Archive for the rock & roll Category

Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Rocks forever on “Nine Tonight”

Posted in 1970's hard rock, 1970's Rock, 1980's rock music, 1980's hard rock, Album Review, classic rock, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, hard rock songs, live rock albums, Music, rock & roll, rock & roll hall of fame inductees, rock and roll, rock and roll hall of fame inductees, rock music, rock music vocals, Vocals with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 24, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

In my Metal opinion, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band are an American Rock N’ Roll treasure. Bob Seger was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, in 2004. “Nine Tonight” is a live album that is also a greatest hits, based on the song selection. This album was recorded live in June 1980 in Detroit and October 1980 in Boston. Some of Bob Seger’s most successful hits are here with “Against The Wind”, “Hollywood Nights” and “We’ve Got Tonight”. The good time Rockers are here too, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band do not disappoint with “The Fire Down Below”, “Old Time Rock And Roll” and “Her Strut”. Wow, does Bob Seger make these songs really come alive, coupled with Seger’s vocals and the excellent musicianship of The Silver Bullet Band. There is just a real, feel good vibe that is going on when you listen to “Nine Tonight”. I always say, be true to the roots of Hard Rock. For bands of yesteryear, like Bob Seger’s, without question, helped pave the way for the new Hard Rock bands of today.

I will go out on a Metal limb here and say, Metallica could never do a better job with the Bob Seger classic “Turn The Page”, (from the Back In ’72 album by Bob Seger – released in 1973), their cover version of this song is just that, a cover. (Keep in mind, I hold Metallica in the highest Metal regards). This was a classic example of nothing beats the original. It does go to show, that there are Metal bands out there that dig Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Metallica is proof of this. I could never resist any of Bob Seger’s brand of Rock through the years, the gravitation towards his voice and blue collar Rock & Roll has always made me a believer in his music. The combination of the songs with their memorable lyrics, plus the live atmosphere definitely provokes a positive Rockin’ good time on this CD/album.

fullsize

Cheap Trick “At Budokan” – a vintage vinyl reunion

Posted in 1970's hard rock, Album Review, classic rock, essential hard rock albums, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, hard rock guitarists, hard rock songs, live rock albums, Metal, Music, Rock, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music vocals, vintage hard rock albums, vintage live hard rock albums with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 22, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

I love perusing the local thrift stores. You just never know when you will make that Hard Rock or Heavy Metal find. Cheap Trick “At Budokan” was just that for me this past winter – a Hard Rock find. It was a dreary, cold and blustery winters day, I decided to venture to one of the local thrift shops that has been infamous for having many vintage vinyl albums available for sale – at fifty cents each!! As I entered the shop, I made my way towards the used CD and albums section… there it was… just sitting there, abandoned, found useless by a former owner. Cheap Trick “At Budokan”, in all of it’s vintage vinyl, Hard Rock glory! This live album was released in the U.S. in February of 1979. This album is a live Hard Rock masterpiece, in my Metal opinion. I saw, from just a few feet away, that this album was in near perfect condition too! The coast was clear, I made my move and Cheap Trick was in my hands. I have finally been reunited with my long lost Cheap Trick album!! Holding this album, staring at the front cover photo of Robin Zander and Tom Petersson, well, it took me back to a moment in time.

Sometime back in the very early 1980’s, my cousin, Michael, well, he asked me if he could “borrow” my beloved Cheap Trick “At Budokan” album. I replied, “yes”. You live and learn. You learn from your past mistakes. I never saw that album again, not until this find at the thrift store was in my hands. You see, throughout the years, I never repurchased this classic Cheap Trick album, nor did I ever get it on CD. I guess, deep down inside of me, I was waiting, maybe hoping, that this cousin of mine would someday return the album to me. Dream on. Did I ever ask my cousin for the album over the years? Nope. It was not worth it. Eventually realizing how my cousin actually took care of material possessions, well, I just knew the album would not be in the same mint shape as it was, when it left me.

