This isn't a perfect album, but it is definitely well worth picking up, especially if you are a fan of the modern sleaze sound coming out of Europe today.  It is a bit shorter than I would have liked, especially with the opener being one of the low points of the disc, at least to my ears.  I cannot comment on the packaging of the album as my copy is a promo copy that, despite the inclusion of the front cover artwork, utilizes the interior as a press kit for media outlets.  As such, I have no idea if lyrics, pictures, or credits are included, BUT, logic(il)logic Records tends to have decent packaging for their releases. 

Rating:  Crankable, no doubt, but I just feel like there could have been a bit more.  Still, an 8 for a debut album is a solid first effort and possibly enough to make our year-end list!

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Talkin' Trash with JACOB BUNTON (Adler/Lynam)

Jacob Bunton, the lead vocalist for ADLER, and also the man behind the microphone for Lynam, was kind enough to take a few moments this holiday season to talk about being in a band with the legendary drummer from Guns N Roses, some of his favorite music, the music industry as it is today...oh, and what it was like to hang out with a certain top-hatted guitar slinger!!!  Sit back and enjoy as we talk some trash with Jacob Bunton!!!

Glitter2Gutter:  Jacob, I want to thank you for taking the time to call us during this busy time of year.  Did I interrupt your Christmas shopping or anything?

Jacob:  No, no, man, I'm glad to do it.  I'm actually in the studio right now working on some new music...

G2G:  New Adler stuff already, or maybe something for your old band, Lynam?

Jacob:  Actually, I'm doing a project with a project with a friend of mine.  I'm always making music, you know, it's what I've done my whole life so as long as I'm able to be creative I'm happy. (laughs)

G2G:  That's good to hear!  Let's just jump right into it then...  Adler's album Back From The Dead dropped just a couple of weeks ago and things seem to be going well for you guys so far.  How has the response from the fans and from radio been for you?

Jacob:  We have been blown away by everybody, from radio and the media, such as yourself, and of course the fans.  You know, the biggest thing for Steven (Adler) was that he wanted the Guns N Roses fans to really love what he's doing now, and he has achieved that I would say, because the response has been incredible from all of his old fans and from our fans as a new band.  It's been exciting.  It's just, uh...it's been overwhelming, really.

G2G:  How did you end up being in this band.  I know you were in Lynam before, and I assume you are still working with those guys also, so how did things come together?

(Jacob, front and center, with Lynam)

Jacob:  Yeah, I'm still with Lynam as well, and am doing both bands.  As far as the way things came together, um, in August of last year...I was really good friends with Jani Lane of Warrant, and when he passed away, I flew out here to the Key Club to his memorial out in L.A., and I met Lonny from the band through a mutual friend, the album's mixer, Jay Ruston.  Lonny told me that Steven was tired of doing Adler's Appetite, because, you know, Steven had been going around doing the Guns N Roses songs for several years and he had played those songs for so long that he wanted to do a brand new project with new music.  So, um, Lonny was familiar with my voice, and Steven was also, so we met at the hotel and talked and, you know, pretty much just started creating music.

G2G:  So how big of a thrill was that for you?  Did you grow up a Guns N Roses fan?

Jacob:  Dude, they were on my wall for my whole life!  (laughs)  It was them, you know, Guns N Roses, Motley Crue, Kiss...um, you know, all of them...Cinderella, Poison, all those bands.  And, um, Appetite For Destruction has always been my favorite album of all times.  So, yeah, it was a huge thrill...you know, probably the biggest thrill of my whole life was being in the recording studio and looking out and seeing Steven Adler, Slash, and Jeff Pilson all there and I was like, "God, what am I doing here?!" (laughs)  It was cool!

G2G:  Yeah, you have Guns N Roses there and Dokken all in the same room....

Jacob:  That's right...it was amazing...(laughs)  I still can't believe it, really.

G2G:  Can you tell me a little bit about the writing process?  I know you were involved in a considerable amount of writing for this project, correct?

