QUEENSRYCHE "Frequency Unknown"

(c) 2013 Deadline Records

1. Cold (Kelly Gray--guitar solo)
2. Dare
3. Give It To You (Robert Sarzo--guitar solo)
4. Slave (Chris Cannella--guitar solo)
5. In The Hands Of God (Ty Tabor--guitar solo)
6. Running Backwards (KK Downing--guitar solo)
7. Life Without You (Brad Gillis--guitar solo)
8. Everything (Ty Tabor--guitar solo)
9. Fallen (Dave Meniketti--guitar solo)
10. The Weight Of The World (Chris Poland--guitar solo)
11. I Don't Believe In Love (Re-Recording)
12. Empire (Re-Recording)
13. Jet City Woman (Re-Recording)
14. Silent Lucidity (Re-Recording)

Geoff Tate--Vocals
Craig Locicero--Rhythm Guitar
Martin Irigoyen--Drums, Bass, Guitars on Tracks11-14
Randy Gane--Keyboards
Jason Slater--Bass, Theramin on Track 2
Rudy Sarzo--Bass
Simon Wright--Drums
Evan Bautista--Drums
Paul Bostaph--Drums 

So, the first shot in the dueling Queensryche's has been fired by the, well, fired former frontman's version as Geoff Tate has released his band's debut album, Frequency Unknown.  An interesting title, but I have to wonder if he was just searching for words that started with "F" and "U" so he could send a not-so-subtle message to the other Queensryche.  (Rumor has it Feathered Undergarments and Festering Uvula were also considered....no they weren't....)  The placement of the classic Queensryche logo on the middle finger of the fist is another nice little visual element for fans and former band members to discuss among themselves.

Regardless of the eye-catching letter placement, the only thing that really matters to 'Ryche fans is which version of the band can deliver the goods.  Who is going to properly wear the mantle of Queensryche?  Well, that depends largely upon which era of the band you are hoping to hear.  If you are looking for a rehashing of The Warning or Rage For Order then I suggest you keep on walking when you see this album in the store racks (or scroll down if you are shopping on-line), because this is NOT 1980's Queensryche.  However, if you find yourself more in line with the strongest material found on later 'Ryche albums such as Promised Land, Hear In The Now Frontier, or even later efforts like American Soldier and Dedicated To Chaos, then, my friends, you have likely found a keeper, for this is the direction Tatesryche (which I shall now call this version of the band because...well, I think it's fun) is headed in.  As for me, I find myself in the somewhat precarious position of being a fan of BOTH eras of the band (which is not an overly common location to find oneself in), so I was neither letdown or overjoyed with the direction of Tatesryche; I simply took it for what it is.

Geoff Tate has claimed that after Chris DeGarmo left the band it was Tate who steered the musical ship of Queensryche.  I have to admit that I was somewhat skeptical of this claim as his solo albums both left me wanting, to be honest, and I was afraid that this album would be more of the same.  I am happy to report that it is not.  Frequency Unknown is not completely unlike the best parts of many of the post-Empire efforts of Queensryche.  In fact, I was generally pleasantly surprised with the direction of Tatesryche, especially since Geoff and Company took it upon themselves to incorporate a lot more guitar soloing on this record, something which was sorely missing on the worst parts of ...Chaos, for example.  But this incorporation of guitars comes at a cost:  there is no real band it would seem, and the large number of hired guns, really leaves me wondering if F.U. is as much of a band effort as Tate would have us believe.  (For what it's worth, I believe the "band" is now the Sarzo brothers, Gray, and Wright, with Randy Gane on keys, which is an impressive line-up).   With such guitar luminaries as Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), KK Downing (Judas Priest), Dave Meniketti (Y&T), Ty Tabor (King's X), Craig Locicero (Forbidden), Chris Poland (Megadeth), Robert Sarzo (Hurricane) and even former Queensryche member Kelly Gray, there is no doubt there is talent behind the axes here, and it shows for the most part.  Other musicians brought on board include Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy) on bass on a few tracks, and drummers Paul Bostaph (Slayer, Exodus, Testament), and Simon Wright (AC/DC, Dio).  So, with all the talent on this record, what are the results like?

Good, for the most part...again, depending upon your choice of eras...but not what you might expect.  With previous members of Slayer, Forbidden, Judas Priest, and Megadeth on board, one might expect this to be a far heavier album than it is.  There is some heft to the record, though, but it is more of a modern-feeling heaviness than a metal heaviness; this is a porgressive hard rock album with both metallic and modern influences, NOT a heavy metal record.  That being said, it is worth noting that the rhythm guitar playing of Locicero throughout this record is top notch and really gives some power and crunch to the rockers on F.U.  Tracks like the lead single, "Cold", or the gritty "Slave" have some punch to them, and Tate's vocals are right at home in the emotive tenor range that he has employed for most of the previous five or six records.  The most metal moment is a very good one, as KK Downing leads Tatesryche through the charged up "Running Backwards", and once again, Tate's vocals are strong and controlled.  I'm guessing that this track will be the one that makes old school Ryche fans sit up and take notice, and will possibly pull a few dissenters off the fence.  "Fallen", on the other hand, really shows the modern slant of the record, sounding musically like it could slide in right next to a Disturbed or Sevendust song with ease, which is a bit odd with the likes of Y&T's Meniketti slinging the axe on this number. 

"Running Backwards" aside, the stand-out tracks here all have solid melodic moments, with "In The Hands Of God" being the truly shining moment of the album, sounding a lot like it could have come from my favorite 'Ryche album, Promised Land, and the powerful, sweeping "The Weight Of The World" bordering on the epic status of some of the best moments of the fractured band's catalog. "Life Without You" is another really solid song that reminds me of just how good Queensryche has sounded in the past and could sound again, and with no true ballads on the disc, "Everything" and "Give It To You" both work toward the slower side and both are done effectively with Tate's voice working effortlessly throughout the tracks.

There are no real stinkers in the new tracks, although I have to admit the use of a theramin in the song "Dare" kind of throws me for a loop as it gives the song an odd feeling.  No, it isn't the new material that gives me any issues.  The biggest problem on this album?  The re-recordings, no question.  They are not good.  At all.  And it's not just Tate's vocals that are the problem.  For one, these songs are not recorded with a band or any of the guest musicians mentioned above.  Martin Irigoyen performs all the guitars, bass, and drums on each of these songs and this exposes weakensses in not having a full band of musicians skilled in a specific instrument being utilized.  This is especially evident on "Jet City Woman" and "Empire" where whole layers of the songs seem to be missing.  As to the complaints about Tate's vocals on these songs, there is some merit in those complaints.  Tate's voice doesn't sound "shot", as so many people seem to like to say, but he does sound tired and lacking in passion.  Sure, he misses some notes, and several of the high spots are dropped in register, but if you really listen to these four songs I think there is more to it.  I think that these songs were done with as little mixing or overdubbing as possible.  It wouldn't surprise me if these were one or two take recordings, in fact.  You get the distinct impression these were very quick, very raw additions to the album where Tate likely said "good enough" and then moved on.  The production on these tracks is very empty, with lots of musical holes in each of them which is unfortunate as these are among the most requested songs of QR's catalog.

And while we are on production issues, much has been made of the production problems with this record, and, again, there is some merit to those complaints.  The record does sound muddy in a few spots, especially when played at a moderate volume.  I have noticed that when I turn the music up louder OR if I listen to the record through a good set of headphones the issues don't seem to be as prevalent for whatever reason.  I wish Tate had taken another few weeks to really nail the production on this record, as I think that would have shifted a few detractors more into his camp.

Overall, this record is nowhere near as bad as a lot of people have made it out to be, and I find myself enjoying it for the most part.  When I ripped it to my iPod, however, I have to admit that I dropped the re-recordings as I have a hard time listening to Tatesryche cover Queensryche, which is what we are basically forced to do on those songs.  Other than those glitches, if people listen with a truly open mind I think they will find that this record is not as bad as the Tate haters want it to be, and that it is actually a solid listen with several very good moments. 

