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IRON CLAW “A Different Game” – Metal Odyssey’s Comeback Band and Album Of 2011

Posted in Metal with tags , , , , , , , on December 7, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

IRON CLAW – Many bands and solo musicians make comebacks in the world of Rock each year. Notable acts the likes of Alice Cooper (The Band) and KING KOBRA made their impressive comebacks for certain in 2011. Anthrax made an album comeback (Worship Music) with Joey Belladonna returning to the forefront. BIOHAZARD is back. Beggars & Thieves are back too. The list is impressive as it is long. No, Black Sabbath can’t really count until next years album and tour. However, the one comeback band that amazed me beyond belief with their story during 2011 was: IRON CLAW.

IRON CLAW are in my mind, Heavy Music pioneers. IRON CLAW was a band on the scene when Heavy Metal was growing roots from Hard Rock. This band calls Scotland home and released an album of Classic Hard Rock in 2011 that you should know about (if you don’t know already). A Different Game made IRON CLAW the topic of conversation in many Hard Rock circles this past year. Released on Ripple Music, A Different Game was the first taste of new music from this band in nearly 4 decades!

I never, ever heard of IRON CLAW until this past year. I’ll tell you this much, IRON CLAW has served me right. Congratulations IRON CLAW on being named: Metal Odyssey’s Comeback Band Of 2011! Plus having: Metal Odyssey’s Comeback Album Of 2011! Metal be thy name!

See below the timeline of IRON CLAW posts featured on Metal Odyssey during 2011. Everything you’ve ever needed to know about IRON CLAW is right there for you! Feel free to become informed on the series of events leading up to the release of A Different Game, along with the intriguing Hard Rockin’ history (both past and present) of IRON CLAW. Each large link in this timeline will take you directly to that respective post!

Posted on June 29th, 2011:

IRON CLAW – “What Love Left”: Free Download From Ripple Music! This Song Is On Hard Rockin’ Fire!

Posted on July 6th, 2011:

IRON CLAW “A Different Game” – Long Awaiting and New Studio Album From Heavy Rock Pioneers: Releases October 4th, 2011!

Posted on July 15th, 2011: (A Different Game album review)

IRON CLAW – “A Different Game”: Bluesy, Classic Hard Rock That Points To The Past And Leads Us To The Present

Posted on July 17th, 2011:

IRON CLAW – A Metal Odyssey Interview: Part One (The Early Days and The Comeback)

Posted on October 21, 2011:

Gordon Brown – Former IRON CLAW Vocalist Reflects On His Tenure For “A Different Game” Album, Discusses Departing The Band

Posted on October 24th, 2011:

IRON CLAW – Guitarist and Founding Member Jimmy Ronnie Comments On Band’s Lead Vocalist Transition

IRON CLAW PHOTO GALLERY

From L to R: Gordon (vocals), Ian (drums), Alex (bass) and Jimmy (guitar)

IRON CLAW – 2011

Jimmy Ronnie – Founding Member, Songwriter & Guitarist

Gordon Brown – IRON CLAW vocalist, lyricist on A Different Game

(All IRON CLAW photos are courtesy and by permission of Jimmy Ronnie)

(Gordon Brown photo courtesy of Gordon Brown)

LONG LIVE IRON CLAW!

Stone.

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BEGGARS & THIEVES – “We Come Undone” Official Video!

Posted in aor, classic rock, Hard Rock, melodic rock, Music, rock music, rock music news, rock music videos with tags , , , , , , , , on December 6, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

Beggars & Thieves – The comeback album from Beggars & Thieves, We Are The Brokenhearted, has recently been released on Frontiers Records in North America on November 29th and in Europe on December 2nd. We Are The Brokenhearted brings back the AOR, Classic/Melodic Rock sound that Beggars & Thieves are so solid at creating. Louie Merlino (vocals) and Ronnie Mancuso (guitar) are once again proving their songwriting and musicianship belongs heard and enjoyed by their fans of yesteryear and new fans of today.

Check out the official video below for  We Come Undone. Also check out the special guests on this video: Ron Keel, Jake E. Lee, Paul Shortino, Blas Elias, Sunset Thomas and quite possibly… Gene Simmons. We Come Undone is a great song from a fabulous band. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

We Are The Brokenhearted – Track Listing:

We Come Undone

Oil & Water

Innocence

Never Gonna See You Again

Beautiful Losers

Seven Seconds

Stranded

Wash Away

Midnight Blue

We Are The Brokenhearted

WELCOME BACK BEGGARS & THIEVES! 

* For more info on this album, click on the link below:

FRONTIERS RECORDS

Stone.

1 Comment »

Metal Odyssey’s Top Ten Hard Rock Songs Of 2011

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , on December 5, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

Top Ten Hard Rock Songs Of 2011 – Welcome to Metal Odyssey’s Top Ten Hard Rock Songs Of 2011! These ten Hard Rock songs are the ones that I turned to most often throughout 2011, to get psyched-out and inspired by. Yes, I listened to many Hard Rock albums during 2011, all containing such a wide assortment of excellent songs.

Narrowing down ten of my favorites was a nail-biting endeavor for me. I actually have a “tie” in this top ten list, an event that is not unprecedented in Rock music lists at all. Hopefully some of these Hard Rock songs you dig as well. Thank you for supporting the following bands and Metal Odyssey. Now, onward with the list!

#10

URIAH HEEP – Nail On The Head

(Frontiers Records)

The Uriah Heep Rockin’ Train just seems to keep right on rollin’ in 2011, with the legendary Mick Box leading the way. Nail On The Head from their Into The Wild studio album nailed me from the very start, with its infectious thump and stump and less is more style of Hard Rockin’ bliss.