Jacob:  Yeah, man.  The way that it worked was me and Lonny started emailing song ideas back and forth to each other.  I was in Birmingham, Alabama...I'm actually out here in L.A. now because we have a show Monday night at the House Of Blues, but I still live in Birmingham while the rest of the guys live out here.  So, anyway, we would email ideas back and forth and then in January we started recording the record, and, um, when I flew out here me and Lonny got into the same room and started working on some songs from scratch.  Jeff Pilson also co-wrote a couple of songs with us, which was cool.  You know, a lot of people go, "well, I struggle, you know, I've got writer's block" or whatever, but knock on wood, for us it was very easy for the music to just come out, you know.

G2G:  What was the process for getting Mr. Pilson involved?  Was that a group decision or did Steven have some friendship connections there...?

Jacob:  That was actually Lonny.  I tell everybody this, that Lonny is absolutely the MVP of this band, like hands down.  He reached out to Jeff and Jeff was like, "yeah, I'd love to play bass" and then Lonny heard some of Jeff's production stuff and so he asked him, "do you wanna produce this thing, too?" (laughs)  Jeff ended up producing it, so, yeah, Lonny set all that stuff up, and he hooked me up with the band when we met at the Key Club that night, so, yeah, he is definitely the most instrumental part of the band as far as all of that goes.

G2G:  Now, Jeff played bass on the record but that was before Johnny was in the band, right?

Jacob:  Yeah, Johnny Martin is our bass player now and he's amazing, but Jeff played the stuff on the record...

G2G:  Now, you mentioned Slash before so I gotta ask...were you in the studio when he was actually recording his part?

Jacob:  Oh yeah, man! (laughs) He came in...you know, him and Steven have been best friends since like grade school...so, yeah, Steven asked him to come over and we sent him the track "Just Don't Ask", which is the one he plays on, because we felt that the ballad would be the best thing to put him on, you know.  His solos are just so, like...nobody can touch Slash on ballads, you know.  I mean, you can just hear it on stuff, like when "Sweet Child Of Mine" comes on the radio, you just know it's Slash.  We definitely wanted that soulful, melodic playing on "Just Don't Ask".  So, he came to the studio and...you know, there's a funny story here.  We were having a little get together at Jeff Pilson's house, and Slash ended up coming over...but he went to the wrong house!  (laughs)  Picture this; picture a freakin' knock on your door at eleven o'clock at night and you walk to the door and it's Slash standing there! (laughs)  So, Slash told us later he was like, "So, uh, where's the party?", and the guy is standing at the door and yells back into the house, "Honey!  Slash is at the door!" (laughs)  It turned out it was Jeff's next door neighbor, so he pointed Slash down the road and told him how to get to the house.  I thought that was pretty funny...I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall, you know. (laughs)

(Slash...WITH his top hat)

G2G:  Absolutely!  Now, I gotta know, did he have the top hat in the studio?

Jacob:  Nope, nope, he didn't...he had, uh, a baseball cap on, no top hat though.

G2G:  That's almost a let-down, isn't it?

Jacob:  No, man...Slash can wear whatever he wants, I was just happy getting to meet him! (laughs)

G2G:  Tell me about getting to work with John 5.  How did that all come together and work out?

Jacob:  That was Steven.  I guess his wife and John's wife are good friends and John 5, obviously, was a big Guns N Roses fan, like I was, and John and Steven knew each other, but once he got to the studio he actually had to remind Steven that they had hung out together several times many years ago, but Steven had no recollection of it because, you know, so many of those years are just a haze for Steven, you know. 

G2G:  Well, yeah, I suppose...

Jacob:  So, John walks into the room and, you know, I was kind of amazed to see his guitar and his board and stuff.  You know, when I think of John 5 and all his stuff, I always thought his playing had to be full of tons of effects, but his pedal board was actually just so simple.  It was like a yellow overdrive pedal, a tuner, a wah pedal, and one of those blue chorus pedals.  And the dude was like, all the effects sounds he gets are just that blue chorus pedal turned all the way up and it creates that extra chorus effect that he gets.  He's not as effect-heavy as you would think he was, he's just an amazing player that knows how to get the sound he wants.

