ESKI OF MORPHINE KILLER – So 2010 has come and gone and that leaves me wondering – what is to become of this decade, music-wise? Will bands go and try to be “heavier” than any other band has gotten, or will we go back to a retro-pre-click track lo-fi days? It always seems like bands try to follow “trends” (if you want to call them that), instead of establishing a real identity. I always enjoy listening to what bands bring to the table, as opposed to listening to them because “they sound like so-and-so”. Here is my list for 2010:
#10
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA – ZOMBIE EP
#9
HELLOWEEN – 7 SINNERS
#8
THE CHARIOT – LONG LIVE
#7
OF MICE & MEN – OF MICE & MEN
#6
SOILWORK – THE PANIC BROADCAST
#5
HALFORD – HALFORD IV: MADE OF METAL
#4
DÅÅTH – DÅÅTH
#3
NEVERMORE – THE OBSIDIAN CONSPIRACY
#2
ESCAPE THE FATE – ESCAPE THE FATE
#1
AVENGED SEVENFOLD – NIGHTMARE
Honorable Mention (Non-Metal):
LIL WAYNE – I AM NOT A HUMAN BEING
Here’s to 2011 and hoping that Morphine Killer will be making everyone’s list next year!
* Below is a list of other great sites/bloggers that cover Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and will be sharing their “Best Of 2010” lists and thoughts as well. It is well worth the trip to any and/or all of them!
Arrival Records/Scion Music Group – Will release the new soundtrack for the hit SHOWTIME comedy series Californication. Season 4: Music From The Showtime Series Californication will include tracks that play a part in bringing to life many of the storylines of the new season (premiering Sunday, January 9, 2011 at 9pm PT/ET on SHOWTIME).
On Californication, David Duchovny stars in his Golden Globe wining role as TV’s favorite anti-hero, Hank Moody – a hedonistic writer who struggles to raise his teenage daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin) while still carrying a torch for her mother, his ex-girlfriend (Natascha McElhone). This season, Becca joins an all-girl rock band fronted by Pearl, (played by singer and actress Zoë Kravitz) called “Queens of Dogtown” and plots will evolve with an emphasis on music and Rock culture.
Soundtrack exclusives will feature three Rock classics reinvented by Queens Of Dogtown as well as Tommy Lee’s (MotleyCrüe) solo version of Home Sweet Home. Music by Shooter Jennings & Hierophant, Eagles Of Death Metal, Better Than Ezra, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Monster Magnet vs. Adrian Young, Cracker, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Warren Zevon and Gregory Alan Isakov will also set the tone throughout episodes of Season 4 and on Season 4: Music From TheShowtime Series Californication.
Nora Felder and Budd Carr, the series Californication music supervisors and soundtrack co-producers, recently received the HMMA (Hollywood Music in Media Award) for “Outstanding Music Supervision in TV”. Other producers for Season 4: Music From The Showtime Series Californication are Jonathan Platt, Tom Kapinos and label heads: Mark Spier and Rick Rand.
Soundtrack Track Listing As Follows:
F**k You (I’m Famous) – Shooter Jennings & Hierophant
Stuck In The Metal – Eagles Of Death Metal
So Alive – Better Than Ezra
Would? – Queens Of Dogtown
Sex On Wheels – My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
Last Caress – Queens Of Dogtown
Mirror People – Monster Magnet vs. Adrian Young
Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out With Me – Cracker
I Remember You – Queens Of Dogtown
Second Life Replay – The Soundtrack Of Our Lives
Wanted Dead Or Alive – Warren Zevon
If I Go, I’m Goin – Gregory Alan Isakov
Home Sweet Home – Tommy Lee
Season 4: Music From The Showtime Series Californication will be released online, in stores and digitally on January 11, 2011.
Life is filled with surprises, sometimes good, sometimes lousy. This “thank you” post is about a lousy surprise that came through my email box this past Christmas weekend. My neighborhood f.y.e. store is closing. Closing. Could it be? Is this some sort of vile prank? No, unfortunately, this email came directly from f.y.e.’s online marketing department… just letting me know that there were to be closeout deals to be had, due to the Allentown/South Mall store being eventually closed. Deals. I think it is a RAW deal whenever any store closes, especially a store that is notoriously known for stocking the best assortment of Metal CD’s this side of the Atlantic.
Deals. What about the store employees? Their losing their jobs is no deal… and being notified on the Christmas bulls eye, right during the heart of the Christmas holiday, is no damn deal. Plus, this will now be one less store that record companies can have their CD’s and merchandise stocked at… no deal. Maybe for the “casual” customer, the one who buys two CD’s and/or DVD’s per year at f.y.e. will see this as a “deal”… where they can walk in and stock up on the six CD’s that they would have purchased throughout an entire year… at 30% off. This is NO deal for the customers, like myself, who spends quite an impressive amount of money throughout the entire year, on dozens of CD’s.
Factor in the relationships a customer like myself makes, with the employees of this f.y.e. over the years and this store location closing – is no damn deal. The employees of this f.y.e. store were and still are world class when it comes to professionalism and knowledge in their product. Never did I encounter a situation where any employee at this f.y.e. did not know what I was asking for… or talking about. Besides knowledge of music, these employees I dealt with here, also bestow something else that is not commonly found in retail this day and age… they were all (gasp) friendly.
It is a sign of the times, that CD sales are dipping and the mp3 is celebrating it’s dominance upon music fans. I can’t dispute any corporate entity for having to cut costs and make their bottom line look appealing to investors… it’s a cyclical force of capitalism. What I can point out, however, is the lack of vision that giant retailers have towards the music industry as a whole. There is a product out there to sell, CD’s and DVD’s along with entertainment merchandise will never go away, (unless CD’s and DVD’s are no longer manufactured)… some other retail location “somewhere” will have it for sale. In the meantime, with all of the “shrinking aisles” of CD’s and music store closings happening in realtime, I don’t want to hear anyone balk about Super Walmart carrying the goods… and having CD’s for sale at competitive prices too.
Where I live, there is no abundance of independent CD and record stores. There’s flea markets during the non-winter months. Then, there’s Super Walmart. Sure, Best Buy still carries CD’s and limited vinyl releases… only their aisles are shrinking with this product too. Forget Target… it’s the flavor-of-the-month when it comes to their CD aisles. Super Walmart never had an Extreme Metal selection as an f.y.e. does… and they never will. If there was/is any competition between an f.y.e. and a Super Walmart, it is for the Walmart “only” titles of CD’s and bubble gum Pop Music. When it comes to Metal, forget it… f.y.e. has the biggest selection. Apparently, having the biggest Metal selection is not enough, if your not selling at a level where the corporate profit margin is not making the rich happy… and richer.