#9

THE POODLES – I Want It All

(Frontiers Records)

An inspiring Hard Rock song from Sweden’s The Poodles this is. I can’t get enough of the uplifting spirit that I Want It All supplies to my senses. Hard Rockin’ and so deliciously melodic, this song is the intense beacon from an album of star-studded songs. Don’t let their name fool you, this band plays Hard Rock like bad-ass backyard guard dogs.

#8

Black Stone Cherry – Killing Floor

(ROADRUNNER RECORDS)

With Black Stone Cherry, the Classic Rock meets Modern Rock wall of sound is electrified on Killing Floor. Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea accentuates the maturation of Black Stone Cherry and this song seemed to reach out and grab me from the opening note. Truly a standout song from an album that is loaded with standout songs.

#7

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION – I Can See Your Spirit

(J&R Adventures)

Glenn Hughes sounds so unreal legendary on this song it gives me the chills. The threads of old school are intertwined with a hefty dose of Hard Rock relevance, within the music of Black Country Communion. There is Deep Purple mystique about this song, which comes courtesy of the keyboards. Joe Bonamassa is an incredible listen on guitar and should be put upon any guitar aficionado’s pedestal.

#6

CHICKENFOOT – Different Devil

(eOne Music)

Sammy Hagar never sounded better and Michael Anthony proves once again his backing vocals are a secret Hard Rock weapon. Different Devil from III is the direction that I prayed Chickenfoot would take on this album and my prayer was answered. A retrospective nod to the past and still boiling over with relevancy, Different Devil showcases the unique vibes of these Rock legends with ease.

#5

JOURNEY – Anything Is Possible

(NOMOTA LLC)

Journey blew me away with Eclipse in 2011. With that said, my favorite song from this wildly memorable album is: Anything Is Possible. Once again, an inspiring Hard Rock song carried me off into the Rockin’ sunset this past year. If music is supposed to touch you, then Anything Is Possible did just that, in more positive ways than I can count. Arnel Pineda is a grand vocalist and the musicianship is superior on this song (and the entire album for that matter). Neal Schon sounds perfect on guitar, what else could I expect from such an authentic legend?

#4

KING KOBRA – Midnight Woman

(Frontiers Records)

What Midnight Woman bestows is a melodic trip down Hard Rock goodness lane. This song is heavy where it should be, with legendary drummer Carmine Appice’s beats and kick-to-the-teeth guitars ablaze. Paul Shortino gives this song (and entire album) the vocal coolness that King Kobra deserves. Yes, King Kobra returned in an impressive way in 2011 and it’s a song like Midnight Woman that reminds me that Hard Rock is one of life’s golden necessities.

#3

SEETHER – Here And Now

(Wind-Up)

Shaun Morgan knows how to tug at my sentimental side. His songwriting and lyrical messages are stuff of legend. Here And Now would probably be my #1 pick if it hadn’t made me cry so many damn times. An emotionally charged song, which realistically can be interpreted in many different ways. From the musicianship and song structure to Shaun’s vocals, this song is already a SEETHER classic in my Hard Rock world.

#2 (tie)

DAUGHTRY – Outta My Head

(RCA / 19)

Okay. Alright. If Chris Daughtry wanted to impress Stone, well, he done did it with Outta My Head. Metal as my witness, this song psyches me out in ways words can’t describe. Daughtry tapped into some old school mojo while combining it with plenty of modern feel and vibe, that in turn has Outta My Head soaring with its unbridled and potent Hard Rock energy. Chris Daughtry sings lights-out on this song. So let it be Metal written, so let it be Metal told.

#2 (tie)

SEBASTIAN BACH – One Good Reason

(Frontiers Records)

Holy Hard Rock crap this is a damn great song. Sebastian Bach has become registered with Metal Odyssey as having a lethal set of vocal cords, all due to his lifetime contributions of making my eardrums the scorched flaps of flesh they really are. One Good Reason is dominated by Sebastian’s beyond amazing vocals. Hard, heavy, melodic and undisputedly powerful is this song, from start to F’n finish. Metal be thy F’n name.

#1

9 CHAMBERS – Indeed The Sun

(Samson Records/eOne Music)

If I had to sum up in six words, the Hard Rock vision of Greg Hampton (guitarist, songwriter, producer of 9 Chambers) it would be: Keep It Real, Let It Rock. Alongside guitarist Ed Mundell, these two guitarists seem to feed off each other like long-lost guitar soul-mates. The guitar solo in Indeed The Sun gives me goose-bumps the size of tennis balls. This song comes across with the real and feel that Hard Rock was built upon so many decades ago, when creating a complete album of songs was practically a mandate.

Indeed The Sun never relents in its Hard Rockin’ momentum, it just takes off at the onset and never subsides with its contagious, melodic driven and hard-edged sound. When a Hard Rock song such as Indeed The Sun makes my face tingle out-of-control then that said song is #1 for me. I salute Greg, Ed, Jorgen and Vinny for keeping it real. Music is an art-form and a song like Indeed The Sun is indeed… a work of Hard Rock art.

* Check out Metal Odyssey’s Top Ten Metal Songs Of 2011 (posted on December 1st) by clicking on the large link below!

Metal Odyssey’s Top Ten METAL Songs Of 2011

LONG LIVE HARD ROCK.

Stone.

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KISS – THE KISS KRUISE 2012

Posted in classic rock, classic rock bands, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , on December 2, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

KISS – As announced today on KISSONLINE.com, there will be a KISS KRUISE – Halloween 2012. More information coming in the next few weeks.

