Melodic rock CD of the week: Vince Neil

By Stephen Kasenda

VINCE NEIL “Tattoos & Tequila” (2010)

"Tattoos and Tequila" is the third solo release from Motley Crue's singer, Vince Neil, and this time, he is backed by Slaughter's guitarist, Jeff Blando and bassist Dana Strum, while Zoltan Chaney sits on the drum stool. This is his first solo album in 15 years after the disappointing second release of "Carved In Stone". At first, this didn’t interest me as he only has two original songs on this release while the rest are only covers. But after only a single spin, this is unexpectedly enjoyable, seeing how he revamped many underrated old songs to a party in the style of Motley Crue's peak era.

The first single and title track is a decent effort but maybe his weakest one here. The second single, "Another Bad Day", which was written by Nikki Sixx and Tracii Guns is a fantastic mid-tempo commercial hard rock song, and the greatest song on the album. This song should have been his first single, in my opinion. My best picks here are Sweet's "AC/DC", Sex Pistols' "No Feelings", The Hollies' "Long Cool Woman", CCR's "Who Will Stop The Rain", Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas", and ZZ Top's "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers". The rest are also good and no sign of weak fillers here.

"Tattoos And Tequilas" is a big surprise for me, the production is also excellent, this is just simply brilliant, and much better than Motley Crue's comeback album, "Saints of Los Angeles", which is a very average release. If you like Vince Neil's "Exposed" or Motley Crue's heyday era, this album is pretty much a combination of those two with an updated sound. Fantastic!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

MOTLEY CRUE “Girls Girls Girls” (1987)

"Girls, Girls, Girls" is considered a pivotal point in Crue's career. After the fans condemned them for releasing the disappointing "Theater of Pain", Crue had to hold on and write a better album - otherwise this might be the end of their career. At that time, Nikki and the gang were at the height of their drug addiction and party-hard lifestyle. White dope, Harley, and naked women are the themes while musically they stripped down the heavy metal outfit and played with 60-70s rock and roll with an occasional bluesy bite, but still retain Crue's signature glam arrangements.

"Wild Side" and "Girls, Girls, Girls" are two singles that saved Crue's ass and since then, those two songs are almost never left out from their concert set list. "You're All I Need" is a big ballad that enjoyed a an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. It is highly underrated compared to "Home Sweet Home", but both can be considered their all-time greatest ballads ever made. Funny thing is that most people, including Jon Bon Jovi, thought that this was a typical love song, but Nikki’s genius twist is that this song is about a psycho boyfriend instead.

"Dancing On Glass" and "All In The Name of..." are two other relatively unknown tracks that also made this album worthy. "Bad Boy Boogie" has that Aerosmith 70s feel, "Five Years Dad" is also good but somehow too similar to "Girls, Girls, Girls". "Sumthin' For Nuthin'" is perhaps the only filler but not bad at all, and the Elvis cover of "Jailhouse Rock" is a fun live cover to emphasize the rock and roll theme of this album.

Crue's fourth album was a commercial success, racking up 4 platinums in USA alone, and was their best selling album until "Dr.Feelgood" came in 1989 to break the record. Excellent release and I rank this as the Crue's third most fave album after "Shout" and "Feelgood".

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Review: Daughtry and James Durbin

Modern rock
A quick look at two new releases from should-have-been American Idol winners. In short, it is a good day for fans of heavy melodic rock.


Daughtry “Break The Spell”

Back with his third effort, Chris Daughtry is seeking to recover from a lackluster sophomore jinx. “Break The Spell” certainly does just that – the record is a winner from start to finish, jam packed with melodic hard rock tunes. This record is much more like his blockbuster debut, bringing copious melody back into his brand of arena ready rock songs. Daughtry sounds hungry again - his vocals are soaring and passionate in every cut. Nearly every song is a winner, but if I had to choose favorites they would include “Renegade”, “Crawling Back To You”, “Outta My Head”, and “Spaceship”. If you are looking for the big power ballad, “Gone Too Soon” is the one to check out, but don’t overlook the understated beauty in the mid-tempo number, “Rescue Me”. Overall, this collection is markedly less gritty than some of his previous work, but the strong vocal performances and irresistible hooks win the day. Some fans might not appreciate his gravitation towards a more commercial sound, but it suits me just fine.




