Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

The Record Vault – Bullet For My Valentine

Come here you naughty girl, you’re such a tease

“Fever” is BFMV’s hard rock/heavy metal album. It’s my favourite, just ahead of their previous effort, “Scream, Aim, Fire”. Then “Venom” and “Temper and Temper”. The Linkin Park sounding “Gravity” is up next and “The Poison” (too much screaming for me, but great riffage) is last.

The first three tracks, “Your Betrayal”, “Fever” and “The Last Fight” would fit on any 80’s album written between 1981 and 1985. To me they are metal classics especially “The Last Fight”. “A Place Where You Belong” is the ballad track, the same way Metallica has track 4 as a slower tempo ballad.

The lead breaks on the first four songs by Michael Paget are guitar hero worthy, with emotional bends, arpeggios and fast picked lines.

“Pleasure And Pain” is a fast heavy rocker with the lead break again from Paget being very Iron Maiden like. It starts off with a memorable line, which is then harmonised and then he breaks out the hard rockisms and shred.

“Alone” kicks off with an open string pull off lead which gets you to pay attention straight away. Then from about 40 seconds, it feels like a cut from the “Rust In Peace” album from Megadeth. And the lead break from Paget has tapping and fast alternate picked lines. And somehow it all works together and is memorable.

Listen to the start of “Dignity” and if it doesn’t get your head nodding and foot tapping, then you are too uptight. And it has Judas Priest and Iron Maiden all over it. Even Helloween. “Begging For Mercy” has a thrash metal riff. It’s the got some screaming vocals. But the Chorus, man, how catchy. “Pretty On The Outside” is another up-tempo thrash song, with screaming in the verses. And the Chorus again is pretty catchy.

The “Temper Temper” album further evolves the hard rock and metal tones from “Fever”.

“Breaking Point” is a fast tempo rock with a super catchy chorus and another lead break masterpiece from Paget. Plus did I mention that Michael Moose Thomas builds this intro perfectly. “Truth Hurts” feels like an evolution of “Your Betrayal”. “Temper Temper” is an sleazy but aggressive verse riff and an AC/DC style chorus.

“P.O.W” has this palm muted riff in the verses which reminds of Jake E Lee’s style riffing in tracks like “Waiting For Darkness”.

“Dirty Little Secret” has this intro that reminds me of “Back In The Village” from Iron Maiden. And the way Michael Moose Thomas builds the drumming in the intro to the next part of the song is great musicianship. And that section from about 3.20, when the drums hold like a Kashmir beat, and the guitars are playing fast down picked chords and octaves and Matt Tuck is singing “Dirty Little Secret” over and over again.

“Leech” is like a punk song, but it sounds like a song that could have come from the “Slave To The Grind” album from Skid Row. “Dead To The World” is one of those slower tempo songs

BFMV is well known for. There is always a nice intro which goes for about a minute with a lead break. Think of tracks like “Fade To Black”, “One” and “Welcome Home” and “The Unforgiven” from Metallica as examples. Then about 3.20 it picks up into a metal tune with great riffage and harmonies and a lead break from Paget which is brilliant.

“Riot” is basically a blues track with its staccato style riff in the Chorus. Think ZZ Top and “La Grange”. “Tears Don’t Fall (Pt. 2)” has this cool riff with digital delay on it, which basically makes the first note repeat when they are like on the third note of the riff.

“Livin Life (On The Edge Of A Knife)” is just a good rock song. “Not Invincible” is an 80’s classic metal song, the way I know metal.

On the deluxe edition, there is a cover of “Whole Lotta Rosie” (Live at BBC Radio 1) and I think its perfect how they do it, because you can hear that Acca Dacca was an influence on the making of this album, especially when you look at songs like “Riot” and “Temper, Temper”.

Up next Black Veil Brides.

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

A Rite Of Passage

“A Rite Of Passage” is the second track on the “Black Clouds and Silver Linings” album released in 2009.