Album of the year?  No way.  Stinker of the century?  Not even close.

The bar has been set for the other Queensryche now.  Do they hurdle it or limbo it?  Time will tell, I guess, but Tatesryche certainly doesn't make things easy for the rest of his former bandmates.

Rating:  I like it, but the re-recordings kill the rating, dropping this to a rocking 6.5, although "...Hands Of God" and "Running Backwards", among others, give me a lot of hope for Tatesryche round 2.

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LYNCH MOB "Unplugged Live From Sugarhill Studios"

(c) 2013 Rat Pak Records

1. River Of Love
2. Where Do You Sleep At Night
3. All I Want
4. Wicked Sensation
5. Interview

Oni Logan--Vocals

George Lynch--Guitars

Robbie Crane--Bass

Brian Tichy--Guitars

Tyson Sheth--Percussion

It seems like George Lynch and Rat Pak are cranking out a new George Lynch or Lynch Mob EP release about every 9 months now, so I wasn't overly surprised to see the new Unplugged: Live From Sugarhill Studios EP released this past week.  I was a bit surprised to hear George do an unplugged, acoustic album, as this type of setting really doesn't lend itself to the skill set possessed by one of the true guitar gods of the 80's....or so one would think....

George Lynch shows himself to be in fine form, even without electricity, as he is able to pull of some pretty cool acoustic leads on this little teaser of an album.  This is especially true on "All I Want" and the seminal Lynch Mob classic, "Wicked Sensation".  Both of these songs...and really all four songs...find Lynch (with some help from Brian Tichy) bending the strings with a different sort of soul that can sometimes be lost when the amps are plugged in and cranked to 10.  Sure, Mr. Scary is a bit more tame on an album like this, but if anything it shows that his skill is genuine and not just smoke, mirrors, foot pedals, and whammy bars.  Crane also acquits himself nicely on acoustic bass here, and the percussion added by Sheth is simple and keeps itself where it belongs, in the background, allowing the star of the show step to the forefront.  

Oh...you thought I meant George Lynch?  No, no, no...the star of the show here is, without a doubt, Oni Logan.  Logan's voice is IDEAL for this type of performance and he gives possibly the best performance I have ever heard him present on these four songs.  Sure, the music is great and Lynch is the namesake and the reason people likely will pick this up, but make no mistake, Logan's voice is the driving force behind these songs as the passion in his voice is undeniable.  He lets the smokiness of his voice really creep in on "Where Do You Sleep At Night", and the bottom range of his vocals, as well as the blusiness, is given front and center treatment on "Wicked Sensation".  On top of it all, he sounds like he is having a lot of fun with these songs, as does the whole band really, which is nice to hear.  Logan has received a bad rap with a lot of people over the years, for any number of reasons (none of which I can confirm, as I've never met the guy), but his vocal skill should not be questioned, especially in this type of setting.  

This little EP closes with a band interview which, honestly, I could completely do without as it adds nothing to the effort. No real need for further comment, so I will just leave it at that.

While the material is obviously different, as is the band, I find this EP to be far superior to the work turned in by Lynch's old band, Dokken, on that band's One Live Night release.  "Where Do You Sleep At Night" was a bit of an odd selection, but it works nicely to add depth to the more well-known songs that are also featured, but with only four songs, this EP is painfully short and may have been better served with another "hit".  

It's almost criminal the way George keeps teasing his fans with these EP's, but rumors of full-length albums never seem to come to fruition, so maybe this is the route George is determined to take for the remainder of his recording career outside of T&N.  I certainly hope not, but if so, I hope that the quality continues to be this high, whether solo, as a group, acoustic, or plugged in.  This is top-shelf stuff, folks.  Don't you dare miss out.

Rating:  An acoustic cranking is in order here...jump it up to an 8.

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MIKE TRAMP "Cobblestone Street"

(C) 2013 Deadline Records

1. Cobblestone Street
2. Caught In The Storm
3. new Day
4. Ain't The Life I Asked For
5. Revolution
6. We'll Be Alright
7. Angel Or Devil
8. Find It In Your Heart
9. What Are You Gonna Do
10. Once 
11. When The Children Cry (2013 Acoustic Version)

Mike Tramp--Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Soren Anderson--Guitar, Piano, Keyboards, Bass, Drums, Harmonica

It has been a little while since I picked up anything from Mike Tramp, and there are various reasons for that. I was a fan of White Lion back in the day, especially the first album, Fighting To Survive, and the mega-hit, Pride.  Big Game was a decent enough album, albeit a bit different in its approach, and Mane Attraction was a very solid, if overlooked album, but then the band broke up and I lost interest.  Tramp's Freak Of Nature project really did nothing for me, and I got tired of reading about the constant bickering between Tramp and guitar slinger extraordinaire, Vito Bratta.  The re-formed band's Return Of The Pride (minus Bratta) was pretty good, but it seemed the magic was gone and I just kind of lost track of Tramp and company.  Someone sent me one of Mike's solo albums and, while not terrible, it had more in common with Bryan Adams' styled music that White Lion, or even Freak Of Nature, so I just stopped seeking his music out.

When this new album showed up in my mailbox, I took a look at the cover and thought, "okay...now what?" If Tramp was trying to look like...well...a tramp, he certainly succeeded, but I had no understanding as to why.  Then, when I put the CD in, I was like, "what the hell?!  An acoustic record?!"  I was pretty much ready to write the thing off.

But then I pulled out the lyrics and read along...and I got it.  This album isn't about who Mike Tramp was, or even still is, when he's with White Lion.  This is about who Mike Tramp is as a musician the REST of the time.  White Lion is a band; this is Mike Tramp telling his stories his way, without all the pomp and bombast of his "day job" band.  Imagine Mike Tramp singing some of the more emotionally charged acoustic works of  Springsteen or maybe a Neil Young.  I think you will get an idea of what this album is about and where it will take you as a listener.  

It's tough to think of certain tracks as being stand-outs on an album such as this, but if backed into a corner, I would say that my favorites would be "Angel Or Devil", "Ain't The Life I Asked For", or "We'll Be Alright" which I found especially poignant as it deals with fatherhood.  The title track is pretty cool as well, and so is "Caught In The Storm".  

While it may be difficult to pick a favorite, it's pretty easy for me to tell you what I don't like here.  For one, the piano is kind of annoying in spots; it just doesn't seem to fit and is mixed too out front in some songs.  For another, I wish Tramp would have left "When The Children Cry" alone.  There is nothing here that adds to, or improves upon, the original, and it actually seems to take some of the soul of the original to hear what was already a very stripped down song get stripped even further.  The song just sounds naked, for lack of a better term.  In all honesty, I skip the track, preferring to remember the song for what it was when White Lion was at their peak.

Tramp's voice is stark and emotion-filled, but still strong.  It's funny that I say that because one of the things I complained about as a younger man was the fact that he could sound TOO emotional at times...I think I used the term "whiney" a LOT back then...on the more emotional ballad material.  It's interesting how time changes our perspectives on a lot of things, which is exactly what Tramp is trying to get across on Cobblestone Street.

As to packaging, the lyrics are all included, which frequent readers will know I am a fan of.  There are a couple of alternately posed pictures in the booklet, but nothing spectacular, and there is no bio or explanation of the album of any sort, just the basic recording credits and a couple of thank you's.  Much like the album, it's just the basics here, but they are sufficient.

Rating:  Not something I would crank, because the music doesn't lend itself to that, and I would have to be in the right mood to play this often.  Musically, I would give it a "rock it" rating of 6, although that rating doesn't reflect the quality of music as much as it reflects the lack of punch to the music.  As far as the content, a crankable 7.5 is not out of line, and fans of this type of music are going to find a lot to love about Cobblestone Street, no doubt.

