It is May 25th, 2009, Memorial Day in the United States. Today is also… the 61st birthday for Klaus Meine, lead vocalist for the incredible, dynamic and legendary Scorpions. Metal Odyssey gives out a loud, Metal filled, Happy Birthday to Klaus Meine! I can go on for days as to how much Metal joy that Klaus Meine and the Scorpions have given me, with their Heavy Metal, throughout my life. My favorite Scorpions album ever, is “In Trance” – this album showcased an up and coming Heavy Metal band that was filled with the Metal hunger and talent needed to sustain such a long standing, unbelievable career. Released in 1975, the third album, this is a Scorpions release unlike their “Animal Magnetism”, “Blackout” or “Love At First Sting” albums. This is Scorpions Metal that was raw, rough and edgy, in other Metal words – great tunes without the Arena Rock flamboyancy. Do not get me wrong, I support and revere every album ever released by the Scorpions. Only this is a Scorpions band in their Metal infancy, the dynamics are clearly heard on this album, which makes me choose “In Trance” as my favorite Scorpions release. This vinyl Metal Classic still exists in my collection today, after so many plays on the turntable. I am still amazed that I was able to keep this album, in such incredible condition, for this long!
“Top of the Bill” is my favorite track on “In Trance”, this song exemplifies what true old school Heavy Metal sounds like. The Scorpions musicians over the decades are stand alone – top of their Metal game players. Klaus Meine is realistically, for me, a top ten, all-time Heavy Metal vocalist. You can argue that Klaus Meine is a top ten, all-time Hard Rock vocalist as well. (Take your pick or pick both). “In Trance” does not lack in quality of musicianship or song writing, in my Metal opinion. This was an album that really represented this time period well, representing what Heavy Metal from Germany sounded like. (Thank you Germany). I am confident in saying that the world of Metal has embraced and revered the Scorpions to this very day. Thank you Klaus Meine for sharing your unique and unbelievable vocals with us, you and the Scorpions are in a Metal class all your own!
Scorpions as they appeared on “In Trance” in 1975: Klaus Meine on lead vocals, Ulrich Roth on lead guitar & backing vocals and lead vocals on “Dark Lady” & “Sun In My Hand”, Rudolf Schenker on rhythm guitar & backing vocals, Francis Buchholz on bass guitar & backing vocals and Rudy Lenners on drums & percussion.
KISS. The makeup, the attitude, the stage show, the costumes, the KISS trading cards from the 1970’s, the marketing machine which throws the KISS logo on just about anything. Wait a minute, there is of course… the music, uh, I mean the Heavy Metal. Since about 5th grade, (a long time ago, in a parochial school, far, far, away), I have been a KISS fan. You betcha. I am not a closet KISS fan either. No way will I disregard to anyone, a lifetime love I have for such a behemoth of a Heavy Metal icon, which is KISS. I will not part with my unopened wax box of KISS trading cards from 1978. No sir. What in the world is there to be ashamed of? KISS is the epitome of Heavy Metal success, both commercially and musically, in my Metal opinion.
Metal Odyssey would like to extend a tremendously LOUD – Happy Birthday! – to legendary bassist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Dusty Hill of ZZ Top! Dusty Hill turns a real cool 60 today, May 19, 2009. I have been fortunate enough to see the legendary ZZ Top live in concert, (around 1995 – if I am correct), at the Hartford Civic Center. The opening act was none other than… the amazing George Thorogood! That was one incredible night of Rock N’ Roll! Yes, I did buy a souvenir from that concert, it was the infamous ZZ Top keychain. Man, I loved that ZZ Top keychain, it was made out of pure Metal too. I just lost that wonderful souvenir about two years ago… it is a darn shame. Anytime I held that keychain in view, someone (yes even total strangers) would always say: “Hey, isn’t that the ZZ Top keychain”? It was quite a popular conversation piece for me. 
Today is May 11, 2009 and is also – the birthday for Eric Burdon, the legendary lead vocalist for the (legendary) 1960’s Rock band – The Animals. Eric Burdon and The Animals are deservedly enshrined in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, (inducted in 1994). Eric Burdon has turned a rockin’ 68 today! Today is as good an excuse as any to slap on some tunes from The Animals and play them LOUD. The Animals were an integral part of the historical “British Invasion” of Rock & Roll, straight from England, back in the storied 1960’s. Man, the voice of Eric Burdon is just plain timeless, in my Metal opinion. I have always been captivated by the vocals of Eric Burdon, I always wonder how he would have sounded fronting a Metal band today, he has that voice that is deep, cool and ominous. The three tunes from The Animals that I always find stuck in my head are: “House of the Rising Sun”, “Sky Pilot” and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”. (Now I am gonna have these tunes stuck in my head today, that is cool with me though). The Animals career may have been short compared to many other bands of that time period, however, I always feel it is quality and not quantity that matters most in Rock & Roll. To me, The Animals and Eric Burdon exemplify Rock & Roll quality.
