Ace Frehley will always be my choice pick for the guitarist of Kiss. Ace Frehley was the original guitarist and in my Metal opinion, the best at lead guitar for Kiss. I few posts ago, I stated that my favorite Kiss solo album of all time is Paul Stanley. I cannot backtrack that sentiment, the Paul Stanley album is for me, #1. With that said, out of the four Kiss solo albums, Ace Frehley is clearly my #2 choice. My fellow peer in Metal blogs over at The Metal Files, (a cool Metal Music blog that is worth the visits), commented his favorite Kiss solo album is Ace Frehley… this spurred me into delving into the Ace Frehley solo album once again. I do own the Ace Frehley solo album, (released on September 18, 1978), a record that has been with me for decades. I actually bought this Ace Frehley vinyl from a cut-out bin, from a small department store named Woolworths, back in the very early 1980’s. My Ace Frehley album has the top right corner actually cut off, therefore, that is probably why it was in a cut-out bin! Despite the cosmetic damage that this album cover suffered, the album itself and the large fold-out poster of Ace Frehley that was included with the album, never sustained damage from the cut-out process. (Each Kiss solo album had a large fold-out poster of the respective Kiss musician inside the album sleeve, with each of the four posters interlocking together, through die cuts, to form one giant Kiss collage, if you will).
Now, I have not ever owned the Ace Frehley solo album as a CD… until today. A trip to Best Buy had me, as usual, walking the CD aisles and staking out some Heavy Music that would pacify my Metal hunger. Well, Classic Heavy Metal has done it again… the Ace Frehley solo CD caught my eye, it was about time to upgrade my vinyl copy after all. I paid $7.99 for this Ace Frehley CD today, that is cheaper than buying a steak and a whole lot more gratifying too. “Rip It Out” and “Speedin’ Back To My Baby” are the first two tracks… I tag these two songs as being my two favorites. These songs have that Ace Frehley vibe happening, vocally of course, yet the guitar of Ace is so incredibly vintage. To plop a CD into the car stereo on the ride home and have the very first two songs crank like this… all I could say to myself as I drove was… Space Ace Rocks. As I continued to listen to Ace Frehley, it was a consistent reminder to me, as to how Rock legit his solo album was and still is. When I was much younger, back in 1978, I bought the 45 rpm of “New York Groove”, with the “B” side being “Snow Blind”. Both of these songs I do put on a Metal pedestal for the memories they stir… I was just a young, little dude playing this 45 record back in 1978, CD’s and ipods were non existent and The New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox – in a one game playoff for the American League East Division title. Plus, I had no bills to pay back in 1978 either. Ace Frehley as with all of the Kiss solo albums, bring back memories that money just can’t buy.
This Ace Frehley solo album did reach platinum sales status, (one million or more copies sold), peaking at #26 on the U.S. Billboard album charts as well. My fellow Metal blogging peer at The Metal Files commented Ace Frehley did not write “New York Groove”… Russ Ballard did. “New York Groove” peaked at #13 on the U.S. Billboard Singles chart. Not to sound like a television music show judge, excuse me by saying… Ace Frehley nailed it with “New York Groove”. Aw, heck, Ace Frehley nailed it on all nine songs too.
Stryper – “To Hell With The Devil” was released on October 24, 1986. I already was an avid listener to Stryper and their brand of Christian Heavy Metal Music when this album came out. I had purchased their album “Soldiers Under Command”, (released on May 15, 1985), within months after it’s release, therefore I already took a liking to Stryper. I always have been and forever will be, diversified with my adoration for Metal music. I hate sounding like a broken record by saying… if I have said it once, I shall say it again… I listen to all Hard Rock and Metal Music genres. The songs on this album are exquisitely inspirational, they are enormously melodic and yes… commercial 1980’s Heavy Metal. It is the power that comes across to me, from these songs, that makes this Stryper album my all time favorite. Anytime any religion plays a role within the framework of a Heavy Metal band and their lyrics, it is better left up to the individual listener, to make the choice if this is what they want to embrace. In my Metal opinion, it is all about personal preference and interpretation, when it comes to any specific form of music. I will still play this album and benefit from the Heavy Metal and lyrical contents that are found within.