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WAR & PEACE "The Flesh And Blood Sessions"

(C) 2013 Deadline Music

1. Kill For The Love Of God
2. Snake Eyes
3. If I Put My Love In You
4. I Don't Want To Be Lonely
5. Nailed To The Cross
6. Idle Worship
7. Bringing It On
8. Raising Cain
9. What I Hide Behind
10. Heaven Knows

Jeff Pilson--Vocals, Guitar, Bass (6-9) Keyboards

Randy Hansen--Lead Guitar

Michael Diamond--Bass

Vinny Appice--Drums

Additional Musicians:

Robin McAuley--Vocals on Track 9

Darren Housholder--Lead Guitar on Track 10

That sneaky Jeff Pilson!  He didn't even mention this album coming out when I interviewed him for this site a few weeks ago!  Guess the man can add "secret keeper" to his list of accomplishments, because it seems like he has done just about everything else!

Whether you know him as a member of Dokken, Dio, MSG, Lynch/Pilson, Foreigner, Adler, T&N, or any of the other half-dozen lesser known projects he has worked with, it is most likely you DO know Jeff Pilson if you are at all into melodic hard rock from the 80's to the present.  This album features the material Pilson wrote with Michael Diamond (Legs Diamond) for what would have been the Flesh And Blood album, had that band ever released an album under that name.  As Pilson explains in the liner notes, the first five tracks here were the original Flesh And Blood demo from 1989, and things looked promising for the band.  However, Hansen would leave in 1990 and the band lost the rights to the name Flesh And Blood.  So, rather than sit and stew, Pilson and Company switched monickers to War & Peace, recorded with various versions of the line-up of musicians listed above, and released The Flesh And Blood Sessions.  

Nothing here is going to be world changing, but it is all very good, professionally performed melodic hard rock that fluctuates between radio-friendly fare and edgy, almost angry material.  Take for example the decidedly radio ready "I Don't Want To Be Lonely" which I think would have been a big time radio and video hit had it had more label support.  This track reminds a lot of what Kane Roberts was putting out on his second solo album.  "Idle Worship" is another smooth, melodic number that is very much in line with a lot of Dokken material from the time, and Pilson sounds a lot like Kip Winger in his vocal approach here.  The same can be said of "Bringing It On" which, again, sounds like an angry Winger song from the Pull era of that band.  Very smooth, very polished in its approach, this is a sharp departure from several other cuts, such as the more caustic "Kill For the Love Of God", "Nailed To The Cross", or "Raising Cain", for example.  Now, one could almost speculate there was some sort of spiritual connection here, what with all the religious references such as God, the cross, Cain, worship, and Heaven.  Instead of any kind of Christian themes, however, these songs are rather angry in nature, showing a more biting lyrical approach than anything Dokken had (or has) ever attempted with Pilson in the band.  The music on these songs is also  very edgy at times, giving this project a nice contrast to the more radio friendly numbers mentioned above.

Of particular note to fans of Pilson or War & Peace would be the album's closer, "Heaven Knows".  This track was added to this re-release of the album and is not available on the 1999 version of this project.  Another chunky rocker, this song features Housholder's lead guitar work and showcases where the band was headed with the War & Peace material that would follow.  Pilson's vocals have a particularly metal edge to them on this track which features a big, screaming chorus, solid drumming, and some really nice lead work from Mr. Housholder who was fresh out of the Berklee School of Music at the time.  An excellent tune that makes this the superior version of this package to own.  The production here is much more raw than anything else on this project, which leads me to believe this was also a demo that Pilson cleaned up just a touch before tacking it onto the end of the project.

All in all, a very enjoyable listen that I am glad was given the dust off and re-release.  I would like to have seen more in terms of pictures, lyrics, etc., as none of this is included, but I am guessing there wasn't a huge budget for this project, and the music is what matters in the end.

Rating:  Crank this to very deserving 7.5.  A very well done project that was worth the re-issue!

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TED POLEY "Greatestits"

(c) 2009 Ted Poley

DISC ONE

1. Yeah You Want It
2. What If She Knew
3. Waiting Line
4. Maybe
5. Deep Inside (Bonemachine)
6. Going Blind
7. I Love You (Poley/Pichler)
8. You're The One (Poley/Pichler)
9. Let Me Out (Poley/Pichler)
10. Missing You (Bonemachine)
11. Anisha (Bonemachine)
12. Shellshocked (Bonemachine)
13. Mrs. Frankenstein (Bonemachine)
14. The Song (Bonemachine)
15. Life And Times (Bonemachine)
16. Sample Life (Bonemachine)
17. Phone Sex (Bonemachine)

DISC TWO

1. Luv On Me
2. Lovemetal (Melodica)
3. One And Only (Pleasuredome)
4. Praying For A Miracle (Pleasuredome)
5. Only Human (Poley/Rivera)
6. Crossing The Ocean (Poley/Rivera)
7. Perfect Imprefection (Poley/Northrup)
8. If I Were James Taylor (Poley/Northrup)
9. Takoyaki Rock
10. Wastin' Your Luv (Jack Frost)
11. Listen To Ya (Prophet)
12. Smile
13. You Won't See Me Cryin'
14. Tokyo Nites
15. A Letter To Santa
16. Ted Poley (Parody of KISS' "Unholy" featuring Chris Caffery & CC Banana)

Culled from a vast array of non-Danger Danger albums, Greatestits comprises an excellent cross-section sampling of what Ted Poley has been extremely busy doing over the past several years.  Featuring tracks from his solo albums Smile and Collateral Damage, as well as his work with Bonemachine, Melodica, Pleasuredome, JK Northrup, Poley/Pichler, Jack Frost, and Poley/Rivera, there is something here for just about anyone who is either a fan of Poley's voice or the melodic rock style that Poley adopted upon leaving Danger Danger (he has since returned to front that band).  While that would likely be enough for most Danger Danger or Poley fans, Ted goes above and beyond to make this collection worth shelling out the requisite dollars and cents by including demos, unreleased tracks, outtakes, a Christmas tune, and a parody song.    

As one would probably guess, there are a variety of styles and tempos covered in the 33 songs that make up over two hours of music here, although nothing overly shocking; there is no country, rap, or techno included in this package, so you can put those concerns aside!  Most of the music falls in Poley's wheelhouse, especially the Poley/Rivera material that is likely the most familiar to fans from the past 5-10 years, although some stuff rocks harder than other material.    

Fans who have never heard the Bonemachine material might be taken aback a bit by the production quality of tracks 15-17, but from what I understand, these songs were actually demos and never given a proper mixing.  It never renders the material unlistenable, but there is a definite drop-off in sound quality between this and, for example, the Poley/Rivera material.  Still, the songs are very well-written and performed although they are far more blues-oriented than thing Ted every attempted with Danger Danger.  Ted's voice is still strong and recognizable and he sounds very much at home with this more laid back/less overblown style.  "Life And Times" is a bit of an odd tune, especially toward the middle of the song, reminding me of an adult contemporary track like Michael McDonald or some other 80's pop artist may have worked on, but then the guitars kick back in and pump the rock back into the track.  "Simple Life" has a pretty fat bottom-end groove to it and is one I would really have liked to hear full production on as it sounds very incomplete in this form.  "Phone Sex", again, is very raw in its production and has a very bluesy guitar sound running throughout (along with a somewhat annoying telephone ring).  Interesting stuff, to be sure, but definitely lacking due to the production.   

The Poley/Pichler material may be a bit of a sugar-shock to some listeners, as there is nowhere near the level of rock that Danger Danger incorporated in their tunes on these songs.  Pop styled songs with insanely slick production, these songs may not be everyone's cup of tea, but they do showcase a smoother side to Poley's voice.

The real treats here are the demos, the Christmas song, and the previously unreleased Japan-only track, which is one of the best tracks on the collection.  Also worthy of special mention is the Melodica track, "Lovemetal" which should have been a big radio hit, in my opinion.  I also really enjoy the track Poley worked out with Jack Frost, and I felt that the blistering "Wastin' Your Luv" was one of the stronger points on Frost's disc when it came out.   If you ever wondered what a Poley "metal" song would sound like, you get a good indicator here!  The Pleasuredome track is another solid rocker, and while I'm generally not a huge fan of parodies, but "Ted Poley" is pretty funny in limited spins.