My Metal advice is to stay tuned for any and all information about this KISS KRUISE – Halloween 2012 by clicking the two links below:

www.thekisskruise.com

KISS

Stone.

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David Coverdale “The Last Note Of Freedom” – A Long Lost Song From The “Days Of Thunder” Soundtrack (1990)

Posted in classic rock, classic rock albums, Hard Rock, metal odyssey, movie soundtracks, movies, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , on December 2, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

DAVID COVERDALE – As I was rummaging through some used CD’s at a thrift store this past week, I came across the Days Of Thunder soundtrack. At first glance, I was totally disinterested. I believe I saw bits and pieces of this Tom Cruise movie over the years, nonetheless I wasn’t banking on this soundtrack to impress me enough to buy it for the 97 cent asking price. (I know, 97 cents is dirt cheap). Once I took a gander at the artists and track list, (which is on the front cover), I changed my mind and decided 97 cents is worth paying for this 22-year-old soundtrack CD.

Hello, Hard Rockin’ legend David Coverdale and The Last Note Of Freedom. In all Metal honesty, I never knew David Coverdale sang a song for the Days Of Thunder soundtrack. Seriously, I find this to be an obscure song from him. Unless you’ve owned this soundtrack anytime since 1990 or are a David Coverdale expert, who would really know off the top of their head that this song even existed? Besides, Stone doesn’t know all either. I obligingly paid for this used and near vintage CD. Then, I headed straight to my car to give The Last Note Of Freedom a listen for my five-minute drive home.

David Coverdale sounds like, well, himself on this song. In other words, David’s vocals are excellent. There is a bounty of keyboards happening throughout the song, which was written by the legendary composer Hans Zimmer. Ready for this? The lyrics were written by… Billy Idol. How cool is that? There  is a valid music connection between David Coverdale, Hans Zimmer and Billy Idol, always and forever. Metal be thy name. The liner notes do not state any songwriting credits to David Coverdale.

Overall, is The Last Note Of Freedom a good song? Yes, it’s a good melodic song. This song definitely overflows with that late 80’s movie soundtrack vibe. Towards the end of the song is when David Coverdale starts singing with increased passion and intensity, you know, Whitesnake style. Despite some notable guitar parts and David’s vocals, I couldn’t see this song fitting on a Whitesnake album then or now. I feel confident calling The Last Note Of Freedom a mid-paced ballad, there are a few tempo shifts happening and it keeps this song interesting. At the end of my Metal day, I dig this remote David Coverdale song.

Days Of Thunder was released on Geffen and my used copy of this CD appears to be an original issue and not a re-release. After researching this song, I’ve found it to be only available on the Days Of Thunder soundtrack. Check out the other artists and songs heard on this soundtrack below. I found this soundtrack to be quite diverse and rather cool to finally discover. Not too shabby for 97 cents after all.

Days Of Thunder Track Listing:

The Last Note Of Freedom – David Coverdale

Deal For Life – John Waite

Break Through The Barrier – Tina Turner

Hearts In Trouble – Chicago

Trail Of Broken Hearts – Cher

Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Guns N’ Roses

You Gotta Love Someone – Elton John

Show Me Heaven – Maria McKee

Thunderbox – Apollo Smile

Long Live The Night – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Gimme Some Lovin’ – Terry Reid

LONG LIVE DAVID COVERDALE.

Stone.

12 Comments »

BLACK ROBOT – A Metal Odyssey Salute To This Hard Rockin’, B-B-B-Baddass Band On Black Friday!

Posted in classic rock, Hard Rock, hard rock bands, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock albums, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , on November 25, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

BLACK ROBOT – Debut S/T (June 8th, 2010)

BLACK ROBOT – It’s Black Friday across America. That’s when material excess overrules proper judgement. It’s when a popular upscale department store can most likely sell rusted and bent barbed wire for a profit, by utilizing smart marketing on the masses. Black Friday for me is another day to crank up some more Metal and Hard Rock into my ears. A day no different from any other in my Metal lovin’ life. Metal be thy name.

A couple of days ago, with Black Friday looming larger than ever, I was thinking about the bands who have the word “black” in their (band) names. One of the  bands I immediately thought of was BLACK ROBOT. (Yes, the ultra-legendary BLACK SABBATH was the first band I did think of). Classic Rock and Classic Hard Rock influences, colliding with today’s Hard Rock edge, is what overflows in the sound of BLACK ROBOT. You can hear a cool sliver of AC/DC thump and stump gleaming in this band’s Rockin’ thunder, fused with their own original style. Calling California home, BLACK ROBOT has created quite a heavy Rockin’ buzz for themselves the past few years, both stateside and across all shores.

BLACK ROBOT is a Hard Rock band you should be checking out, in the event you haven’t already. Trust me, their brand of Hard Rock is smokin’ with fired-up attitude and a crunchy, fist-to-the-air, blue-collar vibe. The guitar licks and riffs are aplenty, while if you’re looking for some b-b-b-baddass, head knockin’, rhythm stompin’, Hard Rock songs you’ll get ’em with BLACK ROBOT. Metal as my witness, you shall.

BLACK ROBOT was formed back in 2008 by bassist Jonathan “JB” Brightman. He is also a founding and former member of the Grammy nominated Hard Rock band: Buckcherry. Jonathan cowrote and played on the Buckcherry debut S/T from 1999 and their sophomore release from 2001: Time Bomb.

* Check out the BLACK ROBOT music video below, covering the JJ Cale original and Eric Clapton’s cover classic: Cocaine.

* The BLACK ROBOT debut album was released on June 8, 2010, on Formosa Records/Rocket Science Ventures.

* Keep your eyes and ears open for a brand new BLACK ROBOT album in early 2012!