James Durbin “Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster”

One of the most shocking moments of last season’s American Idol was the premature dismissal of hard rocker James Durbin. Similar to David Cook in style and conviction, Durbin stays true to his heavy hitting roots on his debut. Blasting out first is the take no prisoners cut, “Higher Than Heaven” – despite its pious name, the tune features monstrous riffs that could make the Devil weep. It is a terrific opener, but don’t be mislead into thinking that Durbin doesn’t have the ability to balance his love of hard rock with more commercial melodies. Tracks like “All I Want” and “Love In Ruins” are much more mainstream, but will still sound as potent as “Stand Up” when it comes to belting these out live in the arena. Durbin’s voice is nothing short of amazing – he is incredibly adaptive. We all know his prowess at the mic when supporting an ferocious modern rock tune, but listen to the tenderness that shines through in songs like the touching “May”. “Love Me Bad” is probably my favorite tune, though, and Motley Crue fans should take note that Mick Mars is along for the ride on the track “Outcast”. Is it me or does Durbin actually channel some Vince Neil on this one too?

Odds and Ends

Each week I use this space to post some mini-reviews, cool tracks, random thoughts, neat news, or whatever else I damn well please.

MiniReview

House of Lords “Big Money” - House of Lords debuted in 1989 with the release of the self-titled album, a record which is still regarded as one of the best arena rock releases of the 80s, up there with frontrunners like Whitesnake, Deep Purple, and Van Halen. The band has a varied and spotty catalogue ever since, with frequent lineup changes and oscillating musical styles to match. Some releases are downright catchy arena rock whereas others are less melodious prog rock. This month the band will add “Big Money” to its discography, which feels like a blend of their mixed melodic and prog rock past. The trademark vocals of James Christian sound finer than ever, and he is surrounded by updated guitar sounds and pounding beats. James teamed up again on the songwriting with long-time friend and partner Mark Baker along with the other band members Jimi Bell and BJ Zampa for this release. While “Big Money” rocks through and through, several of the tunes are overly long and burdened with less than compelling riffs. Standouts include “First To Cry”, “The Next Time I Hold You”, “Run For Your Life”, and “Once Twice”. More info on House of Lords can be found here.

Surprise of the week
Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars is recording with latest American Idol winner James Durbin. Get the scoop here.

News
R.E.M. has broken up. Hard to believe…read about it from the band member’s perspectives here.

New “best of” collection coming from Paul Simon October 24. Details and track listing here.

Get a taste of the Lou Reed and Metallica project, “Lulu” here. It’s only 30 seconds, but confirms my worst fears about this collaboration.

Love this article at Popdose about Survivor’s underrated ballad “Ever Since The World Began” (video below).

INXS have sacked their singer JD Fortune for the second time. Story here.

Where are they now? Colin Hay (Men At Work) released a new video. Check it out here.

Toto collides with Survivor – Kimball Jamison. Debut video!


Random iPOD song of the week
Survivor “Ever Since The World Began” from the album “Eye of the Tiger”


Reminder: we’re now on Twitter! Follow us for even more updates, news, and reviews!

Review: Sixx A.M. “This Is Gonna Hurt”

Modern rock
Sixx A.M. is the moniker for a side project of the infamous Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx. Rounded out by James Michael and Dj Ashba, this hard-hitting trio made quite the impression with 2007’s “The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack”, based on the Sixx’s bestselling book. Building off this success, thanks in no small part to the rock album hit “Life Is Beautiful”, the boys are back with a sequel of sorts. The music on their sophomore release is the soundtrack to a new book by Sixx called “This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx”.

