Archive for March 18, 2009

DEE SNIDER IS A TRUE AMERICAN METAL HERO

Posted in classic rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Metal, metal music, Music, rock music with tags , , , , , , on March 18, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

3986146Yes, we have a historic time of change in our nation’s history at the moment, it is always a great time to be an American. However, let us not forget, that it was not long ago, when the PMRC, wanted to abolish and strip Heavy Metal from its foundation. Censorship of any kind is very scary inside a democracy. So many bands were on their list, from Twisted Sister to Stryper! I will forever be grateful to Dee Snider, for sticking up for what is right, not backing down to the PMRC and the politicians (yes, Al Gore and his wife Tipper Gore), that wanted to ban and restrict Metal and musical lyrics.

How quickly a nation can forget, I hope this is a well deserved reminder to all Metal and Extreme music fans, to know how precious our rights are, to listen to any music we choose. What Dee Snider stood for while defending Heavy Metal for all of us was beyond being a Metal hero, Dee Snider was being a true and free American, defending our rights.

The entire “Congressional hearings” are well documented and founded in regards to this event/circus. Without the likes of Dee Snider and the late Frank Zappa and many more Metal and music artists who represented all of us in the “Metal family” we would not have any Extreme music today. For if the PMRC would have gotten their way, there would be no Metal or Punk bands for any Metal magazine or blog to cover. Pretty scary stuff huh? I can live with the silly “parental advisory” stickers on CD’s, I simply would have had a sadder and different life without Metal and Punk Rock.

LONG LIVE DEE SNIDER.

Stone.

TIGER ARMY – “Music From Regions Beyond” is a worthy listen!

Posted in Music, Punk rock with tags , on March 18, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

Tiger Army has been around, since about 19988354283, and what a refreshing Punk Rock band this is! The constant Punk vibe you hear throughout “Music From Regions Beyond” is addicting, man, this album will grow on you. The first two tracks are obviously the heaviest sounding, both musically and vocally. “Hotprowl” and “Afterworld” rock heavy with sincere Punk Rock groove. “Hechizo de Amor” is a Spanish track, the vocals are sung in Spanish and the music has Latin flavor all over it. From the guitar to the percussion and bass, this song is a strong statement of musical diversity for Tiger Army. Like all the tunes on this album, it makes you move. “Spring Forward” has great lyrics, based on a moment of time and reflection. This song, like all the others, is just down right great stuff. There are no pretentious moments on “Music From Regions Beyond”. The overall quality of the songs and their lack of over indulgence into excessiveness is what makes this one great album and band. No question, for me this is as diverse as any Punk album in recent years. In my opinion, Nick 13 is a great vocalist, song writer/lyricist and plays one heck of a Punk & Rockabilly guitar. Jeff Roffredo plays stand-up bass and James Meza plays drums, I really dig this trio called Tiger Army! If you are into the Ramones, the Misfits, Osaka Popstar, AFI or a fan of Punk Rock in general, you really have to give Tiger Army a listen and get hooked by their infectious Punk vibe! Tiger Army will prove to you that Punk Rock is still happening right NOW!

The liner notes are very cool, with 8 pages of complete lyrics, a full page black & white photo of Nick 13 and a full color 2 page photo of the entire band.” “Music From Regions Beyond” was originally released in 2007.

What is a “Metal Performance” anyway? Metal genres anyone?

Posted in Album Review, Century Media, concerts, Guitar, Heavy Metal, Metal, Metal Edge, Music, Rock, rockabilia, Vocals with tags , , , on March 18, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

8978421In all of my years of listening to Heavy Metal and all other METAL genres, from going to Arena size METAL concerts, to small club METAL gigs, I do not think I ever referred to any METAL music that I am aware of, as, well, a “METAL performance”. What in the world is a “METAL performance”? I know that a ballet, a comedian on stage, a high school play or a middle school band can give a performance. METAL and the word performance do not add up correctly. If I ever used the phrase, at any time in my METAL life, to anyone I know, “Hey, that was one terrific METAL performance by MOTORHEAD last night”, well, I probably would never be hearing the end of it.  

It is obvious that the Grammy Awards love the word “performance”. In my METAL opinion, if it is a song that is nominated, well, this is pretty easy now, call it – “Best METAL song”. Now, just for example, if it is an album that is nominated, the Grammy Awards call it – “Best Rock album”. How come the Grammy Awards do not call it – “Best Rock Performances”? Gee, there are more than one song on an album and one song is considered a performance, so, several songs should be considered – performances? Basically my point is this: THE WORD “PERFORMANCE” IS NOT METAL – NOR IS IT HARD ROCK EITHER. This is my own Metal opinion.

Also, while I am on the Grammy Awards topic, I have learned, through the 2009 Grammy Awards, that METALLICA is considered a ROCK band. Yup, a Rock band. After all these years, what was I thinking?! How could I have ever felt that METALLICA was a THRASH METAL band? You see, METALLICA, with their 2008 release “DEATH MAGNETIC”, was nominated in the “Best Rock Album” category. Here is some sound METAL advice to any and all awards shows out there: IT PAYS TO LISTEN TO AN ALBUM BEFORE YOU “PLACE” IT INTO A WRONG MUSICAL CATEGORY. Let’s now set the record straight. ROCK GENRE LESSON 101 BEGINS HERE:

1. THE EAGLES, U2, HOOTIE and the BLOWFISH and JOHN MAYER are – ROCK.

2. BAD COMPANY, FOREIGNER, JOURNEY, CHEAP TRICK and THE ANSWER are – HARD ROCK.

(This is just my perception, I cannot help myself but feel that MOTLEY CRUE is NOT a HARD ROCK band, they are HEAVY METAL. If anyone wants to put MOTLEY CRUE into the same genre with JOURNEY and BAD COMPANY, well, have a ball! The Grammy Awards want to rewrite the history of HEAVY METAL, they want to “place” bands into whatever music genres they see fit.

Now, let’s skip over HEAVY METAL and METAL with all of their related sub-genres just to get to THRASH METAL more quickly.

3. Here we are, comfortably in the THRASH METAL category now. THRASH = METALLICA. I do not understand the confusion. It is not a difficult concept to ascertain. After seeing how I have broken down the Rock and METAL  genres, (very simply I might add), you will notice that the Grammy Awards had decided to “place” METALLICA into a genre of music that is so far removed from what type of music they actually play, that, it is actually quite comedic. I am guessing that it is a very tedious, very time consuming task for the Grammy Awards to just add the category – “Best Metal Album”. Instead, the Grammy Awards next year will place, side to side, the likes of U2 with say, LAMB OF GOD and say – let the best “Rock album” win. None of us Metalheads need to be rocket scientists to figure out which “Best Rock Album” wins next year. Here is a hint, the band has one letter and one number in it’s name and they ARE NOT METAL.