Nothing here is a "hit"...or a "tit" for that matter...but it doesn't matter, as this is a generally solid collection.  Sure there are some sound quality issues, but all in all, it's a solid, if LONG, listen.  The packaging is VERY generic, with no songwriting or musician credits to be found, no lyrics, no pictures (other than album covers), etc.  My copy was purchased a couple years ago when Ted was offering to include an autograph and a guitar pick to people who picked up the limited edition version.  I'm not sure how many different versions there are, so I do not know if there is a single disc version of this effort out there, but if there is, I have never seen it.

Rating:  With a collection this big, there are bound to be hits and misses, and not everyone will like everything, so I'd rock this at 6.5.  If you pull out a single disc worth of your favorites, you could conceivably crank it to 7.5 or so.

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STRYPER "Second Coming"

(c) 2013 Frontiers

1. Loud 'N Clear
2. Loving You
3. Soldiers Under Command
4. Makes Me Wanna Sing
5. First Love
6. The Rock That Makes Me Roll
7. Reach Out
8. Surrender
9. To Hell With The Devil
10. Calling On You 
11. Free
12. The Way
13. Sing-Along Song
14. More Than A Man
15. Bleeding From The Inside (New)
16. Blackened (New)

Michael Sweet--Lead Vocals, Guitars

Oz Fox--Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals

Timothy Gaines--Bass, Backing Vocals

Robert Sweet--Drums, Visual Timekeeping

There has been quite a trend lately of bands re-recording their classic material.  The reasons vary, but most generally it has something to do with the band being able to use and license the material they originally wrote but signed away the rights to in some contract 20 or 25 years ago.  The venture is risky, to say the least.  Fans have fallen in love with the originals (if they didn't, they probably aren't going to buy the re-records...), the singers have lost their range, the band decided to rearrange everything...many things could go wrong when a band decides to do something like this.  

Stryper is the latest band to tackle this chore and they do a more than commendable job in doing so.  Has Michael lost some of his range?  Possibly, but you really couldn't judge that by the lack of screams on this album, as Sweet lets things rip on multiple occasions.  Yes, there are a lot of vocals that are performed in a lower register on these re-records, but these are most obvious in the backing vocals.  This is especially true on a song like "Sing-Along Song", which, to be honest, took several plays before I got used to hearing it.  I will tell you that I prefer the original, but I like what the band has done on this track as well.  In fact, for the most part I like what the band has done on all of the tracks here, as they all come across as grittier, maybe even "more raw" if you want to use that term, sounding like they have been recorded in a more live fashion and not over-produced.

One of the main improvements here is the mix of the instruments.  Go back and listen to the original albums and it can be nearly impossible to find Timothy Gaines' bass on some songs.  That is not the case now.  Robert's drums sound livelier as well with more thump to them.  Oz and Michael have always been an understated guitar tandem, in my opinion, and that continues to be the truth here as the two play off of each other like the decades long team that they are.

Again, as I mentioned above, if I had one complaint about this effort it would be the obvious register change in the backing vocals.  I know that seems like a minor point, and that should be a good thing.  There are times, however, where they almost change the feel of the song.  The previously mentioned "Sing-Along Song" would be a perfect example.  The song isn't quite as bouncy or as "fun", if that makes sense, and that was what that song embodied to me: FUN!  I loved singing along to that track at concerts.  And, as I mentioned, after several listens, I am prepared for the register change, and I don't mind it.  At first, however...whoa...it was OBVIOUS something was different!  This is the case in a couple of other places as well, but I think most people will be like me and be able to work their way through the changes.

The two new songs here are a real treat, especially album closer, "Blackened".  This is a perfect example of the band finding that happy medium between moving forward without forgetting where they came from.  A pure rocker from start to finish, "Blackened" picks right up where "God" left off on The Covering a couple years ago.  "Bleeding..." is a solid enough song as well, albeit a bit more mid-to-slower tempo, which is fine.  As for me, I'll take an album of "Blackened" style songs any day!

The song selection is pretty much what you would expect, with songs being culled from the first three albums.  The glaring omission would be "Honestly", but that song has been played to death anyway, so I don't miss it at all.  There are rumblings that there will be a second Second Coming coming soon, possibly as early as the end of this year.  The next version will feature songs from In God We Trust, Against The Law, and the more recent releases.  I am anxious to hear what the band does to the A.T.L. songs, and I will be waiting to see if they decide to include the re-worked version of "In God We Trust" that they released a few years back.

The packaging is a digipack (I know, I know...), but the lyrics are all included along with several color photos and extensive thank yous and a brief band bio.  Frontiers generally does a good job in this department and they didn't disappoint here....other than the digi....

Rating:  Crank this re-recorded effort to a generous 7.5 and wait with bated breath for the next version to come soon.  An album of all new material is also said to be in the works, so be on the lookout for that as well...

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TALKIN' TRASH WITH...Stacey Blades (ex-LA Guns, ex-Roxx Gang)

Finally...another guitar player!  Yeah, those lead singers always want all the press, but the guitar players have plenty to say as well...and none say it better than Stacey Blades who just recently stepped away from his gig as the lead guitar player for LA Guns.  So what does this cool Canadian have to say about that situation, about Roxx Gang, about Tracii Guns...and about Canadian politics?  Quite a lot, actually, so grab a seat and read along as Stacey talks some trash....

G2G:  Stacey, thanks for giving us a call.  I have to say, you are the most prompt interview I have done so far!  You NAILED it on the time that we had set up.  Is that promptness a Stacey Blades signature?

Stacey: (Laughing)  Yeah, well, I guess I'm one of the last of the Mohicans....

G2G:  Stacey, so many people are, of course, already saying "what's up?  Why is Stacey Blades no longer in LA Guns?"  I'm assuming there's a story to tell there....

Stacey:  Um...you know what, I mean, that's the million dollar, Barbara Walters question, isn't it?

G2G:  Absolutely!

Stacey:  You know, a lot kind of happened last year.  I just kind of started burning out and I just...I felt like I was on a kind of a treadmill so to speak and we were touring several days a week, and I suffer from what is called sciatica, which is nerve damage in the legs and the lower back, as well.  So, we were out touring, leaving like every Wednesday, and we would drive and then play and then get back in the van and then drive these long distances and it was just wreaking havoc on my leg.  And with all of that I just wasn't happy any longer, I was just not enjoying myself any longer, and so out of respect for the band and for myself, I just said, look, I'm not enjoying this any more, it's not fair to you, it's not fair to me, and certainly I'm not going to continue if I'm miserable.  So...those were some of the key factors, and my guitar playing was going in a kind of different direction and the band was moving in more of a 70's type of direction with a lot of their new material, while I was getting a bit more progressive with my playing, and it wasn't really mixing well.  So that was a factor, too.  But, it was an amicable split, I wish the guys well, and vice versa.  Sometimes you have to look at music as a life journey and there are so many other paths to discover and things to do.  It wasn't an easy decision, I mean I spent a decade in the band and I'm very grateful that I was given that opportunity to replace Tracii and I had some great times, and we made some great records, and it was just an amazing experience.  But, I'm really excited about the future and where I'm going now.  There's a lot of great stuff happening right now.

G2G:  Since you already touched on the difference in direction with the band, I'll jump into a different question I already had.  Now, obviously, I've never worked with the guy, and in fact I've only met Phil (Lewis) once, but I have heard he's such a perfectionist that he's very hard to work with.  Was there any animosity there that led to your leaving the band?

Stacey:  Well, it's like any other band.  You're around each other all the time and you do get on each other's nerves and there are fights and there are creative clashes.  Certain disagreements that come up, especially in the recording process, where one guy will go, "oh! You should try it this way," or other people will go, "No, no, no, that doesn't work!" or, "I'm not doing that," and stuff like that, but that's not just Phil by any means.  That is  with any band.  Being in a band is the most dysfunctional job in the world (laughing).