The music is written by John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, Jordan Rudess and John Myung. The lyrics like “The Count Of Tuscany” are written by John Petrucci.

There are always accessible songs on each Dream Theater album. Accessible in Dream Theater’s language is shorter.

The main riff on this song is a metallic masterpiece. The riff moves between the E major and E minor scales.

Actually John Petrucci recorded this song using a 6-string guitar tuned 1 whole step down (D-G-C-F-A-D) so even though you play the riff like you would play it in standard tuning, the actual tone is D major and D minor.

And the song is filled with so many good bits like;
– The heavily palm muted verse riff.
– The pre chorus riff and the vocal melody.
– The chorus riff and the melodic lead break over it and the vocal melody. It’s an AOR arena rock chorus.
– Then when we go back to the next verse, the foundation chord progression is the same, but Petrucci decorates it with fast arpeggio and single note lines, before it moves back to the familiar pre chorus and that excellent Chorus.

After the Chorus, the intro riff is back and in your face.

Then it goes into this Megadeth style riff, like how they do in “Holy Wars” for the solo section. And man, John Petrucci brings it. Especially that chromatic little section with sweeps and single note lines.

Then Jordan Rudess makes chicken noises and gets a chance to throw another million notes at us, but I wanted Petrucci to take this one. It was perfect just for the guitar to shred over.

And then the solo section abruptly ends as it goes back to the intro riff for 10 seconds before it moves into the Chorus.

Did I mention that the Chorus is excellent?

And it ends the same way it started, with the bone crushing intro riff which fuses major and minor modes in E, but it’s in the key of D because Petrucci down tuned.

Lyrically the song is about secret organisations, like the freemasons.

As the lyrics state, “a brotherhood of wisdom, strength and dignity, its rituals and secrets, remain a mystery.”

These kind of organisations are shrouded in conspiracy, and are either up to good or evil. Just think of Dan Brown’s novel – ‘The Da Vinci Code’.

And these kind of organisations have so much power, but not a lot of people know much about them. There was a quote from a documentary I watched which said, there is a very high chance that a person would have had dealings with a person who is a freemason, and they wouldn’t have known it.

Beneath an ever watchful eye
The angels of the temple fly

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

The Record Vault – The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect are from Brisbane, Australia. Formed in 1999, they dropped their debut EP in 2001.

“Crave” is from their “Begins Here” album released in 2003. The next song “Saved” didn’t appear on any album until their 2016 release, “B Sides, Live and Rarities”. “The Cell” and “Take It Away” appeared on their six song EP, released in 2001. It was “Take It Away” from the EP, which got me interested in the band. 

“Imago” was released in 2006.

It debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA charts.

You could hear in this album that the band was progressing in their song writing department. You can hear the onus on more melody. Getting older, playing live, building on experiences and relationships all enhance the song writing.

But it wasn’t so smooth making the album.

“I think, as a grown man, I can probably say it would have been the most stressful seven weeks of my life”

Drummer Ben Hall 

Joe Barresi was hired to produce the album. He heard the demoes the band sent and was enthusiastic to work with them. He just finished recording Tool’s “10,000 Days” album and the band flew to LA as soon as a slot came up in Barresi’s calendar.

But the band wasn’t really ready to start recording at this point in time. And Barresi sure let them know it. The band started to not enjoy the process, but the experience with Barresi, showed them gaps in their commitments which they used to realign their goals with their music career.

From the opening one minute instrumental “Imago”, to “Aisles Of White” to “Gone” to “A Slow Descent”, it’s a four punch combo. The ending of “A Slow Descent” is excellent. But the album gets better. “Before They Knew” and “In A Memory” are my favourite cuts on this album. 

“In A Memory” has this bass riff inspired by Tool as it rumbles along and leads the song. But when you think the song is over at the 3.30 minute mark, it moves into this beautiful section which starts with chords and then arpeggios and a haunting vocal melody. And it’s got an ending as good as “A Slow Descent”. And those endings are pure gold.