G2G:  Well, that's interesting.  I guess I was kind of like you and assumed he used a lot of effects, but since I'm not a guitar player at all, I really didn't know what it would take to get that sound out of his guitar.

Jacob:  No man, not at all.  He's got a very small, simple pedal board which is the same pedal board he used with (Marilyn) Manson and David Lee Roth and Rob Zombie...it's just his sound and he's just an amazing player.

G2G:  So, are you guys out touring the new record then or are you just doing hit and miss dates?

Jacob:  Right now, we're just doing sporadic dates, you know like I said we've got this date on Monday, and then next year we plan on going everywhere.  We're actually going to Japan with Duff...we're doing all kinds of stuff next year and I'm really looking forward to it.

G2G:  Now, I've heard rumors that there might be a surprise GnR song or two dropped in the set.

Jacob:  Yep.  Anytime you play in a band with former GnR members, there are going to have to be some GnR songs, you know.  It's just expected from the fan base.  So, we'll definitely play all the songs on our record, but we'll also probably do at least two GnR songs.  It's the same when Slash plays, you know, he does his solo stuff but he still has to throw in the other songs.  And I don't mind it at all, you know, like I said before, my favorite stuff in the world is on that Appetite record and it's just an honor for me to play it, you know.

G2G:  I can tell you that when I was listening to this record the very first time, and I heard your voice, I thought to myself that you would just rip up a song like "Mr. Brownstone".

Jacob:  Ah, thanks man.  I appreciate that.

G2G:  Now you said you are still working with Lynam, also.  Are there plans for a new record or some playing with those guys as well?

Jacob:  Uh, eventually we are going to do a new EP.  We actually stopped recording records.  Thank You, Goodnight was our last record...it was a full-length, live record...and we made the announcement that that was going to be our last full length.  And that confused a lot of people, you know, because they were like, "well, if you're not breaking up, why aren't you doing any more records?"  It's just the way the chemistry has gone, you know.  It's like now, for us, instead of feeling like we have to go in and do a whole new record we can go in and do two or three new songs that we all love and feel strongly about, and throw it up on iTunes of something like that.  Now, I, myself, personally, I still love listening to actual record records, you know, but the majority of people, the way the get music now, it's just different and we don't feel like there's a need to put out full length albums now, at least for us.

G2G:  So what are you listening to now when you get a chance to step away from your new music or from Adler?  What does' Jacob listen to?

Jacob:  My musical taste is all over the place.  Like, I listen to a lot of bluegrass and country, like, I love Brad Paisley, I love the new band Florida-Georgia Line.  On the rock side, I love Foxy Shazam!  In fact, that new record is one of my favorites of 2012, that Church Of Rock And Roll, which I think is just an amazing record.  And then I love a lot of the old-school bands that have released new records, you know, the new Aerosmith, new Van Halen, I love both of those records. 

G2G:  That's funny that you mentioned Aerosmith because I was going to ask what you thought of that new record.

Jacob:  My favorite song is that...I think it's track number three...that song "Beautiful".  It's crazy because the chorus, it's like Tyler's doing a rap over the verses and then you've got this big, beautiful melodic chorus.  And the guitar part, it's just so schizophrenic, it's just...  Man, I tell you what, what I think they should have done is get the two surviving members of Run-DMC and had them doing the chorus while Steven was doing the rap part, kind of bringing everything full-circle from "Walk This Way" back in the 80's, you know.

G2G:  I'm going to have to try to create that in my head the next time I pop that record in...

Jacob:  (laughs) Exactly...exactly....

G2G:  Back to your new record...as we mentioned earlier, you had your hand in writing several of the songs on this album, and every artist that I have ever talked to seems to use the whole, "my songs are like my children" analogy, but if you HAD to pick a favorite, or even a couple of favorites off of Back From The Dead, what would they be?