G2G:  Many have said that!

Stacey: (Laughs) And, you know, its true!  But, for the most part, for the ten years I was in the band, we got along.  Sure, we had our moments, but everybody does.  But to be fair, there were a lot of times where I was the one who pushed the envelope, too.  I was always trying to get the guys to try different things and play different songs and stuff like that, and I was always trying to mix things up...and sometimes that works in a situation and sometimes it doesn't.  But, no, those guys were all fairly easy to work with, again, we did have our moments, but more or less what led to me leaving was, like I said, I was just really burned out.  I'm a guy that, if I'm in a situation where I'm not happy something...the bottom line is you gotta have fun doing what you do and you have to love it, and I just wasn't there any longer.  And when you're there it just becomes a job and you start resenting other people and...I just didn't want it to go down that dark path with the guys, and it was starting to do that, so I wanted to get out before it ended up where everybody was killing each other.

G2G:  Speaking of bad situations, was there ever a time when you ran into Tracii and things got ugly or anything?

Stacey:  No, man.  I only met him once, and it was pretty much right after I joined the band and he was off doing Brides Of Destruction with Nikki Sixx. Adam Hamilton, who was our bass player at the time, and I went and hung out with them at their rehearsal studio.  So, yeah, we hung out with Nikki and Tracii, and Tracii was really, really nice to me.  So, I mean, yeah, there's been stuff said in the media and whatever, and he's taken a few shots at me, but I don't hold anything against him or anything...

G2G:  That's actually pretty cool to hear, man.  You know you were talking before about having some creative issues within the band, and I was going to say that in a lot of ways, the last two LA Guns records were probable their most progressive records, especially as far as a lot of the guitar work goes, while still maintaining that sleazy edge LA Guns has always been known for.  Was that intentional on your part?

Stacey:  Yeah, I really wanted to take it even farther than we got to go, though.  There was a bit of clashing with that, and on this last record, Hollywood Forever, it was really the first time I kind of noticed that we weren't maybe all on the same page all the time.  You have to have an open mind when you're recording, because there are four or five other guys, and a producer, that you're going to be dealing with, and you can't go in with the mindset of "that's it!  This is how I'm doing things!"  And there are some guys out there who will do that, and just slam their fist down and demand things be done their way.  I tried to bring in a more progressive style, like you mentioned, and I think it's really obvious when you hear the title track, "Hollywood Forever", which I think is very...I wanted it to be almost like a Deep Purple, like a Ritchie Blackmore kinda thing, and I was really going for that.  I spent weeks and weeks refining a lot of the solos which I then ended up having to change because as a guitar player you want to throw in everything but the kitchen sink, and on this last record, I really wanted to make my statement, you know.  Sometimes, it's like, well, it works in some songs but in others it doesn't, so you have to look at yourself as an artist rather than being completely selfish and saying, "well, I already did that on my solo instrumental album" while at the same time wanting to be heard, if that makes any sense (laughs).  It can't all be one person's ideas when you are in a band situation is what I'm trying to say.

G2G:  I always like to ask this question to see what the response is, because it seems like all of the artists I talk to refer to their songs as "their children" or "their babies".  So, is there a particular "child" you are more fond of than the rest?

Stacey:  Umm...well, there is always a team effort in the way we approached most things with LA Guns, you know.  We branched out a little different on this new record, as opposed to Tales From The Strip, where we would all kind of get together every week and work on songs together.  We spent like eight weeks working on riffs and stuff like that for that record, and Adam (the producer) would then kind of mold them all together.  On Hollywood Forever, everybody came in with mostly finished songs, so it was quite a bit different.  So, when you get to that type of writing, people get very protective of...I guess you could call them children, absolutely...and you get to where it's like, "you're not messing with my child!" (laughter) I think I brought in about four or five songs, and I think I had three that made the album and then a fourth one that made the Japanese version as a bonus track that was called "Rattlesnake"...

G2G:  Oh, that was yours?

Stacey:  Yeah, that was a song...that was one of the last songs that was brought in and I was kinda hoping it would make the record, but it didn't turn out as good as I thought it could have been.  We didn't spend a lot of time on that song, but I think when I look back at that and songs that I brought in, I'm really proud of "Hollywood Forever".  I think its just such an epic song, and what's cool about these songs on this last record is I wrote lyrics for the first time, which I had never done before.  So I wrote the lyrics for that song and "Vine Street Shimmy" and "Rattlesnake" and...what was the other one...oh, "Venus Bomb", another song I'm really proud of.  It's got that kind of old school, rockabilly vibe done Guns style.

G2G:  Absolutely...  So is it a different writing approach for you when you get to do the lyrics and put the whole song together?

Stacey:  The material was so strong that the lyrics kind of wrote themselves, and once I started getting on kind of a roll I started to look at the songs and go, "man, these are really kind of good".  So I took them to Phil and he really liked them, but I gave them to him to kind of mold because he's the guy that has to sing them,  What you hear in your head when you are writing isn't always what the singer is able to do.  So, from a singer's point of view it might be like, "well, you have too many words in this", or "that doesn't really rhyme", or whatever, so that person kind of takes over a bit, which he honestly has to, I think.  But, so no, my approach doesn't really change, I guess...the songs just kind of wrote themselves, you know what I mean...

G2G:  Going back a bit, you were in the latter stages of Roxx Gang correct?

Stacey:  Yep, uh huh.  I joined that band in 1992 and I was actually in that band for eight years, if you can believe that (laughter).

G2G:  What really happened to that situation there, because Roxx Gang was, to me at least, a band that looked like it was ready to explode after that debut album, and then they fell apart and then became the Mojo Gurus for a little while...

Stacey:  Yeah, man...I look back on that time and, to be honest, it's eight years I'd rather forget about (laughter).

G2G:  Not a good time, huh?

Stacey in Roxx Gang

Stacey:  Noooo...(laughter)...not a good time at all.  I mean, the first few years were kinda cool, and I was glad to have the opportunity to play in that band, I got to see some cool stuff, and I thought they were a great band.  I was a fan of that first album also, and I thought it was a great opportunity, so...  You nailed it, though, that band should have been a lot bigger than they were, that first album was very strong, but of course by the time the second album came out, alternative music was very much at it's height in '94 and '95, and there were just a lot of issues there.  The lead singer, Kevin Steele, was just a total control freak, very self-centered, egotistical, and to make matters worse, his brother managed the band.

G2G:  So nepotism reared it's ugly head, I take it...'

Stacey:  Totally, yeah.  (laughs)  They never wanted to tour, and then they turned this thing into this weird...I don't even know how to describe the crap that they turned it into with this Mojo Gurus crap.  And as bad as it was, it was stuff he continued doing towards 2000 or so, and it was just silly and I was like, "man, I gotta get outta this thing".  And Florida wasn't all that great for me, either, and coming out to L.A. was definitely a smart move for me.  But I look back at it and I can say I played in two of my favorite late-80's hard rock bands with Roxx Gang and LA Guns, because I was a fan of both bands before I was actually in them, so that's pretty cool.

G2G:  Well, I can describe Mojo Gurus for you...garbage!  Horrible!

Stacey: (laughter)

G2G:  I bought that album when it came out thinking, hey, you know Roxx Gang with a different name, and a lot of bands will do that if they have a different line-up or something...

Stacey:  Right...absolutely...

G2G:  ...but this wasn't just a line-up change, this wasn't even the same sound any longer.

Stacey:  No, you're right, it was a joke.  It was like, "what are you guys thinking?"  And I was trying to be objective, but it was like, "you know, this sounds like shit".  Too many drugs, man, I don't know...he lost his mind, I guess.  I....I cringe when I think back to making that record, I don't ever listen to that album, it's...like you said, it's just horrible.  Kevin lost all cred and all respect when he released that...what little he had left...and that was it, it was over at that point.

G2G:  Yeah, not a good experiment and yet, to me, the sad thing is that Mojo was where Steele seemed to want to go.  It wasn't like he was chasing trends...