It’s just a memory of all that we could have been

It’s just a memory and all that we could have been

It’s just a memory, I’ve seen

It’s just a memory, I’ll see 

The way these words are delivered is haunting, like a dream you’ve just had and you are not sure when you wake up, if it’s a real memory or a dream memory.

As good as “Imago” is, their piece d resistance album is “Final Conversation Of Kings” released in 2008.

I have no photo to share of this album because I gave it and the debut EP to my ex drummer, along with “The Dirt” hardcover book from Motley Crue, a  Rush “Live in Rio” DVD and a Coheed and Cambria live DVD. I should have gotten my stuff back first, before I booted him.

And speaking of band members not getting on, The Butterfly Effect had some issues between founding guitarist Kurt Goedhart and lead vocalist Clint Boge. So it was no surprise that the band members went their separate ways, until a few years ago, when they released a new song and announced a tour around Oz. 

Welcome back. 

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

Army Of Noise

“Army Of Noise” has got that feel of “Metal Militia” and overall the song has a “Kill Em All” vibe in the lyrics.

The intro riff morphs into the verse riff and it’s a combination of Metallica and Slayer, from their “Ride The Lightning” and “South Of Heaven” albums. It’s fast and aggressive and Matt Tuck spits out the words.

Anticipation we’re on the attack, just keep pushing forward, there’s no turning back

I lived this during the 80’s, but there is a whole new generation who needs these words and are living it right now.

Lights out, fist raised, adrenaline rushing infecting our veins

Going to the show was about the adrenaline. Now it’s about the best seat, which you pay premium for, and the selfie and the filmed footage to show the world that you went.

I’m guilty of it as well.

Now feel the heat as the temperature spikes, bodies are thrashing, the fire ignites

I’ve never been in a circle pit but goddamn they are wicked to watch.

At one of the Machine Head Sydney concerts, I saw this guy on crutches make his way into the circle pit and he just vanished like a person in a twister, only to be lifted up in the air and held up high by the circle pitters. Unbelievable, that in all of that chaos, there was a sense to protect.

Before the Chorus comes in, there is this foot stomping riff that just gets me ready to break stuff.

Once the Chorus kicks in, its arena rock all the way.

So here we are
Weapons in arms
Army of noise has come to destroy
We will not fall
Brothers in arms
We will deploy our army
An army of noise

The message and the ethos is the same as the 80s. In those times we had “Stand Up And Shout”, “I Wanna Rock”, “Cum On Feel The Noize” and “We Rock”. Judas Priest took it to another level with “Ram It Down” and “Heavy Metal”.

One thing that I’ve always liked about BFMV is the drumming from Michael “Moose” Thomas. The way he builds intro’s and riffs with metronome precision, his double kick work and tom rolls is excellent.

But he is no longer in the band, fired during the “Venom” tour. Well, he left the tour to go home, so he could be there for the birth of his child and after a few months, he contacted the band and said he was ready to return, but they didn’t offer him a return date.

And the lead break is Triple A rated. Michael Paget is an unknown in the larger field of guitarist these days, but he is a bonafide guitar hero in my book.

So feel the sound as it pounds in your chest
Eardrums exploding bodies possessed

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

Modern Day Cowboy

The cowboys were alive and well in the 80’s.

Hard Rock bands really went to town with the cowboy spirit and swagger. Their motorbikes became their trusted horses.

It all started a decade before.

Bad Company told us how bad it was to hang with misfits who would ride into town and shake things up. Thin Lizzy wrote “The Cowboy Song” and the Eagles wrote “Desperado”. Aerosmith showed how easy it was to get “Back In The Saddle”.

Stephen Pearcy told us he was a “Wanted Man”. And in 1986, Bon Jovi was “Wanted Dead or Alive”, a cowboy analogy for life as a touring musician and the piece d resistance came from the modern day cowboys known as Tesla.