I will miss my neighborhood f.y.e. and without question, miss the interaction I continuously had with their employees. Each one of them made Stone feel like he belonged in their store… each one listened to what Stone had to say. I wish I could say that about every store I frequent, only I can’t. I have to grin and shake my head, while realizing that f.y.e. has NO CLUE as to the quality people that have worked very hard for them at this location… working diligently to make f.y.e. rich. So, f.y.e., it’s no deal for me to save 30% on my CD purchases I made today… it is an important and sad deal though, to have to say goodbye to these following exceptional employees:
NATALIE
STACY
JOHN
ERIC
DANNY
Whenever a company or store closes it’s doors, PEOPLE are affected… and employees are people. I wish the above named employees of this f.y.e. store all the very best that life can bring them. They all made my shopping experience at this f.y.e. store worth my time and money, as well as memorable. Thank you, my Metal Buddies at the South Mall f.y.e., YOU ROCK!
Metal Odyssey’s Scott Coverdale – Wow, where did 2010 go? A few months ago, Stone asked if I would be interested in doing a list of my personal Top Ten Albums Of 2010 for Metal Odyssey. After giving it some thought, I said, sure, what the hell! I’ll admit, I am not a critic, nor do I review albums. I’m just a dude that gets into listening to Hard Rock and Heavy Metal albums, along with researching Metal and corresponding live from concerts for Metal Odyssey. Secondly, I do not listen to or know much about the Extreme genres of Metal, with Death and Black Metal not being my forte.
So, while deliberating my list of the Top Ten Albums Of 2010, picking that one standout Hard Rock or Heavy Metal album proved to be quite difficult. I probably have bought and listened to 30+ CD’s that were released over the course of 2010, therefore, I have left a lot of quality music on the table. With that all being said, here is my Top Ten Albums Of 2010…
#10
GAMMA RAY – TO THE METAL!
#9
RATT – INFESTATION
#8
CRAZY LIXX – NEW RELIGION
#7
TADDY PORTER – TADDY PORTER
#6
SISTER SIN – TRUE SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND
#5
KROKUS – HOODOO
#4
SCORPIONS – STING IN THE TAIL
#3
VOLBEAT – BEYOND HELL ABOVE HEAVEN
#2
ACCEPT – BLOOD OF THE NATIONS
#1
PRETTY MAIDS – PANDEMONIUM
Congratulations PRETTY MAIDSon having your PANDEMONIUM album chosen as Scott Coverdale’s #1 Album Of 2010!
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL AIN’T NOISE POLLUTION.
Scott Coverdale.
* Below is a list of other great sites/bloggers that cover Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and will be sharing their “Best Of 2010” lists and thoughts as well. It is well worth the trip to any and/or all of them!
Top Six Unsigned Metal Bands of 2010: There are countless unsigned bands in the world today, representing every genre of music. Metal Odyssey receives a fine share of demos and fully produced CD’s from unsigned bands. Many of these bands have potential to take their music to the next level, where there are those bands that should consider other career options. Then, there are the bands that are ready NOW for a major independent or major label to grasp onto what they are creating and playing. These are the unsigned bands that NEED to be signed NOW, to a major independent or major label.
I have chosen my favorite six unsigned bands of this past year and want to share them with the world, as a special edition of Metal Odyssey’s “Best Of” lists for 2010. A few of these bands I had the Metal pleasure to interview during 2010, while the other bands I’m sure I’ll cross Metal paths with one day soon. At the end of the Metal day, these six Metal bands are my favorites from the unsigned crowd of 2010. Here’s hoping that maybe one of these bands, if not all, will spark your Metal curiosity like they did mine!
Metal Odyssey’s Top Six Unsigned Metal Bands Of 2010:
MORPHINE KILLER
(Photo by: Stephanie Grant – imsteph.com)
From Southern California, there is the dynamic Metal duo of Brandon Ortiz, aka Eski and Belle Roka that make Morphine Killer… so damn killer to listen to.
What makes Morphine Killer such a tremendousMetal band is their quality songs, filled with quality vocals, lyrics and musicianship… the entire 100 yards of Metal. I reviewed their Nightmares EP with a posting back on April 23, 2010. Check it out for yourself by clicking that unreal looking header below!
Back on May 16, 2010, Eski and Belle Roka took the time to answer some questions I threw at them. You can read this very cool interview by clicking on the very loud header below!
Throw It All Away is the new single that Morphine Killer released earlier this year, it will be on their forthcoming full-length album – Sickening. You can purchase this fantastic song on itunes, along with Morphine Killer’s two raging EP’s: Unapologetic and Nightmares. For now, take a listen to Throw It All Away by clicking on that cool box below! I hope you dig this song as much as I have been!
* For more info on Morphine Killer, click on the links below:
Out of the Great White North… comes a Traditional Metal Band that brings Old School back with their very own supercharged Metal vibe and eye popping Metal skills… thank you Calgary, Alberta, Canada for – DERAILED. Led by founding member Dean Boland, the lead guitarist and a man of many Metal hats, Derailed is a big Metal deal to my ears. If you haven’t heard of Derailed just yet… your gonna.
On June 26, 2010, I posted the album review for the Derailed debut album Judgement Day. You can read all about it by clicking the huge header below!
On August 4, 2010, my interview with Derailed’s Dean Boland was posted. Check it out by clicking the gigantic header below… it will serve youMetal justice.
On both sides of the Atlantic, there is Metal aplenty. Metal is a worldwide phenomenon that will never say die. Austria can very well boast, they are the home country for – Sergeant Steel. Every neighborhood in every country should have a band like Sergeant Steel, their brand of Hard Rock colliding with Old School Heavy Metal is so damn contagious.
On July 1, 2010, I posted the album review for Sergeant Steel’s debut – Lovers & Maniacs. You can read about this Hard Rockin’ & Metal Thumpin’ album by clicking on the bloated header below!
Back on July 14, 2010, my interview with Phil Vanderkill, the flamboyant front man for Sergeant Steel, was posted. If you want to get an “inside” track on just what Sergeant Steel is all about, click on the hefty header below!
From Mammoth Lakes, California, VALDUR caught my Metal attention with a fiery blast of Black Metal whoop ass. Metal be thy name… VALDUR is for real.
On November 18, 2010, I posted the album review for VALDUR’S blackened Metal triumph which is called – Raven God Amongst Us. I highly recommend you take the time to check it out, by clicking that rotund header below!
NeuTrad Archon released their full-length album this past year, titled – Overture. With ten songs that more than smoke the Metal meter to a melting point. These songs on Overture have undeniable substance, both lyrically and musically, with an unrelenting ability to satisfy my Extreme Metal hunger.