At this point, the past is just that, the past. I now have the Cheap Trick “At Budokan” live album and I could not be happier with it’s condition. As an amazing bonus – the liner notes are still inside this album that I found! The liner notes are in black and white, however, they are like a giant tour program. The photo’s alone are fabulous. To actually get my hands on this album at a thrift store, in this perfect shape, with the original liner notes tucked inside, that to me… is a find. Plus, upon my scrupulous inspection, it appears to me, that these liner notes were never taken out of the album sleeve! I am not kidding, no creases, tears or even signs of other people’s fingerprints! (My very own fingerprints were immediately left onto these liner notes, for the majority of the ink on the artwork is black). Do I sound a tad obsessive? Maybe so, however, when you are a collector of vintage Hard Rock/Metal albums, you do tend to inspect the memorabilia more than the average/casual consumer of such items.

Now, for the actual music found on this excellent album: Cheap Trick “At Budokan” is an incredibly essential, live Rock & Roll album to own! I have this album in the top ten live Rock albums ever released, it is that good. The songs are tremendous, filled with the trademark energy of Cheap Trick, yet the live essence surrounding the music makes for an inspiring listen. This album was recorded in Japan, at Budokan, in April of 1978! This music is incredibly relevant to today’s Rock sound, it has not lost any mileage with me after all these years. This is the album that truly made Cheap Trick a household name. Since “at Budokan”, Cheap Trick continues to stay current with Rock & Hard Rock, releasing an extensive catalog of great Rock albums which spans four decades! The very famous track “I Want You To Want Me” is here in all of it’s Rock glory, with the classic cover of Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That A Shame”. “Surrender” is a signature song of this great band, it borderlines on the Punk Rock side and still has that catchy appeal it bestowed so brightly, back in the day. “Need Your Love” and “Come On, Come On” are two more tracks that can light up any concert stage today. Overall, this is required Rock & Roll listening for fans of all Rock genres. You can honestly walk away from listening to “At Budokan” and realize how much influence Cheap Trick has on today’s Rock sound. Musically, Cheap Trick is so good, simply one of a kind. Cheap Trick are: Robin Zander on vocals, Rick Nielsen on guitar, Tom Petersson on bass and Bun E. Carlos on drums.

Cheap Trick "At Budokan"

Happy Birthday to ZZ Top legend Dusty Hill!

Posted in 1970's hard rock, 1970's Rock, 1980's hard rock, classic rock, Hard Rock, Music, Rock, rock & roll, rock & roll hall of fame inductees, rock and roll, rock and roll hall of fame inductees, rock celebrity birthdays, rock music, southern hard rock with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 20, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

main-150Metal 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. 

My favorite ZZ Top album ever, is “One Foot In The Blues” – released on November 22, 1994. This album is all heavy Blues, baby! The ZZ Top brand of Rockin’ Blues.This album holds the honor and distinction of being the only CD that I listened to the very morning of my Wedding Day. You betcha. This just so happens to be the CD that I listened to on that entire special day, plus it was a gift from my gorgeous wife to be as well . Dusty Hill, thank you for the fabulous Rock N’ Roll and heavy Blues you have created with ZZ Top all these years! I definitely have cool and special memories associated with the tunes of ZZ Top. I certainly applaud and truly appreciate your musicianship.

main-150-1

Cheap Trick – “Dream Police” an essential Hard Rock album

Posted in 1970's hard rock, 1970's Rock, 1980's hard rock, Album Review, classic rock, cool album covers, essential hard rock albums, essential rock albums, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, hard rock guitarists, hard rock songs, Music, Rock, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music vocals, vintage rock albums with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 16, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

I have been fascinated with the Hard Rock music of Cheap Trick since 1978. Yup, 1978. I owned with pride, the 8-track cassette copy of “Dream Police” and played it until only a hissssssss sound was heard, while a faint sound of tunes played in the background noise. It was not easy tossing away that 8-track copy of “Dream Police” – I eventually bought a CD copy of it down the road, somewhere around 1986 and I still have that CD. There is no hissssss sound on this Cheap Trick CD, no sir. All I hear is the sensational Hard Rockin’ music that is 100% vintage Cheap Trick. “Gonna Raise Hell” in my Metal opinion, is as bona fide a Heavy Metal song that Cheap Trick has ever created. This tune, for me, is what makes “Dream Police” such a classic album. Seriously, “Gonna Raise Hell” is a jaw dropping, head banging, anthem of a timeless tune. The bass play on this track alone is like a thunderous, stomping mad, evil, forest gremlin army marching toward battle. (There are times when my musical interpretations can become quite creative). Tom Petersson, in my opinion, takes a back seat to no one as a bassist in Hard Rock.