“Modern Day Cowboy” is from their debut album “Mechanical Resonance”.

It didn’t really make an impact in Australia however it’s totally solid. If you want to go deep into the album, listen to “Changes,” “Little Suzi” and “Cumin’ Atcha Live.” Actually listen to the whole damn thing.

Jeff Keith is a good singer. He probably didn’t have the rap sheet or the dealer sheet as some of the other vocalists from the bands of his era nor did he have the three octave ranges of other vocalists. What he had was life experiences and musicians who could move between southern rock, classic rock, classic metal and hard rock effortlessly.

The quick hammer on licks to kick off the song is Randy Rhoads, similar to a solo lick he does in “Mr Crowley”, but Hannon and Skeoch morphed it into a riff.

Then the main riff is classic “Sunset Strip” and a big reason why it resonated with punters. It’s simple in its structure, moving from A5 to F5 to G5.

Then that acoustic Am riff in the verses is inspired from Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir”. Whitesnake would incorporate a similar Am riff for “Judgement Day” a few years later.

Then when the verse riff picks up to hard rock, it’s got this Dokken feel. And we get to hear about a stormy night under jet black skies as Billy pulled into town, looking for a fight and of course there was another man, also feeling the same way. Bang, bang…

It’s a showdown, in a no-man’s land
For the cowboy of the modern day

The solo starts off with a lot of hammer-ons and pull-offs, (I know, leave it to musicians to have a guitar term associated with sex). And then it goes into this Am to F to G arpeggio lick, which is very Randy Rhoads like in its structure and composition. Then it moves into Joe Perry style bends before coming back to some Ritchie Blackmore style of phrasing, more shred, some classic rock soloing and some more hammer ons and pull offs to finish off the solo section I didn’t want to end.

And then we are told about foreign lands with their terrorist demands pushing their useless cause which makes good people hurt. And the USA and the USSR still tried to out talk each other with who had the biggest penis (missiles) size.

Bang Bang.

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

The Count Of Tuscany

The intro and the outro are two of the best musical pieces put together by Dream Theater.

For the start, Petrucci took the chord progression from the song “Another Day” (which was released on “Images And Words” in 1992), changed the phrasing, added a few extra bass notes and chord movements and made it into one of his best Dream Theater riffs. But it’s also the solo that he takes, which makes it even more memorable. And it builds and builds for the first 3 minutes and 27 seconds. To me, it’s essential listening. I call this Section A.

Then the vocal part comes in. I call this movement between 4.23 and the 11 minute mark Section B. Musically its brilliant. Melodically its brilliant.

Lyrically it falls down for a lot of people. And when you think of Dream Theater lyrics, sometimes they are great and sometimes they are loaded with cheese. Personally I don’t mind the cheese but this one has a lot of it. Get ready.

It’s about a trip years ago. The band went on a vino tour with a young eccentric man who became their guide. The young eccentric man had an older brother, who had a unique library, which served as inspiration for a few scenes in the “Hannibal” book.

And as part of this tour, they kept moving more away from the city and into the isolated country side of Tuscany.

Then their guide, introduced the band to his brother, a bearded historian, with a distinguished accent who didn’t mind sucking on his pipe. Dream Theater sleuths even worked out who the Count of Tuscany is and how he also appeared in the “Hannibal” movie.

And the guys in the band are now frightened for their lives, because they are offered a vintage glass of wine that gets better with age. But this offer of wine comes after the Count tells them the tale of French soldiers who hid in the barrels and never made it out of alive.

And then we are up to Section C of the song. This nature section between 11.01 to 14.19 could have been left out.

Because the last bit, known as Section D from 14.20 is one of those moments of awesomeness. The 6/8 time signature, the vocal melody, how it slowly percolates until it explodes, the lead break to finish it. Everything about this last section is addictive.