Their progressive, blackened, momentarily Folk Metal and downright darkened with MetalExtremity. This band knows how to incorporate a melodic drive to their sound as well, utilizing the keyboards throughout Overture and on one track violins are introduced, which makes NeuTrad Archon not just ultra-diverse in their Metal style, it makes them a band to latch onto and brag about to your Metal peers. This band has all the right ingredients to be huge in the Metal world one day.
* Look for a complete album review of Overture in early 2011, right here at Metal Odyssey!
* For more info on NeuTrad Archon, click on the link below:
With New Jersey as their home base, the trio of M. Gonçalves (vocals, guitars, bass), Valcek (Violin) and JP Andrade on drums have created an album that mesmerizes my Metal senses with their full-length, eight song, album debut – Tribus. Windfaerer is such a band of Metal talent, it’s unquestionably scary. This is blackened Folk Metal at it’s underground finest, making me want to leap through the dark and foreboding fields of my neighborhood at night, in euphoric Metal glee, while raising the horns to the moonlit sky.
* Look for a complete album review of Tribus in early 2011, right here at Metal Odyssey!
* For more info on Windfaerer, click on the link below:
* Below is a list of other great sites/bloggers that cover Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and will be sharing their “Best Of 2010” lists and thoughts as well. It is well worth the trip to any and/or all of them!
JOE ELLIOTT’S DOWN ‘N’ OUTZ – Cover song albums can either catch me by surprise or bore me to pieces. Other times, a cover song album can be 50/50 with it’s quality of content. Therefore, making a cover song album is always a risky business, when attempting to make songs already known and revered by Rock fans. A band has to really add something to a cover song and make it memorable, let alone an entire album of them. An album of covers most often gets ignored and swept under cases of empty beer bottles anyways. Creating an album of cover songs is not always the “in” thing to do either. So, with all of the negatives attached to tackling a covers album, the likelihood of messing up by releasing such an album is apparently in the Rock ‘N’ Roll cards… unless you are Joe Elliott and your band is named Down ‘n’ Outz.
My ReGeneration was released on July 13, 2010, on Mailboat Records. Joe Elliott’s Down ‘n’ Outz covered Rock classics from the Mott The Hoople family: Mott, Ian Hunter and British Lions. Joe Elliott’s Down ‘n’ Outz not only captured the essence of Classic Rock on this album, they carried it off on their own Rockin’ vibe and did add that extra ingredient of relevance to songs that should never be forgotten. As a bonus, this album does take Joe Elliott away from the Def Leppard comfort zone and showcases him as a vocalist who once again, never over stretches his boundaries by singing within the songs and not over them.
A very addicting album MyReGeneration has been for me, while reminding me of the importance that Mott The Hoople and their spinoffs had on Rock Music history. I highly recommend this album to anyone who digs Classic Rock and Old School Hard Rock like I do. Take a listen and watch the video for England Rocks below, a song from the My ReGeneration album… it will serve you right!
On September 16, 2010, I wrote a more comprehensive review on My ReGeneration. Just click on the huge header below to read all about it!
* Below is a list of other great sites/bloggers that cover Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and will be sharing their “Best Of 2010” lists and thoughts as well. It is well worth the trip to any and/or all of them!
ALICE COOPER – Metal Odyssey gives a Metal Congratulations to Alice Cooper and each original member of Alice Cooper (The Band) for their induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, class of 2011. Metal accolades go out to the original lineup of Alice Cooper (The Band): Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith and the late Glen Buxton.
Regardless of the bonehead maneuvers and clique driven approach that the “Rock scholars” at this institution have bestowed over the years, it is a fine feeling to have such an iconic band and powerful figure as Alice Cooper as a member there. Alice Cooper represents Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. Just exactly where Shock/Horror Rock would be today, without Alice Cooper leading the way, is a scary Metal thought to ponder. Influential, groundbreaking, legendary… how many more ways can I explain the impact that Alice Cooper has had upon Rock Music across the genres?
At the end of my Metal day, it’s not about Rock genres… it’s about music. Alice Cooper has created music that will live on for untold generations, long after my stay on Earth is over.
Metal Odyssey’s Metal Gripes:
* Alice Cooper belongs inducted as a solo artist as well. Alice Cooper’s solo career began in 1975 with the studio album Welcome To My Nightmare and continues to the present day. Alas, The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s Rock scholars probably don’t know that.
Let’s just hope the trend of inducting the musicians and bands that belong in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame continues. My criticism of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame shall continue, until there are real knowledgeable and non-political Rock minds in place at the helm. Without the likes of KISS, Cheap Trick, The Moody Blues, Heart, Motorhead, Slayer, The Doobie Brothers, The Electric Light Orchestra and Mott The Hoople, to name a many few, (there are many more), it shall remain one big Hall Of Shame. Remember: ABBA is already inducted (?)… the bands previously mentioned, sadly, are overlooked. Bizarre.
LONG LIVE ALICE COOPER.
LONG LIVE THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL OF ALICE COOPER (THE BAND)
(New York, NY) — ANEW REVOLUTION will continue their trek in support of their record iMERICA early in 2011. Today the band announced they’d be supporting ILL NINO along side Ekotren and Fashion Bomb on the “Restore The Insanity Tour.” “What a year 2010 has been! We’re excited to announce that we will be heading out with Ill Nino. We’re going to spice up the live show and fans should expect some new songs in the set as well. Happy Holidays and see you all soon,” says Bassist Frank Salvaggio. Dates are below; more dates will be announced soon.
1/20 Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s
1/21 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
1/25 Denver, CO @ Marquis
1/27 Los Angeles, CA @ Key Club
2/1 San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live
2/2 Beaumont, TX @ The Gig
2/3 Dallas, TX @ Trees
2/4 Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
2/5 Houma, LA @ The City Club
2/7 Atlantta, GA @ Masquerade
2/13 Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater
2/15 Worcester, MA @ Palladium
2/19 Allentown, PA @ Crock Rock
ANEW REVOLUTION just finished up a tour with HELLYEAH after completing the highly successful “HARD DRIVE LIVE TOUR” alongside SEVENDUST and 10 YEARS.
The band saw the release of their sophomore eOne release “iMerica” in 2010 along with non stop touring. They shot a video for their popular single “Head Against The Wall” which can be seen here [http://bit.ly/i0IV8S].
Formed in Austin, Texas by singer/guitarist Joey Duenas, bassist Frank Salvaggio, drummer Rob Urbani in 2004, and later rounded out by shredder Jay Frederick on lead guitar, ANEW REVOLUTION stand by the promise in their name. Though they’ll happily recall the milestones set by their former bands – Duenas’ Ünloco, Urbani and Salvaggio’s Slaves on Dope, they’ll also be the first to remind you of just what ANEW REVOLUTION means.