* Track Listing For BLACK ROBOT (Debut S/T): Baddass * Cocaine * Momma Don’t Cry * Girls Kissing Girls * Money * I’m In Love * In My Car * Black Robot * Love On A .45 * Dissatisfaction * 23 Days Of Night * Stop The World * Nervous Breakdown

Open up a case or two of Hard Rock whoop-ass and click on the links to BLACK ROBOT below! 

* You can download a FREE song from BLACK ROBOT here: BLACK ROBOT – facebook

BLACK ROBOT – myspace

BLACK ROBOT – twitter

BLACK ROBOT – Reverbnation

LONG LIVE BLACK ROBOT.

Stone.

1 Comment »

BLACK SABBATH – Confirm European Tour Dates For 2012!

Posted in classic rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , on November 20, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

BLACK SABBATH – On November 11th, 2011, the incredible news broke of BLACK SABBATH reuniting with ground-breaking plans for 2012! A press conference that included Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward and (producer) Rick Rubin confirming the new studio album and world tour was welcomed news to Heavy Metal fans across the globe. Check out below the confirmed BLACK SABBATH tour dates for Europe in 2012! Metal be thy name BLACK SABBATH IS BACK!

BLACK SABBATH – 2012 European Tour Dates:

5/18 Moscow, Russia – Olimpiski

5/20 St. Petersburg, Russia – New Arena

5/23 Helsinki, Finland – Hartwall Arena

5/25 Stockholm, Sweden – Sweden Stadium

5/29 Bergen, Norway – Bergen Calling Festival

5/31 Oslo, Norway – Spektrum

6/2 Malmo, Sweden – Malmo Stadium

6/4 Dortmund, Germany – Westfalenhalle

6/10 Donington, UK – Download Festival

6/12 Rotterdam, Holland – Ahoy

6/15 Bilbao, Spain – Azkena Rock Festival

6/17 Nantes, France – Hellfest

6/19 Paris, France – Bercy

6/22 Dessel, Belgium – Graspop Metal Meeting

6/24 Milan, Italy – Gods of Metal

LONG LIVE BLACK SABBATH.

Stone.

1 Comment »

Metal Odyssey Mulls Over: Why Are Classic Rock Bands Re-Recording Their Greatest Hits?

Posted in classic rock, classic rock bands, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, melodic rock, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , on November 16, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

I am not a curmudgeon when it comes to cover songs. Actually, I’ve always embraced a good (and sometimes) excellent cover song and/or album of such songs. I like to look upon a cover song as celebrating the Rock historical impact of its respective original. When a Classic Rock band “re-records” their own songs from the past, they are essentially covering their own songs. The preceding sentence sounds a tad silly huh?

My admiration for a multi-vast number of Classic Rock bands is real and I’ll use four current and legendary bands as examples for this post, all in which have toured extensively while releasing new studio albums in recent years: KISS, Journey, Foreigner and Styx. No doubt, I’ve enjoyed listening to all four of these bands re-recorded compilations. The classic quote “what’s old is new again” can seriously be applied to the recent re-recordings of these highly influential bands.

The above mentioned bands each have a catalog of albums that span four decades plus, therefore, breathing a newfound energy and modern relevance into their classic songs is not such a negative move. Or is it? I don’t want to come across as hypocritical when I say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” or “nothing beats an original”, especially after I’ve stated that I’ve enjoyed these bands rejuvenated greatest hits. Certainly there is money to be made from these four bands re-recording their classics, however, the generations of new fans that are recruited, due to the lure of these re-recordings, is what really matters. In turn, these new fans will (hopefully) keep the Classic Rock flame burning for many years to come.

Even though I spend the money on re-recorded greatest hits from these bands, it doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the original material and look upon it as dated. Truth be told, I’d much rather listen to the original (1978) Pieces Of Eight by Styx and Foreigner’s (1978) Double Vision albums before I reach for the newly re-recorded comps. I’m old school, yet I’m also for moving forward as well. Numerous Classic Rock bands have moved forward, with lineup and lead vocal changes being an inevitable part of the Rock business model. Longevity doesn’t guarantee that an original lineup stays intact and re-recording songs from long ago unites the past with the present.

KISS, Journey, Foreigner and Styx each have earned a brand recognition in the global music marketplace, each carrying on their unique style of Classic Hard Rock, without compromising the quality I have grown to expect from them. I guess when it’s done right and with reverence to the song, any Classic Rock band can re-record their classics for the world to hear and enjoy. At the end of my Metal day, re-recordings from these four bands I’ve discussed or from any Classic Rock band for that matter, is history that I don’t mind hearing and being repeated. Of course I may not like every re-recorded song (or cover song) out there. What I do like is knowing the door to Classic Rock’s past will never be closed anytime soon.

LONG LIVE KISS, JOURNEY, FOREIGNER & STYX.

LONG LIVE CLASSIC ROCK.

Stone.

1 Comment »

KISS – “Destroyer” Deluxe Edition To Be Released In 2012

Posted in classic rock, classic rock albums, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , on November 15, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

KISS – Destroyer (1976-Casablanca Records)

KISS – On or about November 11th, 2011, Matthew Wilkening over at Ultimate Classic Rock.com wrote a fabulous article on the KISS “Destroyer” Deluxe Edition that will be releasing sometime in 2012. This Deluxe Edition of “Destroyer” will also feature the original album cover art created by artist Ken Kelly, (which was rejected by Casablanca Records).

Read this very cool and informative article in its entirety here: Ultimate Classic Rock.com – KISS “Destroyer” Deluxe Edition Article

* For more info on KISS, click on the link below:

KISS

LONG LIVE KISS.

Stone.