Jacob:  (laughs)  Yeah, I know what you mean with that "songs are like your children" thing.  Umm...for me, it changes almost on a day to day basis.  I really love "The One That You Hated", which was the first song that me and Lonny wrote together.  I also really love "Your Diamonds", I wrote that sitting at my piano back home in Birmingham, and Steven wanted a song that had kind of an old, 70's Journey vibe, so I sat down and wrote that which I think turned out real well.  And, um, I love "Just Don't Ask" because I love the fact that I wrote the song and two of my favorite people, both Steven Adler and Slash, both played on it. (laughs)  So...I guess that's three, but really it changes all the time...like you said, it's hard to choose between your children... (laughs)

G2G:  Well, you not only picked three songs, you actually picked three of my favorites off the disc.  You know, with "Your Diamonds", I didn't even really think about it until you said that, but it does have a somewhat retro sound to it with that kind of fat, (laughing) I don't know if "sexy" is the right word or not...

Jacob:  (laughing) Yeah, man...

G2G:  I don't know if that was the direction you were going with that song, but that's kind of what pops into my mind...

Jacob:  Yeah, that's the direction Steven wanted one of the songs to go and "Your Diamonds" just kind of fit that, um, fit that part, I think.  You know, me and Lonny wrote the songs on the record, and then Steven picked out the songs he wanted to use. Ultimately it was his decision on the songs that got put on the record.

G2G:  One thing that impressed me when I listened to the album was, despite that fact that obviously Steven's name is the band and is out there on the front of the record, you actually sound like a band and not a project.  That really impressed me because I think it would have been easy for this to become a vehicle for Steven to just keep his name out there doing covers or songs that sounded like GnR songs.

Jacob:  Thank you very much, man.  That's the way we always approached it, you know.  Steven actually wanted a band name and we just could never agree on what to call the band.  He was just adamant that he didn't want the name "Adler".  In fact, Steven really wanted to use the name "No Quarter", which we all hated. (laughs)  We HATED the name.  We were all like, "that's just awful!"  And, you know, we looked it up and there was like a Led Zeppelin tribute band, and we were like, "no, we are not calling ourselves 'No Quarter'".  Steven was like, "no, man, it means we aren't going to...", and we were like, "we know what it means and NO, it's awful!"  (laughing)  I mean, come on...No Quarter?  It sounds like, you know, you're at Starbucks and your total comes to $1.75 and all you have is a buck fifty and you look at the guy and go, "Sorry, No Quarter".  (laughs)  Of something costs a dollar twenty-five and you give him two bucks because you got no quarter.  (laughs)  That name is horrible...  Don't you think?

G2G:  I'm staying out of it!  (laughs)

Jacob:  (laughs)  Yeah, man, it was bad.  But, eventually, we all agreed on Adler and it stuck and, you know...hey, Slash did it, and I think it just makes sense. 

G2G:  Well, yeah, I mean we have the band Adler, we have Slash, we have Duff with his own thing, and I know Izzy recorded as Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds, right?

Jacob:  Yeah, that's right.  All we really need is Axl now, and I think he's got the perfect name, you know, just using his initials from W. Axl Rose would be the coolest, you know, W.A.R. so he could have "WAR" for a band name...

G2G: Since he's obviously NOT Guns N Roses now...

Jacob: (laughs) Well, yeah...

G2G:  So, who wrote the majority of the lyrics on this album then?  I love the lyrics to the song "Habit", for example, and I think "Just Don't Ask" is a phenomenal song, and yeah, Slash really adds to it, but I think it's a great song in it's own right even without the solo Slash adds...

Jacob:  Well, thank you very much for saying that.  I wrote the song "Just Don't Ask", the music and lyrics and everything, and Lonny wrote "Habit", so, a lot of songs we did collaborate on, but you just happened to pick two of the songs that we wrote individually and you can really see our different writing styles, I think, but they are both really good songs in my opinion.  I like "Habit" a lot, too, because it's pretty much Steven's story, you know.

G2G:  We all know the music industry has changed so much over the years, and videos really aren't what they used to be, but does any song on this album just scream "video" to you?