Stacey:  No, you're right.  Exactly.  And that's fine, I've got no problem with that as far as being creative or whatever, but it's kind of a drastic change, and of course I didn't expect the guy to wind up in a vinyl jumpsuit and a cowboy hat for years and years...(laughing)  I mean...how does he go from that, that almost, you know, glam kind of look to growing a full beard and playing this weird kind of bluegrass, hillbilly kinda thing.  Wow.  But, anyway...

G2G:  When you were out touring with LA Guns, were you starting to see a phenomenon that a lot of people I have talked to have mentioned, that being multi-generational families showing up at your shows?

Stacey:  Yeah, absolutely, especially, oh, I'd say 2008, 2009, 2010...those tours.  There was a large increase in the younger kids showing up to our shows, especially at the big outdoor shows.  And, that was really refreshing to see, and I think all these kids were getting into and discovering these older bands through their parents or older brothers.  And, too, I think a lot of parents were encouraging their kids saying, "you should go check them out" and the kid shows up and hears this huge sound of these types of bands and all the cool songs and imagery, and it's all new to them because they weren't alive when that stuff was originally going on.

G2G:  Now, Stacey, when I was doing some research before this interview I discovered that you are also an author, correct?

Stacey:  (laughs)  Well, yeah...a lot of people come up to me that know and say, "oh, you're an author!"  (laughs)  I guess you could say that because yes, my autobiography was published, but I certainly don't consider myself an author...

G2G:  How do you find your book?  I've looked all over the place and can't find it, but I wanna read it!

Stacey: (laughs)  Well, that's because they sold out!  No...its sold exclusively on Amazon.  Just go into books and type in my name and it should show up.  (G2G note:  the book DOES show up on www.amazon.com if you are smart enough to type it in correctly).  The book is called Snake Eyes: Confessions of a Replacement Rockstar.

G2G:  So how did that process come about?  Did you just feel like you had some tales to tell, or was this part of the progression away from LA Guns...

Stacey:  No, not at all.  It was actually written a couple of years ago.  Around that time I had read quite a few rock autobiographies and I started to think, "I've got an interesting story to tell," and I just started writing on the computer and a year-and-a-half later it was like, boom, I had a book.  So, I had it published and it was like, holy crap I actually did this.  To me, it's funny, because I wrote that book around three years ago, so the story ends but there has been so much that has happened in the last couple of years that I'd really like to have the book re-published.  I've actually written six additional chapters and have gone back and re-edited the whole thing.  So, I kind of look at that original version as a kind of collector's edition or something and I'm actually hoping to get it republished by a bigger publisher sometime this year.

G2G:  So we need to be on the lookout for that...

Stacey:  Yeah, it's an interesting process and I kind of enjoyed it.  You really open yourself up, you know, and your whole life, and it's kind of cool but at the same time it's a weird thing and you have to be careful what you say about some people and you have to know that you are gonna piss some people off, but that's just kind of the nature of writing about your life and yourself and you have to know it's going to happen.

G2G:  Was there a point where you said, "You know, I'd love to tell this truth but it's just not worth the bridge I'd have to burn"?

Stacey:  (laughing) Of course! It's like, well, if you word things carefully enough you can get around some things, and if you don't embellish...  But I never really had to embellish anything, and all of the stories in my book are true.  I've had this roller coaster ride of a life, and so much of what all of these rock stars have written about going through, I've gone through also, but from kind of a different place, you know.  So it's kind of a story of inspiration where a lot of people would have probably handed in the towel and just said, "I'm done", but where I kept plugging away and plugging away and not giving up, so it's kind of a story of inspiration but mixed in with all your sex, drugs, and rock n roll! (laughs)  There's stalkers and car crashes and suicides and all that kind of stuff...it's a good read! (laughs)

G2G:  So when did you first pick up a guitar and say Stacey Blades is going to be a rock star?

Stacey:  Well, I come from a long line of piano players in my family and I started on piano when I was nine, actually.  My mom played, my great-uncle was just incredible, he was like Liberace, I swear, with the rings and the fancy suits and such.  And then my sister spent eight years in conservatory so, I tried taking lessons from nine to eleven, but then one Christmas I got this cheap acoustic guitar and I just remember picking that thing up and it just became a part of me.  I didn't know any chords or anything, so I was just banging away on the thing, but it just spoke to me more than any piano or piano lesson that I had ever taken.  It changed me, and once I was like 13 or 14, I was just like, "this is it!", and after all those years spent in front of the mirror with that guitar I had decided this is what I'm doing.

G2G:  So do you remember your first real band?

Stacey:  Yes.  The first real band I was in they kicked me out of because I wanted to rock! (laughs)

G2G:  A rebel was born!

Stacey: (Laughing) Exactly!  I think my first actual gig was in the summertime at this political rally, and we played things like Bryan Adams and ZZ Top, and...god, like Huey Lewis... (laughter)  It was really poppy stuff, but I was like "c'mon, guys, let's rock!  Let's play some Ramones and some Motley and Aerosmith..." but they were like, "no, we wanna keep playing Top 40, and you're too 'rocker'", so they kicked me out of that band.  Then, I started a band after that with a bunch of really great, young, very talented guys, and that band was together for about a year and a half, and I consider that to be my first band.  That band was called Blind Desire, and we had like six or seven really good originals and we would mix things up with stuff by Ratt and Aerosmith, you know, some Cheap Trick and Motley and all that stuff, and we started playing the club circuit.  And, I was in about three or four bands that worked the Toronto circuit in the late 80's, but it was frustrating because even if you made it in Canada, remember we were in Toronto at the time which had a great scene, by the way, but there was only so far you could go with that, even if you got a major record deal.  You just didn't get that push in the States, and I always said that if I was gonna have a music career it was going to have to be in the U.S., so as bad as the Roxx Gang thing was, I really feel I was fortunate to have that chance to establish myself in the U.S., so I'm grateful for that.

G2G:  Now, since you are a Canadian, I'm going to ask you a question that probably nobody has ever asked you before in a rock interview.

Stacey: (laughs) Okay, ready....

G2G:  Should Quebec secede?

Stacey: (Laughing)  F**k 'em!  (Laughing)  I think that's pretty much everybody's opinion, you know.   They've been trying to do that for f**cking years.  It's funny because everybody in all the other provinces just hate the French!  (laughs)  They're always trying to be the Separatist Party, and say f**k everybody else, but what they don't realize is how much it will f**k themselves

Some geography help for non-Canadians!

and the rest of the country as far as trade and everything goes, and stuff like that.  But they've been trying to do that for years...I mean YEARS...and I remember a couple of years back they had some rally in Montreal and some guy blasted into this thing with a gun and killed a couple of people!  So, it's like, is this a sign?  Ah...(laughs)...don't get me started on the French!

G2G:  (Laughing)  Sorry, Stacey...my first college degree was actually in history and political science, so...

Stacey:  Is it really?

G2G:  Yeah...

Stacey:  That's cool...

G2G:  So, I'll steer us back to the rock n roll a bit and leave the French alone for a minute.

Stacey:  F**k 'em!

G2G:  (laughing)  So what is Stacey Blades going to do now?  I read something about television and movie scoring or something like that?

Stacey:  Well, I have a couple of pretty cool things going on now, actually.  I'm working with a company called Soundtrack Loops, and that is a company that you can check out on-line at www.soundtrackloops.com .  Basically they provide all kinds of music for different things, such as mixes, for television and film, sampling, software packages that you can install and stuff like that.  My neighbor actually hooked me up with one of his buddies, Jason Donnely, and we started talking and he was telling me about what he did...  That whole world was kind of...I was aware of it, but I didn't know much about it, like it was kind of a mystery.  So, he's like, "we should record your guitars and then I can sell them and do all this stuff," and I was like, "man, that sounds kind of interesting".  So, we actually tracked like 22 pieces, like little two minute pieces, and what we did was we used all different styles, so one day we'd do Eddie Van Halen-type stuff, like "Hot For Teacher" kinda stuff, and then another day we did Stevie Ray Vaughn type stuff, or Eric Johnson, or Ritchie Blackmore, all these different cool styles.  So, it was really very exciting for me to compile all these different pieces and to try to play like such and such a style or guitar player.  So, those go on the market in the next couple of weeks and I'm really, really psyched about that, and it's been a really fun experience and we're going to do more stuff like that.  I'm also working for a company called Six String, which is a new app for iTunes and iPad and all that stuff.  It's like an interactive thing where you can interact with all different kinds of guitar players and you can upload soundbytes or images, share gig information, gear information, stuff like that, so that's cool.  And, I'm still playing, too.  I'm working with the Hard Rock All-Stars with Juan Crocier from Ratt and Jamie St. James and Pete Holmes from Black N Blue.