1 Comment »

Johnny Winter – Second Winter (180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl/Limited Edition/Gatefold Cover): Releases December 6th, 2011 On Friday Music

Posted in blues rock, classic rock, classic rock albums, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , on November 10, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

Johnny Winter – Friday Music is re-releasing on 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl, Second Winter, the third studio album and 1969 Blues/Rock Classic from the iconic Johnny Winter. An American Blues/Rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer, Johnny Winter’s influence across the world of Rock cannot be measured. Simply put, Johnny Winter is one-of-a-kind.

* Second Winter will be re-released as a three-sided album as well, with the fourth side left blank, just as the original Columbia Records release from 1969.

* As a very limited run, this 180 Gram Vinyl re-release of  Second Winter includes the original gatefold album cover designed by Tony Lane and the photography excellence of Richard Avedon.

Second Winter – Band Lineup:

Johnny Winter – vocals & guitars

Edgar Winter – keys & saxophone

Tommy Shannon – bass

Uncle John Turner – drums

Second Winter – Track List:

Side One:

Memory Pain

I’m Not Sure

The Good Love

Side Two:

Slippin’ And Slidin’

Miss Ann

Johnny B. Goode

Highway 61 Revisited

Side Three:

I Love Somebody

Hustled Down In Texas

I Hate Everybody

Fast Life Rider

* To purchase this Johnny Winter gem, on 180 Gram Vinyl, click the link below:

Friday Music

LONG LIVE JOHNNY WINTER.

Stone.

1 Comment »

ZEBRA – November 2011 Tour Dates

Posted in classic rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, progressive rock, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , on November 6, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

Check out below the two November 2011 tour dates & info for Hard Rockin’ legends – ZEBRA.

Saturday, Nov. 12th, 2011

Cypress Bayou Casino

Zebra Show

832 Martin Luther King Road

Charenton, LA 705231

TIME: 9:30pm

Friday, Nov. 25th, 2011

The Patchogue Theatre

Zebra Show

71 East Main St

Patchogue, NY 10591

PHONE: 631-207-1313

TIME: 7:30pm

Tickets on sale NOW – MAD COMPANY will open the show

(Source: Official ZEBRA Website)

ZEBRA:

Randy Jackson (guitar & lead vocals)

Felix Hanemann (bass, keyboard, & backup vocals)

Guy Gelso (drums & percussion)

LONG LIVE ZEBRA.

Stone.

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MASS – Louis St. August Interview: Reflecting On The 1985 “Do You Love Me” (Music Video) & “New Birth” Album

Posted in classic rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal videos, interviews, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , on November 5, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

MASS – Louis St. August – It all started back in 1984, when MASS released their self-titled EP and garnered the widespread attention of radio stations, record companies and of course their new-found fans. In 1985, this Boston, Massachusetts originated band was signed to RCA Records and their first full-length album, New Birth, was released upon the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal world. New Birth catapulted MASS onto the Billboard charts and MTV came knocking on their door. The single released from New Birth was Do You Love Me and this song became a successful music video within the coveted MTV rotation.

Caught somewhere between the positive vibes of Stryper and their very own brand of melodic heaviness, coupled with credibility at every angle, MASS did exit the 80’s leaving behind 3 studio albums and their historic EP as a reminder of greater things to come. MASS was then, as they are now, a Heavy Metal band that glistens with accessibility without compromising their hard and heavy sound.

Louis St. August – 2011

MASS is still Rockin’ in 2011, their fifth full-length, Heavy Metal achievement and critically acclaimed Sea Of Black was released in 2010. With their best work existing in the present, reflecting on where it all began for MASS is something Louis St. August embraces and is understandably quite proud of. As the old saying goes, “times were different back then” and 1985 was no exception, as founding member and lead vocalist Louis St. August will reveal in this exclusive Metal Odyssey interview.

Stone: Do You Love Me is a memorable song from the New Birth album. What was the process of choosing this song for a music video?

Louis: It was solely RCA records idea of making and pushing the Do You love Me video first as we felt it was a poor representation of what the band was really about. We wanted to go with something a bit heavier like Too far Gone or Crying Alone. But the label insisted and thought a power ballad would open doors up for us and that radio would pick up the song a lot quicker. They told us the second video would be the heavier one which never did come to be.

Looking back at it now It’s kind of funny because the very first script the video production team wrote for the Do you love me video was actually turned down by RCA records because they felt it was too sexy and would get banned from MTV and other video stations. The script only calling for a Catholic girls school bus breaking down in some dark alley, when the girls all got out of the bus dressed up in their little catholic school dress’s knocked on our rehearsal door only to come in and start dancing seductively and falling in love with the song and band. Very mild and tamed I must say compared to the videos we see today. (Laughs). But that’s the early eighties for you.

Stone: Where was this video filmed?

Louis: The video was filmed in an abandoned warehouse in Manhattan, New York. It took two days to film it. (Film not video), that’s why it has that grainy look to it. I couldn’t believe it took 48 straight hours to film, only to have it edited down to a 3 minute and 20 second song. (Laughs). The video cost RCA records $50,000 something that would cost $5,000 to $8,000 today.

MASS – That Was Yesterday!

Stone: How difficult or easy was it to get Do You Love Me on MTV? How psyched were you guys to get that exposure?

Louis: It was not difficult at all with such a big label like RCA behind us. MTV execs were actually at the shooting of the video and approached our management at the time to see if they would agree to let MTV make the Do You Love Me video an exclusive premier for MTV. But our management said NO because they wanted to share it with the U68’s,V66’s video stations of the world. A big mistake in my eyes for we would have gained much more exposure had they agreed to this and received “heavy rotation” play instead of the “1ight rotation” we received on MTV.