(Source: eOne Music press release, December 15, 2010)
UNCOOL – Once again, I’m back at it again… for a third installment of “Ten Very Uncool Hard Rock And Heavy Metal Album Covers”. Why do I embark on such a Metal task you query? Due to the fact that I admire and uphold the album covers that have stood the test of time: AllIron Maiden album covers along with Molly Hatchet, Motorhead, Asia, Boston, Lääz Rockit, Overkill, Avenged Sevenfold, King Diamond and of course, DIO, have all had astounding artwork and graphics to represent their prodigious music over the decades.
Why can many bands and solo artists have their image and music dutifully represented by their album covers, while many others are packaged by their artwork and imagery like a stale can of inedible baked beans? We now live in the age of “the mp3”, where album cover artwork is for all intents and purposes, non-essential to the mp3 consumer. That is a Metal shame. All of us “Old Schoolers” know the importance of the beloved album cover and realize the album art more often than not parallels the songs heard within.
Try taking a walk through the CD aisles (or aisle) of Best Buy or browse around the internet music websites… you’ll find it is nearly 50/50 as to the cool/uncool ratio of album covers out there. This remarkable cool versus uncool album cover fiasco has been going on for decades, since the very beginning of Rock ‘N’ Roll itself! I don’t try to advertise myself on being “The Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Album Cover Authority”, still, I hopefully know how to decipher the uncool from cool after all my Metal lovin’ years.
Enjoy this list, become informed, gain knowledge and above all… if you happen to purchase one of these CD’s in the near future, just cover it over with “something” at the checkout, so other customers don’t witness your purchase. In the event you purchase one of these CD’s via mail, you are safe, no one will know you bought a CD with an uncool cover, just the dude who packaged it for shipping will know. If you become annoyed by this “Part III” list, well, you must like uncool Hard Rock and Heavy Metal album covers then.
* An uncool album cover does not necessarily mean that the respective band and the music heard on the album is uncool as well. If the album is a total stinker with it’s product of music, I would warn the world. Without further delay, here is the non-prestigious list of Ten Very Uncool Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Album Covers Part III:
Foreigner – No End In Sight: The Very Best Of Foreigner (2008)
Bon Jovi and Nickelback have made prior uncool album cover lists here at Metal Odyssey for the same stale reason: a boring image of a… highway. What is it about highways and album covers? Why do these desolate paths of macadam/dirty asphalt keep popping up? I don’t care about the album title being “linked” with an image of this highway either. Highways are daunting, lonely and filled with road rage, therefore, highways are stressful. There really is “no end in sight” to the amount of times bands wind up with highways on their album covers. You’d think that after all these decades, Foreigner would want to have a cool album cover representing their legendary songs.
Nickelback – All The Right Reasons (2005)
Hey… look who’s back! It’s Nickelback! For a second time with another “uncool album cover induction” with All The Right Reasons. This marks the second album cover from Nickelback with a highway on it! I can think of a million reasons as to why this album cover is uncool and BORING, here is one: Regardless of the year and make of the automobile shown in the picture, this album cover is nothing more than an auto dealership brochure cover.
30 Seconds To Mars – Self Titled/Debut (2002)
? Doh!
Saving Abel – Self Titled/Debut (2008)
This day and age, I don’t know if I’m looking at a guy or a girl butt here. So, with all the confusion, this album cover is… uncool. For “me” it is anyways. Plus, how many more times do we need the “butt in tight jeans, staring at you in the face” album cover? An exceedingly overdone “theme”.
Bon Jovi – Cross Road (1994)
Just another Bon Jovi “Greatest Hits”. Wow, so compellingly Rockin’… Jon Bon Jovi and his band sitting around in a diner and doing nuthin’. OMG… that is so cool! Yeah, right. In reality, this band would never be caught in a blue collar diner… more like a 10 star, caviar serving, white linen restaurant on Rodeo Drive is more like it. Stone isn’t getting fooled. As an uncool bonus, this photo of the band is washed out and blurry. This photo would receive an “F” grade, back in my photography 101 class in college. This album cover makes Bon Jovi’s “second appearance” on a Metal Odyssey “uncool album cover” list. Congratulations Bon Jovi!
Collective Soul – Afterwords(2007)
Just embarrassing, really. Where is the slight or even remote imagery of “Rock” involved here within this album cover? This is more better suited as a Martha Stewart Living magazine cover. Metal be thy name.
Pearl Jam – Pearl Jam (2006)
I don’t care how many albums were sold of this Pearl Jam release… this is a perfect example of over thinking what your album cover should look like and convey. Trying to go for the “it’s over their heads” mentality doesn’t work for me either, with this album cover. It’s not over Stone’s head, this cover is just 100% uncool. This style of photography and art worked extremely well for Pink Floyd, a legendary band that knew what legendary album covers should look like. Most recently, Pearl Jam is into cartoons on their album cover with Backspacer… go figure.
Judas Priest – Point Of Entry (1981)
Since the day I first bought this Judas Priest album on vinyl, (probably around 1982/83), up until today, this cover just falls flat for me. I absolutely LOVE this album and Judas Priest is a core band for my Metal lovin’ soul. Do I feel guilty then, that I’m choosing a Judas Priest album cover for an “uncool list”? Nope. This “original” album cover for Point Of Entry is so super bland, that it will be forever filed under: What were they thinking? The super scary part about this album cover, is the blue printer paper that stretches on for miles, actually simulates a… highway!!! Even the ultra-legendary Judas Priest dabbled in the highway theme for an album cover! It probably cost $50 in U.S. funds to create this album cover too.
Dokken – Under Lock And Key (1985)
First, Under Lock And Key is a Dokken album that potently Rocks like there is no tomorrow. No, it’s not the hair or fashion that is uncool here. These styles are still utilized by many bands today. This image was an identity to a grand decade of 80’s Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. Instead, what makes this Dokken album cover so uncool is that gigantic, cardboard key. That key ruined it. Minus that key, this album cover never comes up in an uncool album cover conversation. Who was behind this idea? That oversized, concocted, cardboard key would have served better inside a middle school lobby, with the words scrawled upon it: Unlock the key to your child’s education.
Christmas In Your Ear – (Release date unknown and who cares)
Gee Metal whiz, this compilation of Christmas songs, covered by some of the most popular names in Rock history, has not only an uncool album cover, it has an annoyingly uncool album title! Christmas In Your Ear. (!) Metal be thy name. The next uncool thing I’ll uncover will be a cookbook titled: Christmas In Your Stomach. What’s up with the raging serial killer’s face in the Christmas tree ornament? Talk about issues… that dude needs some anger management treatment fast. I could understand the album cover, only if it contained Death Metal bands covering Christmas songs. With the likes of Billy Squire, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Smithereens and Pat Benatar, etc. on this CD, the cover does NOT fit the contents of what you’ll be listening to. Simply put, an embarrassing album cover and title. I think I’ll change the name of this blog now to: Metal Odyssey In Your Eyes.