G2G:  That sounds cool...

Stacey:  Yeah, I actually ran into Juan at the NAMM Convention and we started talking and he ended up calling me up and he's like, "I got this thing and I think you'd be perfect for it", and we actually had our first rehearsal a couple of weeks ago.  It was fun.  It was cool playing all that old Ratt stuff and Black N Blue stuff, and we're going to start doing some shows coming up in a few weeks or so...  Nothing full time, or anything, because Juan's back in Ratt and they're recording a new album, and Jamie and Pete have Black N Blue, and other things, and I have other things, too, so we'll see how it works and what kind of schedule we can put together and we plan to start gigging maybe once or twice a month.  I also just finished up recording some new stuff with Andy Johns, which was cool getting to work with Andy again, and I worked with this great singer from New Orleans named Paul Christiano, who sounds like Scott Weiland and David Lee Roth kinda rolled into one (laughs).

G2G: Now there's a combination!

Stacey:  (laughing)  Dude, this guy is an AMAZING singer and I really expect big things are going to happen with this guy.  We've been writing some pretty amazing stuff together and I'm really excited to work with him.  He's a really good writer and we're going to do a few more songs and, well, he's got a pretty big entertainment lawyer behind him, so we're gonna shop that and see what comes out.  It may end up developing into a new band-type of situation, so...  Yeah, I've been really busy over the last few months.  I kind of look at myself as a free agent, if you will...

G2G:  A "Gun" for hire...

Stacey:  (laughing) Yes...no pun intended...(laughing)....

G2G:  No pun intended at all...  Speaking of the "gun", whenever we get the chance to talk to a guitar player, people always want to know about the rig that you use.

Stacey:  Oh, sure, sure.  Well, I use a couple of different rigs.  I mean, um, over the last six years while I was in LA Guns, all we did was fly, so when we played, except locally, we always used rental gear.  However, my main rig was a Marshall JCM-900 and I'd run one head head through two 412 cabinets and my pedal board is nothing too outrageous, just all the major necessities.  I run a Boss Super Chorus with digital delay, a Maxim overdrive and a Boss Chromatic tuner and a Cry-Baby Wah.  So, you know...just the meat and potatoes. (Actually, I DON'T know...I know NOTHING about guitars or rigs...just FYI....)  But my other gear, which I've had for years since I was endorsed by Crate Amplifiers, which isn't even a company anymore, I have a mountain of stuff from them.  It's really too bad they went under because they were really coming out with some cool stuff.  I've gotten a couple of really nice Blue Voodoo 120 two-heads from them, and they were really coming out with some amazing Solid State stuff with digital app effects built into them, and I don't really know what happened.  St. Louis Music was a pretty big corporation, but I guess one the economy took a crap I think a lot of the companies really kind of fell by the wayside or are just barely, barely holding on.  Even the guitar companies felt that recession big time....

G2G:  Well people need to eat before they play...

Stacey:  (laughs) Well, yeah, if their priorities aren't in order.  But, no, unfortunately that is a reality.

G2G:  So how do people stay in contact with you and keep up with Stacey Blades' world?

Stacey:  Lots of avenues there.  I've got my Facebook page, I've got a Stacey Blades Music Page on Facebook, and I've got www.StaceyBlades.com .  And, of course, all three of those pages are linked on my website.  People can also follow me on Twitter, which is Stacey_Blades , so I'm pretty active with all that stuff.  Being on my own now, so to speak, you have to constantly network and let people know what you're doing.

G2G:  The whole music industry has changed so much and social networking has almost become a must now...

Stacey:  It really has.  It's funny now that you mention that because when we were recording a couple weeks ago with Andy Johns this guy came into the studio and was like, "did you know that YouTube is now acknowledged by Billboard?"  And we were all like, "what?  Seriously?"  But if you think about it, YouTube is like the new MTV, except you get to choose what you watch, you know.  You don't see music videos or many live performances on regular television now, not on MTV or even VH1, so it's actually such a media outlet for artists and musicians now, I mean, just think where we'd be without YouTube.  So, actuall Billboard is acknowledging that and your view count is used for charting purposes.  It's crazy but really, it's kinda cool.  I consider it a plus.  The record industry is a little...I mean, it's kind of making a comeback and I've noticed that vinyl is slowly coming back which is really exciting, I think...but as far as getting a record deal and stuff like that now, it's not as easy as it was several years ago, and it's still tough to move units and stuff like that with all the digital downloads and things like that.  Really, touring is where it's at and that's how you move records which is something I always enjoy when I am able to do it.

G2G:  Do you like the festival scene that seems to be the big trend right now?

Stacey:  Yeah,  the problem with that is that once you find one of these festivals that does well year after year after year, it's like how many times can you keep seeing the same bands.  And there's only so many bands that you can recycle through and recycle through and recycle through.  But those festivals have a life of their own, and some of them do really well by bringing in newer acts or more obscure acts or whatever, because once you get into a festival for the fifth, sixth year in a row, if you don't change up, it's like how many of these same 80's metal bands can you still put on.  But some do a really good job of getting reunion acts or, like I said, more obscure acts, and some are a lot of fun.  But for me, on the band side, those are always fun and I always enjoyed playing them and getting to see a lot of friens in other bands.  They're like big parties...

G2G:  We're putting a festival together this fall...

Stacey:  Really?  I didn't know that...congratulations...

G2G:  Yeah, thanks.  And Phil Lewis is actually doing an acoustic show one of the nights...

Stacey:  That's cool, that should be fun.  It's funny you say that, because now that you say acoustic I remember that I forgot to mention that I've been doing some acoustic shows with Robert Mason from Warrant. Mason/Blades is actually what it's called...(laughing)

G2G:  Deep and original...

Stacey:  (laughing)  I know, right?  But back to what you were saying, what I always enjoy about the festivals is the catching up with everybody in the other bands, so it's like a big camping trip or boy's weekend for the rocker crowd.  Eddie Trunk shows up at a lot of those festivals, and we're good friends, so that's fun.  So...yeah, they're great and I always enjoyed playing those.  Good luck with yours...

G2G:  Well, Stacey, thanks so much for the time...I've eaten up more than I planned to, but once we got onto Canadian politics...

Stacey:  (laughs)  Right...damn French!

G2G:  Exactly!  You know, I took two years of French in high school and remember maybe two dozen words, so I'd better stay out of Canada...or at least Quebec...for my own safety...

Stacey:  It's funny, back in public school, you didn't have to take French in high school (in Canada).  So once I finished what we call public school, which was grade 8, and then went on to high school, we didn't have to take French any longer, so I was like, "well, I ain't taking any damn French! I don't need to speak French!"  And I remember going to Montreal, oh, back in '89.  And I was staying in this hotel downtown and...I mean EVERYTHING is in French!  You go into Burger King and even the menu is in French!  And you ask somebody for something and they are like (in his snottiest French accent), "Bah, I no speak Engl-aysh"...just rude, rude people.  And it was kinda like that over in France, too.  But...anyways...(laughing)  We'll be on the phone for the next hour if we get into that!  F**k the French!  (laughing)

G2G:  (laughing)  Well, again Stacey, thanks so much.  I hope to track down your book (which I did) and look forward to the re-writing of it, and maybe we'll chat down the road again.