And the song ends with the Count saying to them to not be afraid, as these are stories passed down through generations.

The chapel and the saint
The soldiers and the wine
The fables and the tales
All handed down through time

Of course you’re free to go
Go and tell the world my story
Tell about my brother
Tell them about me

The Count of Tuscany

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

The Record Vault – Blindside

Blindside are from Sweden, forming in 1994. They released a few albums and the band P.O.D became their North American supporters, which led to an Elektra contract. The label placed them in the “post-hardcore” genre, which I think is a stupid term. To me they are just another rock band. And when their Elektra albums didn’t meet the commercial expectations of the label, they got dropped.

“The Great Depression” is the album straight after being dropped and because I was a fan of P.O.D, I decided I should check em out.

The title track is spoken like “In The Beginning” from Motley Crue, but that’s about all the similarities to Motley Crue.

“This Is A Heart Attack” has this reggae/funk groove in the verses with a chaotic Chorus. Its progressive in how the song comes together.

If you like “The Mars Volta” and “Coheed and Cambria” then you will like Blindside.

“Ask Me Now” rocks as hard as any Muse track, when Muse decides to rock hard. And the best song is “Fell In Love With The Game”.

But there wasn’t enough of those kind of songs to get me to commit further than this.

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

No Way Out

Bullet For My Valentine (BFMV) started off as a normal metal band to me, but people and marketing teams need genre tags, so they got labeled with “Metalcore” or “EMO” act for “The Poison” released in 2007.

Sticking with genre labels, they went all “Thrash Metal” on their best album “Scream Aim Fire” in 2008 with the very Slayer sounding, “Waking The Demon” track and surprise, surprise, the very Journey sounding, “Hearts Burst Into Fire” and a great cover of Robert Tepper’s “No Easy Way Out” from the Rocky IV soundtrack.

For 2010’s “Fever” they adopted a more hard rock/metal approach, which they re-defined and commercialised a little bit more for “Temper Temper” in 2013.

Then in 2015, they combined elements of all their releases into a very good album called “Venom”. I have written about this album previously in one of my year in reviews series. They also released another album in 2018 called “Gravity”.

The thing is, acts like BFMV have melodic rock and hard rock influences, however fans of those styles never really give these bands a chance because they are labeled with a different style due to record label marketing.

To me, BFMV is a hard rock band at heart, with thrash and metal influences. And while their earlier stuff had some screaming, the majority of their new stuff is with clean vocals and massive rock choruses. On some occasions you get all three, the screaming, the clean and the melody. Like the track “No Way Out” from the “Venom” album.

And BFMV are also an important band when it comes to streaming who has metal, hard rock and thrash roots. Their numbers on Spotify and YouTube are massive.

“No Way Out” is relentless. A thrash-a-thon.

Looking out standing over the edge
Too numb to feel alive

Even though this song was written in 2015, the words are still relevant.

Every time I go to The Guardian to catch up on news, I am greeted with death. If the death toll goes down in one country, it increases in another.

Its numbing.

And our brains are designed to survive, so we read the news, we watch the news and process the threats. We are fragile creatures, only here for a short time. And our thoughts can make us do things that makes our time being alive even shorter.

Will life return to normal once COVID-19 is all over?

Will people still gather in larger groups?

A scientist on TV said, there might not be a cure or a vaccine for COVID-19, but a treatment, like how they do with HIV.

Its numbing.

Tell me why I feel like there’s no way out

The Chorus deals with the mental struggles of thinking there is no way out and today, we are looking for the peak of infections to fall or to flatten the curve.

And being patient is not part of our DNA.

We hate waiting for time to pass and we hate following rules but waiting it out by following rules is what we need to do.

This negativity
Is dominating and smothering me
I just can’t breathe

I can’t help but over analyse events, thinking that some of the people I deal with have ulterior motives, saying one thing to my face and saying something else behind my back.