Iron Maiden released their fourth studio album, “Piece Of Mind” in 1983. An amazing Heavy Metal album it was and forever will be. I bought that album back in ’83… stared at the front cover for hours, which in fact, probably equals out to actual days. I have always been mesmerized by artist Derek Riggs artwork of mascot Eddie. This album does not contain the cover song of “Cross Eyed Mary”, instead, it was released as a “b” side to the single “The Trooper”, taken from the “Piece Of Mind” album. To the best of my Metal research, “The Trooper” single was released on June 20, 1983. I frequented a small and independent record store on an almost daily basis back in the ’80’s, (I won’t divulge the name of this store for personal reasons), upon a daily stop there… there it was… Iron Maiden “The Trooper” Maxi Single on vinyl no less!! My Metal memory is very vivid about this moment… I stared this beautiful Iron Maiden rarity down, bought it and have kept it pristine ever since. Plus, this was the only copy this store had, I never saw this Iron Maiden single on vinyl again. (Certainly, there has to be more out there in collections or online today, I just never happened to come across one in person). This Iron Maiden Maxi Single as it is called, again, is on vinyl that is the actual size of an album -(an EP if you will), it plays at 45 rpm.
Accept is a legendary Heavy Metal Band from Germany, blazing through the late 1970’s and releasing crushing Old School Heavy Metal right up until 1996. U.D.O. is the Heavy Metal brainchild from the iconic lead singer from Accept… Udo Dirkschneider. U.D.O. released their first studio album in 1987, with “Animal House”… in 1988 their second studio album released, titled “Mean Machine”. U.D.O. has released many albums over the years, with their latest studio effort being “Mastercutor”, released in 2007. I have and always will be a huge fan of Udo Dirkschneider, Accept was an incredible Heavy Metal band, they never wavered or catered to any musical flavor of the day, just 100% Heavy Metal albums they released back in the day. With Udo carrying on his grand Heavy Metal career with U.D.O., it only makes me psyched – knowing this legend is still around. Udo may not receive the glamourous adulation from the mainstream Rock press like Rob Halford, Ronnie James Dio, Brian Johnson or Ozzy, however, he is just as important to the history of Heavy Metal as any of these lead singers are.
Judas Priest and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal or (NWOBHM) took me by storm back in the Summer of 1982. Honestly, I was aware of the “British Steel” album from Judas Priest then, yet nowhere near Metal schooled about this band as I should have been. It was in 1982 when I was beginning to delve deeper into the world of Heavy Metal… Judas Priest basically opened the gates of Metal for me to enter… and enter I did. I have never looked back. Of course, after my very first listen to my buddies “Screaming for Vengeance” album, I rushed over to my nearest Caldor department store and bought my own copy. This album then had me salivating for more of “The Priest”. In short time I owned every available album from this mighty band, choosing “Stained Class” to be my favorite all time Judas Priest album – this opinion stands Metal tall to this very day. This “Screaming for Vengeance” album initiated me to own the entire catalog of Judas Priest, it initiated me to seek out and enjoy more Metal bands and their powerful music. Judas Priest was the Metal band, this was the Metal album that had me realize that Metal was to be my life long favorite music genre. Metal case closed.
Without question, as I look back now, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” was the break out, commercial success song, that was instrumental in carving Judas Priest into the Metal giant and Rob Halford into the Metal God of today. That is cool with me, this song was necessary for Judas Priest to break into the hum drum FM radio environment, that was existing back in 1982. When I first heard “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'”, it was as if my entire body went on an adrenaline trip that was truly foreign to me. All I can remember is – I never felt such intensity envelope my body and mind like this song did. And to think, if this song riveted me in such a manner, what did listening to the rest of this album do to my senses? It was Heavy Metal euphoria, back in 1982. To be perfectly clear, this album was Heavy Metal 101 for me. Before “Screaming for Vengeance” was discovered by me, Kiss, Cheap Trick, AC/DC and Foreigner were the heaviest bands I ever listened to.
Rainbow was and still is one of the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal bands that I look upon with Metal reverence. The song writing, lyrics, musicianship, melodies, well, I could go on forever about why I have liked this band so much. Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, in my Metal opinion, is a guitar legend, both with Deep Purple and Rainbow. Ritchie Blackmore collaborated with lead vocalist Joe Lynn Turner on a few releases, back in the 1980’s. “Bent Out Of Shape” is one of those albums they created, writing nine out of the ten songs together. “Bent Out Of Shape” can be taken as a commercial Hard Rock statement, only It is difficult for me to define this album as such. My standards for commercial Rock or Hard Rock/Heavy Metal definitely differ from other peoples standards. I need to hear consistent sappy ballads and/or radio – bubble gum – friendly songs before my stamp of commercialism is placed on an album. In other words, I feel “Bent Out Of Shape” is one mighty, melodic, Hard Rock album. Honestly, I have no problem with labeling “Bent Out Of Shape” as a Heavy Metal album. This album was released in 1983, the heaviness of Rainbow for back then, easily gave this band the label of Heavy Metal.