MOTORHEAD – On January 18, 2011, the ultra-iconic Motorhead will be releasing their 20th studio album, (21st studio album if you count On Parole from 1979). The new Motorhead album is titled – The World is Yours. The first opportunity to purchase a “pre-release” of The World is Yours, is by buying the upcoming issue of the (UK) Classic Rock magazine. This issue of Classic Rock has a release date of December 28, 2010, on Amazon.com.
* The Classic Rock edition comes as a 132 page deluxe magazine, dedicated to Motorhead as a “Motorhead fanpack”, with the CD of The World is Yours, a poster and metal pin badge. A career spanning overview of Motorhead with interviews of each band member are featured in this issue as well. Classic Rock Magazine.com reports this special Motorhead fanpack issue will be available for sale on December 14, 2010.
* The CD/DVD release date is January 25, 2011. The DVD includes the following:
– Documentary on the recording of The World is Yours
– Manchester Apollo live footage (30 minutes)
– Ace Of Spades (acoustic version)
– Get Back In Line (video)
– I Know How To Die (video)
(Source for release dates: The official Motorhead website referred me to Amazon.com, once I clicked on the album cover for This World is Yours on the Motorhead homepage. Therefore, Amazon.com is where the release dates were found.) **Release dates vary from country to country, plus, if you subscribe to Classic Rock magazine, the release date may be different from what date I’ve posted. Metal Odyssey is just reporting what dates have been found from researching through the official website of Motorhead, Classic Rock Magazine.com and Amazon.com.
* The World is Yours will be released on Motorhead Music via EMI distribution.
2010 – the 35th Anniversary of Motorhead Rock ‘N’ Roll!
MOTORHEAD:
Lemmy Kilmister – vocals & bass
Phil Campbell – guitar
Mikkey Dee – drums
Above is the Classic Rock Magazine “Motorhead Fanpack”. You can pre-order it at Amazon.com, the only thing is… get ready to shell out $47.68 (U.S. funds) for it.
KID ROCK – Get ready all of you vinyl lovers out there… the brand new Kid Rock – Born Free is about to get released on double LP – vinyl! The vinyl release date is December 14, 2010. Born Free is Kid Rock’s eighth studio album, released on Atlantic Records. It’s the diversification of Rock ‘N’ Roll, that flows through Kid Rock’s soul, that makes him so damn appealing to me all these years. From Rap Metal to Southern Rock and almost everything else in-between, Kid Rock makes it real.
* Born Free was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin. Mixing was done by Greg Fidelman.
* I have seen this double LP of Born Free for sale on Amazon.com, it also comes with the entire CD of Born Free, from what the site states, it is referred to as a “bonus CD”.
* For more info on Kid Rock, just click on the cool link below:
THE DAMNED THINGS – On December 14, 2010, Ironiclast, (Island/Def Jam), the debut album from The Damned Things, releases among the masses. The Damned Things features a heavy hitting lineup from the Hard Rock and Metal world: Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano of Anthrax, Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die and Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy.
You can currently listen to Friday Night (Going Down In Flames) and We’ve Got A SituationHere, both songs on the Ironiclast album, streaming on The Damned Things myspace music page, (see link below). Iconiclast (Rough Mix) is also streaming there as well. The sound of The Damned Things takes on a Heavy Metal meets Arena vibe, melodic with an elevated, anthem like feel and quality. The Damned Things have created songs that are both accessible to the casual Heavy Metal fan as well as long time Metalheads!
With a robust lineup of musicians that The Damned Things bestows, fans would expect their songs to sound good, right? Instead, this band’s songs sound great! It’s always a tremendous thrill for me to hear about a group of musicians, from different backgrounds, getting together to create an album… it’s even a greater thrill when it sounds like a Rockin’ success! I’ll be getting my ears onto this new debut album from The Damned Things on December 14th and it will serve me right. Look for a full album review of Ironiclast in the near future, right here on Metal Odyssey.
Take a look below at the 7″ clear vinyl single of We’ve Got A Situation Here, (B side is Ironiclast),that I picked up at Hot Topic recently:
This 7″ clear vinyl single is an “Ultra Limited Edition” of only 1,000 copies made! Whoa. Whoa again. I paid $4 (U.S.) for it at Hot Topic and currently there are only two copies for sale on Amazon.com. One is selling for $18.99 and the other is $24.99, (U.S.) funds! I guess I made out like a Metal bandit at Hot Topic! Take that Amazon, ha, ha. Let’s give a giant Metal hooray for Stone! I sometimes feel like Stone “The Metal Hunter”.
* For more info on THE DAMNED THINGS, just click on the links below:
BOSTON – Attention audiophiles worldwide! The self titled/debut Rock Classic from Boston will be released on 180 Gram Vinyl, (Friday Music), on December 7, 2010. Yes, I will readily admit to playing the debut Boston album more times than I could ever remember, so many years ago. I can recall having this album on my turntable for days, being the only album I was listening to. Personally, the songs on this album Rocked my head off as a young lad. My favorite song on this Boston album was and to this very day is… Something About You. I extremely dig Rock And Roll Band too… oh yeah I do. Gee Metal whiz, this entire Boston album has never grown stale for me.
There was and still is something mystical about hearing my favorite albums on vinyl. Just seeing vinyl spinning on a turntable today, brings me back to a time when “holding” and looking at an album jacket was part of the listening experience. The whole connection to a band I was listening to was through their music and the album jacket… with whatever artwork and liner notes that was part of it. There was no myspace music, MTV or youtube videos back in those late 70’s, … just the needle on the vinyl and my ears listening intently.
Loaded with more amazing melodies and vocal harmonies than I can count, this Boston album is a monumental Rock Classic. Plus… Boston belongs in that absent minded place that’s called The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. This Boston debut was one of the first albums I ever owned, well before I became a Metalhead… Metal be thy name. Do I feel old stating this? Heck no. Feeling old is a state of mind and I’m not approaching 90 anytime soon. I’ll be blabbing, ranting, writing and raving about the music I love when I do hit 90 years of age… I hope.
* Boston was released back in America’s Bicentennial Year of 1976, during the month of July.
* Boston was originally released on Epic Records.
* This 180 Gram Vinyl of Boston will be a “limited edition”… so I guess the number of pressings are low, just how low is the million dollar question.