Jacob:  Yeah, when I'm writing, especially after an album has been mixed, I listen back and can see a video for every song, really, you know.  Umm...

G2G:  ...because to me, "Just Don't Ask" is one that really begs for a video, I think.  It has that classic feel that a really good video song has, that just lends itself to a story type of video, not just a performance shot or something.

Jacob:  Thank you for saying that.  Yeah, I mean, when I listen back to that song, and all the songs really, I have all kinds of imagery running through my head for videos...

G2G:  What's your take on the way that music works now.  You've mentioned that you're a fan of albums but let's be honest, that's not the way that people get their music now.  The piracy thing is obviously an issue, but is there also an upside to being able to get your music out to the people immediately, or is just really filled with a lot of negatives?

Jacob:  Me, personally, I think there's a plus side to it, as well.  When you're a kid, you don't know anything about money and you don't know anything about the business side of music, and when they hear something they like, you know, they just want to get it.  And, as a musician, you know, when you plug your guitar in and you make something you want to get it out there for people to hear.  And, again, the kids don't even realize that people get paid for putting that music together, they just want to hear your stuff, you know.  I think that's one way to look at it, but I know there are so many ways to look at things.  You know, for me, I just like to play and get the music out there, but I understand where all the artists are coming from, you know, that used to sell millions of records and now they don't so their income has dropped, you know, a lot in some cases.  I've, uh, (laughs), I've never had that problem, you know...I've never seen my income diminish that much, so I just like people to hear what we're doing, but, again, I do understand the business side of it, too.

G2G:  You kind of touched on what I was going to ask next...the days of the platinum album are long gone for most artists unless your, I don't know, a Nickelback or someone like that.  So, how does a band like Adler define success, at least to you?

Jacob:  I guess that really depends on what success means to you.  For me, Adler is already a huge success because we created something to the best of our ability and that we are really proud of...and the fans like it.  To me, that's success, because we're all really happy for that.  As far as commercial standards, it's very hard for a rock band to have success by commercial standards.  You know, there are just very few true rock stations left in the country, you know, because most radio has either gone Top 40, or Hip Hop, or country, or even talk radio, and things are just completely different than they were when I was a kid, or when Steven was in GnR...or even just ten years ago, you know.  So, success is up to the individual, at least to me...

G2G;  To touch on the radio thing, like you said, radio, at least terrestrial radio, has really moved on from the rock format, but satellite radio has really taken off and exploded.  Have you guys been able to embrace that?  I know that Sirius/XM on the Octane station has played your stuff quite a bit.

Jacob:  Yeah, the two rock stations that are on Sirius and XM, um, Octane and Boneyard, have both been really, really supportive of us, and even Hair Nation, because of Eddie Trunk's show, has supported us as well.  Eddie has really been a big supporter and we appreciate him more than he could ever know.  You know, we appreciate everyone that's helped us out, yourself included, Arttie.  All of you guys get the word out about us and allow us to be able to do what we do, and we appreciate it more than you could ever know.  So, yeah, we've done our best to embrace that and all kinds of media, and we've been lucky so far in how we've been able to do that.

G2G:  So, what would you like to tell fans that are just coming to the band, or maybe coming out to a live Adler show, what would you like them to know about Adler?

Jacob:  We are a brand new band, so if you are expecting to hear all Guns N Roses songs because Steven was there, that's not what we're doing.  It's a brand new bandm similar to what Slash has got, or whatever, and we're a brand new band and we just happen to have a former member of Guns N Roses in the band.  If you like good, solid rock music then come to the show.  I think that you'll really like the show and you'll have a lot of fun.  And, if I may, I'd like to tell everybody to like our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Adlermusic , and on Twitter to follow us @Adlerrocks, and then our website is www.Adlerrocks.com .

G2G:  Well, Jacob, I want to thank you again for taking the time to give us a call.  The new album, Back From The Dead by Adler is out in stores and on-line now, and I wish you all the success in the world and a Merry Christmas to you, my friend.

Jacob:  Thank you, too, man.  It's been fun.


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