Stacey:  Definitely, definitely.  Appreciate it, Arttie.




So there you have it folks...more reasons to hate Canada...straight from a former Canadian!  (At least I think he's a former Canadian...or at least a Canadian American now).  Thanks to Stacey for dishing a little dirt and having some fun with us here on Glitter2Gutter!

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HARLOT "Room With A View"

(c) 1989 Olafssongs

1. Now I See
2. So Much For Happy Endings
3. Out All Night
4. Spirits
5. Invisible Ones
6. Metropolis Children
7. Dancing On Dynamite
8. Bring Home Your Love
9. Kecia

Alex Savage--Vocals

Mike Koch--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Bo Baerentsen--Bass, Backing Vocals

Peter Warming--Drums, Backing Vocals

Bo Brinck--Keyboards, Backing Vocals

Additional Musicians:

Steve Cherry--Backing Vocals

Here is one of those long lost albums that you read about occasionally, but rarely run across.  It's not that Harlot was a big name or that you've heard this album and just don't realize it, as much as it is that this was a pretty solid album with a nice, melodic hard rock sound that would possibly have scored a couple of big radio hits had it been released in America by an American band.  However, since these boys hailed from Denmark and since they had NOTHING in the way of label backing, this disc goes relatively unnoticed by people who aren't sure what they are looking at.  Trust me when I say that if you can find this one somewhere, you should grab it if the price is decent (anything under $20 is pretty good). 

Comparable to such bands as Da Vinci, Treat, Bad Habit, or so many other very good-to-great Scandinavian melodic hard rockers, Room With A View is a solid listen from beginning to end, with only a couple of minor glitches in the songwriting.  For the most part, the album sticks to uptempo rockers underscored with keyboards that don't overpower the songs but enhance them, instead. There are a couple of exceptions, such as "So Much For Happy Endings", when the keyboards are just too out front for my tastes, but that is mostly a problem on the intro and the rest of the song is generally a good one.  (I believe this was also a single off this album in Europe...) There are actually some very strong guitars on this track, so I'm not sure why the band felt the need to incorporate so many keys.

As you would expect, there are a few slower moments as well, but surprisingly, these songs are not the strongest as one might suspect they would be with an AOR act such as Harlot. "Metropolis Children", which isn't really a ballad but is definitely lower-mid-tempo, really does nothing for me at all, although the chorus is a bit catchy.  "Spirits" isn't a horrible song, but it is pretty long (nearly 5:30) and really seems to drag and lacks any true hook.  "Bring Home Your Love" is easily the best of the slow numbers here and I suspect it was featured at more than one high school dance in Denmark as it has prom power ballad written all over it.  Reminds me of something Bad English would have done, as a means of comparison, and I'm guessing radio would have really feasted on this track if it had been on this side of the pond and on a big label.

When the band sticks to what it does best, such as on the rocking "Dancing On Dynamite" or "Invisible Ones", they are a very solid band, even if they do rely too much on keys at times.  Again, this is an album that I think people who identify themselves as fans of the AOR or melodic rock genres are going to really like, if not love.  If you are looking for more of a "hair metal" sound, you might find the album a bit weak overall, and if you are strictly in it for the sleaze, you should just go ahead and pass on Harlot, as they are not your thing at all.

As it is, I call it like I see it overall, and I try to not get caught up in the genre/label thing...

Rating:  Rock this at a good 6.5, with just a couple of tracks...and a few too many keyboards...keeping this from being a crank-worthy disc.

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WILD ROSE "Dangerous"

(c) 2013 AOR Heaven

1. Alone
2. Hold On
3. Can't Stop Loving You
4. If You Still Love Me
5. Dream On
6. Awake
7. Tonight
8. I Won't Forget You
9. Is This Love
10. Not A Day Goes By

David Saylor--Vocals

Andy Rock--Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals

Phil Gun--Bass 

Dirty Harris--Keyboards, Backing Vocals

Tiny Karpo--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Junior Domanos--Drums

Holy retro, Batman!  When I put Dangerous, the new release from Greece's Wild Rose, in my CD player, I had to look around to make sure everyone wasn't suddenly wearing stone-washed jeans, denim jackets, spandex, and massively teased hair!  Seriously, a lot of bands go a long way toward capturing the sound and spirit of the 80's hard rock scene, but Wild Rose takes things to an entirely different level.  Were it not for the amazingly crystal clear production on this record, it would be basically impossible to tell much of Wild Rose's music apart from the keyboard-laden AOR material of the 80's such as Giuffria, Giant, Nelson, Heart, or even an act like a John Parr, a Richard Marx, or a solo Lou Gramm, at times.    

This album was my first introduction to the band, so I had no issues with the shake-up of the band's foundation prior to the release of this disc.  From what I have gathered upon seeking out the band's previous efforts, we have a new lead singer and lead guitar player on this album, but I have no idea as to why the original members were replaced.  That being said, I have to state that I prefer Saylor's vocals to those of his predecessor, and there is no major change in the approach of the guitars on this album, so people who were fans of Wild Rose before are likely to find themselves fawning all over this album as well.

There are just so many 80's moments on this album, it's hard to explain it.  Heck, even the majority of the song titles were used on some pretty big hits from the 80's and early 90's!  Musically, "I Can't Stop Loving You" (not the Van Halen track) is about as pure a piece of 80's AOR worship as you can find anywhere.  The same can be said of the somewhat harder rocking "Is This Love" (not the Whitesnake song), and "Alone" (not the Heart song).  As I mentioned above, Richard Marx comes to mind when I hear a song like the ballad "Awake", and Lou Gramm's solo work can be referenced in "Not A Day Goes By".  "I Won't Forget You" (not the Poison song) is another above average mid-tempo rocker that reminds me musically of what Nelson was doing in the heyday of their career, although there are instances of excessive keyboard use in this track that almost ruin it for me.

In fact, if I had a complaint it would be the keyboard.  There are simply too many keyboards on some of these songs.  Heck, they have TWO keyboard players!  As I have stated before, I am not opposed to keyboards as a supplemental instrument as long as they are powerful and fill in the gaps between the guitars, giving the music that big, full sound.  For the most part, that is how the keys are used here.  But at times, such as on "Hold On", the keys are those tinkly, jingly sounds that really damaged a lot of the songs on Shy's Excess All Areas album, for example.  They are just too...prissy, too..I don't know...lacking in power.  As such, I don't really understand their inclusion.  To be fair, I didn't understand their inclusion in the 80's, either, as they tend to take some very good, sometimes even great songs, and make them very hard for me to enjoy.  

Musically, it is impossible to deny the talent of this band.  They are impressive.  Lyrically, they are a bit simplistic, but not cliche like so many foreign rockers tend to be, and I think that has to do with the fact that English is Saylor's native language.  As such, there is also not that annoying accent problem that a lot of foreign singers have.  However, while musically very skillful, it is almost too clean, too pristine, to be rock and roll in spots.  As such, some of the songs come across like those on the last Journey album: musically perfect but not overly memorable or original.

If pure AOR is your passion, and hook-filled, keyboard-heavy melodic rock is what you are looking for, Wild Rose is definitely going to be a pleasure for you to listen to.  If you need more grit and more drive, you are still most likely going to find some things to like about this album, but you may find yourself asking where the teeth of the songs are.  For me, I am somewhere in the middle, as I can appreciate really good AOR, which Wild Rose performs, although, as I stated, a few of these songs just get too "pretty" for me, and I wonder how many of these songs I will be able to instantly recognize in the next several weeks, months, or years.

Rating:  A tough ranking for me.  Musically, there is no doubt these guys are in the stratosphere as far as skill goes, so a 9 isn't out of the question.  On the other hand, a couple of tunes REALLY turn me off, and one or two don't move me in any direction at all.  So, as a final rating, I'd have to say this album still manages to land in the crankable category, but just barely, with a 7 rating.  Some people will rate this MUCH higher, no doubt, and I couldn't argue their point.

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