We were very excited the first time it aired on MTV. Just like the first time you hear your song on the radio you never forget that feeling. After that it seemed like every time you put the TV on or the radio on you would hear your song. The phone never stopped ringing after that. And still hasn’t. (Laughs).

Stone: Were there any aggravating and/or funny moments you want to share while filming “Do You Love Me”?

Louis: We just simply had a blast making it, hanging with all the hired extras and crew. We even put our road manager (Gino) at the beginning of the video along with our stage manager (Laurie). We also included our manager & lawyer towards the end (carrying the food trays). Although it was extremely exhausting we were just running on pure adrenaline and tons of laughs and good times.

MASS – In The Present!

Stone: As you look back on the New Birth album now, what fond memories does it stir up?

Louis: There are so many but here are just a few for me. We all moved in to the studio in beautiful Bearsville New York. The whole band actually lived in a huge barn. Our equipment was set up downstairs in the living room while all our beds were upstairs in the loft. We would work with our producer Tony Platt (Led Zep /Cheap Trick, etc) during the day on preproduction stuff in the barn for two weeks before moving into the studio to start recording. When I had free time, I would ride my mountain bike through the beautiful town and hills, while enjoying the fresh air and star studied night skies.

During the evenings, the band would get together and hang with Joe Lynn Turner and his band mates and go out for dinner at various places. Joe and his band mates were there recording an album as well with producer (Roy Thomas Baker/Queen). We had a lot of fun and many a food fight at some of the top-notch restaurants in the area, where we would sometimes be asked to leave. (Laughs).

Our girlfriends, wives, would come down a few weekends during our 8 week stay and enjoy the surroundings as well as the music we were making. My wife at the time was pregnant with my first child so it was special for me when we decided to call the album New Birth.

* All Photos Courtesy/By Permission Of Louis St. August

* For more info on MASS, click on the link below:

MASS – MASS ROCKS.COM

LONG LIVE MASS.

Stone.

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BC SWEET – New Album “Sugarbomb” Releases Early 2012, Listen To Brand New Single “Sugarbomb” Here!

Posted in classic rock, classic rock bands, glam rock, Hard Rock, hard rock albums, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , on November 3, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

BC SWEET – Kev Moore (lead vocalist & bassist) for BC Sweet has recently revealed some exciting news: Sugarbomb. This brand new album from BC Sweet will be released in early 2012 and you can listen and Rock-out to the brand new title track right here on Metal Odyssey! The other 9 songs on Sugarbomb are covers, celebrating Sweet classics as well as one Badfinger classic. Plus there is a bonus ‘secret’ track on this album as well! (See track list below).

* As of post launch time, Kev Moore is looking to release Sugarbomb on his very own moore:music label, being available through the moore:music online shop.

Kev Moore spoke of the new album Sugarbomb, telling Metal Odyssey:

“This album is just the first step in a gradual rebranding and remodelling of BC Sweet. We’ve taken the decision to establish our own identity with the Sweet legacy as our inspiration. As the years have passed since Brian Connolly’s death, the band cannot claim to be directly associated with him, but our pedigree as musicians, including The Glitterband’s Pete Phipps on Drums, (who has also played for XTC, Eurythmics, Mike Rutherford, etc) give us hope that we can further our cause in our own right with more original Glam-era inspired material over the next few years”.

* The very cool Sugarbomb album cover was designed by Kev Moore.

A special thank you to Kev Moore, for allowing Metal Odyssey to post the new single Sugarbomb for fans to enjoy. Sugarbomb was written by Kev Moore. Sugarbomb will be available as a digital download single on November 5th,2011 and available at most platforms, including: CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon. Click on the audio bar below to hear Sugarbomb and let the good times Rock!

BC Sweet – 2011

SUGARBOMB – Track List:

Sugarbomb

Action

Wigwam

Fox On The Run

Hell Raiser

Ballroom Blitz

No Matter What (Originally Badfinger, one of Brian Connolly’s favorite covers)

Set Me Free/Lies In Your Eyes Medley (A Sweet Rock classic segued into one of the later singles)

Blockbuster

Alexander Roadhouse Bell Blues (Sweet ‘s first single, Alexander Graham Bell mixed with Roadhouse Blues)

* Bonus ‘Secret’ Track – will be heard on Sugarbomb as well!

* Album cover and group photo courtesy of Kev Moore.

* For more info on BC Sweet, click on the link below:

Moore: Music

LONG LIVE BC SWEET.

Stone.

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KISS – Rock Hard Magazine Special Issue: Releases In Germany On November 30th, 2011

Posted in classic rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , on October 26, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

KISS – The iconic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal band, KISS, are known and loved the world over by generations of countless and loyal fans. KISS will be celebrated by Germany’s Rock Hard magazine with a special issue slated for release on November 30th, 2011. Interviews, 8 posters, photos and discography will be the features of this Rock Hard special issue of KISS.

(Source: KISSONLINE.com)

* For more info, click on the links below:

KISS

Rock Hard News (magazine)

LONG LIVE KISS.

Stone.

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IRON CLAW – Guitarist and Founding Member Jimmy Ronnie Comments On Band’s Lead Vocalist Transition

Posted in classic rock, classic rock bands, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , on October 24, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

Today, Jimmy Ronnie (guitarist and founding member of Scotland’s Hard Rock pioneers IRON CLAW) commented to Metal Odyssey on the recent departure of vocalist Gordon Brown. Thank you Jimmy! Here is what Jimmy had to say:

“As far as Gordon’s departure goes I haven’t really got much more to add, beyond that has already been said by Gordon himself. There is no bad feeling between us and we wish him good fortune in his future musical endeavours. Gordon has done a fine job on the album and that remains for all to hear. It’s just that the time had come for us to go in separate directions and when it came down to it we found ourselves in complete agreement on that point”.

