From Aerosmith / Bandsintown:
We’re thrilled to announce new dates for our 2024 PEACE OUT Tour with special guests The Black Crowes! All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the rescheduled shows – you’ll receive more info via email. Tickets for the rescheduled dates & newly added shows go on sale Fri 4/12 @ 10AM local at http://www.aerosmith.com.
Halestorm – I’ve always dug Halestorm and will continue to do so. However, when you cover a Lady Gaga song such as Bad Romance and slap it on your new EP (ReAniMate: The CoVeRs) not everyone is gonna be psyched-out about it. The first time I heard this ultra–lousy song “covered” by Halestorm, I thought it was a cruel joke or at least a mistake. Why on Earth would Halestorm want to cover this crap song? Is the band “friends” with Lady Gaga? Is Lady GaGa influential to someone in Halestorm? (Ouch). Even so, there is NO rhyme or Metal reason to cover it… unless your looking for a grammar school battalion of fans.
If Halestorm wants to be “cool” within the Hard Rock circles, they shouldn’t even be associating themselves with such a poser song. I would give Halestorm a Metal pass if this song was done as a joke. Children of Bodom covered a crap Pop song called Oops!… I Did It Again (the crap song that made Britney Spears millions) for their Skeletons in the Closet covers album and openly stated it was not to be taken seriously. That is not the case here. Halestorm should step back, take a deep breath, then realize: they are NOT immune to being called out for SELLING OUT on covering a bubble gum Pop song such as this. This is Halestorm obviously cashing in on the current commercial fame of Lady Gaga. I don’t know which version of Bad Romance is worse… it’s a pick ’em.
By no means do I ignore that Lzzy Hale displays her patented powerful vocals on this covers EP. With the likes of Guns ‘n Roses (Out ta Get Me), Temple of the Dog’s (Hunger Strike) and Skid Row’s (Slave To The Grind) being hammered out with undeniably relevant heaviness from the band, this EP does become rescued. The Classic Rock gem from Heart (All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You) lacks the original vibe and feel that Ann and Nancy Wilson can only bring. (I Want You (She’s So Heavy)) is a Beatles song that really doesn’t need to be reinvented or covered at all… some songs are still sacred, you know?
I am not going to cow-tow to anyone and say nice things about a song that is justifiably out of place on this EP as Bad Romance is. Overall I recommend this new EP offering of cover songs from Halestorm to loyal fans… just don’t say I never warned you about the one bad apple song in the bunch.
That’s it. So, as you have read above, Stone is not always going to listen to an album, then hand out smiley faces and tell everybody it’s a sunshine day. Metal be thy name.
* For more info on HALESTORM, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE HALESTORM.
Stone.
AEROSMITH – If I had a buffalo nickel for every good-time moment I had, while this 1980 Greatest Hits album from Aerosmith played, I’d be a wealthy Metal lovin’ dude. Then again, the wealth of good-time memories that I’ve accumulated from listening to Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits can’t be taken away from me… like money can. Sometime in the early 80’s I bought this album due to my not owning every Aerosmith album at the time, it just made good sense to have their hits all in one shot.
If my Metal memory serves me correct, just about every keg party and date I experienced through high school had this Aerosmith album playing in the background. Granted, it was not the only cool Rock ‘N’ Roll being played, yet it was played. In all Metal honesty, I had my cassette copy of Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits in my car, straight through my college years. Whenever I listen to this album today, I can vividly picture cruising in my 1985, dark blue, Cutlass Supreme… and driving in my 1984 Dodge Charger 2.2… looking for a party and chicks. Not hot rods were my cars back then, only they got the Metal job done. Ah, Metal youth and easy daze. Um, I mean easy days.
This Aerosmith album was released back when a “greatest hits” was truly just that. These were days when bands actually had ten or more solid hits to compile for their fans both old and new. All ten of these Aerosmith songs were FM radio hits and not supposed hits, b-sides or rarities, like many of today’s greatest hits albums boast. The ten songs on this album are undisputed classics, crossing through the Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal genres. Steven Tyler’s vocals and Joe Perry’s guitar are as identifiable as Mick Jagger and Keith Richards or Steve Perry and Neal Schon. Icons all.
Little did I know back in 1980, that the legendary guitar duo of Joe Perry and Brad Whitford would not be on the following 1982 Aerosmith studio album (and seventh overall) Rock In A Hard Place. Brad Whitford did play guitar on Lightning Strikes, which is my favorite song on Rock In A Hard Place. I do remember the “buzz” being written regarding the departure of Joe Perry and Brad Whitford back then, in Hard Rock magazines such as Creem and Hit Parader. As soon as 1985 came around, Aerosmith released Done With Mirrors with Joe Perry and Brad Whitford back in the saddle again, (no pun intended).
Regardless of the time edited versions of Same Old Song and Dance, Sweet Emotion, Kings and Queens and Walk This Way, I never balked at this greatest hits. Heck, back in those days I didn’t know the damn difference anyways! As decades have passed since this album’s release date, there have been at least ten more greatest hits compilations from Aerosmith, with a 2004 revised version of this 1980 classic as well.
With more than ten million copies sold, this 1980 Greatest Hits has been certified Diamond by the RIAA. Any greatest hits album that becomes certified Diamond must be a tried and true collection of exemplary songs, which stand the test of time. At the end of my Metal day, the one real Aerosmith Greatest Hits is this memories filled and certified Diamond from 1980.
* Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits was released on Columbia Records.
Dream On
Same Old Song and Dance
Sweet Emotion
Walk This Way
Last Child
Back In The Saddle
Draw The Line
Kings and Queens
Come Together
Remember (Walking In The Sand)
* For more info on AEROSMITH, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE AEROSMITH.
Stone.
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 > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.