BON JOVI/POISON – Metal be damned their back. I’m not talking about the bands Bon Jovi and Poison themselves, I’m talking about their recycled, re-mastered, decades old “hits” that everyone on planet Earth already owns. Yes, both bands have reintroduced to the world, once again, their sacred “hits” and have now decided to call them… “collections”. The sole purpose of these “collections” being released now, is for their being purchased as holiday gifts, the timing could not be any more prosperous for Bon Jovi and Poison.
Some poor dude out there is gonna get this Bon Jovi The Ultimate Collection as a Christmas present this year… just because he probably mentioned once, during a family reunion picnic, that he digs the song Bad Medicine. That’s so damn unfortunate. Some poor Hard Rock chick (who owns every Poison album already) is gonna receive this Poison Nothin’ But A Good Time Collection as a holiday grab bag gift at work… all due to her saying she has dug Poison her whole life to someone at the company cafeteria. Terrible thought, I know.
Any fan of Poison or Bon Jovi already owns every damn studio album, live album and greatest hits as it is. I don’t think either band is hurtin’ in the big pay day department either… still, it’s all about the $$$ and no remote care in the world for the long-time fans who want “new” studio recordings of songs. This is Bon Jovi’s fourth “greatest hits” album… hello, egomaniacs anonymous? Maybe these new “collections” from both bands are fitting for younger fans who are just getting into their music, I will concede that. Plus, I’m certain there are a ton of Democrat politicians who have been voted out of office this November that will buy this new Bon Jovi “Collection” as well. Those soon to be former Democrat politicians owe Bon Jovi for his supporting them… so there is always that new market to tap into.
How many times does Poison need to release a “greatest hits”? It’s been eight long years since Poison released a studio album of “new” songs, the last being 2002’s Hollyweird. Four “new” songs on Bon Jovi’s Ultimate Collection is like giving their loyal fans a bagged fart, disguised as a secret toy surprise, in the middle of bland tasting cheerios. Oh, I forgot, This Bon Jovi band is too “busy” to make a full-length album these days. This is as perfect an example, as I can point out, to two different bands becoming so commercial and worldly popular, that anything they decide to refry and belch out, is to be automatically accepted by the Rock listening and buying public. NOT!
Seasoned Rock and Hard Rock fans worldwide, save your hard earned money this holiday season and do yourself an “ultimate” favor by staying away from these “ultimate” collections. I’m not taking away from either band being solid and great in their own musical regards, that is not my intent. I really, really, dig Poison, always have and will. However, giving a little extra more money to the Salvation Army kettle, this holiday season, sounds like a much more valiant way to expend any more disposable income that I already don’t have.
AGGRAVATION FILE: I most certainly am not alone, when I grumble and whine about opening a sealed CD jewel case. When I buy a new CD at whatever store, I’m usually psyched out of my Metal mind once I get to my car. Why am I psyched out of my Metal mind you query? For I want to hear the new CD that I just bought! It’s what I call: being self-psyched about having new tunes for my ears euphoria. However, that euphoria soon becomes… aggravation once I try to take off the CD plastic wrap.
As I sit in my car and begin the task of peeling off the plastic wrap, I realize my utility knife is needed, as always. That’s right. I need to use a damn utility knife just to get the plastic wrap off the CD! For some reason or another, some bright engineer somewhere, decided that shrink wrapping CD’s was cool and/or ingenious. Not for Stone. Once I get the shrink wrap off my new CD, it’s not over. Oh, no… not by a Metal long-shot. The evil sticker strip seal is still on the jewel case… and it needs to come off as well in order to access the CD.
I could easily just dislocate this jewel case at it’s hinges and basically tear it apart to get the CD out. That’s not cool though, I like to keep my CD collection in mint shape, so destroying a jewel case is an irrational and moronic action to take. The sticker strip seal is meant to prevent shoplifting of CD’s, it’s a necessary evil, I do understand. Still, does the manufacturing process really call for using super glue when adhering these sticker strip seals to jewel cases? Give me a Metal break.
As I am fighting, cursing and moving about strangely in my car, trying valiantly to remove the super glued, sticker strip seal from my new CD jewel case, people that walk by my car, in the parking lot, look over at me with either alarm or disgust on their faces. For real. What in Metal creation do these strangers think I am doing? Sometimes I have to actually abort my mission and wait for these nosey strangers to move on. I am just trying to open up my new CD… it’s not an act of felony for Metal sakes!
Once I do succeed at getting this sealed sticker strip off, there always remains… the sticker strip… residue. Ew. Sometimes there is more of this residue sticking to the jewel case than I could ever imagine. It’s sticky and it’s gross. No one knows, exactly how much Goo Gone I go through in a calendar year, due to sticker strip seal residue. Metal be damned. My most recent CD purchase was Avenged Sevenfold – Nightmare… and it was a nightmare trying to peel off that F’n sticker strip. It’s not funny, especially when it’s the new A7X CD that I so desperately need to ingest.
Many may think that this is silly crap that I’m aggravated over. It’s not that silly when you spend five minutes or more picking away at this sticker strip and beads of sweat begin to swell on my forehead. Now I know why I feel so stress-free when I make a purchase on itunes… no damned sealed sticker strip, to hold me hostage from the Metal I need to hear.
MOUNTAIN – This decade spanning and generation jumping, Hard Rock and earlyyears Heavy Metal band known to us all as Mountain, released their eighth studio album – Masters Of War, on Big Rack Records, back in 2007. Founding member and lead vocalist Leslie West sounds as formidable as ever on vocals. With lifelong band mate and drummer Corkey Laing by his side, Leslie West had carried the heavy, bluesy and Classic Hard Rock sound of Mountain straight into 2007 and beyond. Leslie and Corky are Hard Rock and Heavy Metal pioneers: personified, signed, sealed and delivered.
Masters Of War is an album devoted to Bob Dylan cover songs. Bob Dylan, a super historic figure in the history of all music. As impressive is the list of music genres that Bob Dylan has crossed over, equally or more impressive is his song writing. Without a doubt in myMetal mind… Bob Dylan is a living legend of song. What better musician and songwriter for Mountain to dedicate a complete album of covers? Masters Of War is a listen into two incredible worlds of music, the first being song writing excellence and the second being Heavy, Hard Rock excellence.
Leslie West, Corky Laing and Bob Dylan have paved the Rock ‘N’ Roll highway for generations to navigate and enjoy. Step in Ozzy Osbourne… one of Heavy Metal’s living legends, a Heavy Metal pioneer himself. Leslie West and Ozzy Osbourne share lead vocals, a duet if you will, on the heavy cover song Masters Of War. The combination of these two icons of Heavy Music makes for a song of historical Rock importance, in myMetal opinion. Just a great song, sung by two vocalists that have entertained my Metal ears for decades.