The negativity is not productive and its torturous. This was heaps prominent when I was younger and as I got older, my care factor for these kinds of analysis went to ZERO. Other things are more important than putting thoughts in my head which don’t exist.

The guitar solo while brief is quality.

And it ends with the same thrash-a-thon riff that it began with.

And while the song ends with a sense of hopelessness, there is hope in life and there is a way out. This too shall pass.

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

The Record Vault – Jason Becker

He came into my life because of all the ads Shrapnel Records and Mike Varney used to run in the guitar mags. But at that point in time I still didn’t commit to purchasing any music.

Jason Becker and Marty Friedman were in Cacophony together. In 1989 Friedman left to join Megadeth and Becker started to pursue a solo career. Of course by Friedman being in Megadeth, his Cacophony days with Becker were mentioned so it got me interested to check it out. But I still didn’t commit.

Becker then joined the DLR band, replacing Steve Vai and he went to work on new music which would become the “A Little Ain’t Enough” album. This got me interested enough to commit.

While recording the album, Becker began to feel a “lazy limp” in his left leg and numbness in his forearms.

After getting himself checked he was diagnosed with ALS otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease and was given three to five years to live.

He managed to finish the DLR album, which was released in 1991, and the ALS gradually crippled his body and speech by 1997 but not his mind. He is still alive today and uses a computer to communicate with people via eye movements and to compose new music.

The “Perpetual Burn” album is a pretty big statement for a young 18 year old but then again, the 80s was the era of the shredders and every new guy on the scene had to have all the tools of a seasoned pro and more. Just look at Zakk Wylde.

“Altitudes” starts off with the keys playing chords and a pretty emotive solo. At the 1.25 mark it moves to a clean tone section which continues the emotion and the melody.

The guitar hero spotlight is from the 2 minute mark with a lot of string skipping, fast alternative picking and sweep picking.

The solo from 3.46 is a like a hard rock Vito Brattain style solo.

The title track “Perpetual Burn” has a lot of classical references. Even though Becker was not influenced by Malmsteen, it sounds like a Malmsteen song.

“Air” is just keys and guitar and then just guitar. It’s based around a classical movement.

“Temple Of The Absurb” is a progressive metal gem. It could have appeared on a thrash metal release from Metallica or Megadeth or Testament or a Fates Warning release or even a Dream Theater release. It has this Mercyful Fate influence which I like, and this modern neo classical Rainbow vibe. It’s no surprise that Friedman guests on this song.

The closer “Opus Pocus” has this major key melody which I like and it remains with me long after the song is finished.

His actual recording career is short because of his illness and it’s more of an instrumental nature with the guitarist is in the spotlight. But if you want to hear how he writes songs for a band setting, check out “Its Showtime” and “Drop In The Bucket” from the DLR album, “A Lil Ain’t Enough”. You will like em. Trust me.

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Music, My Stories

The Pirate Vault #9

Iron Maiden – Somewhere In Time / Annihilator – Never, Neverland

I taped the “Somewhere In Time” album with Side 2 first and Side 1 second, because I didn’t want the 45 minute per side constraint to cut off “Alexander The Great”. I preferred that song over “Heaven Can Wait”.

“Never, Neverland” is the follow up to “Alice In Hell” and although each song on the album has some good guitar sections, it’s patchy overall.

Night Ranger / Deep Purple / Queen

This mix tape was done based on songs I liked at a particular point in time. I recorded it at my cousins place.

Halfway To The Sun, I Did It For Love, Reason To Be, Restless Kind

I didn’t like the “Man In Motion” album. But the songs listed here are what I would call my favorites. More musically than lyrically.

Like check out these masterpiece lyrics from “Halfway To The Sun” which was more suited for Motley Crue or Aerosmith.

So take them overdone lips
And that million dollar smile
And go use them up on some younger pup
That’ll spend his time and money on your style

They went their separate ways in the 80s.