“Iron Claw is still very much alive and looking forward to working with the next lead vocalist. There are plans to take the live show to audiences both here in the UK and abroad and Ripple Music have confirmed their desire to release another album in a year or so. Many thanks to Metal Odyssey for your continuing support”.

Jimmy Ronnie, Guitarist, Iron Claw – October 24th, 2011

Above: Jimmy Ronnie – By permission of Jimmy Ronnie

Above photo taken at first gig after Iron Claw reformation, at “Comlongon Rocks”, a charity one day festival in South West Scotland.

Click on the large header link below, to read what Gordon Brown had to say, regarding his leaving Iron Claw, (originally posted on Metal Odyssey October 21, 2011):

Gordon Brown – Former IRON CLAW Vocalist Reflects On His Tenure For “A Different Game” Album, Discusses Departing The Band

* For more info on IRON CLAW, click on the links below:

IRON CLAW – facebook

Ripple Music – facebook

LONG LIVE JIMMY RONNIE.

LONG LIVE GORDON BROWN.

LONG LIVE IRON CLAW.

Stone.

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Monday’s Question Of The Day: Why Is Chicago Not In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame?

Posted in classic rock, classic rock bands, Hard Rock, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , on October 24, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

CHICAGO – Yes, on a very frequent basis I do rant, regarding the obvious omissions of legendary bands/musicians that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame are embarrassingly guilty of not inducting for membership. Believe me, this is not the first time nor the last, that I am ranting about the ignorance and politics of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The 500 “Rock Scholars” and/or whatever else they’re called, over there in Cleveland, Ohio,  should all put their heads down in shame about ignoring this legendary American Rock Band: Chicago. Read the musical achievements below about Chicago and maybe you too will agree… Chicago is a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Band!

* The following facts about Chicago are taken from this source: Classic Rock Presents AOR Magazine, Issue 3, July 2011

* Record Sales Of 100 Million

* 21 U.S. Top Ten Singles

* Five Consecutive Chart-Topping Albums

* 11 Number One Singles

* 25 Of 32 Albums Are Certified Platinum

LONG LIVE CHICAGO.

Stone.

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Gordon Brown – Former IRON CLAW Vocalist Reflects On His Tenure For “A Different Game” Album, Discusses Departing The Band

Posted in classic rock, classic rock bands, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , on October 21, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

Gordon Brown

(Photo Used By Permission From Gordon Brown)

Gordon Brown – Recently, Gordon Brown has decided to step down as lead vocalist for Scotland’s Iron Claw. With nearly forty years since the last studio album was released by Iron Claw, Ripple Music signed them and A Different Game was released back in early October of 2011. Without anything to lose and a bounty of respect to gain, Iron Claw surely did claw their way into my Metal soul and tore it apart for the better. An amazing Hard Rock album with old school heaviness that featured the bluesy vocals of Gordon Brown and the seasoned musicianship of Jimmy Ronnie (guitar), Alex Wilson (bass) and Ian McDougall (drums).

Many (tried and true) legendary bands have changed lead vocalists over the decades of Rock, with Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Rainbow and Deep Purple being so prominently successful at it. Gordon Brown was not the first singer for Iron Claw, nor shall he be the last. The one thing I’m certain about is, I’ll miss the heck out of Gordon’s voice fronting this legendary underground band. Iron Claw will move forward and so too will Gordon Brown. I respect this band and Gordon beyond words can express for they’re a Hollywood script, proving that Rock and Roll dreams do come true.  – Stone

This week, I asked Gordon Brown to share his thoughts regarding his recent departure from Iron Claw and what he is setting his sights on for the future. Here is what Gordon Brown had to say:

My reasons for leaving the band were really quite simple, it wasn’t working for me and hadn’t been for quite a while. My decision to leave was probably made not long after we finished recording, I thought things might improve over time (and) they didn’t!  The thing is, if it isn’t right, it isn’t right and the best course of action is to walk away. There’s no acrimony (to my knowledge), (I) think the others probably felt the same way too in varying degrees.

The making of the album was fun for me, I thought that at age 51 it would never happen, I’m glad it did and I think we made a really good album. Much is often said about vocalists and guitarists, in Iron Claw the less well sung heroes are of course the drums and bass, I’ve said it before and will again now, with Ian McDougal and Alex Wilson you have a rhythm section that sounds like a panzer division on manoeuvres! They allowed Jimmy (Ronnie) and I to strut our stuff out front.

The reviews for the album are in the main very good and positive, hopefully people will get out and buy it.  There was probably a section of listeners and reviewers who expected the Iron Claw of long ago to be brought out to play, it saddens me that they don’t enjoy this version of the band. One particular blog site didn’t think they’d had enough of a go in their review and decided to have a second go and that did kind of amuse me!  There may have been expectations that regurgitating the early 70’s thing was how it would be, my personal view is that this album represents an older band doing what they love… and doing it well. Time will tell with the album. I love it.

There’s no real sadness or regret on my part in leaving. It would have been nice in some ways to have toured the album, but if it isn’t meant to be… I do hope the band find someone reasonably soon. It will however be a bit strange listening to my lyrics being sung by someone else but hey, that’s Rock ‘n’ Roll!