Choosing a favorite song from Masters Of War is a task, the totality of genuine Hard Rockin’ greatness makes for an overwhelming listen for me. If you are looking to shake loose the hidden and locked up boogie woogie Rock ‘N’ Roll side of you… then let me recommend multiple listens to Everything Is Broken. Mountain grabs my boogie woogie soul while I listen to this song and wakes it up, shakes it around and reminds it – that there really are times when you have to get down to the tune that’s Rockin’. Metal as my witness, Everything Is Broken is brought to life again by Mountain.
Subterranean Homesick Blues will have you foot stomping, head nodding and shuffling those shoulders of yours uncontrollably. If this song does not have that type of affect on you, then please check into the clinic that is called – “No Rock ‘N’ Roll Exists In My Soul”. Tell ’em Stone from Metal Odyssey sent your sorry, mellow, lame butt there too.
Taking into account, the Rock historic significance of Bob Dylan and Mountain, it’s only fitting that these two music legends came full circle in the songs heard on Masters Of War. As I listen to Mr. Tambourine Man, I am awe struck at this songs importance to the early culture of Rock Music in America. At the end of myMetal day, it’s those pioneering Rock legends of yesteryear that remind me just how all it all started. Through these Bob Dylan cover songs on Mountain’s Masters Of War, I’m reacquainted once again with Rock and Roll history.
* Corky Laing is the lead vocalist and plays drums on Like A Rolling Stone. The combination of only vocals and drums on this cover song, serves up for a cool and modern listen of this classic song.
* Warren Haynes, (Gov’t Mule and The Allman Brothers Band), plays lead guitar on Serve Somebody and guitar on The Times They Are A-Changin’.
Well, I posted what my favorite Heavy Metal album cover, (ever), is on March 25, just a few days ago. Iron Maiden’s debut album – Iron Maiden was/is my choice. Now, for my favorite Hard Rock album cover, (ever), that I would like to share to all, on the planet we call… Earth. Nazareth – No Mean City. This incredibly underrated Rock meets Hard Rock album was released back in January of 1979. May The Sunshine has it’s unique style – from a folk chorus to it’s overlay of genuine Nazareth Rock, it’s a fun filled listen for me always. The ballad Star is another tremendous listen, showing just how Nazareth could diversify their sound with the upmost credibility. Just To Get Into It is indicative of Nazareth Hard Rock, with Dan McCafferty’s vocals spilling out in all of his raspy splendor.
This unreal great cover art on No Mean City just screams Heavy Metal… only this is seriously a Rock colliding with Hard Rock album, in my Metal opinion. Rodney Matthews is the artist/illustrator for this incredible No Mean City album cover. In doing my Metal research, Rodney Matthews has quite the illustrious career in illustrating album covers for many bands of notoriety: Scorpions, Magnum, Thin Lizzy, Tygers of Pan Tang and Diamond Head… just to name a few. I applaud this fantastically talented artist, he gets a Metal Odyssey nod of Metal approval – multi-tenfold!
A long time ago, in a Metal year far, far, away, I bought this No Mean City album from a “cut-out” bin at a record store called Strawberries Records & Tapes. If you like, you can check out the post I did on this legendary album, with a more detailed review, by clicking on the header below:
CHARM CITY DEVILS – This Hard Rock Band from the “Charm City” of Baltimore, Maryland caught my Metal attention last Summer of 2009. Their debut album – Let’s Rock-N-Roll was released on May 26, 2009. I have continued to listen to this album, quite regularly, since I bought it last Summer. Charm City Devils delivers American Hard Rock the Old School way… with foot stomping rhythms and melodic moments aplenty, Lets Rock-N-Roll is an album that flows along like a kickin’ keg party that ends too fast. There’s nothing ultra fancy about the Hard Rock Music of Charm City Devils… just blue collar and Hard Rock N’ Roll!
I blabbed about how much I like this album from Charm City Devils, with many more details, on October 18, 2009. There are those certain bands, that I just need to remind the world about more often, on Metal Odyssey. Charm City Devils is definitely one of those bands. Check out my past post on them, if you like, by clicking the header below:
I checked out Charm City Devils, last night, (Friday night), at the Crocodile Rock Cafe in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with Ryo Vie from The Rock and Roll Guru by my Metal side. Simply put, Charm City Devils ROCKED. I’ll have a few more cool details about this Charm City Devils concert, in the coming week… the headlining band that came out after Charm City Devils, well, they kicked some serious Metal butt! Stay tuned!
I hope you enjoy this Let’s Rock-N-Roll video and song from Charm City Devils as much as I do!
Now… crank this mutha up LOUD and Let’s Rock-N-Roll!!!
The London Quireboys – A Bit Of What You Fancy is a reason why I’m psyched I never unloaded my cassettes from years… um, decades past. I slapped this cassette into my home stereo today and I am just as enthused by the Hard Rock blast from The London Quireboys… as I was back in 1990. The London Quireboys put the Hard Rock pedal to the Metal on A Bit Of What You Fancy, no smoke and mirrors to be heard… just great, heavy, Rock and Roll! When I initially bought this cassette back in 1990, I did so only having heard their biggest hit from this album on the FM dial… 7 o’clock. This is a song that my wife, (girlfriend at that time) and I played over and over… and over again back in ’90! Is 7 o’ clock a party song? You bet your Metal life it is! Take a long drive to this entire album and leave your cares behind? Go for it! A Bit Of What You Fancy is like that hidden Hard Rock gem from 1990… only it is not hidden in my Heavy Music collection, no way!A Bit Of What You Fancy carries into my ears all the good times spirit that Rock and Roll is all about – with The London Quireboys delivering it in unabashed Hard Rock style. I should warn those of you, that have never listened to this album before… it is ADDICTIVE!
With my warning aside, I cannot tell people what to buy or listen to… only this time it is different. The London Quireboys debut album is certainly a MUST for fans of Old School Hair Metal, Hard Rock or just damn good Rock and Roll period. I imagine seeing The London Quireboys at a beer soaked, small club… while they play this album in it’s entirety, amidst a crowd of psyched out and Rockin’ fans going nuts all over the place. That’s right. The song – long time comin’ is as heavy and steady of a Hard Rock song that you will ever give to your ears. Am I going off too much on praising this album? Nope, it’s that great. Anytime an album can make me feel so damn good, is an album that shall be praised up and down, inside and out… for the world to read.