Jack Blades teamed up with Tommy Shaw and Ted Nugent, bringing us two stellar albums Damn Yankees. Along the way Shaw and Blades wrote a lot of songs for other artists as well. One of my favorites is the Vince Neil track, “You’re Invited But Your Friend Can’t Come”.

“Burn” and “Mistreated”, I copied because they are awesome songs and I wanted to learn em.

Queen really came into my life in the 90s because of a few random things.

My cousin Mega was a huge fan and he kept playing me their more rockier songs.

“I Want It All” released in 1989, was all over the charts in Australia and then it kept getting played on radio.

Metallica covered “Stone Cold Crazy” in 1991 and it blew me away.

Lynch Mob covered “Tie Your Mother Down” in 1992 and it also blew me away. Suddenly I’m going back and listening to Queen.

“The Prophet Song” is from the “A Night At The Opera” album. It’s a blast at 8 plus minutes. I felt like I was in a “Conan The Barbarian” movie. Savatage would take this style and run with it, during the Zachary Stevens fronted era.

Lily Of The ValleyTenement Funster, Flick Of The Wrist, Stone Cold Crazy

All of these songs are from the excellent “Sheer, Sheet Heart Attack”. If you like rock and metal music, there is no way you can’t like this album.

Rocktober Radio Recordings

Triple M was one hell of a radio station once upon a time. And from the late 90s and onwards, it morphed to just another radio station that played the same as most of the other stations. Even the presenters had no rock credibility anymore. But once upon a time it was a bonafide rock station. October also brought forth Rocktober at Triple M.

Don’t Tell Me What To Do – Baby Animals

Suzi DeMarchi is one awesome frontwoman. I saw the band live at Revesby Workers and man they could play.

For those who don’t know DeMarchi was also married to Nuno Bettencourt.

This song is the first single from their second studio album, “Shaved And Dangerous” released in 1993. DeMarchi and Bettencourt also wrote a song together for this album and Nuno even produced and wrote a few songs for her “Telelove” solo album released in 1999. I like this album more than the debut but it’s the debut that keeps selling.

The Flame Trees – Cold Chisel

This is their best song. It’s melancholic and hopeful at the same time.

Sister Havana – Urge Overkill

One hit wonders with this song, which has a riff similar to songs like “Fantasy” by Aldo Nova and “Jesse’s Girl” by Rick Springfield.

Personally I liked it and it rocked hard during an 90s era that tried to kill rock.

Soul To Squeeze – RHCP

It was a B side from their massive “BSSM” album. Then it was released as a single and it went massive. You can’t keep a good song down.

Why Can’t This Be Love (Live), Dreams (Live) by Van Halen

These tracks were taken from their live album. It was very rare in the 90s for radio stations to play live songs.

Janies Got A Gun (Live), Rag Doll (Live), Love In The Elevator (Live), Dude Look Like A Lady (Live) by Aerosmith

Aerosmith songs were recorded during an Oz tour I think. The band is firing on all cylinders here, delivering songs from their two biggest 80s albums.

Runaway Train by Soul Asylum

I saw these guys on an MTV awards show and the songs music, and melodies connected immediately because it reminded me of the 70s acts.

Are You Going My Way, Believe by Lenny Kravitz

“Are You Going My Way” was overplayed. It went to Number 1 in Australia. My favorite is the ballad and the outro solo to “Believe” is brilliant.

Twisted Sister – Big Hits And Nasty Cuts / Def Leppard – Retroactive

I don’t know why I felt the need to copy the Twisted Sister “Greatest Hits” album to a cassette. But I did.

“Retroactive” from Def Leppard is excellent. “Desert Song” and “Fractured Love” are two of my favorites and they have Steve Clark all over em.

These unfinished songs from the “Hysteria” recording sessions, show how creative an artist is at certain points in time. The guys in Def Leppard wrote over three albums worth of music for “Hysteria”.

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