“This Is Gonna Hurt” is a modern rock extravaganza. Sixx A.M. blazes through your speakers with all the vigor of a young band starving for success – the energy is absolutely contagious. This is one powerhouse of a record that is going to hurt your mother’s ears like any rock record worth its salt should. Things kick off with the title track, a blistering modern rocker that introduces some dark, near-Goth elements among the slick melodic riffs. First single, “Lies Of The Beautiful People” features a hugely addictive chorus that rises like a Phoenix from the industrial verses. “Are You With Me Now” is even more commercial, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why this isn’t all over radio. “Live Forever” is another cool track, made remarkable thanks to its interesting chord changes and irresistible riffage in the verses. The stomping verses of “Deadlihood” march their way right into another arena-ready chorus. As if things couldn’t get better, along comes the infectious rhythm of “Help Is On The Way”. And is just me, or does “Goodbye My Friends” sound like Radiohead reborn as a rock band once again?

If there’s anything that doesn’t work well it’s the ballads – the sappiness in the lyrics just sticks out like a severed thumb. “Sure Feels Right” is tolerable, but avoid “Smile”. But don’t let these minor diversions deter you from this record.

There is no reason in the world why Sixx A.M. shouldn’t be right up there with Shinedown or Three Days Grace in the pantheon of modern rock gods. Sixx A.M. is easily the best side project from any member of Motley Crue.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10

Sixx A.M. – Official site.

Listen to “Lies Of The Beautiful People”

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

MOTLEY CRUE "Shout At The Devil" (1983)

"Shout At The Devil" was the sophomore release by Motley Crue, following their punk/glam-inspried debut "Too Fast For Love". “Shout At The Devil” boosted their name to the sky, and introduced a heavier and darker side of the band. This highly anticipated record thrust their name to stardom when it was released in 1983, on the strength of the mystical anthem, "Shout At The Devil" and the fierce groove of "Looks That Kill". At that time, Nikki Sixx was deeply drawn to books about black magic and the occult, giving him the idea for the pentagram art and the album’s title. But after weird things began to happen around their house, he was spooked and dropped the Satanic ideas, moving on to his expertise - sex, drugs, and violence.

While their later release, "Dr. Feelgood", was their most successful creation, racking up six platinum stars and also being my big favorite, "Shout" - in my opinion - should be considered their magnum opus. Crue showed their true identity with the raw rampaging riffs and the bad attitude, constructing a perfect combination of shock rock, glam, and heavy metal. Listen to the fast-paced adrenaline-pumper "Red Hot" and "Bastard", the catchy "Too Young To Fall In Love", or the magnificent rendition of Beatles' "Helter Skelter", you'll know how Motley Crue shaped the decade. Great entertainment!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Interview: Pearl

Check out my interview with Pearl now posted at Rock and Roll Report!

"Pearl Aday, the daughter of rock legend Meat Loaf, has been embedded in the music scene all of her life. She’s napped in guitar cases as a baby and grew up singing back-up for her father from 1994 to 2003, and also sang with the boys in Motley Crue. Now married to Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, she has struck out with her debut record, “Little Immaculate White Fox”. Pearl recently entertained a few of our questions…

Q: It might seem obvious, as the daughter of a rock icon, that you were destined to write and perform music, but was there a defining moment in your life when you realized that you were indeed a “rock child”?"

Read the full interview here.

And in case you missed my review of Pearl's debut CD, you can read that here.