Journey, the Rock icon of a band. Journey “Evolution”, an album that is now referred to as a Classic Rock masterpiece… by me anyways. What else can one say about this incredible Rock album? Quite a bit can actually be said, this album established Journey, solidified them atop the Rock Music world for many, many, years. There could never be another Steve Perry, his vocals alone gave Journey their signature sound. In my opinion, there are lead singers that have vocals so breathtaking, they are the most important musical instrument in their respective band. I had felt this way about Steve Perry, with his years with Journey. Steve Perry’s vocals can never be duplicated, nor will he ever be forgotten by me as the lead singer for Journey. I will always appreciate Journey as the band they are today too. With that said, this is an article where I am celebrating the brilliance of a moment in time, one that can be listened to time and again, that moment was Journey’s “Evolution”, (released in 1979).
Back in 1980, I was enthralled by 38 Special. That year, I went to the Caldor Department Store and bought the 45 rpm of the hit single – “Rockin’ Into The Night”. I was in eighth grade with not too much cash in my pocket, still I always held onto enough dough to buy my 45’s. My parents were on an extremely fixed budget, therefore, I could not coax too many higher priced albums from them back then. That was fine, I was always grateful for what my parents could afford to give me. Besides, I more often than not, earned my records from doing yard work and cleaning up the house. That 38 Special 45 rpm was played by me continuously. “Rockin’ Into The Night” was my song back in 1980, no one else’s, (or so I thought). The truth of the day is, I did not buy the actual album “Rockin’ Into The Night” until decades later. Man, what was I thinking? The 45 rpm I had from 1980 had been worn down from repeated play, eventually tossed away. Yet, as I write this post, this Classic Southern Hard Rock album, (really it is a CD now), is a permanent fixture in my music collection. 
For some reason or another, tonight I had the image of Toy Caldwell in my mind, playing guitar and singing his heart out with “Heard It In A Love Song”
This is the original demo of Roxx Regime, from 1983, (“The Roxx Regime Demos”), before they became Stryper. (This CD was released on July 10, 2007). The songs are all excellent, with an unpolished, raw, under produced feel and spirited energy. (This is what really makes the Heavy Metal sound even better, in my Metal opinion). There are seven songs in all on this disc, including one drum solo. These tunes really thump, they have the early 80’s Heavy Metal/Hair Metal sound. “Honestly” is a ballad that really touches off tremendous emotion, the most mellow tune on this disc and a future hit for Stryper. “From Wrong to Right” and “Loud N Clear” are catchy tracks, with a definite early ’80’s Heavy Metal/Hair Metal vibe. “Tank” is a drum solo from Robert Sweet, nothing really fancy – cool to have in the mix of songs just the same. If you are already familiar with Stryper, you will hear and recognize the talented musicianship, a band in their Metal infancy, that would become a premier Christian Heavy Metal band of the 1980’s and beyond.
There is no disguising the fact, I have been an ELO fan my entire life. The Electric Light Orchestra has music that actually fits into any type of mood I am in. From the more mellow “Eldorado” album to the rather upbeat “Discovery” album, ELO has always been there for me. Certainly, Metal Music (including all of it’s incredible sub genres of Extreme Metal Music) is my mainstay, #1 always and forever – still, there are those many moments in my life where I turn to ELO for inspiration and musical enjoyment. ELO is music. ELO is a Progressive Rock giant that in my Metal opinion, has always been cutting edge, if you will, with their musical arrangements and overall sound. Here are 12 cool facts for ELO fans to savor over, new fans of ELO just might find these facts to be of interest too.
Bob Seger, Rock and Roll Legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. That should be quite enough of an accomplishment to just call it a day, for just about any aging Rock Star, huh? Not the case with Bob Seger, no way. Just because a living Rock Legend goes on a personal hiatus for a number of years, does this mean this Rock Legend is washed up? Has this Rock Legend lost the ability to write and sing music like it was 1980 all over again? In my Metal opinion, Bob Seger has lost no Rock and Roll groove in his music, nor has he forgotten how to write Rock music songs that hit me straight to the heart. “Face The Promise” is a celebration of Rock Music that not only inspires me with all of it’s lyrical content, the Rock and Roll move and groove songs on this album are wrapped up in sincere blue collar grit.