“Voices” is a smoothly written power ballad, only power ballads were not supposed to be around until Hair Metal came out of L.A. in the ’80’s. “Dream Police” is the fast paced, musically heavy driven, winner of a title track. To say that these mentioned songs, quite possibly the entire album, is relevant to what is created in todays Hard Rock or Heavy Metal circles is not far fetched. I feel that if a band today, created and released the song “Gonna Raise Hell”, it would do just that. This song is too darn good to be considered an old time classic. “Need Your Love” may be over seven minutes long, however, Cheap Trick makes this tune groove along at a pace that gives it an addicting Rock flavor. Cheap Trick melded together harmony, melody and Hard Rock in such a blissful heavy way, I cannot stop myself from labeling “Dream Police” as an essential Hard Rock album to own. Why else would I be reaching for this CD to rock out to, going on three decades now?

The vocals of Robin Zander were attitude laden with a slice of Punk, I can never mistake the overflow of confidence in his voice on “Dream Police”. Rick Nielsen on guitar is fluid and creatively distinctive on “Dream Police”. I find his signature sound to be legendary, Rick Nielsen was and still is one of a kind. What can be said for Bun E. Carlos on drums? This man carries out the identity of a true Rock and Roll drummer, he never over extends on “Dream Police” and only super enhances the rhythm section with skillful beats. In Summary, “Dream Police” is a work of Hard Rock musical art, from a legendary dream team of Rock musicians, forever known as Cheap Trick. 

fullsize

Black Stone Cherry – a Hard Rock band on a path to greatness

Posted in Album Review, current hard rock albums, current hard rock songs, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, hard rock guitarists, hard rock songs, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, Music, recent heavy metal albums, Rock, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, southern hard rock, southern hard rock albums with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 16, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

Black Stone Cherry, you better believe I like this band! I always feel reassured when a young Hard Rock or Metal band appears on the scene and shows reverence for old school Classic Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. With Black Stone Cherry, the reverence is in their music. I can hear it and feel it, the reverence in their first two albums and I am sold. Pick up or find just about any interview from this band, you will find these guys mentioning bands from years/decades gone by with the upmost respect. I personally feel it is the coolest and most admirable quality of any heavy Rock band to recognize the roots of their respective genre. Since the first moment I heard of Black Stone Cherry and with my continuance to follow them through numerous media sources, I have never heard a microscopic ounce of arrogance or self entitlement from them. This attitude will carry Black Stone Cherry to greater heights, for they have the musical talent to achieve their highest goals, in my Metal opinion.

I give Road Runner Records a huge applause for signing Black Stone Cherry in the first place, this record company has a winner here and believe me, they know it. One professionally paid music critic out there recently wrote, that “Black Stone Cherry should stop trying to sound like Nickelback” – this statement proves that there are paid music critics out there that never listen to the bands they write about. Black Stone Cherry sounds nothing like Nickelback, the only two things these two bands have in common are that they are extremely talented musically and they play Hard Rock. (I could never, ever, find it ethical to write about a band or their music without first listening to their stuff, yet unethical music reviews is what we all get handed to us, from mainstream Rock publications these days).