The London Quireboys put together an album that utilizes string arrangements, some brass and a keyboard player. Not quite the straight ahead approach of Hair Metal for 1990, was A Bit Of What You Fancy. A standout is take me home, this is absolutely a great song to end this album… so memorable, so much energy, a Hard Rockin’ exclamation point multiplied by 100. The London Quireboys took Hair Metal from the late ’80’s and added some, (a lot), of their very own Hard Rock character to the basic standards. Their style can be blatantly described as a combination of The Black Crowes and Cinderella, fused together with the admirable energy and enthusiasm of a band that obviously enjoyed creating these songs.
Spike on vocals, lends thick credibility to the hardness that this album radiates. Spike’s ultra raspy and gritty vocals makes the songs sound blue collar, an unintended characteristic that just seems to elevate this album and band. Guy Bailey and Guy Griffin on guitars just play man, there are no “steal the show” solos to drown out the total band feel. Chris Johnstone on keyboards, gives this album of songs the Classic Hard Rock texture and feel that I cannot ignore. Nigel Mogg on bass and Ian Wallace on drums provide all the tight and contagiously rhythmic grooves that hold these outstanding songs together. Thank you again, London England, for sowing yet another fabulous Rock and Roll band like The London Quireboys.
The Track Listing For The London Quireboys – A Bit Of What You Fancy:
7 o’clock
man on the loose
whippin’ boy’
sex party
sweet mary ann
i don’t love you anymore
hey you
misled
long time comin’
roses & rings
there she goes again
take me home
A Bit Of What You Fancy was originally released on Capitol Records.
A 20th Anniversary Edition of A Bit Of What You Fancy was released in 2009 on the Jerkin Crocus record label. There are 8 demo’s as bonus tracks found on this 20th Anniversary Edition. (I aim to get myself a copy of it down the Metal road… that’s for sure).
The debut album by Foreigner, (self titled, released on March 8, 1977), was one of my first vinyl record albums that I ever owned. I actually bought the first Foreigner album shortly after receiving their Double Vision album as a birthday gift, back in 1979. (The Double Vision album was released on June 20, 1978). So it is safe to say, that the debut Foreigner album was playing on my turntable sometime in the Spring of 1979. Being an eighth grader in 1979, my exposure to Heavy Metal Music was at it’s most infant state, KISS was the only Heavy Metal Band I owned on album at this time. I always bring up my past history, as to the year of purchase of a said album and what bands I was into at the given time, so to make clarity to the evolvement of my becoming a Metalhead. It was a progression of listening to different Rock genres for me, since I was a kid. This Foreigner album is as integral a piece to that progression, as any other Rock album I ever listened to. Just as the Double Vision album, Foreigner’s debut album had me wanting more and that was a good symptom to have. There definitely was some psychological imbedding that happened to me with Foreigner at a young age, whenever I listen to their albums, (especially the first four), I feel like everything is alright.
What prompted me to blog about this Foreigner debut album is hearing the song Feels Like The First Time on the radio this past Sunday. My family and I just had to endure visiting a sad animal shelter that morning, (we are currently looking to adopt a cat), and all four of us were in quite the funk. I decided to bring my wife to a store that has 70% off of all their Christmas decor, what bargains were truly found – no kidding here. This stop to purchase Christmas decor was just the elixir of happy that my wife and daughters needed after a somber morning of seeing so many poor and sickly cats. My elixir of happy was hearing Foreigner on the store’s radio. As I have stated, Foreigner puts me on the – everything is alright trip. I actually felt my face give off a smile and get all flushed while I heard this Foreigner song. On the drive home from this store, I wished there was a Foreigner CD in the car… trust me, there has been many times.
This experience is just a fine example of how a band and their album can pull me right in… and take me back, while making my mood alright again. That is the magic of Rock and Roll, these are the benchmarks of an album and/or song that cannot be critiqued by lazy Rolling Stone Magazine writers who have not a clue. The personal memories and feelings that are stored within oneself, due to the impact from a Rock Band of any genre, their albums, an individual song or a concert experience from such band… money cannot buy, man. Listening to Foreigner’s debut again, reminds me as to why the Classic Rock genre exists. This album is a Rock Classic. Foreigner is in my Metal Odyssey Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Too bad that big, pompous building in Cleveland, Ohio, doesn’t get it.
I grin each time I stare at the front cover image of the band, on the Foreigner debut front cover. The first impression is – these are gentlemen. Hard Rock gentlemen, that is. The maturity that this front cover image evokes, also mirrors the maturity of the music heard from this Foreigner album. It wasn’t about boobs and beer, rebellion or political commentary, it was about quality Rock and Hard Rock songs. From the lyrics to each songs structure, Foreigner presented to the world a sophisticated, yet Hard edged sound, that could be radio friendly and street cool at the same time. Two of my favorite songs from Foreigner are not even considered to be hits at all. Headknocker and Starrider are two songs from this album that are individualistic and represent the two sides of Foreigner’s Rock style. Headknocker being the Hard Rock cranker and Starrider introducing Foreigner’s adoration for a more melodic, Rock ballad. I really like Starrider for it’s almost cosmic musical ambiance, the keyboards and chorus are what sets this song apart,for me. This is just me, yet it would be a kick to hear W.A.S.P. or Judas Priest cover Headknocker.
Long, Long Way From Home is without doubt, Lou Gramm singing at his very finest. Man, his vocals alone, makes this song resonate with powerful emotion. Cold As Ice will always be the hit staple from this Foreigner album… rightfully so. I would not argue that it is as important a Rock single as any from the 1970’s. Regardless of decades passing by, this Foreigner debut album is, yes, timeless. It may sound cliche, still those Rock and Hard Rock albums from days gone by, like this very album, need to be revisited and remembered for their Rock and Roll historical importance and sheer quality.
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
#7
The debut album by Foreigner, (self titled, released on March 8, 1977), was one of my first vinyl record albums that I ever owned. I actually bought the first Foreigner album shortly after receiving their Double Vision album as a birthday gift, back in 1979. (The Double Vision album was released on June 20, 1978). So it is safe to say, that the debut Foreigner album was playing on my turntable sometime in the Spring of 1979. Being an eighth grader in 1979, my exposure to Heavy Metal Music was at it’s most infant state, KISS was the only Heavy Metal Band I owned on album at this time. I always bring up my past history, as to the year of purchase of a said album and what bands I was into at the given time, so to make clarity to the evolvement of my becoming a Metalhead. It was a progression of listening to different Rock genres for me, since I was a kid. This Foreigner album is as integral a piece to that progression, as any other Rock album I ever listened to. Just as the Double Vision album, Foreigner’s debut album had me wanting more and that was a good symptom to have. There definitely was some psychological imbedding that happened to me with Foreigner at a young age, whenever I listen to their albums, (especially the first four), I feel like everything is alright.
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