I heard the news on May 6, 2009, that Ean Evans, the long standing bass player for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member & Southern Rock Legends Lynyrd Skynyrd, passed away from a battle with cancer. Ean’s quality bass playing and backing vocals will surely be missed. Ean’s music will forever be heard and enjoyed by fans worldwide, an everlasting gift he has left us all. Metal Odyssey pays tribute to Ean Evans and gives condolence to all of his family and friends. May God Bless You, Ean Evans, rest in peace in Rock N’ Roll heaven.
Well, I have finally reached the pinnacle in my decision process for The Greatest Heavy Metal Album Of All Time. Please reference my past posts on this topic, you will find many great & legendary Metal albums that I personally nominated for this prestigious label. Without further delay, in my Metal opinion, and only mine alone, I have chosen: Black Sabbath – “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” 
Every time I listen to Molly Hatchet “Greatest Hits” I get positively pumped and put into the best of moods. The Southern Hard Rock crunch of Molly Hatchet coupled with the back roads feel of all their music will never be matched by any band today. Molly Hatchet, in my opinion, was the heaviest Southern Rock band of their day. They treaded the fine line of Metal later in their career with “Satisfied Man” and “Shake The House Down”. Early in Molly Hatchet’s catalog of music, “The Creeper” made it known instantly that this band was playing heavy and for keeps! This song off of their debut album “Molly Hatchet” is bass heavy and the guitar work slams it down! The signature heaviness of Molly Hatchet is also linked to the unique lead vocals. The tough as nails vocals you will hear are from Jimmy Farrar and Danny Joe Brown. Both vocalists were so similar in their attitude and make no mistake Southern Hard Rock vocal delivery. The FM radio hits of the late ’70’s and early ’80’s are all here, with “Flirtin’ With Disaster”, “Beatin’ The Odds”, and the lengthy guitar driven masterpieces “Dreams I’ll Never See” and “Fall Of The Peacemakers”.
Let’s face it, the album artwork on Molly Hatchet album covers are extremely cool. I still find myself, to this day, staring at the artwork like it is my first time ever seeing it. I am from the generation of Metal/Hard Rock fans that would (and still do), sit down with a vinyl album jacket and inspect every speck of art, from front to back, while listening to that respective band’s tunes. I strongly recommend any fan of heavy music to buy this “Greatest Hits” of Molly Hatchet, still, I also recommend any album that this band has ever released, past or present. It is my opinion, that Molly Hatchet truly crossed over many Rock genres during their reign – Rock, Hard Rock, Southern Rock, Southern Hard Rock and eventually a stab at trying to sound like ’80’s Heavy Metal, (with the album “The Deed Is Done” – released in 1984). Call them any genre you wish, I just call Molly Hatchet legends. Long live Molly Hatchet. Keeping in mind, the core of the original Molly Hatchet lineup has changed over the years, this band has still released some current and impressive Southern Hard Rock albums over the last decade.
I have never, ever, heard such incredible, good-old fashioned guitar jamming in my life like I hear with Molly Hatchet on their “Greatest Hits” – intensity is the best adjective. This band legitimized guitar jamming and put it on the map! This is the ultimate “Greatest Hits” you will find from Molly Hatchet. Give the Hatchet a try and you will be hooked for life! The liner notes that come with the re-mastered CD are eight pages. Two pages are devoted to a summary history of Molly Hatchet, along with four cool band photos and song/album credits.
The late Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot has certainly left his mark on the world of Heavy Metal. In my opinion, just the album “Metal Health” alone is quite the Metal accomplishment. “Metal Health” (released in 1983), will forever have the distinction of being the very first Heavy Metal album to hit #1 on the album charts. Fast forward to October 31, 2006, Quiet Riot “Rehab” was released under the radar, so to speak. “Rehab” is a darn good hard rockin’ album, in my Metal opinion. You no longer hear the Hair Metal thumping of the 1980’s on this album, what I do hear, are quality written songs with quality musicianship. In summary, the music on “Rehab” is Hard Rock meets Heavy Metal.
Supergroups are not a new concept to the worlds of Hard Rock or Heavy Metal. Asia, Hellyeah, HSAS and Saints Of The Underground are just a handful of really cool supergroups of Hard Rock and Metal, both from the past to the present. Chickenfoot, however, is a super – supergroup. With the likes of Sammy Hagar on vocals, Michael Anthony on bass & backing vocals, Chad Smith on drums and the brilliant – Joe Satriani on guitar, Chickenfoot is one monster of a legendary lineup of musicians. C’mon, you are looking at half of the Van Halen lineup here, with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony. 
Alas, I finally received via U.S. mail, on April 29, 2009, directly from Best Buy online, the brand new Heaven & Hell release – “The Devil You Know” – (I pre-ordered the CD/DVD version) and I am simply ecstatic over this Metal! I feel I am exonerated from all the praise and hype I have been giving Heaven & Hell for their embarking on making this new album. Greatness is not enough of a positive adjective to describe the Metal tunes on “The Devil You Know” – and I mean all ten songs are enormously great. My favorite tune on this album is “The Turn Of The Screw” – it sounds incredible with Tony Iommi on guitar, for Iommi seems as if he let his melodic side take over with the leads and solo. Ronnie James Dio sounds like he is thirty years old again on not just this tune, all ten of these tunes!
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