There are just two albums/CD’s out there currently by Black Stone Cherry – give them time, their first release was on July 18, 2006, aptly titled “Black Stone Cherry” with their second release on August 19, 2008 titled “Folklore and Superstition”. Black Stone Cherry blends together almost magically, the genres of Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Southern Hard Rock. In my Metal opinion, there are no filler tunes on either album. The debut album for me, is the heaviest of the two, with “Folklore and Superstition” reaching out to a more melodic and commercial friendly sound. Having radio friendly tunes on a Hard Rock album does not bother me one bit, especially when the songs are not all sappy ballads. Don’t get me wrong though, “Soul Creek”, “Blind Man” and “Please Come In” off of “Folklore and Superstition” are catchy and melodic, yet these songs still Rock like there is no tomorrow. Great party tune is “Soul Creek” – I find myself bellowing out the lyrics to this song while I play it, almost as if it is uncontrollable.

Uh, yeah, I definitely recommend Black Stone Cherry and both of their albums/CD’s to any fan out there who wants to Rock out to some excellent music from excellent musicians. Here is the lineup for Black Stone Cherry, ‘cuz you just might want to know these dudes names: Chris Robertson on lead vocals, lead/rhythm/slide guitar, Ben Wells on rhythm & lead guitar, electric sitar & backing vocals, Jon Lawhon on lead, rhythm bass & backing vocals and John Fred Young on drums, percussion & backing vocals.

fullsize-1 fullsize

Misfits “Project 1950” – a Punk Rock blitz of cover tunes

Posted in 1950's cover songs, Album Review, cool album covers, cover songs, current punk rock music, Misfits, Music, Punk rock, punk rock albums, punk rock music, Ramones, rock & roll, rock & roll hall of fame inductees, rock and roll, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 14, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

I love Metal and Punk Rock. Both genres are more similar than many people realize. Both genres are filled with loud, proud and against the grain outcasts. Based on the junk music you see and hear on network television these days, Metal and Punk Rock are the underdogs. That is why I subscribe to and adore both of these immensely great music genres. With that said, being a fiend, uh, I mean fan of the Misfits became a natural choice for me years ago. The Misfits “Project 1950”, in my Metal opinion, should and/or could be embraced by any Metal fan. Jerry Only, Marky Ramone and Dez Cadena rip out ten 1950’s Rock and Roll classics with heavy and intense Punk enthusiasm and skill. It is my personal belief, that Jerry Only not only can tear the house down with his bass playing, he can flat out sing too. Jerry Only’s vocals makes the songs on “Project 1950” sound like a continuous Punk Rock party. 

There are no special or secret musical ingredients to find here, just straight up Punk Rock and Roll courtesy of The Misfits. Marky Ramone being a part of The Misfits, appearing on drums for “Project 1950” makes it all the more special and inspiring. Marky Ramone (and of course, the Ramones) being enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, gives the Misfits incredible added status on this album. (Yes, I did use the word special earlier). Dez Cadena is blistering on guitar, he plays the old fashioned way… he just plays man. It is my opinion, that these three Misfits are undisputed legends. “This Magic Moment”, “Dream Lover” and “Monster Mash” are my three favorites, however, I have to admit that I like each song that is covered here immensely. “It’s Only Make Believe” is a thunderous, heavy, Punk trip of a cover tune. Truth be told, after listening to “Project 1950” for untold number of times, I find myself continuing to listen. This album has realistically become an addiction that hopefully will never falter.

Overall, “Project 1950” has a tad of Heavy Metal flavor, this obviously is not the Misfits from the Glenn Danzig era. Still, this is Punk, this is the Misfits and each song covered here makes this fact known loud and clear. If I can turn on anyone out there to this great album, then I have done a great deed. This is an album that should make any fan of heavy music grin, move and yell out the lyrics to. I hope and pray that Jerry Only would consider doing a “Project 1960” – that would be insanely great. I honestly feel this is one incredible crossover album that bridges the gap between Metal and Punk Rock.

fullsize

Happy Birthday Eric Burdon – legendary vocalist of The Animals

Posted in 1960's rock & roll, 1960's rock & roll british invasion, 1960's rock music, 1970's Rock, classic rock, Hard Rock, Rock, rock & roll, rock & roll hall of fame inductees, rock and roll, rock and roll hall of fame inductees, rock celebrity birthdays, rock music, rock music vocals, Vocals with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 11, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

365241Today 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.