Tesla has released an album of 12 brand new tunes this past year titled “Forever More”, it should not be ignored or overlooked. I feel this new Tesla album is a solid musical statement, (“Forever More” was released on October 7, 2008). All 12 songs are what I consider to be Hard Rock excellence that lyrically relates. The lyrics of these songs are a celebration of life’s ups and downs, delivered in true – blue collar, Hard Rock fashion from Tesla. “So What!” is a heavy, musically driven tune, it essentially tells you to shrug off the complaining in life, plus who cares about other people’s whining as well. “Pvt. Ledbetter” is a feel good track about a soldier who is going to come home from war, (not to give away the storyline), the first listen to this song had me worried that it would be a sad ending. Jeff Keith on vocals sounds like he is having the time of his life, he sings better than ever on “Forever More”, (in my Metal opinion).
Back in 1985, The Firm released their self titled, debut album “The Firm”. I remember being very curious about this band… would the album be heavy? Would this album be a dud? Why is Paul Rodgers not with Bad Company? Is Jimmy Page going to scorch on “The Firm” album? So many questions were going on in my mind back then, about The Firm’s first LP. Well, in my Metal opinion, this album was/still is, one of the more commercially accepted, radio friendly, Rock albums that I will still listen to… even in the middle of my Thrash Metal and Death Metal moods. During one of my frequent thrift store visits this past Winter, I came across this actual album, in close to perfect condition too. The album jacket shows no wear at all, plus the vinyl itself plays without a hitch. Upon finding this album, I instantly grabbed it, there was no second thought about it. (At 50 cents, there was no risk involved, only reward). What makes The Firm and their debut album so appealing? 
Bun E. Carlos, drummer of Hard Rock legends, Cheap Trick, turned 58 Rockin’ years young today, (June 12, 2009). Metal Odyssey extends a huge Happy Birthday to Bun E. Carlos! I am not holding back when I say, I have been a fan of Cheap Trick since I was in 6th grade… (back in the late 1970’s)… when owning 8-track tapes of Cheap Trick was the norm and collecting Kiss trading cards was cool. I still get a cool kick from listening to Bun E. Carlos’s classic drum intro, to the live track of “Ain’t That A Shame” off of the “at Budokan” album. Listening to Bun. E. Carlos over the years, I have never lost sight of the fact, that this drummer is as capable and talented as any other in Hard Rock history. Just give the album “Dream Police” a listen, especially the title track, you will hear Bun E. Carlos solidifying the song with precision. Bun E. Carlos has proven to me, it is not the glitz and glam that make a real Hard Rock drummer, it is the playing, the integrity in the musicianship that really matters. Many Hard Rock drummers have the look, yet they do not have half the talent with the drumsticks, like Mr. Carlos bestows. Bun E. Carlos is not an overnight sensation, this is a drummer that along with the entire Cheap Trick band… have paid their Hard Rock dues spanning three decades. 
Cheap Trick is without question, in my top ten of all time favorite bands. That includes all genres of Rock, Hard Rock and Metal too. This is the one band I so desperately need to see live. I honestly cannot believe I never saw Cheap Trick in concert… after all these years. I feel semi-embarrassed in admitting this. Then again, I would have to be a full time concert goer to actually see every band I dig, there are that many… I am confidently certain I am not alone with that thought. Therefore, what makes for the consolation prize instead of seeing Cheap Trick live, is listening to their double CD “Silver”. (Released June 29, 2004). This double live, Cheap Trick bounty of hits commemorates their 25 plus years as a Rock & Roll original. (Yes, “at Budokan” is a legendary live album from Cheap Trick… I have covered that milestone of an album in an earlier post). “Silver” covers a vast array of Cheap Trick hits, from their deep catalog of albums. This live concert captures Cheap Trick in their Rockin’ spontaneous glory… no over dubbing that I can detect. 
In 1983, Fastway was the apple of my Metal eye. Today, well, Fastway is an old school Heavy Metal favorite of mine still, with their debut album aptly titled “Fastway”, being what I consider their best material. Man, when I heard the news that “Fast” Eddie Clarke was leaving Motorhead, I was floored like any loyal fan, back in the day. Then, the word broke, that “Fast” Eddie Clarke was forming a new Heavy Metal band called Fastway… my Metal anticipation was climbing by the second. Knowing that Pete Way (formerly of UFO) was to play bass alongside “Fast” Eddie Clarke only made this lineup more potent by the second. (I later found out that Pete Way never did get to actually play bass on the Fastway debut album).
You must be logged in to post a comment.