Rare CD: Motley Crue "Crucial Crue" (Promo)

"Up for auction here is a Motley Crue Promo Cd From 1989, it is oop and rare. . Cd is Used and is in Excellent shape along With inserts front and back . . It has 10 Songs on it . The songs are : 1) Dr. Feelgood 2) Girls, Girls ,Girls 3) Wild side 4) smokin in the boys room 5) home Sweet home 6) shout At The devil 7) Looks That Kill 8 ) Too Young TO Fall In Love 9) Live Wire 10) Take Me To The Top"

Sold for $50.00 on ebay (18 bids)

Rare CD: Motley Crue "Too Fast For Love" Leathur release

"VERY RARE AND STRICLY LIMITED PRESSING OF MOTLEY CRUE'S DEBUT CD 'TOO FAST FOR LOVE ' ON LEATHUR RECORDS.THIS IS AN ORIGINAL FACTORY PLANT PRESSED SILVER CD - CATALOGUE # M/C 1281-2. THIS CD WAS RELEASED PRIOR TO MOTLEY CRUE SIGNING TO ELEKTRA RECORDS, FRIDAY MAY 15TH 1982.

I HAVE THE INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH A VERY GOOD PIPELINE, THAT THIS CD WAS AN AUTHORISED RELEASE, INSTIGATED BY NIKKI SIXX, IN ORDER TO 'TEST' THE MARKET PLACE! OF COURSE THE MOST COMMON OBJECTION REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR CD, IS THE RESPONSE - "CDS WERE NOT AVAILABLE THEN" - ACTUALLY THE TRUTH WAS, YES THEY WERE!!!

UNFORTUNATELY THIS RELEASE IS NOT VERY WELL DOCUMENTED DUE TO THE VERY LIMITED NUMBERS RELEASED AND IN ADDITION THERE HAVE BEEN MANY BOOTLEG VERSIONS AS WELL. BELOW IN MY PICTURES 1-6 YOU WILL SEE THE ORIGINAL SILVER PLANT PRESSED CD WITH A CUSTOM SILK SCREENED LABEL AND THICK STOCK INLAY CARD.I HAVE ALSO INCLUDED FOR YOUR REFERENCE VISUALS OF BOTH THE BOOTLEG VERSIONS WHICH ARE JUST FOR DEMONSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR SALE, OR INCLUDED WITHIN THE AUCTION! VISUALS 7 - 11 COVER BOTH THE UNAUTHORISED VERSIONS, ONE HAS A WHITE LABEL ON A GOLD CD AND COMES COMPLETE WITH A STICKER ON THE REAR OF THE JEWEL CASE - 'NOT FOR SALE OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA. SOUND QUALITY TO BE FAIR IS GOOD.THE OTHER VERSION DESPITE BEING A PLANT PRESSED SILVER CD IS POOR IN SOUND QUALITY AND THE ACCOMPANYING ARTWORK IS POOR ALSO. THE LAST VISUAL # 12 COMPARES ALL 3 COVERS.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION THE FIRST CD WAS PROCURED BY PHILIPS / TOSHIBA, WEST GERMANY IN 1979 AND THE FIRST OFFICIAL MUSIC LAUNCH ON THIS NEW MEDIUM WAS THE BEE GEES, 1981 & THE BIGGEST MASS PRODUCED MUSIC CD WAS ACTUALLY IN 1982 BY THE GROUP ABBA.

CD & INSERTS ARE IN NEAR MINT CONDITION AND THE SOUND QUALITY IS IDENTICAL TO THAT OF THE LEATHUR RECORDS VERSION.

FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT KNOW ME I AM A HUGE MOTLEY CRUE COLLECTOR AND HAVE FOLLOWED THE GROUP SINCE 1982. I HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE LEATHUR RELEASE ON CD FOR MANY YEARS HOWEVER THEY ARE LIKE GOLD DUST AND VERY RARELY SURFACE. FANS AND COLLECTORS OFTEN HAIL THE WHITE LETTERED RECORD VERSION OF TFFL OR THE STICK TO YOUR GUNS 7 INCH SINGLE AS BEING THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN - BELIEVE ME THIS SURPASSES BOTH."

4-23-08: Sold for $361.00 on ebay (6 bids)