What now for me, well, the future is looking bright. I’ve had a load of requests to collaborate on projects from the UK and USA, so I’ll be investigating that. Being involved in an album from the beginning and having a hand in creating the music as well as writing the lyrics is very attractive to me right now. The likelihood is that it’ll be a mixture of Blues and Southern Boogie with a hint of Bluegrass thrown in. Going back to the music I love best will hopefully allow me to create something that I’d want to release. At the end of the day though, if A Different Game ends up being my only ever released work I won’t be unhappy or unfulfilled.

Cheers, GB


LONG LIVE GORDON BROWN.

LONG LIVE IRON CLAW.

Stone.

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SCORPIONS Cover Song & Re-Recordings Album: Comeblack – Releases November 15th, 2011 In North America!

Posted in classic rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , on October 19, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

SCORPIONS  – Here is an album that has gotten Scott Coverdale and I quite excited around here at the Metal Odyssey International Headquarters: Scorpions Comeblack. The official release date as stated on the Scorpions website is November 1st, 2011 and “available worldwide by Nov. 4th”. I’ve checked around and it appears the North American release date is November 15th, 2011. Comeblack will boast 13 songs, with a combination of re-recorded Scorpions classics and cover songs from legendary bands… these same bands that influenced the Scorpions to become unreal legendary themselves!

A wise old Metalhead once told me, a very, very, long time ago: “You can never get enough of them Scorpions”. Metal be thy name and Hail! Hail! Scorpions!

* Comeblack will be released on Sony Music.

* Comeblack will be available on CD and 2 – LP.

Track List For Comeblack:

Rhythm Of Love

No One Like You

The Zoo

Rock You Like A Hurricane

Blackout

Wind Of Change

Still Loving You

Tainted Love

Children Of The Revolution

Across The Universe

Tin Soldier

All Day And All Of The Night

Ruby Tuesday

* For more info on the Scorpions, click on the link below:

SCORPIONS

LONG LIVE THE SCORPIONS.

NO… THANK YOU KLAUS!

Stone.

3 Comments »

Britny Fox – Bite Down Hard: Can You “Name The Babe” On The Album Cover?

Posted in glam metal, Hair Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , on October 18, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

BRITNY FOX – Back in 1991, Britny Fox released their third studio album and first without “Dizzy” Dean Davidson as the lead vocalist. Tommy Paris was now the new lead vocalist for Britny Fox on Bite Down Hard. The original core of Michael Kelly Smith (guitar), Billy Childs (bass) and Johnny Dee (drums) returned on Bite Down Hard, making this a memorable Britny Fox album for me. Bite Down Hard is a damn good and Hard Rockin’ album from Britny Fox, an album that shouldn’t be overlooked by this seminal Glam Metal band.

Fast Facts About Bite Down Hard:

The Metal guitar warrior known as Zakk Wylde plays a solo on the track: Six Guns Loaded. The planetary and interplanetary famous drummer for Poison, Rikki Rockett, appears on the track: Midnight Moses.

Now, with all that out-of-the-way… onto “The Babe”. No, not Babe Ruth. The babe on the album cover for Bite Down Hard that is! Who was that blonde gal that had herself photographed only from the nose down for this cover? Trust me, she is famous. Trust me, she does deserve her “babe” status too. Can you guess who she is? Here are some hints that “maybe” will assist you along:

Hint #1: She is German born, back in 1972.

Hint #2: This babe has appeared in Playboy several times.

Hint #3: An accomplished actress, she has appeared on numerous television shows. An abbreviated list: Friends, Boy Meets World, General Hospital, Beverly Hills, 90210, The Commish and Xena: Warrior Princess. For motion pictures, she has appeared in: Airborne, That Thing You Do! and Stacy’s Mom.

There is no prize if you can “Name The Babe”, only a loud congratulations for the correct response will appear as an update in this post. Hey, that’s pretty damn cool stuff too. Good luck in trying to guess!

LONG LIVE THE ROCKIN’ LEGACY OF BRITNY FOX.

LONG LIVE BABES ON ALBUM COVERS.

Stone.

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Kimball Jamison – Can’t Wait For Love (Official Music Video): A Melodic Rock Gem Of A Song

Posted in album oriented rock, classic rock, Hard Rock, melodic rock, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , on October 8, 2011 by Metal Odyssey

KIMBALL JAMISON – Alright, it’s time to get those psyche-out ostrich bumps to rise up on your arms and face from an amazing song that boasts two legendary Rock vocalists: Bobby Kimball and Jimi Jamison. Trust me, I am still trying to shake the psyche-out fever I’ve contracted from Can’t Wait For Love. The dual vocal harmonies from Bobby and Jimi, on this song, are instantly identifiable and surely ever memorable.

Can’t Wait For Love Rocks in an elevated style, while showcasing the magical vocal fires that Kimball Jamison are combined. This is an AOR and Classic Rock gem of a melodic song, one that only Bobby Kimball and Jimi Jamison’s vocals could bring to such a heightened level of inspiration. Bobby Kimball is most famously known for his vocals and musical contributions with Toto. Jimi Jamison’s career is highlighted with his successful years he spent as a lead vocalist and songwriter with Survivor.

Check out Can’t Wait For Love below and crank it up! I hope you enjoy this song  as much as I do.

* Kimball Jamison releases October 14, 2011 in Europe and October 18th, 2011 in North America on Frontiers Records.

KIMBALL JAMISON – Track Listing:

Worth Fighting For

Can’t Wait For Love

Sail Away

Chasing Euphoria

Find Another Way

Get Back In The Game

I Did Everything Wrong

Shadows Of Love

Hearts Beat Again

We Gotta Believe

Kicking And Screaming

Your Photograph

* For more info on this Kimball Jamison album, click on the link below:

FRONTIERS RECORDS

LONG LIVE BOBBY KIMBALL.

LONG LIVE JIMI JAMISON.

Stone.

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